Chapter 1172: Goodbye Elder Xu

The members of the Poison Hall were indeed implicated because of him. If they were to be handed over to the Master Teacher Pavilion, they would undoubtedly face exclusion from many righteous individuals, and their ultimate fate would be uncertain. However, if they could be recruited into the Combat Master Hall, it would be a different story. This would not only offer them a chance to clear their names but also grant them a more respectable status. It's likely that most poison masters wouldn't refuse such an offer.

Furthermore, and most crucially, if these poison masters could be effectively utilized, the Combat Master Hall's overall strength would immediately surge!

"This definitely won't work..." Hall Chief Xing's face twitched as he quickly waved his hand.

"Why not?" Zhang Xuan asked, surprised.

"Poison masters, as you well know, are typically undisciplined. I'm concerned it would be very difficult to control them if they were to join the Combat Master Hall. Most importantly, many of their cultivation techniques are highly unorthodox and not considered legitimate methods—something master teachers would never endorse..." Hall Chief Xing shook his head. He continued, "To advance their cultivation, poison masters raise venomous insects, consume toxins, and even use their own lives to cultivate Gu worms. Many of these practices violate the fundamental principles of master teachers. Combat masters are a distinct category of master teachers; if we were to accept these individuals, how could we maintain our credibility? While combat masters prioritize strength and fighting prowess, they also adhere to strict principles and cannot simply recruit anyone."

"That's simple," Zhang Xuan replied. "I will redesign their poison cultivation methods to be honorable and fully aligned with the Great Dao. Furthermore, I will ensure their obedience, allowing the Hall Chief to maintain complete control!" He explained that while many traditional poison cultivation techniques indeed violate human ethics and etiquette, this issue is easily resolved. By cultivating his simplified version of the poison technique, not only would their cultivation progress rapidly, but they would also avoid resorting to any evil or unorthodox practices.

Hall Chief Xing hesitated. He was intimately familiar with the young man's capabilities. Someone who could master a cultivation technique to perfection in just eleven breaths after a single glance could indeed be capable of revising poison cultivation. If these two issues could be resolved, integrating the poison masters would certainly be of immense benefit to their Combat Master Hall. Beyond all else, consider King Zhongqing himself: how could he have ascended to his current position in just over two decades without the aid of poison?

"Master teachers believe in education without discrimination," Master Wu interjected, having overheard the conversation. "While poison masters have a poor reputation, the headquarters has never ordered their eradication, which suggests they are being given an opportunity. If Master Zhang can find a way to make these poison masters willingly serve humanity, I will report it to the headquarters; it would be a significant contribution!" He elaborated that while poison masters are indeed feared, their combat effectiveness can be formidable when properly utilized, especially in group combat. Although the Poison Hall's headquarters is deeply concealed, the Master Teacher Pavilion headquarters must be aware of its existence. The fact that they have never launched an eradication campaign, unlike their actions against Soul Orators in the past, indicates that the poison masters are not deemed utterly evil or unforgivable. Moreover, many of these particular poison masters were born and raised on the small island near Jingyuan City and have never left; even with their knowledge of poisons, they have never harmed anyone. If individuals who have committed no evil are simply exterminated solely because of their profession, what distinction would remain between master teachers and other professions?

"Good!" Zhang Xuan sighed with relief upon hearing Master Wu's agreement. Although Hall Chief Xing's strength surpassed Master Wu's, Master Wu held a naturally higher status. His assent indicated that he had already considered the subsequent steps.

"Then please wait here briefly," Zhang Xuan said. "I'll go to the dungeon to see the members of the Poison Hall and see if I can persuade them. If not, we can then discuss our next steps."

"That... that's fine," Master Wu replied, a hint of worry in his voice. "But Master Zhang, what about your injuries?"

"I've taken some healing medicine, and given my physique, I'm fine for now," Zhang Xuan said, waving his hand with a smile.

"It's good that you're alright, but poison masters can be quite devious. No, I'll accompany you," Master Wu insisted. He recalled Zhang Xuan's various abilities and realized that such minor injuries likely posed no real threat, then continued speaking with a sigh of relief.

"Never mind," Zhang Xuan declined. "Given your current status and position, I'm concerned your presence might put undue pressure on them. I can go alone." He reasoned that to persuade Xu You and the others to join the Combat Master Hall and ensure their obedience, he would need to leverage his identity as Sun Qiang. Master Wu's presence would effectively confirm his association with poison masters, making caution advisable.

After a moment's pause, Master Wu nodded. "Very well. We won't enter the dungeon, but we will wait outside. Should we detect any trouble, we will intervene immediately!"

"I appreciate your concern," Zhang Xuan said, nodding, aware of their genuine worry for his safety.

Led by the master teacher, they quickly reached the dungeon's entrance. Zhang Xuan requested Master Wu and Hall Chief Xing to wait outside, then entered alone.

The royal palace's dungeon was rather gloomy, fortified with various powerful formations to prevent the escape of any imprisoned cultivators. As he stepped inside, Zhang Xuan's bones audibly "creaked" as he transformed back into his previous guise as "Sun Qiang."

"Elder Xu..." He soon spotted Elder Xu, who, as the master teacher had described, had evidently endured severe torture. He was noticeably thinner than two months ago, and his aura seemed listless. It was obvious his injuries were significant. Only about a hundred individuals were imprisoned there. The fate of the other members of the Poison Hall, whether alive or dead, remained unknown.

"Grandmaster..." Upon seeing Zhang Xuan, Elder Xu and the others were initially stunned, then overcome with excitement. The identity of "Sun Qiang" before them had already been verified by both Master Hai Poison and Master Bai Poison, leaving them without a shred of doubt.

"I merely escorted the Grandmaster; I am not the Grandmaster myself. You can just call me Sun Qiang..." Zhang Xuan shook his head. "You've suffered greatly. These are pills to restore your vitality. Take them quickly and try to regain some strength..." With a flick of his wrist, he produced several jade vials and offered them the pills within. Having hunted the Ten Kings of Qingtian, he possessed an abundance of such restorative pills. When secretly infused with a small amount of Heavenly Dao True Qi, these pills had miraculous effects for healing and replenishing energy.

"Yes!" Elder Xu and the others accepted the pills without further ado and promptly consumed them. The medicine dissolved instantly in their mouths, and the hidden Heavenly Dao True Qi coursed through their bloodstreams, spreading throughout their bodies. Their prior injuries visibly healed before their eyes. Witnessing the remarkable changes in themselves, Xu You and the others were utterly astounded, barely able to believe it. The effects were far more powerful than any medicine they had ever concocted. It was clear that someone who escorted the Grandmaster must have inherited the Grandmaster's true legacy.

"How fares the Poison Hall?" Zhang Xuan inquired, observing their renewed strength.

"The Poison Hall..." Xu You's eyes reddened. "It's been completely destroyed. Only we few survived; virtually everyone else was massacred..." He explained that Ming Zhen, as the former deputy hall chief of the Poison Hall, possessed all its secrets. He had effortlessly led infiltrators into their unsuspecting ranks, resulting in an unprecedented catastrophe.

"Massacred? King Zhongqing directly massacred them?" Zhang Xuan frowned. He had assumed there was strong resistance and mutual casualties, but the other person's tone suggested otherwise.

"Yes!" Xu You said, his face flushing crimson as he clenched his fists. "They attacked at night, and we were completely unprepared when they surrounded us. Overnight, blood flowed like rivers, and the Poison Hall's thousands of years of legacy were utterly destroyed..." Zhang Xuan narrowed his eyes. He had visited the Poison Hall before and knew it housed not only poison masters but also many ordinary civilians who lacked the talent for poison refining and thus practiced little cultivation. He had never imagined such mercilessness! While the profession of a poison master is indeed fearsome, these specific poison masters had always remained secluded on their island, content with their own affairs and never venturing out to harm anyone. For King Zhongqing to be capable of such an act—it was incredibly ruthless! Zhang Xuan had previously considered whether his plan to deal with the king might be too severe, but now it seemed far too lenient. Killing such a person a hundred times over would not be excessive.

"King Zhongqing massacred the entire Poison Hall," Xu You continued, his eyes burning with intense hatred as he gritted his teeth, as if wanting to tear someone apart. "Then he gathered all of us poison masters who were five-star level and above, sealed our cultivation, and imprisoned us here, subjecting us to daily torture. He simply wants us to produce large quantities of poisons for him!"

"Large quantities?" Zhang Xuan frowned. "What kind of poison?" King Zhongqing was a formidable figure in the Qingyuan Empire, second only to the Emperor and above everyone else. His power seemed limitless. Zhang Xuan wondered why such a person would need to mass-produce poisons if his goal was merely to eliminate political rivals.

"It's Breeze Powder!" Xu You replied.

"Breeze Powder, a Level 5 poison?" Zhang Xuan was startled. "This poison is colorless and odorless, able to drift widely with the breeze. It only affects those below the Saint realm, causing temporary muscle and bone weakness after inhalation. How much does King Zhongqing intend to produce?"

"Ten tons!" Xu You stated.

"Ten tons?" Zhang Xuan's eyebrows shot up. A single vial of ordinary Breeze Powder, when released into the wind, could easily incapacitate hundreds of people. Ten tons... that could potentially poison tens of millions! What on earth did King Zhongqing need such an enormous quantity for?

"He is our sworn enemy from the Poison Hall; how could we possibly work for him? That's why we've consistently refused..." Xu You explained, noticing Zhang Xuan's concern. He then looked at Zhang Xuan with a hint of bewilderment. "Senior Sun Qiang, how did you know we were here? And won't you be discovered just by walking in like this?" For them, death held little fear in their current predicament, but to implicate this individual would be a grave dishonor to their ancestors.

"King Zhongqing has been severely wounded by me and taken by the Master Teacher Pavilion for interrogation," Zhang Xuan stated. "I've come here specifically to rescue all of you!"

"Severely wounded?" "Rescue us?" Everyone exchanged bewildered glances, unable to believe what they were hearing.

They had resigned themselves to certain death upon their capture, never daring to dream that the senior who had escorted their Grandmaster would return, much less avenge them and settle their grievances.

"Yes," Zhang Xuan confirmed. "However, even if you were to leave with your current identities, things would be quite awkward. I propose giving you new identities. Are you willing to accept them?"

"New identities?" Xu You frowned. "What kind?" The others also turned their gazes toward him in unison.

"Combat Masters!" Zhang Xuan declared.