349: Chapter 349 The Poisonous Scheme of the Bone-Eating Dragon Lord

"Since the Dao Master is unwilling to display the star power, why not... give some pointers to the juniors present?"

A sinister voice drifted from the west side of the venue.

Su Changge's gaze calmly swept over.

The speaker looked very ordinary—clad in a black robe, a hood covering most of his face, his voice low and carrying a rasp like metal scraping together.

But Su Changge noticed two details.

First—a layer of extremely faint spectral mist surrounded this person.

It was so faint that ordinary Cultivators couldn't see it at all.

But Su Changge—the Great Dao Scripture Pavilion contained detailed records regarding the characteristics of various Yao Races—recognized it at a glance.

Dragon Clan Corrosive Qi.

Second—this person's eyes, under the shadow of the hood, had no pupils.

Bone-Corroding Dragon Venerable, Xuan Jia.

Another member of the Four Directions Dragon Court.

Middle Stage of Tribulation Crossing.

[Another one comes.]

Su Changge sighed in his heart.

[Red Ember is sending them in shifts. After Earth Collapse failed, he sent Xuan Jia.]

[However, Xuan Jia's strategy is clearly more sophisticated than Earth Collapse's—he didn't directly provoke me, but used the pretense of 'giving pointers to juniors' to test me.]

[If I agree to give pointers, he can arrange for someone to get close to me and test my true strength.]

[If I don't agree, he can say, 'The Dao Master isn't even willing to point out the way for juniors; it seems his strength is limited.']

[It's another dilemma.]

[These Dragon Clan guys are smarter than I imagined.]

Su Changge didn't answer immediately.

Xuan Jia stepped out from the crowd and walked to the spot where Earth Collapse had stood before.

His pace was very slow.

With every step he took, a faint corrosive mark appeared on the stone slab beneath his feet.

A passive release of Bone-Corroding Poison.

The surrounding Cultivators backed away one after another.

No one wanted to touch that spectral mist.

Xuan Jia stood still and slightly cupped his hands toward Su Changge.

His posture was impeccable.

"The Dao Master's Dao intent subdued the Earth-Splitting Dragon Marquis—Xuan Jia is impressed."

His tone lacked the crude provocation of Earth Collapse.

Instead, it carried a sort of feminine respect.

"But being impressed is one thing—there are many junior Cultivators present, and it's rare to have a Master like the Dao Master in attendance. If the Dao Master could offer a few pointers, I'm sure everyone here would benefit greatly."

After he finished speaking, he turned to look at the surrounding Cultivators.

"What do you all think?"

This question was like splashing a ladle of water into a pan of boiling oil.

The crowd immediately erupted with sounds of agreement.

"That's right! What's the harm in the Dao Master giving some pointers to the juniors?"

"The Spiritual Void Desolate Dao Master's Words Become Law; to receive his guidance would be a blessing earned over several lifetimes!"

"Dao Revered Master—"

Su Changge sat on the jade chair, expressionless.

But in his heart, he was already cursing.

[This sinister bastard! He's using 'the power of the masses' to coerce me!]

[With tens of thousands of people shouting for 'pointers,' if I don't agree, then it's 'the Dao Revered Master is putting on airs and looks down on us.']

[This is much harder to deal with than Earth Collapse's direct provocation!]

Ye Qingyao's brow furrowed even tighter.

Her Divine Sense had already scanned Xuan Jia—a cultivation at the Middle Stage of Tribulation Crossing, plus the special Physique of Bone-Corroding Poison—if it came to blows, she was absolutely certain she could resolve it within three breaths.

But Revered Master said not to be in a hurry.

Revered Master said not to be in a hurry.

Ye Qingyao repeated it twice in her heart.

Then she noticed a detail.

Behind the Dao Discussion platform—a young Cultivator was holding a Flying Sword—the spiritual power fluctuations on that Flying Sword were wrong.

Ye Qingyao's eyes narrowed slightly.

Her Mahayana Stage Divine Sense swept over that Flying Sword.

Then—Ye Qingyao's face darkened.

Poison.

There was Bone-Corroding Poison on the blade.

It was extremely well-hidden.

So hidden that if it weren't for a Mahayana Stage Divine Sense, it couldn't be discovered at all.

Ye Qingyao instantly understood Xuan Jia's plan.

Using the name of 'giving pointers to juniors,' he arranged for a confidant to approach Su Changge with a poison-dipped Magic Treasure.

If Su Changge agreed to give pointers—that confidant would 'accidentally' launch a sneak attack during the 'sparring' process.

Even a tiny bit of Bone-Corroding Poison could corrode immortal bones.

If Su Changge was a true Revered Master—the poison wouldn't affect him, but it could test his Cultivation Technique's patterns.

If Su Changge was a fake—he would be poisoned to death, settled on the spot.

Ye Qingyao's hand once again gripped the sword hilt.

This time—she didn't let go.

Su Changge sat on the jade chair, facing the gaze of Xuan Jia and tens of thousands of people.

He was thinking of a countermeasure.

[I can't agree to give pointers. I'll be exposed the moment I act—who can a Qi Refining First Layer point out? Point out how to reach the second layer?]

[But I can't directly refuse either. A direct refusal looks too bad.]

[I need to find a reason that can both refuse and maintain my prestige.]

Su Changge's mind rapidly searched through the information in the Great Dao Scripture Pavilion.

Among the Xuantian Old Ancestor's hundred thousand years of insights, there were many philosophical discourses on the 'Grand Dao.'

Su Changge grabbed a passage from them.

He slowly shook his head.

The movement was very slow.

So slow it was as if he were lamenting something.

Then, he closed his eyes.

A voice flowed from his slightly parted lips.

"The Grand Dao is formless; opportunities are self-realized and cannot be forced."

Twelve words.

Every word was like a drop of water falling into a deep pool.

Calm, but with a long-lasting resonance.

The System's passive effects perfectly coordinated with these twelve words—as each word fell, the Dao intent between heaven and earth produced an extremely subtle resonance.

It was as if—the Heavenly Dao itself was endorsing this sentence.

The Grand Dao is formless.

Opportunities are self-realized.

Cannot be forced.

Hearing these words, the Cultivators present were first stunned, and then—

Many Golden Core and Nascent Soul Cultivators' eyes burst with sharp light.

"The Grand Dao is formless, opportunities are self-realized..."

"The Dao Revered Master's meaning is—the Grand Dao cannot be taught, only realized by oneself?"

"This... isn't this the legendary Realm of 'The Dao that can be spoken is not the eternal Dao'?"

"The Dao Revered Master isn't unwilling to give pointers, he *cannot* give pointers! His Dao is too high; forcibly teaching it would only cause the juniors to suffer Qi Deviation!"

The Cultivators automatically filled in the reasons for Su Changge's refusal to give pointers.

And—the more they thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.

The more they thought about it, the more they felt Su Changge's Realm was beyond reach.

A Dao Revered Master, his Dao, had already reached a level that could not be taught with words.

Forcibly transmitting the Dao—would be equivalent to harming people.

So he refused.

This wasn't putting on airs.

This was—great mercy and compassion.

Su Changge breathed a sigh of relief in his heart.

[Alright, this wave of bluffing worked.]

But he exhaled too soon.

Because—at the very same instant he closed his eyes and spoke those words.

Behind the Dao Discussion platform.

That young Cultivator—moved.

The Flying Sword in his hand suddenly unsheathed.

A dark green sword light, silent and soundless like a venomous snake, slithered out from the gaps in the crowd.

Target—the back of Su Changge's neck.

The speed was extremely fast.

The angle was extremely tricky.

Bone-Corroding Poison boiled on the blade, the dark green light pulling a long, thin poisonous line through the air.

This sword strike—the full-strength blow of a Peak Soul Transformation Stage, coupled with the enhancement of Bone-Corroding Poison.

It wasn't meant to kill Su Changge.

It was meant to test him.

If Su Changge was a Revered Master—he would easily block it.

If he wasn't—

Ye Qingyao moved.

Without any warning.

Without any hesitation.

Her figure vanished from the jade chair—not just too fast to see, but—simply too fast.

So fast that except for Xiao Huang and Red Ember, no one present saw clearly how she left her seat.

The next instant.

Ye Qingyao appeared in front of that young Cultivator.

No—she appeared directly in front of that dark green Flying Sword.

She did not draw her sword.

She didn't even use spiritual power.

She simply—extended a finger.

Her index finger.

The tip of her finger tapped against the tip of that Flying Sword.

"Ding—"

An extremely crisp metallic sound rang throughout the venue.

The Flying Sword—shattered.

It didn't just break.

It shattered into pieces.

From the tip to the hilt, from the metal to the poison, the entire Flying Sword turned into a sky full of fragments under Ye Qingyao's single finger.

The fragments scattered in the air.

The dark green Bone-Corroding Poison, upon contact with the spiritual power shield around Ye Qingyao, was like snowflakes meeting a fierce fire—

"Chichichi—"

Completely evaporated.

The young Cultivator's face was written with terror.

His hand—the hand gripping the hilt—still maintained the posture of the sword strike.

But the Flying Sword in his hand no longer existed.

In its place—was Ye Qingyao's fingertip, only an inch away from his brow.

An inch.

A line between life and death.

"You—"

The young Cultivator's mouth had just opened for a single word.

Ye Qingyao's hand moved.

It didn't tap his brow.

Instead—

A horizontal slice.

An invisible Sword Qi sliced out from Ye Qingyao's fingertip.

"Puff."

The young Cultivator's right arm—along with the shoulder blade—was severed at the root.

Blood gushed out.

The severed arm tumbled to the ground, fingers still twitching.

"Aaaaaah—!"

The young Cultivator screamed and knelt on the ground.

But his scream was cut off in the next second—because Ye Qingyao's second finger force had already tapped his Dantian.

"Bang."

The Golden Core—shattered.

The Dantian—ruined.

Cultivation—gone.

From the sneak attack to the severed arm, from the severed arm to the ruined cultivation.

All in less than a breath.

The entire venue fell silent.

A deathly silence.

Tens of thousands of Cultivators stared blankly at the scene.

That female Cultivator in white—the Sect Master of the Taixuan Sect—Ye Qingyao—

Shattered the sword with one finger.

Severed the arm with one finger.

Ruined the cultivation with one finger.

Three fingers.

One breath.

A Soul Transformation Stage Peak Cultivator—ruined on the spot by Ye Qingyao of the Mahayana Stage.

As easy as crushing an ant.

Ye Qingyao retracted her finger.

There was no Killing Intent on her face.

No anger.

Not even any expression.

She just turned her head and glanced at Black Armor.

Just one glance.

The meaning in that gaze was simple—

Your person.

Your poison.

I have seen it all.

Do it again.

I won't just ruin a cultivation.

I will kill.

Black Armor stood in the crowd, the pupil-less eyes beneath his hood flickering.

He did not speak.

The corner of his mouth twitched slightly—the only leak of emotional fluctuation.

Su Changge sat on the jade chair.

His eyes—remained closed.

From beginning to end, he had not opened his eyes.

From the moment the young Cultivator drew his sword for a sneak attack to Ye Qingyao ruining the enemy with three fingers—Su Changge's eyes remained closed.

In everyone's eyes—

The Spiritual Void Desolate Dao Master simply didn't care about this sneak attack at all.

He wasn't even willing to spare a single glance.

Because—his Disciple was there.

Why would the Dao Master personally concern himself with a mere sneak attack from a Soul Transformation Stage Peak Cultivator?

His Disciple, Ye Qingyao, handled it with ease.

The Master didn't even need to lift an eyelid.

This—was true depth of foundation.

Su Changge's mind was actually screaming.

[A sneak attack!!! Ye Qingyao moved!!!]

[It's over? Just like that???]

[I didn't see anything! My eyes were closed! Someone tried to assassinate me while I was closing my eyes to act like a Master???]

[Fuck! If Ye Qingyao hadn't been here—wouldn't I be dead already???]

Su Changge's back was once again drenched in cold sweat.

But he didn't dare move.

He didn't dare open his eyes.

Because he knew—the entire venue was watching him right now.

His image of "ignoring the sneak attack with closed eyes" was already established.

If he opened his eyes now and showed a look of terror—all his previous efforts would go to waste.

Su Changge continued to keep his eyes closed.

His breathing was steady.

His expression was indifferent.

Like a statue.

Ye Qingyao walked back to Su Changge's side and sat down again.

Traces of the young Cultivator's blood still remained on her fingertips.

Ye Qingyao didn't wipe it off.

She just glanced at Su Changge.

Her Revered Master's eyes were closed.

His expression was calm.

As if nothing had happened.

The corner of Ye Qingyao's mouth moved slightly.

[Revered Master really does know everything.]

[The moment the attacker struck, Revered Master had already calculated that I would handle it. That's why he didn't even open his eyes.]

[This level of trust...]

Ye Qingyao's heart rate quickened.

Not because of the lingering thrill of battle.

But because of—Revered Master's trust in her.

Unconditional.

No confirmation needed.

Not even a single glance required.

Ye Qingyao took a deep breath.

Her gaze became even more resolute.

If anyone dared to touch her Revered Master again—

She wouldn't mind turning the entire Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly into a slaughterhouse.

The atmosphere at the assembly had become extremely eerie.

On one hand, tens of thousands of Cultivators were rendered speechless by the coordination between the Revered Master and Disciple, Su Changge and Ye Qingyao.

On the other hand—

Everyone noticed one thing.

The Flying Sword in the attacker's hand—was poisoned.

Bone-Corroding Poison.

And that black-robed Cultivator—the one who suggested the Dao Revered Master "guide the juniors"—

The eerie mist around him and the poison on the Flying Sword—were from the same source.

In other words—

He had arranged the sneak attack.

At the venue of the Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly.

In front of tens of thousands of people.

Arranging a sneak attack on the Spiritual Void Desolate Dao Master.

What kind of behavior was this?

This was—seeking death.

Gazes fell upon Black Armor one after another.

On the high platform, Xiao Huang finally spoke.

"Who goes there?"

His voice wasn't loud, but his spiritual power at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage Peak pressed these words onto everyone's eardrums.

Black Armor stood in the crowd and did not answer.

Beneath his hood—that face without pupils—tilted slightly.

And then—

His figure dissipated.

Like a cloud of eerie mist.

Coming without a shadow, leaving without a trace.

The Bone-Corroding Dragon Venerable, at the Middle Stage of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage—just left like that.

Xiao Huang's face was as dark as water.

On his own territory, someone attacked a guest and then fled in public—this was a slap to his face.

But he didn't give chase.

Because his attention—was drawn by something else.

Su Changge opened his eyes.

His gaze—did not look in the direction where Black Armor had vanished.

Instead, he looked toward—

The corner of the VIP seats.

Red Ember sat there.

The wine cup in his hand was empty.

A smile hung on the corner of his mouth.

Su Changge and Red Ember locked eyes for a second.

Only one second.

Then Su Changge retracted his gaze.

Ye Qingyao noticed Su Changge's line of sight.

Her Divine Sense swept toward Red Ember once more.

On Red Ember's knees—the formation patternss were gone.

They had already been finished.

Ye Qingyao's heart sank.

Su Changge's finger tapped the armrest for the fourth time.

Ye Qingyao leaned in closer.

Su Changge's lips moved slightly.

His voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"He is ready."

Ye Qingyao's expression changed.

"Revered Master—"

"Wait."

Su Changge's gaze fell on the empty wine cup in Red Ember's hand.

Red Ember placed the wine cup on the armrest.

The bottom of the cup—facing up.

Su Changge's pupils constricted suddenly.

[Cup bottom facing up—that's a signal.]

[He's signaling his companions.]

Su Changge's gaze quickly swept across the entire venue.

In the northwest corner—where the eerie mist had been—a grey-robed Cultivator reappeared.

Mo Yuan.

Gloom Prison Dragon Lord.

Middle Stage of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage.

On the east side of the venue—Earth Collapse climbed up from the ground.

He hadn't left.

He was still in the venue.

Su Changge's gaze continued to sweep.

To the south—a Cultivator he hadn't noticed before, the spiritual power fluctuations on his body faintly carrying a corrosive aura.

Black Armor?

No—it wasn't Black Armor himself.

It was a Clone or Puppet left behind by Black Armor.

Four directions.

Four people.

East, West, South, North.

A thought suddenly flashed through Su Changge's mind.

[Four Directions Dragon Court... Four directions... one in each of the East, West, South, and North...]

[They are setting up a Formation.]

[This isn't a Dao discussion. It's not a provocation. It's not a test.]

[Earth Collapse's outburst and Black Armor's poisonous scheme—were all smokescreens.]

[The real purpose—was to have the four of them move to the four directions of the venue.]

[Red Ember sitting in the VIP seats drawing formation patternss—is the core of the Formation.]

[Earth Collapse standing in the center to cause trouble—was to naturally position himself on the east side of the venue.]

[Black Armor suggesting to guide the juniors—was to move to the west side. "Fleeing" after the failed sneak attack—was actually going to his position.]

[Mo Yuan has been in the northwest corner—never moving from start to finish.]

[The four directions are in place. The core formation patternss are drawn.]

[They can activate it at any time.]

Su Changge's finger stopped on the armrest.

Motionless.

There was no change on his face.

But his heart was pounding wildly.

[What do I do?]

[I know what they're going to do. But I can't stop them.]

[I'm at the Qi Refining First Layer. What can I do?]

[Tell Ye Qingyao? Ye Qingyao is at the Mahayana Stage. But there are four at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage opposite her—one of whom, Red Ember, is at the Late Stage.]

[Adding Xiao Huang—Xiao Huang is at the Tribulation Transcendence Stage Peak. If Xiao Huang is willing to help, it might be possible to suppress the situation.]

[But will Xiao Huang help? This old fox was just pouring Sky-Burning Dragon Flame into my wine earlier—can he be trusted?]

Su Changge's gaze inadvertently swept over Xiao Huang on the high platform.

Xiao Huang was talking in low tones with the Elders beside him.

His expression—calm.

Too calm.

Su Changge suddenly had a bad premonition.

[Xiao Huang—it's impossible that he doesn't know, right?]

[He's the local power in the Chixiao Dao Domain. The Ten Thousand Immortals Assembly is being held on his turf. People from the Four Directions Dragon Court snuck in—could he have failed to notice even one?]

[Impossible.]

[He must know.]

[But he didn't stop them.]

[Why?]

Su Changge's gaze deepened.

On the high platform.

The martial arts sparring and Dao discourse continued.

Everything looked normal.

Lively, noisy, a prosperous age.

But Su Changge knew—

Underneath this pot—

The fire had already started burning.

Just then.

Ye Qingyao's voice rang in Su Changge's ear again.

"Revered Master, the leylines—there is an anomaly."

Su Changge's fingers tightened on the armrest.