Young Noble Be Monster Slaying

"It's quite a shock, huh? They moved faster than we expected.," the man remarked.

The soft trickling of water accompanied his words as wisps of steam curled up from the teacup, filling the room with a delicate fragrance. With a slight adjustment of his sleeve, he pushed the teacup forward, offering it to the person seated across from him.

The man's face was sallow, his frame nothing but skin and bones. He looked ill, exuding an aura that made it seem as though he was on the very brink of death.

Across from him sat a middle-aged man clad in black. Although it was warm in this room, he remained wrapped in a thick, dark robe. His weathered face showed no expression, yet his brows conveyed a trace of gloom and sorrow.

"Our Potion Jars did not get the chance to feast..." The man in black took the teacup first, seemingly unbothered by its scalding heat as he downed it in one swift gulp. Setting the cup down, he continued, "The destruction was far from enough."

"Master Song, this is not your fault. No one could have foreseen the Imperial Supervisory Bureau mobilizing its entire force before the chaos broke out," the emaciated man said slowly. "It’s just a shame that your Walking Jiangshi Poison could only be used once. I am afraid an antidote for this poison would soon be created."

"Rest assured, Mister Yang," Master Song, the man in black, sneered coldly. "As long as you pay me enough, I can develop a new deadly poison very quickly."

"Master Song, you truly live up to your reputation as the finest poison specialist in Black Pine Ridge," Mister Yang remarked casually, offering a light compliment.

Cries and wails echoed outside. The area around their pavilion had become the most chaotic part of the capital of Yu. Dark figures darted about, sinking their teeth into the fleeing citizens. Those who were bitten struggled for a moment before going crazy.

Amid the dense crowd of the presentation ceremony, many within the inner circle had already been bitten. Those on the outer edges remained clueless about the chaos unfolding and had no time to flee.

Fortunately, the powerful members of the Imperial Supervisory Bureau reacted swiftly. Whenever a citizen went berserk, cultivators would descend from the sky, subduing them in an instant. The citizens newly exposed to the toxins had yet to gain any significant combat strength, making their capture a simple task.

Soon, it wasn’t just the Imperial Supervisory Bureau; the city patrol guards and various armored forces of the capital joined the battle, assisting in evacuating the crowd and keeping those exposed to the Walking Jiangshi Poison under control.

Yet, amid the chaos, separated by just a wall, tranquility prevailed here.

"Most of my Potion Jars have been captured. It seems this won't last long," Master Song muttered, shaking his head with clear dissatisfaction.

"That's already more than enough," Mister Yang replied with a confident smile. "Our main battlefield lies elsewhere."

"After this, I probably won’t be able to establish myself in the land of the nine provinces anymore," Master Song said suddenly. "Your Celestial Charm Sect… Do you think I can join?"

"That’s not a decision we can make," Mister Yang replied calmly, seemingly unsurprised by the request. "I can consult the higher-ups. If they’re willing to accept you, we would certainly be pleased."

"Even with your high cultivation levels, you and your wife can’t decide?" Master Song asked, a hint of surprise flickering across his face.

"Cough, cough..." Mister Yang cleared his throat a few times before replying, "My wife's status is slightly higher than mine. If it weren't for her, I might not even be qualified to join."

Master Song was genuinely shocked. In their interactions over the past few days, he had sensed the immense and unfathomable power of the man before him. If even he had barely managed to join, just how powerful was this faction?

No wonder this faction dared to plot against the entire world.

"Your wife is indeed formidable," Master Song could only remark.

"Indeed," Mister Yang replied with a nod. "Aside from being a bit ugly, my wife is first-rate in every other aspect..."

"Yang Bujue[1]!" A stern voice rang out from beyond the door, which was flung open with a bang. A fragrant breeze swept in as the figure entered. "Talking bad about me again, are you?"

A tall, graceful woman stepped inside, her skin smooth and delicate, her features soft and gentle. An irresistible charm lingered in her gaze, exuding a beauty so striking that it felt unparalleled in the world.

However, her mannerisms and behavior left much to be desired.

She wore a purple gauze dress, sleeves rolled up, and without hesitation, grabbed Mister Yang by the ear, yanking it sharply.

"Wifey..." Yang Bujue cried out in pain.

Master Song's eyebrows twitched as he watched the woman thrash the frail-looking Yang Bujue for quite some time. She didn’t stop until he struggled to sit up. With that, a satisfied glint appeared in her eyes and she sat down and took a sip of tea.

"Madam Xiao, did everything go smoothly?" Master Song asked.

His expression grew uneasy. This woman, Xiao Wuyan[2], was Yang Bujue's wife—and she was evidently far more terrifying than her husband.

"Fairly smooth," Xiao Wuyan said with a nod. "Everything is within the plan."

Beside her, Yang Bujue awkwardly climbed back to the table and asked in a fearful tone, "Wifey, whose face are you using this time?"

"It's a concubine's face," she replied, shooting a cold glare at Yang Bujue. "I found it pretty, so I decided to use it for a while."

Her voice took on a biting edge as she added, "You like beauties, don't you? How about I keep this look forever?"

"I still prefer your original appearance," Yang Bujue replied firmly.

"Heh." Xiao Wuyan sneered. "Such bullshit."

…

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—"

The Imperial Supervisory Bureau echoed with cries of agony. Inside, the courtyard was packed with citizens poisoned with the Walking Jiangshi. With no antidote yet available, they could only be whipped by Chu Liang’s Poison-Expulsion Whip.

Snap, snap...

Chu Liang swung the whip, each strike landing on the body of a man whose skin had turned a shade of black. Around him, others were tightly bound, their faces contorted in pain as dark qi seeped out, growing thicker by the moment.

"If they remain in this berserk state for too long, they’ll die violently and transform into true Walking Jiangshi," Chu Liang warned, turning to the personnel of the Imperial Supervisory Bureau. "Once that happens, there's no saving them. We need to prioritize detoxifying those most affected."

"It seems like we won't make it in time..." Xue Muyu muttered, her brows knitting together in a deep frown.

She extended her hands, channeling her divine abilities to soothe the poisoned individuals. Still, it had little effect. As the Walking Jiangshi entered their berserk state, the only option left was to subdue them by force.

The timing of the Walking Jiangshi outbreak was truly insidious; it struck during the presentation ceremony when the capital was packed with people. Dozens of those Potion Jars hid among the crowd, and the poison spread to over a thousand people within moments.

As more people were poisoned, the number of transmitters rapidly multiplied. Had the Supervisory Bureau not acted promptly after Chu Liang's warning, the poison could have spread to tens of thousands, leading to unimaginable consequences.

Yet, even with timely intervention, thousands were already poisoned, and more continued to be brought in.

Chu Liang couldn't work fast enough on his own; during the wait, many would die as the poison attacked their hearts.

While everyone was feeling very anxious, the Imperial Supervisory Commissioner appeared.

Qi Yingxuan wasted no words; he simply raised his hand and made a sharp gesture.

Suddenly, the movements of all the poisoned people in the courtyard slowed to a crawl. Their actions, expressions, and even their breathing became several times slower than before.

Chu Liang's eyes widened. It was the first time he had ever seen something like this. Could this be the power of the Great Dao of Infinity?

Among the various Great Daos, those related to time were undoubtedly the most mysterious. Although the Imperial Supervisory Commissioner was the Dao Master of the Tai'a Great Dao, he also possessed some mastery over the Great Dao of Infinity, which pertained to time.

With a single gesture, he slowed the flow of time for all the poisoned individuals. As the poison's attack on their hearts slowed, Chu Liang gained more time to save them.

Snap, snap!

He swung the Poison-Expulsion Whip in rapid circles, as swift as leaves caught in a whirlwind, doing his utmost to cleanse the deep poison from the victims' bodies. Beside him, Xue Muyu acted swiftly, dispersing the poisonous mist expelled to prevent it from accumulating and poisoning others.

While they were urgently working to save people, a shrill shout suddenly pierced the air from outside.

"Make waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!"

1. Yang is a common Chinese surname. Bujue means Not Discouraged. And so, Yang Bujue means Yang does not feel discouraged. It conveys resilience or perseverance. ☜

2. Xiao is the surname. Wuyan means Without face or without beauty. It can mean Xiao has no face or Xiao is not pretty. ☜

GLTD Alternate Universe's Thoughts

Translator: GT