TSFLIP Chapter 235

The Tang Sect’s hidden weapons are generally coated with poison, but the poison on the Rain of Blossoms Pear Blossom Needles is considered the deadliest of all. According to legend, there is a flower called the Tombsun Flower—its name derived from “tomb”—which only blooms at sunset on soil rich with the dead. No one knows how the flower came to be, but five hundred years ago, it suddenly appeared in the martial world. Its toxicity was so extreme that even the most powerful martial artists, no matter how deep their internal energy, would succumb within a single breath, their energy drained and their lives extinguished.

Alongside the Tombsun Flower, two other legendary items emerged: the Shennong Herb, said to heal flesh and bone, and the Ageless Jade, which could preserve youth.

The last Tombsun Flower withered and died ten years ago, and the only way to extract its poison now is through the Rain of Blossoms Pear Blossom Needles, which were soaked in its toxin in earlier times.

Mu Liunian pieced together these details after poring over countless books in the Qianjin Pavilion’s library.

“From the records I found, five hundred years ago, there was a martial arts prodigy. As a mere teenager, he defeated all the martial masters of his time. By the time he reached the pinnacle of martial arts, he was only in his early twenties. But once he had no more challenges, he disappeared for a while. When he reemerged two years later, he had become a murderous madman. He captured and killed many people in his pursuit of the secret to immortality.”

“Immortality?” The word sent a chill down Feng Guang’s spine, its elusive promise steeped in a foreboding aura.

“Yes, immortality,” Mu Liunian continued. “It’s said that just as he was on the brink of success, three masters appeared. They fought him and, though gravely injured themselves, ultimately killed him to rid the world of his evil. In his lair, they found three items he had been using to concoct the elixir of immortality. These three masters took the items and entrusted them to their descendants for safekeeping.”

Dan Ya added, “They didn’t destroy the items—they divided them among themselves. It’s clear they too were tempted by the idea of creating the elixir of immortality.”

“Exactly! Dan Ya, you’re the smartest—just the kind of man I admire.” Mu Liunian beamed at him with a wide grin. “Unfortunately for them, even with the materials, they couldn’t replicate the elixir. Maybe that so-called genius used other ingredients we don’t know about.”

Feng Guang asked, “The three people who safeguarded the items—who were they?”

“Their names have been lost to time,” Mu Liunian replied. “But it’s certain that the ancestors of the Guan family in Luoyang, the Tang family in Sichuan, and the Xia family in Jiangnan were the ones entrusted with the items.”

“So, myself, Guan Yueyue, and the Tang family’s predecessors…”

“Exactly. I suspect that the so-called Miracle Doctor targeted those three families because he learned about the elixir of immortality from five hundred years ago. But in the end, he got what he deserved. His death is karma.”

“Cough, cough!” Dan Ya cleared his throat and shot Mu Liunian a disapproving glance.

Realizing her bluntness, Mu Liunian sidled closer to him and apologized, “Sorry, I have a habit of speaking without thinking. Please don’t take offense.”

“It’s fine,” Feng Guang said with a strained smile. “Did you come here just to tell me why he was so obsessed?”

Dan Ya replied, “No. I came to warn you that Xue Ran may not be dead.”

“What did you say?”

“I fought at the Battle of Reversal Cliff,” Dan Ya explained. “I saw him die with my own eyes, but I have a feeling things aren’t as simple as they seem.” His grip on Mu Liunian’s hand tightened, a subconscious response to his growing unease. “To you, he may have appeared gentle and protective. During his time with the Demon Sect, he treated everyone with kindness. But often, that kindness was followed by cruelty—he would use people as test subjects for his poisons or throw them into cages with wild beasts, watching with a smile as the animals tore their bodies apart. To him, everyone in this world is nothing more than a plaything.”

Even he, Dan Ya, had survived such torment.