Tang Fei pulled the car to a stop, and Ye Qiu looked up to see a range of towering mountains ahead.
At the foot of the towering mountains, several excavators stood, along with a patch of excavated foundations.
A large cordon had been strung around the foundations, guarded by dozens of soldiers on duty.
“Ye Qiu, do you see that cave?”
Tang Fei pointed at a cave at the base of the mountain and said, “It is the poisonous mist from inside that cave that has killed quite a few people.”
“Serves them right!” the Long Eyebrow Immortal said. “This is an accursed place. Building a private villa here, it would be strange if nothing went wrong. Even if it were built, the owner would be doomed to childlessness and an untimely death.”
The group got out of the car.
Ye Qiu glanced at the cave, and even from afar, he had a sensation as if it were not a cave at all, but the gaping maw of a ferocious beast.
“Were there any more deaths later?” Ye Qiu asked.
“Yes,” Tang Fei said. “Two more soldiers died afterwards, both my subordinates.”
“After I arrived here, I ordered two soldiers to enter the cave for reconnaissance. However, they were poisoned to death before they even stepped inside.”
“It is strange indeed. Neither gas masks nor protective suits worked here.”
“So I cordoned off the area and stopped anyone from approaching.”
Ye Qiu asked, “Where are the bodies of the deceased?”
Tang Fei said, “They were sent to the crematorium and incinerated.”
“All burned?”
“Yes. I did not know if the poison was contagious, so I did not dare keep them around. To be safe, I simply had the bodies cremated.”
Ye Qiu had originally planned to examine the bodies to determine the cause of the poisoning and the composition of the toxin, but now that path was closed.
However, Tang Fei’s approach was correct. Cremating the bodies was the most effective way to break any chain of transmission.
“Ye Qiu, were you thinking of investigating clues through the bodies?” Tang Fei said. “I have a method. I can get a death row inmate from prison and have the inmate test the poison.”
That was indeed a method. https://
Before Ye Qiu could respond, the Long Eyebrow Immortal said, “No need for such trouble. The little brat is immune to all poisons, so he will be fine entering the cave.”
“Besides, even if you use a death row inmate to test the poison, you still need to enter the cave in the end to investigate. It is better to go straight in and save time.”
“Little brat, what do you say?”
Ye Qiu nodded: “The old fellow makes sense. Let us go straight in!”
“Be careful. Those people before died just from approaching the cave,” Tang Fei cautioned.
“No matter.” With that, Ye Qiu led the Long Eyebrow Immortal across the cordon and headed directly towards the cave.
He did not follow. He knew that even if he did, he could not help, and he might end up poisoned himself.
Soon, Ye Qiu was only three metres from the cave.
He was very cautious, deliberately slowing his steps and approaching the cave gradually.
Only when he reached the mouth of the cave did Ye Qiu’s body show no signs of poisoning, and he let out a slight breath of relief.
“Such heavy yin energy!” the Long Eyebrow Immortal said.
Ye Qiu turned back and saw the Long Eyebrow Immortal standing behind him. He said, “How did you follow me? Are you not afraid of being poisoned?”
“Do not worry, this poor Daoist came prepared.” The Long Eyebrow Immortal opened his mouth, and Ye Qiu saw a talisman held under his tongue.
Ye Qiu peered into the cave and saw pitch blackness within, from which a yin wind blew out, carrying a thick stench.
However, Ye Qiu detected no toxins in the air.
“Old fellow, are you going in?” Ye Qiu asked.
“Of course,” the Long Eyebrow Immortal said. “Did this poor Daoist not say so? This journey is an omen of great fortune. Perhaps there is some treasure in this cave.”
Greedy old ghost!
Ye Qiu cursed inwardly and took the lead into the cave.
The Long Eyebrow Immortal followed, but no sooner had he stepped inside than he felt something amiss: “Little brat, it seems this poor Daoist has been poisoned. Save me quickly…”
Ye Qiu turned back in alarm.
Though the cave was pitch black, Ye Qiu’s eyesight was exceptional, and he saw that the Long Eyebrow Immortal’s skin had turned black, especially that old face, which looked as if it had been smeared with charcoal, pitch black and shiny.
“Do not move. Hold your breath. I will detoxify you.”
Ye Qiu took out his golden needles, but suddenly he noticed that the Long Eyebrow Immortal’s complexion had returned to a healthy flush, and his skin was recovering to its original state at a visible speed.
“Eh, old fellow, what method did you use to neutralise the poison?” Ye Qiu asked curiously.
“This poor Daoist did nothing…” The Long Eyebrow Immortal said, “I know now. It is that toad.”
Ye Qiu was puzzled: “The toad from Kunlun Mountain?”
“Yes,” the Long Eyebrow Immortal said. “After this poor Daoist returned from Kunlun Mountain last time, I perused the ancient texts of Dragon Tiger Mountain. In one old book, I found a description of that toad.”
“It turns out it is called the Blood-Crying Fire Toad. Consuming it not only boosts one’s cultivation but also counters strange poisons.”
“Just now, after this poor Daoist was poisoned, my meridians suddenly grew scorching hot, and then the poison dissipated. It must be due to the Blood-Crying Fire Toad.”
“Little brat, it seems this poor Daoist is now immune to all poisons as well. This is wonderful, hahaha…”
Ye Qiu put away his golden needles, and at that moment, his gaze fell to his feet.
The Long Eyebrow Immortal followed Ye Qiu’s line of sight and saw that Ye Qiu’s white trainers had, at some point, turned black.
The Long Eyebrow Immortal glanced at his own black cloth shoes and noticed their colour had deepened as well.
“There is poison on the ground!” the Long Eyebrow Immortal said. “Even our shoes have changed colour. This poison is no simple thing!”
Ye Qiu said nothing and simply strode forward.
The cave was extremely yin cold and abnormally dark. To be safe, the Long Eyebrow Immortal took out a flame talisman, clipped it between his fingers, and ignited it.
The two proceeded along the cave.
Suddenly, Ye Qiu halted.
“What is it?” the Long Eyebrow Immortal asked tensely.
“Did you smell anything?” Ye Qiu asked.
“Yes, a stench.”
“Besides the stench?”
The Long Eyebrow Immortal closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said, “The smell of blood.”
“Exactly, I smelled blood too.” Ye Qiu looked down again.
The Long Eyebrow Immortal shone the flame talisman and saw dark liquid on the ground, like black ink.
“Black blood!” Ye Qiu realised at once that the liquid on the ground was blood.
“It looks like there is something inside!” the Long Eyebrow Immortal said gravely.
“Be careful.” Ye Qiu warned and continued onward.
The Long Eyebrow Immortal stuck close behind Ye Qiu.
As they delved deeper, the cave grew wider, the black blood more abundant, like streams, until eventually their knees were submerged in it.
The stench grew ever thicker, nauseating.
After an unknown time, Ye Qiu stopped abruptly and said, “Old fellow, there is something ahead.”
The Long Eyebrow Immortal tossed out a flame talisman, instantly illuminating the cave, and the next moment, a cry of surprise rang out: “A dragon corpse!”
