Deep within an ancient forest, an alchemy sect deeply connected to nature existed. This sect, slightly separated from mundane affairs, was constructed within the forest's trees. They clearly respected nature and relished in their connection with it.
The ancient trees where they lived were surrounded by a defensive formation that covered several thousand square kilometers. While the space was extensive, the number of people in the sect was not that many.
However, right at that moment, the sect's formation was being attacked by black-robed people.
"Give it up already, [Ancient Forest Sect]. You shouldn't have offended our mistress if you didn't want to end up in this situation!"
The elders from the [Ancient Forest Sect] looked up grimly, knowing that they were in trouble this time around. "Your mistress offended our sect first! How dare you all act righteous when attacking us, [Endless Death Poison Sect]!?"
Those black-robed people sneered, their attacks never stopping as they bombarded the sect's defensive formation. One woman at the lead, looking gorgeous with purple lipstick and a wicked smile, answered their cries. "You didn't offend her? Weren't you lot the ones who hunted her down for several years because you didn't like her practices? Now that we come asking for an explanation, you dare to act all high and mighty? Ridiculous!"
A woman with golden hair and green eyes floated up, her face frosty. "Do you think we would allow an existence like hers to live freely? You are the crazy ones for following her!"
"Hahaha!" The woman with purple lipstick grinned widely. "Hypocrites. If it is your poison, then they are okay. However, when we concoct ours, are we coming across a taboo? Can your face be thicker? Perhaps, you'll need a city wall painting roll to apply makeup tomorrow!"
The blonde, green-eyed woman spoke coldly. "Your poisons are clearly too insidious. You dare compare our methods with your mistress's? You are dreaming!"
"Too insidious and poison don't belong in the same sentence."
The wicked woman sighed, her eyes showing exasperation. After all, this was not the first collision between their sects. They had been at odds for too long.
"Leral, this time, we are not retreating unless you return what rightfully belongs to our mistress. Don't think that we won't dare to besiege you for days, because we will!"
Leral, the blonde woman, looked up with a cold expression. "Are you really willing to go that far for a simple treasure, Du Yanyu?"
"Simple treasure?" Du Yanyu raised her willowy eyebrow. "Are you saying that a Natural Treasure is now a simple treasure? Indeed, next time I will bring a city painting roll. With a face like yours, we might even need two!"
Leral, accustomed to the woman's poisonous tongue, didn't get agitated. Instead, she kept looking up while waiting for the confirmation.
Du Yanyu's smile disappeared, her eyes turning cold. "Leral, you, as the Sect Master of the [Ancient Forest Sect], should know that we are not easy to deal with. If we have to sacrifice 800 to defeat 1000, we don't mind doing so! Return the Natural Treasure to us! Our Mistress earned it fair and square in the Alchemy Competition, even surpassing your Holy Daughter!"
Leral shook her head. "She clearly didn't follow the rules."
Du Yanyu almost laughed in anger. "Didn't follow the rules? Where in the rules was it written that one couldn't use a poisonous pill to participate!? You lot are truly ridiculous! Just because she didn't use a stupid pill like a [Hundred Flower Scattering Pill], you now want to snatch the treasure?"
Leral spoke again, not showing any shame. "The treasure is in our hands. Isn't that because the Alchemy Tower accepted the ruling?"
"Ha!" Du Yanyu mocked. "You, who spread your legs for the Alchemy Tower Master, will naturally bring them up! What, when you can't win an argument, you use your husband like a wall? What a good wife!"
Leral smiled mockingly. "Just because I married your past lover, you don't have to sound so resentful."
Du Yanyu squinted, and then she smiled without emotion. "You are forcing my hand, Leral. I will give you one more chance to give up the Natural Treasure. Otherwise, we will release a few of those taboo things around here that you hate so much."
Leral's smiling face cracked. "You wouldn't dare."
Du Yanyu smiled and retrieved a specially sealed jar from her long sleeve. Once the jar was out, a terrifying aura of poison and blood spread out, escaping even through the sealed vase.
Leral's face paled, her green eyes quivering. "You… If you do that, your [Endless Death Poison Sect] won't escape unscathed! You will be marked as a demonic sect and fall into obscurity!"
"Will we?" Du Yanyu asked rhetorically. "We, even while being a primarily poison sect, are still considered part of the righteous faction. Have you never asked yourself why that is? Leral, let me clarify this to you today! Our Mistress, when she arrived, helped many righteous factions while traveling the land by curing previously incurable ailments. Her connections are endless, and the only reason your pitiful sect is not yet crushed is because of her gentleness!"
At this moment, a vast and profound aura of life manifested in the sky. Everyone looked up, and from the sky, a gorgeous woman with chestnut-colored hair, verdant green eyes, and long fox ears descended.
Her flawless face was incredibly captivating, radiating gentleness and beauty in equal amounts. Behind her, five fox tails swayed lightly, long and with gleaming green and white fur.
"Du Yanyu, didn't I tell you not to bother them?"
Du Yanyu quickly kneeled on the ground, and even everyone else from the [Endless Death Poison Sect] stopped attacking to bow. "Mistress Kali Dravory, we welcome you!"
In the sky, Kali, flanked by a ridiculously curvy three-meter-tall woman and an elegant dryad with leafy branch-like hair, descended slowly. Inside her mind, she couldn't help but sigh. 'Du Yanyu is as reckless as ever. This silly woman.'
Her green eyes moved away from her and turned toward Leral. "Sect Master Leral, I am sorry about Du Yanyu's attitude. This was not something I asked them to do. Still, it seems that they were quite upset because of the last competition and decided to act on their own."
Du Yanyu, shedding all the wickedness from before, looked like a nervous mess now. "M-Mistress Kali! How can you apologize to those shameless people!? They stole your treasure!"
Kali shook her head with a slight smile and continued looking at Leral. "May we talk?"
Leral looked at Kali coldly. "You, an ex-elder of our sect, betrayed us and concocted those evil creatures. A parasite master such as yourself is not qualified to speak with us!"
Kali sighed. This was the reason she was hunted for almost five years by the [Ancient Forest Sect]. When she arrived in this world, she naturally joined a sect related to alchemy, and as a Fox with Nature affinity, she chose this sect.
Who knew that, one day, someone would walk in as she fed a few of her newly developed parasites and quickly report her to Leral? Back then, she had to flee from them, or else she would be imprisoned and punished for 500 years for breaking a taboo.
500 years? Naturally, Kali knew that her dear dragoness would not take that long to come searching for her. If she were in a remote punishment area, wouldn't Yasenia become a nervous mess because she couldn't find her? Worst case, her dear dragon might destroy this whole world just to vent.
So, she had no choice but to flee. With Valeria and Flora by her side, Kali was naturally able to escape rather effortlessly.
Later, she came across Du Yanyu, who was at the verge of death, and saved her life. Du Yanyu, the former Sect Master of the [Endless Death Poison Sect], quickly became as obedient as a puppy after being saved. She unilaterally designated her as the mistress, and Du Yanyu always placed Kali's desires as the first-ranked priority.
Kali didn't take advantage of them, but she still joined their sect because their strength was not any worse than the [Ancient Forest Sect]. Moreover, the resources of the sect would help her gain strength quite quickly.
Valeria even agreed with her thoughts, telling her that the [Endless Death Poison Sect] was much better for her development than the stiff and traditional [Ancient Forest Sect].
"Sect Master Leral. While I do grow parasites, I stayed over 10 years in your sect, didn't I? I didn't cause any problem during that time, so you must understand that I do not develop them with evil intent, but to protect myself."
"Then, what is that jar Du Yanyu just showed us?" Leral sneered. "That thing could very well destroy this entire forest if released!"
Kali blinked her gorgeous verdant green eyes and turned to look. Her five tails flicked gently when she saw the jar. "That one is a life-saving measure for Du Yanyu. Those little ones have a very short lifespan, and the damage they can do is very limited."
Even after Kali's explanation, Leral was naturally not convinced. Kali, knowing how they behaved, sighed again. Valeria's golden-ringed green dragon tail swayed gently behind her as she spoke. "Why don't I go get that treasure shard from them?"
Kali shook her head. "We are not in a rush. Even if we don't get it now, do you think a certain someone will stay cross-armed when she knows about it? Instead of causing unnecessary bloodshed now, it's better to just wait. Either way, the shard is not going anywhere. It will eventually fall into my hands."
Valeria chuckled, her eyes showing a hint of tenderness and longing. "Right, Yasenia would not allow such a thing."
Kali looked at Valeria's green dragon eyes, and a touch of a smile appeared on her rosy, full lips. 'I guess longing is a very powerful emotion. It seems that my pretty little blockhead Life Spirit is slowly realizing her feelings.'
"Du Yanyu, let's go."
Du Yanyu looked extremely reluctant as she glared at Leral. Nevertheless, was very obedient when it came to Kali's words. So, she spoke to the others. "Let's retreat. Escort Mistress back to the sect!"
Kali laughed, her voice as pleasant as nature itself. Then, they all left together, streaking through the sky.
Leral and the others saw as they left and looked at the surroundings with lingering fear. The poisons they used when attacking had carved marks in the surroundings, killing a large patch of the forest. Still, it was not something permanent and would eventually return to normal.
While both sects were at the same level, one being a Poison Sect, it naturally had an offensive advantage. Therefore, in a direct confrontation, they weren't their match.
Moreover, with Kali's addition, the previous "healing" branch that the [Endless Death Poison Sect] didn't develop had been revitalized. At their pace, surpassing the [Ancient Forest Sect] was a matter of time.