Chapter 298: Lava Beast

This is… Innate Fetal Poison!Also known as an Innate Toxin Seed!Zhang Xuan was nearly driven mad when he recognized the type of poison. Innate Fetal Poison refers to a toxin that infects an individual before birth, while still in the mother’s womb, integrating into their blood and soul, making it virtually incurable.

Look at Zhao Ya, for example, with her Congenital Pure Yin Body; once activated, she’s awe-inspiring, like an empress. Yuan Tao possesses the Congenital Dragon Rhinoceros Bloodline; once activated, his defense is unparalleled, like a human shield…He had always envied them, but now he discovered he also possessed something ‘innate’—only…If both were innate, why was the difference so vast?Others’ innate gifts were meant to help cultivators soar to greatness, but his own was life-threatening…

“Innate Fetal Poison is a unique toxin seed implanted within the body before birth, accompanying the mother and completely merging with one’s life. It stems from an inherent deficiency in fetal energy. Those afflicted with this poison typically don’t live past thirty years of age, making them prone to premature death… It’s incurable.”

Zhang Xuan was on the verge of tears.Others possessed formidable innate constitutions, while he had an innate constitution prone to early death…Early death, my ass!Could he even enjoy his life anymore?Not living past thirty meant he only had about ten years left to live. His remaining days were numbered…

Suppressing his depression, he searched through all the books in the library, finding seven or eight that documented Innate Fetal Poison. The descriptions in all of them matched the poison qi within him exactly.This meant there was no room for doubt; he had indeed been afflicted with this potent toxin.However…

“To implant a poison in the mother’s body, have it passed to the offspring, and remain undetected—this method of poisoning requires at least a Seven-star Poison Master. I’m just an orphan; surely, that’s not the case…”After confirming the nature of the poison in his body, Zhang Xuan was momentarily depressed but also filled with confusion.Having read so many books in the Poison Hall, he had gained a deep understanding of toxicology. For a poison master to plant an Innate Fetal Poison in a mother’s body and have it go unnoticed, they would need to be at least a Seven-star Poison Master.This implied at least an Eight-star, or even a Nine-star Poison Master.A Poison Master of such a level would have cultivation so profound it reached the heavens, beyond what ordinary people could achieve. Why would they expend such effort to target him, an orphan?

His previous self was merely an insignificant person living in a small place like Tianxuan Kingdom’s capital. He had no parents, was penniless, and though his talent was slightly above average before he turned eighteen, he later became utterly mediocre, even being known as Hongtian Academy’s worst teacher in history.

For such a person to be personally targeted by a Poison Master at the very pinnacle of their profession… it seemed quite inconceivable.

“This poison is completely integrated with the entire body, inseparable from it. Normally, it wouldn’t be discovered until one’s dying moments. My cultivation of Heaven’s Path zhenqi is exceedingly pure, which forced it to reveal its form. However, even if it’s revealed, there’s no way to cure it…”

When he first discovered the poison, he thought someone was trying to assassinate him and that his previous self had been murdered. Now it seemed he had been overthinking it.This poison had been present in his body since birth, hidden within, undetectable even by a Nine-star Poison Master. It could be said to kill without a trace; even if one died, no one would know who was responsible. Originally, even he, as a Poison Master, would have found it difficult to detect. However, his Heaven’s Path zhenqi was so pure that it flowed through his meridians and blood, leaving no impurity hidden, thus forcing the poison to reveal its form.

But even revealing it was useless. The poison, having been nurtured within the mother’s body, had developed its own sentience, just like a person. Not even Heaven’s Path zhenqi could eradicate it. On the contrary, with the passage of time, it would only grow stronger, ensuring his death before he reached thirty.

Damn it!What kind of situation was this? Others transmigrated with golden fingers, swaggering around, while he carried a ticking time bomb, one guaranteed to kill him…It seemed that although his previous self didn’t die directly from the poison’s onset, it was close enough. In his depression, he had sought death, causing the poison qi to act up prematurely, but unexpectedly, he had transmigrated into this body.

As for why he was a genius before and a mediocrity afterward, with his cultivation no longer increasing—it was also related to this.His previous self had cultivated at an incredibly fast pace before reaching the peak of the Zhenqi realm, hailed as a once-in-a-century talent. However, he had consistently failed to break through to the Piguan realm because the poison, being fully integrated with his body, had strongly suppressed his impure zhenqi.Unless one achieved the purity of Heaven’s Path zhenqi, it would be impossible to break through the limitations and reach higher power levels with the impure zhenqi cultivated through the methods available in Tianxuan Kingdom.

“If it’s a poison, there must be an antidote. Otherwise, how would such an Innate Toxin Seed even be known? Perhaps this Poison Hall is too low-level; if I go to a higher-ranked place, there might be a solution…”

Although depressed, Zhang Xuan was not daunted.Having comprehended the Heaven’s Path Poison Art, he now possessed a profound understanding of poisons.For every cause there’s an effect; for every poison, an antidote. Even though the books here labeled Innate Fetal Poison as incurable, it didn’t mean there was truly no solution. Perhaps a higher-ranked Poison Hall would have a method.

“This Innate Fetal Poison is fated to kill me by thirty, but it won’t fully manifest before then. This means… I must find a solution within the next ten years!”

His mind became calm as still water, like a blade that cut away all negative emotions. Zhang Xuan let out a sigh of relief.He had only been reincarnated for just over a month, yet he had already advanced from the peak of the Zhenqi realm to a Half-Grandmaster. Who knew how far he could go in ten years? By then, this poison might not be so insurmountable.There was no need to panic.

However, while he wasn’t panicking, it was still a form of pressure.There was still a gap between theory and reality, and he certainly didn’t want to lose the life he had so painstakingly regained for no good reason.

“Go call Gu Mu over!”Standing up, he instructed Grand Apothecary Wang and the others guarding the door.

“Grand-Uncle Master, you called for me?”Soon after, Gu Mu arrived.

“Sit!” Zhang Xuan gestured, looking at him. “I called you here because there’s something I want to ask.”

Gu Mu sat up straight. “Please speak, Grand-Uncle Master!”In the past few days, this person had taken the time to treat him a second time. After the treatment, he clearly felt a significant increase in energy, as if he had returned to his physical peak ten years ago, possessing inexhaustible strength.After two consecutive treatments, he knew that Grand-Uncle Master’s methods were truly divine. He already admired him immensely and dared not think too much about it.

“Have you heard of Innate Fetal Poison?” Zhang Xuan asked.Gu Mu came from the Xuanyuan Kingdom’s Poison Master branch and had read more advanced books; in terms of knowledge, he was certainly far more experienced than Zhang Xuan, who had just finished reading about the topic.

“Innate Fetal Poison?”Gu Mu hesitated. “I have heard of this poison. It’s a potent toxin transmitted from the mother’s womb, growing with the infant and completely merging with their life. It’s incurable!”

“Incurable?”“Yes!” Gu Mu nodded, then suddenly thought of something, a hesitant expression on his face. “However…”“However, what?” Zhang Xuan looked at him.

“I’ve heard a rumor, though I don’t know if it’s true or false!”After a moment of hesitation, Gu Mu said, “It is said that Master Kong, the most formidable celestial being in history, was afflicted with Innate Fetal Poison. However, it’s unknown how he cured it; all that’s known is that he lived for a full ten thousand years and died peacefully of old age.”

Master Kong, the Celestial Being, was known as the foremost Master Teacher and the founder of the Master Teacher Pavilion. He was revered by countless individuals; every Master Teacher, even apprentices, knew of him.“Oh?”Zhang Xuan had heard Huang Yu mention him once before and felt a sense of reverence.

He hadn’t expected that this venerable ancestor had also been afflicted with Innate Fetal Poison, just like himself.Since there was a precedent of it being cured, it meant this poison was not truly incurable.

“This is merely a legend. To learn about Master Kong, one would likely need to go to the Master Teacher Pavilion; only true Master Teachers would know. We Poison Masters have only heard rumors… May I ask why Grand-Uncle Master is inquiring about this?” Gu Mu asked, puzzled.

“Just asking casually!”Waving his hand, Zhang Xuan made a decision. It seemed that once matters here were concluded, he would need to pay a visit to the Master Teacher Pavilion.

The life stories of outstanding individuals from various professions were compiled into records by dedicated personnel and kept in their respective guilds for future generations to revere and learn from.Since Master Kong was the patriarch of Master Teachers, the Master Teacher Pavilion should certainly have records of his deeds.If he truly had Innate Fetal Poison and eventually died peacefully of old age, it would prove that the problem was indeed solved.

With a successful precedent, there was no need to be anxious.“How are things at the Poison Hall?”Having made his decision, Zhang Xuan said nothing more and continued speaking.

“After several rounds of assessment, I have confirmed the candidate for the new Hall Master: it is none other than the First Vice Hall Master, Liao Xun! The Blazefire Lotus Seeds are also nearly ripe and can be harvested tomorrow.”Gu Mu replied.“Tomorrow? Excellent!” Zhang Xuan’s eyes lit up.Having finished learning the knowledge and understanding the types of poisons, there was no need to remain here. It would be best to leave as soon as possible.

After Gu Mu left, Zhang Xuan continued to study the books in the library while also consolidating the power within him.Although the Grandmaster realm cultivation techniques collected in Scarlet Lotus City were insufficient to form a Heaven’s Path secret art, they contained many correct passages that he could attempt to cultivate.Through continuous attempts, he clearly felt the Half-Grandmaster realm zhenqi within him grow denser, only a sliver away from truly becoming a Grandmaster, ready to break through at any moment.

Although he could discern flaws, a solid foundation was essential for going further. Therefore, whenever he had free time, he studied. In just ten days, his knowledge base more than doubled. He now had a deep understanding of beast taming and poison mastery; even without the aid of the library, he could be considered widely knowledgeable.

While studying, he also re-cultivated his Heaven’s Path Fist Art, Leg Art, and Spear Art.Although these moves were the most basic, they allowed him to perfectly unleash his internal power, significantly increasing his attack strength. Now, if he employed techniques like the Heaven’s Path Fist Art, he could even contend with some mid-Grandmaster realm experts and even kill them.Of course, if he exploited their weaknesses and combined it with Heaven’s Path movement techniques, he could potentially kill even peak Grandmasters, even if it meant sustaining injuries.

A Half-Grandmaster capable of slaying a peak Grandmaster—this kind of cross-level combat ability would likely be unmatched even by the most renowned geniuses of the Master Teacher Pavilion.

“Grand-Uncle Master, the Blazefire Lotus Seeds are ripe!”Time passed in continuous cultivation and study. At dawn the next day, Gu Mu arrived.“Good!”Zhang Xuan nodded and stood up.This treasure, which increased the chance of breaking through to the pinnacle of the Zhizun realm by twenty percent—he had waited ten days for this. Finally… it could be harvested!

“The Scarlet Lotus Mountain Range is a large volcanic region, and our Poison Hall branch is built directly on a volcano. When the branch was first established, array masters were specifically invited to seal the volcano with formations, concentrating all the Earth Core Fire within it to aid the growth of the Blazefire Lotus.”

Although Liao Xun had become the official Hall Master, he still dared not act presumptuously in front of the two. He introduced the area as they walked, his attitude respectful: “Special Envoy, Grand-Uncle Master, please come this way!”

As for Zhang Xuan, he followed Gu Mu’s lead and addressed him as ‘Grand-Uncle Master.’The three continued onward and soon arrived at an altar.

“The volcanic crater is hidden beneath this spot!”Liao Xun pointed forward.Zhang Xuan looked.Before them was a massive altar, over a hundred meters in diameter. From a distance, it exuded an ancient aura and bore no resemblance to a volcanic crater, looking more like a long-abandoned site.He felt curious, but having experienced the Poison Hall before, he knew there must be a formation at play, so he didn’t comment further.

Indeed, Liao Xun walked to the center of the altar, flipped his wrist, and a token representing the Hall Master’s authority appeared in his palm. He placed the token into a groove at the altar’s center.Rumble!The surroundings spun, and the scene before them immediately transformed.From the previously flat and spacious altar, a staircase extending downwards appeared, leading into unknown depths.

“This way, please!”Liao Xun led the way, and the three walked down the stairs for nearly an hour before a vast underground palace appeared before them.In the very center of the palace was a colossal volcanic crater, with scorching flames burning fiercely, emanating waves of heat that made it difficult to approach.

Feeling the intense heat, Zhang Xuan’s expression grew solemn.Even without entering the crater itself, the heat within the grand hall alone would likely be unbearable for a Pixue realm expert.

“Special Envoy, Grand-Uncle Master, that is the Blazefire Lotus!”Taking a few more steps towards the crater, Liao Xun pointed forward once more.Following his direction, they immediately saw a crimson lotus suspended in the middle of the volcano, amidst the scorching lava. A lotus pod on top was filled with seeds, emitting a faint, ethereal fragrance.

“How beautiful!”Zhang Xuan’s eyes couldn’t help but light up.The Blazefire Lotus before them, though only two to three meters tall, was entirely crimson, like a burning flame.

Despite being several hundred meters away from their location, they could still feel the fierce heat emanating from it. Let alone someone of his cultivation, even a Zhizun realm expert would likely find it unbearable.

“How do we harvest this?” Zhang Xuan asked.Not only was the Blazefire Lotus unbearably hot, but crucially, it was also suspended directly above the volcanic crater, rooted in the magma, hundreds of meters from the shore. How could they reach it?Enter the magma to harvest it?Even if his Heaven’s Path Golden Body was formidable, entering that would instantly reduce him to ash!Let alone anyone else.

“I don’t know either. My master saw that the lotus seeds were almost ripe and tried to harvest them, but he was burned to ashes…” Liao Xun shook his head, a crestfallen expression on his face.The former Hall Master’s sudden death was precisely because he attempted to harvest the Blazefire Lotus Seeds.

“The Blazefire Lotus Seeds ripen once every hundred years, and each time, someone successfully harvests them. The headquarters also receives your tribute. How could he have been burned to death?”

Gu Mu looked at him, puzzled.Since this Poison Hall branch was established here specifically to guard this lotus, there must be a way to harvest it. Otherwise, wouldn’t nurturing it with countless medicinal ingredients be like preparing a wedding dress for someone else?Furthermore, this branch had previously supplied a certain amount of lotus seeds to the headquarters every hundred years. It was impossible that they had no method for harvesting them.

“There is a method, but it can no longer be used. Please observe!”Liao Xun gave a bitter smile, casually picked up a stone, and with a flick of his wrist, shot it straight towards the Blazefire Lotus.

He was a peak Grandmaster realm expert. With zhenqi infused, the stone emitted a whistling sound as it shot straight forward, seemingly tearing through the air.

“What are you doing…”Seeing him directly throw a stone at the Blazefire Lotus with such immense force, Gu Mu’s expression changed.The Blazefire Lotus Seeds were already ripe. If hit, they could easily fall into the magma below. If they fell in, retrieving them would be almost impossible.

“Just watch, Special Envoy!” Liao Xun continued.

As the two spoke, the stone had already reached the Blazefire Lotus, about to strike it. Suddenly, the lava below violently shook, and a strange creature soared into the air, swallowing the stone whole.This bizarre creature was snake-like in form, dozens of meters long, covered entirely in thick, crimson scales, and strangely, it moved freely within the magma.

“What is that?”He hadn’t expected such a peculiar creature to be lurking in the intensely hot magma. Gu Mu suddenly recalled something, his expression slightly changing: “Could that be the Lava Beast you mentioned to headquarters before?”

Upon seeing the creature, he remembered.The Scarlet Lotus Branch’s reported documents not only mentioned the former Hall Master’s sudden death but also described a type of savage beast, said to live in the lava, known as the Lava Beast.He had initially dismissed it as nonsense, thinking it was just an excuse for them not to hand over the Blazefire Lotus Seeds. He hadn’t expected it to be real.

“Yes, that’s the Lava Beast. Its special scales can withstand high temperatures, allowing it to live in the magma. Its strength is comparable to a peak Zhizun realm expert…” Liao Xun said with a bitter smile.

“There’s such a creature?”Not only was Gu Mu surprised, but Zhang Xuan was also full of wonder.The heat of the magma below certainly reached one to two thousand degrees. To have life exist in such extreme heat, and to be so enormous, was simply unbelievable without seeing it firsthand.

“Yes, indeed. We don’t know where it came from or when it appeared, but it has been guarding the Blazefire Lotus for years, treating it as its own. Anyone who tries to approach it is attacked!”

Liao Xun explained, “If it were on land, it might be manageable, but the magma is its domain. Moreover… it has reached the peak of the Zhizun realm. We are truly powerless!”

“This…”Gu Mu also fell silent.Although he was also at the peak of the Zhizun realm, fighting such a massive creature in the magma… he would almost certainly perish here.

“Can’t you use poison?”He couldn’t help but ask.The Poison Hall was proficient in using poisons; they could certainly poison it to death.

“The Lava Beast isn’t even afraid of such scorching Earth Core Fire, so how could ordinary poisons be of any use…?” Liao Xun said.It could freely swim in one to two thousand degree magma; some poisons might burn to ashes before even getting close, let alone poisoning it to death.

“All sorts of methods have been tried, unless… we find a Beast Tamer to somehow tame it. Otherwise… there’s simply no other way!” Liao Xun continued to shake his head. “However… this place is our greatest secret, and our Poison Hall doesn’t usually associate with other professions. Bringing a Beast Tamer here could easily cause trouble and lead to unnecessary disaster!”

Poison Masters do not affiliate with other professions, and sometimes even have antagonistic relationships.Inviting someone from another profession here would mean exposing their hidden base, which could easily lead to devastating disaster, negating all the years they had spent hiding in the Scarlet Lotus Mountain Range.

“Indeed…”Gu Mu also knew this and couldn’t help but shake his head.

Poisons were useless, they couldn’t get through, and they couldn’t call a Beast Tamer… Harvesting the Blazefire Lotus Seeds was indeed a major challenge.

“A Beast Tamer can tame this creature?”Hearing their conversation, Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment and said,“Perhaps… I can try!”