Chapter 216: Obtaining the Phantom Grass
In front of a luxurious hotel in the southern part of the Jia Ma Imperial Capital.
"This guy is too cautious! He's circled half the Holy City!" Xiao Yan couldn't help but marvel at the gray-robed figure entering the hotel, wondering if he was paranoid. Who else would be so vigilant?
Even he, always cautious, felt ashamed!
"He's got something up his sleeve!" Xiao Bai sneered. The man had stuck to crowded areas, leaving no opening to strike.
"Something?" Xiao Yan blinked, confused about the implication.
"Let's go in and see. We'll know!" Sensing someone entering a room, Xiao Bai stepped inside.
Gazing at the figure ahead, Xiao Yan shook his head, suppressed his confusion, and followed.
At the door of the innermost room on the second-floor corridor, Xiao Bai glanced at the transparent silk thread on the door railing, ignored it, and placed his hand against the door, releasing a powerful force from his palm.
"Bang!"
With a faint sound, the bolt inside turned to dust.
"Who!!" A sharp shout, laced with fury and panic, echoed through the room.
With a gentle push, the door creaked open.
Xiao Bai entered leisurely, his gaze sweeping the room.
Beside the bed, a youth with a youthful complexion stared warily, his tightly wrapped gray robe tossed casually on the bed.
"Tsk tsk. You're still seventeen!" Xiao Yan entered, sighing at the young face.
"It's you!!" The youth's eyes flickered upon seeing Xiao Yan, then sneered, "Upset after losing the tournament, so you've come for revenge?"
"I..." Xiao Yan was momentarily speechless. Per Brother Bai's plan, they were here to deal with this person. Admitting it felt shameful, but he straightened, arms crossed, and scoffed disdainfully, "That's right! We're here for revenge, so what?"
"You..." The youth's eyes widened, pointing at Xiao Yan, speechless at the shameless admission. Glaring at Xiao Yan's arrogance, he cursed inwardly: Damn, are you proud of it?
After a moment, the youth's gaze shifted to the black-robed Xiao Bai beside him, a deep fear flashing. He'd seen this man at the conference, seated with Fama. Has my secret been exposed?
"Aren't you afraid of the Alchemist Guild's wrath?" The youth's mind raced, maintaining a calm facade as he probed.
"The Alchemist Guild is furious?" A hand extended, pulling a chair over. Xiao Bai sat calmly, eyeing the tense youth playfully. He smiled faintly, "If I kill you, they might even thank me! Don't you think so?"
"Yan Li!"
At the name, the youth's pupils shrank to pinpricks, his face paling in horror. He hadn't expected Xiao Bai to see through his disguise and reveal his true identity.
Beside him, Xiao Yan blinked, confused. Who's Yan Li? Isn't Brother Bai here to deal with the troublemaker? Recalling Xiao Bai's words outside, he understood. This bastard tricked me again!
He turned, glaring at Xiao Bai fiercely, teeth gnashing. "Give me back my feelings!"
At that moment, a powerful aura surged, forcing Xiao Yan back two steps. He turned in surprise.
A Dou Ling, with a faint Dou Wang aura!
"It's more comfortable in my original form. At least I can unleash my full strength!" The youth twisted his neck, grinning sinisterly at the two.
"Haha. Only realizing it now? Isn't it too late?" Xiao Bai smiled faintly, watching Yan Li's sudden arrogance. His soul power burst forth from his sea of consciousness.
Yan Li's arrogance froze, his smile stiffening.
Feeling the mountain-like pressure, he looked up at the black-robed youth in the chair, eyes filled with disbelief.
"This is... soul power!"
"Who the hell are you? When did someone like you emerge in the Jia Ma Empire?"
He was a peak fourth-grade alchemist, his soul power surpassing ordinary Dou Wangs.
This power felt like a towering mountain; his soul trembled, his heart horrified. Compared to it, his soul was fragile as paper, shattering at a touch!
Too lazy to waste words, Xiao Bai waved, and the storage ring on Yan Li's finger slipped off, transforming into a stream of light and landing in his hand.
He channeled soul power into it, shattering the soul mark instantly.
"Puff!"
The soul impact paled Yan Li's face further, dizziness washing over him, a fishy taste rising as blood spurted.
"Haha. You really didn't disappoint me!"
With a slight curl of his lips, Xiao Bai flipped his palm, revealing a dark, three-leafed herb emitting a dreamy glow.
"Phantom Grass!"
Yao Lao's surprised voice rang out. He finally understood Xiao Bai's intent!
"This is the Phantom Grass!" Xiao Yan's eyes lit up at his teacher's words. Ignoring Xiao Bai's deception, he stepped closer to examine it.
This concerned his teacher's recovery—nothing mattered more!
"Ahem. Are you here for the Phantom Grass?"
Yan Li's mind swarmed with panic. Damn, you came for this herb—why not say so earlier? It was worthless in Izumo, tens of thousands of gold coins. Why would a powerhouse like this bother? He'd nearly thought the Alchemist Guild was after him!
Even the red pill he'd taken could buy dozens of Phantom Grass!
"Tell me! What happened in the Nether Swamp? Why hasn't Phantom Grass appeared in the Jia Ma Empire lately?"
Xiao Bai stored the herb, toying with the ring, eyeing Yan Li calmly. Ya Fei had mentioned the Nether Swamp days ago, and he'd pondered it.
The ring's contents held poisonous herbs but nothing valuable—to him. Yan Li was the Izumo Alchemist Guild's vice-president, advocating alchemist-poison master collaboration, popular among poison masters and a strong candidate for president.
Yan Li nodded, relieved it wasn't about the guild. "Six months ago, something happened in the Nether Swamp's depths. High-level poisonous insects and beasts escaped, including a Rank 6 poisonous insect beast. Rumors even mention Rank 7 sightings. Few dare venture deeper, reducing Nether Swamp's medicinal output!"
"The Phantom Grass is key for hallucinogenic poisons, mainly from the Nether Swamp. Even Izumo is scrambling, let alone supplying Jia Ma!"
"Rank 7!"
Xiao Bai frowned. Such a powerful beast's emergence didn't align with his expectations.
The Nether Swamp's name had immediately evoked the 20th-ranked Netherworld Poison Fire. But a Rank 7 beast—equivalent to a Dou Zong—shouldn't fear a mid-tier Strange Fire!
"Hasn't Izumo investigated?" Xiao Bai's eyes narrowed. Izumo had more experts than Jia Ma; a treasure like the Nether Swamp should draw adventurers despite risks.
The cultivation world teemed with greed-driven risk-takers—the greater the danger, the greater the reward.
Yan Li nodded. "Yes, but the Nether Swamp's been shrouded in poison barriers for eons, a paradise for poisonous creatures. Humans rarely enter the depths, so no one knows the situation!"
"Explored areas yield countless treasures and ancient powerhouses' relics. Speculation abounds: a treasure birth, a dominant monster awakening, or an ancient cave's emergence."
"The Poison Sect's former leader, stuck at peak Dou Huang for years with a nearing deadline, entered for a breakthrough gamble. No news since—the Poison Sect's nearly collapsed!"
"Poison Sect!"
The familiar name stirred memories of a gentle, pretty face. Xiao Bai recalled the girl nearing Dou Wang when he left.
"Sir, do you have ties to the Poison Sect?" Yan Li probed, noticing Xiao Bai's expression.
Xiao Yan, beside him, looked confused. When did Brother Bai connect with Izumo's Poison Sect? He's never been there!
"No!" Xiao Bai shook his head, meeting their stares. "It's fine. Why the nostalgia?"
"That's good. The Poison Sect's in name only since their leader vanished, on the brink of being devoured by the Ten Thousand Poison Sect!"
"Oh, the Ten Thousand Poison Sect!"
Xiao Bai smiled noncommittally. Cai Lin meant a future clash with them. As for the Poison Sect, it was irrelevant—Xian'er wasn't leading it now.
His eyes shifted to Yan Li. This vice-president was well-informed, making him valuable alive.
After deliberating, Xiao Bai beckoned. "Come here!"
Yan Li swallowed, wary but stepping forward hesitantly.
As he neared, Xiao Bai stood, pointing two fingers like a sword, tapping swiftly between his eyes.
Yan Li's expression shifted; he tried retreating, but the familiar pressure pinned him. Alert, he mobilized soul power to resist.
"If you don't want to become an idiot, don't resist!" A shout echoed. Startled, Yan Li dispersed his soul power, watching the fingers tap his brow.
He felt something in his sea of consciousness. Suppressing panic, he looked inward, seeing a mysterious patterned mark floating above.
"What is this?"
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(End of Chapter)