The entry for cultivating immortality states that after dying a hundred times, I attained immortalit

The night was deep, and only an oil lamp was lit in Jiang Bai's small courtyard.

Three things were laid out on the table: a piece of paper with a detailed depiction of the pattern of a half-piece of jade pendant intertwined with poisonous vines, a simplified map of the terrain surrounding Tianhen Mountain, and the latest surveillance record that Jiang Lin had sent half an hour ago.

"It's good that you got back safely."

Jiang Bai told the group of people sitting around him that they had successfully bypassed the ambush and were all unharmed.

"But the fact that they knew the route indicates that the problem is deeper than we thought."

Jiang Shan frowned deeply: "Only our own members of the Zhejing Society know the route for gathering herbs. Before setting off, we only reported to the General Affairs Hall and obtained an entry and exit token."

"Therefore, there are likely two points of leakage: one is our internal system, and the other is that someone viewed the reporting records of the General Affairs Office."

Jiang Yurou's voice was soft, but heavy with meaning, "Have Tiger and Ming noticed anything while keeping an eye on Jiang Wei?"

Jiang Lin shook his head: "Jiang Wei has acted as usual for the past three days, going on duty, cultivating, and shopping at the market... But yesterday he went to 'Hundred Herbs Pavilion' and ostensibly bought Qi Condensation Pills, but privately he inquired with the shopkeeper about the market price and stock of 'Bone-Eating Vine'."

"Bone-corroding vine..." Jiang Bai wrote on the paper, "One of the main ingredients of the slow-acting poison 'Corroding Vein Powder'. After taking it, it will cause problems with the circulation of spiritual energy, and the meridians will gradually wither within three days. The death is no different from that of a cultivator going into a demonic state."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Jade pendant, Black Fiend Valley, Bone-Eating Vine, leaked route...

"We need evidence before we can take action against a disciplinary hall deacon."

Jiang Bai put down his pen and looked at Jiang Yurou. "Yurou, after dawn, tell the maids who come and go that I was attacked in the mountains and although I escaped by chance, my lungs were injured by the opponent's palm strike. I urgently need 'Blood Toad Grass' to prepare 'Pulse-Continuing Powder', but the family storeroom is temporarily out of this medicine. I am secretly trying to buy it at a high price."

Jiang Yurou's eyes lit up slightly: "Brother Bai, are you planning to fish for us?"

"Yes, use the most fragrant bait." Jiang Bai nodded. "Although Blood Toad Grass is precious, it is not extinct. Anyone with the will can get their hands on it. If Jiang Wei is truly the mole and is eager to silence him, this is his best chance. Mix the Corrosive Vein Powder into the Blood Toad Grass, so that I am 'severely injured and beyond cure'."

"I'll make the arrangements right away." Jiang Yurou stood up.

"Wait," Jiang Bai called out to her. "Before that, I need to see the clan chief alone. There are some clues that he must decide on personally."

---

The following afternoon, in the clan chief's study.

After listening to Jiang Bai's account, Jiang Yunshan's gaze fell on the paper with the jade pendant pattern, and he remained silent for a long time.

Jiang Yunshan slowly repeated, "Jiang Bai, do you know what these patterns represent?"

"This disciple does not know."

"This is the emblem of the 'Teng Family,' a subordinate family that was wiped out by our clan seventy years ago." Jiang Yunshan's gaze was distant. "The Teng Family was skilled in cultivating poisonous plants, but they harbored rebellious intentions and colluded with outsiders to overthrow my Jiang Family. In that battle, all the core members of the Teng Family were killed, their family property was confiscated, and their emblem was listed as a taboo. I never expected... that the remnants were not completely eliminated, and the token has reappeared."

Jiang Yuanshan added from the side: "If Jiang Wei really has the other half of the jade pendant, then he is not only a traitor who is greedy for money, but also very likely the last descendant of the Teng family, who has been lying in wait for many years with the intention of revenge."

This explains many things, such as why the Grand Elder trusted Jiang Wei so much and why he knew so much about poisons.

"Your plan is feasible." Jiang Yunshan finally made the decision. "I will have the most reliable people from the Enforcement Hall replace some of the guards in the Discipline Hall to keep a round-the-clock watch on Jiang Wei. If he makes any unusual moves, we will immediately take him down."

"Thank you, Clan Chief," Jiang Baixing said, bowing.

"Remember," Jiang Yunshan looked at him, "you are both the bait and the rod holder. Protect yourself; I want to see this poisonous vine uprooted."

---

The plan has officially begun.

The news spread by Jiang Yurou quickly reached the lower-level servants and some of the younger members of the family.

Meanwhile, the elite guards of the Enforcement Hall disguised themselves as ordinary guards and infiltrated the Discipline Hall area.

Jiang Baize rarely leaves his home, and when he occasionally appears in the courtyard, he looks "pale" and coughs a few times, confirming the rumors of "serious injury".

Jiang Wei seemed to remain calm and did not make any unusual moves for two consecutive days.

Until late on the third day.

In Jiang Bai's sea of ​​consciousness, which was in meditation, ripples of killing intent arose, pointing directly to the Discipline Hall.

Almost simultaneously, three hoots of owls came from outside the courtyard, an emergency signal from the Zhejing Society.

Jiang Bai immediately opened his eyes, put on the Shadow Cloak, and his figure blended into the night.

Outside the Discipline Hall duty room, he saw Jiang Wei change into a gray robe, avoid the patrol route, and quietly slip out through the side door, heading straight towards the back mountain.

Jiang Bairu followed closely behind like a ghost, his [Concealment Technique] allowing him to blend into the sound of the wind and the shadows of the trees.

Jiang Wei, who was ahead, clearly had some counter-tracking techniques, but for Jiang Bai, who possessed the [Killing Intent Perception] and [Concealing Breath Technique], these were all in vain.

In the abandoned medicinal herb garden on the back mountain.

Jiang Wei paced anxiously beneath the broken wall.

About a quarter of an hour later, another burly black figure emerged from the forest, the faint light of the Qingxin Jade Pendant at his waist flashing in the night – it was the leader of Black Fiend Valley at the sixth level of Qi Refining.

"Did you bring the things?" Jiang Wei asked in a low voice, unable to hide his urgency.

The leader snorted coldly and tossed over a jade box: "Blood Toad Grass, soaked in 'Corrosive Vein Powder' as you requested. It's colorless and odorless, its spiritual power undetectable. After ingestion, it will cause your meridians to sever and you to die within two days."

Jiang Wei opened the jade box and carefully examined the herb with leaves resembling toad skin. A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes: "Good! With that brat dead, the Jiang family will surely be thrown into chaos, and our plan on the day of the martial arts competition will be..."

"The other half of the jade pendant." The leader interrupted him, extending his hand.

Jiang Wei hesitated for a moment, but still took out the half of the bluish-gray jade pendant with intertwined vines from his bosom.

Just as their fingertips were about to touch.

"Snapped!"

A blinding white light suddenly burst forth!

More than ten high-level lighting lamps rose up at the same time, illuminating the ruins as bright as day!

More than twenty figures appeared from all directions, their spiritual energy surging and their magical artifacts gleaming coldly, instantly forming a trapping array. The two leading figures were none other than Jiang Yunshan and Jiang Yuanshan!

"Take him down!" Jiang Yunshan's voice was as cold as iron.

Jiang Wei's face turned ashen, and the jade box and jade pendant slipped from his hands and fell to the ground.

The leader reacted extremely quickly, roaring as he summoned a black shield to protect himself, while simultaneously throwing out five lightning and fire talismans in an attempt to blast open a breach.

"Stubborn fool!" Jiang Yuanshan took a step forward, his movements seemingly slow but actually swift. With a flick of his finger, a wisp of condensed dark green finger wind arrived first, accurately striking the center of the black shield.

Click!

The black shield flashed with spiritual light, instantly becoming covered in cracks! The remaining force of the finger wind had not yet dissipated, and it burrowed into the leader's shoulder blade.

He screamed in agony as half of his body went numb, and he staggered to the ground, where he was tightly bound by several chains of spiritual energy.

Jiang Wei tried to escape, but four longswords imbued with spiritual power were already crossed and held against his neck, their chilling force penetrating to the bone.

Jiang Yunshan strode forward, bent down to pick up the jade pendant and jade box, and glanced at Jiang Wei's pale face: "The remnants of the Teng family have been lying in wait until now, colluding with foreign enemies. Today is the day you will be brought to justice."

"I...I..." Jiang Wei trembled all over, and as the scent of the vomiting powder spread, his psychological defenses completely collapsed.

"Patriarch, spare my life! The Grand Elder forced me! He knows my past and threatened to expose my vengeful past, forcing me to obey him! He has a secret warehouse in Black Stone Cave! It contains poisonous herbs, spirit stones, and secret letters between him and the Li family! I've told you everything! Please, Patriarch, spare my life!"

---

The interrogation continued in a private room of the courtroom until dawn.

Under the influence of the True Powder, Jiang Wei and the Black Fiend Valley leader spilled all their secrets like beans pouring from a bamboo tube.

The exact location and method to open the secret warehouse in Black Stone Cave, the list of the other five accomplices in the Discipline Hall and the General Affairs Hall, and all the details of the Li family's agreement with the Grand Elder through Black Fiend Valley, their plan to create chaos during the Three Clans Tournament, and their inside-outside coordination...

Jiang Yunshan acted swiftly and decisively; all those on the list were apprehended before dawn.

At dawn, a small team led by Jiang Yuanshan and composed of elites including Jiang Bai, headed straight for the Black Stone Cave outside the city, guided by Jiang Wei.

The illusion array at the cave entrance was dispelled by Jiang Yuanshan's wave of his hand, revealing the deep cave entrance.

The cave winds its way downwards, ending at three natural stone chambers side by side, which have been converted into warehouses.

The first warehouse was filled with spirit stones, roughly estimated to be more than five thousand low-grade spirit stones.

The second warehouse contained various medicinal materials, with poisonous materials making up 70% of it.

The third warehouse contained magical artifacts, talismans, and... a whole box of secret letters.

While taking inventory of the supplies, Jiang Bai's gaze was drawn to several specially made jade boxes in the corner of the second warehouse.

Upon opening it, his breath hitched slightly.

Bone-rotting grass, ghost-faced mushroom, red-stemmed vine, heart-eating flower, poisonous toad skin, centipede vine, and ghost wood.

These are precisely the seven key poison materials required for the second level of the "Hundred Poisons Tempering Technique" and which are also in short supply in the family's treasury!

The quantity of each item was sufficient for his cultivation needs.

"You're only interested in these kinds of poisons?"

Jiang Yuanshan walked up to him without him noticing.

Jiang Bai smiled and said, "Could the clan leader grant me this?"

"Take it, it's what you deserve." Jiang Yuanshan nodded, then looked at the broken jade slip that Jiang Bai had pulled from the bottom of the iron box. "What's this?"

The jade slip was only half intact, its edges charred black, as if it had been scorched by a raging fire.

Jiang Bai infused his spiritual power, and the remaining text appeared: "The method of establishing a foundation with poisonous patterns requires gathering a hundred kinds of poisonous materials to temper the body, and condensing a seed of poison pill in the dantian... This method is extremely dangerous, with only one in ten surviving, but if successful, one's foundation will far surpass that of others of the same level..."

"The poisonous patterns must be activated by the bloodline of an ancient cultivator. If an ordinary cultivator tries to activate them, he will inevitably suffer a backlash..." The text ended abruptly here.

"Ancient cultivator bloodline?" Jiang Yuanshan took the jade slip and examined it closely, his brows furrowing slightly. He then looked at Jiang Bai, "The bronze ring you obtained before..."

Jiang Bai shook his head: "There has been no reaction since the jade pattern disappeared that time."

Jiang Yuanshan pondered for a moment, then handed the jade slip back: "Although this item is incomplete, it may be related to your cultivation method. Keep it safe for now. It mentions 'Poison Pattern Foundation Building' and 'Ancient Cultivator Bloodline,' which may be your opportunity. But remember, do not attempt it rashly before you understand its true nature."

"Disciple understands."

---

It was nearly dusk when they returned to the Jiang family home.

From the depths of the Discipline Hall dungeon came the desperate cries of Jiang Wei and the others.

Their cultivation was stripped, and they were imprisoned in a water dungeon to await the final judgment according to clan rules.

The purge in the Enforcement Hall continues, the atmosphere within the family is oppressive, and the deep-seated corruption has been thoroughly eradicated.

Jiang Bai's courtyard returned to peace.

He carefully stored away the seven rare poisonous materials, and with the supplies available in the warehouse, he had gathered all thirty kinds of poisonous materials needed to cultivate to the second level. His family contribution points increased by three hundred, and he also received the extra two hundred low-grade spirit stones.

The members of the Zhejing Society gathered together. Everyone looked tired, but even more so, they felt relieved.

"Finally cleaned up." Jiang Shan said in a muffled voice. "It's not over yet." Jiang Bai wiped the poisoned dagger. "Jiang Wei and the leader mentioned in their testimonies that Li Zhen, the patriarch of the Li family, has reached an agreement with the Black Fiend Valley Master. The day of the three-clan martial arts competition will probably not be peaceful."

"We'll meet force with force." Jiang Wu clenched his fist. "So for the next month," Jiang Bai looked at everyone, "I will be in seclusion to try and break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining, and push the 'Hundred Poisons Tempering Body Technique' to the second level. You all need to improve as much as possible. The Hidden Thorns Society can't just be vines in the shadows; when it's time to show our thorns, we have to let people know the pain."

After everyone left, Jiang Bai sat alone on a stone bench in the courtyard.

The crescent moon hung like a hook, casting its cool, pale light.

He took out the half of the jade slip.

"Poisonous Pattern Foundation Building... Ancient Cultivator Bloodline..."

The spot on my palm where the jade pattern once appeared seemed to radiate a faint warmth, almost imperceptible.

He put away the jade slip and looked towards the direction of the Discipline Hall.

The wails from the depths of the water dungeon had faded.

"Entrapment is all about getting someone willing to take the bait," he muttered to himself, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"He has poor acting skills, is greedy, and always thinks he is a chess player."

He got up and went back into the house, where he began sorting through the thirty different medicinal herbs, each with distinct properties and potent toxicity.

On the list, the ink for the item "Purge the Traitors" has dried.

Next, I need to break through to the fourth level of Qi Refining.