Chapter 348: Coordinated Attack from Within and Without

The Medicine King Valley disciple Xiumei recognized Wangchuan and clasped her fists in greeting.

“There’s no need for formalities. What’s the situation inside right now?”

Wangchuan went straight to the point.

Xiumei answered seriously,

“The poisonous insects on the outer perimeter were already growing restless. Just now, the deputy helm leader who stayed behind sent two disciples out to investigate… I guessed your people had probably arrived, so I deliberately waited here at the entrance.”

“For the moment, the branch helm inside has not yet detected any danger, and its defenses are lax. However… forcing our way in would still be difficult. All three gates are guarded both inside and out by disciples, and there is also a group of Iron Pythons and Iron-Back Centipedes inside. Those poisonous creatures possess strength comparable to first-rank and second-rank martial artists, and detoxifying powder cannot deter them.”

“Inside the branch helm, there are also two martial artists with second-rank cultivation, along with several dozen Five Poisons Sect disciples who possess the strength of full-fledged martial artists.”

Xiumei truthfully recounted the situation inside the branch helm, then proposed her plan.

“I’ve already prepared 《Soft-Fragrance Powder》 in advance. Once it is lit, it won’t affect people, but it will make ordinary poisonous creatures lose their threat and grow drowsy. It should greatly reduce our trouble.”

Wangchuan’s eyes lit up.

If they could remove the threat of the countless poisonous creatures spread throughout the area, then dealing only with a group of Five Poisons Sect disciples would become much simpler.

As for those poisonous creatures with first-rank and second-rank strength, they still would not be able to withstand his edge.

“That will do nicely!”

“You light the 《Soft-Fragrance Powder》 and work with us to assassinate the disciples guarding the cave entrance inside and out… The rest can be left to us.”

“Good!”

Since Xiumei had been able to infiltrate the Five Poisons Sect alone, her methods were naturally not weak. If she attacked a guard or two in secret with medicine and poison, that posed no problem at all.

As the 《Soft-Fragrance Powder》 was lit,

Wangchuan could indeed feel that the many poisonous creatures within the cavern instantly quieted down, as if they had fallen asleep…

There was no time to delay!

He immediately activated 《Cloud Ladder》, borrowed force in midair, stepped from tree trunk to tree trunk, avoided the sightlines of the Five Poisons Sect disciples, and closed in on the mountain gate of the branch helm.

Only when the gate guards finally heard movement and lifted their heads to investigate did Wangchuan descend from above like an eagle. Before the two men, his Thousand-Forged Longsword blossomed into ripples of watery radiance, and a fierce edge, infused with internal force, poured forth!

Pfft!

Pfft!

The two Five Poisons Sect disciples were engulfed by the dazzling sword light. Blood burst from their throats, and they were instantly cut down, their bodies twisting violently as they crashed to the ground.

The two disciples inside the gate heard the commotion and leaned out to look, only to have Xiumei pierce their hearts from behind with a short dagger.

Hiss!!

A python as thick as a water bucket opened its eyes from the roof of the cavern, slithered down in confusion, and then chose Wangchuan over Xiumei.

In the next instant, sword light flashed before its eyes…

The Iron Python’s body froze, and its pupils scattered.

By the time its vision returned, its head had already been severed by Wangchuan.

An Iron Python with strength comparable to a first-rank martial artist was, in the end, still only a great python.

At Entry-Level Mastery, 《Water-Moon Sword Art》 granted +80 attack, and with a certain probability made it impossible for the enemy to distinguish illusion from reality, leaving them unable to defend.

When it struck a vital point, it dealt double damage.

His normal attack was 137 points.

When paired with an explosive release of internal force, it rose to over 230 points.

And once vital-point damage doubled that—

460 points!

The Iron Python’s HP was under five hundred, so a single strike emptied its health bar completely. Its corpse fell heavily across the entrance.

A crowd of Caobang disciples surged forward and filed inside.

A poisonous Iron-Back Centipede, a full meter long, raised its head from the wall and assumed an attack posture.

But in an instant, root after root of Armor-Piercing Arrows pinned it firmly into the rock wall! Its dense forest of legs writhed and struggled, then gradually lost all signs of life.

The men poured rapidly into the branch helm!

Wangchuan took the lead.

Whenever he saw a Five Poisons Sect disciple along the way, he said nothing at all—his sword simply rose and fell!

Not a single person could withstand even one move from him.

Under Xiumei’s guidance, Wangchuan headed straight for the residence where the deputy helm leader of the Five Poisons Sect branch helm was staying.

He had just passed a bend in the passage when the sound of something cutting through the air suddenly rang out.

Wangchuan raised his sword. With two crisp clangs, he precisely blocked a pair of Iron Caltrops, then flicked out a throwing knife with his left hand!

Whoosh!

A Five Poisons Sect disciple was struck in the face and fell flat onto his back—《Heart-Piercing Dart》, when paired with internal force, had also become terrifyingly explosive.

“The Caobang!”

“It’s the Caobang! The Caobang has slaughtered its way in!”

“Run!!”

Every disciple in the Five Poisons Sect branch helm had now been alarmed.

Many of them fled under pursuit and hacking blades.

From time to time, someone was struck by saber or arrow…

Meanwhile, Zhao Heiniu and Yang Feiyue’s men were still guarding the other two entrances.

As more and more Five Poisons Sect disciples fled that way, a rain of arrows filled the air.

Every disciple of the Five Poisons Sect became a living target. At such close range, none of them could withstand Armor-Piercing Arrows. Row after row of them turned into hedgehogs.

Led by Xiumei, Wangchuan entered a cavern that contained a pond. The light there was good. Two men, dressed and carrying themselves in a manner somewhat similar to Xu Zhen, were trying to climb up through an opening in the cavern roof to escape.

Wangchuan immediately took up his bow!

Four arrows flew in quick succession.

The man who lagged behind was shot down at once and fell into the pond.

The other man, seeing that the situation had turned bad, flicked a flexible sword from his waist, blocked the arrows, and dropped spinning back to the ground. His face darkened as he shot Xiumei a glance, then fixed his gaze on Wangchuan.

“So it’s Hall Master Wangchuan of Sanhe Commandery. You truly are the mortal enemy of our Five Poisons Sect!”

At present, there was no one left in the Five Poisons Sect branch helm who did not know Wangchuan, and none who did not hate him to the bone.

Before the deputy helm leader had even finished speaking, he saw Wangchuan charge straight at him. The soft sword had only just shaken out a flash of sword light when it was shredded by an even greater mass of sword radiance. Pain struck his chest, and when he lowered his head, he saw that Wangchuan’s Thousand-Forged Longsword had already pierced into his torso.

Wangchuan had no interest in listening to the man’s nonsense. As he watched the body collapse limply, he turned to Xiumei and asked,

“Where are your people being held?”

Seeing how swiftly he had taken down the Five Poisons Sect branch helm, Xiumei’s eyes filled with awe. She pointed toward the deepest part of the cavern.

“Inside there…”

This cavern was, in truth, the special area where the higher-ups of the Five Poisons Sect branch helm resided. It had its own dedicated escape route. At the rear was the place where various treasures were stored and prisoners were held.

Wangchuan led his people deeper inside the cavern.

Sure enough, they saw a woman tied to a pillar. Shackles were fastened around her ankles, and her body was covered in bloody lash marks. She was barely clinging to life.

Xiumei immediately rushed over and took her pulse with practiced skill.

“She can still be saved! Hall Master Wangchuan, please trouble a few of your brothers to carry her down the mountain for me.”

“Good.”

Wangchuan had Wang Yuehui arrange men for that, but his own attention had already been deeply drawn to certain things in the deeper part of the cavern.

There was one large chest of silver and one smaller chest of gold, along with jewels and jade ornaments;

beside them lay several Thousand-Forged weapons.

On a nearby rack sat more than a dozen bottles and jars.

But what truly made Wangchuan’s pupils quake were several booklets made of unusual paper, each one giving off a faint luminous glow.

Every single one of them was exceptionally eye-catching!

Master copies of martial arts manuals!

The Five Poisons Sect branch helm really had been hiding master copies of martial arts manuals!

There were a total of…

four of them!