Wen Jiu, on the other hand, was unfazed. He had already tested the smoke with Yin Arcane Arts and found that its toxicity was nowhere near half as potent as his own Yin Arts. Even if he inhaled it, his Yin Arts would devour and refine it as nourishment.

But the other Night Patrol Division disciples weren't as lucky. Even though they held their breath, the smoke still corroded their skin and eyes.

It wasn't immediately fatal, but it threw them into panic. What unsettled them the most was that their protective talismans were completely ineffective.

Even Mu Canglong and Sikong Bai had no solution.

This scene made Wen Jiu truly recognize the power of heretical arts. Weren't they far more formidable than Qi Refinement techniques?

Unfortunately.

Those Gu Masters looked like they were on the verge of death—weak, their bodies thoroughly corroded by their own Gu arts, with barely a single intact patch of flesh. That alone killed any desire Wen Jiu had to cultivate their methods.

Setting his thoughts aside, Wen Jiu retreated to the back of the group. Just as he considered whether to help, a realization struck him.

This might just be a test.

A probe to gauge the people on Fei Xian Peak.

Perhaps this was his chance to make an impression—not revealing too much, but just enough for those on Fei Xian Peak to take notice.

As long as he didn't directly kill anyone, it shouldn't be a problem.

But he had to disguise himself—something that his acquaintances would recognize, but outsiders wouldn't be able to see through.

This way.

He could display his ability to those above.

Without attracting the attention of the Gu Masters.

"You all keep retreating." Wen Jiu immediately covered his face with a black cloth and, in a low voice, instructed.

Mu Canglong turned to look, about to tell him not to act recklessly, when he saw Wen Jiu suddenly taking huge gulps of the black poisonous smoke.

The disciples were overjoyed and rushed toward Wen Jiu.

As he inhaled, Wen Jiu spoke in a hushed voice, "Prepare some spirit stones for me—I need them to replenish my mana while refining this poison… If my mana runs out, the poison will accumulate in my body."

Of course, he was also pretending a little to avoid drawing too much attention. Plus, he could earn some spirit stones to buy talisman paper.

"Hurry, hurry!"

"Everyone, get out your spirit stones!"

Seeing more and more black smoke being inhaled by Wen Jiu, the disciples frantically retrieved spirit stones from their storage bags.

Mu Canglong also took out some spirit stones and then glanced at the grim-faced Sikong Bai.

"I'm not an ungrateful person!" Sikong Bai scoffed and immediately produced ten low-grade spirit stones.Mu Canglong immediately snatched it over and walked to Wen Jiu's side. Wen Jiu took it and placed it in his embrace.

"Just keep it close. I'll refine it slowly," Wen Jiu said as he continued absorbing the black poisonous smoke.

As the smoke gradually dissipated, the fear on the faces of the Night Patrol Division disciples also faded, replaced by overwhelming joy. The way they looked at Wen Jiu had completely changed.

Before, they had flattered him only because of the assessment, but deep down, most of them did not approve of left-path techniques. Many had lost friends and family to such methods, further deepening their aversion.

But now, watching Wen Jiu risk himself to rid them of the black poisonous smoke, they realized their bias.

There were trustworthy cultivators even among those who practiced the left-path techniques!

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

At that moment, deep within the forest behind Feixian Peak, an old Gu Master at the fifth level of Qi Refining—half of her face covered with festering flesh being gnawed by parasitic Gu worms—suddenly tensed, her gaze turning increasingly cold.

"Feixian Peak actually has someone highly proficient in left-path techniques?"

The order she had received was to probe the strength of those on Feixian Peak. She had guaranteed success, yet now, their strongest advantage had been broken by a mere Night Patrol Division steward at the third level of Qi Refining.

There was nothing left to test!

If she returned to the Tianzuo Alliance after tonight, wouldn't her Wushan Gu Poison technique become a laughingstock?

"What kind of left-path technique is this brat cultivating, that he can directly swallow Wushan Gu Poison Smoke?" The old woman's expression darkened as she searched her memory, but she found nothing resembling this technique among the known left-path methods.

One thing was certain—this brat's left-path cultivation method was undoubtedly top-tier.

Even within the Tianzuo Alliance, such techniques were rare.

After all, not many within the alliance would dare to claim they could directly consume Wushan Gu Poison Smoke.

"Grandmother, what should we do next?" A middle-aged Gu Master at the fourth level of Qi Refining asked from behind her.

The old woman suppressed her thoughts and responded coldly, showing no excessive surprise.

After all, to her, the opponent was merely at the third level of Qi Refining.

In the grand battle that was about to unfold, a mere third-level Qi Refining cultivator was nothing more than cannon fodder.

"We strike together and force the people on the mountain to reveal themselves. No matter how advanced his left-path technique is, he's still only at the third level of Qi Refining."

"Understood!"

…

Meanwhile, in the main hall atop Feixian Peak, Ye Chen hid in the darkness, his presence almost nonexistent. He narrowed his eyes as he silently observed the scene, his somber expression curling into a faint smile.

"Interesting… I didn't expect an unexpected harvest from this trip."

With that, Ye Chen's gaze shifted to the forest.

A bunch of clowns.

What are they waiting for?

Are they that afraid of me?

…

At the same time, after Wen Jiu had absorbed all the poisonous smoke threatening the Night Patrol Division, he pretended to be in pain, then retreated behind the crowd, feigning the process of refining the poison. Seeing this, Demon Slayers Division deacon Li Qing hesitated, wanting to say something but holding back.

However, as the black smoke surrounding them caused several Demon Slayers Division disciples to collapse, he had no choice but to call out urgently, "Brother Mu, I need support here… No, never mind you, just send that kid over. I have spirit stones! Plenty of them!"

Mu Canglong's face darkened as he glanced at Wen Jiu, then at the Demon Slayers Division. He tentatively asked, "Can you still manage?"

If Wen Jiu said no, he wouldn't insist.

After all, Wen Jiu had just reached the third level of Qi Refining, and it was already remarkable that he had handled the poison here.

"I can still go on!" Wen Jiu said with effort as he stood up.

"If you can't, stop immediately," Mu Canglong reminded him and tossed him a mid-grade first-rank protective talisman.

Li Qing rushed forward, pulling a small pouch from his storage bag—nearly a hundred spirit stones inside.

Wen Jiu sighed internally.

He had only wanted to make an impression and attract the attention of those atop Feixian Peak. How did it suddenly turn into a business deal?

Forget it.

Might as well take the profit.

After this, those Gu Masters likely wouldn't dare to use the same trick again.

"Are you sure you can still go on?" Li Qing asked urgently.

Wen Jiu nodded and immediately began absorbing the black smoke clinging to Li Qing's surroundings. Then, under Li Qing's escort, he reached the Demon Slayers Division's area. While pretending to refine the spirit stones, he continued drawing in the poison.

This time, however, Wen Jiu did not rush. He selectively absorbed the poison clinging to the Demon Slayers Division disciples.

As for the rest, he decided to take his time.

Because after this, he no longer intended to act. Once the time was right, he would head to the dungeon and take care of Gong Chi.

What he hadn't expected was that the Demon Slayers Division disciples' gazes toward him had also changed. Most were filled with gratitude.

But Li Qing and the other Demon Slayers Division members were more concerned with something else.

Wen Jiu's cultivation had reached the third level of Qi Refining.

Their faces froze.

Third level!

This brat had broken through to the third level of Qi Refining so quickly!

What kind of heaven-defying left-path talent was this?

"If I had known, I would've offered a higher price earlier!" Li Qing secretly regretted it but quickly refocused, remembering the looming threat.

At that moment, as Wen Jiu was quietly absorbing the poison in the back, a chilling voice echoed from the forest.

"You're lucky… but do you think Wushan Gu Poison techniques end here?"

As the words fell, a faint drumming sound emerged from the forest, followed by an ominous buzzing.

It grew louder.

And louder.

The next moment, a surge of black smoke burst from the forest—not the same poisonous smoke as before, but a writhing mass resembling a giant python. A deeper probe with divine sense would reveal that this "smoke" was actually composed of countless flying insects.

As they poured out of the forest, they dispersed instantly, forming a massive, sky-darkening swarm that surged toward Feixian Peak.

"Blackheart Gu!"

"It's the Blackheart Gu!"

This time, many recognized it.

Its infamy was widespread.

Not because it was particularly powerful, but because any cultivator bitten by it would die with a blackened, rotting heart. And unless the venom was neutralized within fifteen minutes, death was inevitable.

Moreover, the only known antidote was another Gu worm—Shrinking Yang Gu. Consuming it rendered a man impotent. Only cultivators of immense strength could resist its effects with pure spiritual power.

But just how powerful would one have to be?

No one knew.

The only recorded case was a cultivator at the fifth level of Qi Refining who had managed to resist it.