CHAPTER 60: CHAPTER 60: I REALLY DON’T KNOW (THIRD UPDATE)

A sip of tea went down his throat.

The taste was slightly bitter, yet it had an indescribable fragrance.

"Prompt: The host has been poisoned and will be unable to circulate Internal Energy after Half an Hour."

The System’s prompt came through.

This prompt sent a chill through Xu Nian’s heart.As expected!He had not guessed wrong.

Both the wine and the tea were poisoned—the Hongmen Banquet had turned into a deadly trap!

For the sake of the Nine Dragon Key, these people really stopped at nothing.Even the Internal Energy of someone in the First-Grade Realm could be sealed—this poison was truly too domineering.

At another table, Under the Phoenix Tree, who had also taken a sip of tea, saw his complexion change slightly. He too received a reminder from the game.

Poisoned!

Looking at the teacup in his hand, he quickly turned to warn Junlin and his team, "None of you should drink it, I’ve been poisoned."

Hmm? Junlin and his team immediately furrowed their brows.

Poisoning right from the start?The difficulty of this Task seemed quite high.

It was the first time they had encountered poisoning, and finding a cure wouldn’t be easy. The Poisonous Panda followed the path of poison arts, but he wasn’t yet capable of concocting Herbal Medicine. Since Under the Phoenix Tree was already poisoned, there was no need for the rest of them to make the same mistake.

"It’s going to be tough for the five of us to fight our way out from here. We suddenly found this Task to be unusually difficult! What do we do? Should we contact Flourishing Flowers and team up? Forget it, let’s continue with the plot. Looks like we’re going to waste Ten Contribution Points..."

Junlin and his team sighed again and again. This Task was indeed too difficult for them. Luckily, they all had refrained from drinking wine and tea. Otherwise, if all five of them were poisoned, the loss would be substantial.

At the main table, Magistrate Liu, listening to Jin Yutang’s introductions, also took note of these people from Jianghu.

When it came to Xu Nian, Magistrate Liu smiled and asked, "Sect Leader Xu, have you heard of the Nine Dragons Secret Treasure?"

With that one sentence, the entire main table fell silent. The Nine Dragons Secret Treasure was a legendary treasure in the Jianghu, pursued by countless people to no avail.

Why did Magistrate Liu suddenly ask Xu Nian about it now?Could it be that Xu Nian knew something about the Nine Dragons Secret Treasure?

"Nine Dragons Secret Treasure?" Xu Nian raised his eyebrows slightly and smiled, "I haven’t heard of it. What is it?"

Sun Tianhui was about to explain, but Jin Yutang spoke first, "Sect Leader Xu jests. I heard a rumor that one of the keys to opening the Nine Dragons Secret Treasure, the Nine Dragon Key, is in the possession of your Profound Yellow Sect!"

Instantly, all eyes were on Xu Nian. The whereabouts of the Nine Dragon Key had been unknown for many years. Now that one of them was Inside the Profound Yellow Sect, if this news got out, many people in Jianghu would probably beat down the Profound Yellow Sect’s door.

"Nine Dragon Key? I have no knowledge of it. Is Patriarch Jin perhaps drunk? I don’t even know about the Nine Dragons Secret Treasure, so how could I know anything about the Nine Dragon Key?" Xu Nian maintained a demeanor of complete ignorance.

However, Jin Yutang’s expression was one of firm confidence as he explained, "Sect Leader Xu, playing dumb like this isn’t amusing. If there was no such information, why would I bring it up in front of Magistrate Liu?"

"But I really don’t know." Xu Nian displayed helplessness.

Jin Yutang’s expression darkened as he said sternly, "Let’s cooperate to find the remaining Nine Dragon Keys and then join forces to unlock the Nine Dragons Secret Treasure, how about that?"

"Cooperation is fine, but I truly don’t have the Nine Dragon Key." Xu Nian explained once more.

Cooperate?The reward from the System was the location of the Nine Dragon Key.Did he need to collaborate with members of the Blood Demon Sect?Wouldn’t it be better for his Profound Yellow Sect to claim the Nine Dragons Secret Treasure all for themselves?

"Sect Leader Xu, that’s somewhat disrespectful of you." Jin Yutang snorted, "That Nine Dragon Key was originally my possession. It fell into the hands of your Profound Yellow Sect, and you’re still pretending to be ignorant?"

As his words fell, a succession of footsteps suddenly echoed around Jin Mansion. The next moment, numerous figures rushed in from both inside and outside the Jin Mansion, surrounding the entire courtyard.

Sun Tianhui’s face changed drastically as he looked at these people dressed in black-and-red attire.

Blood Demon Sect!How is that possible?How could the Blood Demon Sect’s members appear in Fengxiang Prefecture?

"Patriarch Jin, what is the meaning of this?" Sun Tianhui’s face turned gloomy in an instant. It was at this time that he felt a slight sway in his body; a wave of dizziness and weakness swept over him. He slumped over the table, knocking over many dishes and drinks.

"Sect Leader!"

"Master!"

Seeing this, Mo Yao and her companions were also shocked and appalled.

Jin Yutang said with a smile, "What do I mean? Naturally, it is for your benefit. Otherwise, why would I go to such lengths to invite you all here?"

"You... You’ve joined forces with the Blood Demon Sect?" Sun Tianhui asked weakly, his eyes filled with rage and murderous intent.

"A wise man submits to the times. The drinks and tea have been laced with Nine Extremes Powder. It’s best that you don’t try to exert your Internal Energy now." Jin Yutang laughed coldly, scanned Everyone, and said in a deep voice, "Those who want to live can have the antidote, but from then on, you would all be Blood Demon Sect Followers. Think it over for yourselves!"

Zhao Tuozi and the others also turned pale upon hearing these words. They knew the reputation of Nine Extremes Powder well. Colorless and tasteless, once ingested, one cannot mobilize their Internal Energy, leaving the person completely weak and unconscious. This substance is generally found Inside the Blood Demon Sect. Now that Jin Yutang had dosed them with Nine Extremes Powder, it was clear he was in league with the Blood Demon Sect.

Magistrate Liu had also drunk the wine. Did that not mean...

When they looked towards Magistrate Liu, they found him staring at them with a cold sneer. Then, Magistrate Liu lightly wiped his face with his hand, and a human-skin mask fell off, revealing a slightly effeminate face.

"Well done!" The effeminate man nodded slightly and said to the crowd, "Jin Yutang has given you a choice. Those who want to live, just speak up. The Blood Demon Sect isn’t stingy with its own people. As for Sect Leader Xu... do you think you can still protect the Nine Dragon Key?"

Xu Nian remained silent, a Top-Grade Detoxification Pill already prepared in the palm of his hand. A reward from the System earlier. It came in handy now.

The Blood-Hand Shopkeeper of Iron Fist Gate, seeing Everyone’s reaction, quickly said, "I pledge my allegiance to the Blood Demon Sect, please grant me the antidote, my lord!"

"Blood-Hand Shopkeeper! Do you know what you’re doing?" Elder Eagle Eye yelled angrily. "All members of the Blood Demon Sect deserve death! The Blood-Hand Shopkeeper is trying to drag Iron Fist Gate down with him!"

"Old fool, I just want to live!" The Blood-Hand Shopkeeper hissed, "Can’t you all see? The Blood Demon Sect has taken over Fengxiang Prefecture. If you want to survive, you have to join them!"

As these words were spoken, Everyone felt a chill in their hearts.

Indeed!Magistrate Liu had been replaced by a member of the Blood Demon Sect.Now that they were poisoned, who could save them?None!There was no one left!

"Amitabha, this old monk would rather die than pledge allegiance to the Blood Demon Sect!" Master Xuan Kong put his hands together, silently chanting a Buddhist mantra, and then a terrifying Buddhist aura exploded around him.

Seeing his condition, Jin Yutang hurriedly cautioned, "Be careful, the old bald donkey wants to die!"

As soon as the words were out, Master Xuan Kong leaped forward. The aura of a First-Grade Martial Artist burst out completely. He was stricken with Nine Extremes Powder but managed to suppress the effects of the poison, forcibly releasing his Power.

The effeminate man nearest to him showed a hint of admiration in his eyes. To suppress the Nine Extremes Powder, indeed, the monks of Merciful Temple were not simple.But it was a pity.Even though we’re both at the First-Grade Martial Artist Realm, it would still be very difficult for him to kill me!

Master Xuan Kong’s Internal Energy whirled around him as he raised his hand and sent a Buddhist Palm Seal toward the effeminate man. The palm strike was domineering beyond measure, showing no trace of Buddhist Martial Arts. Yet the effeminate man showed no concern at all, simply reaching out and casually grabbing Master Xuan Kong’s wrist.

"Too slow..."

Then, under the shocked gazes of Everyone, Master Xuan Kong spat out a mouthful of blood, and like a kite with a broken string, he was sent flying back...