"Tome of Poison Legacy?" Bai Ting and Hai Mingjin leaped in astonishment.

According to the rumors, the Tome of Poison Legacy was an artifact personally written by the founder of the Poison Hall. She had detailed all of the secrets of her poison arts within the book, and it was the artifact that all poison masters craved to obtain. However.. it was said to have disappeared from the face of the world along with the founder.

After the founder died, there were quite a few hall masters who had taken over after her. However, as they had not inherited her true heritage, they were unable to receive widespread acknowledgement among the poison masters, resulting in the current chaos within the Poison Hall.

For the longest time, everyone had thought that the Tome of Poison Legacy had disappeared for good, but who would have thought that Right Guardian Shen Jue would actually manage to retrieve it!

"Indeed! With this artifact, he can be officially inaugurated as the new hall master of the Poison Hall without any doubts about his legitimacy. Just that.. Forget it. Let's not talk about this any further. You'll understand once you meet teacher anyway!"

Yuan Ling was still intending to continue speaking when he paused for a moment and swallowed his words. Beckoning the both of them to follow him, he flew ahead.

The duo followed him closely.

As Saint 5-dan experts, their flight speed was beyond ordinary. It did not take them long to arrive at a vast residence located at the center of the city.

With Yuan Ling taking the lead, they walked toward the hall that their teacher had taught them in the past. Before they could enter it, arguing could be heard echoing from within.

"He's using that as an excuse to climb over us! Why should our teacher do it? At the very most, we'll just fight it out with him!"

"He's going too far, we can't just sit silently by the side and let him do whatever he wants!"

"Just because he says that it's the Tome of Poison Legacy, are we supposed to accept it like that? Is there anyone who can verify his words? I remember that our teacher had a grudge with him back then. He must be trying to make use of this matter to get rid of his rivals so as to successfully promote himself to hall master!"

"It's not like we don't know how narrow-minded that Right Guardian of ours is. With such a card in his hand, he's bound to make a move against us."

..

Walking into the room, they saw dozens of poison masters gathered, each of them with an indignant look on their face.

Swiftly scanning the room, Bai Ting noted that they were all the seniors and juniors who had studied alongside him back then. Most of them had already attained the strength of 8-star poison masters.

In the center of the room sat an elder who was dressed in plain clothes. He had an elusive aura that could hardly be felt, and his breathing was so indistinct that it was impossible to tell whether he was alive or not. Had he not been seated in the center of the room, one could have overlooked him very easily.

Intrigued, Hai Mingjin secretly used his Spiritual Perception to scan the other party, and the result that he got left him startled.

To his shock, his Spiritual Perception actually reflected that the space that the plain-clothed elder took up was completely empty!

What incredible strength he wields.. Hai Mingjin narrowed his eyes in astonishment.

It was obvious that the person before him had achieved strength far beyond his imagination, such that even his Spiritual Perception was incapable of perceiving the other party's existence.

An expert of the other party's caliber did not need to even raise his hand to destroy him. Just a single thought, and his soul would have been helplessly crushed. There was the huge disparity in their strengths.

It was unimaginable how powerful the elder would be if he were equipped with poison!

Truly terrifying!

"Teacher, Junior Bai Ting is here!" Ignoring the crowd's argument, Yuan Ling stepped forward and reported.

"Un." The elder nodded before turning his gaze to Bai Ting. "I thought that you wouldn't have been able to make a breakthrough when your heart turned cold after the incident. Not bad, you are still able to qualify as an 8-star poison master in the end. You didn't let me down!"

"Teacher.." Bai Ting's eyes reddened as he stepped forward and kneeled on the ground.

Ever since leaving the headquarters, he had never met his teacher because he felt too ashamed to face him. Upon seeing his teacher once more, the emotions that had welled up within him for many years could not be contained.

The elder smiled. "Alright, you are going to be an 8-star poison master very soon, so you shouldn't cry over minor matters like this!"

"Yes!" Bai Ting nodded. Standing up, he turned a confused look to his teacher and asked, "Teacher, I happened to overhear someone saying that someone wants you to do something.. If I may ask, what does that mean?"

Judging from how indignant everyone was, it was bound to be nothing good.

"It's nothing much." The elder waved his hand before sighing deeply. "You should focus your effort on taking the 8-star poison master examination while you are here and leave as soon as you're done. The Poison Hall is no longer the safe place you know of. We might face bloodshed very soon, so escape as far as you can."

"This.." Bai Ting frowned in confusion.

His teacher was one of the Four Eminences, so what could have happened for him to speak of such depressing words?

Furthermore.. shouldn't Shen Jue's retrieval of the Tome of Poison Legacy and inauguration as the new hall master have been a joyous event?

Noting the confusion in Bai Ting's eyes, an 8-star poison master stepped forward and explained, "I believe you should have heard the news that Guardian Shen has found the Tome of Poison Legacy and intends to become the new hall master, right?"

"Yes!" Bai Ting replied with a nod.

Senior Yuan Ling had just informed him of the matter.

"The Tome of Poison Legacy is an artifact left behind by the founder, and it carries lethal poison. There is only one way to open it, and it's through the Life Tribute ritual. Guardian Shen intends to have our teacher conduct the ritual," the 8-star poison master said through gritted teeth.

Hearing those words, Bai Ting's eyes widened in shock.

Poison masters had a habit of sealing their manuals using lethal poison. In order to open such manuals, one would have to possess the ability to undo the poison. Otherwise, one would have to wear away the poison with life.

In other words, it was using human lives to wear away the poison on the manual. If one was not enough, two. If two were not enough, three.. There was bound to be a limit to the poison laced on the manual, so there would come a point where it was sapped dry.

This was also what the Life Tribute ritual was!

Life Tribute was an extremely callous ritual, and it undermined the dignity of life. This was one of the practices that had the poison masters deemed as a type of demonic art, causing it to be snubbed by the orthodox occupations.

"But.. why our teacher?" Bai Ting asked through gritted teeth.

His teacher was one of the Four Eminences, so why would they sacrifice such an esteemed individual for the Life Tribute?

"Our teacher had a conflict with Guardian Shen many years ago, so we believe that this is Guardian Shen's attempt to get back at him. Furthermore, the poison on the Tome of Poison Legacy is indeed too potent, such that it's impossible for even normal humans to approach it. As such, it can only be neutralized by 9-star poison masters. It's for this reason that Guardian Shen specifically singled out Teacher so as to further build his prestige. Through this incident, he wishes to send out a stern warning to the entire Poison Hall so that none dare oppose him!" the 8-star poison master replied with clenched fists.

While Life Tribute could wear away the toxicity of the poison, its effectiveness was also dependent on the strength of the tribute. Considering the potency of the poison that laced the Tome of Poison Legacy, even if they were to sacrifice twenty thousand ordinary humans, it still would not wear away the poison.

Only 9-star poison masters wielded sufficient strength to wear away the poison on the Tome of Poison Legacy. Anyone other than that would not do.

"Since he's obviously using this matter to get back at us, can't Teacher just turn him down?" Bai Ting asked anxiously.

"Teacher can indeed turn him down, but Guardian Shen.. is forcing Teacher to comply with his demands in the name of greater good!"

"In the name of greater good?"

"Indeed. He promised all of the poison masters that as long as the Tome of Poison Legacy is opened, he will pick out the easier content and make it public knowledge for all poison masters to study, thus substantially raising the overall prowess of the Poison Hall. Through this promise, he is attempting to sway public opinion against our teacher, thus forcing Teacher to conduct the Life Tribute ritual. All of the poison masters in the headquarters are currently loitering around the area. They are claiming that they intend to witness the inauguration ceremony, but in truth, most of them are just keeping a surveillance over the manor, fearing that Teacher will attempt to escape," the 8-star poison master said with reddened eyes.

Only in trying times would one be able to see through the hearts of those around them.

The poison masters who were close with his teacher or usually fawned on him had all fled as far as they could, leaving behind only his students to guard the area.

Bai Ting could not help but clench his fists tightly as well.

Indeed.

With such terms to draw the other poison masters in, his teacher would have no choice but to become the sacrifice. Otherwise, with public opinion working against him, it would not be long before he fell from grace.

Interrupting the words of the poison master, the elder sitting in the center of the room waved his hand.

"Alright, I have already made up my mind on this matter. After I'm dead, don't come to this manor anymore. Stay as far away as you can so that we will at least be able to preserve our heritage."

No one would dare think of laying their hands on his disciples while he was alive, but once Shen Jue got his way, there was no doubt that he would turn his eyes to his disciples next.

The Poison Hall was not as strictly bound by rules as the Master Teacher Pavilion. In here, strength spoke the loudest. Without sufficient strength, the only fate one would face was death.

"Teacher.." Upon hearing those words, those present could not help but feel disconsolate. Even Yuan Ling's eyes had reddened as well, and a sorrowful silence drifted in the air.

At this moment, Bai Ting's voice abruptly broke the atmosphere.

"Teacher, actually.. you need not sacrifice yourself. It might not be that easy for Guardian Shen to become the hall master either!"

"Hmm?"

Hearing those words, everyone quickly turned their gazes over. Even the elder could not help but frown.

"Junior Bai, why would you say such words?" Yuan Ling asked.

"It's nothing much. If it was any other occasion, Guardian Shen would indeed be qualified to become the hall master with his contribution of retrieving the Tome of Poison Legacy, and no one would dare say anything against it. However.. I fear that the tome won't be sufficient now!" Bai Ting spoke confidently.

"He won't be able to become the hall master even with the Tome of Poison Legacy? What do you mean by that?" Yuan Ling frowned, unsure of what Bai Ting was driving at.

The others were bewildered by Bai Ting's words as well.

What was the Tome of Poison Legacy? An artifact that the founder had left behind. To draw a parallel, it was equivalent to Kong shi's Great Codex of Spring and Autumn; it was the supreme treasure of the Poison Hall. It could be considered the symbol of authority of the founder, and anyone in possession of it would receive the acknowledgement of all poison masters.

It was precisely due to Shen Jue obtaining the Tome of Poison Legacy that his teacher was put in a spot at the moment.

Yet.. his junior was saying that even a person in possession of the Tome of Poison Legacy was unqualified to become the hall master? Then.. who in the world was qualified to become the hall master?

"Junior Bai, I have no idea what you are getting at. The Tome of Poison Legacy is the supreme artifact of the founder, and anyone in possession of it will naturally gain the greatest authority within the Poison Hall." The 8-star poison master shook his head. "Unless the founder appears at this moment, there's no way we can prevent him from becoming the hall master!"

"Senior Lu is right. I have indeed invited the founder here today!" Bai Ting chuckled.

"You have invited.. the founder here?"

"Junior Bai, the founder passed away several dozen millenniums ago, so how could you possibly invite her here?"

"This isn't a joking matter, Junior Bai."

..

Everyone was startled for a moment before shaking their heads.

If the latter had said that he had found another artifact of the founder, they might still have been able to believe it. However, to have found the founder herself.. Wasn't that the same as daydreaming?

"I have indeed found the founder. She's only a fragmented soul at the moment, and she's currently possessing the body of this young lady." Bai Ting pointed to the person behind him.

It was only at this moment that everyone noticed that Bai Ting had wrapped his zhenqi around a young lady. He gently placed her down before unwrapping his zhenqi, and in an instant, poison aura immediately burst out of Wei Ruyan's body, causing everyone to involuntarily take a step back.

Before anyone could comprehend what was going on, the elder seated in the center, Lin Jianghai, suddenly exclaimed in disbelief.

"This is.. the Innate Poison Body?"

The Innate Poison Body was the unparalleled unique constitution of their Poison Hall. Ever since the passing of their founder, the Poison Hall had not been able to find a single individual who possessed such a constitution. Who would have thought that one would suddenly appear before them at this moment?

"She doesn't just possess the Innate Poison Body; she has the Poison Soul Constitution as well!" Bai Ting said.

"This.." Lin Jianghai's body trembled in agitation. "What is going on? Why is this young lady unconscious?"

"It's like this.." Bai Ting began to explain how he had met the 'founder' at a Poison Hall branch and promised the latter that he would bring the young lady to the headquarters.

"You are saying that.. the soul of our founder has possessed the body of this young lady? It's only because of her inability to withstand the pressure from the Poison Soul Constitution in her weakened state that she has fell into a coma?" Lin Jianghai's body stiffened from shock.

"Indeed. If you don't believe me, you can take a look at this pill that we were given!"

Flicking his wrist, Bai Ting took a jade bottle out from his storage ring.

With a smile, he took out a pill that the 'founder' had given him, and he presented it to his teacher.