Chapter 299: Lava Beast

This is... an innate fetal toxin!Also known as an innate poison seed!

Identifying the type of poison, Zhang Xuan nearly went mad. Innate fetal toxin refers to a poison contracted in the womb before birth, which integrates into the blood and soul, making it almost impossible to cure.

Look at Zhao Ya, with her innate Pure Yin Body; once activated, she becomes majestic, like an empress. Yuan Tao has the innate Dragon Rhinoceros Bloodline; once activated, his defense is invincible, like a human shield... He had always been envious, but now he discovered he also had something 'innate', except... Why was there such a huge difference among 'innate' abilities? Others' innate abilities helped cultivators soar, while his innate condition was life-threatening...

"Innate fetal toxin is a special poison seed planted in the body before birth, accompanying the mother and thoroughly integrating with life. It's a result of insufficient prenatal qi. Those afflicted with this poison typically don't live past thirty, being bodies destined for an early demise... incurable."

Zhang Xuan felt like crying but had no tears left. Everyone else had amazing innate constitutions, but he had an innate constitution destined for early death... Early death, my foot! Could he still enjoy life? Not living past thirty, didn't that mean he only had ten years left to live? His remaining days were numbered...

Suppressing his depression, he searched through all the books in the library again, finding seven or eight that documented innate fetal toxins. The result... they all described the exact same toxic qi he had within him. In other words, there was no room for doubt; he was undeniably afflicted with this potent poison.

But...

"To be able to infect the mother and pass into the descendant's body without being detected, such a poisoning method would require at least a seven-star poison master. I'm just an orphan; it can't be that serious, can it...?"

After confirming the poison in his body, Zhang Xuan was depressed for a moment, then filled with confusion. Having read so many books in the Poison Hall, he had gained a deep understanding of poisoning methods. To infect a mother with innate fetal toxin without detection, the poison master must be at least a seven-star practitioner. This meant at least an eight-star or even nine-star master. A poison master of that level would have cultivation so profound it was almost god-like, reaching heights beyond human comprehension. Why would such a person expend effort to target an orphan like him?

His predecessor was merely an insignificant person living in a small place like Tianxuan Kingdom, without parents, and so poor he wasn't worth a penny. Only before the age of eighteen was his talent slightly above average; afterwards, he became utterly mediocre, even dubbed the worst teacher in Hongtian Academy's history. For such a person to be personally targeted by a poison master at the very pinnacle... wasn't that a bit incredible?

"This poison integrates completely with the entire body, inseparable. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn't be discovered until one's dying breath. It was only because the Heavenly Dao zhenqi I cultivate is too pure that it forced the poison to reveal its form. But even revealed, there's no way to cure it..."

A wave of helplessness washed over him. The first time he discovered this poison, he thought someone was trying to murder him, believing his predecessor had been killed this way. Now it seemed he had worried needlessly. This poison had been with this body since birth, hidden within, undetectable even by nine-star poison masters. It could be said to kill invisibly; even after death, no one would know who was responsible. Originally, even if he were a poison master, it would have been difficult to detect, but the Heavenly Dao zhenqi he cultivated was too pure. As it flowed through meridians and blood, no impurity could hide, which caused the poison to manifest its form. Yet, its manifestation was useless. The poison, having been nurtured by the mother's body, had developed intelligence, just like a person. Not even Heavenly Dao zhenqi could eliminate it. Instead, over time, it would only grow stronger, ensuring his death before the age of thirty.

Damn it! What kind of situation was this? Others transmigrated with golden fingers, soaring to greatness, while he carried a ticking time bomb, one guaranteed to kill him... It seemed that while his predecessor might not have died directly from the poison's onset, it was close. In his depressed state, yearning for death, the toxic qi had prematurely flared up, but he hadn't expected to transmigrate at that moment. As for his former genius turning into mediocrity, and his cultivation no longer growing, it was also related to this thing.

Before reaching the pinnacle of the True Qi realm, his predecessor's cultivation speed was incredibly fast, said to be unseen in a hundred years. However, he was consistently unable to break through to the Skin-Bone realm because the poison, integrated with his entire body, created a powerful suppression on his impure zhenqi. Unless one reached the purity of Heavenly Dao zhenqi, it would be impossible to break through the shackles and achieve higher strength with the murky zhenqi cultivated by the methods prevalent in Tianxuan Kingdom.

"If it's a poison, there must be an antidote. Otherwise, how would this innate poison seed even be known? Perhaps this Poison Hall is too low-level; if I can enter a higher-level place, there might be a solution..."

Although depressed, Zhang Xuan was not daunted. Having comprehended the Heavenly Dao Poison Art, he now had deep insights into poisons. There is cause and effect; for every poison, there is an antidote. Although the books here state that innate fetal toxin is incurable, it doesn't mean there's truly no solution. Perhaps a higher-level Poison Hall would have a method. "This innate fetal toxin dictates death by the age of thirty and won't flare up before then. This means... I must find a solution within these ten years!"

His mind became still, like a blade's edge, cutting away all negative emotions. Zhang Xuan breathed a sigh of relief. It had only been a little over a month since he was reborn, and he had already progressed from the pinnacle of the True Qi realm to a Half-Grandmaster. Who knew what heights he could reach in ten years? By then, this poison might not be insurmountable. There was no need to panic.

However, even without panic, there was still pressure. There was a gap between theory and reality, and he didn't want his hard-won second life to end inexplicably.

"Go call Gu Mu over!"

He stood up and instructed Grand Apothecary Wang and the others guarding the door.

"Ancestor Master, you called for me?"

A short while later, Gu Mu walked over.

"Sit!" Zhang Xuan gestured and looked at him. "I called you here because I have something to ask."

Gu Mu sat upright. "Please speak, Ancestor Master!"

In the past few days, this individual had taken the time to perform a second treatment on him. After it concluded, he clearly felt a significant surge in energy, as if he had returned to his physical peak ten years ago, possessing inexhaustible strength. After two consecutive treatments, he knew that the methods of this Ancestor Master were truly divine. His admiration was profound, and he dared not think further.

"Have you ever heard of innate fetal toxin?" Zhang Xuan asked. Gu Mu came from the Xuanyuan Kingdom's Poison Master Branch and had read more advanced books, so his knowledge was certainly far superior to Zhang Xuan's, who had only just finished reading.

"Innate fetal toxin?"

Gu Mu hesitated. "I've heard of this poison. It's a potent toxin contracted in the womb that grows with the infant, completely integrating with its life. There's no way to resolve it!"

"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, but I don't know if it's true or not!" After a moment of hesitation, Gu Mu said, "It is said that Master Kong, the most formidable Celestial Master in history, was afflicted with innate fetal toxin. However, it's unknown how he eventually cured it, but he lived for a full ten thousand years and died peacefully of old age."

Celestial Master Kong, hailed as the foremost Master Teacher, the founder of the Master Teacher Pavilion, was revered by countless people. Every Master Teacher, even an apprentice, knew of him.

"Oh?"

Zhang Xuan had heard Huang Yu mention him once before and felt great admiration. He just hadn't expected that this ancestor had also been afflicted with innate fetal toxin, just like himself.

"Since there was a precedent for it being cured, it meant this poison was not truly incurable."

"This is just a legend. To learn about Master Kong, one would probably 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 Ancestor Master is asking about this?" Gu Mu asked, puzzled.

"Just a casual question!"

Waving his hand, Zhang Xuan made up his mind. It seemed that once matters here concluded, he would need to visit the Master Teacher Pavilion. The biographies of outstanding figures in various professions would be compiled by specialists and kept in their respective guilds for future generations to admire and learn from. Since Master Kong was the patriarch of Master Teachers, the Master Teacher Pavilion should have records of his deeds. If he truly had innate fetal toxin and eventually died peacefully of old age, it would indicate that it had indeed been resolved. With a successful precedent, there was no need to be anxious.

"How is the Poison Hall doing?"

Having made his decision, Zhang Xuan said no more and continued, "After several rounds of assessment, I have confirmed the candidate for the new Hall Master: it is the First Vice Hall Master, Liao Xun! The Blazing Lotus Seeds are also almost mature and can be harvested tomorrow."

Gu Mu replied.

"Tomorrow? Good!" Zhang Xuan's eyes lit up.

With his knowledge complete and the type of poison identified, there was no need to remain here. It was best to leave as soon as possible. After Gu Mu left, Zhang Xuan continued to study the books in the library while simultaneously consolidating his internal power.

Although the Grandmaster realm cultivation techniques collected in Red Lotus City were insufficient to form a Heavenly Dao secret manual, they contained many correct passages that he could try cultivating. After continuous attempts, he clearly felt the Half-Grandmaster realm zhenqi within him become even denser, just a hair's breadth away from a true Grandmaster, ready to break through at any moment. Although he had identified flaws, to go further, a solid foundation was essential. Therefore, whenever he had free time, he studied. In just ten days, his knowledge had more than doubled. He now had a deep understanding of beast taming and poison mastery, and even without the aid of the library, he could be considered widely learned.

While studying, he also re-cultivated the Heavenly Dao Fist Art, Leg Art, and Spear Art. Although these techniques were fundamental, they allowed him to perfectly unleash his internal power, significantly increasing his offensive capability. Now, if he employed techniques like the Heavenly Dao Fist Art, he could even contend with some mid-Grandmaster realm experts, or even slay them. Of course, if he exploited their weaknesses and combined them with the Heavenly Dao Movement Art, even at the risk of injury, he could potentially kill a peak Grandmaster. A Half-Grandmaster capable of slaying a peak Grandmaster—such a leap-level combat ability would be difficult for even the most renowned geniuses of the Master Teacher Pavilion to rival.

"Ancestor Master, the Blazing Lotus Seeds are mature!"

Time passed amidst continuous cultivation and study. The next morning, as soon as it was light, Gu Mu arrived.

"Good!"

Zhang Xuan nodded and stood up. The treasure that increased the chance of breaking through to the pinnacle of the Supreme realm by twenty percent—he had waited ten days for this. Finally... it could be harvested!

"Red Lotus Mountain Range is a large volcano, and our Poison Hall branch is built on its crater. When we established the branch, we specifically invited a formation master to seal the volcano with a formation, concentrating all the Earth Core Fire within it for the growth of the Blazing Lotus."

Although Liao Xun had become the official Hall Master, he still dared not act presumptuously in front of the two. As they walked, he respectfully explained, "Envoy, Ancestor Master, please come this way!" Regarding Zhang Xuan, he also followed Gu Mu's address and called him "Ancestor Master."

The three walked along and soon arrived at an altar.

"The volcanic crater is hidden beneath this!"

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 at all; instead, it looked like a long-abandoned site. He felt curious, but having experienced the Poison Hall's hidden features before, he knew there must be a formation here and said no more.

Indeed, Liao Xun walked to the center of the altar. With a flick of his wrist, the token representing his status as Hall Master appeared in his palm. He placed the token into the central groove of the altar.

Rumble!

The world seemed to spin, and the scene before them immediately changed. The previously flat and wide altar now revealed a staircase extending downwards, leading to an unknown depth.

"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 massive volcanic crater, where scorching flames blazed fiercely. Waves of heat assaulted them, making it difficult to approach. Sensing the intense heat, Zhang Xuan's expression grew serious. Before even entering the crater, just the heat within the hall would likely be unbearable for a cultivator in the Aperture Opening realm.

"Envoy, Ancestor Master, that is the Blazing Lotus!"

Taking a few steps forward, they reached the volcanic crater. Liao Xun pointed ahead once more. Following his finger, they immediately saw a crimson lotus suspended in the scorching molten lava in the middle of the volcano. A lotus pod atop it was full of seeds, emitting a faint, delicate fragrance.

"How beautiful!"

Zhang Xuan's eyes couldn't help but light up. The Blazing Lotus before them, though only two or three meters tall, was entirely crimson, resembling a burning flame. Even at a distance of several hundred meters from their position, they could still feel its intense heat. Let alone someone of his strength, even a Supreme realm expert might find it difficult to withstand.

"How do we harvest this?" Zhang Xuan asked. Not only was the Blazing Lotus intensely hot, but crucially, it was suspended directly above the volcanic crater, rooted in the lava, hundreds of meters from the shore. How could they reach it? Enter the lava to harvest it? Even if his Heavenly Dao Golden Body wasn't weak, entering the lava would instantly reduce him to ashes! Let alone anyone else.

"I don't know either. My master saw that the lotus seeds were about to ripen and wanted to harvest them, but he ended up being burned to ashes..." Liao Xun shook his head, a crestfallen expression on his face. The previous Hall Master's sudden death was due to his attempt to harvest the Blazing Lotus Seeds.

"The Blazing Lotus Seeds ripen once every hundred years, and each time, someone successfully harvests them, and the headquarters 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 to guard this lotus, there must be a method; otherwise, wouldn't nurturing it with countless medicinal ingredients be like preparing a wedding dress for someone else? Besides, this branch had previously supplied a certain quantity of lotus seeds to the headquarters every hundred years. It's 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 wry smile, casually picked up a stone, and with a flick of his wrist, shot it directly towards the Blazing Lotus. He was a peak Grandmaster realm expert. With the enhancement of his zhenqi, the stone whistled as it flew straight forward, seemingly tearing through the air.

"What are you doing...?" Seeing him throw a stone directly at the Blazing Lotus with such immense force, Gu Mu's expression changed. The Blazing Lotus Seeds were already ripe at this moment. If hit, they could easily fall into the lava below. If they fell in, it would be almost impossible to retrieve them.

"Just watch, Envoy!" Liao Xun continued.

As the two spoke, the stone had already reached the Blazing Lotus. Just as it was about to strike the flower, the lava below suddenly shook violently, and a strange creature flew up, snatching the stone into its mouth. This strange creature was serpent-like, tens of meters long, entirely covered in thick, crimson scales, and it swam through the lava, appearing incredibly bizarre.

"What is that?"

Gu Mu was astonished that such a bizarre creature was swimming in such scorching lava. He recalled something, his expression slightly changing. "Is that the Lava Beast you mentioned to headquarters before?"

Seeing this creature, he remembered. The Red Lotus Branch's reported documents not only contained information about the old Hall Master's sudden death but also a record of a savage beast said to live in the lava, known as the Lava Beast. He had initially thought it was nonsense, just an excuse the other party made to avoid submitting the Blazing Lotus Seeds. He hadn't expected it to be real.

"Yes, this is the Lava Beast. Its unique scales can withstand high temperatures, allowing it to live in the lava. Its strength is comparable to a peak Supreme realm expert..." Liao Xun said with a wry smile.

"Such a creature exists?"

Not only was Gu Mu surprised, but Zhang Xuan was also full of wonder. The heat from the lava below surely reached one or two thousand degrees. For life to exist in such scorching conditions, and to be so massive, was unbelievable unless seen firsthand.

"Yes, this creature appeared out of nowhere, and we don't know when it arrived. For years, it has been guarding the Blazing Lotus, treating it as its own. Anyone who tries to approach is attacked!" Liao Xun explained, "It would be somewhat better on land, but inside the lava, it is completely in its element. Furthermore... it has reached the pinnacle of the Supreme realm. We are truly helpless!"

"This..."

Gu Mu also grew silent. Although he was also at the peak of the Supreme realm, fighting such a massive creature in the lava... he would almost certainly perish there.

"Can't we use poison?" He couldn't help but ask. The Poison Hall excelled at poisoning; they could surely poison it to death.

"The Lava Beast isn't even afraid of such scorching Earth Core Fire. How could some poisons be effective...?" Liao Xun said. It can swim freely in lava that's one or two thousand degrees. Some poisons might be incinerated before even getting close, let alone poisoning it to death.

"We've tried all sorts of methods, unless... we find a beast tamer and somehow manage to 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 really associate with other professions. If we were to bring a beast tamer here, it could easily lead to trouble and unnecessary disaster!"

Poison Masters do not associate with other professions and even have hostile relations. Inviting someone from another profession would be equivalent to exposing their hidden base, which could easily lead to devastating disaster, wasting all the years they had spent concealed in the Red Lotus Mountain Range.

"That's true..."

Gu Mu also knew this and couldn't help but shake his head. Poisons wouldn't work, they couldn't force their way through, and they couldn't bring in a beast tamer... Harvesting the Blazing Lotus Seeds was indeed a major challenge.

"A beast tamer could tame this fellow?" Hearing their conversation, Zhang Xuan hesitated, then said, "Perhaps... I could try!"