Pool of Ten Thousand Poisons!
Ye Tian stared intently at the diary in his hands, his eyes ablaze with fervor, his entire being trembling with excitement.
The Pool of Ten Thousand Poisons was a miraculous elixir, born from the meticulous refinement of ten thousand rare poisons over a century, designed to temper a warrior's physical form.
Of course, poisons are still poisons; even after the careful handling by the Hundred Poisons Sect, the Pool retained a formidable toxicity, unsuitable for the average person.
Thus, this precious elixir could only be utilized by those with exceptionally strong physiques, practitioners of formidable body-tempering techniques, who could harness the Pool's effects to elevate their physical prowess further.
Within the Hundred Poisons Sect, only a select few exceptionally gifted prodigies were afforded the privilege of the Pool's baptism.
This time, Yi Xuehan intended to visit the Pool to undergo this transformative experience, achieving perfection in the second layer of his Nine Transformations Battle Body. However, at that moment, an elder from the Wu family approached the Hundred Poisons Sect, seeking their assistance to eliminate Ye Tian.
The Hundred Poisons Sect was renowned throughout Nanlin County, and the Wu family, being one of the four great clans, wielded significant power and had clandestine ties with the Sect.
For the Hundred Poisons Sect to expand its influence in Nanlin County, it required the covert support of the Wu family's formidable strength, thus taking the elder's request very seriously.
Coincidentally, as Yi Xuehan prepared to travel to Chilin City for the baptism, he would pass through the Meteor Mountain Range, making it an opportune task for him to undertake.
To the members of the Hundred Poisons Sect, Yi Xuehan was a formidable warrior at the Martial Sovereign level, possessing extraordinary talent, having previously defeated Martial Sovereign opponents even while in the Martial Spirit realm. Such strength made the elimination of an inner disciple from the Divine Star Sect seem effortless.
Even the Wu family members, upon learning that the Hundred Poisons Sect dispatched a true disciple, were certain of Ye Tian's impending demise.
Thus, the subsequent events were easily deduced by Ye Tian. The fool Wu Ding secretly informed Yi Xuehan, instructing him to lie in ambush outside the Meteor Mountain Range, poised to assassinate Ye Tian.
Unfortunately, neither the Hundred Poisons Sect nor the Wu family anticipated that Ye Tian possessed a mysterious iron battle blade, which ultimately led to Yi Xuehan's demise.
Had the Hundred Poisons Sect known of their genius Yi Xuehan's death, they would surely have been filled with regret.
Ye Tian closed the diary, lost in contemplation; his expression grew grave, his gaze flickering as if weighing a significant decision.
From the diary, Ye Tian gleaned an astonishing revelation: Yi Xuehan was fervently dedicated to his training, to the point of obsession.
Moreover, Yi Xuehan had remained at the Hundred Poisons Sect, diligently following his master for cultivation, rarely venturing out for practical experience. Thus, even within the Sect, most disciples had only heard of Yi Xuehan's talent but had seldom encountered him.
The powerful members of the Hundred Poisons Sect stationed at the Pool in Chilin City had also never seen Yi Xuehan; they merely received word that a remarkably gifted prodigy was coming to undergo baptism at the Pool.
As this realization dawned on him, a daring scheme began to take shape in Ye Tian's mind.
A switch in identities—taking his place!
Ye Tian recognized striking similarities between himself and Yi Xuehan.
Firstly, they were of comparable age; secondly, both had comprehended the essence of the Killing Blade; and thirdly, each had perfected the first layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body.
It was likely that even the Hundred Poisons Sect would not suspect there was an inner disciple of the Divine Star Sect who bore such a close resemblance to Yi Xuehan.
Ye Tian was confident that if the accounts in Yi Xuehan's diary were accurate, and if the powerful members guarding the Pool in Chilin City had never encountered Yi Xuehan, then his chances of successfully assuming his identity were significantly high.
Should he succeed, he could leverage the Pool to attain perfection in the second layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body.
At that point, his strength would rival that of a Martial Sovereign, and even if he encountered a formidable opponent like Yi Xuehan, he would be confident in his victory, even without the mysterious iron blade.
However, while the idea seemed simple, the execution posed considerable risk; if he were to be discovered, Ye Tian would undoubtedly face dire consequences.
This venture required him to tread into the lion's den, where every step was critical; a single misstep could lead to irrevocable disaster.
Ye Tian's eyes shimmered, his heart in turmoil; although the adage "no venture, no gain" held truth, his innate talent was already commendable, rendering such a risk seemingly unnecessary.
Moreover, he had already attained the second layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body; with a little more time spent in cultivation, there was no need to embark on a perilous journey to Chilin City.
Contemplating this, Ye Tian opened the section on the second layer of the Nine Transformations Battle Body, studying it intently.
This second layer was evidently far more complex and obscure than the first; even with Ye Tian's martial talent, he found himself pausing to ponder its intricacies for a considerable time. Ultimately, he concluded that mastering this layer would require no less than three to five years of dedicated effort.
This was his own assessment; for others, it might take decades to achieve success.
Thus, the arduous nature of cultivating the Nine Transformations Battle Body became evident.
"With just over a year until the inner sect competition, if I wish to perfect the second layer before then, I have no alternative but to utilize the Pool."
"But what if I am discovered?"
To go or not to go?
In Ye Tian's mind, two choices battled fiercely, leading to an intense internal struggle.
"Squeak, squeak..."
The little golden mouse, having scampered down from above Ye Tian's head, lounged on a nearby stone, crossing its tiny legs and puffing out its snowy belly, casting a disdainful glance at Ye Tian.
Damn it, even this little creature looked down on him.
With a determined grit of his teeth, Ye Tian resolved to brave the tiger's den; if successful, he would be able to contend with Martial Sovereigns, soaring to new heights.
Having made his decision, Ye Tian's gaze hardened with resolve as he looked down at Yi Xuehan's lifeless form, his eyes cold: "In your own words, let us not meet again in the next life."
With that, Ye Tian struck Yi Xuehan's chest with his palm, causing the azure martial soul within to awaken, revealing a pair of brilliant eyes that radiated two beams of resplendent light.
Subsequently, black energy enveloped Yi Xuehan's entire body, coursing from Ye Tian's hand.
Ye Tian's assumptions proved correct; Yi Xuehan indeed possessed remarkable talent, his martial soul a deep azure hue, evidently more potent than Ye Tian's recently evolved azure martial soul.
However, this transformation now favored Ye Tian; after absorbing Yi Xuehan's martial soul, the color of his own deepened significantly.
Boom!
Upon completely devouring Yi Xuehan's martial soul, a wave of profound comfort washed over Ye Tian, permeating his entire being.
The surrounding spiritual energy surged towards him, as if he were situated within a gathering array of spiritual essence.
"I never anticipated such a significant enhancement to my martial soul; indeed, it is through the consumption of powerful martial souls that my advancement accelerates!" Ye Tian's eyes gleamed with brilliance; he felt as though every breath drew in boundless spiritual energy. With every movement, the energy danced around him, creating a sensation of exquisite delight.
Moments later, Ye Tian donned the attire of a true disciple from the Hundred Poisons Sect that he had appropriated from Yi Xuehan, adorning himself with Yi Xuehan's token. He even styled his hair to match Yi Xuehan's, letting it cascade over his shoulders in wild disarray.
"To be honest, aside from being slightly less handsome than I, this lad bears quite a striking resemblance!" Ye Tian mused, stroking his chin with a hint of narcissism.
"Squeak, squeak!"
Unsurprisingly, the little golden mouse shot him another disdainful look.
"Alright, little one, let us be off!" Ye Tian grasped the little creature by its tail, tucking it into his embrace as he exited the cave, soaring into the sky before delivering a powerful strike downward.
Rumble!
A colossal palm of true essence, imbued with overwhelming force, buried the entire cave beneath its might.
Shortly thereafter, Ye Tian vanished into the heavens.
...
A few days later, Ye Tian arrived at Chilin City, a place not far from Xueyu City, yet it was his first visit to Chilin City.
Chilin City thrived far more than both Xueyu City and Heixue City, primarily due to its abundant supply of Chiyan Stones, a premium mineral for crafting weapons. Consequently, the city bustled with merchants, rendering it extraordinarily prosperous.
Amidst the throngs of people, Ye Tian's expression remained indifferent, his brow betraying an air of arrogance that seemed to disdain the world, reminiscent of his demeanor when he first encountered Yi Xuehan.
"According to Yi Xuehan's diary, the secret location of the Wandu Pool lies within a villa on the outskirts," he murmured softly while surveying the crowd.
However, Ye Tian was troubled, for he had no idea where this villa was located in the vast expanse of Chilin City; searching for it would be akin to finding a needle in a haystack.
"It seems I must wait patiently for an opportunity!"
After a brief contemplation, he made his way toward an inn.
He believed that since the Baidu Sect had entrusted such a vital asset as the Wandu Pool to Chilin City, they would undoubtedly have personnel monitoring the city's every movement. As long as he walked boldly through Chilin City, he would eventually be discovered by the disciples of the Baidu Sect.
His confidence stemmed from the fact that he wore the official attire of a true disciple of the Baidu Sect; any disciple encountering Ye Tian would immediately recognize his identity.
Of course, the Baidu Sect did not enjoy a favorable reputation in Nanlin County, and generally, their disciples would not wish to parade around in their formal robes.
Ye Tian had little choice but to adopt this strategy; otherwise, how could he hope to locate the Wandu Pool?
In truth, Ye Tian's suspicions were entirely accurate. The Baidu Sect had indeed dispatched individuals to constantly surveil Chilin City to ensure the safety of the Wandu Pool. Disciples of the Baidu Sect patrolled the city in secret, particularly at the city gates, where a disciple stood watch every day.
Thus, when Ye Tian appeared at the city gate, he was already spotted by the observing disciple of the Baidu Sect.
Had Ye Tian eyes in the back of his head, he would have noticed that among the several gatekeepers, a thin-faced soldier with small eyes stared in disbelief at Ye Tian's retreating figure.
"A true disciple? How is that possible..." This soldier was an outer disciple of the Baidu Sect, and he instantly recognized the distinctive attire worn by Ye Tian, which was indeed unique to the true disciples of the Baidu Sect.