From the fake emperor to the concubine

"What if they don't know what's good for them?" the black dragon asked coldly.

"Then let them see what true poison skills are like." A ruthless glint flashed in Qi Yang's eyes. "I believe Fellow Daoist Black Flood Dragon is quite experienced in this area."

"Hehehe," the black dragon let out a low laugh, "My poison is so potent that even the most powerful poison-wielding demons among the demon race are wary of it, let alone these human cultivators."

The three traveled swiftly and soon arrived at Poison Mist Mountain, where the Heavenly Serpent Sect was located.

Unlike last time when Qi Yang came alone, the Heavenly Serpent Sect's defenses were noticeably stronger this time. Multiple checkpoints were set up at the mountain gate, and the disciples looked much more vigilant than before.

"Who goes there?" the gatekeeper shouted sternly.

"Qi Yang, the sect leader of the Demon Heart Sect, has come to pay his respects to the sect leader of the Poisonous Serpent Lord," Qi Yang replied loudly.

Upon hearing Qi Yang's name, the gatekeeper's expression immediately changed.

Qi Yang is now infamous in the cultivation world, not only because of his conflict with the Zheng family, but also because of the complete failure of the Demon Heart Sect's alliance plan.

"Sect Master Qi, please wait a moment, I'll go inform the Sect Master." The gatekeeper disciple hurriedly ran into the mountain gate.

A short while later, an elder from the Heavenly Serpent Sect came out.

"Sect Leader Qi, it's been a long time." The elder's attitude was noticeably colder than before. "May I ask what brings Sect Leader Qi here today?"

“Of course, I have important matters to discuss,” Qi Yang said calmly. “Please inform your sect leader that an old friend has come to visit.”

"This..." the elder hesitated, "The sect leader is currently in seclusion for cultivation and is probably unable to receive guests."

"Seclusion?" Qi Yang sneered. "It seems the Serpent Lord doesn't want to see me. Very well, I'll visit another day."

As he spoke, he made a gesture as if he was about to leave.

"Wait," the elder quickly stopped him. "Since Sect Master Qi has come in person, let me go and ask him what he thinks."

The elder hurriedly entered the mountain gate, and soon the voice of the Serpent King could be heard:

"Since Brother Qi has come in person, please come in and have a chat."

Although the tone sounded polite, anyone with a discerning eye could hear the coldness and impatience in it.

Qi Yang led Blood Eagle and Black Flood Dragon into the Heavenly Serpent Gate.

The Heavenly Serpent Sect's architectural style is very distinctive, with serpent-shaped decorations everywhere and a faint poisonous mist permeating the air. For ordinary cultivators, this environment would be very uncomfortable, but it had no effect on Qi Yang, who cultivated poison techniques.

Soon, they arrived at the council hall of the Heavenly Serpent Sect.

The Serpent King was already waiting there. He looked to be in his forties, with a slender build and slightly bluish skin, clearly the result of his cultivation of poison techniques.

Beside him stood several elders of the Heavenly Serpent Sect, each with a wary expression.

"Brother Qi, how have you been?" Viper King stood up to greet him, but his smile was clearly forced.

"Brother Poisonous Serpent, all is well," Qi Yang replied with a smile. "It's been a long time since we last met. Your cultivation has improved again."

"Not at all, not at all. Compared to Brother Qi, I'm far inferior," said the Serpent Lord politely, then turned his gaze to Blood Eagle and Black Flood Dragon, "And who are these two?"

"These are Fairy Blood Eagle and Fellow Daoist Black Flood Dragon, both new friends of mine," Qi Yang introduced. "Their strength is unfathomable. I specially invited them to meet Brother Venomous Serpent Monarch."

Blood Eagle and Black Flood Dragon simply nodded, saying nothing more. But it was precisely this nonchalant attitude that made Venomous Serpent Lord feel a sense of pressure.

With his keen eyesight, he could naturally tell that neither of them were simpletons. Especially the black dragon, whose faint but dangerous aura made even a master of poison arts like himself feel wary.

"Please sit, please sit," Serpent King invited everyone to sit down.

After exchanging a few pleasantries, Qi Yang got straight to the point.

"Brother Poisonous Serpent Lord, I've heard that the cultivation world has been in turmoil recently. I wonder what your sect's plans are?"

Serpent King's expression stiffened; he knew that Qi Yang was testing his stance.

"Well," Serpent King stammered, "our Heavenly Serpent Sect has always remained neutral and does not participate in any conflicts."

"Neutral?" Qi Yang smiled meaningfully. "But I've heard that your family isn't so neutral anymore."

"What do you mean by that, Brother Qi?" Viper King's tone turned somewhat cold and hard.

"It's nothing, just a casual question," Qi Yang waved his hand and said, "But I'm curious, what benefits did the Zheng family offer your family to make Brother Poisonous Serpent change his mind?"

These words were quite direct, and the Serpent King's expression immediately turned ugly.

"Qi Yang, don't make false accusations!" An elder of the Heavenly Serpent Sect couldn't help but stand up. "Our Heavenly Serpent Sect acts with integrity and uprightness. When have we ever colluded with the Zheng family?"

"Upright and honorable?" Blood Eagle suddenly spoke, his voice laced with sarcasm. "If it's so honorable, why stab your allies in the back?"

Although her voice was calm, the imposing aura contained in her words made everyone in the Heavenly Serpent Sect feel pressured.

"Who are you? How dare you act so presumptuously in my Heavenly Serpent Sect!" the elder roared.

"Insolence?" Blood Eagle stood up, his body radiating a powerful aura. "I'd like to see who dares to challenge me!"

Instantly, the temperature in the entire hall seemed to drop several degrees. The killing intent emanating from Blood Eagle instilled fear in everyone from the Heavenly Serpent Sect.

"Mid-stage Golden Core?" The Serpent Lord's pupils contracted. "Just who are you?"

With his cultivation level, he could naturally sense the Blood Eagle's strength. A mid-stage Golden Core expert was enough to threaten the safety of the entire Heavenly Serpent Sect.

"Who I am is unimportant," Blood Eagle said coldly. "What matters is the choice your Heavenly Serpent Sect makes now."

"Enough." Qi Yang waved his hand to stop Blood Eagle from continuing to pressure him. "Blood Eagle Fairy, don't make things difficult for Brother Poisonous Serpent. After all, everyone has their own ambitions, and we can't force them."

Then, he turned to Serpent King, "Brother Serpent King, it seems we are indeed not of the same ilk. In that case, let's part ways."

"Wait!" Serpent King quickly called out to stop him.

He wasn't stupid; he could naturally hear the threat in Qi Yang's words. Bringing two Golden Core stage experts along meant this was no simple visit.

"Brother Qi, let's talk this out." Viper King's attitude softened. "Whatever misunderstandings we have, we can discuss them slowly."

"A misunderstanding?" Qi Yang sneered. "Brother Poisonous Serpent, do you really think this is a misunderstanding?"

“This…” Serpent King’s forehead began to sweat.

The current situation is extremely unfavorable to him. Qi Yang has brought two Golden Core stage experts to his door, clearly indicating hostile intentions. If not handled properly, the entire Heavenly Serpent Sect could be in danger.

“Brother Poisonous Serpent, we’ve been friends for so many years, I don’t want things to get too tense,” Qi Yang’s tone softened. “How about we have an open and honest talk?”

“Alright, alright, Brother Qi, just say what you need to say.” Poisonous Serpent King nodded quickly.

"It's very simple. I hope the Heavenly Serpent Sect can stand on our side again," Qi Yang stated his purpose directly. "I will forgive and forget what happened in the past, but from now on, we need to cooperate again."

"This..." The Serpent King hesitated.

Although Qi Yang has demonstrated formidable strength, the threat posed by the Zheng family remains. If they were to align themselves with the Demon Heart Sect again, and ultimately fail, the Heavenly Serpent Sect would suffer a terrible fate. "Brother Poisonous Serpent Lord seems to be still hesitating?" the Black Flood Dragon suddenly spoke, his voice chillingly cold.

“Why don’t I help Brother Poisonous Serpent make up his mind?” he said, waving his hand lightly.

A colorless and odorless poisonous fog instantly filled the entire hall.

"What?!" The Serpent King was shocked and immediately used his internal energy to resist.

To his shock, even he couldn't completely resist the poisonous fog. While he wasn't poisoned, he did feel noticeably uncomfortable.

The others from the Heavenly Serpent Sect were not so lucky; several elders turned pale, clearly having been poisoned.

"What kind of poison is this?" Serpent King asked in shock.

"Nine Nether Soul-Severing Poison," the black dragon said calmly. "It specifically targets a cultivator's mental strength; even a Golden Core cultivator would find it difficult to resist."

"Nine Nether Soul-Severing Poison?" The Serpent Lord gasped.

He had heard of this poison before; it was one of the legendary deadly poisons, extremely difficult to concoct, and incredibly potent.

"Of course, this was just a small demonstration." The black dragon waved its hand, dispersing the poisonous mist. "If I really wanted to kill you, you would all be dead by now."

The Serpent King was deeply shocked as he looked at the elders who had returned to normal.

The opponent's poison skills were even stronger than his, the leader of the Heavenly Serpent Sect; this was simply unbelievable.

“Brother Poisonous Serpent, do you still think our Demon Heart Sect lacks strength?” Qi Yang spoke up at the opportune moment.

"Who is this Fellow Daoist Black Dragon?" the Serpent Lord asked in a trembling voice.

"You don't need to worry about that," Qi Yang waved his hand. "All you need to know is that the Demon Heart Sect of today is not the same as the Demon Heart Sect of before."

"Brother Qi, I admit you are indeed powerful now," Viper King said through gritted teeth, "but the Zheng family is not to be trifled with either. They have that mysterious ancestor behind them, whose strength is unfathomable."

"The Zheng family's ancestor?" Qi Yang laughed disdainfully. "Brother Poisonous Serpent, if that ancestor were truly omnipotent, why does the Zheng family still need to entangle themselves with us?"

"This..." The Serpent King was speechless for a moment.

"It's simple. That ancestor is restricted; he can't act arbitrarily," Qi Yang analyzed. "Otherwise, with his strength, he would have unified the cultivation world long ago."

"And even if he could make a move, so what?" Blood Eagle sneered. "There are plenty of beings in this world stronger than him."

Although the words were spoken in a very veiled manner, Serpent King vaguely understood what was going on.

Could it be that Qi Yang has an even more powerful backer?

"Brother Venomous Serpent, I'll ask you one more time," Qi Yang stood up, "Is the Heavenly Serpent Sect willing to cooperate with us again?"

Faced with Qi Yang's probing questions, the Poisonous Serpent King found himself in a dilemma.

On one hand, Qi Yang's current strength is indeed daunting. Two Golden Core stage experts are enough to threaten the safety of any mid-level sect.

On the other hand, the threat posed by the Zheng family remains. If they were to side with the Demon Heart Sect again, the consequences of failure would be unimaginable.

"Brother Qi, if our Heavenly Serpent Sect were to cooperate with you again, what can you guarantee?" Venomous Serpent Lord asked tentatively.

"A guarantee?" Qi Yang smiled. "What I can guarantee is that by following us, the Heavenly Serpent Sect will not only protect itself, but also gain greater room for development."

"Be more specific," Serpent King demanded.

"It's simple. Once we defeat the Zheng family, the landscape of the cultivation world will be reshuffled," Qi Yang promised. "At that time, the Heavenly Serpent Sect, as our ally, will naturally reap more benefits."

"What if we fail?" Viper asked the crucial question.

"We won't fail," Qi Yang said confidently. "Brother Poisonous Serpent, do you think I would approach you for cooperation without being confident?"

The Serpent King remained silent for a long time, quickly weighing the pros and cons in his mind.

Ultimately, the deterrent effect of strength played a decisive role.

With two Golden Core stage experts right in front of them, if they refuse to cooperate now, the Heavenly Serpent Sect could suffer today. Moreover, judging from Qi Yang's performance, he does indeed have some kind of confidence.

“Alright.” The Serpent Lord finally nodded. “On behalf of the Heavenly Serpent Sect, I agree to resume cooperation with the Demon Heart Sect.”

"A wise choice." Qi Yang smiled with satisfaction. "I believe Brother Poisonous Serpent Lord will not regret this decision."

"What are the specific details of the cooperation?" asked the Serpent King.

"It's very simple. The Heavenly Serpent Sect will cooperate with our operations and provide the necessary support," Qi Yang said. "Of course, we won't let the Heavenly Serpent Sect make any sacrifices for nothing; they will receive all the benefits they are entitled to."

"for example?"

"For example, this." The black dragon took out a jade bottle. "This is the recipe for the Nine-Turn Poison Dragon Pill, which has a miraculous effect on improving one's poison cultivation."

The Serpent King took the jade bottle, examined it carefully, and then a look of shock appeared in his eyes.

He had never seen this pill formula before, but judging from the proportions of the medicinal ingredients and the refining method, it was definitely a top-grade poison pill.

"This is too precious!" Serpent King exclaimed in shock.

"This is just the beginning of the cooperation," Qi Yang said calmly. "As long as the Heavenly Serpent Sect cooperates loyally, even greater benefits are yet to come."

"Brother Qi, rest assured, the Heavenly Serpent Sect keeps its word," Venomous Serpent Lord assured him, patting his chest. "From this day forward, the Heavenly Serpent Sect is the Demon Heart Sect's most loyal ally!"

"Very good." Qi Yang nodded in satisfaction. "Then let's begin discussing the specific action plan."

Over the next few hours, the two sides discussed the specifics of the cooperation in detail.

The Heavenly Serpent Sect not only had to provide manpower and material support, but also had to cooperate with the Demon Heart Sect on some special operations.

In return, the Demon Heart Sect will teach the Heavenly Serpent Sect more poisonous techniques and give them preferential treatment in future profit sharing.

"Oh, and there's one more very important thing," Qi Yang emphasized before parting, "This collaboration must absolutely not be leaked to any third party."

“Of course,” Serpent King quickly assured him.

"Especially, the Zheng family must not find out," Qi Yang continued, emphasizing, "You should understand the consequences if the news leaks."

“Understood, understood.” Serpent King nodded repeatedly.

After bidding farewell to the Heavenly Serpent Sect, Qi Yang, along with Blood Eagle and Black Flood Dragon, embarked on their return journey.

"It seems the Heavenly Serpent Sect is quite sensible," Blood Eagle commented.

"That's how the cultivation world works; strength reigns supreme," Qi Yang sneered. "As long as we demonstrate sufficient strength, these opportunists will naturally side with us."

"Who's the next target?" the black dragon asked. (End of Chapter)