Chapter 1003: I Am Your Founding Ancestor

The purpose of coming to the Poison Hall was not to fight them, let alone to show off and cause a bloodbath.

It was to treat the student Wei Ruyan, who had a congenital poison body.

Now, before even finishing reading the books, he had killed over a dozen of their elders and beaten the hall master into this state... If this delayed the treatment, how could he face her father, who died for her?

He had considered releasing his clone to protect his physical body, but that guy was even more unreliable. If he had released him, probably not a single elder would be left now, and even the hall master would have been killed long ago.

As for releasing the Purple Leaf King or the Purple Sun Beast, coming alone and having an extra life form would be troublesome to explain and would cause unnecessary conflict.

He had thought he would just go and read some books, and the other party, mindful of their status, wouldn't cause trouble. He never dreamed that things would gradually escalate to this irredeemable point.

Looking at the many poison masters before him, their killing intent palpable, Zhang Xuan felt his scalp tingle.

If worst came to worst, should he release the Purple Leaf King and the Purple Sun Beast to kill all these poison masters and rid society of these tumors?

As soon as this thought arose, he couldn't help but shake his head.

He was a master teacher, not an executioner. Although these people were poison masters, they had not brought disaster to the region. To exterminate them all would not only violate morality but also go against his conscience.

After thinking it over, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask, "May I ask where Elder Xu is?"

Perhaps he could help mediate and explain the situation.

"Elder Xu brought a wolf into the fold and killed our elders, a heinous crime. I have ordered him to be detained and await punishment..."

Hearing this, the hall master gritted his teeth.

If Elder Xu hadn't brought this unknown person, how could the Poison Hall have suffered such heavy losses? Regardless of how this Sun Qiang was dealt with, the former must be punished!

"Betraying the Poison Hall? This... Elder Xu is loyal and devoted. Isn't this decision a bit biased?"

Zhang Xuan stood up abruptly and couldn't help but defend him.

It was one thing for them to come after him, since the trouble was caused by his physical body, but... it really wasn't Elder Xu's fault!

He had kindly brought him here and explained things along the way. If he were implicated because of this, Zhang Xuan would truly feel sorry.

"Your strength is great, but the hatred for killing so many elders must be avenged. Even if the Poison Hall is left with no one standing, we will not back down!"

The hall master roared.

Whether the other party killed in a sleepwalking state or intentionally, so many elders had died because of him. Hatred had already arisen and could no longer be undone!

Otherwise, if he could get away with murder just because of his strength, where would the Poison Hall's dignity be?

And how could they face their ancestors?

"Men, bring Xu You up here! Kill him first, then we'll deal with this guy together!"

Waving his hand, the hall master shouted.

"Yes!"

Two elders hesitated for a moment, then turned and flew out. Before long, they brought Elder Xu over.

At this moment, Xu You's restraints had been removed. Seeing the mess on the ground, his lips trembled, his eyes were dull, and he was filled with self-reproach.

In his view, if he hadn't brought Sun Qiang here, this situation would never have occurred. If he had known this would happen, it would have been better if he had died instead of Elder Xue!

"Do you have anything to say?"

The hall master looked at him.

"I..." His body stiffened. After a moment, Elder Xu sighed. "Having caused such a great disaster, I will accept any punishment..."

It was his failure to see the true nature of the person that had led to this situation. As a poison master, even death could not atone for his sins.

"Good that you admit your guilt!"

Turning his head, the hall master ordered, "Proceed!"

He didn't want to kill the other party either, but since the disaster had occurred, if he didn't make a decision, how could he win over the crowd?

How could he then deal with this great demon before him?

"Yes!"

The other elders nodded and looked over with troubled expressions.

"No need for you to act; I'll do it myself..."

Knowing that these old friends found it hard to strike, Elder Xu gritted his teeth and was about to circulate his true energy to sever his heart meridian and commit suicide when he heard Sun Qiang's voice from ahead.

"Wait..."

Looking up, he saw that Sun Qiang, who had been so anxious before, had now calmed down. His chin was slightly raised, his hands clasped behind his back, exuding an air of superiority and serenity.

"Since things have come to this, it seems there's no need to hide my identity any longer..."

"Identity?"

The crowd frowned.

The hall master also couldn't help but look over.

"Indeed!"

Nodding, Zhang Xuan's voice was calm and indifferent. "Do you know what constitution the founding ancestor of the Poison Hall had?"

"The founding ancestor had a congenital poison body, naturally immune to poisons, which is why he created the profession of poison master and became famous throughout the world..."

Although he desperately wanted to kill this guy, he also knew that acting rashly would only hurt himself. Suppressing his anger, the hall master explained.

As a poison master, he was no stranger to the deeds of the founding ancestor.

"Correct, it was the congenital poison body!"

Zhang Xuan nodded and continued, "Do you know why all the poisons you used on me earlier had no effect at all?"

"This..."

Everyone was stunned.

In truth, this was also what puzzled them.

Even the Hall Master's beetles were of no concern—what kind of antidote could be so powerful?

"Could it be... could it be that you, too, are an Innate Poison Body?"

The Hall Master's body stiffened as he couldn't help but look over.

The other had first mentioned the sect's founding ancestor, then claimed not to fear poison—if they still couldn't figure it out, they would truly be fools.

"I am not!"

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"Not?"

Everyone exchanged glances. If not... then why spout all this nonsense?

"Actually, whether I am or not, I can't be sure either. I only know that once I start cultivating, I fall into a special state, as if my soul has been swapped, and my body is no longer under my control! At such times, the consciousness that controls my body is immune to all poisons—no toxin can affect it..."

Zhang Xuan continued.

"Swapped soul?"

"Immune to all poisons?"

Everyone was taken aback. Are you telling a ghost story?

"Exactly!" Zhang Xuan shook his head with a bitter smile. "You may not believe it, but that's how it is... Just now, when we fought, so dangerous, I never once opened my eyes, did I?"

Everyone nodded.

Indeed, from the start of the battle, this fellow had not opened his eyes, as if sleepwalking.

"Actually, it's not that I didn't want to open them, but I was controlled by another consciousness, unaware of anything... And that consciousness, if I'm not mistaken, is none other than the founding ancestor of the Poison Hall!"

Zhang Xuan said.

"There's another consciousness inside you... the founding ancestor of the Poison Hall?"

"What kind of joke is that..."

Everyone frowned.

The founding ancestor of the Poison Hall was a contemporary of Confucius, living tens of thousands of years ago. Even if he were still alive, he would have long since passed away. How could his consciousness be attached to this fellow?

"I know this sounds absurd, but it's the truth. How about this: I'll continue cultivating and let him take control of my body. Perhaps then you'll have your answer!"

Shaking his head, Zhang Xuan's face showed reluctance. After a moment's hesitation, he gritted his teeth and sat down cross-legged again.

Boom!

The moment he sat down, everyone immediately felt the grand formation of the entire island, as if controlled by someone, emit a rumbling sound.

Then, "Sun Qiang," with his eyes tightly shut, slowly spoke, his voice carrying a sense of age and gravity.

"What? You doubt my identity?"

This voice was completely different from Sun Qiang's previous speech, seeming to carry violence and bloodlust. Though not as terrifying as the alien clan's, it still gave an extremely fearsome feeling, as if one were being oppressed for too long and might collapse at any moment, the soul shattering first.

Everyone's pupils contracted.

Both the voice and the aura were entirely different from before—it could be clearly determined that they were definitely two different people!

Moreover, this aura was heavier, more ancient, giving a sense of traversing history.

"Senior, you claim to be... our founding ancestor. How can you prove it?"

Under the oppressive aura, cold sweat dripped from the Hall Master's forehead as he gritted his teeth.

"I need to prove myself to you? Who do you think you are?"

"Sun Qiang," sitting cross-legged, let out a furious roar.

"It's not that we doubt your identity, Senior, but... the founding ancestor has been gone for tens of thousands of years... and now you say you share a body with this Sun Qiang. We juniors find it hard to comprehend..."

The Hall Master gritted his teeth.

"I know you can't wrap your head around it. Very well!"

Hearing his words, "Sun Qiang" did not retort as before but paused, as if recalling a painful memory, and said calmly, "I am but a remnant soul, accidentally lodged in a Hell Seven-Heart Lotus, surviving! It was this Sun Qiang who brought me out from the ruins!"

"Since then, I have resided within him, appearing only when he cultivates... Otherwise, do you think a mere Congenital Saint like him could see through this grand formation, be immune to all poisons, and even easily defeat you?"

"Sun Qiang" snorted.

The Hall Master was stunned.

To be honest, he too had found it hard to believe.

The other's strength was indeed only at the Congenital Saint level, while he himself was a solid peak Saint Domain Tier 3 expert!

Even with his natal poison insect killed, his body damaged, and his strength unable to fully manifest, he still had at least peak Saint Domain Tier 2!

A Congenital Saint fighting him to a standstill, only slightly inferior... Since he began cultivating, he had never heard of such a prodigy.

Most crucially, the other's inner qi seemed inexhaustible—he had killed over a dozen elders, wounded a vice hall master, and fought him for so long, yet remained calm and composed... It was utterly baffling.

Moreover, this fellow was completely indifferent to poison.

His own poison insect bit him, but not only was he unharmed, the insect was directly poisoned to death... If there were nothing strange about that, he wouldn't believe it even if beaten to death.

And the formation...

The other easily controlled it—something absolutely impossible for a Congenital Saint.

"Senior claims to be a remnant soul of our founding ancestor. Do you have any evidence?"

Though still somewhat suspicious, the Hall Master couldn't help asking.

"Hmph, I normally wouldn't need to explain myself to a junior like you. Anyone who dares to doubt, I would simply kill them all... However, this Sun Qiang is unwilling to see bloodshed and has urged me several times, so I won't say more!"

"Sun Qiang" snorted: "Your founding ancestor was not only an Innate Poison Body but also an Innate Poison Soul Body... As a poison master, I need not elaborate on how to identify an Innate Poison Soul Body, do I?"