"Sect Master, Yangming Valley is full of poisons, Lei Gong Teng won't be easy to get!" Poisonous Lady exclaimed in disbelief. In Yangming Valley, every flower and grass is poisonous. Lei Gong Teng, in particular, attacks living beings. Anyone injured by Lei Gong Teng will be paralyzed and unable to move. Xiao Man actually told them to retrieve a segment of Lei Gong Teng, wasn't this sending them to their deaths?
"Although Lei Gong Teng is not easy to get, it doesn't mean it's impossible to retrieve," Xiao Man said slowly. "Yangming Valley is full of poisons, but it doesn't mean it's impassable. It's just that you can't approach the central area where the Dragon Spirit Bamboo is located. Retrieving a segment of Lei Gong Teng, though difficult, is not an impossible task. Alright, let's begin. Everyone must retrieve a segment of Lei Gong Teng before nightfall."
Upon hearing this, Shan Yun immediately drew his saber and walked in. Qi Hong quickly followed, "Xiao Yun, slow down, wait for me."
Xiang Jian shrugged and was about to follow when Xi Wen had already rushed ahead. Poisonous Lady and Zhou Yan exchanged glances, then had no choice but to follow into the valley.
Xiao Man finished eating the snake meat in her hand, slowly got up, and walked into Yangming Valley.
Inside Yangming Valley, it was like a fairyland. Flowers of various colors bloomed brilliantly. If one were to ignore their poisonous nature, it would indeed resemble a utopia. However, this was no utopia; it was a place full of hidden dangers.
Xiao Man walked alone at the rear. If anyone looked closely, they would see that poisonous insects retreated rapidly as if facing their natural predator. Even the vibrant flowers and plants swayed their bodies with all their might, trying to distance themselves from Xiao Man. If they had legs, they would have long since fled.
Compared to Xiao Man's stroll as if in her own backyard, the others were not so lucky. Shan Yun had studied medicine under Xiao Man for some time and recognized many poisonous herbs. Poisonous Lady, having dealt with poisons since childhood, recognized most of the venomous creatures here and knew which ones were safe to touch and which were not, carefully avoiding them.
Zhou Yan followed closely behind Poisonous Lady, refraining from touching anything he didn't have to. However, the poisonous insects here didn't necessarily leave you alone just because you didn't provoke them. A red mosquito landed on Zhou Yan's face. Poisonous Lady swatted it away with a slap, causing Zhou Yan's face to sting fiercely. Poisonous Lady quickly took out a small porcelain bottle and applied some ointment to Zhou Yan's face.
Zhou Yan was somewhat bewildered by Poisonous Lady's actions. "Fairy, I haven't offended you, have I?"
Poisonous Lady put away the ointment and showed him the mosquito stuck to her palm. "This mosquito is extremely venomous. A single bite would send you to the King of Hell within half a day. Protect your face; otherwise, you won't have a single good piece of flesh left on it when we get out."
Zhou Yan was alarmed and quickly tore off a strip of cloth to cover his head and face, leaving only his eyes exposed. He continued to follow Poisonous Lady deeper into the valley.
The group walking ahead did not fare as well.
Not long after entering, Qi Hong was poisoned, and Xi Wen was supporting him. Although Shan Yun had treated him promptly, his poisoned leg was still weak. Xi Wen helped him walk.
"I'm sorry for being a burden."
"It's nothing." Xiang Jian, holding his sword, kept his hands tucked under his armpits, resolutely not touching anything. He had only heard of Mingyang Valley and never entered before, but that didn't mean he didn't know everything inside was poisonous!
"I didn't expect the things inside to look so beautiful yet be so lethally poisonous," Qi Hong said, feeling a sense of lingering fear. He had merely brushed against a blade of grass, and it had nearly crippled his leg.
"The Sect Master said that the more beautiful something is, the more dangerous it is. This applies to people, plants, trees, animals, and insects alike. The more vibrant, the more deadly," Shan Yun explained to everyone. "When the Sect Master mentioned entering Yangming Valley, I checked the sect's records and consulted Poisonous Lady. In Yangming Valley, the more beautiful things are, the more lethally poisonous they are. Every herb, every tree, every flower, and every leaf here is poisonous."
Qi Hong quickly retracted his hand, fearing he might accidentally touch something poisonous again.
"The more beautiful something is, the more lethally poisonous it is..." Xiang Jian mused, "Then is our Sect Master the most poisonous in the world? After all, the Sect Master is more beautiful than any woman."
"I have never seen anyone more beautiful than the Sect Master," Shan Yun said with a smile. "However, Vice Sect Master, if the Sect Master hears you call her the most poisonous in the world, she might get angry and take it out on your face."
Xiang Jian's face stiffened, and he involuntarily touched his own face. In fact, he had known from the start that he was no match for Xiao Man. He had proposed a martial arts match with her precisely to trick her into joining the Eight Directions Sword Sect. He just hadn't expected Xiao Man to be so vengeful, beating him into a pulp in front of everyone.
Suddenly, Shan Yun stopped, and everyone followed suit. "Lei Gong Teng."
Everyone's gaze fell upon a seemingly ordinary tree in front of them, and they couldn't help but express doubt. "Is this Lei Gong Teng?"
"Yes," Shan Yun nodded affirmatively.
"Is Lei Gong Teng poisonous?" Qi Hong inquired.
"Yes, Lei Gong Teng has thorns, and the thorns are poisonous. They cause paralysis and immobility. Furthermore, Lei Gong Teng will..."
"Will what?"
"It will actively attack people," Xi Wen interjected. "You must be extremely careful when retrieving Lei Gong Teng."
"I'll go first," Xiang Jian immediately drew his sword and rapidly approached the Lei Gong Teng. However, before he could get close, the ordinary-looking Lei Gong Teng suddenly became ferocious, with its hanging vines rapidly lashing out at Xiang Jian. Xiang Jian, startled, quickly retreated. To his surprise, the Lei Gong Teng managed to burrow out of the ground and grabbed Xiang Jian's ankle. Xiang Jian swiftly chopped off the Lei Gong Teng that had grabbed his ankle and used his sword to flick the severed segment towards Shan Yun and the others. Shan Yun quickly lifted the hem of his robe to catch the falling Lei Gong Teng.
"Let me chop off a few more segments." Xiang Jian charged forward again. With the experience of the first attempt, he carefully dodged the Lei Gong Teng's attacks. However, the Lei Gong Teng was too cunning, and its vines were too numerous. He was no match for it alone. At this moment, Poisonous Lady and Zhou Yan arrived and joined in, cutting off Lei Gong Teng and then fleeing.
"Idiot, that's enough, let's go!" Poisonous Lady grabbed Xiang Jian by the collar and dragged him back. Zhou Yan and Xi Wen were responsible for covering their retreat. The group retrieved the Lei Gong Teng and quickly fled, unaware that they had angered the Lei Gong Teng, which uprooted itself and pursued them relentlessly.
"Heavens above, this Lei Gong Teng has become a spirit! It's chasing us!" Zhou Yan looked back, his face pale with terror. "I told you this Yangming Valley was no place to come! Even a Lei Gong Teng has become a spirit!"
"Quick, quick, quick, let's get out," Poisonous Lady's liver and gall were about to split. This was her first time seeing a Lei Gong Teng that had become a spirit. The things in Yangming Valley indeed could not be judged by ordinary standards.