Chapter 80 The Royal Hunting Grounds, Inside the Imperial Tent.
Inside the imperial tent.
Shinju intended to rummage through his luggage, only to learn that King Zhen had already ordered it sent to a nearby palace. This autumn hunt was scheduled for three days in total. Since most of the participants were young nobles, King Zhen wouldn't insist on everyone camping at the hunting grounds at night for the sake of some kind of immersive experience. Therefore, after today's hunting activities concluded, everyone would set off for the palace.
Therefore, Shinjuku had no clothes to change into for a while.
"Is there no one in the hunting grounds I can borrow from?" Masakatsu asked incredulously.
The King of Poison nodded seriously, making no mention of his desire to see Shinju wearing his clothes for a while longer.
However, to prevent his own dantian from collapsing first, the Poison King still took out a cloak and covered his slightly exposed front.
Although Shinjuku felt a bit hot and his attire was rather inappropriate, he didn't care that the King of the Poisonous King didn't care, so he put it out of his mind and his gaze sharpened slightly.
Finding out what exactly the lotus pattern that suddenly appeared on my back is is of utmost urgency.
What he knows now is that the tattoo cannot be detected by divine sense.
Based on his years of experience, although he cultivated the purest and most righteous martial arts and had never experienced qi deviation, he was not unfamiliar with righteous people who had fallen into demonic possession, nor was he unfamiliar with true demonic practitioners. He feared that these strange markings on his body might be demonic or cursed.
To find out whether it is true or not, he must advance to the highest level of poison as soon as possible. Presumably, the supreme secret manual of unorthodox methods, the "Five Supreme Scriptures," will have the answer.
Shinju carefully examined the amount of poison stored in his root chakra and discovered that the toxins collected from the poisonous mushrooms perfectly filled the remaining part that he needed to refine his golden elixir.
I didn't touch many poisonous mushrooms on my trip up the mountain, but it seems I managed to capture two king poisonous mushrooms.
The poison of that mushroom is not only highly concentrated, but even a small amount contains a potent dose of toxins. One finger is equivalent to three or five fingers.
Just as Shinju was standing near the King of Poison, secretly using the dragon's energy to make a final push for refinement, the King of Poison couldn't contain himself any longer. It was rare for Shinju to be in such a good mood today, so he beckoned him to his side.
"Xiao Qingzi, come here and massage my temples."
Seeing that the King of the Poisonous Beast looked exhausted, Shinju obediently went over and, without thinking much, bent his knuckles and began to rub the sides of the King of the Poisonous Beast's head with very light pressure.
However, for the Poison King, this level of force was just right. His Purple Mansion, which was on the verge of collapse from time to time, seemed to have been reinforced and stabilized considerably.
The sweet and pure aura of the man behind him enveloped him. As the King of Poison relaxed, he pondered in his heart whether there was anything missing or could be improved in the arrangements he had made for the night.
Embarrassingly, this was the first time he had ever been so nervous.
After rubbing for a while, he took Shinju's hand in his own. Seeing that Shinju did not pull it away, he felt a little more at ease and had more confidence in what would happen tonight.
The Prince of Zhen asked, "Is there anything Qing'er would like to eat? I will have the imperial chefs of Lianshui Palace prepare it."
Shinjuku's fingernails have rounded edges, softening the bony shape of his fingers and giving them a gentle yet powerful appearance. If one were to be enveloped by these hands, it would surely be...
Shinjuku was oblivious to what the King of Poison was thinking. He was seriously considering what he wanted to eat and didn't take the King of Poison's blatant attempt to take advantage to heart.
"I would like to give it a try..."
.
As night fell, most people moved from the hunting grounds to the palace and checked in.
After being slaughtered by specialists, the hunted prey was transported to the imperial kitchen for cooking.
Therefore, the dinner that night was as lavish as a triumphant banquet.
The atmosphere inside the hall was quite pleasant, mainly because King Zhen was in better spirits than usual. His cold demeanor had softened, and a smile could be seen on his lips from time to time. Everyone relaxed more and more, immersing themselves in the delicacies. Amidst the clinking of glasses, the rewards given based on the hunting results pushed the atmosphere of the banquet to a climax.
"Your Highness, please feel free to ask for any reward you desire." The King of Poison did not touch a drop of wine, nor did he allow Masakatsu to drink any. Instead, he kept serving Masakatsu thick and sweet cheese and mushroom soup.
The crown prince looked at his father, who was talking about rewarding him but was actually "serving" the little attendant, and almost forgot what he was originally going to say.
"...Your son humbly requests that Your Majesty appoint a military general to teach you martial arts. I do not aspire to match Your Majesty's superb martial arts skills, but I do wish to improve my physical health and martial arts while pursuing my studies. Like Your Majesty, I hope to step forward when necessary to personally fight the enemy, defend the borders, and protect the people of the world."
This statement seems ambitious and may even seem to elevate himself, but most people believe that the Crown Prince is indirectly flattering the Prince of Zhen and praising his achievements and honors.
Shinju also cast a glance at the prince.
He could see the resentment emanating from the prince, which appeared as a bluish-black color in his divine sense. Shinju guessed that perhaps the wild boar the prince had hunted that day had been outshone by the giant bear of the Poison King, and that the prince genuinely wanted to hone his riding and archery skills.
Thinking of this, Shinjuku couldn't help but laugh.
King Zhen was about to agree, but then he saw that Shinju was looking at the prince with a smile in his eyes.
Thinking about how he hadn't been able to get a smile from Shinjuku no matter how he tried, King Zhen felt a bit frustrated, so without thinking, he vented his anger on the Crown Prince.
"While both literary and military talents are essential, once the Crown Prince can properly handle the issue of smuggled salt in Fushui Town, I will appoint Yan Shang as your martial arts instructor."
Yan Shang, who was patrolling outside, was unaware that he had been assigned such a task. The Crown Prince, sensing the dissatisfaction in the words of the Prince of Zhen, did not understand but immediately bowed and accepted the order.
"...Your subject obeys."
This scene, however, took on a different interpretation in Shinjuku's eyes.
He felt that the Prince of Zhen's harsh treatment of the Crown Prince clearly indicated that he truly regarded him as the sole heir.
He didn't want to dwell on the issue of having offspring, but he simply couldn't control himself.
Startled by the unusual heat rising on his back, Shinju lowered his golden eyes, drinking soup while hammering the poison-refining pill.
.
The banquet ended quickly because the King of Zhen unusually appeared unwell, causing his subjects to become extremely nervous.
"I'm fine, just tired." King Zhen gave Shinju a wink. Although Shinju didn't understand what it meant, he still helped King Zhen leave the table.
Tired?!
They had never seen the invincible War God, the Poison King, speak such words of weariness due to his advanced age.
This explanation failed to appease anyone, and the departing figure of the Poison King seemed somewhat hurried, but no one dared to disturb or stop him.
Shinju followed the King of Zhen into the main hall. Before he could even ask the King of Zhen what was wrong, the King of Zhen abandoned him, turned and went into the inner room, not letting Shinju follow him in.
Although Shinju felt there was something strange about it, he knew that if he had used his divine sense to take a look, he would have known what the Poison King was doing inside, but he did not.
He devoted himself entirely to himself.
The instant he stepped across the threshold, his poison pill lost all its inky color and was instead covered in a layer of pure gold, like gold leaf. His dantian—had been successfully refined into a golden core!
Currently, Zhen Su's cultivation level has advanced to the Golden Core Realm. Each realm is further divided into early, middle, and late stages, and the three stages can be further subdivided into nine ranks. As for which rank Zhen Su currently corresponds to, since there is no spiritual energy, it is impossible to specifically examine the concentration of spiritual energy that his dantian can absorb and absorb in order to quantify it.
However, none of that matters. What matters is that Shinju has reached the final stage of the Poisonous Realm, and he can now read and interpret the last part of the Poisonous Realm of the Five Ultimate Scriptures.
Shinju judged that he should be able to break through soon, so before setting off for the autumn hunt, he put the Five Ultimate Sutra into his bag.
He waited in the main hall for a while, but the King of Poison still did not appear. Meanwhile, Zuo'er and You'er were guarding the passageway leading to the inner room. Zhen Su thought that nothing should happen, so he quietly sneaked into the side room and looked for the secret manual hidden in the bottom of the box.
The King of Poison walked along the corridor to a hot spring surrounded by bamboo groves. Beside the misty hot spring was a large side room. Entering the room, one could find a pool hidden within, with twelve dragon heads each occupying a corner, corresponding to the twelve earthly branches. In the center of the pool stood a huge square bed, its four corner golden beams carved with dragons and phoenixes, reaching from the sky to the water and then to the ground. The red bedding on the bed was sprinkled with pink petals of hibiscus, mixed with shimmering gold and white osmanthus blossoms. A closer look revealed that the four corners of the bedding were angled, symbolizing harmony.
Lotus-shaped water lanterns were lit in the pond, casting a rosy glow all around, creating a truly enchanting scene.
The King of Poison did not approach, but only watched the arrangement from afar. Finally, he looked at the two jade pillows next to each other at the head of the bed, his gaze so deep it was frightening.
The King of Zhen left quickly and changed his clothes elsewhere. He wore a crescent-white inner robe paired with a bright red brocade robe embroidered with gold patterns. The slightly open right lapel revealed his straight collarbone, and his broad shoulders supported the imposing clothes. The gold and jade belt outlined his slender waistline, which further accentuated the King of Zhen's long, straight legs and highlighted his tall and heroic figure.
Of course, he didn't forget to attach his light blue sachet to his waist.
Upon exiting the main hall, Zhenwang did not see Shinjuku's figure, so he followed the sweet fragrance and found the side room.
"Qing'er".
When the King of Zhen saw the figure of Shinju squatting on the ground, his eyes softened like clouds, and he walked closer and called out to him.
However, there was no response from Shinjuku.
"Qing'er?"
This time, Shinju's body visibly trembled, and he slowly turned his head, but his gaze did not fall on the King of Poison.
Although the King of Zhen sensed something was amiss, he was still focused on preparing to confess his feelings, so he pulled the person up and stood face to face with him.
At this moment, Shinju's forehead was already below the tip of the King of Poison's nose, and if he moved a little closer, he could kiss him.
The King of Poison took Shinju's hand, placed it in his palm, and gently cupped it without wrapping it up.
"Qing'er, would you like to soak in the hot springs with me tonight?" The Poison King took a deep breath and tried to speak calmly.
Shinjuku's gaze was unfocused, as if he hadn't heard anything, and he showed no reaction. But just as the King of Poison frowned slightly, about to ask again, Shinjuku shook his head.
"I will not go."
King Zhen had never heard Shinju's voice sound so cold and indifferent. Even though these words didn't prove anything, King Zhen's heart trembled slightly, and his intuition sent a chill down his spine.
"Why?" King Zhen couldn't help but ask.
Shinjuku lowered his eyelids slightly and replied coldly, "Your subject does not wish to."
This time, King Zhen could no longer deceive himself; he knew that Shinjuku fully understood what his invitation meant.
The King of Poison couldn't help but tighten his grip, taking Shinju's hand into his own and squeezing it tightly.
"Say it again," the King of Poison said, his voice turning cold.
Shinjuku seemed oblivious to the pain, letting him pinch her without pulling his hand away, but he refused to look at the King of Venom, not even for a second.
"I do not wish to."
The King of Zhen's breathing suddenly became heavy. He tried his best to suppress his anger. After a moment, he asked again, "Does the matter of Zhao Kelin make you resent me so much? I can send people to abduct the Zhao family members on the way and settle them in a remote town."
Shinju remained unmoved, simply stating, "It has nothing to do with the Zhao family."
"Then why is that?" King Zhen stared intently at Shinju, trying to find the answer in his expression.
Shinjuku hesitated for a long time, unable to find the words to properly refuse the King of Poison.
Actually, if the King of Zhen had invited him before he even entered the side room, he probably would have agreed.
However, he saw in the "Five Ultimate Sutra" that the lotus tattoo on his back, which could ward off divine consciousness, was a sign of demonic possession. Each petal represented a type of extreme poison, and five petals represented the deepest and most malevolent combination of the five poisons, a sign of complete demonic possession.
He didn't realize he had become possessed by a demon. The book said that a person possessed by a demon would be unable to control their killing intent.
Yes. He easily succumbed to murderous intent beneath the Taoist temple, turning everyone into a bloody mist without the slightest hesitation. He even derives pleasure from the carnage, but he has never admitted it, nor has he faced the truth.
The book also says that people who are possessed by demons will endlessly amplify their negative emotions and be led astray by demonic energy.
Yes. He wasn't someone who easily felt wronged, but lately he had become too prone to depression and too dependent on the Poison King. His demonic possession amplified his weakness, deepened his negative feelings, and even instilled in him a strong possessiveness towards the Poison King. That's why he found the Crown Prince's presence so obstructive.
He had never been infatuated with love, nor had he ever been so extreme. Perhaps these feelings were never real from the beginning. He wondered when the lotus pattern appeared, or if it had always been on his back from the start.
He was confused; his mind was in turmoil.
He didn't even know if his denial of everything was also influenced by a demonic possession; he was completely baffled.
But the final straw wasn't this one, but another one mentioned in the book—
The demonic aura emitted by a person possessed by a demon will involuntarily and indiscriminately charm others.
Shinjuku closed his straight golden eyes tightly, his eyes slightly moist.
If everything the Poison King did for him wasn't out of genuine affection...
Shinjuku dared not think any further. He instinctively felt that he was about to say something out of control, so he bit his lip tightly, pulled his hand away, and turned his back to the King of Poison.
The King of Poison could not fail to see the resistance written all over Shinju's body.
"Qing'er, I'll ask you one last time: will you stay with me?"
The King of Poison's bloodshot eyes were fixed on the back of Shinju's head, silently chanting: Don't shake your head, don't shake your head, don't...
But the back of his head, which he had always found adorable, began to sway from left to right.
Outside the Lianshui Palace, suddenly, the purplish-blue sky turned pitch black, so dark that not a single ray of light could be seen. The moon had vanished without a trace, and within the inky blackness, faint crimson lightning flickered. The entire night sky resembled an overturned vat of inky lava, and as the lava fell, countless tiny, densely packed, white-eyed double pupils opened from the cracks that appeared.
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Author's note: Many chapters haven't been polished yet. I estimate it will take a few days to revise them, and I'll also organize the outlines for the later chapters.
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