The words had barely fallen.
Patriarch Huang swept his gaze across the assembled crowd. At this moment, not only the participants but also Zhang Chao, Qiu Xiaolin, and Lu Lianxue, who had come to freeload and listen, changed color. Even the fallen angel, Xier, frowned.
Immediately after.
Patriarch Huang continued:
"The Yunnan Worm Valley is periodically swept by poisonous winds, or poisonous winds blow from somewhere. Oh, and there are also poisonous pools, poisonous streams, and even poisonous rocks and poisonous grasses. These are all dangers within the environment of the Yunnan Worm Valley. Of course, these are not insurmountable, but one needs to be constantly vigilant."
"For example, when a poisonous wind blows, there are certain signs. According to the corpse-sewer who survived, the poisonous corpses noticed the poisonous centipedes passing by, didn't attack them, but instead fled rapidly, moving away from their location."
"Poisonous creatures are always sensitive to poison, especially those in the Yunnan Worm Valley. They are familiar with the environment and detect poisonous winds the moment they blow, choosing to flee. Therefore, it's possible to predict poisonous winds in advance."
"Poisonous streams, rivers, lakes, or poisonous rocks, grasses, and flowers can also be identified. Based on the exploration experiences of the previous batches of people who went there, combined with the information about the Yunnan Worm Valley collected by my Huang family and the Wei Dao Division in Yunnan."
"Those things can be carefully identified. Therefore, I offer everyone a piece of advice: stay vigilant at all times, as the Yunnan Worm Valley is fraught with danger."
Having said this.
Patriarch Huang looked towards Xier and slowly said:
"Even those at the Zhenguo level are not absolutely safe there. According to ancient texts I purchased at great expense from an old family of Gu masters, the Yunnan Worm Valley has seen the demise of Zhenguo-level individuals."
Through Huang Qingshan, Patriarch Huang knew that Zhang Wei had brought a Zhenguo-level bodyguard, and she was a fallen angel. While surprised by this, he was also pleased. If another Zhenguo-level individual could enter, it would greatly increase the probability of finding the Wan Taisui.
For this reason as well.
Patriarch Huang specifically reminded Xier kindly, to prevent her from becoming careless due to her own strength and dying there.
At this moment.
Following Patriarch Huang's words, not only the others present but also Xier turned their heads to look. Zhang Chao, in particular, asked in astonishment:
"Zhenguo-level individuals can also die in the Yunnan Worm Valley? Who was it? Damn, even with that kind of strength, they can die?"
The Huang family did not hesitate:
"Based on the current information, I know of one: the National Master of the ancient Dian kingdom. He was a Zhenguo-level Gu master of the ancient Dian kingdom. It is said that he did not die of old age, but went to the Yunnan Worm Valley. Although he returned alive, he contracted a strange poison and died after a strange illness."
"The other was said to be a Zhenguo-level individual from abroad during the Republic of China era who heard about the Yunnan Worm Valley. He coveted that Wan Taisui and, relying on his recent promotion to Zhenguo level, thought the Yunnan Worm Valley couldn't deal with him, so he found his way into the Yunnan Worm Valley."
Before he could finish speaking.
Zhang Chao interjected:
"And then he died inside?"
Patriarch Huang smiled and nodded:
"Yes, he died in the Yunnan Worm Valley. Although he entered alone, and everything about him before that was rumor, it was confirmed by the third batch of our people who entered. As for why, let Captain Huang explain."
Upon hearing this, Huang Qingshan took over, smiling and saying:
"Let me explain. The third batch of people who entered were the deepest into the Yunnan Worm Valley so far. They reached a place in the Yunnan Worm Valley and found a skeleton. Based on the foreign clothing and some items on him, we contacted the organization of the foreign Zhenguo-level ghost exorcist and his family."
"We confirmed that the person was the Zhenguo-level individual who went to the Yunnan Worm Valley during the Republic of China era, and we also found his suicide note written before his death."
As soon as this was mentioned.
Zhang Chao, who was about to eat lobster at the banquet, turned his head, his eyes showing undisguised interest:
"A Zhenguo-level suicide note? Damn, Captain Huang, since you've brought it this far, I suggest you tell us the contents of the suicide note. Heh heh, I mean, can you tell us, the contents of that suicide note?"
"Of course, we can tell you, as it was discovered by our Wei Dao Division. Without its discovery, his disappearance would forever remain a mystery. Moreover, we have also sought the opinion of his family, because in his suicide note, he mentioned the Yunnan Worm Valley, and... Wan Taisui!"
The moment Huang Qingshan spoke.
Uniformly.
Even Zhang Wei and Xier were drawn in. From Patriarch Huang, they knew that Wan Taisui was recorded and passed down by the ancient Dian kingdom, but later generations had never seen it, and no records or information about Wan Taisui had ever been left behind.
That foreign Zhenguo-level individual was, apart from the ancient Dian kingdom, the only person to have seen Wan Taisui and left information.
It was also at this time.
Huang Qingshan did not keep them in suspense. He took out a piece of paper from himself and handed it to everyone.
Upon closer inspection.
It depicted a strange plant resembling ginseng, but with a mushroom cap like a lingzhi growing on its head. The drawing was a sketch, rather rough, but it captured all the essential features of the plant.
Huang Qingshan pointed to the drawing on the paper and said:
"This is a copy. It's the appearance of the 'Wan Taisui' drawn in that Zhenguo-level individual's suicide note. According to what he wrote in the suicide note, he ventured deep into the Yunnan Worm Valley and encountered many dangers, including venomous insects, poisonous winds, and hordes of corpses."
"However, he did not escape all of them. Ultimately, in the depths of the Yunnan Worm Valley, he became careless and was bitten by a Gu insect king, falling victim to a potent poison. In his dying moments, he saw the Wan Taisui, and it was standing right in front of him."
Immediately.
Zhang Wei and the others looked over. Someone among them asked:
"Hmm? What do you mean?"
"The Wan Taisui was standing right in front of him? Captain Huang, you mean... is the Wan Taisui capable of movement?"
"Is the Wan Taisui alive? No, has the Wan Taisui become sentient?"
"This is troublesome. If the Wan Taisui has developed sentience, how can we capture it?"
Everyone began to discuss animatedly, and many frowned.
They were all renowned ghost exorcists in Great Xia, and they understood the implications of Huang Qingshan's words. Clearly, the Wan Taisui had either become sentient or developed a spiritual nature, similar to the legendary living ginseng, capable of movement. In other words, this would greatly increase the difficulty of capturing the Wan Taisui.
At this time.
Huang Qingshan listened to everyone's words and nodded:
"Yes, according to the suicide note, the Wan Taisui was alive. While he was poisoned and writing the suicide note, it appeared before him and was stealing fruit from his bag. He knew that eating the Wan Taisui could cure all poisons and diseases."
"So he tried to capture the Wan Taisui while it was stealing fruit. However, the Wan Taisui was too cautious. In the end, he only managed to scrape its surface with his fingernail, and then, using the piece of Wan Taisui's skin left on his fingernail, he consumed it to neutralize the poison."
Saying this.
Huang Qingshan seemed to sense everyone's astonishment and, knowing what they wanted to ask, spoke first:
"Yes, solely by eating a tiny bit of the Wan Taisui's scraped skin, he was detoxified and survived. However, the reason he died there was because he witnessed the powerful efficacy of the Wan Taisui, so he decided not to leave and continued to search for it."
"As a result, whether it was because the Wan Taisui held a grudge or because he ventured deeper into the Yunnan Worm Valley, he encountered more dangers than before. He was eventually poisoned and couldn't leave the Yunnan Worm Valley, falling in that valley on his way back."
"Then, according to the suicide note, the Wan Taisui is mobile, and based on the traces left by the Wan Taisui, he judged that the Wan Taisui only moved in the depths of the Yunnan Worm Valley. As for where the depths were considered, from the entrance of the valley, he designated that area as the depths of the Yunnan Worm Valley."
...