The low rumble of mechanisms turning echoed from the lintel of the secret chamber, and after a moment, the chamber, long sealed, gradually revealed itself. Outside the chamber, Shou Xia and an old man with a braid stood facing each other across a tense divide. Many members of the Myriad Poisons Sect watched with cold indifference nearby; some stood behind Shou Xia, while a greater number, their expressions equally impassive, had gathered around the old man with the braid.

A familiar figure suddenly leaped into view, standing amidst the crowd behind the old man, his face grim. Missing his left arm, it was none other than Ye Youshan, who had secretly betrayed Zhou Miaoshan and her daughter.

A stirring in his heart alerted Ji Changkong to the possibility that Ye Youshan’s cultivation of poisonous arts might very well originate from the Southern Barbarian Myriad Poisons Sect. Zhou Miaoshan had never elaborated much on Ye Youshan. However, Ye Youshan’s father, Ye Xiangrong, had died due to qi deviation while practicing poison arts, and back in the Great Marsh of Cloud Dream, Ye Youshan had only managed to escape him by utilizing his own poison skills to unleash his potential.

Though there were numerous schools of poison cultivation in this world, Ye Youshan’s profound understanding of the Southern Barbarian territory, coupled with his knowledge of the perilous and deadly locations within the Great Marsh of Cloud Dream, clearly indicated frequent travel in that region. Ji Changkong had previously suspected that Ye Youshan’s poisonous mastery stemmed from the Myriad Poisons Sect.

Seeing Ye Youshan now standing beside the old man with the braid, Ji Changkong felt no surprise, merely knitting his brows slightly.

Recalling for a moment, Ji Changkong immediately recognized the old man from Qu Le’s memories: Wan Xiongjie, one of the Five Poison Elders of the Myriad Poisons Sect—the Scorpion Elder.

Wan Xiongjie and Shou Xia, who had been arguing heatedly, froze instantly upon hearing the sound emanating from the secret chamber. When Ji Changkong finally emerged, Shou Xia was overcome with ecstatic joy, swiftly prostrating himself in deep obeisance, crying out, “Master, you have finally returned.”

Those Myriad Poisons Sect members who had been wavering, upon seeing Ji Changkong appear and Shou Xia bow down, followed suit, shouting "Sect Master!" in unison.

Wan Xiongjie, his face clouded with suspicion, glanced back at Ye Youshan. Seeing the slight panic in Ye Youshan’s expression, Wan Xiongjie frowned faintly, staring intently at Ji Changkong for a long moment before speaking. “Sect Master, why the mask? Rumors from outside claim you perished at Blood Rain Mountain? What is the meaning of this?”

“Hmph!” Ji Changkong slightly curled his lip, his gaze unfriendly as he looked at Wan Xiongjie, saying coldly, “With the realm of 'Poison Never Disperses, Soul Never Dies' under my cultivation, who could possibly claim my life? However, those despicable Central Plains people, several of them ganged up on me, inflicting grievous injuries and severely damaging my face, hence the mask for concealment.”

Wan Xiongjie’s confusion deepened, clearly harboring doubts about Ji Changkong’s identity, appearing hesitant as if on the verge of saying something more.

“Scorpion Elder, you mentioned just now about summoning the Poison Canon?” Ji Changkong’s voice turned subtly sinister. “Even if this Sect Master were gone, to summon the Poison Canon requires the presence of all Five Great Elders. This, this rule—do you not understand it?”

The Poison Canon was the foundation of the Myriad Poisons Sect’s cultivation, detailing the methods for practicing their poison arts and the secrets to refining hundreds of poisons. The Canon was deeply hidden within the sect’s Poison Valley, accessible only when the Five Great Elders collectively presented the Sect Master’s token.

To prevent the sect from being paralyzed should the Sect Master die and the token be lost, the token had always been kept in a specific location. This secret chamber was one of Qu Le’s frequent residences, and the Sect Master’s token was stored within. Wan Xiongjie intended to retrieve the token here to proceed to the Poison Valley and summon the Canon but was blocked by Shou Xia.

“Sect Master, because unfavorable news about you spread from the Central Plains, the Divine Archer Gate has attacked us frequently in this period, and we have already lost many experts. It would be best to summon the Poison Canon sooner to refine some poisons capable of making them wary. I fear we cannot hold out much longer, and that is why I was so eager. Please forgive my urgency, Sect Master.” Although suspicion still lingered in Wan Xiongjie’s mind, seeing how clearly Ji Changkong understood matters concerning the Poison Canon eased his doubts by seven or eight tenths.

“I have my own means for dealing with the Divine Archer Gate; you need not worry excessively. This time, given the special circumstances, I shall forgive your rashness. Should such a breach of rules occur again, do not blame me for being merciless!” Ji Changkong gave a cold “Hmph.”

Wan Xiongjie nodded repeatedly in agreement, bowing slightly in submission.

“Good, you may go. As for how to deal with the provocations of the Divine Archer Gate, I will notify you once I have clarified the situation,” Ji Changkong said, waving his hand with feigned impatience.

Wan Xiongjie said no more, taking one last deep look at Ji Changkong before turning and leading his people away. Ye Youshan shot Ji Changkong a peculiar glance before following behind Wan Xiongjie.

“What is going on? Didn’t you say you had definitive news that he was killed at Blood Rain Mountain? Why is he back now? What intelligence do you possess?” As soon as they emerged, Wan Xiongjie’s face darkened, and he suddenly glared at Ye Youshan.

Seeing Wan Xiongjie’s anger, the disciples accompanying him all displayed looks of schadenfreude. One even snorted, “Central Plains people are truly treacherous and unreliable. We are lucky the Sect Master wasn't enraged today, or we would all be in deep trouble.” Ye Youshan was not a native of the Southern Barbarians, and many within the Myriad Poisons Sect clearly looked down on him.

Ye Youshan paid them no mind, merely kneeling at Wan Xiongjie’s feet, saying with feigned trepidation, “My information came from Blood Rain Mountain; it should be correct. Moreover, those returning from the Southern Barbarians all said that he… said he was killed at Blood Rain Mountain. I believe this news is sound.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Ye Youshan looked up squarely at Wan Xiongjie. “Could there be something wrong with this Sect Master?”

Wan Xiongjie frowned deeply, musing for a while before suddenly breaking into a grin. “If what you say is true, there is one other possibility: that he did indeed die at Blood Rain Mountain. However, the fact that he is so clear about the sect members’ affairs and could enter the secret chamber from the outside suggests his identity is not false.”

“What do you mean?” Ye Youshan feigned ignorance, asking with a bewildered expression.

“This body might not be his, but the spirit essence is likely correct,” Wan Xiongjie chuckled, nodding lightly. “The realm of 'Poison Never Disperses, Soul Never Dies' is indeed hard to extinguish, but it is entirely possible for the physical body to be destroyed. If he hasn't possessed another body, he wouldn't be wearing that mask. Given his past temperament, our actions today would have enraged him, and he certainly wouldn't let us leave so easily. The reason he is so magnanimous, I surmise, is that he lacks sufficient strength to confront me. After possessing a new body, his power has significantly dropped; it will take at least eight years in this region to recover fully.”

“This is a great opportunity!” Ye Youshan’s face lit up, and he quickly said with a smile.

Wan Xiongjie nodded gently, letting out a strange, dry laugh. “Just wait. If he has truly undergone possession and rebirth, in order to restore his power as quickly as possible, he must visit the Poison Valley. By then, I will know what to do.”

“Master is brilliant,” Ye Youshan quickly flattered, his expression sincere.

However, deep down, Ye Youshan was immensely puzzled. He was a man highly skilled in observation. During his time in the Great Marsh of Cloud Dream, constantly plotting against Ji Changkong, he had been covertly observing him almost daily, paying attention to every minute habit in Ji Changkong’s life. After watching for only a short while, he realized this ‘Sect Master’ felt subtly different, possessing an elusive sense of familiarity. Yet, he could never have imagined Ji Changkong adopting an entirely different guise here, so he failed to make the connection immediately.

“Now that you’re back from the Great Marsh of Cloud Dream, did Bag Jiu have any success at Poison Dragon Pool?” While Ye Youshan was racking his brains, Wan Xiongjie asked again.

“Bag Jiu returned in failure from Poison Dragon Pool, gaining nothing but leaving behind a few corpses,” Ye Youshan replied with a bow.

Wan Xiongjie nodded slightly and smiled. “Very good. That settles it for now. Let us first observe the new Sect Master’s actions to confirm if he is as we suspect.”

Wan Xiongjie, taking Ye Youshan and his disciples and grand-disciples, did not linger at this outpost but soon departed.

“Master, it is so good that you are back!” After Wan Xiongjie left, Shou Xia eagerly began reporting the events that had transpired in the Myriad Poisons Sect during the Master’s absence.

Ji Changkong remained silent, listening intently as Shou Xia recounted everything, carefully absorbing the current state of the Myriad Poisons Sect.

After the news of Qu Le’s death at Blood Rain Mountain reached the Southern Barbarians, the Divine Archer Gate naturally seized this god-sent opportunity to strike against the Myriad Poisons Sect. The Divine Archer, Gong Zhao, gathered the experts of the Divine Archer Gate and hunted down members of the Myriad Poisons Sect across the Southern Barbarians, forcing them into hiding.

Because Qu Le was absent, the news of his death was spread by the disciples returning from Blood Rain Mountain, causing panic among the sect members. The Five Elders felt their positions were threatened. Lacking Qu Le to manage the overall situation, they lost the will to contend with the Divine Archer Gate and instead began plotting to seize the Poison Canon.

The Poison Canon was the foundation of the sect’s cultivation; whoever could fully memorize and master the techniques within would qualify to become the next generation’s Sect Master. Driven by this immense temptation, the Five Elders engaged in infighting while simultaneously evading the attacks from the Divine Archer Gate. During this time, only Qu Le’s loyalists actively resisted the Divine Archer Gate’s assaults and suffered the heaviest losses. The more grievously these loyalists were wounded, the greater the ambition of the Five Elders grew, leading to the peculiar situation within the sect. Now, even Wan Xiongjie dared to brazenly demand the token here.

Shou Xia recounted the recent events to Ji Changkong through gritted teeth, venting his fury. “Master, none of those five old fellows has good intentions! Now that you have returned, I suggest we first punish these five elders! They are not focusing on fighting the Divine Archer Gate but are instead scheming to snatch the Poison Canon—they deserve death!”

“Mhm, I know. Relay my order: have the Five Poison Elders wait for me at the Poison Valley. I need to make a trip there,” Ji Changkong nodded, instructing Shou Xia.

“Master, you are… you are going to summon the Poison Canon?” Shou Xia was startled, then his face broke into a joyful expression. “Master, are you preparing to fight the Divine Archer Gate?”

“Don't ask so many questions. Follow my instructions and tell the Five Elders to wait for me in the Poison Valley. I will arrive in a month with the Sect Master’s token,” Ji Changkong stated calmly.

“Understood, Master. We will carry out the order immediately,” Shou Xia nodded quickly and hurried away with his men.

“Everyone else, disperse and return to your duties,” Ji Changkong said dismissively, waving his hand, and then re-entered the secret chamber.

It was a vast corridor. The sect members who had gathered upon hearing the news were all performing their assigned tasks: some were responsible for raising venomous insects, some for cultivating herbs known for their frightening toxicity, and others for grinding poisons. However, the majority were dedicated to practicing poison arts. Under Qu Le’s leadership, the Myriad Poisons Sect had developed rapidly in recent years. Qu Le had hired specialists dedicated solely to cultivating poisonous herbs and insects, as these two resources were indispensable for the sect members’ training; only with an abundance of both could they practice without restraint.

It must be said that Qu Le was a true prodigy in the Myriad Poisons Sect. During his tenure, he separated those responsible for cultivating herbs from those who practiced the poison arts, assigning clear duties to each member. This meticulous organization brought order to the sect, steadily strengthening its power.

At Ji Changkong’s gesture, the gathered members dispersed to their respective posts.

Reseating himself within the secret chamber, Ji Changkong pressed a protruding rounded stone, and the now-open chamber sealed itself once more.

Once the chamber was completely enclosed, Ji Changkong began running his hands over the smooth walls, tapping and exploring. As he did so, many hidden compartments emerged from the otherwise flawless surfaces. Each compartment held small bottles and jars, containing either poisonous powders, toxic liquids, or noxious fumes.

The poisonous cultivation of the Myriad Poisons Sect could be broadly categorized into two paths. One path, practiced by Wan Xiongjie and the other Four Elders, centered on venomous creatures as their foundation. Each of the Five Elders cultivated a specific creature: poisonous snakes, scorpions, spiders, toads, or centipedes. Their method involved using their vital essence blood to rear these creatures. Take Wan Xiongjie, for instance: he selected the most venomous and ferocious scorpions, nurturing them using the sect’s unique methods, feeding them various poisons, essentially refining these creatures as one would forge a divine weapon, making them not only supremely toxic but also indestructible.

Besides this cultivation method using creatures, there was another path involving the cultivation of poisonous herbs. This involved implanting various toxins and venoms from the world’s deadliest herbs into one’s own body, transforming oneself into a ‘Poisoned Man.’ This was the alternative way to practice poison arts. Compared to the external attacks derived from venomous scorpions and snakes, the method of transforming oneself into a Poisoned Man was far more extreme. When cultivated to its zenith, even the spirit essence would be saturated with potent poisons, and a mere thought could pollute an opponent’s ethereal soul, causing even an invisible, formless spirit to be poisoned to death.

This was a more bizarre and malicious form of toxic attack. The foundational techniques of the Myriad Poisons Sect involved both lineages. Since both types of poison arts were potent, being thoroughly poisoned meant one could use poisonous liquids, powders, and fumes without reservation, never fearing that these potent toxins would affect oneself. Once one achieved the status of a Poisoned Man, like Qu Le, being entirely toxic meant even one's internal vital energy was suffused with poison. Such a person could even draw strength from noxious poisons and liquids; the more potent the poison consumed, the greater the power gained. When injured, a Poisoned Man, given sufficient poisons to ingest, could recover at an astonishing rate.

Fingers dancing, bottle after bottle fell into his palm. Glancing at the names inscribed on the containers, Ji Changkong inwardly gasped. He possessed the memories inherited from Qu Le and naturally understood what the contents signified. Everything Qu Le had chosen to keep in this secret chamber was lethally toxic. To avoid suspicion regarding his identity as Qu Le, Ji Changkong needed to display some command of poison arts. Since he was not inherently a Poisoned Man, he had to rely on these vials and jars. Fortunately, as the new successor of the Ji Family, he was naturally immune to a hundred poisons; otherwise, he could not have impersonated Qu Le.

One by one, the bottles and jars vanished into his spatial pouch as Ji Changkong’s mind frantically sifted through Qu Le’s memories, searching for techniques suitable for deploying poisons. As he moved through the chamber, the hidden containers were spirited away. Because Qu Le was entirely poisoned, he could release toxins without inhibition—even a mere exhale could release poison. Ji Changkong lacked such ability and could only seek out poison techniques appropriate for his current state. After recalling the memories Qu Le had left in his mind, Ji Changkong found a suitable method for deploying these poisons: Ten Fingers Flying.

Ten Fingers Flying was a technique for releasing poison where the poison was concealed beneath the fingernails. Through subtle, nimble movements of the fingers, the concealed toxin could be released. When used skillfully in combat, this technique allowed one to silently deploy various poisons around the vicinity. For those not inherently immune to all poisons, the slightest contact with toxins through the pores during a fight would be fatal. While Ten Fingers Flying was merely a clever method of delivery, less comprehensive than Qu Le’s method of releasing poison through pores, it was perfectly suited for Ji Changkong. Therefore, he remained in the chamber, diligently practicing this secret technique.

This technique was not overly difficult to master once the execution method was understood. Within just a few days, Ji Changkong grasped the intricacies of Ten Fingers Flying. With a slight flick of his finger, the poison could be released silently and precisely to the intended location. Seeing his rapid proficiency, Ji Changkong’s interest was piqued, and he turned his attention to another skill: Hair Dance.

Hair Dance was another method of administering poison, usually by concealing it within the hair. During combat, the whipping motion of the hair could directly transfer the poison to the opponent. Like Ten Fingers Flying, Hair Dance was a means of attack that was incredibly difficult to guard against. Ji Changkong found it fascinating; its practice seemed even simpler than Ten Fingers Flying. Armed with the dexterity gained from mastering the first skill, he quickly grasped the essence of Hair Dance.

Suddenly, Ji Changkong developed a genuine interest in some of the Myriad Poisons Sect’s techniques. Since the appointed time had not yet arrived, and equipped with Qu Le’s memories and the ample supply of poisons available within the sect’s headquarters, he began treating the practice of these poison arts as a form of recreation, engaging in it with keen enthusiasm.

The most profound aspect of poison cultivation, of course, involved the complex formulation and nurturing of poisons. However, thanks to Qu Le’s knowledge imprinted in his mind, this presented no problem for Ji Changkong. As the Sect Master, Qu Le was intimately familiar with the methods for refining all manner of poisons, and these memories became a part of Ji Changkong’s own knowledge, naturally elevating him to the status of a master toxicologist.

He spent only half a month mastering various Myriad Poisons Sect techniques. With so many poisons, liquids, and fumes left behind by Qu Le now in his possession, Ji Changkong could immediately transform into a Grandmaster of Myriad Poisons, entirely secure from Wan Xiongjie’s scrutiny.

He took all the poisons in the chamber without hesitation. After emptying every container left by Qu Le, Ji Changkong finally retrieved the Myriad Poisons Sect Sect Master’s token from a concealed hidden compartment.

It was a palm-sized plaque, deep emerald green in color, feeling remarkably heavy in the hand—its material unknown. The front of the token was engraved with numerous poisonous plants, while the back depicted the five creatures: snake, scorpion, spider, centipede, and toad—representing the sect’s two distinct cultivation methodologies. The carvings of the insects and plants were rendered lifelike; touching the venomous creatures felt precisely like touching real ones.

Once the token was in his grasp, Ji Changkong examined it thoroughly. Yet, try as he might, he found nothing extraordinary about it, save for the fact that a palm-sized token was unduly heavy. He wondered about the secret of its crafting.

Finally, Ji Changkong emerged from the secret chamber. Shou Xia seemed to have been waiting patiently. Upon seeing him step out, Shou Xia immediately rushed forward. “Master, as you commanded, I promptly informed the Five Great Elders, telling them to wait at the Poison Valley. Judging by the time, they should have arrived by now. Shall we depart as well?”

“Mhm. Make preparations; we will go to the Poison Valley together,” Ji Changkong nodded.

Shou Xia’s face brightened with pleasure. “Master, just the two of us?”

"Hmph, just the two of us will suffice. We still have our disciples guarding the Poison Valley. You don't need to worry about a thing. As long as I am in the Ten Thousand Poisons Sect and hold the Sect Master's token, those disciples must obey my command," Ji Changkong declared with arrogance.

"Master, what if... what if the five Great Elders harbor ill intentions?" Shou Xia inquired cautiously.

"Whoever dares to harbor dissent, I will make them drop dead on the spot!"

"Master, your health... your health has recovered?"

"Less nonsense. Just accompany me to the Poison Valley. I want to see if those five dare to oppose me."

"As you command." Shou Xia nodded, a flicker of hidden delight crossing his face. He felt that his Master now exhibited a demeanor far more fitting—a return to the man he was before, as compared to the weakness he displayed when dealing with Wan Xiongjie just after his return. This had led Shou Xia to suspect his Master had been injured during that previous encounter.