Five Venoms, Heartless

Nightfire flickered in the darkness, and the shadows of monsters prowled outside the cave.

In this eerie setting, Tieying’s sudden interrogation left Chen Da stunned.

Chen Da could only laugh and cry at once. “Little fairy, surely you’re mistaken? I’m nothing but a mere mortal. How would I conspire with monsters? Why would a monster pay any attention to me?”

Tieying regarded him curiously. “Why not? That monster you call ‘Wu Zhi’ hides in the Forest of Five Poisons, skulking during the day, coming out only at night to harm people. Clearly, it must have its reasons. If I were it, I’d—have you, a mortal, lure those cultivators who enter the forest into my cave. I’d devour the essence and souls of cultivators to strengthen my power. You, lacking spiritual energy, would make the perfect ‘ghost minion’ for me.

“I could deceive you—so long as you obey me and lead cultivators step by step into my trap, I’d spare your life.”

There was no attempt to conceal the malice in her eyes.

Even as she voiced her speculation, she smiled, finding it amusing—her smile was sweet and pure, yet paired with her words, it sent a shiver down Chen Da’s spine.

Jiang Xuehe observed Tieying.

He had thought that, secluded in the deep mountains with their master, his little junior sister would surely be an innocent, naive girl. Yet in reality... Tieying wielded malice as easily as breathing, seemingly born to it—but why?

As Jiang Xuehe pondered, Chen Da forced a laugh, quietly distancing himself from Tieying and moving closer to Jiang Xuehe. “Little fairy, you’re joking, right?”

Tieying replied, “Yes.”

Yet when Chen Da caught the faint trace of ferocity in her eyes, he truly felt...

Weighing his options for a long moment, Chen Da bowed his head in defeat. “All right, I suppose I’m not entirely innocent... But I truly never meant you any harm. I’ve no pact with the great monster. I’m just a mortal—how would I dare provoke such a creature? I entered the Forest of Five Poisons simply because my family lives at the foot of the mountain. We live off the land, I come up here to hunt and sell what I catch.”

Tieying said, “My senior brother and I must tread carefully here, but you seem not to worry at all?”

Chen Da cast a slow glance at the pair.

Even in the ghostly firelight, his mortal eyes held a hint of strangeness.

Chen Da said, “I don’t need to worry about being eaten by monsters... Not when you’re here. Isn’t this place the trial ground for your Jade Capital Sect? The monsters in the forest see you cultivators every day—why would they bother with me?”

Tieying was taken aback.

Suddenly understanding, she exclaimed, “You knew my senior brother and I entered the Forest of Five Poisons! You’ve been secretly following us, haven’t you?”

Chen Da’s smile was somewhat odd.

Tieying’s gaze darkened, and she seized him by the throat, slamming him against the cave wall.

Chen Da wanted to cry for help, but the other youth in the cave, hooded and calm, remained unmoved as Tieying went wild.

Though Tieying’s spiritual power was weak, she was still a cultivator. Chen Da gasped for breath, realizing he was near suffocation, and frantically slapped at her hand, signaling his willingness to cooperate if only she would release him.

Tieying snorted coldly.

Once freed, Chen Da scrambled to Jiang Xuehe’s side, sticking close.

Still shaken, he dared not play tricks, and finally confessed straightforwardly:

“I don’t know what kind of monster this Wu Zhi is. But my family has lived nearby for generations, and before the monster died, we all knew it. Back then, it was called Suan Yu, disguised as a scholar. Everyone for miles around had received its kindness in some way.

“Life was peaceful... Until, well, Suan Yu accidentally drew the attention of the Jade Capital Sect.”

Chen Da fell silent for a moment, staring down at his hands, recalling:

“The Jade Capital Sect wanted to eradicate the monster. Suan Yu must have been powerful; the sect couldn’t defeat it outright, so they devised a cruel trick... Ha, even such a lofty sect resorts to such schemes.

Tieying listened, thoroughly engaged, and eagerly interjected, “What trick? Let me guess—if I couldn’t beat a monster, I’d deceive it, waiting for it to show weakness, and then kill it in one fell swoop.”

Chen Da mocked, “Little fairy, you and the Jade Capital Sect are well matched. Their trick was much like yours—they sent a female disciple disguised as a mortal, and somehow, she managed to fool Suan Yu. She lured him into falling in love, tricked him into marriage.

“Then, on their wedding day, she led Suan Yu into this Forest of Five Poisons, where a formation had long been laid, and used it to kill him.”

---

“But for some reason, Suan Yu died but didn’t truly die, just as you suggested: After his death, he transformed into some great monster called Wu Zhi, unable to leave the forest, now bent on opposing the Jade Capital Sect.

“With you cultivators around, of course I dared to enter the mountain. That monster wants to kill you, not me—I just hide behind you and stay safe.”

Tieying listened, struck silent.

Chen Da’s story had many inconsistencies, but Tieying first thought of the “Bloody Bridal Robe” song still echoing outside, and suddenly understood its origin—

The great monster waits for his new bride.

He will never find her, and so seeks to sacrifice innocents instead.

It was a heartbreaking tale, yet its listeners, Jiang Xuehe remained calm, Tieying unmoved.

The cave was silent, without a sound.

Tieying looked toward Jiang Xuehe, who sat quietly.

Jiang Xuehe’s hood shifted slightly.

Tieying propped her chin on her hand. “Are you really not going to help at all? Don’t you think something is wrong with this story? You have one incense stick’s time to point out any suspicious details, or I’ll throw you outside to feed the patrolling monsters!”

Chen Da took a deep breath: ...Such a wicked girl!

She’s a perfect match for the false benevolence of the Jade Capital Sect.

But Jiang Xuehe was docile.

Tieying demanded he think, and so he did. “From what I know, humans and monsters have lived in harmony for centuries. Unless there’s a special reason, neither side would deliberately target the other. The Jade Capital Sect is one of the four great immortal sects, busy with important affairs—why would they fixate on a single monster?”

Chen Da hesitated.

Jiang Xuehe continued gently, “I suspect Suan Yu caused some trouble, which drew the sect’s attention?”

Chen Da’s gaze flickered.

He replied stiffly, “I’m just a mortal—how would I know?”

Even the naive Tieying could detect the evasion in his words.

Indeed, Tieying had fled for so long without seeing humans and monsters deliberately at odds. Why would the powerful Jade Capital Sect focus on a single monster?

Tieying was about to attack Chen Da when he quickly protested, “Whatever happened, it wasn’t me! Besides, the Jade Capital Sect are cowards—unable to defeat the monster, they tricked him into a trap and killed him.

“Even then, it wasn’t enough—they imprisoned Suan Yu’s soul in the Forest of Five Poisons, turning him into the monster he is now. He can’t leave, but you can come and go freely. Every few years, you new disciples torment him in the forest. You... you... it’s dog eat dog!”

Tieying blinked.

She said mischievously, “You seem to have strong feelings about the Jade Capital Sect. When my senior brother and I leave, I’ll take you there for a tour…”

Chen Da’s face turned ashen. “No! Please, little ancestor, I’m just a mortal. My likes and dislikes don’t matter—please don’t torment me.”

Tieying said nothing.

She didn’t quite believe Chen Da. For a mortal to venture into the Forest of Five Poisons, speaking in defense of a monster, there were two possibilities.

Either Chen Da truly colluded with the monster, luring them before it to be killed;

Or he was guided by someone, sent to lure them here, hoping to use the monster to eliminate them.

Tieying thought of those who had hunted her all the way.

She had entered the Forest of Five Poisons and encountered Senior Brother Jiang. She and Jiang Xuehe had adventured together, but those hunting her never entered the forest...

In Tieying’s pitch-black eyes, malice blossomed, a hint of murderous intent.

---

With a thud, Chen Da collapsed to his knees, terrified.

Tieying feigned innocence, “Why are you kneeling to me? I’m about to join a great immortal sect—I wouldn’t harm a mortal like you.”

In her heart, she added: If I use you to get rid of those who bullied me, so long as it’s done cleanly and the Jade Capital Sect doesn’t find out, I’ll remain a pure and innocent little fairy ready to join the sect.

As Tieying plotted mischief in her mind, she noticed Jiang Xuehe had been silent for a long time.

Her heart stirred: She wanted to do something wicked, but it seemed she couldn’t avoid involving this unfamiliar senior brother.

She lifted her face and asked, “Senior brother, what are you thinking?”

Jiang Xuehe spoke slowly, “Junior sister, you’ve never heard of ‘Wu Zhi Hui,’ have you?”

Tieying, a country girl, indeed hadn’t heard of “Wu Zhi Hui.” But—

She didn’t blink. “Just a powerful monster—who hasn’t seen such things?”

Jiang Xuehe acted as though he hadn’t heard her. “When there are no demons in the world, Wu Zhi Hui is born.”

Tieying suspected he was explaining to her.

Jiang Xuehe patiently continued, “It’s said that a thousand years ago, there were demons among mortals. Rumor has it that a great power from the Jade Capital Sect had the chance to ascend to immortality, but gave it up to seal the great demon with their own life. Since then, there have been neither immortals nor demons in the world; humans and monsters divided their realms and began to coexist in peace.

“But in this world, some corrupt miasma has nowhere to go. The resentment and filth left by the dead combine to birth ‘Wu Zhi Hui.’ Monsters controlled by Wu Zhi Hui are called ‘filth ghosts.’ Filth ghosts lack intelligence, are endless and cannot be killed—they’ve always been a headache for cultivation sects.

“When demons existed, Wu Zhi Hui became a demon. The presence of demons amplified the filth in the world—doing nothing, they still made life unbearable for mortals. Now that no living being can become a demon, Wu Zhi Hui’s miasma has nowhere to go, and so filth ghosts multiply.”

Chen Da was dumbfounded.

Tieying felt uneasy as she listened.

Jiang Xuehe voiced her unease, “Though Wu Zhi Hui cannot become a demon now, it is still formidable.”

He mused, “Such a powerful monster—would the Jade Capital Sect use it as a trial for disciples? They had to resort to trickery to kill Suan Yu. Now, to deal with Wu Zhi Hui, they send disciples who haven’t even formally joined the sect?”

Tieying hurriedly picked up her jade tablet, carefully reading each character.

After finishing, she looked up, “...Senior brother, forgive me.”

When the junior sister acts docile, it signals trouble.

Jiang Xuehe stayed calm. “Hmm?”

Tieying answered sweetly, “The Jade Capital Sect only requires us to exit the Forest of Five Poisons within five days—they never intended us to confront Wu Zhi Hui. As long as we don’t turn back, Wu Zhi Hui won’t find us. If we leave within five days, we pass the trial.

“But now...”

It seemed they had already attracted Wu Zhi Hui’s attention.

Was this the reward for not liking to read?

Tieying tried to justify herself, “I recognize every character, but together, they’re so obscure—I just don’t enjoy reading.”

Jiang Xuehe thought: You don’t like it, so you simply don’t read.

Whether Tieying sensed the thoughts behind his silence, she unexpectedly asked, “What else would I do?”

Chen Da laughed uproariously beside them. “Oh, you two fools, hahahahaha…”

He was promptly knocked unconscious by Tieying.