During my time living on Yellow Mountain, I knew that there were three types of venomous snakes in this area. There were probably more, but I was certain of the habitats and characteristics of these three types. When I mentioned this to Mangliang in my fifth reincarnation, he said,
"Those are the Black-Headed Snake, the Green Snake, and the Fattened Snake. If that's the case, try to catch as many Black-Headed Snakes as possible."
"Why is that?"
"The Green Snake is almost non-venomous and is more like a water snake, while the Fattened Snake has strong venom, but its toxicity is limited, so it can't be made into a water-soluble form."
Mangliang and I were discussing the creation of a neurotoxin at that time. We had planned to poison the well to suppress a village filled with fanatics, and I had learned the method of making neurotoxins from Mangliang for that purpose.
Mangliang had also mentioned something extra.
"The venom of the Black-Headed Snake is a potent neurotoxin. If you mix it with Flame Poison, which occurs in enclosed spaces, you can create an extremely powerful neurotoxin. If you can dissolve it in water over a day and night, it will become a water-soluble neurotoxin."
"Flame Poison? What is that?"
"Poisons come in various types, not just neurotoxins. There are very tiny organisms that can't be seen by the human eye, and among them, bacteria have characteristics different from animal poisons. Some bacteria hate the air we breathe, and these are called Putrefactive Poisons. They are so potent that they easily surpass most animal poisons."
"Corpse Poison, you mean?"
"Not much different. Unlike corpse poison, which occurs naturally in corpses, Putrefactive Poisons can also be collected artificially, such as from rotten food or animal droppings. Scholars generally refer to these as Flame Poisons, while martial artists call them Corpse Poisons."
Mangliang continued his explanation.
"If you have the venom of about ten Black-Headed Snakes, it should be enough to paralyze around 200 people. If you want to strengthen the neurotoxin further, bring it to me, and I can mix it with Putrefactive Poison in my workshop to create a more potent water-soluble neurotoxin in a short time."
"How powerful will the finished toxin be?"
"Extremely powerful. It can render the nervous system unconscious, and it's sometimes used in the Blue Transformation Ritual by Taoists. It's so potent that it can even slow down skin aging. You can imagine how powerful it is."
Mangliang gave a bitter smile.
"Can you understand why it's called Flame Poison? It's because it's so potent that it can burn the human soul."
I had to catch more than ten Black-Headed Snakes and squeeze their venom into a vial. I had decided to stop the human sacrifice, and even though I had some knowledge of making neurotoxins, I needed Mangliang's workshop to enhance it.
It was difficult to keep anaerobic bacteria alive using conventional preservation methods. Mangliang, who seemed to have a keen interest in poisons, had set up a special workshop behind his hut where he made various poisons. Borrowing his facility would likely make it easy to complete the mixed neurotoxin.
Shh!
I gathered my energy and quickly scanned the surroundings of Yellow Mountain's peak. I went to the known habitats of the Black-Headed Snakes and carefully searched under rocks and near ravines. Sometimes they would hide in the grass, so I searched thoroughly.
'There!'
I saw a Black-Headed Snake raising its black head and watching me warily. I kicked a small pebble to knock it out.
Snap
I skillfully placed the unconscious snake into a sack. I had learned various techniques from a snake hunter during my time living alone on Yellow Mountain, so I could manage this, even if I wasn't a professional. I could handle my share.
I spent the whole day hunting Black-Headed Snakes around Yellow Mountain. I caught a total of six and carefully examined their venom sacs, squeezing out the venom. The amount of venom wasn't much, filling only half the vial, but I thought it would be enough.
Just as I was about to leave Yellow Mountain for the village below,
Shh!
"Wait!"
"......"
I noticed a group of martial artists in yellow robes gathered at the path leading from the mountain peak to the village below. They all carried swords and were on high alert. Among them, four outstanding martial artists stood at the front.
I immediately recognized one of the four as Leng Chianjian Gong Zai, and I understood the situation.
'So, these are the Yellow Mountain Sect's experts.'
Not only were four elders of the Yellow Mountain Sect present, but also all the inner disciples! By the number, it seemed that over 70% of the Yellow Mountain Sect's forces were gathered here.
They had decided to wait and ambush in the village below rather than search all 72 peaks of Yellow Mountain for me. I had not expected them to wait, so I was caught off guard. I sent a mental message to the leader.
"What's going on? I was just about to leave after my tour of Yellow Mountain."
"We've heard that there are three White Lotus Sect Law Guardians. May I ask for your pseudonym and name?"
"......"
I realized that things had gone wrong. They couldn't have figured out that I was a White Lotus Sect Law Guardian, but the fact that they were so openly questioning my identity was not good. It meant they had come to challenge me, even if they thought I was a White Lotus Sect Law Guardian.
What did I know about the pseudonyms of White Lotus Sect Law Guardians? I sent a mental message, feigning annoyance.
"Unbelievable! Are you going to intimidate a traveler like this?"
Rumble
A mental message is a technique that converts a low voice into energy to be heard by the intended recipient. However, this time I amplified my energy so that everyone in the area could hear it. It was a technique that consumed a lot of inner strength, but it created a gust of wind that made the Yellow Mountain Sect disciples stagger.
"Ugh!"
"Amazing inner strength..."
The Yellow Mountain Sect disciples staggered, showing signs of fear. One of the elders of the Yellow Mountain Sect, Su Zhenjian Mo Lei, stepped forward and bowed.
"I am Mo Lei, an elder of the Yellow Mountain Sect. We are asking for your identity because our Sect Master wishes to meet the White Lotus Sect Law Guardian personally."
"Personally? What nonsense! I have no business with the Yellow Mountain Sect."
"Ah..."
At that moment, Su Zhenjian Mo Lei, after a brief pause, sent me a secret mental message.
"I heard you want to talk about the Wind God Style. Please, I beg of you."
"......?!"
I was taken aback. The unexpected mention of the Wind God Style had caught me off guard.
'Wind God Style?'
Wind God Style!
Unlike the Thunder God Style, which developed martial techniques based on lightning energy, the Wind God Style developed martial arts using the power of wind and clouds. It was a top-notch martial art that had competed with the Thunder God Style within the White Lotus Sect.
However, I had heard that the Wind God Style had always sided with the sect leader and played a significant role in purging the Thunder God Style. Therefore, Sanjie Li Guang often said that he would not let a practitioner of the Wind God Style go unpunished.
Why would an elder of the Yellow Mountain Sect suddenly mention the Wind God Style?
From the situation, it seemed that the elder believed a White Lotus Sect Law Guardian would [naturally] know about the Wind God Style. Moreover, he believed that mentioning it would make me listen to their story. This implied a definite relationship between the Yellow Mountain Sect, the White Lotus Sect, and the Wind God Style.
As I remained silent, Su Zhenjian Mo Lei added another mental message.
"I've heard that one of the Law Guardians is a master of the Wind God Style. If that's you, our Sect Master wishes to meet you. He says you have a deep connection."
I realized that things were getting interesting.
'So, the Sect Master of the Yellow Mountain Sect has a close relationship with a White Lotus Sect Law Guardian who practices the Wind God Style. He even thinks I will naturally accept the invitation... Does that mean this group is here to bring me with the utmost courtesy rather than to attack me?'
I thought it might be fine to follow them. I could always escape if needed, and I was curious about the connection between the Wind God Style, the White Lotus Sect, and the Yellow Mountain Sect. However, I restrained myself and said,
"I'm sorry, but I have something to do and can't meet him leisurely. I will meet him after I finish my business, so wait for me."
"When can you come?"
I sent a mental message, pretending to be annoyed.
"Do I have to tell you that? Just wait!"
"Ah... I understand."
Su Zhenjian Mo Lei seemed to accept the situation reluctantly. He whispered something to the other three elders, then shouted to the disciples.
"We're leaving!"
The Yellow Mountain Sect members disappeared into the darkness with their torches flickering. The villagers, who had been watching from a distance, murmured in confusion, but I didn't intend to stay long, so I quickly moved.
Whoosh
I flew through the darkness, thinking.
'The Yellow Mountain Sect and the Wind God Style have a connection? How should I interpret this?'
The sudden information was confusing. However, I had a clue, and I could approach the matter slowly after preventing the human sacrifice. I considered secretly infiltrating the Yellow Mountain Sect later to meet only the Sect Master.
Or, perhaps there was another way.
"Whatever."
I shook my head and accelerated my lightness technique, crossing the mountain peak. The important thing now was to save time and reach Mangliang. The more time I had, the higher the chances of my plan succeeding. I couldn't afford to lose focus on this matter. I decided to think about the Yellow Mountain Sect later.
After a few days of sparing no effort, I arrived at Jinlang Valley, where Mangliang lived. I was quite sleep-deprived and felt dazed, so I sat in a guesthouse to recover my strength and energy. It's important to have a clear head before discussing important matters.
Early in the morning, I went to Mangliang's residence. He was lying on a mat, singing. The empty rice bowl nearby suggested he had just finished eating and was relaxing.
"Yay~ Yay~ What should we do~"
"......"
"Quietly~ Without them knowing~"
I revealed my presence.
"Mangliang."
"Wh-what?!"
Mangliang was so startled that he let out a strange sound. It took him about half an hour to calm down. He rubbed his chest and coughed, his face flushed. Finally, he regained his composure and said,
"I am... Mangliang, who has received the divine power of the Supreme Martial Emperor..."
"Cut it out. I know all about it."
"......"
Mangliang awkwardly stopped his black cloud technique and voice-changing technique.
'Hmm, what should I do now...'
I thought about telling him the same way I had before. However, I felt that the story wouldn't progress that way, so I decided to approach it differently.
"Mangliang, what would you do if something like this happened?"
"What do you mean?"
I described the incident with the fanatics and the monsters as if it wasn't my problem. After listening for a while, Mangliang suggested a solution.
"If I were you, I would poison the well."
"I thought the same."
I handed him the vial containing the venom from fifteen Black-Headed Snakes.
"Here is the venom from fifteen Black-Headed Snakes. You can mix this with Flame Poison to create a water-soluble neurotoxin."
"......!!"
Mangliang was genuinely surprised. He took the vial and stared at it before saying,
"Who are you? You seem very knowledgeable about poisons. How did you find me?"
"That's not important. The tragedy I mentioned will definitely happen soon, and you and I can prevent it. They are planning to do the same thing again."
"Hmm."
"If you help me, I'll give you all of this."
Thud.
I also placed the silver ingot box I had taken from the village chief's house. I had used one ingot as travel money, but the value of the box itself was comparable to a treasure. Mangliang opened the box, examined the ingots, and said in a disbelieving tone,
"Hmm... That's more than enough as payment."
"How long will it take?"
"Probably a day... at most two days."
"Understood. I'll wait in the guesthouse. I'll pay for the accommodation separately."
"......"
At that moment, Mangliang suddenly stopped me.
"Wait."
"Why?"
"I will go to the village with you."
Mangliang's words were filled with determination, and I was taken aback.
"No. It's very dangerous there, and I don't have the luxury to take care of someone who hasn't learned martial arts."
Mangliang shook his head.
"Hmm... No, the opposite seems true."
"What do you mean?"
Upon closer inspection, Mangliang had a look of someone who had found an interesting toy. He was clearly very interested in this matter. He smiled and said,
"Listening to you, I feel I can uncover the [truth] you haven't found."
"What truth?"
"Just a hunch."
Mangliang shrugged.
"Anyway, I could just stay here safely and take the money. The choice is yours."
I pondered.
Should I accept Mangliang's offer and take him to the village of the tragedy?
After a moment's thought, I nodded.
"Alright."
"Great. I'll do my best."
It was a win-win situation.
And I had an intangible trust that Mangliang would discover something, which supported my decision.