Chapter 19: Striking a Deal with the Old Master

Cloud Crane could no longer support himself; his knees buckled as he fell to the ground, blood seeping more heavily from the corner of his mouth.

Seeing this, Azalea hurried to steady him, her anxious gaze sweeping over his body, eyes brimming with tears that spilled like a river breaking its banks.

“Say something! What’s wrong with you? Don’t scare me,” she cried out in despair.

Cloud Crane focused inward, discovering that the stagnant energy in his chest carried a potent poison. With every breath of inner force, it surged frantically through his four limbs and bones. Should it reach his heart, not even the highest immortal could save him.

He pressed several acupoints on his body, sealing the poison and slowing its spread.

Ding Chunqiu, observing Cloud Crane’s ability to suppress the toxin temporarily, realized the depths of his opponent’s mastery and felt fortunate he hadn’t faced him head-on.

After restraining the poison within, Cloud Crane turned to the tear-streaked Azalea. A gentle smile touched his lips as he reached out to wipe her tears away.

“Silly girl, don’t cry. I’m not dead yet. Save your tears for when I truly am.”

“How can you joke at a time like this?” Azalea was caught between laughter and tears.

Ding Chunqiu remained composed, utterly unconcerned with Cloud Crane. If he had been at his peak, Ding Chunqiu might have been wary, but now, poisoned and with much of his strength gone, Cloud Crane was no threat.

Ding Chunqiu poured himself a cup of tea, sipped leisurely, then glanced at Cloud Crane. “The more you force your energy, the faster the poison will spread. You’ll die quicker—and in more agony.”

At his words, the disciples around Ding Chunqiu howled and rushed toward Cloud Crane.

Clenching his teeth, Cloud Crane drew his sword, sweeping it in a wide arc to block the oncoming disciples.

They hesitated, exchanging nervous glances, but the fear of punishment for retreat spurred them to charge again.

“I’ll hold them off. Find a chance to escape,” Cloud Crane said, sword in hand, rushing forward.

Azalea, watching his back, was deeply moved.

Had it been anyone else, she would have abandoned them long ago, fleeing as far as she could. Yet Cloud Crane, a stranger, had shielded her from Ding Chunqiu’s deadly palm—the first man to treat her with selfless kindness.

“I won’t leave. If we go, we go together.”

With those words, Azalea kicked away an attacking disciple and stood back-to-back with Cloud Crane, her gaze scanning the encircling newcomers.

Cloud Crane gripped his sword tightly, and before his eyes, an invisible progress bar hovered—a sight no one else could see.

Ever since realizing he was poisoned, the system had activated on its own before he could summon it, detecting the venom in his body and initiating detoxification mode.

Now, the bar was more than halfway complete; he felt his inner strength returning, though it would take more time to purge the toxin entirely.

“Die!” someone shouted.

A blade flashed before Cloud Crane. A long saber hacked down at his head.

He focused, lifting his sword.

Clang!

Steel met steel, ringing with the sound of metal and jade. The disciple felt a surge of force; his saber was flung from his grasp, his hand numb and aching.

Though poisoned and greatly weakened, Cloud Crane was still no prey for cannon fodder.

“Useless rabble,” Ding Chunqiu spat, anger flashing in his eyes.

The disciples froze, retreating in fear of incurring Ding Chunqiu’s wrath.

Slowly, Ding Chunqiu stood, his gaze condescending as he looked at Cloud Crane. “If you must blame someone, blame yourself for meddling in matters beyond you.”

“This life is over for you. In your next, learn your limits.”

With that, Ding Chunqiu struck. A surge of force swept toward Cloud Crane, stinging his skin as it came.

The palm wind was preternaturally swift; in a blink, it was upon him.

Just as the blow was about to land, the system’s voice echoed in Cloud Crane’s mind.

“Congratulations, Host. Detoxification successful. Host’s immunity has been enhanced; henceforth, immune to all poisons.”

A smile curled at Cloud Crane’s lips upon hearing the prompt. Instead of retreating, he met Ding Chunqiu’s palm head-on.

“Are you mad?” Azalea cried, her face ashen. He had been poisoned with a single blow before—another would surely be fatal.

If she had known he was so eager to die, she would have abandoned him and fled alone.

But now it was too late.

Cloud Crane was about to die at Ding Chunqiu’s hands.

And she would not escape her fate either.

A cruel sneer played on Ding Chunqiu’s lips. If you seek death, I will oblige you!

Cloud Crane ignored the turmoil in their hearts. Channeling his energy into his right palm, he collided with Ding Chunqiu’s hand.

Bang!

A wave of invisible force rippled out from their clash, splintering every chair in the inn. The sound of breaking wood was relentless.

“How can this be?”

Cloud Crane and Ding Chunqiu were locked in a contest of inner strength. Yet as moments passed, Ding Chunqiu’s smile slowly froze.

He realized with shock that Cloud Crane’s energy was abundant, showing no sign of poisoning.

Unable to contain his astonishment, he stared at Cloud Crane.

Cloud Crane answered his disbelief with a mocking smile. “That paltry toxin was nothing to me.”

Azalea’s heart finally eased as she saw Cloud Crane holding his own against Ding Chunqiu, not faltering in the slightest.

“Is this the best the illustrious leader of the Constellation Sect can muster?” she taunted.

At her words, Cloud Crane unleashed his inner force like a tiger descending the mountain, surging toward Ding Chunqiu.

Ding Chunqiu’s expression shifted, but he was no ordinary opponent; calming his mind, he abruptly altered the flow of his energy.

Suddenly, Cloud Crane felt his force vanish as if swallowed by the sea.

His eyes narrowed. The Devouring Skill!

With Ding Chunqiu’s current power, this technique was formidable. If this continued, in less than half an hour, all the energy he’d cultivated would be drained away.

He needed to break free.

But Ding Chunqiu’s palm clung to his like a magnet; no matter how he struggled, he couldn’t pull away.

And this was just a simplified version of the Northern Sea Divine Skill—its true form must be unimaginably fearsome.

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Cloud Crane retrieved an enhanced version of the Sorrowful Breeze from his system inventory. Colorless and tasteless, even a seasoned veteran like Ding Chunqiu would sense nothing amiss.

Moments later, the Sorrowful Breeze took effect.

Ding Chunqiu sensed something was wrong but couldn’t pinpoint it. Suddenly, his body went limp, and he collapsed to the floor.

In that instant, he finally realized he’d been poisoned by the Sorrowful Breeze. Yet, even so, there was nothing he could do but glare hatefully at Cloud Crane.

“Don’t worry. I won’t kill you. I’ll deliver you to your master, Boundless Master, and make a deal with the old man.”