When Chen An shared a drink of spiritual wine diluted with Red Ring Poison with Yu Hualong earlier, it wasn't an act of camaraderie. Instead, it was a carefully orchestrated step in his plan—a deadly gift prepared for Elder Gu.
Chen An was acutely aware that even if he helped Elder Gu prolong his life or achieve a breakthrough in cultivation, he would ultimately gain nothing from it. Worse still, there was a significant risk that Elder Gu would silence him once his usefulness ran out.
If their roles were reversed, Chen An knew he'd do the same.
To avoid such an ending, he had to prepare in advance.
After Yu Hualong drank the wine laced with the diluted poison, its residual properties accumulated in his body. When Elder Gu absorbed Yu Hualong's blood essence, the poison transferred into Elder Gu's system as well.
Through this roundabout method, Chen An successfully poisoned Elder Gu with the Red Ring Poison.
All he needed to do next was ensure every other victim brought to Elder Gu for blood extraction also carried the same poison. Over time, the accumulation would intensify until the poison erupted within Elder Gu, paving the way for Chen An's counterattack.
Elder Gu might think he had Chen An firmly under his thumb, believing himself to be invulnerable. Little did he know that he had handed Chen An the perfect opportunity to plant the seeds of his eventual downfall.
Earlier, as Chen An watched Elder Gu absorb Yu Hualong's blood essence, his eyes were glued to the scene. He wasn't just observing—he was verifying that the poisoned blood wouldn't be detected by Elder Gu.
The result was reassuring. Elder Gu remained unaware, allowing Chen An to finally relax.
While the plan was still fraught with uncertainties and potential pitfalls, it was proving effective for now. With careful calibration of the poison's dosage in the future, Chen An was confident he could one day eliminate Elder Gu and escape his grasp.
Rolling up his sleeve, Chen An looked at the Red Ring Snake coiled around his arm, its scales glimmering faintly in the light. He nodded with satisfaction.
"You and I, a mere mortal and a lowly beast, are nothing but ants in the eyes of powerful cultivators. But with the right strategy, even ants can kill giants. Who says mortals can't defy the heavens? Who says we can't rewrite our fates?"
Under the starry night sky, Chen An's eyes burned with determination, a resolve stronger than ever before.
---
Back in his quarters, Chen An finally had some breathing room. With Yu Hualong's blood essence temporarily sustaining Elder Gu, Chen An could shift his focus to another pressing task—obtaining the inner core of a Tier-2 beast.
His first step was to consult Li Muchen for information, which he planned to do the following day.
Killing a Tier-2 beast wasn't a simple matter. Unlike weaker creatures, it wouldn't allow Chen An to poison it over time. This venture required meticulous planning.
---
The next morning, Chen An sought out Li Muchen at the market and shared his intention to hunt a Tier-2 beast.
Upon hearing this, Li Muchen was initially stunned, thinking Chen An had lost his mind.
A Tier-2 beast was equivalent to a Foundation Establishment cultivator in strength—terrifyingly powerful and nearly invincible. Even in the Lingfu Sect, only figures like the sect leader, the grand elder, or the ancestor could hope to defeat such a beast.
"Chen An, are you serious? Hunting a Tier-2 beast is courting death!"
"I wouldn't bring this up if I wasn't serious," Chen An replied firmly. "I have a plan. All I need is for you to tell me where I can find such a beast."
Realizing he couldn't dissuade Chen An, Li Muchen reluctantly divulged what he knew.
Three hundred miles west of the Lingfu Sect lay a toxic marsh. Deep within it resided the Hundred-Eyed Giant Toad, a Tier-2 beast and undisputed overlord of the marsh. For decades, the toad had thrived by consuming the poisonous mists of the swamp, growing incredibly powerful.
Years ago, the Lingfu Sect had sent disciples to hunt it down. However, the mission ended in disaster, with heavy casualties forcing a retreat. Since then, no one dared approach the marsh, leaving it as a haven for vicious beasts.
"Chen An, I'm begging you to reconsider," Li Muchen pleaded. "The marsh isn't just dangerous because of the toad. The poisonous mists and lesser beasts are enough to claim your life. Venturing there is sheer madness."
After much persuasion, Chen An finally assured Li Muchen he wouldn't recklessly enter the marsh without proper preparation.
In truth, Chen An had no intention of waiting until he was fully capable of confronting the toad. Instead, he planned to scout the area and formulate a detailed plan for killing it.
After all, waiting to match the toad's strength was unrealistic. Without its inner core, he couldn't refine the Marrow Cleansing Pill. Without the pill, his cultivation would remain stuck at the early Qi Condensation stage, making further progress impossible.
The marsh was a gamble he had to take.
Over the next few days, Chen An dedicated himself to preparing for the journey.
The primary challenge was surviving the marsh's pervasive poisonous mists. While the spiritual liquid from his gourd could provide temporary immunity, his supply had run dry, and he had no fresh kills to replenish it.
In hindsight, he regretted using the liquid from Lu Yi and Han Juan on cultivation breakthroughs—it would have been invaluable for this expedition.
With no spiritual liquid available, Chen An turned to alternative methods, including crafting specialized talismans for detoxification. Though not as effective as alchemical pills, they were his best option given his circumstances.
For three days, Chen An stayed locked in his quarters, focused on crafting talismans and refining his plans.
Finally satisfied with his preparations, he set out at dawn toward the toxic marsh, descending the mountain alone.
As an outer disciple, Chen An's departure from the sect required only a simple verification of his token and destination.
However, no sooner had he left than the gatekeeper reported his movements to Meng Wentian.
Unbeknownst to Chen An, Meng Wentian had been keeping a close eye on him. Now, he knew exactly where Chen An was headed—the toxic marsh!