Starting with a Wei Wu soldier

Chapter 226 The Literary Test to Determine Poison

The echoes of their clashing fists still reverberated between the cliff walls, stirring the already thick fog. The giant ape known as the "Mountain Guardian" still blazed with ferocity in its crimson eyes, but now seemed to harbor a hint of instinctive fear. It shook its right arm, which was still numb from the impact, and let out a threatening growl. Its massive body lowered slightly, its muscles bulging, clearly preparing for an even more ferocious attack.

On the opposite bank, fifty elite soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, breathing heavily. Although they were shocked by His Majesty's bravery, their hearts remained taut. If the giant beast made any further unusual movements, they would cover it with crossbow bolts at all costs.

However, at this tense moment, when conflict seemed imminent, that familiar and ethereal silver bell sound once again pierced through the mist, drifting in from afar. The bell's tone was unhurried, carrying a strange sense of soothing yet commanding.

Upon hearing the bell, the giant ape, poised to pounce, suddenly froze. A struggle flashed in its crimson eyes, and then it let out a low growl of resentment. It actually retreated slowly, its massive body disappearing once more into the thick fog and vines of the opposite cliff face, leaving behind only a mess of rubble and the lingering echo of that chilling roar.

The fog receded, obscuring the view on the opposite bank. On the precipice, only Chen Xing remained, standing with his sword. His clothes were slightly disheveled from the shockwaves of the previous clash, but his posture was as upright as a pine tree, his aura steady, and his sharp gaze sweeping across the thickest part of the fog ahead.

"The first test, 'Strength'." Lan Fenghuang's voice came from the depths of the mist, seemingly closer than before, less ethereal, and more tangible with astonishment and amusement. "His Majesty the Emperor is indeed... extraordinary. To actually be able to directly confront the power of my 'Mountain Demon' with human strength. You have passed this test."

As she spoke, the mist in front of Chen Xing suddenly parted as if stirred by an invisible hand, slowly revealing a narrow path, just wide enough for one person to pass through, winding deeper into the valley. The path was paved with smooth white pebbles, a stark contrast to the surrounding slippery rocks and moss. In this hazy environment, it appeared unusually clear, even somewhat eerie, like a snake luring people deeper into the valley.

"Please, Your Majesty." Lan Fenghuang's voice was tinged with laughter, but the exact location was not discernible. "The second test, 'Wisdom,' awaits you at 'Listening Spring Terrace' ahead."

Chen Xing did not take a step immediately. He took a deep breath of the damp, cool air, calmed the slightly turbulent blood and qi in his body caused by his full-force burst of power, turned around and made a "rest assured, stand by" gesture to his subordinates who were watching anxiously on the other side of the cliff, before picking up his sword and stepping onto the white cobblestone path.

The winding path led through dense fog and strangely shaped trees. After walking for about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, the path suddenly opened up, and the fog thinned considerably. A naturally formed stone platform came into view. The platform was flat and open, about ten zhang square, with one side clinging to a steep mountain wall. A thin spring cascaded down the wall and flowed into a small, crystal-clear pool at the edge of the platform, making a crisp, melodious tinkling sound. This was the "Listening to the Spring Platform."

In the center of the stone platform stood a simple stone table and two stone stools. Lan Fenghuang was already seated on one of the stools, one hand supporting her chin, the other casually playing with the silver bell hairpin, smiling charmingly as she watched Chen Xing approach. No female guards accompanied her, and the terrifying mountain demon was nowhere to be seen; it was as if she were the only one there, quietly waiting for her "guest."

At this moment, she had removed the feather cloak from the palanquin, wearing only a dark blue long dress embroidered with silver stars. Her long, black hair was loosely tied up and secured with an ordinary wooden hairpin. The mysterious makeup on her face was still there, but because of this relatively relaxed and casual posture, she had lost some of the sacred and inviolable aloofness and gained more of the liveliness and charm of a mountain elf.

"Your Majesty, please have a seat." Lan Fenghuang gestured to the stone bench opposite her, her tone as casual as if she were greeting a neighbor or friend.

Chen Xing scanned the area around the stone platform, finding no obvious ambush. He then looked at the clear stone pool and the cascading spring before walking to the stone table, leaning his steel knife against the edge, and calmly sitting down.

"You're too kind, Holy Maiden," Chen Xing said calmly. "I wonder what kind of test this second trial of 'wisdom' will be?"

Lan Fenghuang blinked her clear, penetrating eyes, which seemed to see right through people, and a sly smile curved her lips. "No rush. Your Majesty is a guest from afar and has just expended energy to subdue the mountain demon. You must be thirsty. The spring water in my 'Listening Spring Terrace' is drawn from the spiritual veins of the mountain. It is clear, sweet, and most effective at relieving fatigue." As she spoke, she produced two equally rough and ancient stone cups from somewhere. She picked up a seemingly ordinary bamboo ladle from the stone table, leaned over, and scooped up two cups of clear spring water from the stone pool, pushing one of them towards Chen Xing.

"Your Majesty, please." She picked up a cup herself and looked at Chen Xing with a smile.

Chen Xing glanced at the slightly rippling water in the cup, then at the cup in Lan Fenghuang's hand. The spring water was crystal clear, shimmering with a faint, jade-like luster in the stone cup—clearly no ordinary water. However, before this Miao holy maiden, renowned for her deadly poisons, could a seemingly ordinary cup of spring water truly be just for "quenching thirst"?

He didn't immediately reach for the cup, but instead looked at Lan Fenghuang with a profound gaze: "Holy Maiden, this cup of water seems to hold a hidden meaning, doesn't it?"

Lan Fenghuang's smile remained unchanged, even carrying a hint of smug satisfaction: "Your Majesty is indeed astute. Indeed, this second test of 'wisdom' is the ability to 'identify poisons.'" She set down her own cup, her slender fingers lightly touching the water in front of Chen Xing. "In this cup, I've added seven different 'little things.' They mix together, each with its own strengths and weaknesses, colorless and odorless, dissolved in this spiritual spring, making them extremely difficult to detect by ordinary means."

She leaned forward slightly, a mixture of childlike innocence and cruelty in her expression, like a child proudly displaying their creation: "If Your Majesty can, within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, without tasting or smelling, but solely through observation and… 'wisdom,' identify the names, properties, and even the principles behind the mutual restraint or synergy of three or more of these seven poisons, and articulate at least one safe antidote, then you'll pass the test. If you can't identify them, or identify them incorrectly, or if you can't resist touching the water…" She drew out her words, a mischievous glint in her eyes, "then Your Majesty will probably have to stay here with me a while longer to admire the mountain spring, and incidentally… experience the wondrous sensation of a thousand ants gnawing at your heart, yet feeling as if you're being burned alive, while remaining perfectly conscious. Oh, as for the antidote, I naturally have it, but…"

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear. It was an open conspiracy, a blatant and mocking challenge.

Chen Xing didn't look at the glass of water. Instead, he turned his gaze to Lan Fenghuang, his tone calm and indifferent: "If I find out, what should I do? Can the Holy Maiden tell me why she is blocking my army? And can she agree to cease her harassment and allow me passage?"

Lan Fenghuang tilted her head, seemingly finding the question amusing: "Your Majesty certainly knows how to bargain. Alright, if you can truly pass this 'literary test,' I'll tell you why I've been causing you trouble. As for granting passage... that depends on your performance in the third 'heart test.' Now, the incense has been lit." She pointed to a corner of the stone table, where a slender stick of incense, emitting a faint scent of herbs and wood, had been lit, its smoke curling upwards.

Time began to pass.

Chen Xing's gaze finally fell back on the seemingly clear and harmless spring water in front of him. Instead of observing it nervously or racking his brains as Lan Fenghuang had expected, he closed his eyes, seemingly concentrating on sensing it.

A hint of surprise flashed in Lan Fenghuang's eyes. How could he identify poison without seeing or smelling it? Could this Northern Dynasty emperor truly possess some incredible ability? She waited quietly, her heart filled with a mixture of curiosity and anticipation.

Chen Xing's perception wasn't purely accidental. The instant he closed his eyes, his consciousness had already connected with the system in his mind. While the system shop couldn't directly provide a panacea, it could exchange for some foundational knowledge that was ahead of its time, such as—"Elementary Toxicology (Essential Illustrated Edition)" and the related "Analysis of Common Toxic Components in Animals and Plants." This knowledge might not cover all the rare poisons of Miao territory, but it was sufficient to provide a scientific analytical framework and a large amount of basic toxicological data.

Combining Lan Ke's previous description of the poisons in Miao territory, and the fact that the water in front of him came from a mountain spring, needed to be mixed with seven kinds of poisons that were "mutually reinforcing and mutually restraining," Chen Xing began to deduce quickly with the help of the system's knowledge base.

"Colorless and odorless, dissolved in mountain spring water... This eliminates most colored or strongly scented mineral or animal toxins. It's most likely a plant extract or a specific insect or fungal toxin."

"Seven ingredients, mutually reinforcing and counteracting each other... This indicates that it contains both highly toxic components and those that mitigate or alter the onset of toxicity, or even antagonize each other. The aim is to create complex and intractable symptoms, not immediate death. This aligns with her description of 'experiencing wondrous flavors.'"

"The Miao region is hot and humid, and many poisonous substances are associated with miasma, insects, and snakes. Poisonous plants include *Gnaphalium affine*, *Gnaphalium affine*, *Duchesnea indica*, and *Aquilaria sinensis*... these are common, highly poisonous plants. But a mixture of seven is needed..."

Chen Xing's mind raced through a series of toxic substance maps provided by the system, each with detailed descriptions of its properties. He then combined these maps with the environmental characteristics of the area and the range of toxic sources that Blue Phoenix might be able to obtain, and proceeded to screen, match, and simulate reactions.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, his gaze regaining its clarity and sharpness. He didn't look at the incense stick, which was nearly a third burned, but instead extended a finger, about an inch away, and lightly touched the glass of water, while clearly saying:

"In this water, there are seven poisons mixed in. In my opinion, one of them is the juice of the 'Rotting Heart Grass' that grows near the nest of the 'Ghost-Faced Spider'. It is extremely cold and damaging to the heart and blood vessels. At first, one only feels the icy coldness."

"Secondly, it is the powder made from the tubers of the 'Seven-Colored Miasma Taro'. This substance dissolves in water, is colorless and odorless, and can paralyze the mind, producing all kinds of hallucinations. When combined with the cold poison of the 'Heart-Rotting Grass', it can make the victim feel as if they are in both ice and fire."

"Thirdly, there is a neutralizing agent made from dried and crushed 'blood-line centipede'. This substance itself is slightly toxic, but it can temporarily slow down the direct erosion of the internal organs by the first two toxins, prolong the onset time, and increase the difficulty of detoxification."

"Fourth and fifth are pollen from the 'Drunken Immortal Peach' and root extract from the 'Bewitching Vine', respectively. Both can confuse the mind, amplify pain and hallucinations, making people feel conscious but confused, and worse than dead."

"Sixth, extremely fine 'peacock gall' stone powder is added in minute amounts, not to increase toxicity, but to neutralize the very faint discoloration that other toxins might produce, which is difficult to detect with the naked eye, with its brilliant color, ensuring that the water looks pure as usual."

"As for the seventh one..." Chen Xing paused, his gaze sweeping over several inconspicuous vines with pale purple flowers by the stone pool, "it should be the morning dew from the 'Phantom Orchid.' This flower dew itself is non-toxic, even slightly fragrant, but its most prominent property is 'adhesion,' which can temporarily stabilize and fuse the previous six different toxins, making them indistinguishable. Once it enters the body, it is stimulated by the blood and qi, and only then will it decompose and take effect one by one, in a clever order that is impossible to guard against."

With each poison he named, the surprise in Lan Fenghuang's eyes deepened, until finally, her usual cunning and playfulness were completely replaced by disbelief. Chen Xing not only named the poisons but also pointed out their origins, characteristics, and even the principles behind some of their mixed reactions! Some details, which she herself hadn't deeply considered when preparing them, were now revealed to her by him in a single sentence!

"...As for the solution," Chen Xing concluded with certainty, "no complicated antidote is needed. Take three ounces of the root of 'Golden Thread Paris' growing in a sunny spot here, add three drops of 'Gecko Tears,' boil it in fresh water from the stone pool for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, let it cool to a warm temperature, and drink it. Supplement this with acupressure massage to guide the blood and qi. Within half an hour, the poisoning should subside. Then, take a mung bean and licorice soup for three consecutive days to clear the remaining poison."

As he finished speaking, the incense stick on the corner of the stone table burned out its last wisp of smoke.

On the stone platform, all was silent. Only the tinkling sound of the spring water falling into the stone pool remained clear and melodious.

Lan Fenghuang stared blankly at Chen Xing, the silver bell hairpin in her hand having stopped swaying at some point. After a long while, she slowly exhaled, her voice filled with unprecedented seriousness and inquiry:

"How...how did you know all this?" Her clear eyes were fixed on Chen Xing, as if trying to see right through him. "These formulas are secrets of our sect, kept hidden from us. Even the elders of our sect might not be able to analyze the combined reactions of the various poisons as thoroughly as you have! How could you, an emperor of the Northern Dynasty, who has lived in the Central Plains for so long, be so knowledgeable about the poisons of Miao territory?"

Chen Xing met her gaze calmly: "All things in heaven and earth operate according to principles. The principles of toxicology are also based on principles. If you know their origin and understand their nature, even with a thousand variations, they cannot escape their fundamental nature. I have merely happened to read more miscellaneous books and ponder more principles."

This nonchalant answer naturally failed to satisfy Lan Fenghuang, but it also made her realize that the emperor before her probably harbored secrets far deeper than she had imagined. Astounding martial prowess, boundless wisdom, composure under pressure… was such a person truly just an ordinary “Northern Dynasty Emperor”?

She suddenly smiled, a smile that no longer carried the previous mockery and distance, but instead became bright and radiant, like the sun breaking through the clouds.

"Excellent! What a wonderful 'knowing its origin and understanding its nature'!" Blue Phoenix clapped her hands and laughed, her eyes sparkling with admiration. "The second test, 'wisdom,' Your Majesty not only passed, but... far exceeded my expectations." She stood up, walked to the edge of the stone platform, and gazed at the deep valley where the mist was gradually dissipating, her voice clear and crisp:

"Let's go, Your Majesty. I'll take you to the place for the third test." She turned around, winked at Chen Xing, and her tone carried an unprecedented hint of expectation and... intimacy?

"The final test: the 'heart.' Let me see, Your Majesty, who can see through my 'Seven-Skill Bewitching Powder,' what color is your 'heart'?"