Chapter 291: Poisonous Heart Golden Order

"Have your Vice Hall Masters and Elders come out to see me!" Surrounded by numerous poison masters, Zhang Xuan's expression remained entirely unchanged, as if he hadn't even noticed them. He slightly lifted his chin, clasped his hands behind his back, and wore a cold, indifferent look.

"You want to see our Vice Hall Master? Our Elders? Who do you think you are?" Poison Master Zhou's face contorted grimly. He hadn't expected this man to attack their companion without any fear, and now he was demanding to see the Vice Hall Master and Elders. "How dare you kill someone in the Poison Hall? You're dead today..."

He snorted coldly, about to strike and teach this arrogant fellow a lesson, when his vision blurred. A figure flashed, and a hand had already gripped his neck, lifting him off the ground.

"You... you..." Poison Master Zhou trembled. Only then did he realize that the middle-aged man, who had been ten meters away just moments ago, had appeared directly in front of him. His face paled, and he clenched his teeth. "Let me go, or you won't leave here alive today..."

"This is the Poison Hall, not your place to act wildly!" Poison Master Liu and the others had not expected the man accompanying Grand Apothecary to be so brazen, resorting to violence at the slightest disagreement. They all roared loudly. The Poison Hall, though secluded and difficult to find, was a place that genuinely struck fear into many forces. For an outsider to barge in and kill someone... who gave him such courage?

Zhang Xuan ignored their roars, his face devoid of any expression. With one hand, he squeezed Poison Master Zhou's neck, and with the other, he slapped him directly! *Slap, slap, slap, slap!* Four consecutive, clear sounds echoed. Poison Master Zhou's face immediately swelled red, blood oozed from the corners of his mouth, and his teeth scattered on the ground.

"That's a lesson for your disrespect towards me just now!" After slapping him, he casually threw the man to the ground, clasped his hands behind his back again, and stood proudly, exuding a domineering aura that looked down upon the world. "Furthermore, my patience is limited. Do not anger me, or I won't mind wiping out this useless branch with a mere wave of my hand!"

"Wiping it out with a mere wave..." Grand Apothecary felt his vision go dark. "Wipe out the branch... Doctor Bai, do you know how many Grandmaster experts the Poison Hall has? With just the two of us... if we really wanted to fight, we might not even get to see an Elder's face before being beaten to death, and they wouldn't even need to use poison..."

Although depressed, he understood Zhang Xuan's intention. Since he was impersonating a special envoy, he naturally had to maintain the envoy's demeanor. A master from the esteemed headquarters, if bullied by a few poison masters and daring not to resist, would not be believed later, no matter how convincing his words. Therefore, the most important thing was to establish authority! To let everyone in the Poison Hall know that the special envoy had arrived! Doing this could quickly make people believe his identity, but if exposed, he would die an even more miserable death.

Grand Apothecary felt his legs tremble slightly, almost unable to stand steady. Having become a regional overlord, he had seen his share of the world, but the thought of the Poison Hall's methods of dealing with people made his back break out in a cold sweat. He could no longer remain calm.

"You..." Indeed, upon hearing this, even Poison Master Liu and the others, no matter how foolish, realized that this person might not be simple. Otherwise, he would never dare to be so arrogant. They hesitated, then couldn't help but ask, "May I ask... your esteemed name?"

Zhang Xuan stood quietly in place, not speaking, as if implying that these mere underlings were not worth addressing. Seeing his demeanor, Grand Apothecary had no choice but to step forward, trying to steady his breathing. "This is... this is... the special envoy sent by the headquarters!"

"A special envoy?" Poison Master Liu and the others' expressions changed. They knew about the internal strife within the Poison Hall and that headquarters might send someone, but they hadn't expected them to actually come! No wonder he spoke with such arrogance, disregarding everything and resorting to violence at the slightest disagreement. If he truly was a special envoy, he definitely had the authority to do so.

"Since you are a special envoy... do you have the headquarters' Poison Heart Golden Token?" Steadying his breath, Poison Master Liu stepped forward. The Poison Heart Golden Token was an identity token unique to special envoys dispatched by headquarters; only with this item would they be recognized. Like an imperial envoy's sword, it represented the headquarters and supreme authority.

Hearing this question, Grand Apothecary couldn't help but clench his fists. This Doctor Bai was an impostor; how could he have a Poison Heart Golden Token? But if he couldn't produce it, the other party certainly wouldn't believe him. He thought of several excuses, such as having lost it on the road or not bringing it along, but upon careful consideration, none seemed appropriate. For a dignified Poison Hall special envoy to lose his Poison Heart Golden Token was like an imperial envoy losing his sword—wasn't that simply courting death? Even the most foolish person would surely find it impossible!

He instinctively looked over, wanting to see how Doctor Bai would resolve this. Just as he was worrying about a difficult answer, he saw Zhang Xuan narrow his eyes, and a terrifying aura oppressed everyone, making it hard to breathe.

"What are you to demand that?" Zhang Xuan snorted coldly, his face sinking. "Have your Vice Hall Masters and Elders come over!"

"I..." Poison Master Liu's face flushed crimson. As a formal poison master, he was revered wherever he went. This was the first time anyone had addressed him in such a disrespectful manner! However, he also knew that if the other party was truly a special envoy, they were likely at least a Four-star Poison Master. In front of such a person, he truly counted for nothing.

"What's going on?" Just as the atmosphere grew heavy and Poison Master Liu was agonizing over whether to inform the Vice Hall Masters and others, a cold snort echoed, and an old man strode over.

"Elder Black Eyes..." Seeing him, Poison Master Liu hurriedly cupped his fists. The one who arrived was the Poison Hall's Fourth Elder, Black Eyes. This Fourth Elder's eyes had no whites; they were entirely black. From afar, he gave a terrifying impression. It was said that when he was concocting poison, his eyes were poisoned into this state, and he had been known as Black Eyes ever since, his original name forgotten.

Although no one remembered his original name, everyone in the Poison Hall knew that Elder Black Eyes was in charge of punishments and was the most ruthless and merciless. Normally, upon seeing this Elder, everyone would be terrified, wishing they had more legs to run away immediately. But now, they felt a sense of relief, as if they had found their backbone.

"Reporting to Elder Black Eyes, this... senior was brought by Grand Apothecary and claims to be a special envoy sent by headquarters..." Stepping forward, Poison Master Liu hurriedly explained.

"A special envoy?" Elder Black Eyes frowned, looking at the middle-aged man before him. Knowing he was being watched, Zhang Xuan still ignored him, his expression calm.

"When headquarters dispatches, there are four types: Red, White, Gold, and Azure. May I ask... which one are you, sir?" Hesitating for a moment, Black Eyes cupped his fists. As an Elder, he understood the authority of special envoys and was not as rash as Poison Master Zhou and the others. He first aligned his attitude.

"Red, White, Gold, Azure? Special envoys are graded?" Grand Apothecary's heart thumped in his chest. He only knew that the Poison Hall had special envoys, but not that they were graded. Doctor Bai, naturally, knew even less. However, this could also be a trap deliberately set by the Elder. If it was just a test, picking a random grade would mean falling into the pit and dying without knowing how.

Feeling nervous, he looked over again. He had known that impersonating a special envoy would be nerve-wracking, but he never dreamed it would be *this* nerve-wracking! Anyone with a weak heart might be scared to death.

"Are you the Hall Master of this branch?" Ignoring Grand Apothecary's nervousness and the other party's question, Zhang Xuan merely lifted an eyelid.

"I... I'm not!" Elder Black Eyes was stunned. "I'm just the Fourth Elder..."

"If not, who gave you the right to prattle on here?" Zhang Xuan's face sank.

"I..." Elder Black Eyes was speechless.

"Have the special envoys who came before always been too kind, spoiling you? Do you think headquarters sent me here for you to interrogate?" He flicked his sleeve, his face like ice. "A mere poison master of a small branch, asking this and that—how incredibly bold!"

"I..." Elder Black Eyes' breathing quickened, his pair of dark eyes seeming to brew a storm. A moment later, he forcefully restrained himself. "I wouldn't dare. I will go and summon the Vice Hall Masters and Grand Elder now to welcome the special envoy!" After speaking, he turned and walked away.

"Elder Black Eyes..." Seeing the impartial, always cold Fourth Elder being publicly scolded, not daring to say a word, and turning to leave, Poison Master Zhou, Poison Master Liu, and the others all trembled simultaneously. They looked at Zhang Xuan again, their faces showing profound awe.

"Hmm!" Seeing the changes in their expressions, Zhang Xuan finally breathed a sigh of relief. Having experience impersonating a master teacher, he knew that to succeed and avoid suspicion, one must first possess a strong aura! Otherwise, if the other party pressed him, he would be at a significant disadvantage.

Standing in place, he waited for a while. Just as Poison Master Liu and the others were almost stifled by the oppressive atmosphere and unable to speak, several figures strode over. It was precisely the three Vice Hall Masters and the Grand Elder, among others.

The old Hall Master had taken a total of three disciples, who were these three Vice Hall Masters. They all possessed the strength of a Grandmaster pinnacle and the level of a Two-star Poison Master. The three had operated in the Poison Hall for many years, each having their own supporters and unique methods. Basically, it could be said that they were equally matched. It was precisely because of this that their struggle for the Hall Master position remained so fierce and unresolved.

"We regret not having gone out to meet you, Special Envoy. Please accept our apologies for the lack of a proper welcome!" A middle-aged man in green robes strode forward to greet him. With a glance, Zhang Xuan knew this was the First Vice Hall Master, Liao Xun! While Zhang Xuan didn't know much about the headquarters' special envoys, Grand Apothecary knew these Vice Hall Masters in great detail, having described each person's characteristics thoroughly on the way there. Liao Xun was a peak Two-star Poison Master, the most likely candidate to advance to a Three-star Poison Master. He was insidious and vicious in his actions, with a knife hidden behind his smile. Don't be fooled by his cheerful smile; he might just betray you. A typical smiling tiger.

Seeing him approach, two other middle-aged men immediately stepped forward, simultaneously bowing. "Vice Hall Masters Yao Qing and Ge Xiao of the Red Lotus Branch Hall greet the Special Envoy!"

Nodding slightly, Zhang Xuan acknowledged their greeting.

"May I ask the Special Envoy's name? And would it be convenient to show us the Poison Heart Golden Token? We are not questioning your identity, Special Envoy, but rather, it is a regulation left by headquarters that a special envoy must possess a token of identification for us to engage." The three Vice Hall Masters and several Elders who held real power had all come forward. As they met, First Vice Hall Master Liao Xun smiled gently and looked over.

"You wish to see the Poison Heart Golden Token? It's not impossible!" Zhang Xuan looked over with a calm expression, his voice unruffled. "However... are you worthy?"