Facing Zhong Lin’s terrifying kick, Song Wei’s breath caught, and he retracted his chest and abdomen inward. His treasured saber was held defensively in front of his chest, like a screen, turning his attack into defense.
"Can you really hold it off?"
Zhong Lin let out a cold laugh, stepping with Seven Stars Technique, his right index and middle fingers lined up to form a sword finger, pointing at Song Wei’s throat.
His nails clinked, and both fingers were blood-red like jade, akin to hot branding irons.
This move was extremely fierce and domineering, coupled with a dark, sinister, and vicious style.
It was a finger skill Zhong Lin had learned: the Absolute Death Finger Technique, ruthless and merciless, solely aiming to take lives.
At the critical moment, Song Wei managed to dodge Zhong Lin’s fatal strike, but his face was still marked with a long bloody scar.
Nearby, Mei Weixuan was not idle either. Zhong Lin had created such an opportunity for him, how could he let it pass?
The treasure sword in Mei Weixuan’s hand emitted a gloomy sword radiance, flickering uncertainly, then vibrated suddenly, releasing dozens of shadows, enveloping Song Wei completely in one sweep.
Song Wei’s face showed astonishment, and in the next moment, a blood streak across his neck split open instantly, spraying blood all around.
"Such a fast sword," Song Wei murmured softly.
Finally, with a thud, he fell to the ground, the second son of the Song Family of Pinggu City, the Wind Blade Song Wei, now dead in the desolate wilderness.
Interestingly, his last words "such a fast sword" starkly contrasted Yu Chaosheng’s earlier "such a fast blade," a possibly ironic parallel.
Mei Weixuan flicked his wrist, sheathing his treasure sword, slightly dissatisfied he glanced at Zhong Lin: "I could have handled it myself, if you had been a bit later, I would have killed him."
"You talk too much crap, hurry up and search the body."
Zhong Lin couldn’t be bothered to argue, bending down to rummage through Song Wei’s belongings. After a moment, he found a few ounces of broken silver and a bottle of Five Spirit Pills. As for any secret manuals, they shouldn’t be expected, not everyone carries such things around.
Mei Weixuan turned over those weak bodies, then excitedly came over holding several gourds.
"Haha, Zhong Lin, guess what I found?"
Holding several huge gourds, Mei Weixuan exclaimed excitedly, "The Five Poisons, and wine! In this cold winter, the Song Family managed to gather the Five Poisons. Now the Five Poison Beast won’t lack food."
The so-called Five Poisons are scorpions, centipedes, toads, snakes, and geckos.
The food for the Five Poison Beast are these Five Poisons. It seems Song Wei had already considered the Five Poison Beast in Yu Chaosheng’s possession as his own.
Yet, the mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind; who knew Zhong Lin and Mei Weixuan would appear at this moment’s opportunity.
After so much effort, in the end, it became someone else’s achievement.
"Let’s leave this place first."
The two did not linger, quickly leaving the battlefield. As for the bodies, they needn’t worry. Winter naturally lacks food, so before long, these will become the meal for hungry beasts.
Inside the deserted temple, the bonfire was lit once more.
The two leaned in to watch the jade box in their hands. Inside, the jade silkworm was curled up, motionless, shimmering with crystalline light in the fire, like the most exquisite piece of art. If not for the soft touch from the Five Poison Beast’s body, one might really mistake it for a jade sculpture.
"Why isn’t it moving, don’t tell me it’s dead?" Mei Weixuan asked anxiously.
This was a treasure; they fought desperately to obtain it and certainly didn’t want it to end up being dead.
Zhong Lin pondered for a moment: "Get a scorpion out."
Mei Weixuan hurriedly poured out a black scorpion from a gourd.
The scorpion was the size of a thumb, covered in a black shell, its hook on the tail tip gleaming with a blue hue, leaving no doubt about the potency of its venom.
As the scorpion appeared, the Five Poison Beast in the jade box trembled slightly, then struggled to lift its head.
"It’s not dead, it’s not dead, haha, come on baby, time to eat."
Mei Weixuan excitedly snapped two branches as chopsticks, placing the scorpion into the jade box.
In the next instant, the chubby body of the Five Poison Beast lunged at the similarly-sized scorpion, exposing rows of sharp teeth, biting through the scorpion’s shell and devouring it ravenously.
Within moments, the entire scorpion entered the Five Poison Beast’s belly, yet its size remained unchanged, still swinging its head left and right.
"It must not be full, let’s give it a whole centipede."
Mei Weixuan eagerly poured out a bright red centipede from another gourd.
This one was larger, at least twenty centimeters long.
But when faced with the Five Poison Beast, it seemed to encounter a predator, twisting its body in a frantic attempt to escape, only to be quickly devoured.
"Wow, truly a mutant beast, eating so much without gaining size, seems it’s still hungry."
Mei Weixuan gazed at the Five Poison Beast with glistening eyes, repeatedly praising it.
An hour passed, during which the Five Poison Beast had devoured eight scorpions, three centipedes, two venomous snakes, and five geckos, thus finally sating its hunger and curling up to sleep in the jade box.
As the Five Poison Beast sated its hunger, it slowly began to secrete a nearly invisible liquid from its body.
"It’s out, it’s out, that’s it, the Five Poison Liquid, colorless and odorless, extremely poisonous, lethal upon entering the bloodstream. But if dissolved in wine, it becomes a treasure medicine, capable of strengthening the five internal organs." Mei Weixuan exclaimed excitedly.
Zhong Lin also kept his eyes fixed on the jade box, watching as the five poison beast stopped secreting toxin after an hour.
The two cautiously poured it out, just enough to fill a small ladle, no more than a few grams.
They added this few grams of poison into the wine-filled gourd, secured the lid, and vigorously shook it. Only after a quarter hour passed did they open the lid.
The two exchanged glances, both grimacing a bit, hesitant for a moment.
After all, they had only read about this in books. Turning poison into treasure medicine left them somewhat apprehensive.
Mei Weixuan gritted his teeth, poured out a small ladle of the wine, and downed it in one go.
Zhong Lin also pulled out a detoxification pill from his bosom, ready to shove it into Mei Weixuan’s mouth at the slightest sign of trouble.
A moment later, Mei Weixuan suddenly opened his eyes wide, exclaiming excitedly, "It’s real, it works."
Saying this, he poured himself another small ladle.
Zhong Lin let out a sigh of relief, took the empty ladle, and poured himself a cup as well.
As the wine went down, a burning sensation spread directly into the stomach from within the gourd, expanding throughout, the immensely rich medicinal power melding directly into the five internal organs through the bloodstream.
At that moment, Zhong Lin only felt a fiery pain in his organs, yet clearly sensed his internal organs becoming a bit stronger.
Zhong Lin was delighted, instinctively channeling qi-blood into his lungs, finding it easier to absorb, with a faster nourishment rate.
Zhong Lin suddenly opened his eyes, fire in his gaze full of excitement.
"Grab a bowl, half each."
No bowl was found, but Mei Weixuan found a piece of green stone, carving out two rough stone mortars with his sword.
At this moment, the two didn’t care anymore, pouring the liquid into the mortars, and drank directly from them.
In an instant, a power even stronger than before blossomed within them, Zhong Lin sat cross-legged in a corner, starting to circulate qi-blood to nourish his lungs.
Mei Weixuan also found a corner to perform his own practice.