Chapter 279: Poison in the Wine

A moment later, the Great Shaman who had gone to warm the wine returned, carrying the vessel. Another Great Shaman, swaying the wine until it was clear, reverently strained a bowl and placed it before Qin Mu.

"Poisoned, is it?" Qin Mu inquired, a look of satisfaction on his face.

The two Great Shamans of the Golden Palace hastily replied, "We wouldn't dare!"

Qin Mu chuckled heartily, "I am a divine physician myself, a disciple of the Jade Face Poison King. To attempt to play with poison in my presence would be a laughable endeavor."

The two Great Shamans repeatedly offered strained laughter.

Qin Mu's expression suddenly hardened. He pointed at the wine before him and addressed the Great Shaman who had warmed it, "Drink it."

The Great Shaman's countenance changed drastically, his legs trembling. Qin Mu's face grew even colder as he said frigidly, "Drink it!"

The muscles around the Great Shaman's mouth and eyes twitched erratically. Trembling, he raised the wine bowl and took two sips, then offered a forced laugh and said, "There is no poison..."

He had only spoken these words when his body suddenly convulsed. Then, as if deflated, his entire being shriveled, becoming shorter and shorter, until after a moment, only a piece of human skin remained. Clothing enveloped the skin, and within the clothing, something wriggled. A large swarm of insects gnawed through the human skin and poured out from within the clothes with a rustling sound, crawling in all directions before burning up one by one and turning into ash.

The countenance of the other Great Shaman, the one who had strained the wine, was ashen.

Qin Mu's expression remained unchanged. He tapped the table and said, "Strain another bowl."

The Great Shaman who had strained the wine cried out mournfully, "There is poison in the wine..."

"Poison cannot kill me."

Qin Mu said indifferently, "Continue to strain the wine. And the dancing girls? Summon them. Let their song and dance enhance the revelry."

The Great Shaman hastily strained another bowl of wine and summoned the dancing girls. Song and dance resumed.

Qin Mu ate the dishes and drank the wine, appreciating the song and dance. When moved, he would tap the table in rhythm. This banquet lasted for a considerable time, until the sun hung low in the western sky. Only then, fully sated with wine and food, did Qin Mu wave his hand and dismiss the singing and dancing girls.

The wine clearly contained potent poison, a type of witch poison brewed from witch gu, specifically designed to devour the soul, flesh, and body. Yet, Qin Mu had nearly emptied the entire jar of wine and remained perfectly unharmed.

"Disappointing, ah."

Qin Mu rose. The wine table was a mess, all the dishes and wine consumed by him. Even a dozen adults might not have been able to finish so much food and drink, yet he showed no sign of being full. The wine and dishes he had consumed had all been melted away by his Spirit Returning Pills and Grand Supplement merits.

"Having lived so many lives, a million and one thousand years, it's a pity he still hasn't walked his own path. Instead, he treads the paths of others, jumping back and forth from one road to another, grinding away his own keen spirit."

Qin Mu shook his head. "I waited for you for so long, yet you still dare not show yourself. Truly laughable. I originally thought you would be my opponent, but I didn't expect you to grow more fearful of death with age. Having seized the first opportunity, you then dare not engage in a direct confrontation with me."

The Great Shaman of the Golden Palace listened in confusion, unsure of who he was speaking to.

"If you dare not strive, what need is there for dreams?"

Qin Mu walked towards the outside, sneering. "It's time to truly go home, old man. Right, you invited me for a meal; pay the bill before you leave."

He walked out of the Jade Fragrance Building and floated away.

In the Green Bamboo Garden, the Great Shaman was utterly bewildered, like Monk Zhang Er who couldn't grasp the meaning. He waved his hand, dismissing the singing and dancing girls. A moment later, Ban Gong Cuo emerged from the shadows, traces of blood on his body, his face gloomy.

"Human Emperor's sword method..."

He said in a low voice, "It's actually the Human Emperor's sword method! Although it appears similar yet different, I cannot be mistaken. This junior is displaying the Human Emperor's sword method, fused with the sword method of the National Teacher of Yan Kang, along with the Tathagata Scripture and the Ling Family's Nine Dragon Emperor King Merit. He has fused these merits..."

Qin Mu had fused so many merits and divine abilities, and all of them were of the highest caliber. As a result, in their brief exchange, Ban Gong Cuo's Dao Sword had been suppressed, his mind and composure thrown into disarray.

Thus, he dared not engage in a direct confrontation with Qin Mu.

He didn't know how many moves of the Human Emperor's sword method Qin Mu had learned.

The Human Emperor of the previous era was an ultimate powerhouse; he dared not fight.

In the previous era, many tales unfolded, and many characters who walked the world were almost god-like. He was one of them, and Heaven Knife was another. Besides them, there were many other glorious and dazzling figures, but none were the most dazzling.

The Human Emperor was the most brilliant star of the previous era!

Besides the Human Emperor of the previous era, Ban Gong Cuo had also seen another Human Emperor in the era before last. Tracing back even further, eight hundred years ago, he had seen another Human Emperor.

Generation after generation of Human Emperors had appeared in his long life, each one extraordinarily brilliant, overshadowing his own glory. These Human Emperors could even be traced back to his first life, and even before his first life, there were Human Emperors walking the world!

He had once been extremely curious about this ancient inheritance. Each Human Emperor was skilled in different merits and divine abilities, but each one was astonishingly talented. Many saints who appeared once every five hundred years were also Human Emperors!

He had still wanted to contact this inheritance, but having died several times at the hands of Human Emperors, he had given up the idea.

And now, he saw the inheritance of the previous generation's Human Emperor in Qin Mu's body. But the previous generation's Human Emperor had already disappeared for a long time; rumors suggested this Human Emperor had died three or four hundred years ago.

He had seen this Human Emperor's sword, the sword of the strongest person in the previous era, the strongest sword. Upon seeing it, the sword light would forever be branded in his heart, impossible to forget.

If not for this, he wouldn't have been so panicked as to lose his composure, resulting in being heavily wounded by Qin Mu and losing the initiative. Therefore, he had first used Water Escape to evade Qin Mu's edge, then Earth Escape to submerge underground. Yet, Qin Mu's Azure Sky Heavenly Eye had detected him, and with a bamboo staff, iron hammer, and pig-slaughtering knife, Qin Mu had ruthlessly attacked him, adding wounds upon wounds and forcing him to escape.

His attainment in escape techniques was also at an extreme; Small Jade Capital's escape method was absolutely a first-class escape technique under heaven.

His soul was extremely strong, almost god-like. Qin Mu still couldn't kill him. Furthermore, his previous life's cultivation was still hidden within his body. Although his current body was still very weak and couldn't bear this hidden terrifying power, if Qin Mu pushed him to the limit, this power would explode, and he would be capable of killing Qin Mu!

After he escaped, Qin Mu knew he couldn't leave him behind and didn't pursue him. Instead, he returned to the Jade Fragrance Building, forcing him to not dare show himself and delaying his wound treatment.

"If that ancient organization knows that the Human Emperor is not dead and has a successor, it will certainly become extremely lively," Ban Gong Cuo said in a low voice.

The Great Shaman who had strained the wine for Qin Mu hastily stepped forward and said with a forced smile, "Prince, how are your wounds? Just now, Cult Master Qin didn't pay..."

Ban Gong Cuo murmured, "I don't need anyone to know that I was defeated, although I have been defeated many times..."

The Great Shaman was slightly startled. He suddenly felt his soul stiffen, as if it were being locked. He couldn't help but show a panicked expression.

The next moment, his bones and flesh melted away, his soul disintegrated, leaving only several pieces of clothing on the ground.

Ban Gong Cuo walked towards the outside, paid for the meal, and thought to himself, "It's a good thing I've had several encounters with that organization and know how to contact them... I'm afraid I won't be able to stay in the Capital City. After this Cult Master Qin returns, he will surely inform Ba Shan Libationer, leaving me with no place to hide. However, if I want to conceal myself, Ba Shan Libationer won't be able to find me either."

He walked out of the Jade Fragrance Building, suddenly retreated into the shadows, and then disappeared entirely.

On the other side, Qin Mu returned to the Imperial College and found Ba Shan Libationer. He said, "Ban Gong Cuo is indeed the old monster of the Lou Lan Golden Palace. He was wounded by my attack; I'm afraid he won't show himself again."

Ba Shan Libationer staggered backward, losing his voice. "He got away? If he secretly uses sorcery to harm you, what will you do? Heaven Knife Teacher couldn't kill him and had to hide his name and identity to guard against him, let alone you? This old fellow's cultivation is still at the Six Harmonies realm for now, but it won't be long before he breaks through to the Seven Stars realm and the Life and Death realm. In just over a decade, he'll likely return to the Divine Bridge realm! By then, you'll be dead for sure!"

Qin Mu laughed and said, "Or perhaps, Senior Brother, you could stay by my side, and he wouldn't dare make a move."

Ba Shan Libationer's worried brow didn't relax. He said, "He knows my name. Ten years from now, he can even use sorcery to kill me too. It won't work. Staying by your side is only treating the symptoms, not the root cause. I must find him and eliminate him to prevent future trouble!" Having said this, he summoned his Green Ox and left in a hurry.

Qin Mu returned to the Scholar Residence and looked at his room, feeling a little apprehensive.

"If Senior Brother Ba Shan doesn't find Ban Gong Cuo, will this fellow just stare at me every day and night? I won't even be able to sleep! It won't work. I must find this fellow! This matter should still be handled by the disciples of the Heavenly Saint Cult. Unless he hides back in the Golden Palace, he will certainly find it difficult to escape my notice!"

Just as he was thinking this, a manager of the Scholar Residence walked in and said, "Doctor Qin is already a divine ability user and should move to the Divine Ability Residence."

Several other managers were helping Shen Wan Yun and Si Yun Xiang move. They said, "Shen Wan Yun and Si Yun Xiang have also successfully broken through and also want to leave the Scholar Residence to move to the Divine Ability Residence."

Shen Wan Yun and Si Yun Xiang saw Qin Mu and hastily walked over to express their gratitude. They said, "If not for Cult Master's Six Harmonies Calculation Scripture, we wouldn't have been able to enter the Six Harmonies realm so quickly."

Qin Mu humbly said, "Just a little effort."

Shen Wan Yun's scalp tingled. Si Yun Xiang was very frustrated. To Qin Mu, it was just a little effort, but to them, it was a tremendous help. Did she still have hope of overthrowing this Cult Master and becoming the female Cult Master of the Heavenly Saint Cult?

"Scholar Residence, I'm leaving!"

Shen Wan Yun waved to the scholars who had come to see them off from within the Scholar Residence and said with a laugh, "Those of you who are willing to be the senior disciple, go and strive for it yourselves!"

Yue Qing Hong and Monk Yun Que both lacked a little interest. They exchanged glances and said with a laugh, "You all go to the Divine Ability Residence first. We'll be there in two days. This senior disciple position, let the other junior brothers and sisters take it!"

Qin Mu and the two women walked towards the Divine Ability Residence, with the Dragon Qilin following behind them. He had made up his mind that no matter where Qin Mu went, he would follow, absolutely not letting go of this meal ticket.

"Right."

Qin Mu thought of something and said with a smile, "The Crown Prince will be leaving the capital in a few days. He wants me to accompany him to various places to alleviate disasters. If you all have nothing to do, you can join me for some tempering. Wan Yun, you've become a divine ability user, and your abilities are not small. Temper yourself for a few years and you can become an incense master of our Saint Cult."

Shen Wan Yun's scalp went numb. She truly didn't want to go out with him. She said, "Every time I go out with Cult Master, it's full of dangers and narrow escapes. I still won't go. I've just cultivated to the Six Harmonies realm and still want to consolidate this realm..."

Si Yun Xiang's eyes sparkled brightly. "I'll go!"

Just as Qin Mu was about to speak, a manager of the Divine Ability Residence walked over and said, "Scholar Shen Wan Yun, this time the Crown Prince is leaving the capital, and he has requested your name. Besides you, there are ten other scholars from the Divine Ability Residence."