Chapter 180: Fighting Poison with Poison

“Sect Leader, can you let Shuang’er go now?”

Being stared at intently by Murong Bi, Mu Feng felt somewhat nervous inside, but his face showed no fear. He secretly stirred the energy within his body, ready to strike at any moment.

Originally, given the relationship between Ghost Mother and Poison Sect Leader Murong Bi, he thought there would be an additional layer of reliance and closeness. But hearing the latter repeatedly calling her a “wretch,” he quickly realized that their relationship was far from what he had imagined—not only were they not close, it sounded like they were bitter enemies with deep-seated hatred.

In an instant, the situation became even more dire for him and Jing Wushuang!

“Hmm, yes, this is the aura of life, and there’s also a faint, familiar scent…”

Sect Leader Murong slightly closed her eyes, as if quietly sensing something. After a long while, a cold light flashed in her eyes, and she looked at Mu Feng, speaking gravely, “Young Master Mu, what is that in your embrace? Why is there an aura of life?”

The aura of life?

Mu Feng was somewhat surprised. His heart stirred, and he quickly took out a crystalline bottle from his chest. Inside, the long-dormant Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada had, at some point, broken out of its cocoon, its small wings trembling gently. “Sect Leader, are you referring to this little insect?”

“Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada?”

Sect Leader Murong’s expression changed. She glanced from afar and immediately recognized what was sealed inside the crystal bottle. As the leader of the Poison Sect, she understood better than anyone the terror of a Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada. She said solemnly, “Young Master Mu, where did you get this Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada?”

“This Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada was given to me by Granny Li a while ago.”

Mu Feng mixed truth with falsehood. After a pause, he continued, “At that time, my meridians were damaged and severely blocked, making it impossible for me to cultivate. Because of this, Granny gave me this golden cicada and instructed me to frequently nourish it with my Lifeblood Essence. It was thanks to this little creature that my meridians were gradually unblocked, allowing me to formally step into the path of cultivation.”

“Hahaha, given to you?”

Sect Leader Murong laughed heartily, but her expression suddenly turned cold as she looked at Mu Feng and continued, “What kind of person is Li Feifei? She harms others without benefiting herself and will stop at nothing to achieve her goals. Cultivating a Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada takes at least a hundred years, and with the Poison Sect’s secret methods, it can gradually be refined into a Second Primordial Spirit. Given her nature, how could she possibly give such a treasure to you? Hahaha…”

Second Primordial Spirit?

Mu Feng was startled and asked, “Sect Leader, could it be that this little golden cicada has something wrong with it?”

“Hmph, it’s more than just something wrong!”

Sect Leader Murong snorted coldly and then said gravely, “On the surface, by nourishing it with your Lifeblood Essence, you have severed Li Feifei’s connection to this Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada and cut off her control over it. However, a part of her Spiritual Soul has long been deeply imprinted in the soul of this cicada. With your current strength, you can’t even detect her hidden tricks, let alone completely erase them. The more Lifeblood Essence you feed it, the more powerful this cicada becomes. The moment it breaks the seal and flies out will be the day of your death!”

“What?”

Mu Feng and Jing Wushuang exclaimed in unison, their faces turning pale with shock.

Jing Wushuang was completely unprepared, never expecting Ghost Mother to be so vicious and sinister. On the surface, she had offered strong support, but behind the scenes, she had pulled such a trick. Mu Feng was equally astonished, his limbs turning cold.

He had thought he had completely severed Ghost Mother’s control over this Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada, but it turned out to be merely his wishful thinking. Hearing Sect Leader Murong’s words, he finally understood why he sometimes felt inexplicably panicked and uneasy during his meditation. It seemed the problem lay with this highly toxic golden cicada.

“Sect Leader, please help save Brother Mu Feng and find a way to eradicate the threat of this Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada!” Jing Wushuang quickly regained her composure and without hesitation prostrated herself. She continued, “As long as Brother Mu Feng can be safe, Shuang’er is willing to pay any price, pledging loyalty to the sect for life, never to betray it!”

“Loyalty for life, never to betray?”

Looking at Jing Wushuang’s resolute expression, Sect Leader Murong nodded. “Good, good. Shuang’er, for the sake of my future closed-door disciple, I will help him!”

Hu…

As soon as she finished speaking, Sect Leader Murong blew out a breath. Instantly, the Twelve-Winged Golden Cicada inside the crystal bottle let out a mournful cry, and the imprint left by Ghost Mother in its soul was forcibly erased. Following that, its entire body was frozen.

At the same time, an obscure incantation appeared in Mu Feng’s mind, and a cold voice sounded in his ears, “Mu Feng, this is a cultivation mantra from the Manual of Extreme Poison—the Beast Refinement Chapter. Once you have mastered it, you can gradually control this golden cicada and even refine it into a Second Primordial Spirit. Remember, after returning to Jianning City, do not reveal any clues. Wait until Li Feifei attempts to control this cicada to take your life, then strike back suddenly. After being frozen for a while and deprived of blood for a long time, this cicada will instinctively attack the closest person nearby the moment it breaks free. Keep this in mind!”

Fighting poison with poison!

Ghost Mother was vicious and sinister, but as her senior fellow apprentice, Sect Leader Murong was no pushover either. She quickly turned the situation to her advantage, devising an even more ruthless plan.

“Thank you, Sect Leader!”

Mu Feng bowed respectfully. On the surface, he was reverent, but deep down, he grew more cautious, trusting no one.

Whether it was the inhuman Ghost Mother or the seemingly youthful Sect Leader Murong standing before him, both were ruthless masters—neither could be trusted!

“Alright, you may go. Take these three Yang Soul Pills and leave the Poison Sect before dark. Never return!” Sect Leader Murong tossed out three red pills radiating with intense Yang Energy, suddenly stood up, and prepared to leave with Jing Wushuang.

“Shuang’er… Sect Leader, what about Shuang’er? Where are you taking her?” Seeing that Sect Leader Murong was about to leave, Mu Feng was startled and vaguely sensed something amiss. From start to finish, he had no idea what was written in Ghost Mother’s personal letter. As he watched Sect Leader Murong prepare to take Jing Wushuang away, he grew anxious.

“Shuang’er? Of course, she will become my disciple under Murong Bi. From now on, in life, she is a member of the Poison Sect; in death, she is a ghost of the Poison Sect. She no longer has any connection with you.”

Sect Leader Murong grabbed Jing Wushuang’s wrist, and with a flick of her long sleeve that trailed on the ground, the wall behind the Altar Platform rumbled open, revealing a stone staircase that seemed to stretch endlessly. With a light tap of her toes on the ground, she soared away with Jing Wushuang as if riding on clouds.

“No, Shuang’er…”

Seeing Jing Wushuang being dragged away by Sect Leader Murong, Mu Feng was both shocked and furious. With an angry roar, he recklessly gave chase. His eyes turned red, and the energy within his body surged violently, emitting waves of intense heat.