How could he possibly know that my next plan was to poison them?
A shrill alarm rang in Little Stone’s mind. His toes shifted ever so slightly, ready to use his Escape Technique and bolt at any moment.
Perhaps sensing Little Stone’s misunderstanding, Wang Zhiyai explained, “No need to be nervous. It’s just that our dinner isn’t quite what you think.”
Not quite the same?
What did that mean?
“Immortal, would you mind telling me what’s different about it?” Little Stone asked curiously.
“Hmm—since you, like us, are a cultivator who has already set foot on the Cultivation Path, you naturally ought to know there’s something called ‘Spirit Food Cultivation’!” Wang Zhiyai said slowly.
“Oh, so it’s ‘Spirit Food Cultivation’!” Little Stone smacked his forehead, his eyes filled with envy.
Spirit Food Cultivation, similar to medicinal diet, is basically a method of cultivation by consuming meals crafted by a Spirit Chef. Normally, only sect disciples have such privileges; rogue cultivators or those with poor aptitude usually get by with cheap Fasting Pills.
Little Stone couldn’t help but marvel—no wonder this was an elite immortal sect, the treatment really was different!
But… weren’t they being a little stingy?
They actually reminded him, in broad daylight, not to touch their dinner…
Heh! Since Wang Zhiyai hadn’t discovered his plan, he’d carry it out as intended!
Little Stone weighed a sealed bag of small jars in his pocket, a quiet laugh in his heart.
This jar was a fortunate opportunity Shi Yan had obtained in his youth, containing a special liquid. It smelled fragrant and sweet, harmless to the touch—yet absolutely inedible.
When this vicious plan of poisoning was first proposed, Shi Yan handed the jar to Little Stone. Of course, Little Stone was curious about the origin of such a potent Poison; by rights, someone like Shi Yan, only in the Qi Refining stage, shouldn’t have such a dangerous Poison.
Shi Yan only smiled mysteriously and said, “Years ago, before Tianque Sect rose to prominence, I once received orders from the One Qi Sect to infiltrate Tianque Sect—but couldn’t even qualify to join.”
“I was utterly dejected. On my way down the mountain, I encountered a Female Immortal and a young Tianque Sect disciple. Guess what they were doing?”
Little Stone thought for a moment, then instantly understood: “I guess they were a master and disciple, about to do something improper!”
That’s the classic plot from storybooks!
“Idiot! If I’d caught them at that, I wouldn’t be alive now!” Shi Yan snapped, “Those two were an aunt and nephew in the sect!”
“At the time, the Female Immortal had one hand gripping the disciple’s collar, the other pouring this Poison down his throat. In no time, the disciple collapsed limply, fate unknown!”
“It was Poisoning?!” The shock inside Little Stone was hard to calm.
Everyone says the Righteous Path cultivators only claim to be righteous—yet behind the scenes, scheming and harming their own happens all the time. No less ruthless than the Demonic Cultivators. To think it was actually true.
“Actually, with the strength of that Female Immortal, she could have subdued the disciple with a single hand, but instead she poured Poison down his throat. I think she was testing the toxicity of this stuff!”
“Huh? So that’s how it is! That’s…,” sure enough, the most venomous heart is a woman’s! Little Stone quietly vowed to himself to visit the brothel less often—from seven times a week down to six!
“Boss, you weren’t very high-level back then. Didn’t you get discovered? Did you make it out?”
Shi Yan really wanted to open up Little Stone’s head and see what was inside. If he hadn’t escaped, would he still be standing here?
“When I realized I’d been discovered, I immediately knelt and begged for mercy, hoping the Female Immortal would spare me, and I praised her skills to the skies.”
“Maybe that pleased her, because she gave me a small portion of this Poison and left, carrying off the disciple.”
Shi Yan had all sorts of feelings about it—even among Righteous cultivators, there were some as ruthless as Demonic Cultivators, making Poison disguised as Spirit Food. Truly terrifying!
Now, giving this Poison to Little Stone, he naturally hoped the task would be completed!
Memories ended. Little Stone looked at Wang Zhiyai’s back ahead, and smiled darkly.
The Immortal Sect disciples’ quarters weren’t far—barely a quarter of an hour’s walk. Little Stone and his companions knew the place, but with Lin Shu, the protector, around, they hadn’t dared to approach.
Right now, Shi Yan was at the altar, watching Lin Shu and the two female disciples, and if Ye Qing appeared in front of him, he’d have no excuse—not to mention he’d be even more likely to stay behind.
So, in the small courtyard, only he and Wang Zhiyai remained. The time, place, and people were just right! This time, Wang Zhiyai was as good as dead!
“Huh! No one else is back yet?” Wang Zhiyai looked at the deserted little courtyard and said to Little Stone, “I’ll go decoct your medicine first, and we’ll eat in a bit!”
“Immortal, why don’t I heat up the food for you? I should at least do something to help!” Little Stone said, all innocent and harmless.
Wang Zhiyai considered it, then said, “Alright! But you mustn’t sneak a bite of my meal!”
“Yes, yes!” Little Stone nodded eagerly, full of flattery.
At death’s door and still guarding your food!
Let’s give you something fierce—poison you lofty, pampered Immortal Sect disciples!
Wang Zhiyai handed a boxed meal to Little Stone, then got up and headed to the medicine room to decoct medicine.
Taking advantage of the moment, Little Stone quickly opened the box. An aroma wafted out, mouthwatering.
The box was made of a special Divine Artifact Lunchbox, worth a fortune, and could preserve Spirit Food for long periods. Inside was a meal with both meat and vegetables, seemingly made from High-Grade Spirit Beast and millennia-old spiritual plants.
Little Stone couldn’t recognize them, but he was mad with jealousy.
Why?! All cultivators, yet the resources are worlds apart!
He was about to take out the jar and pour in the Poison, when a voice sounded behind him.
“I’d better do it. I just can’t be at ease!”
The sudden sound startled Little Stone, nearly dropping the jar, but he was a Demonic Cultivator with nerves of steel. He smoothly stuffed the Poison back in his pocket, pretending nothing had happened.
“Ah! Immortal! You’re back so soon? Immortal, what happened?”
Wang Zhiyai stood at the door, his nose blue and face swollen, as if he’d been beaten, but only smiled and said, “Nothing! My Body Double and I fought—winner gets to eat, loser decocts medicine. I just happened to win.”
He won, but it was a messy victory! Wang Zhiyai’s face was still sore. To be lazy, he’d swallowed the New Elixir he’d researched days ago. Lately, he’d found that the summoned Body Double could be communicated with rationally, though it couldn’t speak.
So, he tried using a brawl to decide who’d do what—to see if one person could do two things at once.
The effect was obvious—he won! Now he could eat, while the Body Double had to work like an ox, decocting medicine.
Mainly, though, he feared Little Stone might mistakenly taste the boxed meal! Ever since following Senior Sister Lu—no, Senior Brother Lin’s highest-level leadership, they’d eaten this sort of boxed meal every day, building up their poison resistance.
Wang Zhiyai was confident he could now resist any Poison under the Foundation Establishment stage.
Little Stone had no chance to complain about Wang Zhiyai’s bizarre cultivation method. He watched him scarf down the meal, afraid it would be snatched away, and sighed inwardly.
Heaven is unjust! Such a perfect opportunity!
But then, the next instant, Wang Zhiyai finished the meal, his eyes rolled back, body convulsed, and he fell flat on his back, unable to move, as if he’d just swallowed a deadly poison pill.
“What the—! I didn’t do anything!” Little Stone hurriedly checked the medicine bottle in his pocket.
He looked around. Only the two of them here. If the authorities came, he’d have a hard time explaining, wouldn’t he?
No, wait!
Little Stone slapped himself. He was a Demonic Cultivator! A member of the demonic sect! Wasn’t this exactly the result he wanted?
But then, why was Wang Zhiyai poisoned? Little Stone couldn’t figure it out. Was the meal itself already poisoned?
Ha! The Righteous Path truly is the Righteous Path! Demonic must be eradicated!
He hadn’t even made his move, and yet another Demonic Cultivator had taken care of the Immortal Sect disciples.
Now, he didn’t even need to dispose of Wang Zhiyai’s body. After all, it wasn’t his doing. He’d just run, leave the corpse here, and give the returning disciples a warning!
The urgent thing was to leave quickly! Avoid being seen, or else—mud falling into one’s pants, even if it’s not 💩, it’s still 💩!
Thinking thus, he was about to use his Escape Technique, when suddenly, something strange happened—Wang Zhiyai, who had been dead, stood up stiffly, his eyes clear again as he looked at Little Stone.
“Sigh! I overestimated myself! Didn’t expect this advanced boxed meal to be so toxic! Feels like it could even take down a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator!”
Poison…
What was he saying?
Did he… take the poison on purpose?
Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How could a Righteous Path disciple cultivate like this?
Little Stone was so frightened he collapsed on the ground. Wang Zhiyai, realizing Little Stone was still there, kindly reached out his hand, his smile as warm as a spring breeze.
“Don’t be afraid! This is just our regular training.”
At that moment, Little Stone truly couldn’t tell who was the real Demonic Cultivator!