"Oh, so you're just two bandits from outside the city. No wonder you had so much silver, poison powder, and concealed weapons on you," Lin Zheyu remarked in realization.
Given Senior Brother Han's character, bandits were the only people whose parents and brothers he would kill.
He looked at the man and asked, "Security checks at the city gates are so strict right now. How did you two sneak in?"
"Hmph, so what if I tell you? Those Xing clan bastards are no good either.
"The Xing clan contacted us, saying they could give us a chance to enter the city and take our revenge. But after avenging ourselves, we had to join the Xing clan and become their deathsworn assassins," the man said coldly.
He knew his life was forfeit this time, so he took it squarely, without the furious cursing and struggling his younger brother had displayed.
The man had no intention of keeping secrets for the Xing clan. Those people were scum as well; if the Xing clan hadn't tracked them down and threatened them, the two of them might have fled long ago.
"The Xing clan has been reaching out to powerful bandits all across Lion Valley, and they've even been making moves in secret. They're likely plotting something big," the man continued.
"Anything else?" Lin Zheyu asked with curiosity.
"Hmph, nothing. Just give me a quick death. Eighteen years from now, this grandfather of yours will be a fine lad again!" the man scoffed coldly.
"You've got guts. Too bad you chose the wrong path," Lin Zheyu said calmly.
*Thud! Thud!*
Two punches blasted out, striking the two men right on their temples.
The sickening crunch of fracturing bone rang out. Their temples caved inward, blood trickled from their facial orifices, and all signs of life vanished.
Lin Zheyu had not used a blade. While a blade was convenient, it produced far too much blood, dirtying the floor and making cleanup a nuisance.
Late at night.
Carrying the two corpses on his shoulders, Lin Zheyu avoided the city patrols, found a desolate, remote spot, dug a pit, and buried the bodies properly.
Men without roots or backing like this would have no one to seek justice for them, even in death.
***
Early the next morning.
As dawn barely broke, Lin Zheyu woke early. After exercising for over an hour, he finally headed out.
Arriving early at Chen Peijun's home, he knocked lightly on the door.
*Knock, knock, knock.*
With a creak, the door swung open.
"Senior, Happy New Year."
Lin Zheyu arrived carrying a jin of dried venison, a customary New Year gift in Songyi City.
"Come on in."
Chen Peijun took the dried venison and said, "You even brought a gift. Not bad. In all these years, you're the first person to bring this old man a present, heh."
Stepping into the courtyard, Lin Zheyu found the residence bleak and lonely, showing not the slightest hint of festive New Year atmosphere—there were not even traces of sacrificial rites or rituals.
Like him, this old gentleman lived completely alone.
Yet Old Master Chen was far more eccentric and withdrawn than he was, practically never interacting or communicating with anyone.
"Have a seat."
Chen Peijun sat down, took a sip of tea, and gestured for Lin Zheyu to make himself at home.
"Since you've already sworn a solemn oath, I will teach you in earnest as promised.
"However, mastering the way of poison is no easier than practicing martial arts; there are many things you must learn.
"For instance, methods of administering poison, techniques for concocting poison, the ability to identify poisons, and skills for guarding against them. If you want to learn all of it, it will require immense effort.
"Yet if you can truly master toxicology, then even if you are merely a Bone Tempering Realm martial artist, you will still be capable of slaying a Qi and Blood Realm expert."
Chen Peijun spoke nonchalantly, his tone brimming with boundless confidence.
Lin Zheyu muttered inwardly in retort, *Then why didn't you poison Gang Leader Zhao Guanbin to death? Isn't it because poisons have severe limitations as well?*
Nevertheless, for Old Master Chen to establish a partnership with Liang Song—an expert of the Qi and Blood Three Transformations—his mastery over the way of poison was certainly nothing to underestimate.
"Junior does not intend to master toxicology. I only wish to learn the techniques for guarding against poisons to keep myself from being ambushed," Lin Zheyu said.
His core focus remained on martial arts; learning toxicology was solely to prevent himself from falling victim to underhanded schemes.
"That is no simple task either.
"If you wish to learn techniques for guarding against poison, you must first learn how to identify poisons. Only by knowing every poison thoroughly can you better prepare defenses against them.
"There are countless types of poisons in this world. It is simply impossible to recognize every single one of them.
"Fortunately, once the human body is poisoned, particular reactions manifest—dizziness, clouded consciousness, sluggish circulation of qi and blood, purpling pupils, blackened lips, and so on.
"Based on the symptoms that appear after poisoning, one can roughly deduce the category of toxin involved and determine the proper treatment..."
Chen Peijun talked on with ease, explaining everything in meticulous detail while Lin Zheyu listened with rapt attention.
What the old man explained was all theory; what mattered even more was daily training and cultivating one's own medicinal intuition toward poisons.
This was a skill honed through practice. The more one came into contact with poisons, the sharper one's sensitivity to them would become, making it easy to detect when an opponent attempted to poison them.
"What I just explained are general principles and methods. Knowing them is one thing; putting them into practice is another.
"This is the *Poison Canon* passed down from my ancestors. Refined across several generations, it is a comprehensive compendium of poisons.
"Recorded within are most common poisons and their antidotes. If you happen to encounter an exceptionally rare, virulent toxin, you will simply have to rely on experience to deal with it."
Having finished his explanation, Chen Peijun retrieved a thick book—about five centimeters in depth—leaving Lin Zheyu clicking his tongue in amazement.
Merely reading through such a massive tome would take considerable time, to say nothing of memorizing it all.
"Recorded inside are the essential precautions for studying poisons, along with knowledge regarding toxic substances. Take it back and study it slowly. If there is anything you don't understand, you may come and ask me.
"I do not forbid you from passing the *Poison Canon* on to others, but before doing so, they must swear a solemn oath as well," Chen Peijun stated.
"Thank you, Senior!"
Lin Zheyu received the book and began flipping through it briefly.
In this era, knowledge was costly, especially such rare toxicological lore. He had not expected Chen Peijun to hand over the *Poison Canon* so directly.
Glancing through its pages, he noticed the book was remarkably new, likely printed from woodblocks not long ago.
*Could Old Master Chen be using the Poison Canon as a bargaining chip, searching everywhere for people to avenge him?*
Lin Zheyu mused silently, guessing that Chen Peijun had probably given copies to more than just himself.
Perhaps Chen Peijun had used the *Poison Canon* as a reward to hire quite a few people to assassinate Zhao Guanbin.
Skimming through, he saw that the *Poison Canon* recorded various toxic herbs, venoms, poisonous substances, and venomous insects, complete with hand-drawn illustrations and numerous formulas for concocting poisons.
A few rare, mildly toxic herbs combined with non-toxic medicinal ingredients could produce a potent knockout drug capable of rendering a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist unconscious.
The sheer variety of poisons broadened Lin Zheyu's horizons considerably.
Possessing this secret manual and diligently studying it, one could easily foster a formidable force.
However, relying on it to establish a faction capable of rivaling the Zhao clan was no easy feat.
A powerful clan like the Zhao family had more than just a single Qi and Blood Realm martial artist overseeing them; they might even conceal ancient monsters of the Marrow Tempering Realm.
To build a family of that caliber, one first needed experts with peak martial prowess.
Relying on poison alone—no matter how profound one's attainments—would have severe limitations if one lacked personal strength.
Take Lin Zheyu for example. If he encountered a master of poisons, he would never foolishly charge forward to duel them at close quarters; he would simply hide in the distance and unleash his throwing knives.
Anyone weaker than him who failed to catch his knives would die.
Conversely, how acute were the senses of a Qi and Blood Realm expert? For a weak poison master, approaching close enough to administer poison was by no means an easy task.
"Well? Are you satisfied with this *Poison Canon*?"
Seeing the astonished look on Lin Zheyu's face, Old Master Chen asked with a chuckle.
"I am satisfied. Thank you, Senior, for the grace of your instruction. Once Junior's strength is sufficient one day, I will surely slay that Zhao Guanbin for you," Lin Zheyu promised.
On the whole, as compensation for assassinating a Qi and Blood Realm martial artist, this *Poison Canon* was definitely worth the price.
"Good."
Old Master Chen nodded in satisfaction. "Killing Zhao Guanbin will be no easy task. The Zhao clan is well versed in toxicology as well, boasting many masters of poison.
"Even once your strength is sufficient, you must remain cautious when assassinating Zhao Guanbin to prevent yourself from falling prey to their poisons."
"Junior will remember this," Lin Zheyu nodded.
The Zhao clan had made its fortune through medicine, so it was only natural that they were proficient in toxicology.
"Medicine King?
"Senior, did this book originate from Medicine King Village?"
As Lin Zheyu leafed through the pages, he noticed the words 'Medicine King' and inquired curiously.
Throughout the text and beneath many poison formulas, small notes recorded which generation of Medicine King had authored them.
He had heard about Medicine King Village while chatting with Jia Yanyong and the others. It had once been an extremely famous village in this region whose inhabitants made their living gathering herbs for generations, producing many grandmasters of medicine and poison.
Yet it had been wiped out fifty years ago.
Rumor had it that the Medicine King of the village had offended an unknown powerhouse and suffered extermination overnight, leaving not a single soul alive.
Lin Zheyu suspected that the village might have brought disaster upon itself simply because their title was too grandiose—daring to proclaim themselves the Medicine King.
"Yes, this *Poison Canon* was passed down from Medicine King Village back then. The village also possessed a *Medicine Canon*, but that has long since been lost, and no one knows where it ended up.
"In the future, do not casually reveal that you possess the *Poison Canon*, lest you bring fatal calamity upon yourself," Chen Peijun warned.
His father had been a member of Medicine King Village who had fortunately survived and escaped with the *Poison Canon*.
Yet he never imagined that the secret of their family possessing the *Poison Canon* would eventually leak, bringing deadly disaster upon them all the same.
"Yes, Junior understands."
Lin Zheyu nodded. He understood well that an ordinary man harbored no crime, but possessing a priceless jade became his crime.
Sitting in Chen Peijun's courtyard, he began perusing the text. Chen Peijun did not chase him away, merely sitting to the side and quietly sipping tea.
"Poison King Body?"
Suddenly, a section of the book caught Lin Zheyu's attention.
This was content he came across upon turning to the chapter on methods of administering poison.
The Poison King Body did not involve lacing oneself with deadly poison to turn into a human venom vessel; rather, it meant tempering the physical body to become impervious to all poisons.
Administering poison was not as simple as imagined; situations where one harmed oneself before harming the enemy occurred frequently.
Even if one possessed an antidote in advance, failing to take it in time would still damage the body.
Possessing a body immune to all poisons was an indispensable foundation for becoming a Poison King; hence, it was named the Poison King Body.
The Poison King Body relied on poison-tempering methods—testing and neutralizing poisons with one's own body to build toxin resistance.
Starting with ordinary poisons in minute doses, one gradually increased the dosage and toxicity, allowing the body to develop poison-warding properties.
Its principle lay in utilizing biological resistance and adaptation to produce this so-called poison-warding effect.
And because martial artists possessed powerful physiques, this poison-warding effect would be amplified accordingly.
Correspondingly, however, along with obtaining this toxin resistance, medicinal remedies of a similar nature would lose their efficacy as well. It was truly a double-edged sword.
"Do not be deceived by how impressive the Poison King Body sounds; that is merely its theoretical potential. The actual results leave much to be desired.
"Furthermore, those who practice it suffer a drastic depletion of their lifespan, with most failing to live past forty. With a single misstep, toxins can easily accumulate in the body, leading to an untimely death."
Seeing Lin Zheyu's eyes gleaming with focus as he studied the Poison King Body, Chen Peijun could not resist speaking up to caution him.
Even he had not dared to practice the Poison King Body deeply, having only trained through the first stage.
This was merely an experimental hypothesis from Medicine King Village back then. The only person to ever achieve notable success with it was the Seventh Generation Medicine King, yet he too had died young because of it.
Moreover, the Poison King Body's warding effect was not particularly strong; the first three stages could only ward off ordinary poisons, proving useless against toxins potent enough to affect Qi and Blood Realm experts.
"Thank you for the warning, Senior. Junior is merely browsing," Lin Zheyu replied with a nod.
"Very well. Take it back and read it; I am about to head out.
"Simply reading the book is useless. Only through continuous testing, hands-on research, and prolonged immersion can one achieve success in the way of poison.
"You will have to obtain the poisonous herbs and powders needed for research yourself. During your studies, memorize the precautions in the *Poison Canon* thoroughly, or you will easily end up poisoning yourself to death," Chen Peijun instructed.
"Understood, Senior. Junior will keep it firmly in mind,"
Lin Zheyu replied. He closed the book, rose, and took his leave.
***
The first day of the Lunar New Year was a time for juniors to pay New Year visits to their elders, making the streets exceptionally lively.
Lin Zheyu took time to visit the Feihong Gang. Joining Jia Yanyong and several others, he paid New Year respects one by one to the gang's Viscera Tempering Realm superiors and the Gang Leader, after which he visited Senior Brother Han.
Leaving the Han residence, Lin Zheyu headed straight back to his own courtyard.
He did not know many people in Songyi City and had few elders to visit.
Back in his courtyard, Lin Zheyu took out the *Poison Canon* and began studying it earnestly.
The *Poison Canon* was a classic manual recording countless toxic substances, toxicological theories, taboos, detoxification methods, and diverse poison formulas.
Many of the toxic herbs mentioned within were extraordinarily difficult to find, making the concoction of virulent poisons no simple matter.
The compounding process also demanded absolute caution, lest one accidentally poison oneself.
*Mastering toxicology in a short period is simply impossible.*
*This Poison King Body is quite intriguing, though. I wonder if it can be practiced as a martial technique and upgraded using Origin Power?*
Lin Zheyu pondered secretly.
The cultivation process of the Poison King Body was remarkably similar to martial arts, differing only in the method employed.
One stimulated the body through medicinal substances to alter and temper it, while the other stimulated and strengthened oneself through physical training.
The moment the thought occurred to him, he decided to test it out.
Lin Zheyu memorized the medicinal ingredients required for the first stage of poison testing and headed to a pharmacy to purchase them.
The ingredients for the first stage were all mildly toxic substances that served both as poisons and as herbs for treating illnesses, readily available at ordinary pharmacies.
Chapter 64