Chapter 404: Unreliable Hall Master

The Poison Hall was an existence revered by all ordinary cultivators. When its poison gas was unleashed, even the strongest individuals found it difficult to defend against and impossible to resist.

Initially, no one noticed when Liao Xun appeared with members of the Lin family. It was only when a shout was heard that they realized it was the new Hall Master of the Red Lotus Mountain Range! While Patriarch Ji and others were unaware of this news, some well-informed families had already received the information. To become a Hall Master, one had to be at least a two-star peak Poison Master. Once they deployed poison, even peak Grandmasters, or even Supreme experts, would likely have to temporarily avoid their attack.

It was unexpected that the Lin family had dealings with such a person. Everyone felt a chill in their hearts. President Liu was indeed powerful in combat, and his attacks were formidable. However, poison was an unseen, intangible thing; once encountered, even the greatest strength would vanish like a bubble, rendering it useless.

"President Liu is probably in for some bad luck...""Indeed. Hall Master Liao is said to be able to poison even early-stage Supreme experts. How can he, only a peak Grandmaster, resist?""I can't believe the Lin family is involved with the Poison Hall. How despicable..."

Although angered by the confirmation of Liao Xun's identity and his companions, the crowd could do nothing. If not for the fear of their poison, this guild would surely have been annihilated long ago.

"We must save Master Zhang! If the Poison Hall truly dares to act, I will immediately request headquarters to overturn the entire Red Lotus Mountain Range!" Hall Master Jiang's gaze was like lightning. Renowned Masters taught without discrimination. While the Poison Hall commanded awe, it also had its value, so as long as they did not go too far, they were not completely eradicated. If Hall Master Liao Xun truly dared to lay a hand on the talented Master Zhang, then Hall Master Jiang would not be polite. He would definitely apply to headquarters to dispatch someone to completely eliminate this troublemaker.

"Sword intent, sword qi, Heaven's Path Sword Art?" Unlike the general anger, Zhao Ya's pretty face turned pale, and her delicate body trembled incessantly. Although the sword art used by Teacher Liu before her was similar yet different from the Heaven's Path Sword Art she cultivated, she still recognized it. It was definitely the move taught by her teacher! How could this person know her grandteacher's sword art?

"Could it be..." A flash of insight struck her, and she couldn't help but look at Wang Ying beside her. As soon as their eyes met, she saw Wang Ying nod.

"Really?" Her face turned white. Only at this moment did she finally understand why the other party wanted to borrow her sword, and why he looked so strange and angry when he learned of her fight with Mu Xueqing... It turned out that Teacher Liu was Master Zhang!

"Teacher, it's dangerous!" Coming to her senses, she clenched her delicate fists. She wasn't worried about her teacher's strength, but the opponent was a Poison Master, skilled in using unseen substances. Could her teacher resist it? Anxious, she couldn't help but look up.

"You're Liu Cheng, right? I must admit, you are a cultivation genius!" Taking two steps onto the field, Liao Xun looked at Zhang Xuan, who was not far away, with an indifferent expression: "Unfortunately... you met me!" He shook his head. This guy's talent was indeed good, but what good was strong talent? He shouldn't have opposed the Lin family! Only when the Lin family became the ruler of Tianwu Kingdom would the Poison Hall have a chance to rise. No one could stop this.

With a flick of his wrist, a bottle of medicinal powder appeared in his palm. His internal true qi surged, ready to burst forth at any moment. Seeing him about to act, Zhang Xuan sheathed his sword. With the attack ceased, Lin Ruotian recovered, quickly stood up, and awkwardly hid behind Liao Xun.

"Poison him..." Lin Ruotian roared, his voice full of ferocity and excitement. "Fortunately, Hall Master Liao was invited today. Otherwise, even if the Lin family wasn't completely destroyed, they would have been utterly disgraced by this young man!"

"Don't worry, just leave it to me..." The poison powder hovered in his palm, and Hall Master Liao was ready to activate it at any moment.

"Teacher..." Lu Chong, full of anxiety, was about to rush forward, but before he could reach them, he saw Zhang Xuan wave his hand and look at the Great Apothecary nearby, smiling slightly: "Great Apothecary, now that the Contract Gu is gone, you've grown bolder, bringing Liao Xun here to cause trouble?"

"Contract Gu?" The Great Apothecary, who was watching from the side, felt his pupils contract and nearly collapsed to the ground. Liao Xun didn't know the true identity of that "Physician Bai," but the Great Apothecary knew it very well: it was Zhang Xuan, the talented Renowned Master from the Renowned Masters' Hall! It was this very person who had resolved the Contract Gu back then. Very few people knew about this matter, yet he spoke of it so confidently. Could it be... He had personally witnessed Master Zhang's ability to disguise himself! This Teacher Liu, he wouldn't be Zhang Xuan in disguise, would he?! No wonder he had been puzzled before why there was a Master Zhang in Tianwu Royal City, and then such a great grandmaster of medicine appeared... It turned out to be the same person!

"What nonsense! Even knowing the Great Apothecary is useless..." Liao Xun didn't react, roaring angrily as he prepared to unleash the poison powder in his hand.

"Hall Master, stop..." The Great Apothecary rushed over like a hungry tiger pouncing on its prey.

"What's wrong?" Liao Xun was stunned. The Great Apothecary had always been so steady. Why was he acting like this?

"Hall Master, you can't act... He, he..." The Great Apothecary's face was twisted, on the verge of tears, as he couldn't help but transmit his voice: "He is... Martial Uncle-Grandmaster!"

"Martial Uncle-Grandmaster?" His knees went weak, and Hall Master Liao nearly knelt on the spot. Martial Uncle-Grandmaster was an incredibly powerful figure, appearing and disappearing like a phantom dragon, whom even Special Envoy Gu Mu treated with the utmost respect. His successful ascension to Hall Master was precisely thanks to this Martial Uncle-Grandmaster. Was the person before him *that* person? He almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

"Are you sure?" He hurriedly transmitted his voice, trembling. If it truly was that person, and he used poison powder against him, even trying to kill him... Special Envoy Gu Mu would surely skin him alive and kill him on the spot if he found out.

"Absolutely no doubt..." The Great Apothecary nodded repeatedly, just about to continue explaining, when he saw the young man opposite look over and heard his voice: "Hall Master Liao, where is Gu Mu? The Lava Beast has been completely tamed, right?"

*Thud!* If he wasn't certain before, upon hearing these words, Liao Xun's knees buckled, and he almost fell to his knees. Only three people knew about the Lava Beast: Gu Mu, himself, and Martial Uncle-Grandmaster. Special Envoy Gu Mu had already left for Xuanyuan Kingdom, and he himself had never mentioned it. Yet this person spoke of it so casually; it had to be Martial Uncle-Grandmaster.

"Hall Master Liao, don't listen to this guy's nonsense, quickly poison him to death..." Seeing Hall Master Liao take out the poison but not act, instead hesitating with the other party, Lin Ruotian, impatient, let out a long hiss. However, before he could finish speaking, he saw a jade bottle smashing toward his face. Before it even reached him, the poison powder sprayed out, covering his face. Upon contact with his skin, he immediately felt an intense itch all over his body. All his meridians felt like they were being torn apart, and the severe pain made him feel like he was about to explode.

"Hall Master Liao, what are you doing..." he roared. "What trick are you playing? I told you to poison Liu Cheng, what do you mean by throwing it in my face?" Before his confusion ended, a sharp pain struck his face as a slap landed on him. His body swayed, he somersaulted and fell to the ground, spitting out teeth and profusely vomiting blood.

"I'll kill you, you troublesome thing..." As he was still dazed about who hit him, he saw Hall Master Liao, eyes bloodshot, pouncing on him.

*Bang, bang, bang, bang!* He was truly furious. If he had truly attacked Martial Uncle-Grandmaster today, let alone his position as Hall Master, he would surely die a miserable death. It was all this troublesome thing's doing. If he didn't beat him to death, he would feel indignant.

"Gasp?""What in the... what's going on?"

Seeing Hall Master Liao, enraged and completely deranged, the onlookers who had intended to help were all stunned in place. Especially Hall Master Jiang, Dean Xie, and others, they were dumbfounded. Wasn't Hall Master Liao invited by Patriarch Lin to help? Wasn't he just arrogantly threatening to poison President Lin to death? How did he suddenly turncoat and start savagely beating Lin Ruotian? Patriarch Ji, who was hiding at the very back, almost fainted. "Can someone tell me, what the hell is going on?!" What madness had seized Hall Master Liao, who had just been as close to the Lin family as if they were one? That was Lin Ruotian, a Half-Supreme expert, beaten directly into a pig's head. "Damn it, fortunately I didn't go out just now, otherwise, I would have died even more miserably..." Lin Ruotian's strength was originally superior to Liao Xun's, but completely unprepared and poisoned, he was no match. After a brutal beating, his face was immediately disfigured; he no longer looked human.

"Enough!" Seeing that if the beating continued, the guy would surely die on the spot, Zhang Xuan waved his hand.

"Yes!" Stopping his hands, Liao Xun stood before Zhang Xuan, his face covered in obsequious smiles, like a grandson: "That... Martial Uncle-Grandmaster, I was blind and failed to recognize your esteemed presence..."

"What nonsense! Go stand to the side!" Zhang Xuan frowned and rebuked him. Why weren't the people of the Poison Hall staying properly in the Red Lotus Mountain Range, instead running here? And trying to get involved in seizing power, they must be tired of living!

"Yes!" Seeing that there was no intention of further pursuit, Liao Xun finally breathed a sigh of relief and excitedly stood to the side, not daring to say another word.

"Teacher scolds once, Hall Master Liao runs over to beat Lin Ruotian. Scolds again, and he obediently stands to the side like a student?" Mu Xueqing and the others blinked their eyes, all wanting to tear their hair out. They had originally thought that their teacher would surely lose in a conflict with the Lin family and had pleaded with their family elders to come and assist. But the result was that the people who came to assist hadn't even spoken a word, and Teacher Liu had already beaten down the entire family. Even Lin Ruotian, a Half-Supreme expert, was no match! Being powerful was the result of cultivation, so that was understandable. But how did this Hall Master of the Poison Hall, a figure everyone feared just by hearing his name, turn into an obedient rabbit when facing their teacher? He did whatever he was told, and he even beat Lin Ruotian, with whom he had dealings, into a pig's head? The same confusion appeared in the eyes of others.

"Damn it, damn it..." As everyone was wondering, they heard a roar and looked forward to see Lin Ruotian struggling to his feet, a sinister glint in his eyes: "Liu Cheng, you forced my hand. I originally didn't want to use it, as the cost is too great... But since you won't give me a way out, I'll make sure all of you die here!" Amidst his roar, he pointed his hands left and right, and two streams of true qi shot out. A thin mist rose, and a large formation instantly activated.

"Is that... Princess Lin Long's peak Grade-3 killing formation, left behind back then? Now this...""It's truly over..."

Mo Tianxue's body swayed!