Chapter 75: Physical Training (Part 6): I Caught It Part 2

She bit her Emerald Smoking Pipe and chuckled lightly. “I thought you wouldn’t come.”

Mu Qian Tan stepped ashore. “Seeing you does make me nauseous, but how could I refuse the sect master’s order?”

Smoke wafted from black lips. You Lianmeng said, “True. You’re the most obedient to her. No way you’d skip it.”

Mu Qian Tan glanced back at the Warm Pool, then up at the hands over the mansion, sighing. “The sect master is truly benevolent, letting freaks like you serve as Hall Masters.”

She’d thought the original host living in Narrow Sea was reclusive and odd enough. But these Hall Masters were each more bizarre, oozing demonic vibes—not at all like upright sect pillars.

“The sect master’s benevolence is real. Otherwise, why would she think to rebuild your body and have us Hall Masters watch you?” The Glazed Mirror reflected green light patches. You Lianmeng curled her lips. “Sister here pities the fair and fragrant. How do you want to train? I’ll follow your lead.”

Mu Qian Tan said, “To be honest, I’ve trained plenty with Jade-Selecting Immortal and Immortal Master Shen. No need for more here.”

You Lianmeng exhaled smoke to the side. “Oh? Then why come?”

Mu Qian Tan took a step forward. “Of course, to settle that last score with you.”

She hadn’t forgotten being pinned in the alley. She’d been grinding her teeth for revenge—this chance was perfect.

Smoke rings drifted lazily. The woman’s shoulders shook as she tucked the Emerald Smoking Pipe into her sleeve, words laced with suppressed laughter, voice quivering at the end. “Settle a score?”

“Yeah.” Mu Qian Tan advanced another step, feigning a grab. “Don’t you dare dodge.”

The smoke ring burst then—like mist, yet popping softly like bubbles.

As if on command, the nearest leaf’s naked female body shuddered, head lolling as she lunged, tackling the forward-focused Shang Shan to the ground in a tumble.

This commotion served to divert attention while first pinning down the others who could attack. You Lianmeng charged forward at the same time, her movements like a dream shadow, leaving an illusion in her original spot. She arrived before Mu Qian Tan in an instant and grabbed her collar, seemingly intending to strip her clothes just like before.

But this time, things did not go smoothly. Her grasping motion hesitated slightly before she abruptly withdrew her hand.

You Lianmeng frowned faintly, retreated a few steps, and raised her hand to look at her fingertip. Embedded in the bloodless white flesh was a silver needle with a wagging tail.

Mu Qian Tan remained standing in place: “The Hundred-Eyed Lice Crawl poison, personally concocted by Immortal Master Shen. You’re the first to use it. How does it feel?”

Hundred-Eyed Lice Crawl—as the name implied—felt like hundreds or thousands of lice crawling over the body. According to Shen Xin, anyone who touched even a little would suffer unbearable itching, rolling on the ground on the verge of madness, scratching their skin raw to no avail. Only the antidote could save them.

This poison had originally been invented for interrogation and torture. After hearing the description, Mu Qian Tan found it excellent. Using the excuse that she would return for check-ups, she took several portions along with a silver needle, coated the needle with the poison, and inserted it into her collar. She had anticipated that You Dog would try the same thing again, so this would make her suffer a huge loss!

Shang Shan was pressed to the ground by that female body, her hands clipped behind her waist. Half her face was forcibly smashed against the ground. Her eyes rolled to the corner, unable to see who was behind her, so she struggled fiercely and shouted: “What are you doing! Let me go! Old Smokey! Master!”

Unfortunately, neither of those two paid her any mind.

You Lianmeng stared at the silver needle. Seeing it motionless, she shook her hand, making it wag again.

Her expression remained calm, as if utterly unaffected. Mu Qian Tan kept her composure outwardly, but in her mind, she recalled the process of applying the poison, confirming she had done it correctly. Shen Xin’s poison should have no issues, so she observed the woman’s expression more closely.

“Ouch, so itchy.” You Lianmeng cupped her face with her other hand, her eyes curving behind the Glazed Mirror: “I can’t stand it. Why do this to me…. Is this what you wanted me to say? Yao’e.”

Mu Qian Tan’s heart sank slightly. Could it be ineffective? She quietly slipped one hand behind her back, gripping Solitary Goose, and said: “No feeling?”

“Sigh, I do feel it,” You Lianmeng sighed: “But this much is nothing.”

She shook a short knife from her sleeve and swiftly chopped at her poisoned right hand, severing it clean at the shoulder. Along with her clothing, it dropped to the ground, bounced a few times, and no blood flowed from the stump.

While Mu Qian Tan reeled in surprise, the arm slithered forth like a striking snake, clamping her neck, flipping her backward, and slamming her down hard—half her shoulder dangling over the Warm Pool.

She grabbed that right wrist with her hand and pried with all her strength, but it was immovable like cast iron. Mu Qian Tan couldn’t withstand this sudden turn, her face quickly flushing red.

Shang Shan struggled even more violently, her forehead banging the ground with thuds: “Hey! Hey hey! What are you doing now!”

You Lianmeng approached the fallen woman with swaying hips, stepped one foot over her waist, knelt down with her body hovering above, then pressed the woman’s shoulder with her left hand. Working with her right, she flipped the woman face-down.

Having suffered repeated setbacks at her hands, fury blazed in Mu Qian Tan’s heart. Spiritual power had just gathered in her palm when a sudden surge of intense pain from behind dispersed it.

“Ah…” She let out a low moan, her entire body tensing. Physiological tears welled from her eyes and dripped into the Warm Pool, sending out ripples.

You Lianmeng gently stroked her hair while gazing at the silver needle—she had pulled it from her own fingertip only to reinsert it into the woman’s nape: “What was it called again? Hundred-Eyed Lice Crawl? Sounds terrifying. You were so obedient before. Why play with something so dangerous now?”

“By the way, you just asked how I felt. I think experiencing it myself gives a clearer picture, so how do you feel right now?”

Mu Qian Tan trembled all over, her mouth parting slightly but emitting no sound, her breaths coming in ragged gasps. Her eye sockets turned red as tears surged endlessly, dripping into the Warm Pool.

Tiny crawlers rampaged through her blood vessels, inflicting a stabbing itch that threatened to rip open her skin. She clenched her teeth desperately, suppressing the moan building in her chest. Veins bulged along her slender neck, and waves of blinding white flashed through her mind.

She tried to struggle, but You Lianmeng pinned her firmly, her hands overlapped and pressed against her own waist. Under this unimaginable torment, her fingers twitched uncontrollably, spiritual power unable to coalesce.

Seeing even the tips of her ears turn red from pain, You Lianmeng smiled: “You must have the antidote, right? Where is it? Not telling me? Then I’ll have to search your body.”

With that, she brushed the fallen woman’s long hair aside with the back of her hand, hooked her fingers into the collar, and yanked it down, exposing half of her slender back. Light blue demon patterns traced the woman’s slightly protruding spine downward, branching to both sides like veins—resembling gorgeously blooming blue flowers that pulsed faintly with her heartbeat.

Her fingertips trailed over the back’s skin. You Lianmeng studied it for a moment before saying: “The demon patterns are still there. It really is you. Looks like you didn’t lie.”

Seeing that blue pattern nearly burned into her retinas, alongside the vast expanse of snowy skin on the back, Shang Shan’s eyes trembled. She froze in place before rage exploded in her mind, her head booming.

Gritting her teeth, she seized the puppet’s hem and yanked hard. Her shoulder dislocated with a crack as she twisted backward, sinking her teeth into the puppet’s arm and tearing off a large chunk of flesh—sweet and crisp in texture, no blood from the wound, and hollow holes where bone should be. It was merely a lotus root person.

She swallowed the chunk of lotus root, then bit clean through the lotus root person’s arm. Springing up, she grabbed the lotus root person’s shoulder to reset her own bone, kicked her flying, and charged toward Mu Qian Tan. But another lotus root person lunged, grabbing her ankle and sending her sprawling forward.

At the same time, Mu Qian Tan felt a chill on her back. She blanked for a few seconds, catching sight of her flushed face reflected in the milky Warm Pool water. Humiliation and fury fused into an extreme loathing, coiling coldly from her heart like venomous snakes and scorpions.

She jerked her head sideways, smashing it against the shore—blood flowing instantly. This pain-for-pain method granted a moment of clarity. Her pinned hands condensed a Sword Spike of spiritual power. Gripping it in reverse, she thrust fiercely at You Lianmeng’s wrist, piercing straight through with nonstop bleeding.

Having confirmed the identity, You Lianmeng showed no anger despite her pierced hand. She slid backward in retreat. Mu Qian Tan pushed up from the ground, her skirt swirling into an ice-blue Epiphyllum Flower. She pressed the attack, pinning You Lianmeng beneath her and stabbing a Sword Spike into her abdomen without hesitation.

Pfft! The Sword Spike sank into flesh. You Lianmeng’s eyes widened slightly: “You really stabbed.”

Several streaks of blood hung from Mu Qian Tan’s forehead, lending vibrancy to her cold face. Physiological tears from the Hundred-Eyed Lice Crawl flushed bloodstains from her eyes, rolling to her chin and dripping. She appeared to cry, yet her expression remained blank as she coldly stared at the one beneath her, driving the Sword Spike deeper before yanking it out.

You Lianmeng coughed a few times, smiling helplessly: “Stripping your clothes was my mistake—I admit it. You stabbed me once; we’re even?”

Mu Qian Tan stared at her: “What kind of even is this? The one who flirts first is cheap. This stab is what you deserve, but I’m not vented yet.”

You Lianmeng sighed: “Then what do you want sister to do?”

“Don’t fucking play close,” Mu Qian Tan gripped the Sword Spike tightly, sneering: “Make me fully satisfied, then we’re even.”

The word “even” had barely left her mouth when the Sword Spike plunged again—into flesh and out, blood and flesh splattering. She stabbed seven more times in succession before stopping. Including the first, eight stabs total, each piercing deep—utterly terrifying.

Shang Shan had been about to rush over but halted at the sight, squatting down and pretending to be busy as she picked up the lotus root person’s severed arm and gnawed on it.

The other two lotus root persons had intended to rescue their master but braked hard at the sight of flying blood and flesh. They stood shoulder to shoulder with Shang Shan, squatting together to watch the spectacle.

You Lianmeng clutched her abdomen: “Enough! Stab any more and you’ll stir up a hornet’s nest!”