149: Sweep, Part II

It seems Jiang Cheng, being the Altar Lord of the Gushen Sect, truly possesses some formidable strength.

"Who are you, Your Excellency? Why do you attack our sect's sub-altar? Are you not afraid of our Sect Leader's retaliation?" Jiang Cheng said coldly, a hint of apprehension flashing in his eyes.

After exchanging blows, he judged the attacker's level. To be able to exchange punches with him and even gain the upper hand, this person's strength was likely also at the Late Blood Refinement Stage, and among the most top-tier of those at the Late Blood Refinement Stage.

Every Martial Artist above the Late Blood Refinement Stage has a dedicated person responsible for intelligence gathering, but this strong Black-Clothed Man, completely covered in black with only his eyes showing, possessed an incredibly violent iron palm, clearly different from the recorded experts in known intelligence.

"I came here just to ask one thing..." Han Yi changed his stance, standing with his hands behind his back. Within his loose black robe, his right hand swiftly pulled out a palm-sized porcelain bottle from hisArms and held it in his palm.

"Please speak, Your Excellency. If I know the truth, I will certainly tell you everything without reservation!"

Jiang Cheng responded quickly. The large commotion caused by their exchange earlier meant that by now, the Disciples of the sect should have heard the noise and come to their aid.

But now... the outside was silent. It was likely...

His heart sank further. It was likely that all the patrolling Disciples and traps he had arranged had been dealt with by this man. As for the person in the deepest part, they wouldn't easily come out unless disturbed, and he had no authority to command them at all.

He was currently unarmed and without a weapon, while the Black-Clothed Man opposite him was clearly fully armed and prepared. Jiang Cheng already had the intention to retreat.

Inside the room, the oil lamp's light flickered, casting long shadows of the two figures.

"That disease in Changning Ward, was it spread by your Gushen Sect?" Han Yi asked in a deep voice.

Jiang Cheng paused slightly upon hearing this, seemingly pondering how he should answer.

Han Yi rubbed his nose with his right hand and opened a small gap in the stopper of the porcelain bottle. The smell emanating from it made him frown slightly.

"Changning Ward, strange illness?

"Your Excellency might have some misunderstanding about our Gushen Sect. Our Gushen Sect only came into being after the disease became prevalent, specifically to treat this illness. How could we actively spread it? If Your Excellency needs it, I can take the liberty of gifting you a few portions of "talisman water" to treat the disease, guaranteed to cure it!"

Jiang Cheng thought for a moment and spoke with a sincere tone. He thought Han Yi was here to cause trouble at this stronghold because a friend or family member had contracted the strange illness.

While Jiang Cheng was speaking, Han Yi carefully observed his expression and felt that the man was not faking it on this matter. Of course, it was also possible that the man's emotional disguise was too sophisticated.

"Are you sure? This disease wasn't your doing?" Han Yi retorted, "I was originally going to ask how to make someone contract this disease. I have an enemy with a nasty mouth, but his family is powerful. It would be perfect to make his entire family get sick and die silently."

He was deliberately speaking in reverse to mislead the other person into thinking in the wrong direction.

Upon hearing this, a few drops of cold sweat trickled down Jiang Cheng's shiny forehead. His lips were somewhat dry, and he didn't react for a moment. It was his first time seeing such a ruthless person, who would casually wish for someone's entire family to die at the slightest disagreement. He originally thought he was a ruthless person, but he didn't expect someone to be even more ruthless than him.

A moment later, Jiang Cheng chuckled dryly: "I apologize, Your Excellency, I truly don't know how this disease became prevalent... But if Your Excellency wishes to treat this disease, I can still offer a few portions of "talisman water"..."

"Think carefully, if you're lying." Han Yi didn't say much, only his eyes turned cold, and he suddenly raised his hand.

A wooden chair beside him was casually thrown out, slamming into the hard wall made of bluestone and clay with a bang.

The chair shattered and fell apart, and a large hole, over a foot wide, was smashed into the green wall by the immense impact.

The thick Qi and blood of a Lianxue Stage Martial Artist, coupled with the enhancements of the Golden Muscle Jade Bone Skill and Thunder Palm, made Han Yi's current strength immeasurable. His strongest point was his hands.

Even with only thirty percent of his palm strength, the thrown chair was not something this green wall could withstand.

A chilling gust of cold wind immediately rushed into the room through the broken hole, extinguishing the already flickering oil lamp.

Jiang Cheng in the room swallowed, his heart trembling. Although he himself could achieve such an effect, it was definitely not with the effortless ease Han Yi displayed at this moment.

"Your Excellency, please rest assured, as the Altar Lord here, my words will naturally be true. If there was even a hint of falsehood in what I just said..."

At this moment, Jiang Cheng's face was serious. He raised his right hand and pointed to the sky, swearing.

"I truly do not know about the prevalence of the disease. The Gushen Sect only does things that save lives, heal injuries, and accumulate good karma. I, Jiang Cheng, state here that if there is even half a lie in what I just said, may I be run over by a horse or struck by lightning when I go out!"

Jiang Cheng's words were resolute and resounding.

"If Your Excellency is not at ease, there is another sub-altar on the west side of Changning Ward. The Altar Lord there is Xu Gang. Your Excellency can also go and inquire personally."

Jiang Cheng was also a shrewd person, his Mind's Eye turning extremely fast. In the end, he didn't forget to divert the trouble to Altar Lord Xu Gang, who he didn't get along with.

Han Yi was too lazy to bother with his petty thoughts, but Jiang Cheng's venomous oath made him a little swayed, mainly because Jiang Cheng's oath was too harsh, making it hard to suspect him.

Could it be that the prevalence of the disease has nothing to do with the Gushen Sect, and they are truly a benevolent force that saves lives and heals injuries?

"Alright, since Altar Lord Jiang has sworn such a venomous oath, it seems you truly don't know the truth. I apologize for the disturbance this time."

Han Yi cupped his fists.

"You're too kind, too kind. Your Excellency is eager for revenge, I understand." Jiang Cheng smiled and returned the cupped-fist salute.

"Then, I shall take my leave first."

"Walk slowly!"

Han Yi nodded, turned, and left.

Watching the Black-Clothed Man leave the courtyard gate and disappear into the night, Jiang Cheng's lips involuntarily curled up. This guy looked fierce, but he was still too naive; he was fooled by a few words. Truly a muscular brute...

"What are you laughing at?"

Suddenly, a voice came from his left.

Jiang Cheng was startled, his body jolted, and he quickly turned his head to see the Black-Clothed Man's cloak pressed against the window of the right main hall, staring at him through the veil.

A slight cold sweat seeped from his forehead. This guy came and went so quietly, like a ghost, appearing and disappearing unpredictably. It was too creepy late at night.

"Ha, haha, I just thought of something funny. Your Excellency, why haven't you left yet? Why don't you come in for a drink?"

Han Yi said indifferently: "Altar Lord Jiang, there's no need for such trouble. I just forgot to mention one thing when I was leaving."

"What else is it, Your Excellency?" Jiang Cheng felt a bit speechless.

"It's just a small matter. I just wanted to ask Altar Lord Jiang how the "talisman water" for treating diseases is made," Han Yi said.

Jiang Cheng's face showed difficulty. After pondering for a long time, he spoke: "Your Excellency, you don't know, the making of this "talisman water" is the greatest secret of our sect. Such a secret, which involves human lives, is not something a small Altar Lord like me can know. Even the escort of the "talisman water" each time is handled by special personnel sent by the Sect Leader. You should know, our Sect Leader is a Tongmai Stage Martial Master, which shows its importance!"

Towards the end, Jiang Cheng's words subtly carried a hint of threat.

"Oh... Is it really that important?"

Han Yi asked suspiciously.

"Absolutely true! If Your Excellency doesn't believe me, I can swear another venomous oath..." Jiang Cheng said loudly, patting his chest.

"If that's the case, then let's drop the matter." Han Yi waved his hand, moved away from the window, and quickly disappeared from Jiang Cheng's sight.

Jiang Cheng finally breathed a sigh of relief: "Have a safe journey!"

After waiting for a while, he plopped down onto the grandmaster's chair, thinking to himself that this guy was really troublesome. Fortunately, he was clever and quick-witted.

"It seems I need to recruit a new batch of skilled individuals and quickly take over the territory in Changle Ward. Changning Ward is a mixed bag, and who knows what mysterious experts might appear. And for security, I'll have to re-establish the procedures later..."

"Altar Lord Jiang! I suddenly remembered something else..." Han Yi's voice rang out again.

Jiang Cheng trembled all over in fright, almost jumping out of his chair.

He looked back and saw the Black-Clothed Man's cloak reappear at the window behind him, pressed against it as he spoke.

"Big brother... What else do you want... Can you please say it all at once? My heart isn't very good, you see."

Jiang Cheng said with a mournful face, so anxious that he even forgot to add honorifics.

"Altar Lord Jiang, have you consumed any Heaven And Earth Treasure or anti-poison items?"

Han Yi nodded and quickly asked.

"What do you mean?" Jiang Cheng was startled, stood up, "Besides my main martial arts, I've also practiced the Jade Bone Skill, which can resist and detoxify poisons!"

"No wonder, no wonder this mind confusion smoke had no effect on you!" Han Yi suddenly realized. Earlier, when he poked through the paper window and Hong Xiu and Jiang Cheng were being intimate, he had quietly released colorless and odorless mind confusion smoke inside.

This mind confusion smoke was extremely potent. Hong Xiu, as an ordinary person, fainted and fell unconscious after inhaling even a trace of it.

Even Han Yi himself held a clear wind cake in his palm, ready to detoxify himself at any moment.

clear wind cake is an antidote specifically used to counter poisons that cause Qi and blood stagnation and consciousness paralysis. It was the white powder in the palm-sized porcelain bottle in Han Yi's hand. Even through the porcelain bottle, he could feel the foul odor emanating from the white powder. Just by smelling the scent, Han Yi felt his body warm up and his mind clear.

As for its usage, it's also very simple. For situations with small doses of poisons like mind confusion smoke, simply smelling it can detoxify. If encountering highly toxic situations, one needs to inhale the white powder from the porcelain bottle into the nasal cavity. Inhaling all of it can provide resistance for twenty breaths.

One breath is three seconds, so twenty breaths is about one minute.