Chapter 324 - 220: No Escape

"White Palace Master... are his injuries that severe?"

Zou Feng had just seen with his own eyes how Bai Chen tried to clash head-on with the Twenty-Third Sword, only to be struck from the sky. His condition was clearly dire.

Teng County nodded. "To fight Jing Huaisong, the White Palace Master consumed a massive number of Poison Pills at once to stimulate his potential. He pushed himself far too hard..."

"But even then, he still couldn’t overcome the Twenty-Third Sword. On top of his severe injuries, the Poison Pills he took were too numerous and too varied. They’re rapidly mutating inside his body, making them nearly impossible to purge!"

Hearing this, Zou Feng began to understand why the Palace Master was so urgently looking for him.

After all, everyone in Biyou Palace knew he was skilled at detoxification. He had even earned the moniker "Wandering Dragon Saint Hand" back in Qingchuan City.

’So they want me to help detoxify Bai Chen?!’

"Huh? I do have some skill in detoxification, but I haven’t even reached the True Qi Realm. You want me to detoxify the White Palace Master, who’s a True Qi Realm expert?"

"Besides, the Palace Master is so powerful and resourceful. Why would she ask a mere Fourth Grade practitioner like me to take on such a heavy responsibility? Doesn’t she have any other options?" Zou Feng asked all at once, a helpless, wry smile on his face.

Teng County looked quite helpless. "I don’t know either. To be honest... something is wrong with the Palace Master right now, too. Her body is shrouded in an uncontrollable poisonous aura. She can’t get near the White Palace Master for the time being. She says if she does, he’ll only die faster..."

"Uh, Brother Feng, don’t look at me like that. I wasn’t the one who recommended you for the detoxification, it was Yin Suhong!"

"Actually, several True Qi Realm experts in the palace have already tried to detoxify the White Palace Master, but with no obvious results. That’s when Yin Suhong brought up what you did in Qingchuan City..."

’So that’s how it is...’

What else could Zou Feng say? He could only think that Yin Suhong truly lived up to her reputation as the number-one woman on his list, always looking out for his best interests.

’She must be afraid I won’t die fast enough.’

Under normal circumstances, even if Zou Feng couldn’t save Bai Chen, he shouldn’t be punished for it.

After all, sending a Fourth Grade practitioner to detoxify a heavily injured First Grade expert was a desperate, last-ditch effort to begin with.

Furthermore, Zou Feng had performed brilliantly in the recent battle against the Celestial Essence Sword Sect, making a significant contribution.

There was no reason he should be made a scapegoat over the detoxification.

The problem was, the Biyou Palace Master was a Mad Lady!

Heaven knows how she would handle this.

Besides, detoxification was an extremely dangerous task in itself, let alone performing it on a First Grade Expert...

Perhaps sensing Zou Feng’s anxiety, Teng County tried to console him. "Brother Feng, don’t worry too much. From what I can tell, even though the Palace Master’s physical condition is off since her return, her mental state... well, she must have taken her medicine. She’s basically normal!"

’Taken her medicine, basically normal?’

’So everyone knows the Palace Master is a Mad Lady.’

"That’s good, that’s good!" At this point, all Zou Feng could do was hope the Palace Master had indeed taken her medicine today.

’Yin Suhong...’

’Sooner or later, I’ll refine that venomous snake in an instant!’

Putting aside the fact that Yin Suhong was the number-one woman on his list, the Snake Gu King Poison she carried was something Zou Feng was determined to obtain anyway.

He was actually aware of Yin Suhong’s secret plotting and was already prepared to turn her own scheme against her.

It was just that the sudden attack from the Celestial Essence Sword Sect had introduced some unexpected complications.

Next, however reluctant he was, Zou Feng soon found himself back in a familiar place: the Five Poison Hall.

This time, however, it wasn’t the main hall, but a side hall used for resting.

As soon as he entered, a variety of strange fragrances assailed his senses.

A barely breathing Bai Chen was reclining on a bed, apparently unconscious.

Surrounding the bed stood no fewer than seven or eight True Qi Realm experts from Biyou Palace.

Yin Suhong was naturally among them, looking at Zou Feng with her characteristically seductive expression.

Zou Feng’s attention, however, was focused on the Biyou Palace Master, whom he was seeing for the first time.

But he couldn’t make out her appearance at all.

Just as Teng County had said, the Biyou Palace Master, Su Qingyu, was completely enveloped in a multi-colored poisonous mist, making it impossible to see her clearly.

Furthermore, Su Qingyu was standing relatively far from the bed, clearly not wanting her own poisonous mist to affect Bai Chen.

After a moment, Zou Feng stopped staring at Su Qingyu, took two steps forward, and cupped his fist. "Greetings, Palace Master!"

Su Qingyu didn’t respond right away, clearly sizing up Zou Feng in silence.

"Elder Zou, I hear you’re skilled at detoxification?"

Su Qingyu’s voice was just as he’d heard before—exceptionally pleasant, almost intoxicating.

What else could Zou Feng say? He immediately replied, "I do know a thing or two."

"Good. Go and try to detoxify the White Palace Master."

"If you are effective, I shall reward you handsomely!" Su Qingyu said urgently.

Clearly, she cared deeply whether Bai Chen lived or died.

Hearing this, Zou Feng breathed a silent sigh of relief.

’Su Qingyu only cares about Bai Chen’s condition right now; she hasn’t shown any particular interest in me.’

’I can’t tell if she never had any designs on me in the first place, or if my disguise is working.’

Replying with a quick "Yes," Zou Feng strode to the bed to get a closer look at Bai Chen.

The surrounding True Qi Realm experts automatically parted to let him through.

None of them, including Yin Suhong, seemed to find it absurd that a Fourth Grade practitioner was being sent to detoxify a First Grade expert.

Zou Feng carried the Demon Slaying Order and had just killed He Yuan, wielder of the Flying Snow Sword. These accomplishments were enough for others to regard him as being on par with a Third Grade practitioner.

Zou Feng observed him carefully for a moment, even probing various parts of Bai Chen’s body with his hands, before his brow furrowed deeply.

Bai Chen’s current condition was indeed grim.

The amount of poison in his body was staggering, and it was still continuously intermingling, causing the Mixed Poison to mutate.

’Just how many kinds of Exotic Poison did this guy pop to fight Jing Huaisong?’

Although Zou Feng didn’t know the specific types of poisons, based on his knowledge of the Poison Dao, many of them were on par with the Poison of the Gu King.

It was a good thing Bai Chen was a First Grade Expert; even with his grievous injuries, he could still withstand the toxins and prevent them from reaching a full Burst.

Otherwise, if these poisons were to Burst after mixing, they could instantly kill several Third Grade practitioners.

"You’re here?"

The next moment, Bai Chen opened his eyes.

He immediately realized why Zou Feng was there.

"It’s fine. I can still hold on. Don’t put yourself on the spot."

He was clearly saying this to get Zou Feng off the hook.

He obviously knew that having a Fourth Grade practitioner like Zou Feng perform the detoxification was highly inappropriate.

It could very well cost Zou Feng his life.

After all, during detoxification, it would be easy to accidentally become contaminated by these intermingled Exotic Poisons.

However, Bai Chen would never have guessed that Zou Feng’s detoxification method was actually not very risky for him.

After all, his method of detoxification was simply to perform Refinement on these poisons while transferring the side effects to the number-one man on his list.

What Zou Feng found strange was how considerate Bai Chen was being, which, combined with the high regard he’d shown him at their last meeting...

...seemed a little too good to be true.

’Is Biyou Palace really an Evil Sect? It feels like, even with a madwoman like Yin Suhong around, many of the others are quite united and amicable.’

’Especially my superior, Bai Chen. He can barely save himself, yet he’s still looking out for me?’

It wasn’t that Zou Feng had never met kind-hearted people since he started his cultivation.

There was the chef he took as his master in the Yang Mansion, for example, and Bian Yixia, whom he’d met in the Black Flood Dragon Gang.

But Bai Chen’s kindness toward him was still completely baffling.

And Zou Feng had already subtly asked around before; Bai Chen was no soft touch. He had done his fair share of ruthless and vicious deeds.

"White Palace Master, I will do my best!"

With that, Zou Feng placed his hand on Bai Chen’s forehead.

He then began to circulate the corresponding Cultivation Skill, attempting to absorb and perform Refinement on the Mixed Poison in Bai Chen’s body, little by little.

Although the Refinement process should be risk-free for him, Zou Feng had no intention of refining all of it and completely cleansing Bai Chen.

Instead, he only planned to expel a small portion—just enough to get Bai Chen out of immediate danger.

After all, if he really cleansed it all and had Bai Chen up and about again so quickly, it would be far too miraculous.

Even for a Fourth Grade practitioner who was already acknowledged as being on par with a Third Grade, it would draw too much attention.

It would likely cause Su Qingyu, who currently had no interest in him, to suddenly take a *strong* interest.

’And in a fit of fancy, she might just order me to help her... let off some steam...’