"Elder Huang?" Upon seeing who the one speaking was, Vice Hall Master Ming hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement.
It was indeed beneath his standing as a 7-star poison master, an esteemed vice hall master, to make a move against the guest of an elder. It would cast him under the suspicion of oppressing his juniors. As such, it would be best if Elder Huang was willing to make the move for him.
Elder Huang's strength was not beneath Xu You's, reaching Saint 1-dan pinnacle as well. At the same time, his comprehension of poison had also reached 6-star pinnacle. With such strength, it should be more than sufficient for him to teach this fellow a lesson.
Upon receiving Vice Hall Master Ming's permission, Elder Huang stepped forward and glared at Sun Qiang with narrowed eyes, "Your name is Sun Qiang, isn't it? To keep your eyes shut even in all of our presence, you are truly presumptuous. However, it is presumptuous individuals like you who tend to have early deaths. I will give you three seconds to kneel down and apologize to Vice Hall Master Ming, and I can consider sparing your life. Otherwise, don't blame me for getting nasty…"
Three breaths later, the other party's eyes were still tightly shut, as if he was dead.
"I have already given you a chance, but you are the one who refused to grasp it. Very well, let's whether you boast strength comparable to the arrogance you are putting up!" With the other party ignoring him entirely, he seemed as if a clown speaking to himself in a mirror. Enraged, he raised his palm and struck it towards Zhang Xuan.
Boom!
An overwhelming surge of zhenqi burst forth from his fingers, and innumerable poison bits immediately shrouded the middle-aged man before him as if falling flower petals.
Tzzzzzzz!
Before the poison bits could even come into contact with the middle-aged man, the flowers and plants in the courtyard had already begun to wither, turning as black as charcoal.
"That is... A Smile of Liberation Powder?" An elder exclaimed in astonishment.
A Smile of Liberation Powder was a poison specially concocted by Elder Huang. Just by a whiff, even a Saint 1-dan pinnacle expert would die within a smile. Due to the frightening potency of the poison, it was deeply feared even amongst the upper echelons of the Poison Hall.
"Not bad." Seeing that someone recognized the poison, Elder Huang nodded in glee.
These poison bits were indeed his greatest masterpiece. Since the other party didn't know his place, he would just have to ingrain it deeply into him!
Hualala!
In just a few moments, the poison powder fell upon 'Sun Qiang's' body, creating a layer of white flakes reminiscent of snow.
"A Smile of Liberation Powder can seep into one's body through the skin, so it is futile to hold one's breath. With so much of it on him, that fellow is a goner. Not even the deities will be able to save him at this point…" Upon seeing the sight, one of the elders shook his head and remarked.
Putting aside breathing in such a potent poison, even just a single flake falling on one could easily lead to fatality. Considering that Elder Huang had thrown so many of it at once and even infused it with his zhenqi, the poison should have already seeped into the middle-aged man's skin. At this point, it was already too late to save the other party.
"Wait a moment, something is wrong. Look!" Just as the crowd was lamenting over the imminent tragic death of the middle-aged man before them, another elder suddenly pointed forward and exclaimed. "Why does it seem like... nothing is happening to that fellow at all?"
Hearing that question, everyone quickly turned their sights over.
The person, who was seated cross-legged before them, was still in the same position as before, not moving in the least. His eyes were tightly shut, as if he was asleep. It was as if the A Smile of Liberation poison powder cast by Elder Huang was completely ineffective against the person before his eyes.
"Typically speaking, right after being poisoned by A Smile of Liberation, a person's body will start to convulse, his lips will uncontrollably curl upwards... Yet, this fellow is still showing the same nonchalant expression as before, as if his face has stiffened up... Elder Huang, could it be that your poison has lost its effectiveness?" Another elder couldn't help but ask.
"This…" Hearing those words, Elder Huang hurriedly took a closer look at the other party.
Even though the other party was completely motionless, as a 6-star pinnacle poison master, he could still easily discern whether the other party was poisoned or not.
A radiant complexion paired with smooth and supple skin... Not only did the other party show no signs of being poisoned, it seemed as if the other party had consumed some kind of incredible tonic, nourishing his body further...
The heck! Can't you at least squeeze out the slightest hint of being poisoned for me? At the very least, make your face redden a little...
Otherwise, how am I to face my fellow peers in the room?
"It is no wonder why that fellow is so arrogant. He must have consumed the antidote beforehand!
The more Elder Huang thought about it, the more furious he felt. "Since he doesn't fear poison, let's see if a mere Nascent Saint like him will be able to fend against my rampaging might!"
Right after saying those words, he sent a powerful punch right towards Zhang Xuan!
Elder Huang had no idea what kind of antidote the other party had consumed that actually rendered his A Smile of Liberation futile, but it was likely that he would only embarrass himself further if he were to continue using poison. Since that was the case, he felt that it would be safer for him to use brute force instead.
He had to let the other party learn the price of acting arrogant!
Hong long!
The strength of a Saint 1-dan pinnacle cultivator rampaged, and in an instant, a huge gust of wind was whipped up within the courtyard. The bluestone pavements on the ground creaked under the immense strain of the might, seemingly ready to shatter in innumerable pieces at any moment.
"That fellow... still isn't going to open his eyes?" an elder exclaimed.
Elder Huang was preparing his strongest technique, and the overwhelming zhenqi he exerted was so great that even his breathing had hastened... and yet, the target facing the attack, 'Sun Qiang', still refused to open his eyes. He remained motionless on the spot, not bothering to dodge or retaliate...
Wasn't this going a little too far?
Peng!
The fist which commanded incomparable might fell upon 'Sun Qiang's' face!
Kacha!
The sound of bones breaking echoed clearly within the room. Following which, everyone saw Elder Huang leaping backward furiously with his left arm clutching tightly onto his right arm. The unbearable pain in his arm left his face twitching uncontrollably, and tears glistened in his eyes.
"This…" Everyone blinked their eyes in a daze, dumbfounded.
Elder Huang had utilized his full strength to strike on the other party's face, and yet, without even scraping the other party's skin, his arm was broken instead...
Was this for real? Was that fellow that thick-skinned?
"Damn it, I will rip you into pieces!" Noticing everyone's bizarre gazes on him, Elder Huang felt so embarrassed that he could die. Roaring furiously, he drew out a sword and charged at the fellow before him.
"Elder Huang, you mustn't get reckless!"
Upon seeing Elder Huang's actions, everyone was astonished.
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If that 'Sun Qiang' fellow were to die under Elder Huang's poison, he could still justify it as having failed to control his poison properly. On the other hand, the drawing of his sword could be interpreted as an attempt to kill in the Poison Hall. If the deed was really done, there would be no backing out.
Si la!
Blinded by his rage, Elder Huang couldn't hear anyone's voice anymore. He hacked his sharp sword down upon the fellow seated before him furiously, intending to split the fellow before him into two. However, just as the sword was about to land, the other party suddenly raised his palm and struck upwards.
Hong long long!
The loud rumbling of a thunder resounded deafeningly in the courtyard. Elder Huang's sword qi dissipated entirely under the immense momentum of the palm strike, and in the next moment, his head was forcefully struck into his chest.
Putong!
Elder Huang's body fell lifelessly onto the ground, never to move again.
"What?"
"Elder Huang was killed in a single palm strike?"
"That strike didn't just neutralize Elder Huang's attack, it rebounded Elder Huang's strength back upon him! Is that fellow really just at Nascent Saint?"
...
Looking at the dead Elder Huang, everyone's body stiffened.
That was an elder, a Saint 1-dan pinnacle expert! The other party was an existence who boasted equivalent strength to them, and yet... he was actually killed in a single palm strike...
Just how powerful could that palm be?
"He didn't even move the rest of his body at all, and his eyes had never opened at any point in time either…" A quivering voice sounded amidst the group.
Hearing those words, everyone suddenly recalled the situation back then, and it seemed like 'Sun Qiang' had been seated on the floor all along, moving only his palms. And more importantly... his eyes had never opened at any point in time!
In other words... the other party hadn't even got serious yet! It was a casual palm strike to the other party, and yet, it was sufficient to claim Elder Huang's life!
"There is something really uncanny about this fellow. Nevertheless, we can't allow him to get away scot-free for killing Elder Huang. Let's attack him together, don't let him escape!" A person roared.
In the next moment, the remaining nineteen elders swiftly flitted through the courtyard, surrounding Zhang Xuan tightly.
The reason why they held themselves back a moment ago was because it would be unseemly for elders like them to make a move on the juniors, and there would be no way they could account this matter to Elder Xu either. However, now that the other party had killed Elder Huang, there were no grounds for reconciliation anymore. Not even Elder Xu would be in a position to stop them anymore.
"Indeed, let's attack him together!"
"I sure do want to see if he is able to withstand by Yama Incapacitation Powder!"
...
Huala!
The nineteen elders struck simultaneously, and in an instant, the courtyard was suddenly filled with all kinds of poisonous mist. Several poisonous bugs and snakes leaped furiously towards Zhang Xuan, eager to sink their teeth into his flesh.
With so many lethal poisons compounded together, even a Saint 2-dan primary stage expert would find himself succumbing to the poison within seconds. Yet, when the mist finally scattered slightly, everyone was shocked to realize that... the other party was still completely motionless, as if he couldn't even feel the poison around him.
"The antidote that fellow took is too potent, our poisons are completely useless against him... Let's just make a move on him straight. I don't believe that he will be able to withstand the attacks from all nineteen of us simultaneously!" Someone amidst the group bellowed, and the others nodded in agreement.
Despite having utilized all of their strongest poisons simultaneously, that fellow wasn't wounded in the slightest. There wasn't even the slightest hint of anomaly on his face. This went to show that something was amiss.
They had no idea how the other party managed to do it, but it seemed like poison was completely ineffective against him. Since that was the case... they had no choice but to settle it with violence!
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Right after hearing that bellow, the nineteen elders charged straight for the middle-aged man seated at the middle.
Feeling the overwhelming force that had gathered around him, the seated 'Sun Qiang' seemed to have finally sensed that his life was in danger. Standing up, his figure flitted as if a streak of lightning, swiftly diving amongst the group.
Rather than Nascent Saint, the agility of his movements was more like that of a Saint 2-dan expert. While threading nimbly amongst the many attacks headed for him, he retaliated with fists of his own as well. His punches seemed to be direct and straightforward, but for some reason, it seemed to be infused with some compelling force that prevented them from evading them.
Peng peng peng peng!
Every single punch launched would accurately strike upon an elder, sending the latter flying away. The overwhelming strength that the other party exerted was far beyond what all of them combined could handle.
On top of that, it wasn't just the other party's punch that they had to guard against. The other party's leg arts were formidable as well. His kicks were abrupt, swift, and precise, making it nigh difficult to guard against it.
"H-h-his eyes... His eyes are still closed!"
The longer the fight went on for, the more stifled the elders felt. Nineteen Saint 1-dan pinnacle experts had encircled a Nascent Saint cultivator and attacked him simultaneously, and yet, not only did the other party manage to remain unharmed before their assault, they even realized that they were gradually being suppressed... And most importantly of all, the other party's eyes were still shut!
It was as if the other party was sleepwalking! All of his actions and movements seemed to be instinctive, derived solely from his combat instincts!
To be able to overwhelm the simultaneous assault of all nineteen of them just by his combat instincts in itself...
The elders felt as if they were going insane.
The vice hall masters watching the situation also couldn't help but gape at the inconceivable situation.
"We need to help them! The elders won't be able to hold on for much longer…" One of the three vice hall masters exclaimed.
It was in consideration of their standing that they were unwilling to make a move earlier. After all, for 7-star poison masters like them to lower themselves to deal with a measly Nascent Saint cultivator was truly unseemly... However, at this point, they realized that if they didn't make a move soon, the nineteen elders could very well end up in the same state as Elder Huang. That would be a devastating blow to the Poison Hall.
"Alright, let's go together…"
Vice Hall Master Ming Zhen's eyebrows shot up as he raised his palm and charged forward.