Chapter 64: Senior Brother, Drink Mine!

Upon seeing Jun Wen, Jiang Ji was stunned for a moment before hastily speaking:
"I have been poisoned by a demonic insect. It is about a zhang long, with compound eyes, and its entire body is covered in poisonous stingers..."
As he spoke, his expression grew increasingly agonizing, and dark blood seeped from the corners of his mouth.
Shen Zhilan’s eyes flickered, and putting on an air of desperate resolve, she said:
"You must have been bitten by a single-horned stone centipede! Its poison is intensely violent, and only the blood of a supreme-grade single spiritual root can counteract it. Senior Brother Jiang Ji, please drink my blood!"
With that, she took out a dagger, preparing to slice her finger open.
No one else knew the peculiar nature of the single-horned stone centipede's poison, but she had already swallowed an antidote beforehand. As long as Jiang Ji drank her blood, it would gradually take effect.
By then, he would surely be utterly devoted to her...
Originally, this trick had been prepared for Qin Shifeng and the others, but unexpectedly, it had been ruined by that bitch Feng Xi!
However, that was fine too. Subduing Jiang Ji and using his hands to deal with Feng Xi would be much safer and more convenient.
Just as she was feeling quite pleased with herself, she heard a loud clatter!
Feng Xi had placed a large basin of blood right in front of Jiang Ji!
"Eldest Senior Brother, drink mine! My dosage is large, and its medicinal efficacy is potent!"
Jiang Ji: "..."
Although he had been completely cut off from the outside world for some time, seeing Feng Xi wearing the attire of a direct disciple of the Xuantian Sect, he knew this must be his junior sister.
He asked in astonishment: "Junior Sister, are you also a supreme-grade single spiritual root?"
Feng Xi nodded shamelessly:
"Yes, I am a supreme-grade fire spiritual root, and this entire basin of blood was just drawn by me! The effect is fabulous! Just drink it!"
Jiang Ji looked at the large basin of blood in front of him, then glanced at Feng Xi's petite figure: "..."
I am poisoned, not turned into an idiot!
Shen Zhilan said coldly: "Feng Xi, I know you harbor hostility toward me, but human lives are at stake now! I hope you can be less selfish!"
Qin Shifeng nodded: "Indeed, Feng Xi, this is no time for nonsense. Quickly let Junior Sister Zhilan detoxify Jiang Ji!"
Xing Wu and the others also looked at Feng Xi with disapproval. Even if you have a personal grudge with Shen Zhilan, you cannot use Jiang Ji's life as a joke!
Only Jun Wen glanced at Feng Xi, then picked up the large basin and said to Jiang Ji:
"Eldest Senior Brother, hurry up and drink! If it gets cold, the effect might not be as good!"
Jiang Ji: "..."
What on earth has happened during the time I was away from the sect?
Fifth Junior Brother used to be merely eccentric, but now he seems to have turned into an absolute fool!
Feng Xi produced an antidote pill and instructed Jun Wen to feed it to Jiang Ji.
Jiang Ji smiled bitterly: "I already ate one just now, but it was completely useless."
Acting as if he hadn't heard a word, Jun Wen forcefully shoved the pill straight down his... throat.
It almost made Jiang Ji vomit!
Jiang Ji: "..."
Only then did Feng Xi slowly speak up: "Eldest Senior Brother, I truly didn't recognize this venomous insect at first, but the moment Shen Zhilan mentioned the name single-horned stone centipede, I remembered it. I have read relevant records in an ancient text; the poison of the single-horned stone centipede is rather peculiar, and detoxifying pills take effect quite slowly, requiring about two hours to completely purge the poison. Therefore, all that nonsense about needing the blood of a supreme-grade single spiritual root to cure it was completely fabricated by Shen Zhilan—she merely wishes to leverage a favor for her own ends."
Shen Zhilan sneered: "Feng Xi, I must commend you for fabricating such a tall tale, but I won't bother arguing with you. Senior Brother Jiang Ji, if you delay any longer, even my blood won't be able to completely cleanse the toxins from your body. By then, your cultivation might stagnate or even regress, making advancement impossible forever. Decide for yourself whether you will drink my blood or not."
Feng Xi genuinely admired Shen Zhilan for her ability to strike right at the vulnerable spot.
For a cultivator, stagnation in cultivation and the inability to advance were sometimes even more terrifying than death itself.
Emotions flickered rapidly in Jiang Ji's eyes. Should he believe his junior sister, or should he believe this Shen Zhilan?
Terrified that Jiang Ji might be foolishly misled, Jun Wen rambled on relentlessly:
"Eldest Senior Brother, what Junior Sister said is definitely correct! Just listen to her! We are close martial siblings, how could we possibly harm you?! Even if I wanted to become the head senior brother and took you out, there are still three others waiting in line!"
Jiang Ji: "..."
Ultimately, he said to Shen Zhilan: "Thank you for your kind intentions, but I will listen to my junior sister. If I truly perish here, I accept my fate."
He didn't place his trust blindly in Feng Xi, nor in Jun Wen, but rather in Xiao Baidao.
The disciples accepted by his master might not all be peerless geniuses, but their character was undoubtedly sound; they would never use his life to play petty games of spite.
Furthermore, although he hadn't sensed any lessening of the toxicity, at the very least, it hadn't worsened.
This implicitly suggested that what Feng Xi said might well be true.
Shen Zhilan was nearly bursting with rage!
Yet on the surface, she calmly remarked: "Since that is the case, I have nothing more to say. I only hope what Feng Xi said is true! After all, ancient texts are vast, and occasional discrepancies in records are entirely normal."
Feng Xi was the kind of person who would never wrong herself for the sake of accommodating others, so she immediately set out to demolish Shen Zhilan's facade.
"Shen Zhilan, are you leaving yourself a convenient escape route? A moment from now, when my eldest senior brother is safe and sound, you'll simply claim that the records you consulted might have been mistaken, washing your hands entirely of the matter. We are all seasoned veterans here; does putting on an act like this actually accomplish anything?! You undoubtedly knew that the poison of the single-horned stone centipede only requires ordinary detoxifying pills, yet why did you insist that only your blood could cure it? It's simple, really! You wanted my eldest senior brother to owe you a favor, hoping to extort gratitude in return! I can even make the irresponsible hypothesis that you lured that pack of single-horned stone centipedes here precisely so that the senior brothers of the Beast Taming Sect would also be poisoned. Then, you could use this entire narrative to buy people's hearts. Oh yes, after all, everyone survived by drinking your blood; how could they not be utterly devoted to you then?! What a brilliant stratagem indeed! I, Feng Xi, bow to your superiority."
Xing Wu was the first to explode, lashing out at Shen Zhilan with a palm strike:
"I knew you were up to no good! You actually wanted me to drink your blood? Bah! I'd rather drink horse urine than your blood, because I'm afraid of contamination!"
Qin Shifeng intercepted the blow on Shen Zhilan's behalf:
"Xing Wu, the matter isn't fully clarified yet, don't be rash."
Xing Wu was so infuriated he almost choked!
Look at Jiang Ji from the Xuantian Sect—when facing a life-and-death crisis, he chose to trust Feng Xi. Then look at this complete donkey from their own Beast Taming Sect—an absolute moron!
If he weren't his fellow martial brother, he would have strangled him right on the spot!