With three supreme masters, they were invincible upon descending the mountain.

The silence inside the Yangxin Pavilion was broken.

Ye Yaocheng stood by the bed, his eyes cold.

He looked at Old Master Lin's chest, where the black toxins seemed to be alive, still making their final struggle.

Ye Yaocheng snorted coldly, his voice not loud, but it carried a chilling aura.

"The first time was when I didn't know your background, which gave you the opportunity to hide. You didn't really think this was your safe haven, did you?"

He pressed down hard with both hands!

"boom!"

A torrent of true energy surged forth from his palm like a flood bursting its banks!

It was no longer the gentle guidance of before, but a violent, crushing impact!

The true energy flowed through the nine silver needles and into Old Master Lin's body. Wherever it passed, his meridians trembled and his blood surged!

The black toxin hiding deep in the heart meridian was like a rat thrown into a boiling oil pot, screaming and struggling wildly!

It wanted to escape, to retreat deeper.

But it was no use. Ye Yaocheng's true energy had already transformed into a net that surrounded him from all directions!

"roar!"

The toxin let out a silent roar.

It coalesced into a small black snake, baring its fangs, and lunged at the net of true energy, ready to fight to the death!

"It's just a death throes."

Ye Yaocheng's lips curled into a cold smile.

He made a grasping motion in the air with his right hand!

"Get out here!"

"Buzz!!!"

The nine silver needles trembled violently at the same time!

At the tip of each needle, a drop of liquid as black as ink seeped out.

The liquid seemed to be alive, writhing on the needle tip, trying to shrink back.

But Ye Yaocheng's true energy locked them down like iron clamps, leaving them only able to rage helplessly.

"Freeze!"

With a flick of his left hand, nine drops of black liquid detached, gathered in the air, and merged.

In the end, it transformed into a black bead the size of a pearl.

Black mist swirled around the surface of the bead, constantly writhing as if some living creature was trapped inside.

Ye Yaocheng extended his right hand, and the bead fell into his palm.

It felt icy and chilly to the touch, carrying a strong aura of death.

"Let me see what kind of thing you really are!"

He closed his eyes and sent a wisp of his divine sense into the bead.

As soon as his divine sense entered, the black energy inside the bead suddenly exploded, transforming into countless tiny poisonous insects that pounced on Ye Yaocheng's divine sense!

It's a completely suicidal fighting style!

Ye Yaocheng frowned.

His divine sense transformed into a sharp sword, and he slashed down with it!

"puff!"

The poisonous insects scattered, but in that instant, deep within the bead, a very hidden thought, like a startled rabbit, suddenly shrank back!

Then, with a loud bang, the black bead exploded out of thin air!

A thick black fog filled the air, carrying a pungent, fishy stench.

Ye Yaocheng waved his hand to dispel the black mist, then raised an eyebrow as he looked at his empty palm.

"They ran away?"

He was a little surprised.

This thing is smarter than I thought.

Knowing they can't win, they decisively self-destruct, cutting off all connections.

Ruthless and decisive.

"But do you think that will make it impossible for me to find you?"

Ye Yaocheng smiled slightly, even though the bead was destroyed and the clues were cut off.

But in that brief exchange, he had already caught a glimpse of his opponent's presence.

Ye Yaocheng muttered to himself, "Next time we meet, you won't be able to escape so easily."

Deep inside an abandoned chemical plant on the northern outskirts of Linjiang.

In a dusty room, a man in a black robe sat cross-legged on the floor.

He was completely wrapped in a large black robe, obscuring his face.

All that could be seen was that the walls, the ground, and even the air around him were tinged with an abnormal bluish-black color.

That was a "poisonous domain" formed by years of exposure to highly toxic substances.

An ordinary person would die from poisoning if they got within three meters.

Not a blade of grass grows, and insects and ants have vanished.

Suddenly, the man in black robes shuddered violently and spat out a mouthful of black blood!

"laugh!"

The blood fell to the ground, instantly corroding the cement into a fist-sized crater, emitting pungent white smoke.

The man in the black robe clutched his chest, gasping for breath. His face beneath the robe was deathly pale, and his eyes were filled with horror.

"How is that possible?!"

His voice was hoarse and filled with disbelief, "How could there be such a master in Linjiang?!"

In that instant, he sensed that the Heart-Eating Poison he had planted in Old Master Lin's body had been forcibly expelled!

He attempted to manipulate the toxins to fight back.

In the end, the poison was completely crushed by the opponent in a single exchange!

That domineering and tyrannical true energy, like a monstrous wave, instantly overwhelmed all his defenses!

If he hadn't decisively severed the connection and destroyed the poison seed, he would have suffered more than just a mouthful of blood as a result.

"This person's strength is probably at least at the Martial King realm. How could there possibly be such a powerful expert in Linjiang?"

The man in black wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes shifting between light and shadow.

He was at the peak of Foundation Establishment, and with his mastery of poison techniques, he could even put up a fight against a half-step Martial King.

But that mysterious person just now gave him the feeling that he was completely unfathomable.

"Could it be from the Lin family?"

The man in black muttered to himself, but after thinking for a moment, he decisively shook his head. "The strongest in the Lin family is only at the early stage of Martial King, but he's in seclusion year-round and wouldn't concern himself with these matters. So where would the Lin family get other Martial King experts?"

"Could it be... from outside?"

He considered one possibility.

Linjiang has indeed been quite turbulent lately.

With the secret realm about to open, various forces are gathering, so it's not surprising that a Martial King realm expert has infiltrated.

But the question is, why would this expert save Old Master Lin?

Was it a coincidence, or was it specifically targeted at him?

The more the man in the black robe thought about it, the heavier his heart became.

He stood up, his black robe fluttering even without wind.

"Our Soul Hall has offended quite a few forces. Although many people have almost forgotten our existence, no matter what, this place is not a safe place to stay."

He had to leave as soon as possible; the mysterious man could force out the poison from him and then find him by following the scent of the poison.

Although the chances are slim, he can't afford to gamble.

The figure in black robes flashed and disappeared into the darkness.

All that remained was a ground covered in poisonous blood and the lingering smell of death in the air.

……

Outside Yangxin Pavilion, Lin Qingxue stood with her arms outstretched, blocking the entrance.

Two middle-aged doctors in white coats stood in front of her, looking anxious.

"Miss Qingxue, please move aside!"

"The old patriarch is in critical condition; we must go in and check on him immediately!"

Lin Qingxue bit her lip, her eyes filled with determination, "No means no."

The voice wasn't loud, but it was firm.

The two doctors exchanged a glance and both saw the helplessness in each other's eyes.

They were just private doctors hired by the Lin family; how could they dare to be rough with this young lady?

Just as the stalemate was at hand, a deep voice came from the end of the corridor.

"What happened?"

Footsteps sounded, and Lin Ruhai strode over, his face serious.

The two physicians, as if seeing a savior, rushed forward: "Master! You've finally arrived!"

"Miss Qingxue won't let us in, we..."

Lin Ruhai raised his hand, interrupting them.

He stopped in front of Lin Qingxue, and the father and daughter looked at each other.

His eyes held a complex expression, filled with suppressed anger.

One eye was red-rimmed, but the other stubbornly held her head up.

"Qingxue".

Lin Ruhai spoke, his voice deep: "How many times have I said it? No one is allowed to come to Yangxin Pavilion without my permission."

"You're ignoring what I said?"

Lin Qingxue didn't avoid his gaze. She just looked at him, the man she had called "father" for twenty years.

Then, he spoke slowly and deliberately: "The person lying inside is my grandfather. In the entire Lin family, he was the only one who was truly good to me."

"Am I not even qualified to come and see him?"

She practically yelled the last sentence.

Tears welled up in her eyes, but she held them back tightly, refusing to let them fall.

Lin Ruhai's pupils contracted; he could hear the despair in his daughter's voice, and her utter disappointment in him.

Lin Qingxue stared at him, her voice trembling: "Lin Ruhai, do you even consider me your daughter?"

"Or perhaps..." She laughed, a laugh more painful than a grimace, "In your eyes, I'm just a commodity to be traded for personal gain?"

Lin Ruhai's face instantly turned ashen!

"presumptuous!"

He suddenly raised his hand, but stopped abruptly halfway up.

He saw the despair in his daughter's eyes.

That kind of despair, where the heart is as cold as ashes.

Lin Ruhai's hands trembled slightly.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened them again, his eyes were cold.

"Get out of the way."

His voice was devoid of any warmth: "Otherwise, don't blame me for being impolite."

Lin Qingxue laughed, took half a step back, and pressed her back tightly against the door panel.

Then he shook his head firmly, "Unless I die, no one is allowed to get in."

The corridor was deathly silent.

The two doctors didn't dare to breathe.

Lin Ruhai stared at his daughter, his gaze growing colder and colder.

The atmosphere was tense, like a battleground.