Chapter 1001: So Noisy

These nine dark-gold venomous insects had taken him centuries to cultivate, consuming who knows how much wealth and countless blood offerings. They were dearer to him than his own sons, his absolute lifeline. Now they all fell to the ground, motionless. The fact that he didn't spit blood and die on the spot showed his mental fortitude.

Seeing his state and the condition of the insects, everyone around exchanged bewildered glances.

"The dark-gold venomous insects were... poisoned to death by this Sun Qiang?"

"He carries an even deadlier poison, one that even the insects can't withstand?"

"He came to poison someone, but got poisoned himself..."

...

Once they figured out what had happened, each of them felt utterly exasperated.

With their knowledge and expertise in poison, they could naturally see the cause of the insects' death—they had been instantly killed by a more potent toxin!

These nine beetles had only ever been on this Sun Qiang's body. There was only one possibility: the poison on him was even more terrifying!

They had come to poison someone, and the other party, with eyes closed and motionless... had managed to poison the hall master's lifeline to death...

All the onlookers felt they were going mad.

This was the Poison Hall, the most fearsome place for poison use in the entire Hongyuan Empire, even the Qingyuan Title Empire. Here, poisoning the hall master's lifeline to death... how had he done it?

"I'll kill you..."

Just as they were wondering, the hall master's furious roar rang out.

The hall master had lost all his previous elegance and dignity. His eyes were bloodshot, revealing a hysterical rage, as if he wished he could devour the man before him on the spot.

No wonder.

With the death of his lifebound venomous insects, not only were his years of accumulation destroyed, but his cultivation had also suffered greatly. Previously at the peak of Saint Domain Triple, now he could barely muster the strength of the peak of Saint Domain Double.

Boom!

With the insects dead, using poison was out of the question. Amidst his roar, the hall master's true qi surged, forming a massive palm in the air that struck straight down.

Before the palm reached "Sun Qiang," the man who had been sitting cross-legged suddenly stood up, eyes still closed. With a flick of his wrist, a long spear appeared.

Even more terrifying than Zheng Yang back then, the spear thrust through the air like a dragon breaking through clouds, galloping across the sky, soaring for ten thousand miles.

Crash!

The two forces collided and annihilated in midair.

Pushed back by the shockwave, Zhang Xuan retreated two steps, then stomped hard and charged forward like lightning. Mid-charge, he thrust his spear again.

This time, man and spear became one, as if he were the spear and the spear were him. Surging true qi, combined with his immensely powerful physical body, caused the bluestone ground to explode before he even arrived. The spot where the hall master stood collapsed into a large pit.

"Damn it..."

With a roar, the hall master met the attack again.

Under normal circumstances, although the opponent's power was violent, with his peak Saint Domain Triple combat strength, crushing him would have been easy!

But with his nine lifebound venomous insects just killed, both his body and soul had suffered immense damage. His strength was barely a tenth of normal, and clashing head-on with the enemy now felt difficult to withstand.

The opponent... was only a Saint Ascender!

"I don't believe I can't kill you..."

He shouted again, channeling his internal energy to the limit. His true qi boiled like water, making gurgling sounds.

Boom!

The spear tip and palm print collided with a thunderous roar that shook the surroundings. The escaping true qi pulverized all buildings within hundreds of meters into dust. The poison masters who had wanted to watch the excitement felt the immense power and retreated in fear, not daring to come close.

Pfft!

The hall master had used his full strength, but the still-closed-eyed "Sun Qiang" seemed unable to withstand it. He spat blood, flew backward, and crashed heavily to the ground.

Although Zhang Xuan had cultivated the Saint Ascension Decipher and could fight above his level, there were limits... The hall master's power was too great; he was no match.

Of course, if his soul hadn't left his body, he could have used the Library of Heaven's Path to find flaws and devise a battle strategy. Even against a powerful opponent, the outcome would have been uncertain. But now, with only brute force, it was much more dangerous.

"Die!"

Having knocked "Sun Qiang" away, the hall master stepped forward again, closing in.

From the previous clash, he had gauged the opponent's true strength. It was still somewhat inferior to his own. As long as he didn't give him a chance to catch his breath, he could surely kill him!

Whoosh!

Sensing the danger of his attack, the opposite "Sun Qiang" seemed frightened. He threw his long spear straight and turned to flee.

In the blink of an eye, he had dashed several hundred meters.

"Where do you think you're going..."

The hall master hadn't expected this guy to have no principles at all—first arrogantly fighting with eyes closed, now fleeing without a trace. Furious, he roared and gave chase, striking down again.

Boom!

His heavy palm strike created a large crater, but the opponent's speed was too fast; he barely dodged.

"Stop him..."

Seeing the man running faster and faster, and knowing he himself was severely injured and couldn't hold out long, the hall master turned to order.

"Yes!"

The elders didn't dare hesitate and gave chase.

They chased fast, but Zhang Xuan ran even faster, still with eyes closed, running aimlessly. Wherever he passed, countless buildings were smashed down. In an instant, the entire Poison Hall was shrouded in dust and smoke. The ancient structures that had stood for who knows how many years were all destroyed.

Seeing his ancestral legacy being demolished by this guy, the hall master's eyes nearly split with rage. He flipped his wrist, and a token appeared in his palm. He infused it with true qi, and it slowly floated into the air, as if communicating with some special power, emitting a dazzling light.

"Descendant, the thirtieth Poison Hall Master, activates the grand protective array..."

Rumble!

With the sound, the token's light grew brighter. The massive array that had concealed the entire island seemed to be activated by a special force, slowly beginning to operate.

This array, left by the founding master of the Hongyuan Poison Hall, could not only conceal the island but also trap and poison invaders!

The man in the distance was not only fleeing but also causing destruction everywhere. If he wasn't stopped and killed, the Poison Hall's ten-thousand-year legacy would be ruined.

Hum!

As the array activated, a powerful force surged toward the fleeing Zhang Xuan.

Whoosh!

The array moved too fast for him to dodge, instantly sealing him inside, as if trapped in a cage.

"Hmph, let's see how you escape now..."

Seeing the array's power, the hall master's eyes lit up. He hurriedly flew over, but before he could reach, he saw this "Sun Qiang" seem to remember something. He suddenly stepped back a few paces within the seal and stomped hard on the ground.

Crack!

The seal shattered instantly. Then he stood still, raised his right hand, and grabbed.

Whoosh!

The token he had refined immediately lost control and flew straight toward the opponent.

"What?"

The hall master's pupils contracted; he nearly died of fright on the spot.

Breaking the seal so easily and snatching the token from his hand... there was only one possibility: the opponent was extremely familiar with the array, had fully understood its flaws, and had taken control of it!

How... was that possible?

This array had been studied by the founding master for who knows how many years, perfectly laid out according to the terrain. Even successive generations of array masters had only a partial understanding... How long had this guy been here? Not only had he figured it out, but he had also found the defects...

How had he done it?

Shocked, he was about to reclaim the token controlling the array when he saw the young man, still with eyes closed, flip his hand again.

Whoosh!

A force immediately struck, and the hall master's body stiffened...

The array had been taken over by the opponent, turning his own technique against him, trapping him inside.

"Damn..."

His pupils contracted. The hall master surged all his power, trying to break free from the seal, when he saw a foot stomping straight toward his face.

Bang!

With one hit, several teeth were knocked out, and blood streamed from his mouth and nose.

"Sun Qiang, how dare you hit me! I'll kill you!"

He roared, but before he could finish, the opponent's fists and feet came faster and faster.

Crackle!

In less than ten breaths, he had taken at least thirty or forty slaps and fifty or sixty kicks. His face was beaten beyond recognition; if thrown out, no one would believe he was the kindly hall master.

Under normal circumstances, even if he couldn't kill the opponent quickly, it would be very difficult for the opponent to hurt him.

But after activating the array, not only had he failed to kill the enemy, but the enemy had also used the array's power to beat him mercilessly. The hall master felt his head spinning, about to explode.

He was the Poison Hall Master, the most powerful and highest authority in the entire Hongyuan Poison Hall...

Activating the grand array, only to have it used against him and get beaten up badly... what kind of nonsense was this?

How did it feel like the other party was the hall master, and he was the intruder?

"Hall Master..."

The elders who had come to help saw "Sun Qiang" relentlessly beating the hall master, nearly to death. They scratched their heads, not knowing what to do.

When the hall master stepped in, they thought he would surely turn the tide and restore their pride. They never expected that first the venomous insects would be poisoned, and then he would be beaten...

"Don't harbor killing intent toward this Sun Qiang, or he will kill you..."

Seeing the hall master about to be beaten to death, an elder recalled the earlier situation and couldn't help shouting.

"Don't harbor killing intent?"

The hall master, his face swollen, didn't know why the elder said that, but since he shouted so loudly, it must be correct. Suppressing his anger, he gradually restrained his killing intent.

As soon as he suppressed it, the opposite "Sun Qiang" indeed stopped. He sat cross-legged again not far away and continued cultivating.

Throughout, his eyes never opened, as if all his previous actions had been done in a trance.

"What... is going on? I was beaten by someone sleepwalking?"

The hall master's eyes reddened.

As the dignified Poison Hall Master, being beaten by a strong cultivator would be one thing, but to be beaten beyond recognition by a Saint Ascender ally, nearly dying... what kind of mess was this!

...

Meanwhile, Zhang Xuan's soul had just finished reading the books on the third floor.

Sensing the spiritual energy surging outside, the massive array operating, buildings collapsing, and thunderous noises, he frowned in displeasure.

"So noisy. Can't a person read in peace?"