Liam Ardent had just drawn out his silver needles, ready to purge the venom from Lady Moira Drake's system, when his vision swayed.
A wave of dizziness slammed into him like a mountain torrent. His knees threatened to give way, forcing him to lean heavily against the wooden frame of the hut. The silver needles slipped from his fingers, clattering onto the floor.
A sharp thought struck him.
This venom… I didn't even sense it being administered. Whoever struck must be a true master of toxins.
His mind instantly went to the remedy — the obscure antidote method he had once read in the Nameless Medical Scripture. Circulating his cultivation base in reverse, he began purging the poison strand by strand.
From outside the hut, startled voices rang out.
A heavy thud echoed as Galen Ashford and Garreth Hallowway collapsed in the grass.
"What—? Why is my head so heavy?"
"My limbs… weak… I can't lift my sword!"
"This is poison! Liam, did you poison us?!"
The accusations came sharp and fast, dripping with venom of their own.
Liam's lips curved into a cold, mirthless smile. A pack of ungrateful wolves… even after I spent days mending their injuries, their hearts have never shifted from suspicion to trust.
It was then that she appeared.
From a shadowed corner of the valley emerged a middle-aged woman in coarse hemp robes. Her face was pale and beautiful in an austere way, but her eyes gleamed with a venomous chill. In her hands writhed a wriggling bundle — snakes, scorpions, spiders, each dripping with glistening venom.
Without hesitation, she scattered the poisonous creatures onto Liam's body.
"If you don't wish these little treasures to feast on your flesh," she said coldly, "you will answer truthfully: How did you take control of Butterfly Valley? Where is Edric Thornwell? What have you done to him?"
System Scan – Identity Confirmed
Name: Ashley Thornwell
Alias: The Poison Immortal
Affiliation: Wife of Edric Thornwell
Cultivation: Second-Rate Expert (Early Stage)
Specialty: Supreme mastery over toxins and antidotes.
Liam steadied his breathing and replied evenly, "Edric Thornwell brought me here himself. Shortly afterward, he left in a hurry, claiming he was going to gather rare herbs. Before he left, he told me that until he returned, Butterfly Valley was to be under my care. Where exactly he went, I do not know."
Then, as if recalling a casual remark, Liam added, "He also told me that if anyone asked, I should say he died in a fall while gathering herbs."
While speaking, Liam covertly used the Nameless Medical Scripture's hidden technique to draw threads of venom out of his bloodstream, releasing them silently through the soles of his feet into the earth.
Ashley thornwell narrowed her eyes. She had rushed back after hearing the rumors spread by Grandmother Goldenflower. Finding Edric absent, she had assumed Liam had betrayed or even killed her husband. Now, the truth was dawning — Edric had left to avoid being coerced into breaking his own medical rules, leaving Liam as a decoy.
If she pushed this too far, she might ruin Edric's plan entirely.
After a brief pause, Ashley reached into her robe and withdrew a weathered book bound in black thread. She tossed it to Liam.
"This is my Poison Immortal Codex. If Edric entrusted you with Butterfly Valley, then you are our successor now. If anyone asks, tell them I experimented on myself searching for an antidote, and that both Edric and I died to our own poison."
System Update
[Item Acquired: Poison Immortal Codex (Gold-grade Manual – Contains the traits, preparation, and application of countless rare venoms. Usable for cultivation.)]
Liam's pulse quickened. His meridians still held remnants of the toxin, but with this codex, purging them would be trivial.
Cultivate immediately.
System Update
[Cultivating: Poison Immortal Codex]
[Experience +1,000]
[Internal Energy +1,000]
A warm current surged through his meridians. Every last trace of venom dissipated instantly, replaced by a refined, cool clarity in his senses.
Ashley glanced toward the wounded disciples sprawled in the valley. "The poisons they've taken are all listed in that book. Treat them yourself."
With that, she turned to leave.
But she had barely reached the mouth of the valley when a metallic clang split the air. A flash of gold streaked toward her, striking her squarely in the face. A lotus-shaped emblem embedded itself in her skin, and she was hurled backward with bone-shattering force.
Blood sprayed.
In the hushed mountain air, the sound of three deliberate, wheezing coughs drifted into the valley.
Lady Moira Drake paled. Her voice trembled as she whispered, "Grandmother Goldenflower… she's here."
Glossary – Chapter 10
Liam Ardent – Protagonist of Legends of the Celestial Blade Realm. Possesses the Infinite Upgrade System, allowing him to instantly comprehend and master martial arts or cultivation techniques upon obtaining them. Currently at the Second-Rate Expert Peak stage.
Lady Moira Drake – Wife of Victor Drake and mother of Isla Drake. Formerly injured, currently under Liam Ardent's medical care.
Isla Drake – Daughter of Victor and Moira Drake. Strongly attached to Liam Ardent and assists him in daily matters.
Galen Ashford – Known by the nickname "Saint Hand Garan". A senior disciple of the Kongtong Sect famed for his medical skill and martial arts. In this chapter, he becomes afflicted by poison and bargains with Liam for treatment.
Ashley Thornwelll – Wife of Edric Thornwell. Known as the Poison Immortal due to her mastery over venomous creatures and toxic arts. Formerly a feared figure in the martial world for her ruthless use of poison. In this chapter, she returns to Butterfly Valley after hearing rumors and encounters Liam.
Edric Thornwell – The Butterfly Valley Medical Sage. Husband of Ashley Thornwell. Renowned healer, adept in both medicine and toxicology, though absent in this chapter due to avoiding confrontation with Grandmother Goldenflower.
"Ashley Thornwell's Poison Codex" – A gold-rank cultivation manual containing intricate records of deadly venoms, antidotes, and their practical applications. Grants the cultivator immunity to most poisons and the ability to harness toxins in combat.
Grandmother Goldenflower/ Golden Flower Matron / Isolde Serpentis – A feared elder in the martial world, notorious for her cruel personality and mastery of strange and sinister martial techniques. Her sudden appearance at Butterfly Valley foreshadows imminent conflict.
This story is inspired from various Wuxia novels ,so if you find any similarities please dont mind . and if you think this is boring wait till the Dual cultivation starts ,Thank you .
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T/N :
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