Chapter Twenty-Three: Playing the Card of Emotion

The moment Lei Yan stepped out of the forest, he saw an old man and a young girl resting beneath a large tree, with Han Yi, Han Li, and Old Zhang lying unconscious beside them, their fates uncertain.

“Experts!” Lei Yan quickly assessed the scene. There were no signs of struggle around them; if the adversary wasn’t a master of poisons, then he must be a cultivator. In this world, aside from those skilled in poison, only cultivators could bring down innate martial artists so silently.

“You’re remarkably calm, boy!” The old man, a blade of grass in his mouth, spoke with a playful tone.

“Master, aren’t you just asking the obvious? He’s got leverage over us, so of course he’s calm!” The girl feigned fear as she spoke.

“Indeed! You’ve been poisoned, yet you aren’t rushing over to beg him for the antidote?” The old man chuckled.

“Master? Isn’t he supposed to be your grandfather? Poisoned… Oh…” Lei Yan sighed helplessly. Their banter left him utterly embarrassed. He’d thought the leverage he held over them meant he needn’t fear their retaliation, but from their tone, it was clear they didn’t care in the slightest about the poison he’d used. This realization stung Lei Yan deeply.

Noticing Lei Yan’s disappointment, the old man grinned triumphantly. “Boy, do you even know who I am? My disciples from Poison King Valley wouldn’t be felled by someone of your crude skills!”

Poison was Lei Yan’s only safeguard. If even that couldn’t protect him, he’d have to think of another way. Since the old man basked in his own abilities, perhaps provoking him would help Lei Yan preserve his life.

“Hmph!” Lei Yan snorted coldly. “That’s only because I lacked the proper ingredients!”

Having lived so long, the old man saw through Lei Yan’s intentions at a glance. Spitting out the grass, he said, “Well, we did take their money, so we ought to finish the job. But you, boy, had to try a provocation. I hate it when people try to provoke me. So here’s your chance: two choices. First, we kill you—your death, our exit. Second, you manage to poison my disciple, and I’ll give her to you. If you fail, you still die!”

“Master… you…” The girl flushed with anger and embarrassment hearing the old man offer her to Lei Yan.

“My dear disciple, even I can’t poison you; what’s there to fear? If he really can, then following him wouldn’t be so bad.” The old man patted her head and laughed.

“That’s right! Even Master can’t poison me. This boy is dreaming if he thinks he can!” The girl shot Lei Yan a challenging look.

Lei Ya