In the Sixth Tier Starfield resided the Five Venoms Sect, a force of considerable might, rivaling the esteemed Huaqing Sect. The two factions were perpetually embroiled in conflict, their skirmishes a constant source of tension across the starfield.

Zou Hai, a core disciple of the Five Venoms, though not as powerful as the infamous Venom Matron, had nonetheless attained the Early Nirvana stage, marking him as a formidable warrior highly valued by the sect.

At this moment, a grim countenance clouded his features. His right eye flickered with an eerie blue light, beautiful to behold yet a telltale sign of his mastery over the Five Venoms’ Violet Azure Venom Arts.

“A somber Zou, indeed! A stranger would never suspect the venom you conceal,” a mocking voice dripped from the lips of a black-robed cultivator beside him. This cultivator, though undeniably male, bore traces of rouge upon his face, lending him an unsettling ambiguity that mirrored the serpent’s hiss in his voice.

Zou Hai’s eyes flashed with icy anger as he fixed his gaze upon the black-robed figure. “Zhao Yu,” he growled, “I have endured your barbs thus far. Cease your taunts, lest you face my wrath!”

“The Five Venoms Sect wields a heavy hand!” Zhao Yu chuckled, his mirth as cold as the grave. “I would wager, however, that your sect dares not provoke the wrath of my Devil Conglomerate!”

The blue light in Zou Hai’s eye intensified, but before he could unleash his venomous fury, a chilling voice cut through the air.

“Enough!” the speaker, a middle-aged man radiating the aura of Mid Nirvana stage, stood between the pair. “We represent our respective sects to seek the Venom Matron, a traitor to the Five Venoms, not to engage in petty squabbles!”

The man was a core disciple from the Sixth Tier Starfield’s foremost sect, the Dao Law Clan. The Five Venoms, plagued by the Venom Matron’s treachery, had endured significant losses to appease the other sects. Now, they were forced to send their core disciples as hostages, nominally to assist in the search for the rogue Venom Matron, but in truth, to be watched themselves. If the Venom Matron remained at large, the Five Venoms faced dire consequences.

Behind the three, a contingent of disciples from each sect followed, streaks of light tearing through the atmospheric shield of the Moruo Continent as they descended.

“Zou Hai, Zhao Yu, you two shall accompany me to the Guiyuan Sect,” the Dao Law disciple commanded, his voice laced with undeniable authority. “The remaining disciples will disperse, combing every inch of this Moruo Continent. Leave no stone unturned. If you find anything, signal immediately!”

The disciples responded in unison, then scattered across the land, each group accustomed to this routine upon approaching a new continent.

The three core disciples, their power radiating outward, sped towards the Guiyuan Sect, leaving trails of light and sonic booms in their wake.

Soon, they arrived above the Guiyuan Sect with a display of arrogance, their presence immediately noticed. Led by elders such as Lu Yanfei and Li Xiangdong, the cultivators of the Guiyuan Sect emerged to offer a respectful welcome.

They had heard rumors of events in the Fifth Tier Starfield, the Sixth Tier’s incursion, and the wide-ranging searches. However, Lu Yanfei and the others, limited by their cultivation and status, knew nothing of what they actually sought.

Li Xiangdong took a deep breath, bowing respectfully as the three approached. “The Guiyuan Sect greets the esteemed sects of the Upper Tier,” he said, his voice ringing with respect.

“I am Feng Peishan, of the Dao Law Clan,” the middle-aged man replied with a curt nod.

“Imagine, finding such beauty in such a place!” The flamboyant black-robed cultivator, his gaze sweeping over Lu Yanfei, chuckled suggestively. “Zhao Yu, of the Devil Conglomerate, at your service, little beauty!”

“Zou Hai, of the Five Venoms,” Zou Hai stated, his voice curt and demeanor dour, his right eye flashing a violet-azure light as he scanned the Guiyuan Sect cultivators.

Li Xiangdong exchanged a glance with the two elders beside him, each sensing the gravity of the situation. These three sects controlled nearly forty percent of the Sixth Tier Starfield’s power; annihilating the Guiyuan Sect would be little more than a whim.

The junior disciples trembled beneath Zou Hai’s gaze, averting their eyes. Only Lu Yanfei remained composed, her face impassive.

Li Xiangdong forced a smile and clasped his hands together. “We wish to know why the esteemed sects of the Upper Tier honor our Sect with their presence. If there is anything the Guiyuan Sect can do to assist, we will dedicate ourselves to assisting.”

Zou Hai scoffed and strode forward, stopping before a Guiyuan Sect disciple. With lightning speed, he touched the disciple, who staggered backward, spitting blood as his body began to burn with blue light.

The Guiyuan Sect cultivators recoiled in shock. Sun Yun’s eyes flashed with anger as she rushed to aid the fallen disciple, supporting him in her arms.

The disciple’s face was deathly pale, his body convulsing, as he endured the agonizing pain.

“To wound a mere Core Formation disciple – is this the purpose of your visit, esteemed sects?” Lu Yanfei spoke, her voice laced with ice.

Feng Peishan smiled disarmingly. “Do not be alarmed, esteemed cultivators of the Guiyuan Sect. This matter is of utmost importance. All the sects of the Sixth Tier Starfield have mobilized to find a single individual, a master of concealment, whose only trace lies in their mastery of poisonous arts. Zou acted because this disciple of yours bore a faint trace of venom.”

Lu Yanfei’s gaze hardened. She raised a hand and pointed at the injured disciple, causing his body to convulse. A vortex appeared between his brows, and soon, his Nascent Soul emerged, coiled around a minuscule red serpent – his bound spirit beast.

However, the serpent was withered and near death, and even the disciple’s Nascent Soul was transparent and weak.

Zou Hai’s expression remained unchanged as he dismissed the Nascent Soul and returned his attention to the remaining Guiyuan Sect disciples. He stopped once again, his face darkening when his eyes came to rest on Sun Yun.

Sun Yun’s expression fell as well, as she knew she could not stand against the venomous power of Zou Hai. Before Zou Hai could strike, Lu Yanfei approached as a blur and unleashed a wave of cold wind towards Zou Hai.

Zou Hai scoffed and flashed his blue eye again, instantly conjuring seven azure sigils to surround himself. The cold wind crashed into the sigils and instantly shattered, proving unable to stop Zou Hai as he continued to approached Sun Yun.

Lu Yanfei’s fury intensified. Sun Yun was her disciple. She would not stand idly by as the other sects harmed the Guiyuan Sect’s disciples. The three from the Dao Law Clan, sensing a shift in momentum, suddenly exploded with energy and shouted:

“If you seek to interfere with our search, you will be responsible for the consequences!”

The shouts rumbled through the heavens as the air vibrated with the power of an unfathomable spell. Every disciple shook as the spell was enacted, and even those on the level of Lu Yanfei staggered.

“Speech of the Law!” Li Xiangdong uttered in shock.

Zhao Yu sneered as his eyes flashed from building to building in the Guiyuan Sect. Suddenly, his eyebrows furrowed as he locked eyes with the forbidden South Courtyard.

Meanwhile, Zou Hai was interrogating Sun Yun: “I smell the scent of Fishy Venom Herbs on your body. Only found in Sixth Tier Beast Lairs, I can confirm that they cannot be found anywhere else. Tell me, where did you obtain this Herb?”

Sun Yun, shaken, locked eyes with her Master and hesitated to respond. Zou Hai smirked before addressing Lu Yanfei: “Lady Lu, I request an explanation!”

“Although we may not be able to harvest this from the Sixth Tier Beast Lairs, it does not mean our predecessors can’t. This Fishy Venom Herb was harvested by the Old Master!” Lu Yanfei responded with no hints of wavering.

“Old Master?” Zou Hai scoffed. He released his senses and scanned the Guiyuan Sect before stopping at the forbidden South Courtyard. Immediately, he broke past the ranks of the shocked Dao Law Clan disciples and entered the South Courtyard.

As soon as he entered the Courtyard, he froze in shock! It was as if this place existed in a completely different world, a realm of power unlike anything Zou Hai had seen before. He could feel something in the Courtyard emanate from a simple medicine garden that made his blood run cold.

Zou Hai felt something in the garden stronger than anything he’d ever seen, and immediately went to escape!

“He who harms others will be harmed,” an icy voice uttered like a cold wind. Zou Hai suddenly froze as he felt a mountain of power hurtling towards his chest and impacting his sternum! He spat out blood as his body was sent flying backwards, blood spraying everywhere. There on his chest, a clear black palm print had been left!