When observing from the crowd, Xu Ke had smelled the scent of Hundred-Year Spider Poison and already knew how to deal with the two of them.

If not for the 'help' from Poison Elder's spider poison, Xu Ke would have undoubtedly been doomed in those circumstances, even with prior preparations!

Of course, if he hadn't known he could exploit his opponent's poison, Xu Ke wouldn't have rashly closed the distance. Without any knowledge of the situation, he would have simply called the police and let them take the two away.

…

After both parties had been harboring their own thoughts for some time, Poison Elder's expression suddenly changed drastically. She looked up. "Then does this mean I'm not poisoned at all?!"

"That's right." Xu Ke nodded, candidly admitting the truth.

Beside him, Ghost Elder's eyes widened and his lips trembled upon hearing this.

He now realized a very serious problem—Poison Elder hadn't been poisoned. He didn't need to be subjected to Xu Ke's control because of her from the start! If Poison Elder wasn't poisoned, then he'd been poisoned for nothing… What a terrible loss! He finally understood that Xu Ke had been bluffing him from the very beginning!

"You—you tricked me, you brat?!" Ghost Elder's voice rose several pitches.

Xu Ke, however, looked confused. "You were trying to kill me, so what's wrong with me tricking you? Is there a problem? What do you have to be so angry about?"

Hearing this, Ghost Elder opened his mouth to retort, but the words died on his lips. He could only swallow his seething frustration. He realized Xu Ke's words made too much sense to argue against.

Just then, Poison Elder reached out and grabbed Ghost Elder's arm. She wanted to identify the poison afflicting him and see if she could cure it. Back in the clinic, she hadn't seen anything when Xu Ke poisoned Ghost Elder, so naturally, she didn't know what poison had been used.

But after feeling Ghost Elder's meridians for a moment, her expression changed dramatically. She snapped her head up to look at Xu Ke, her eyes filled with utter shock.

"How is it? Can you cure it?" Ghost Elder asked anxiously, a flicker of hope in his eyes.

However, Poison Elder ignored him, simply staring at Xu Ke in terror, her voice trembling. "You… you… how do you have Shitian Elixir?"

"Hasn't it been lost for ages?!"

The moment she spoke, Ghost Elder felt as if he'd been plunged into an icy cavern, a chill spreading through his entire body. He was no poison expert, but under Poison Elder's tutelage, he understood just how rare Shitian Elixir was. He never imagined that Xu Ke would possess it!

Being afflicted with Shitian Elixir made his face pale several shades. Wasn't he as good as dead? In this situation, even if Poison Elder was a grandmaster of poisons, how could she possibly cure him?

Xu Ke touched his nose. "Do I need to tell you?"

Poison Elder knew the reappearance of Shitian Elixir was a great secret, so it was only natural for Xu Ke to refuse to divulge any clues. She quickly changed the subject, looking at him. "Give me the antidote!"

Xu Ke spread his hands. "Do one thing for me, and I will naturally give you the antidote."

Hearing this, Ghost Elder's face turned even uglier.

This way, weren't he and his wife completely at Xu Ke's mercy?

Poison Elder also knew that they were now the fish on the chopping block, and Xu Ke was the butcher. They were at his mercy. But to save Ghost Elder's life, she had no other choice.

Poison Elder took a deep breath. "What is it? I'll agree to it if it's within my ability! My husband and I may live in the shadows, but our word is our bond. We're more upright than any of those so-called paragons of virtue! As long as you keep your promise to give my husband the antidote, I swear I'll get the job done for you! However, you must first provide an antidote to delay the poison's onset."

Xu Ke smiled. "Naturally, that's no problem. Otherwise, who would I turn to if Ghost Elder died?" With that, he tossed a bottle over. "This is a dose that will delay the onset for one day. Take it first."

Ghost Elder caught it and exchanged a look with Poison Elder. A flicker of understanding passed between them, and he didn't rush to take it.

"Go on, take it. Don't even think about trying to analyze this dose. The true antidote and this single-day dose are two completely different formulas." Xu Ke could easily see what they were thinking.

Ghost Elder was clearly skeptical and still didn't plan to take it immediately.

Seeing this, Xu Ke sneered, "Believe it or not, that's up to you. I've given you the antidote. Now, you will help me with something. After it's done, the real antidote will naturally be yours."

Ghost Elder clutched the vial and said in a low voice, "What is it?"

"It's this…"

「At nine o'clock in the evening, at the Huang residence.」

Sitting on the living room sofa and waiting for news, Huang Sheng was growing anxious. His fingers rubbed incessantly at the sofa, and his expression shifted unpredictably.

At that moment, the door opened.

Huang Zhenyang walked in, his face alight with excitement. "Great news!"

"What?" Huang Sheng spun around in surprise. "Is Xu Ke dead?"

From his tone, it seemed the job was done!

Hearing this, Huang Zhenyang looked somewhat embarrassed. "No, not exactly."

"Then what is it?" Huang Sheng's disappointment was palpable.

Huang Zhenyang continued, "Kang Chenghua sent word. The assassins he dispatched didn't manage to kill Xu Ke directly, but they did poison him. Although it won't kill him, it will be impossible for Xu Ke to use his full strength. In this Martial Alliance selection tournament, he is bound to lose!"

Hearing this, Huang Sheng was overjoyed. "Good! That's enough!"

As long as Xu Ke couldn't use his full strength, he would have an explanation to give Wong Ting. Moreover, with Wong Ting currently vexed by the drawing, seeing that he had weakened Xu Ke might make him feel like he'd received timely help. If so, not only could he clear himself of suspicion for leaking the results of the draw, but he could also make Wong Ting grateful for his great service.

Thinking this, Huang Sheng immediately picked up his phone. "I need to notify Qian Jun and the others…" He quickly dialed the number. "Hello, is that Qian Jun? Is Elder Jin around?"

「Nine-thirty p.m.」

"What? Xu Ke has been poisoned?" Hearing the report, Ye Yunfeng couldn't believe his ears.

How could that cautious fellow stumble right before the competition?

The middle-aged man before him bowed slightly. "Yes, Family Head!"

Ye Yunfeng's eyes narrowed. "Where did this news come from?"

"It came from the Martial Alliance. Apparently, Chen Xiong is furious and has ordered a city-wide search throughout Tianhai to find the culprits. Meanwhile, Jin Hankang can't stop grinning from ear to ear."

Ye Yunfeng's expression changed again. "Who poisoned him?"

"The Ghost and Poison Elders!"

Ye Yunfeng's pupils shrank. "People from the assassin rankings?!"

"Yes."

"Where are they now?"

"They've reportedly fled Tianhai already."

"Chen Xiong didn't catch them?"

The middle-aged man shook his head.

"Do you know who hired the Ghost and Poison Elders?"

"It's still unclear, but the Huang family are the prime suspects!"

Ye Yunfeng got up and paced back and forth, then burst into laughter. "Good, good, good! Go and ask the Huang family if the two people facing Xu Ke tomorrow need anything. Our Ye Family can get in on this too. I'm quite eager to see the weak triumph over the strong, hahaha!"