Myriad Rivers to the Sea

Chapter 1073: I Don’t Think So

Li Yu chatted with the villagers a bit more about what his thoughts were and then left the wooden pens of the rhino kin village and stepped back onto the road. The dark sludge he had purged from the iron back pigs carried a distinct feeling in the air that lingered in the evening air. He focused his senses and tracked the faint traces of the toxin leading away from the settlement. The source of the sickness was drawing him toward the dense forest resting at the base of the rocky hill.He walked along a narrow animal trail while Faen and Borum followed closely behind him. The tall yellow grass gave way to thick trees and the ambient Qi in the environment began to feel stagnant. As they ventured deeper into the woods, the vibrant green leaves of the surrounding flora turned into a sickly shade of brown. The natural life energy of the forest was being slowly choked out by a steady leak of unnatural poison.

Li Yu stopped walking when he noticed a large hollowed out tree sitting in the center of a barren clearing. The ancient tree trunk was wide enough to fit a small cart inside but the wood was rotting and decayed. A faint purple mist drifted upward from the exposed roots and curled into the twilight sky.

"The source of the contamination is coming from down there," Li Yu said while pointing toward a dark hole hidden beneath the twisted roots.

Faen stepped forward and peered into the gloom. "Do you want us to go down first and clear the path?"

Li Yu shook his head and held up his hand to stop her, he had sensed that there was an issue. "The air down there is highly toxic and it will only get worse the deeper we go. You two should wait out here in the clearing. My body has a very high immunity to most poisons so I will be fine going alone."

He had experienced many different toxins over his martial journey. Trusting his resilient body to handle the hazard, he dropped down into the dark tunnel. The earthen walls of the underground passage were slick with purple condensation. Li Yu descended a set of crude stone stairs while his boots splashed against small puddles of foul smelling liquid. He reached the bottom of the steps and found his path blocked by a shimmering green barrier. The restriction formation hummed with defensive Qi and pulsed like a beating heart to warn away intruders.

Li Yu did not bother looking for a hidden mechanism or a puzzle to solve. He simply gathered a dense layer of spiritual energy around his fist and punched the center of the barrier. The brute force of his fist shattered the green light into countless glowing fragments that faded away into the damp air.

He stepped through the broken restriction and continued down the winding corridor. The deeper he walked into the earth, the thicker the purple mist became. The toxic fog clung to his skin and tried to seep into his pores but his robust vitality easily neutralized the invading poison.

Along the way he encountered three more defensive barriers meant to keep people away. Each restriction was stronger than the last and featured different elemental properties meant to trap or burn an unwary guest. However, none of the defensive arrays could withstand the physical power of his unyielding strikes as he broke them all with simple punches while clearing the path forward.

He eventually reached the end of the tunnel and entered a spacious underground chamber. The room was built from polished black stone and illuminated by glowing crystals embedded in the high ceiling. Three ornate wooden boxes rested on a raised stone altar in the center of the room. The boxes were decorated with intricate carvings of venomous serpents and blooming toxic flowers.

Before Li Yu could step closer to inspect the items, the purple mist in the room rapidly coalesced into a dense humanoid figure. The fog condensed until it formed the spectral image of an old man wearing flowing green robes. The ghost-like entity possessed hollow eyes and a long beard that seemed to drift in an unseen wind.

"Welcome, seeker of truth," the spectral entity spoke with a voice that echoed off the stone walls. "You have entered the final resting place of the great Poison Master. I am the remnant spirit of Venom Lord Vaxis and you stand before my grand inheritance."

Li Yu listened to the grand introduction and thought the name was a bit much. 'Venom Lord' sounded like a title a rebellious youth would give themselves after reading too many dramatic martial novels. However, he kept his expression polite and did not voice his internal thoughts. Cultivators often chose intimidating titles to ward off others and he could not blame the old man for wanting to sound imposing. Or perhaps others chose it for him in the past and he was worthy of such a title, Li Yu didn’t know at all.

"Greetings, Senior Vaxis," Li Yu said while offering a polite bow. "I am Li Yu. I was tracking a poison leak that was making the local livestock sick and it led me here."

The spectral entity stroked his misty beard and looked at the young man with an approving nod. "A minor leak is a small price to pay for the preservation of my legacy. You have managed to bypass my external wards and reach this inner sanctum. That proves you possess a foundation worthy of my time. But reaching this room is only the beginning of your true trial."

The ghost floated toward the raised stone altar and gestured toward the three wooden boxes. "In order to claim my legendary inheritance and learn my peerless techniques, you must pass three trials of life and death. I will not pass my life's work to someone who lacks the fortitude to bear the weight of true poison."

Li Yu crossed his arms and listened patiently as the spirit began to explain the details of the trials.

"The first trial will test your physical body and your natural poison resistance immunity," Venom Lord Vaxis announced while pointing at the first wooden box on the left. The lid slowly opened to reveal a small black pill resting on a velvet cushion. "The fact that you made it this far through the toxic tunnels without relying on a protective treasure is already proof of your sturdy physique. But surviving the ambient mist is child play compared to my concentrated work. This is the Rotting Bone Pill. You must swallow this pill and allow the venom to spread through your pathways. If you survive the agonizing process without your organs melting into sludge, you will pass the first trial and keep going."

Li Yu looked at the black pill and felt a mild sense of caution. He was very confident in his bodily defenses but eating a strange pill meant to rot his organs sounded like a very unpleasant way to spend the evening.

Stolen story; please report.

The ghost did not wait for a response as he moved to the middle box. The lid popped open to reveal a complex metal cube covered in twisting channels and glowing array nodes.

"The second trial will test to see if you have enough Qi mastery," the spirit continued with a proud tone. "A true master of the toxic arts must be able to weave their venom through the defenses of their enemies with flawless control. There are all kinds of different arrays and channels built into this design. You must inject your spiritual energy into this puzzle box and guide your Qi through the internal labyrinth from start to finish. If your focus wavers or your energy spikes too high, the box will violently detonate."

Li Yu studied the glowing metal cube and recognized the intricate craftsmanship. It was a very well designed test of energy manipulation. Moving his control through that grand maze required a delicate touch and a calm mind to succeed. It also required vast amounts of Qi to keep pushing through all the different arrays and mechanics that were there.

"And finally we arrive at the most important trial of all," Venom Lord Vaxis said as he floated toward the final box on the right. The lid remained closed but a dark and ominous aura seeped through the wooden seams. "The third trial is a test for your soul. My poisonous arts use the soul as the base and then go from there to spread affliction. The user must endure an attack on their soul and be washed with a soul poison. The pain will test the limits of your sanity. If your mind shatters under the pressure, you will become a mindless husk trapped in this tomb forever. But if you can handle it, you will be deemed fit to inherit my techniques and all the treasures hidden beneath this altar."

The ghost finished his grand speech and looked at Li Yu with a challenging gaze. He expected the young cultivator to be trembling with excitement or fear or a mixture of both. He expected the youth to fall to his knees and thank the heavens for such a rare opportunity to attain legendary power as he had once done in his earlier days.

Li Yu stood in silence for a few moments while looking at the three boxes. He analyzed the requirements for the trials and weighed the potential rewards against the obvious risks.

He had to eat a pill designed to melt his organs. He had to solve a puzzle box that would explode in his face if he made a single mistake. And finally he had to willingly subject his soul to an agonizing poison that could turn him into a mindless husk.

All of those severe life threatening trials were required just to obtain an inheritance from a man named Venom Lord Vaxis. He did not even know what specific techniques were included in the reward. He was not a poison cultivator and he had no desire to become one either. He preferred to defeat his enemies with overwhelming physical strength or metal then trying to poison them.

He also did not need any more random treasures that might or might not be useful. His spatial ring was already well stocked with premium weapons, rare herbs and mountains of spirit stones from his recent travels. The cost to benefit ratio of this situation was incredibly poor.

Li Yu let out a soft sigh and shook his head. "I think I am going to turn around and leave."

He turned his back to the altar and began walking toward the exit tunnel. "It seems your inheritance is just not fated to be mine. I hope the next person who finds this place is better suited for your path."

Venom Lord Vaxis froze in mid air and his spectral jaw dropped open in shock. The ghost stared at the retreating back of the cultivator and could hardly process what was happening. In all his years waiting as a remnant spirit, he had never imagined a scenario where someone would simply walk away from his grand trial.

"Wait," the ghost yelled as his voice cracked with disbelief. "Where are you going? Do you not want my techniques, my treasures and everything else?"

Li Yu stopped near the entrance of the tunnel and looked back over his shoulder. He decided to give the old spirit an honest answer.

"No, I really do not want them," Li Yu said with a casual shrug. "The first test seems risky enough on its own since I have no idea what is actually in that pill. And the third test sounds quite deadly and incredibly painful. All of that effort is just to get techniques and treasures that I do not even know will help me. It just does not seem worth it to me. It would seem we are not fated."

Li Yu turned to face the stunned spirit and offered a formal bow of respect to honor the dead.

"Thank you for the generous offer, Senior Vaxis," Li Yu said with a polite smile. "But no thanks. I wish you the best of luck in finding an heir for your legacy."

Li Yu turned his back on the speechless ghost and walked into the dark tunnel. Venom Lord Vaxis floated in the center of the silent room while staring at the empty doorway. The great and terrifying Poison Master was left entirely alone with his deadly trials and his wounded pride.

Li Yu made his way out of the underground tomb and navigated the winding passages with ease. He encountered no issues or hidden traps while leaving the premises. The defensive restrictions he had shattered earlier were still broken and the purple mist parted around his body as he climbed the crude stone stairs. He emerged from the hollowed out tree and breathed in the fresh night air. Faen and Borum were waiting patiently in the clearing right where he had left them.

"Did you find the source of the leak?" Faen asked as she walked over to inspect him for any injuries.

"I found it," Li Yu confirmed while brushing some dirt off his robes. "There is a testing ground for a poison cultivator buried down there. The ambient poison from the trials is leaking out into the soil. That toxicity is seeping into the environment and causing the local livestock to get sick."

"Did you destroy the tomb?" Borum asked with his deep and rumbling voice.

"No, I just left it alone," Li Yu replied while leading them back toward the animal trail. "The owner is still down there waiting for an heir and I did not want to ruin his chances by collapsing the ceiling. We just need to warn the villagers so they can keep their animals safe, perhaps they can move or perhaps one of them is destined to get the techniques and treasures below."

The trio walked back through the dark woods and returned to the rhino kin settlement. The village was quiet but the elder was still awake and tending to the recovered iron back pigs.

Li Yu approached the elder and explained the situation clearly. He told the old man about the toxic leak coming from the hollowed tree in the forest and advised the village to build a sturdy fence around that specific area and to strictly prevent their livestock from roaming near those woods because it seemed very dangerous. Li Yu did not want to cut off the path for the inheritance completely by sealing the entrance as it was not his place to mess with such things.

"I don’t know when or if that area will ever recover from the toxins." Li Yu warned the elder. "Keep your animals close to the village and draw your water from the stream further up the hill."

The village elder thanked him for finding the cause of the illness and offered them a warm place to sleep for the night. Li Yu accepted the humble hospitality and they rested in the quiet village until dawn.

The next morning, the three travelers left the settlement behind and walked back onto the main road under the light of the rising sun. They did not stay because the villagers were all focused on nursing their livestock back to health as well as fencing off those woods now. The atmosphere was rather grim and no one had time to gossip with one another. The encounter with the eccentric ghost was a brief distraction but it did not alter their goals. Li Yu looked toward the horizon and continued on his peaceful way west.