Chapter 192 - 154: The Great Gu Cultivator (Part 2)

But in reality, Zou Feng had no concerns about being completely drained.

Thanks to his Body Refining Skill, which had reached the level of Refined Skill, and the Demon Beast Meat he’d been eating for the past few days, his morning workout felt as easy as a few sets of push-ups.

In fact, he felt refreshed and invigorated afterward, ready to start another great day.

But Zou Feng didn’t answer right away. He continued to focus on the sensation.

After a long moment, he said with certainty, "There’s an extremely potent poisonous creature nearby. And more than one!"

Ever since cultivating the Five Poison Palm, he’d had a profound, almost mystical ability to sense poisons, a skill he’d possessed since his time at the Yang Mansion.

For him to suddenly have this feeling now meant it was definitely not for nothing.

Hearing this, Tian Yun’s face lit up. "Isn’t that perfect!"

Zou Feng had helped her break through to the Gang Qi Realm, and she truly wanted to repay the favor.

But Zou Feng didn’t look excited, because he was already certain that the poisonous creatures he sensed this time were anything but ordinary...

Therefore, he didn’t immediately pull Tian Yun along and rush over.

Instead, after a moment of thought, he gave Tian Yun a brief explanation, then activated his Great Universal Hand and lightly patted her on the back.

This palm strike would help Tian Yun slow the flow of Gang Qi in her body and suppress her bodily functions, lowering her heartbeat and pulse to a state approaching suspended animation.

Of course, this only worked because Tian Yun knew Zou Feng’s intentions and didn’t circulate her Gang Qi to resist.

As for Zou Feng, he did the same to himself. After activating the Great Universal Hand, he could even control his own emotions.

He entered a subdued, somber state, doing his best to erase his presence.

Once these preparations were complete, he led Tian Yun, quietly following his senses as they crept toward the poisonous creatures’ location.

After cautiously advancing for a few hundred yards, the two found themselves at the edge of a cliff.

The ravine below wasn’t deep, however, and they could clearly see what was happening at the bottom.

Using the foliage at the cliff’s edge for cover, the two slowly peeked over and looked down into the ravine.

And immediately, they spotted some familiar faces.

It was none other than Brother Duan and his group from Biyou Palace.

He’d been trying to catch a lone Biyou Palace disciple for the past two days with no luck. Zou Feng was just about to give up on the idea when they suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

’Too bad none of them are alone,’ he thought. ’All four I saw before are here. No opportunities for me. I should just forget it.’

However, Zou Feng didn’t leave right away.

He was sure of it. While the Biyou Palace disciples were certainly poisonous in their own right, the potent presence he was sensing had to be something else... something far more significant.

Sure enough, after chatting with the others for a moment, Brother Duan took out an ancient-looking Bell and shook it forcefully.

The sound of the Bell wasn’t loud, but up on the cliff, Zou Feng and Tian Yun heard it with perfect clarity, as if Brother Duan had shaken it right beside their ears.

Following the strange ringing, a monstrous, gigantic scorpion slowly emerged from a dark corner of the ravine below.

It was clearly a Demon Insect, as large as a horse-drawn carriage and radiating an extremely ominous aura.

Its most striking feature was its blood-red stinger.

Zou Feng stared at the Poison Scorpion’s stinger, and his mind immediately grew hazy, as if he were drunk.

He glanced at Tian Yun beside him and saw that she too was mesmerized by the stinger; she was already starting to look drowsy.

’How potent,’ Zou Feng thought.

’How incredible must the poison on this Poison Scorpion’s stinger be, to affect me after just a few glances?’

Based on that alone, Zou Feng was certain that if the Poison Scorpion wished, it could easily take out Brother Duan and his three companions.

However, the Bell that Brother Duan held clearly had some form of control over the creature that Zou Feng didn’t understand, keeping the Poison Scorpion from showing any intention of attacking them.

Brother Duan and his companions, for their part, showed little nervousness; they seemed quite familiar with the Poison Scorpion.

Only after the Poison Scorpion emerged from its dark corner did Zou Feng notice three deep-red-furred Demon Beasts lying there.

These three deep-red-furred Demon Beasts had clearly been captured specifically to be fed to the Poison Scorpion.

Evidently, this was one of Biyou Palace’s methods for Cultivation Gu.

It seemed the Gu Poison they had been creating in the depths of Qifeng Mountain was ultimately all meant to feed this Poison Scorpion.

At this thought, Zou Feng grew incredibly envious.

The poison on this Poison Scorpion’s stinger was probably the most toxic substance he had ever seen.

’If I could get even a tiny drop for my Cultivation,’ he thought, ’my progress would skyrocket, even though my Five Poison Fire Lotus Skill has already reached the Peak of Perfection.’

’And that’s not even mentioning the immense boost to my combat power once I’d thoroughly researched the poison’s specific effects...’

’But no matter how much I covet it, I’m not stupid enough to provoke that Poison Scorpion.’

’That thing is completely beyond me right now. I couldn’t handle it even if I broke through to the Sixth Grade.’

Next, Brother Duan shook the Bell again, and the Poison Scorpion began to ravenously devour the Demon Beasts before it.

Seeing this, Zou Feng decided he might as well slip away.

After all, seeing it but being unable to have it was pure agony.

But then he had another thought. ’Are these Biyou Palace disciples just here to feed the Poison Scorpion?’

’With its power, this Poison Scorpion should be able to roam freely in the depths of Qifeng Mountain and eat whatever it wants. Why would it need to be fed?’

’So, there must be more to this!’

Acting on the principle of "might as well, since we’re already here," Zou Feng glanced at Tian Yun, signaling that they should keep watching for now.

Tian Yun, of course, had no objection.

They didn’t have to wait long. The Poison Scorpion ate quickly, and in no time, it had devoured two of the Gu Beasts.

Even after finishing, it still seemed unsatisfied and let out a strange shriek at Brother Duan, as if expressing its displeasure.

This immediately brought a vexed expression to Brother Duan’s face.

They had originally raised enough mature Gu Beasts, but some unknown thief had intercepted them earlier, causing them to lose two.

Although they could raise more, it would still take a considerable amount of time.

Faced with the Poison Scorpion’s displeasure, Brother Duan had no choice but to shake the Bell forcefully once more.

The sound of the Bell had a powerful intimidating effect on the Poison Scorpion. The creature immediately stopped showing its displeasure and instead slowly extended its Poison Hook toward Brother Duan.

Soon, a small glob of deep-red venom coalesced on the tip of the Poison Scorpion’s stinger, about to drip down.

Brother Duan immediately raised a porcelain basin, steadily catching the falling drop of venom.

Logically, a Poison Scorpion this large should have produced a lot of venom.

In reality, however, though Brother Duan used a porcelain basin, he only managed to collect a thin layer of venom at the bottom.

Brother Duan didn’t seem surprised by this. He gave the Bell a light shake, and the Poison Scorpion retreated into the shadows, quickly disappearing from sight.

Brother Duan carefully set down the porcelain basin. He then used his Gang Qi to telekinetically manipulate the deep-red venom, dividing it among three small vials.

Once the vials were filled, his three companions each came forward, took one, and then sped off in three different directions.

Tian Yun watched this scene, completely bewildered, but Zou Feng had a rough idea of what was going on.

’The Biyou Palace disciples are most likely using this poison to create more of those deep-red-furred Demon Beasts,’ he surmised.

’Those Demon Beasts will then become the Poison Scorpion’s "Beast Gu," allowing its venom to continuously evolve.’

The principle was similar to the Iron Blood Gu Poison Group that Zou Feng himself had created.

However, to what extent Biyou Palace intended to raise this Poison Scorpion, and what they planned to do with its venom, was anyone’s guess.

At that moment, Zou Feng’s mind was filled with a single thought: ’Here’s my chance!’

’The three men who just left with the venom are all temporarily on their own.’

’With Tian Yun’s help, I’m no match for the Poison Scorpion, and I don’t even have much confidence in taking on Brother Duan.’

’But those other three are clearly much weaker than Brother Duan.’

’And since those three are now alone, I can’t possibly miss such a perfect opportunity.’

Zou Feng quickly gestured to Tian Yun with his eyes, and the two of them quietly retreated.

Once they were sure they were far enough away not to be detected by Brother Duan, they both began Cultivating again, emerging from the state in which they had suppressed their presence.

They then identified the direction taken by the nearest Biyou Palace disciple and gave chase at full speed.

Meanwhile, Brother Duan, who had remained behind in the ravine, was in no hurry to leave.

Instead, he pressed his palms to the bottom of the porcelain basin, which still had traces of venom, and began Cultivating...