The sound of heavy wooden staves striking the ground echoed through the valley.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
The rhythm was steady, accompanied by the coarse cough of an elderly woman.
From the mist-veiled entrance, a bent, white-haired old woman emerged. Her movements seemed labored, every step followed by a quiet, rasping cough. Yet there was a commanding presence in her bearing.
Supporting her was a slender maiden of fourteen or fifteen by appearance—but her poise hinted at far greater maturity. Her beauty was fresh and refined, her gaze bright as starlight, clear enough to reflect an untainted sky.
Name: Isolde Serpentis (alias: Grandmother Goldenflower, Purple-Clad Dragon King)
Affiliation: Ming Cult – Persian Branch, Supreme Saintess; Mistress of Serpent Isle; Wife of Mr. Silverleaf Greenwood
Notable Titles: First of the Four Ming Cult Heavenly Kings, Mistress of Venoms
Cultivation Realm: Peak First-Rate Expert
Name: Lilith Stormbane
Affiliation: Disciple of Isolde Serpentis
Cultivation Realm: Late Second-Rate Expert
As Liam Ardent's Infinite Upgrade System panel flickered to life in his mind, he glanced between the two figures, his gaze lingering for a moment on Lilith's elegant features.
A quiet breath escaped him. Good… she hasn't yet trained in the Thousand Spiders Ten-Thousand Poisons Hand. Her face is still untouched by its disfiguring effects.
Both Isolde Serpentis and Lilith Stormbane carried a trust value of 60 (Trust) toward him—remnants of the Charm Card (Opposite Gender) he had used before. The lingering effect still worked wonders.
Their arrival cast an oppressive stillness over the valley. The heroes who had been poisoned earlier shrank back, hardly daring to breathe. The name of the Purple-Clad Dragon King was one that even the most seasoned wanderers feared to hear.
"Brother Liam," Isla Drake whispered from behind him, her delicate hand clutching his sleeve, "this old lady looks… terrifying. I'm scared…"
Liam gave her a faint smile, his tone warm and steady. "You have me here. Fear has no place."
The old woman's clear, ageless eyes scanned the gathering. Her voice, calm yet laced with an invisible blade, addressed Liam directly.
"Among the living, only Edric Thornwell can mend the kind of wounds these people bear. They've been healed—meaning he was here. Where is he?"
Her spiritual perception as a Peak First-Rate Expert had told her immediately that Edric Thornwell was absent. The youth before her, no more than fifteen in appearance, she dismissed at first as a mere apprentice.
As she tilted her head up, the folds of her false, aged skin could not hide the vitality in her gaze. Even behind a human-skin mask, her beauty was impossible to veil—beauty said to combine the ethereal grace of a celestial maiden and the alluring danger of a demoness.
The tales were true: countless within the Ming Cult and beyond had fallen under her spell. That brief glance alone was enough to stir even Liam's well-tempered heart.
"Hey! The elder is asking you something. Why are you just staring like a fool?" Lilith's voice rang sharp, though her tone was not hostile—merely chiding.
Liam chuckled softly. "Their wounds were treated by me. As for Edric Thornwell—he left before you arrived."
Isolde's brow furrowed, though her gaze shifted toward Ashley Thornwell—who stood pale and trembling under the weight of her mistress's attention. Without another word, Isolde moved with phantom speed, seizing Ashley by the jaw and forcing a mouthful of slender silver needles into her. A series of precise palm strikes followed, sending the needles scattering deep through her meridians.
Liam's eyes narrowed. Such ruthless control over venom and internal energy…
Ashley gagged and coughed blood, glaring up at her tormentor. "If you want me dead, kill me outright! To toy with me like this—doesn't it disgrace Serpent Isle's name?"
Isolde ignored her, dragging Ashley to Liam's feet. "Heal her. If you cannot, I will cut you down where you stand."
Liam sighed, shaking his head. "They tried to make me their scapegoat. I was content to stay out of it. But if you insist… I'll extend some mercy."
He pressed his fingers to Ashley's wrist, reading her pulse with the quiet intensity of a master physician.
Lilith tilted her head, lips curving in mischief. "You? I doubt you even know where the needles are lodged. Come to Serpent Isle—I'll have Mistress teach you true power."
Her eyes sparkled with unspoken intent; she was clearly impressed by him and wanted him under their banner.
Liam's smile turned faintly daring. "Not only can I tell you where each needle rests, I can remove them all. If I fail, I'll follow you to Serpent Isle. But if I succeed—" His gaze sharpened. "—you stay here. With me."
Lilith blinked, momentarily caught off-guard, before her lips curved into a smirk. "Very well. Tell me how many needles, and where."
Glossary Update – Chapter 11
Isolde Serpentis (Grandmother Goldenflower, Purple-Clad Dragon King) – Ming Cult Persian Branch Saintess, Peak First-Rate Expert, master of venom arts. Wife of Mr. Silverleaf Greenwood.
Titles & Aliases: Purple-Clad Dragon King, Grandmother Goldenflower
Affiliation: Ming Cult (Persian branch, Holy Maiden of the Persian Headquarters; one of the Four Great Protector Lords in the Central Plains)
Role: Ruler of Serpent Isle, master of poisons and martial arts, politically powerful within the Ming Cult hierarchy.
Personality & Skills: Cunning, commanding, with peerless beauty often hidden behind disguise. Adept at manipulation and intimidation, with a deep knowledge of exotic poisons, antidotes, and unconventional martial techniques.
Martial Rank Note: In the Ming Cult, Dragon King is an official rank within the "Four Great Protector Lords" system. It is a position of power and respect and is not gender-specific—men and women can hold the title regardless of the "King" designation. Isolde's "Purple-Clad" epithet comes from her distinctive attire, symbolizing her Persian heritage within the cult.
Relation to Other Characters: Mentor to Lilith Stormbane; known for a strained and complex alliance with other Ming Cult faction
Lilith Stormbane – Disciple of Isolde Serpentis, skilled in Second-Rate late-stage martial arts; has not yet cultivated Thousand Spiders Ten-Thousand Poisons Hand.
Charm Card (Opposite Gender) – A one-time system item that greatly boosts trust and affection of opposite-gender characters for a set duration.
Thousand Spiders Ten-Thousand Poisons Hand – A venomous martial skill that infuses toxins into the practitioner's strikes; grants lethal power at the cost of eventual facial disfigurement.
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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