C4 You Were Poisoned!

The desolate mine lay in utter silence until Qiao Gao's voice erupted like thunder, startling everyone and causing their faces to contort in fear.

In the wake of the silence, panic spread through the mine like a contagion, with everyone steering clear of the breathtakingly beautiful instructor with skin as pale as snow.

Corpse poison, akin to the Difficult Maggot, was highly infectious. Any martial artist who contracted even a trace would suffer decay, eventually transforming into a mindless, powerful corpse that craved only flesh and blood.

Hwang Ningxue was taken aback, her brows knitting together as she spoke with a hint of heated annoyance, "What are you saying, student? I've never come across a corpse, so how could I possibly be infected with corpse poison?"

Her gaze returned to Qiao Gao, the unremarkable young man with scarcely any Origin Energy. Her instincts screamed that he was deliberately trying to shock her, to capture her attention.

She knew all too well that people often resorted to bizarre antics to make an impression, all for the sake of winning her favor.

With this thought, a chill crept into Hwang Ningxue's eyes, and her flawless face began to show traces of revulsion.

"Your last name is Qiao; you're from the Qiao family, aren't you?" Bai Jutian appeared before Qiao Gao as if out of nowhere, his speed causing the air to quiver. He towered over him with a menacing scowl, "Ningxue's energy is vibrant, her presence dazzling. There's not the slightest indication of poison."

"Your attempts to sow chaos and spread false rumors during the examination have led to your disqualification. Cloud Soaring Academy will not admit a student who engages in such deception."

Bai Jutian's gaze was piercing, his voice final and authoritative, exuding a domineering presence that enveloped Qiao Gao.

"Exactly, senior sister's complexion is flawless, her vitality evident. There's absolutely no sign of poisoning."

"Indeed, those afflicted with corpse poison bear a deathly pallor. Senior sister, you glow with health and show no symptoms of poisoning whatsoever."

"Spewing nothing but lies and inciting panic—you deserve to have your assessment privileges revoked."

The students, previously gripped by fear, snapped to attention at Senior Bai Jutian's words, buzzing with animated discussions and brimming with discontent.

An ordinary martial artist, having only unlocked a single Origin Meridian, would have been reduced to tears by the formidable presence of Bai Jutian, who had opened nine.

Yet Qiao Gao, with the memories of the Myriad Tribulation Pill Monarch merged into his own, carried a hint of the Pill Monarch's aura. How could he possibly cower before the mere presence of a Vein Connecting Stage cultivator?

Qiao Gao regarded Bai Jutian with indifference, not flinching under his gaze. He scoffed coldly, "And who exactly are you? Neither the dean nor a mentor. Just a junior from the inner court, so stop wagging your finger at me."

The students undergoing the assessment were stunned, their mouths agape wide enough to swallow an egg, as they double-checked their hearing, unable to believe their ears.

Here was a student who hadn't even made it into the outer court, merely participating in the assessment, with such feeble Yuan energy it was almost pitiful, openly rebuking an elite inner court student. And not just any student, but Bai Jutian, a formidable presence who had opened nine Yuan Meridians and was on the verge of breaking through the Vein Connecting Stage.

"Very well, very well, very well!"

Bai Jutian's laughter was tinged with fury. His chest heaved, and his treasured sword hummed on his back, as if ready to strike Qiao Gao down at any moment. Yet, he restrained himself, knowing full well he lacked the authority to strip Qiao Gao of his assessment rights.

Hwang Ningxue was equally enraged, seeing Qiao Gao as nothing more than a loathsome jester. Her Origin Energy surged like a flood, enveloping the mine and sending temperatures plummeting, the chill biting.

Provoking two Vein Connecting Stage powerhouses simultaneously turned the mine into a tempestuous ocean, but Qiao Gao strolled leisurely, circling the Ice Snow Goddess within arm's reach, inhaling a wisp of her ethereal scent.

"My God, that scoundrel actually dared to sniff Senior Sister's scent!"

"He's making advances on an inner-court Senior Sister. That's practically a death wish!"

Confronted with such brazen behavior, Hwang Ningxue felt her rage surge. She was about to smash Qiao Gao's nose with a swift backhand.

But Qiao Gao's next words struck her like a bolt of lightning, causing her to withdraw her Origin Energy.

"The Blood Soul Flower you possess is only ninety percent mature. Harvesting it prematurely has diminished its potency somewhat. Truly a shame," Qiao Gao remarked somberly.

"How did you know I have a Blood Soul Flower?" Hwang Ningxue let slip before hastily covering her mouth, realizing she had inadvertently given herself away.

The Blood Soul Flower, a key component in crafting Grade Two Medicine Pills, was exceedingly rare and sought after, fetching tens of thousands of Primary Crystals on the black market. Moreover, its ability to mend the soul made it even more valuable, as soul-repairing medicines were scarce, elevating its worth to that of a Grade Three Pill.

Grade Three Medicine Pills were treasures beyond measure, with only a handful available in all of Great Flame City.

Bai Jutian was clearly aware of the Blood Soul Flower's value, as the fury in his chest evaporated, leaving his gaze fiery with anticipation as he looked at Hwang Ningxue and inquired, "Ningxue, did you truly manage to harvest a Blood Soul Flower?"

Shock painted Hwang Ningxue's lovely face, her eyes flickering with wariness as she nodded in confirmation.

"What does my possession of the Blood Soul Flower have to do with contracting corpse poison?" Hwang Ningxue retorted, visibly annoyed. She was eager to deflect the conversation away from the Blood Soul Flower.

Qiao Gao responded calmly, "Senior Sister, surely you're aware that the Blood Soul Flower thrives in lands heavy with the aura of death. Such places are formed over countless buried corpses and are often steeped in corpse poison."

"Senior Sister, you must have stumbled upon the Blood Soul Flower while pursuing the Scorpion Tail Tiger and chose to harvest it, despite the risk of infection."

Hwang Ningxue was both furious and astonished. Her fury stemmed from Qiao Gao broadcasting the precious secret she harbored, while her astonishment came from the fact that a mere student from the outer court assessment not only had a deep understanding of pharmacology but also made such precise predictions about the process.

"So what if I did? I picked it at a distance; my skin never even made contact with the Blood Soul Flower," Hwang Ningxue retorted with irritation.

Having unlocked all nine of her elemental meridians, she was on the cusp of entering the next significant realm: the Soul Connecting Stage. Warriors at this stage could project their elemental energy and manipulate objects from a distance.

"Really?" Qiao Gao tapped his forehead and remarked, "If it were a natural Blood Soul Flower, you would certainly be unharmed. However, you harvested a Blood Soul Flower grown by the Corpse King."

"With your level of strength, resisting the Corpse King Poison is out of the question."

Qiao Gao continued calmly, "The poison has infiltrated your heart meridian. If you doubt me, try channeling your Origin Energy there."

Hwang Ningxue was seething with rage. She had never heard of a Corpse King lurking at the edge of the Devil Dragon Mining Area, and a Corpse King was nothing more than a decaying corpse, shambling about—incapable of cultivating a Blood Soul Flower. The idea was preposterous!

It dawned on Hwang Ningxue that Qiao Gao might have just happened to witness her picking the Blood Soul Flower and made an offhand comment.

"Go ahead and try. I'll prove you're lying," Hwang Ningxue, the haughty celestial, had never felt such humiliation. Without hesitation, she began the incantation and directed her Origin Energy towards her heart.

Suddenly!

"Pfft."

Hwang Ningxue's body shook as she spat out a mouthful of black blood that sizzled upon the stone. A pall of deathly energy swiftly enveloped her brow, leaving her beautiful face utterly devoid of its usual radiance.

"How can this be!" Hwang Ningxue's face contorted in shock, unable to accept the reality before her.