43: Chapter 43 Poison Refining Sect

In a dense forest where the canopy blotted out the sun, giant trees requiring several people to embrace them grew everywhere. Only a few stray beams of sunlight managed to filter down through the gaps in the branches.

The ground was covered in a thick layer of rotting leaves, their stench mixing with unknown odors to create a nauseating smell.

A mist permeated the air, shimmering faintly under the sunlight, making it impossible to tell if one's eyes were playing tricks.

Suddenly, a flash of white light swept through the dense forest, and several figures appeared.

Ning Yuan scanned the surroundings with a wary expression, looking for any potential dangers to avoid being caught off guard.

Seeing that there was no one else around besides his own companions, he breathed a sigh of relief.

However, the surrounding environment made Ning Yuan frown; this did not look like a safe place at all.

Foul odors constantly irritated his nostrils, and the ground was littered with decaying leaves—everything indicated that this place was unusual.

It was better to be cautious in such an unknown environment. Ning Yuan mobilized all the spiritual energy in his body and said with full alertness:

"This place doesn't look right. We should leave quickly!"

Nangong Xi looked around, her expression also grim. "In such a dense forest, there might be unknown dangers lurking in the shadows. It's best to be careful!"

The two said no more and chose a direction at random, advancing slowly while carefully observing their surroundings.

As they walked, Ning Yuan noticed all sorts of poisonous insects crawling on the ground. Venomous scorpions, centipedes, spiders, and other toxic creatures were everywhere.

One look was enough to know their toxicity was not to be underestimated. Ning Yuan couldn't help but shudder and whispered privately:

"Fairy Mu, is this the 'remote place' you mentioned? It doesn't look like it to me."

"There isn't even a single person here. Just tell me if it's remote or not!"

Mu Qingyao spoke stubbornly, though she was secretly cursing her bad luck. To be teleported to such a place was truly embarrassing for her.

She had confidently promised Ning Yuan they wouldn't end up in a dangerous area, yet they had arrived here. She felt like she had jinxed it.

"Remote! Too remote! If we die here, no one might find out for hundreds of years!" Ning Yuan said irritably, also lamenting his own misfortune.

"Hmph!" Mu Qingyao snorted coldly.

Ning Yuan shook his head helplessly. Since things were already like this, there was no point in complaining further. He might as well make the best of it.

Ning Yuan turned to Nangong Xi and asked, "Do you know where this is?"

Nangong Xi scanned the environment and shook her head. "There are too many places like this in the Eastern Region. I can't tell."

"If you don't know, then forget it. Let's just find a way out first!"

Ning Yuan looked up. He couldn't even see the sky, only a few meager rays of sunlight illuminating the dim forest.

Given the environment, even if it wasn't a death trap, it certainly wasn't a benevolent place.

The priority was to leave; everything else could wait until they were out.

But as time passed and they walked for half a day, Ning Yuan and the others still hadn't left the area.

There was nothing but trees everywhere, as if they had entered a maze.

The scenery was identical everywhere, and with the sun obscured, it was difficult to determine their direction.

Moreover, Ning Yuan began to feel a heaviness in his body, similar to the feeling of being sick in his previous life.

But he was already a Foundation Establishment Cultivator; how could he still get sick? The only explanation was that something unknown was happening to his body.

"Do you feel any discomfort in your body?" Ning Yuan asked in a low voice.

Nangong Xi was startled. She carefully sensed her condition, and her face immediately changed. "Poisoned!"

Just as he thought!

The air here was filled with toxic gas. Because his cultivation was lower, he was the first to notice something was wrong.

Nangong Xi's cultivation was higher, so the onset was delayed, and symptoms hadn't appeared yet.

"Stop first. We need to neutralize the poison!" Ning Yuan looked around and walked toward the base of a tree, intending to rest there.

After clearing the ground with Nangong Xi, Ning Yuan sat cross-legged and prepared to circulate his spiritual energy to expel the toxins.

However, the effect was negligible. Under the influence of his spiritual energy, those toxins weren't affected in the slightest.

Ning Yuan took out a Detoxification Pill he had obtained from the Qingyun Sect's Treasure Pavilion, but the result was still not optimistic; it could only suppress the poison, not eliminate it.

Nangong Xi, who had also taken a Detoxification Pill, was in the same situation as Ning Yuan.

Their expressions turned grim. They hadn't expected this place to be so treacherous that one could be poisoned without even realizing it.

Suddenly, Nangong Xi's gaze turned cold. She turned toward a section of the dense forest and shouted, "Who's there? Get out here!"

At those words, Ning Yuan stood up as if facing a great enemy. His gaze was icy as he looked to the side, his cultivation aura erupting.

Three tall, thin figures wearing green robes walked out. The Cultivator in the center spoke in a sharp, piercing voice:

"Truly seeking death. To dare be so arrogant while afflicted by the Miasma Poison! It seems we'll be making a small fortune today!"

"Hahaha, and there are two female Cultivators. We can even have some fun!"

"This trip has been quite a harvest. Not only did we catch Spirit Devouring Worms, but we've also got an extra source of income. When luck comes, it really can't be stopped!"

The three of them looked at Ning Yuan and his companions with unrestrained gazes, their words becoming even more insolent.

Ning Yuan and Nangong Xi exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of excitement in each other's eyes. It was truly a case of someone bringing a pillow just as they were getting sleepy.

Ning Yuan had just been worrying about the poison, and in the blink of an eye, these three had arrived to solve their problem. They were truly 'good people'.

Thus, Ning Yuan decided to give them a proper welcome. A sinister smile appeared on his face as he looked at them gloomily.

Whoosh!

A black shadow appeared before the three in an instant. After a quick scuffle, the three of them were all kneeling before Ning Yuan, weeping and begging for mercy.

"Senior, spare our lives! We know we were wrong!"

"We were momentarily confused, please show mercy, Senior!"

"We beg you to let us go!"

Ning Yuan showed no soft-heartedness toward their pleas. Instead, he condensed three Demon Seeds.

Under their terrified gazes, he planted them one by one into their bodies, turning them into his Puppets.

"Next, you will answer whatever I ask. You are not to hide anything!" Ning Yuan scanned them coldly, his eyes full of warning.

"Yes, yes, Master, we will certainly tell you everything!"

The three nodded their heads like chickens pecking at grain, speaking quickly for fear that a moment's delay would cost them their lives.

"Who are you? And what is this place?"

"We are Elders of the Poison Refining Sect. This is the Thousand Miasma Poison Forest!"

"Why aren't you poisoned?"

"We have taken specialized Detoxification Pills, so we can ignore the Miasma Poison here!"

"..."

Through the subsequent question-and-answer session, Ning Yuan and Nangong Xi gradually learned where they were and just how dangerous this so-called Thousand Miasma Poison Forest was.