Chapter 1026: Hoodwinking the White Poison Master

Indeed, the White Toxi Master was betrayed in his youth by a brother he trusted deeply. Upon learning of the Silkworm Star Art, this brother harbored ill intentions. He secretly replaced the refined medicine, leading to a cultivation error that nearly caused qi deviation. Worse still, he launched a sneak attack during the most crucial phase of Bai Toxi Master's cultivation, almost resulting in his death!

Although he later personally poisoned this man, avenging his deep-seated hatred, his damaged body could never fully recover. This permanent injury left him trapped in the Nascent Spirit realm, unable to achieve a breakthrough, a lifelong regret.

However, ever since that incident, he had been defensive towards everyone, never divulging his secrets. So, how did this person before him come to know all this?

"When you circulated your true qi just now, intending to attack me, your energy flow stopped at the Cloud Gate acupoint. This indicates a blockage there, preventing smooth circulation! This isn't a particularly difficult major acupoint to unblock; such a condition usually points to a past injury or... a psychological trauma!" The middle-aged man in front, still keeping his eyes closed, spoke with a serene expression.

"As for your inability to break through... your Nascent Spirit, though well-concealed, is immensely powerful. Under normal circumstances, you should have long been able to separate from your physical body and soar. Yet, there's no spiritual energy at the Nascent Spirit acupoint, indicating that your 'Nascent Gate' is tightly locked and its points are sealed. Combine this with the true qi in your body, which resembles a silkworm cocoon, and the rest is not hard to deduce!"

"You could see all that just by my circulating true qi?" Bai Toxi Master's voice was parched. As a peak expert of the Saint Realm's Fourth Layer, he had encountered many individuals with keen insight and formidable skills, even sparring with Seven-Star Grandmasters. However, to deduce so much from a mere circulation of true qi, and in the blink of an eye, was utterly unprecedented and astonishing. What was more, the other person hadn't even opened his eyes and remained facing away from him! This was beyond terrifying; it was horrifying.

"Never mind how I saw it; the main point is you. The reason you haven't broken through is a lack of confidence. Without confidence, everything is futile! How about this: you are a peak Seven-Star Toxi Master, so your skills in using and identifying poisons should be quite good... I'll test you now."

The middle-aged man smiled. As he finished speaking, with a "whoosh," a wine gourd slowly floated towards them. "See if there's any poison in here?"

"This?" He reached out doubtfully and took the gourd. Bai Toxi Master pulled out the stopper, and a rich aroma of wine immediately filled his nostrils. He extended his divine sense through it, and a moment later, shook his head, giving his verdict: "No poison..." He had just probed it thoroughly, inside and out, with his divine sense. It merely contained a richer spiritual energy; it was absolutely non-poisonous.

"Do you dare to take a sip?" the middle-aged man continued.

"This..." Bai Toxi Master hesitated. Although he could confirm it was non-poisonous, he still felt some apprehension about drinking it.

"You don't even dare to trust your own judgment. With such a mindset, how can you progress further? A peak Seven-Star Toxi Master... is nothing more than this!" With a scoff, the middle-aged man shook his head.

Bai Toxi Master's face flushed.

"Your biggest issue, while originating from your friend's betrayal, isn't limited to that... Most importantly, you don't even trust yourself! When you saw your 'Nascent Gate' tightly closed, you immediately believed you couldn't break through and were ready to give up... If you lack self-confidence, how can you take that final step and achieve greater power?" the middle-aged man continued.

"I..." Bai Toxi Master was speechless. The other person was right. Because of that incident, he had grown suspicious of outsiders, and as time passed, this suspicion deepened, to the point where he even lacked confidence in himself.

"Since you've confirmed there's no poison inside, why are you afraid to drink it? Is it because you doubt your own judgment, or are you afraid of being poisoned to death?" the middle-aged man pressed on.

Under the other person's questioning, Bai Toxi Master's body trembled, and his face alternated between red and pale. A moment later, he looked up, his expression full of sincerity: "Senior, what should I do?" The other person's insight and knowledge far exceeded his own. At that moment, Bai Toxi Master believed that even if the man wasn't the founding patriarch, he was certainly an expert whose understanding of poisons vastly surpassed his. Addressing him as 'Senior' was perfectly appropriate.

"Break through the doubts and shackles in your heart..." The middle-aged man's voice carried a lofty tone, as if he were guiding all beings. "Trust your own judgment, drink this wine, and your doubts will naturally vanish!"

Hesitating for a moment, Bai Toxi Master gritted his teeth: "Indeed, if I've determined there's no poison, what is there to fear?" He had already confirmed it was harmless, so why would he hesitate to drink? Even if it turned out to be poisoned, he carried a Heavenly Fragrance Detoxification Pill, which was sufficient to handle any situation. With this thought, he no longer hesitated. He opened his mouth and took several large gulps from the wine gourd, "Gulp! Gulp!" Immediately, he felt as if his long-suppressed inner demons had vanished, and his face brightened with joy. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Excellent wine!" Due to the betrayal he had suffered, he had grown distrustful of outsiders and lacked self-confidence. This unhealthy state had always plagued him, but now... it seemed to have been cured by the other party's gourd of fine wine.

"Many thanks for your guidance, Senior!" Bai Toxi Master bowed. Regardless of the other person's true identity, the act of helping him dispel his inner demons was an immense favor.

"Do you believe I am your patriarch now?" the middle-aged man asked.

"I..." Bai Toxi Master was utterly embarrassed. He had come specifically to investigate the other person's identity, and it now seemed he had been seen through the moment he entered, though it hadn't been explicitly pointed out.

"Senior, your insight and vision are far beyond my reach, but... to claim that the founding patriarch has possessed you still seems incredibly difficult to believe... Would it be convenient for me to use my Nascent Spirit to conduct a brief investigation? If it's truly confirmed to be an Innate Poison Soul Body, I, Bai Ting, will prostrate myself and beg for forgiveness!" Bai Toxi Master hesitated before speaking. Although he was seventy to eighty percent convinced, he still felt uneasy without a direct probe. After all, as far as he knew, the founding patriarch was indeed a woman, while the person before him was undeniably a man.

The middle-aged man in front did not answer him. Instead, he waved a hand: "The Innate Poison Body, also known as the Calamity Body, spreads potent poison wherever it goes. You must have heard of this, right?"

"Yes!" Bai Toxi Master nodded. As a peak Seven-Star Toxi Master, he had, of course, long heard of the various wonders of the Innate Poison Body. The Calamity Body was not only immune to all poisons; if its internal true qi wasn't properly suppressed, it would contain deadly venom. Wherever it went, it was as if a calamity had descended, and no one could escape.

"Although I am now merely a remnant soul, my essence hasn't changed. And though Sun Qiang, the one I inhabit, has decent talent, he still can't fully control the soul's inherent nature... Consequently, this room became highly poisonous the moment I entered it... And you, upon stepping inside, naturally became poisoned!" the middle-aged man stated.

"Poisoned?" Bai Toxi Master was stunned. When his divine sense had scanned the wine gourd earlier, he had also checked his surroundings and hadn't detected any poisonous gas or powder! Besides, if he were truly poisoned, how could he not know? He felt absolutely nothing.

"What, you don't believe me?" the middle-aged man chuckled.

"It's not that I don't believe you, Senior, but... I've been exposed to poisons since childhood, and I genuinely didn't detect... any poison here!" Bai Toxi Master looked around again with doubt, and after a moment, shook his head once more.

"Didn't feel it?" The middle-aged man chuckled, then sighed: "If the poison gas released by an Innate Poison Body were so easily detectable by you, how could it have become the patriarch of the Poison Hall, established an entirely new profession, and made even Master Kong wary?" With that, he gently rubbed his fingers. *Snap!* A soft sound echoed, and Bai Toxi Master immediately felt his entire body stiffen, as if a potent poison, long hidden within him, had suddenly been unleashed under the other person's control. His face paled, and he spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes wide with terror.

He had been cautious since entering the room; when did he get poisoned? Could it be... truly as the other person had just said, that wherever an Innate Poison Body goes, it creates a disaster from which even a Toxi Master cannot escape?

"Do you believe me now?" Stopping the further assault of the potent poison, the middle-aged man said calmly.

"I... I believe!" Gritting his teeth, Bai Toxi Master quickly nodded. If he had harbored any doubts before, he was now absolutely convinced. As a peak Seven-Star Toxi Master, he hadn't even known when he was poisoned; the other person's mastery of poison was countless times superior to his! Most crucially, he could sense that the potent poison in his body had permeated even the tiniest acupoints throughout his entire body. Not only was it impossible to expel, but even a Heavenly Fragrance Detoxification Pill would be utterly useless.

Poisoned without knowing it, and with no way to cure it... This must be the unique power and ability of the Innate Poison Body!

"Your junior, Seven-Star Toxi Master Bai Ting, greets you, Patriarch!" His heart now convinced, he no longer dared to use his Nascent Spirit to probe the other person's soul. Bai Toxi Master hastily knelt on the ground, his face etched with profound reverence.

"Rise!" The middle-aged man waved his hand.

This middle-aged man was, of course, Sun Qiang, a disguise assumed by Zhang Xuan. The individual before him was a peak expert of the Saint Realm's Fourth Layer. To make him submit without a fight, simple, light threats would be ineffective. After all, if the other party harbored no suspicion, it would be fine, but once he did, he might launch an attack. If Zhang Xuan couldn't summon the Violetleaf King in time, he could even be killed on the spot! Therefore, for safety's sake, his priority was to poison him first. To achieve this, Zhang Xuan deliberately pretended to bump into the bookshelf, prompting the other party to circulate his energy. Then, after using the Library of Heaven's Path to identify his flaws, he used his eloquent tongue to intimidate him. Once shocked, the other man's flaws naturally became apparent, which Zhang Xuan then exploited to make him drink the true qi-infused fine wine.

As for the subsequent talk about the 'Poison Body' and such, it was, of course, all fabricated. Although Wei Ruyan possessed an Innate Poison Body, due to her limited cultivation, it was difficult for her to fatally poison even ordinary Saint Realm experts, let alone a Fourth Layer expert like the one present. Zhang Xuan certainly lacked that ability. The reason the other party was poisoned was precisely due to the fine wine he had consumed. Naturally... as long as Zhang Xuan kept quiet about this, the other man would assume he had been automatically poisoned from prolonged exposure to an Innate Poison Body. This would naturally instill fear in him, preventing him from acting presumptuously again.

Seeing the other party completely convinced, Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. He hesitated for a moment, then asked: "My soul has possessed this body, and my strength is greatly diminished; I've also lost many memories. I can no longer suppress this poisonous qi, and it could erupt at any time. Do you know of any good methods to resolve this situation?"