Chapter 149: Chapter 149: Poisoning
"How dare you!"
Chen Ping’an bellowed.
Constable Shi’s sneak attack had landed, and now that he had the upper hand, he was mercilessly pressing his advantage.
But Mu Wanjun was quick to react, and the others around them had also snapped to their senses, bravely leaping to her aid. For the moment, Constable Shi did not press his attack. He watched Mu Wanjun, now shielded by her subordinates, with a grotesque smile.
"As expected of the pride of Weishui! Lord Mu, you are indeed quick on your feet. Just a fraction of a second slower, and you’d be dead. Hahaha..."
"Who are you?"
Chen Ping’an never imagined the man before him had concealed himself so thoroughly. The man’s strike had succeeded not only because it was a surprise attack; he had also demonstrated immense power.
"Mai Xiongbo of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect!"
The man who was Constable Shi replied with arrogance.
He ripped the Human Skin Mask from his face, revealing an entirely different man beneath. Then, with a series of CRACKING sounds from his body, his frame seemed to shrink by a quarter.
Watching this transformation, Chen Ping’an’s expression turned grave. The surrounding Prison Guards drew their sabers, their blades aimed at the intruder.
A Protector of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect!
Mai Xiongbo!
Mu Wanjun’s face was grim. She couldn’t believe she had been caught by a sneak attack, and a successful one at that.
’I can’t believe someone from the Ten Thousand Demons Sect actually infiltrated our ranks, disguised as Constable Shi no less.’
’If Mai Xiongbo was disguised as Constable Shi, then the real Constable Shi is almost certainly dead.’
"Ah, that’s much more comfortable!"
Having returned to his original form, Mai Xiongbo sneered.
"If I hadn’t been focused on maintaining my physique, which hampered my combat strength, that last blow would have killed you, Mu Wanjun, no matter how fast you reacted!"
The Second Stage of Inner Qi, Purification and Rejuvenation!
At this moment, the aura of Mai Xiongbo’s Martial Arts Realm emanated from him, completely unrestrained and wanton.
"Surrender now, and I might grant you all a quick death!"
Mai Xiongbo stared at the crowd with unbridled arrogance, as if they were the ones surrounded, not him.
A Constable shouted defiantly, "In your dreams! There are many of us, and we are all elites. No matter how strong you are, you can’t win against these odds!"
"Oh?"
A playful smile appeared on Mai Xiongbo’s face.
The smile had not yet faded from his face when some of the constables and Prison Guards began to notice something was wrong. They started to sway on their feet.
"What’s happening!"
"Ah, my head is spinning!"
"It’s poison!"
"..."
Mu Wanjun was the first to realize something was wrong.
"Mai Xiongbo! You used poison?"
"Hahahaha... Just a little trick. Did you think I was just standing idle all this time?"
Mai Xiongbo looked as if victory was already in his grasp.
Poisoning so many people right under their noses was no easy feat. It required a combination of multiple colorless, odorless toxins, which were then activated by a catalyst at the crucial moment to achieve such an effect.
However, all things exist in balance. The more insidious the poisoning method and the faster it took effect, the more limited the poison’s efficacy would naturally be.
It was less a poison and more of an enhanced Secret Medicine.
Furthermore, it was only effective against Martial Artists in the Qi Blood Realm. Anyone who had entered the Inner Qi Realm could easily expel the toxin from their body.
THUD! THUD! THUD!
One after another, constables and Prison Guards began collapsing. It started with the regular constables, but soon even the elites couldn’t resist and crumpled to the ground.
’The fiends of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect are truly cunning! It wasn’t enough to create a diversion outside to draw away attention; they had to resort to such a sinister poisoning scheme as well!’
A trace of fear lingered in Chen Ping’an’s heart.
’Thankfully, the poison has no effect on me. Otherwise, the consequences would be unthinkable.’
’As I thought, none of these renowned Inner Qi Realm masters are easy to deal with!’
To avoid being targeted by Mai Xiongbo, Chen Ping’an decided to play along and feigned collapsing to the ground.
Within a few short breaths, the only person left standing was Mu Wanjun.
"Lord Mu, it’s just you left!"
SWOOSH!
Mai Xiongbo’s figure blurred, and in a flash, he was in front of Mu Wanjun. His pair of Iron Palms turned pitch-black as he ruthlessly struck out at her.
Mu Wanjun reacted in a flash, swinging her Longsword to meet his attack.
Mai Xiongbo’s initial palm strike had all but crippled Mu Wanjun’s right shoulder. She specialized in right-handed Swordsmanship; with her right shoulder ruined, she had lost more than half her combat strength.
Bare-handed against a weapon—logic dictated that the blade should hold the absolute advantage.
But as Mu Wanjun wielded her sword with her left hand to clash with Mai Xiongbo’s Iron Palm, she found herself at an absolute disadvantage.
Her Cultivation was already suppressed, and now she was gravely injured. It was a testament to her skill that she could even entangle him for a few moments. How could she possibly hope for more?!
"Hahaha... Lord Mu, forcing yourself to use your Swordsmanship like this will probably damage your foundation!"
Mai Xiongbo’s assault was ferocious, each move a killing blow. At the same time, he spewed taunts to disrupt Mu Wanjun’s focus.
"Mai Xiongbo, don’t get cocky. Even if you kill me, you won’t escape!"
Mu Wanjun’s Sword Techniques shifted as she struggled to parry Mai Xiongbo’s onslaught, a feverish flush creeping across her beautiful face.
"Are you talking about the people lying in ambush outside? Hahaha... Did you think we wouldn’t be prepared for them?"
Mai Xiongbo was unhurried, waiting for Mu Wanjun to reveal an opening.
Having decided to have a showdown with the Outer City Garrison Command, the Ten Thousand Demons Sect would naturally have a foolproof plan.
At the sites of the fires around the city, they had Stewards and Grand Stewards creating chaos to distract the Outer City Garrison Command. Outside the South City Prison, several more Grand Stewards at the Inner Qi Realm were tying up their forces.
The masters from the Garrison Commandant’s Office lying in wait would not be able to break away anytime soon.
Not only that, but they had also made other arrangements for any experts sent as reinforcements from the Outer City Garrison Command!
This time, the Ten Thousand Demons Sect had dispatched several Protector-level masters, each one possessing combat strength no less than his own!
And even...
The two figures flickered, Inner Qi surging with their every move. Compared to Mu Wanjun’s Inner Qi, the energy Mai Xiongbo wielded was far purer and imbued with a greater Power of Slaughter.
Whenever their techniques clashed, Mu Wanjun’s Inner Qi would immediately dissipate, forcing her to retreat again and again.
After little more than a dozen exchanges, Mu Wanjun’s situation had become perilous, her life hanging by a thread.
Mu Wanjun repeatedly unleashed bursts of Inner Qi, but this only aggravated her injuries. As time went on, her predicament would only grow more dangerous.
"What about the people inside?"
Mu Wanjun’s face was flushed as she Activated her Inner Qi to its absolute limit.
Mai Xiongbo may have poisoned a large number of Prison Guards and constables, but there should still be plenty of guards inside the South City Prison. With all this commotion outside, they should have come out to investigate by now.
If those Prison Guards and constables came out and surrounded Mai Xiongbo, it would lighten her burden somewhat.
"Lord Mu, you can stop waiting. The Ten Thousand Demons Sect has insiders in there as well. I’m afraid the help you’re waiting for will never arrive."
Mai Xiongbo’s face was a mask of mockery. Since they had launched their attack, it went without saying that they were fully prepared.
