PDLP Chapter 25 The Old Man's Knees Are Rich
Chapter 25 The Old Man's Knees Are Rich
At dawn the next day, Meng Jinchuan entered the mountains.
He barely slept last night. His brother's bloodied and mangled eye sockets, and the ephemeral beauty of the night-blooming cereus he had heard about, lingered in his mind, disturbing his peace of mind.
If the Golden Toad Ancestor is still angry, I fear that if I go today, I may never return.
But for the sake of his family, he had no choice but to come.
Upon reaching the familiar spot, Meng Jinchuan gently put down the bamboo basket, not daring to raise his head, and first knelt down on the ground, his voice hoarse:
"The Golden Toad Ancestor..."
As soon as he uttered those three words, he noticed his voice was hoarse, so he quickly corrected his tone and respectfully called out again:
"Yesterday...yesterday it was my uncle's oversight that led him to send someone to follow me into the mountains, offending you, sir. The Meng family...the Meng family has already witnessed your divine power. From now on, such a thing will never happen again. I beg your forgiveness..."
Zhang Nanfeng, hidden in the shadows, took in all these words and felt reassured.
The Ephemeral Poison I applied to the spy yesterday has indeed blossomed as expected.
His choice to use "ephemeral beauty" on the spies was after much deliberation.
The myriad transformations within the Ten Thousand Poisons were either too domineering, resulting in a fatal blow, or too gentle, failing to leave a lasting impression on the Meng family. Only the fleeting transformation was perfectly balanced in its malevolence.
Once this poison enters the body, it lies dormant like a seed, not immediately activating, but rather quietly growing by taking advantage of the surge of the host's blood and qi.
The scout was terrified and ran back to the stronghold, his blood surging with energy, which was exactly what Tanxian wanted.
It only needs an external stimulus or the expiration of a time limit to bloom from the inside out, transforming flesh and blood into a bewitching ephemeral flower.
The power and timing of the poison's explosion depend entirely on the amount used. Yesterday, he only used a tiny amount, about the size of a soybean. However, this poison consumes a significant amount of the golden poison, so he wouldn't use it lightly unless absolutely necessary.
He even suspected that the ancestor of the poisonous toad created this transformation solely for ornamental purposes.
It's a pity that I didn't get to witness the blooming of this human-fleshed epiphyllum, and I don't know if I'll have the chance in the future.
Zhang Nanfeng sighed for a moment, looked at the kneeling boy, and summoned a strange wind to gently blow him away.
Meng Jinchuan waited for a long time without hearing any movement, but he didn't dare to look up. During this time, the cold wind chilled him to the bone, making his hands and feet icy cold. He was already terrified, and this strange wind felt like an ominous sign. He felt as if the end of the world was coming.
Just as his mind was on the verge of collapse, a golden-purple figure emerged from the ethereal white mist and landed three steps in front of him.
The boy sensed something but dared not move, his shoulders and back tense, clearly terrified.
Zhang Nanfeng looked at the prostrate boy and let out a low growl.
Meng Jinchuan trembled upon hearing the sound and looked up blankly.
Zhang Nanfeng lightly touched the ground with his webbed fingers, then swung them to the side. The movement was simple, yet its meaning was clear.
Meng Jinchuan understood immediately, quickly got up, took ten steps back, pressed his back against the tree trunk, lowered his head and held his breath, not daring to move rashly.
Seeing this, Zhang Nanfeng walked up to the bamboo basket, overturned it, and calmly began to eat.
After finishing his meal, he let out another low growl.
Upon hearing this, Meng Jinchuan felt as if he had received an imperial edict. He dared not delay and immediately crawled forward on his knees, respectfully awaiting orders.
Zhang Nanfeng's tongue congealed, a drop of venom gathering at the tip. It wasn't some strange transformation, but rather the most primal form of golden poison.
He spoke softly, and the golden poison landed on a fallen leaf.
Meng Jinchuan quickly accepted the golden poison with both hands, his eyes welling up with tears as he looked at it.
"Golden Toad Ancestor... This junior will forever remember your kindness... and never forget my original aspiration."
Zhang Nanfeng stared at him silently, without moving.
Meng Jinchuan contracted the golden poison, yet he lingered, unwilling to leave. His lips moved frequently, his expression shifting, but he ultimately dared not utter a sound.
This young man is simple-minded and straightforward; his evasiveness must mean he has something to ask for.
Zhang Nanfeng nodded, signaling him to speak frankly.
Meng Jinchuan swallowed hard, his eyes darting around:
"Golden Toad Ancestor... I dare to request an audience on behalf of my uncle Meng Cang. He... he wishes to pay homage to the divine might of the Golden Toad Ancestor in person. I wonder... I wonder if you may grant his request?"
Zhang Nanfeng's gaze was deep and thoughtful.
Meng Cang?
You want to see me so soon?
He pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement.
Meng Jinchuan was overjoyed and kowtowed repeatedly:
"Thank you, Ancestor Golden Toad! Thank you, Ancestor Golden Toad! Tomorrow... tomorrow I will bring my uncle!"
Having said that, he respectfully held the golden poison, retreated several feet, and then turned and ran away.
Zhang Nanfeng gazed at the boy's retreating figure, lost in thought.
He already knew about Meng Cang from the boy. As the eldest son of the Meng family, Meng Cang was in charge of many clan affairs and was also the most secretive and meticulous person in Meng Village. This man was extremely cunning, and meeting him would surely be dangerous.
On the other hand, the Meng family's higher-ups will have to be contacted sooner or later. Rather than letting Meng Cang remain in the shadows to speculate and guess, it would be better to take the initiative and bring him into the open.
We must prepare a grand gift for him tomorrow. Regardless of whether Meng Cang is obedient tomorrow, this "gift" must be given to him.
......
The next day, it was still dark.
Meng Jinchuan arrived as scheduled, followed closely by a man in a plain robe.
Zhang Nanfeng lay hidden behind a rock on a high slope. Looking into the distance, he saw Meng Cang walking with a calm and gentle demeanor, but his eyes held scrutiny and wariness.
This person has such a handsome appearance; he doesn't seem to be from the southern border region.
Zhang Nanfeng was somewhat surprised. Then, his nose twitched slightly to confirm that there was no one else hiding around before he slowly walked around and appeared on the narrow path.
Upon seeing this, Meng Jinchuan immediately knelt down and kowtowed, refusing to rise.
"Junior Meng Jinchuan pays respects to Ancestor Golden Toad!"
Meng Cang stood motionless, his brows furrowed, his gaze sweeping over Zhang Nanfeng, scrutinizing him intently, yet he hesitated to kneel.
He was indeed somewhat surprised.
This golden toad ancestor... was completely different from what he had imagined.
In his early years, he had the good fortune to see the spirits born from the miasma from afar. They were all deformed and twisted, full of ferocity, and wherever they went, the grass and trees withered and all living beings avoided them.
But the "Golden Toad Ancestor" before us, which resembles both a toad and a rat, has a strange appearance but is not ferocious, and its poisonous power is restrained.
Meng Cang secretly estimated that with his cultivation level in the Poison Body Realm, he felt that he could capture him in an instant with a single use of his poison technique.
Yesterday, Monkey San exploded, and the poison of immortal essence in his blood was truly released by this substance?
At this thought, another speculation arose in his mind.
Perhaps... that was the work of the Holy Altar? The Holy Altar used Monkey Three's death to put pressure on him, urging him to seize power as soon as possible?
A multitude of doubts swirled in his heart, but Meng Cang remained outwardly calm. He did not immediately confront Meng Cang, but merely raised his hand in a gesture of respect, his eyes holding a smile as he softly and tentatively spoke:
"Meng Cang of the Meng family, I have met you..."
Before he could finish speaking, Meng Jinchuan beside him turned pale with fright, hurriedly tugging at his sleeve and whispering urgently:
"Uncle! You mustn't be rude! Kneel down immediately!"
Meng Cang stepped aside, his smile undiminished, and was about to continue his polite conversation and probe further.
Zhang Nanfeng, however, had lost patience.
Looking into Meng Cang's smiling eyes, he knew that this man had no reverence in his heart, only scheming.
If there is no reverence, then we must create one for him.
Zhang Nanfeng suddenly opened his mouth.
A strange wind shot out from his throat, carrying a colorless poison that rushed straight towards Meng Cang's face.
Although Meng Cang could not see the color of the poisonous wind, he sensed an impending crisis.
He dared not be careless, and immediately used his Poison Body Realm power, holding his breath and using his internal strength to block all the poisonous wind from his body.
A moment later, the wind had passed without a trace.
Meng Cang only felt a slight coolness at the tip of his nose, and felt no abnormality or discomfort throughout his body.
...That's all there is to it.
His doubts vanished, his confidence grew, and he became even more certain.
This Golden Toad Ancestor is merely a wild spirit that has developed some intelligence. There are many such spirits in the world; they can develop intelligence if given the opportunity, but none possess true supernatural abilities.
The sudden death of Monkey Three yesterday must have been caused by the altar's interference!
A hint of contempt flashed in Meng Cang's eyes. He raised his hand and shoved the flustered Meng Jinchuan aside, saying sharply:
"You beast, you don't know your place, yet you dare to play tricks here—"
Suddenly, the world before his eyes collapsed, and heaven and earth were turned upside down.