Chapter 140: A Strategy for Detoxification

Only Bai Shengye seemed somewhat dazed along the way. His thoughts had long since drifted away from the outcome of the match. As though trying to drown his sorrows in drink, he gulped down restorative potions while sinking into memories of the past.

Upon the vast snowy plains stood two of the most powerful clans: the House of Ice and Snow, and the House of Medicine Immortals. The two families had intermarried for generations, maintaining close ties and jointly sustaining the prosperity of the Snowlands.

The head of the House of Ice and Snow—the current Ice Queen, Qian Lan—had been beautiful and virtuous in her youth. She married Bai Chenxi, the head of the House of Medicine Immortals, and the two had loved each other deeply. Before long, they had a daughter: Qian Xue.

Qian Xue’s original name had been Bai Xue. As a child, she had been clever and well behaved, and she had grown up alongside Bai Shengye, who was about her age. The two had been childhood companions, close as could be.

Until…

The relationship between Qian Lan and Bai Chenxi gradually fell apart. Conflicts and quarrels arose constantly, whether over family decisions or the details of daily life. In the end, the day came when the two families severed relations completely.

From then on, Qian Lan’s temperament changed drastically. She became quick-tempered and suspicious. Leading the members of the House of Ice and Snow northward, she crossed the Frigid Mountains and swore never to meet the House of Medicine Immortals again. She herself took up residence in a castle built of ice and snow.

It was at this time that Bai Xue changed her name to Qian Xue. She followed her mother into the castle deep in the snowy mountains, and from the moment they parted, she and Bai Shengye never saw each other again.

Bai Shengye waited for a very long time, gazing day after day and night after night at the Frigid Mountains whose summits were hidden from sight. At last, his heart turned to ash. He left that place of sorrow and came to the Holy City…

By then, several of them had already entered the lounge. Bai Shengye collapsed onto the sofa, his heart hollow. Yun Lan could not help praising each of them for their victory in the opening match.

“To celebrate today’s victory, let’s go feast at the night market!”

Yixin’s face darkened. His gaze seemed to say, “You know I’ll reject the idea, and you still dare suggest it?”

He declared with great seriousness, “We came here to compete, not to play around. Tomorrow’s match will be even more brutal. We should spend today recuperating and avoid going out. We can have something simple here in the lounge. I’ll go to the street and buy some nutritious ingredients.”

Ling Xiaolei had just risen, ready to cheer loudly, but could only swallow and sit back down.

Lingmeng added, “I agree with Yixin. We have only won one round and should not let our guard down. I’ll go buy the ingredients with you.”

The excitement in everyone’s hearts gradually subsided.

“Since everyone agrees, let’s rest properly. Lingmeng and I will prepare the meal.” With that, Yixin and Lingmeng walked out.

“Is he really going to cook himself?” Heiyu murmured.

By evening, Yixin had returned carrying fresh vegetables and meat. After tying on an apron, he got to work in the kitchen at one side of the lounge.

Everyone washed their hands and came over to help. Some washed vegetables, while others chopped them. The cramped kitchen became packed and lively.

Yixin, however, was thoroughly exasperated. He complained that they were getting in his way, constantly commenting on the heat of the stove and the amount of seasoning they used. In the end, he even laid down a series of strict requirements.

Before long, a sumptuous meal had been set on the table through everyone’s bustling efforts.

“Wow, I had no idea you could cook!” Ling Xiaolei exclaimed.

“He’s usually the one who cooks at home, because Dad’s skills are unbelievably terrible…” Heiyu recalled the charred lumps of food that had so often emerged from his father’s kitchen.

Shen Zaiguo gazed at the dishes with her enormous, glossy eyes, convinced that every plate looked delicious. She picked up several morsels and stuffed them into her mouth.

Bai Shengye poured several bottles of mind-restoring potion into glasses and handed one to each person. “Come on, cheers! Cheers!”

The first round ended at around eight that evening. All ninety-six contestants from the various continents, divided into forty-eight teams, had completed their matches.

Some of those who had been eliminated packed their belongings that very night, bid farewell to one another, and gradually left the arena.

After dinner, the display screen in the lounge suddenly lit up. The order of appearance and the relevant rules for the second round were now shown in full.

The second match would be a one-on-one arena battle. Each team would send three contestants into the arena in succession. A contestant who lost would be eliminated, while the winner could continue into the next bout. In the end, the team that had three contestants eliminated would be knocked out.

Yixin was the first to notice the information on the screen. He approached, studied it closely, and rested his chin on one hand as he pondered.

“Our opponents are from the Southern Forest. In the first round, two of their six members were eliminated, leaving four. One Divine Dragon, one wood-element mage, and two poison-element mages…”

Heiyu and Ling Xiaolei came over as well. One draped an arm over Yixin’s shoulder, while the other bent forward curiously to examine the screen.

Yixin’s eyes fixed on one of the names, and his heart gave an involuntary jolt.

“Wu Zhen…”

Anyone who saw the surname would know that the person belonged to the Wu clan.

The Wu clan was a renowned poison-magic family on the continent. Their use of poison was vicious, and their methods ruthless. After intermarrying with the Star clan, their bloodline gained an extraordinarily powerful gift of foresight.

“There are no weaklings in the Wu clan…” Yixin murmured.

That was the Wu family motto, and also the judgment others had passed upon them. It showed just how troublesome this opponent would be.

In the world of magic, merely mentioning the Wu clan was enough to strike terror into people’s hearts. Most mages possessed neither resistance to poison nor the ability to neutralize it.

Even those who could detoxify themselves had little hope of victory when facing a Wu poison mage.

For one thing, the Wu clan employed poisons of every bizarre variety, and there were countless kinds of them. Their secret family poisons were even more difficult to counter.

For another, once poison began affecting the body, it was extremely difficult to reverse the damage. Many poisons were instantly fatal. On the field, it was hardly unusual for someone to lose their life upon encountering a cold-blooded and merciless poison mage.

The strongest Poison Grand Holy Mage, Wu Xuanyuan, had also come from the Wu clan. Although he was now the clan head in name, he lived far away in the Imperial Palace and did not handle the clan’s affairs.

Hearing that they would face such a formidable opponent the next day, the others gathered around nervously as well. When Yun Lan saw the name on the display, his expression grew solemn.

“Three contestants will be chosen from the four. Most likely, one will be the Divine Dragon, one the wood-element mage, and the third will inevitably have to face a poison mage…”

Yixin analyzed the situation. “Though there may be other combinations…”

“The Wu poison mage is certain to compete. They may even send out both poison mages,” Lingmeng said. “And considering that we have a fire-element mage on our team, they probably will not field the wood-element mage.”

Poison mages were few in number and difficult to cultivate, but once they mastered their art, none could be underestimated.

The ease and joy they had felt after winning the opening match had now been replaced by immense pressure. Everyone fell silent, lost in thought.