Chapter 404: Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture

Chapter 404: Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture

Trapping someone who’s mastered the Wind God Leg is a bit of a stretch.

A martial artist’s reflexes—even when distracted—are freakishly quick.

Especially in a place this dangerous?

However, if it were anyone else, once they fell, with no footing or leverage, they would have no choice but to plummet...

But Su Mo’s Wind God Leg skills were the real deal.

Yet... down he went.

Only, he didn’t fall completely.

A flick of his toes midair could’ve sent him soaring back up.

But he held back. Waited.

Only once the iron plate overhead clanged shut did he press his foot against the void, kicking off nothing and reaching out a hand to press against the iron plate overhead.

The second tier of Divine Movement—gecko-climbing—shone through in that one hand.

Little Situ Taoist gasped, her eyes darting downward.

But below her yawned pure black—bottomless.

Her arms locked around Su Mo on reflex.

"You okay?" Su Mo murmured.

Little Situ Taoist shook her head gently. "Brother Su... it’s pitch black down there..."

Not just dark—a frozen, gnawing cold seeped up from the depths, as if they stood over a thousand-year ice cave.

Su Mo nodded faintly, ears tuned to the trapdoor above.

The Poison Lord had led them here.

Had he known this medicine room hid a trap?

If so, their fall meant his plan worked, and he would surely come to check—giving himself away.

That’s why Su Mo let himself drop—even though he could’ve escaped.

If the Poison Lord set them up to spring this trap, it would mean his act was over.

Then it was time for knives out.

However, after waiting for a while, there was no movement outside.

Su Mo released a quiet breath.

This way, although it still couldn't completely rule out the possibility of the Poison Lord's involvement, at least it didn't require condemning him outright.

With his other hand, he lightly adjusted his hold on Little Situ, raising her slightly.

Little Situ's cheeks reddened as she heard Su Mo say:

"Hold on tight."

"Mhm."

She quickly nodded, thinking Su Mo was about to use his extraordinary abilities to blast their way out of the trap.

To her surprise, Su Mo did nothing of the sort. Instead, he loosened his grip, and the two dropped like meteors into the depths of the darkness below.

Little Situ barely had time to let out a brief, startled cry.

The rocky walls on either side blurred past as she squeezed her eyes shut.

It was impossible to tell how long they fell—to Little Situ, it felt both like forever and an instant.

Suddenly, their descent jerked to repeated stops, forcing her to open her eyes again.

Looking around, she found the surroundings wasn't total darkness anymore.

Light from somewhere illuminated everything, allowing her to see clearly.

The walls around them were entirely covered in a layer of ice—ice that could have been centuries old.

With one final step, Su Mo planted his feet on solid ground.

Little Situ looked around, awestruck, and couldn't help but exclaim:

"What is this place?"

All around them stood a forest of icicles.

They rose from the ground, their tips jabbing into the cavern roof as if holding the cave together.

Su Mo shook his head and looked down.

A broken body lay there, smashed to pieces.

Scattered limbs and spilled blood spread like a macabre blossom—horrifying yet vivid.

Su Mo glanced at the corpse, but the features were too mangled to identify.

However, being able to infiltrate the Ghost Vine cave, break into the medicine room, and get caught in the trap suggests they must know their way around medicine.

So, after a moment of contemplation, Su Mo reached out with his palm.

The moment the force from his palm was unleashed, it became scorching hot.

The ice on the person's body shattered and melted in an instant.

The melted ice water flowed onto the ground, yet it moved with eerie purpose.

It snaked to Su Mo's feet, coiled upward, and hid behind his clothes.

Su Mo finally stepped forward and asked Little Situ:

"Any medical issues with him?"

Little Situ shook her head slightly but still said:

"However, it might just be that I can't spot anything.

"Too many things on this island break all the rules of medicine.

"We should still be cautious."

Su Mo nodded and pulled deerskin gloves from his robe.

Seeing this, Little Situ could only stare in disbelief.

Even though he's already immune to all toxins, he still carries deerskin gloves with him...

That’s so like Su Mo.

After putting on the deerskin gloves, Su Mo began searching the man’s person.

A moment later, he found a small cloth pouch inside the man’s robes.

When he took it out, Little Situ Taoist blinked in surprise:

"A Hundred Virtues Bag?"

"Huh?"

Su Mo looked back at her: "What's that?"

Little Situ Taoist furrowed her brow and didn't answer directly. Instead, she pulled out an almost identical small cloth pouch from her own robes.

Aside from small differences, the two pouches were almost identical.

Su Mo looked at Little Situ Taoist with some surprise, then heard her say:

"The Hundred Virtues Bag is an essential item for every physician in our Xuanyu Pavilion.

"It contains separate compartments for toxins and their antidotes.

"However, the way medicines are organized differs in each person's Hundred Virtues Bag.

"It's tailored to each person’s preferences."

"I don't know if anyone outside the Hanging Gourd Pavilion also has something like this..."

"But..."

Though the unspoken words were left unsaid, the implication was clear.

Could this person before them... have originated from the Hanging Gourd Pavilion?

Su Mo asked, "In all these years, aside from you, has anyone else from the Hanging Gourd Pavilion traveled the jianghu?"

Young Situ shook her head:

"Ever since I can remember, the Hanging Gourd Pavilion has remained reclusive.

"Few ever set foot in the jianghu...

"Anyone who wishes to leave the Hanging Gourd Pavilion must get permission from every elder.

"So, in all these years, I am the only one who has left the Hanging Gourd Pavilion.

"However, many years ago, there was another Elder who departed from the Hanging Gourd Pavilion."

"Du Longzi?"

"Exactly."

Young Situ nodded. "But the era in which Elder Du Longzi existed was so long ago that not even I—nor even the elders within the Hanging Gourd Pavilion—had any interaction with him.

"All we know is that back then, Elder Du Longzi left the Hanging Gourd Pavilion due to a clash over the pavilion’s principles.

"Elder Du Longzi believed that since the Hanging Gourd Pavilion bore the name 'Xuanhu,' it should uphold its duty to heal the world and save the people from hardship.

"Yet the founder’s creed of the Hanging Gourd Pavilion was somewhat similar to those of the Dragonwood Island—staying secluded in one place, unwilling to venture out.

"Unable to change the status quo, Elder Du Longzi stormed out.

"The difference between him and me is that when he left the Hanging Gourd Pavilion, he cut his way out.

"His martial arts were unparalleled, and his skills in medicine and poison were unrivaled.

"Even the elders of the Hanging Gourd Pavilion were no match for him.

"However, I’ve also heard from the elders that they’d heard from their elders...

"Elder Du Longzi’s departure from the Hanging Gourd Pavilion back then was more complicated. It seemed he had a private discussion with the Grand Elder at the time...

"But the content of their discussion was never revealed.

"Now, perhaps only the present Grand Elder knows the full truth behind those secrets."

As Su Mo listened to Young Situ’s words, he looked at the corpse in front of them.

The head was utterly crushed.

Whether this was Du Longzi or not was impossible to tell just by looking.

But from what was left of the body, the person didn’t appear old.

Rather, they looked like a youth just past his teens.

Su Mo reached out and opened the Bag of Hundred Virtues.

Inside, it was indeed carefully sorted, containing numerous medicine bottles.

Little Situ casually rummaged through and unexpectedly opened a secret compartment within the Bag of Hundred Virtues.

The contents left them both gaping.

Su Mo reached in and pulled out what turned out to be a book.

At the top were four bold characters, causing Su Mo and Little Situ to trade stunned looks.

Those four words were clearly: Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture!

"This..." Su Mo trailed off.

A single Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture had set the Southern Sea martial world abuzz.

A group of scheming individuals had used it as a pretext to make their way to Dragonwood Island.

Only then did they realize it was all an elaborate ruse.

Yet now, within the trap beneath Dragonwood Island's medicine hall, they had discovered another Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture.

After a brief pause, Su Mo opened the scripture.

His eyes raced across the pages, and he was startled.

"Little Situ, check this out."

Even without Su Mo's prompting, Little Situ was already poring over it, her brows furrowing as she read.

After a while, her eyes lit up with understanding:

"This scripture... is genuine."

The fake Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture had glaring errors in every section.

These could fool amateurs but not those of a true physician.

But the scripture before them was the genuine article.

Little Situ had already identified several alchemical formulas, all originating from Xuanku Pavilion.

Even Su Mo noticed a few familiar names, such as "Yin-Yang Rebirth Pill" and "Undying Revival Pill," all listed within.

These were nowhere to be found in the previous fake scripture.

However, as he continued reading, Su Mo stumbled upon a recipe for something titled "Crimson Sun Restoration Pill," which reminded him of that Old Master Wang. Curiosity got the better of him, and he couldn't help but ask Little Situ:

"What is this one used for?"

"This is..."

Little Situ glanced at it, about to answer, then suddenly flushed and glared at him. Her voice trailed off.

"Eldest Brother Su..."

"Huh?"

Su Mo came back to his senses and quickly said:

"I was just thinking of Old Master Wang...

"He's been obsessively seeking the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture... for... you know..."

"If he takes this pill, he will be knocking on death’s door."

Little Situ Taoist murmured in a low voice:

"At his age, his flame is flickering out... that sort of pursuit... that sort of pursuit is simply unthinkable..."

As she spoke, flustered, her voice trailing off.

Su Mo also found it awkward.

A lone man and woman in peril, discussing such a topic—no matter how you looked at it, it felt downright improper.

He coughed awkwardly. Su Mo was about to suggest they continue reading further.

To see if they could find any alchemical formulas useful to Little Situ Taoist.

But just as he was about to speak, Su Mo suddenly looked up into the distance and shot Little Situ Taoist a warning glance to stay silent.

Without a word, Little Situ Taoist stashed the Poison Dragon Alchemy Scripture inside Su Mo’s robe.

She then took out the Pouch of Hundred Benevolences and began carefully rummaging through it.

Su Mo hoisted her onto his back and swiftly headed in a certain direction.

Before long, Little Situ Taoist caught snippets of a voice.

At first, it was intermittent—only catching occasional words like *'fate,' 'immortality,' 'subject,'* and *'dread.'*

The closer they got, the clearer it became.

Soon, terms such as *'Xuan Emperor'* and *'Celestial Stele'* emerged.

Only when they drew even nearer did Little Situ Taoist fully understand.

A voice droned the same refrain:

"The Xuan Emperor commanded, harnessing the power of the Celestial Stele, to forge the Elixir of Immortality."

"The ministers pleaded against it, warning that its completion would bring heaven’s wrath."

"The Emperor raged, blood spilled across the court."

"Then he appointed a reclusive healer as the Sage, tasked with crafting the Divine Pill in the Armory."

"The Sage, seized by terror, fled overseas with the Celestial Stele before the pill could be completed..."

As the two drew closer, the chill seethed and roiled.

Yet the icicles here were different from before.

Earlier, the icicles had jutted upward from the floor to the cavern’s ceiling.

But here, the ice spikes fanned outward.

The ice spikes were massive, thick at the base and tapering to sharp points.

Dozens of corpses dangled among them.

Looking closer, it became clear that all of them were wearing the robes of Dragonwood Island disciples.

Beyond this sprawling "ice spike bouquet," further inward, the first sight that greeted them was a frigid pool.

In such an environment, the water would occasionally ripple.

Clearly, it had not frozen solid.

A mist hovered above it, dispersing into the void.

Scattered around the pool were countless pieces of cold jade, strewn like rubble.

The voice, however, came from within the pool.

Propped against a stone that radiated cold.

His hair and beard were entirely white, his face obscured by the strands, hiding his face.

His voice was stiff, mindlessly repeating those same words.

Flat and toneless, only carrying a faint tremor.

Little Situ's brow furrowed, wondering who this person was, when suddenly, Su Mo sprang into action.

Immediately afterward, a sharp whistle split the air above them. Looking up, they saw a massive ice spike plummeting from above, crashing violently into the spot where they stood.

The ice was extraordinarily hard—upon impact, it did not shatter but instead lodged itself upright in the ground.

Yet this was not the end.

When Su Mo hesitated, another ice spike fell from above.

He wove between the falling spikes, thunderous crashes filled the air.

After several such strikes, Su Mo's brow furrowed.

Tiring of dodging, he raised his hand. The descending ice spike halted half a foot from his palm.

His fist clenched, a sharp crack echoed.

The ice spike shattered instantly into fragments.

Shards scattered like starbursts. With a flick of his sleeve, Su Mo hurled them like arrowfire toward the center of the pool.

Only two shards remained, which he flicked away with his fingers.

With a tremendous splash, water from the pool surged upward, forming a towering ice wall.

The barrage of shards struck it, producing a relentless series of sharp cracks.

Yet none could breach the ice wall.

Just as it seemed the wall would block all the fragments, two shards came streaking through, one after the other.

The first ice shard spun toward the ice wall.

In an instant, it sliced through, seemingly about to strike the figure in the cold pond.

The man suddenly raised his head, revealing a deeply lined, ancient face.

With a swift motion, a blade formed of condensed ice formed in his grip.

A flash of the blade—where it passed, the ice shard and the icy weapon in his hand exploded into glittering dust.

Yet, at that very moment, a gush of blood suddenly appeared on his left shoulder.

It was the second ice shard Su Mo had launched moments before, piercing clean through.

The hoary old swordsman seemed briefly dumbfounded as he glanced down at his shoulder, then his expression twisted into something ferocious.

With a sudden, furious bellow at the sky:

"Lǜ!!!!"

"Abomination?"

Both Su Mo and Little Situ froze in shock.

This elderly man was actually an Abomination?

Of course, there couldn’t be just one Abomination…

But their preconceptions had led them to believe that Abominations couldn’t speak.

Yet this old man spoke with perfect clarity.

The sudden attack had seemed like nothing more than the elderly man’s instinctive reaction to intruders.

But who could have guessed that after being struck by the ice shard Su Mo had launched with the Flicking Finger technique, the old man would unleash a howl identical to that of an Abomination?

Only then did they realize—this man… was also an Abomination!?

This left Su Mo temporarily at a loss.

He had never encountered an ordinary Abomination before, but this one was clearly different from the usual kind.

Just the words he had spoken earlier had nearly revealed in full the entire origin of Dragonwood Island.

The Xuan Emperor of the Great Xuan Dynasty craved eternal life.

Thus, he ordered the grand healers of the Hidden Medical Sect to refine an elixir of eternal life.

The ministers of the Great Xuan Dynasty raised furious objections, but the Xuan Emperor stubbornly pressed on, killing anyone who stood in his way—even turning the palace floors red—such was his iron determination.

In the end, the grand healers of the Hidden Medical Sect lit their forge within the Great Xuan Treasury to refine the medicine.

But before the elixir could be completed, they absconded with the Celestial Stele.

The subsequent events, however, were lost to history.

By all reason, this man shouldn’t have fled back to the Hidden Medical Sect.

That would have been a death sentence.

But whether he actually ended up on Longmu Island remains unclear.

However, based on his words, it becomes clear that what Gai Huatuo had said about those past events was not about the Xuan Emperor making up some excuse to annihilate the Hidden Medical Sect in order to seize the Mystic Needle Nine Styles.

Rather, it was because the master physicians of the Hidden Medical Sect refused to concoct the elixir of immortality for the Xuan Emperor.

Thus, the sect was wiped out.

So here's the thing...

If this guy here were not an Abomination, Su Mo might still have been able to talk to him.

To find out what he knew and figure out where Longmu Island came from.

But turns out, this was an Abomination...

Su Mo sighed, "Then I guess we fight first, talk later."