I Can Upgrade My Talent Infinitely-Chapter 97: Struck by a Sinister Poison

The mission to the territory of the Black Ghost Cave was going smoothly.

Even though they hadn’t been able to invite Fang Yun, nor the senior brother at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining who specialized in defense, things were proceeding without a hitch.

With things going this well, the mission would naturally be completed to Perfection.

In the dark, damp, dense forest, it was impossible to tell how the sky was changing outside.

Lu Zefeng’s face suddenly lit up with joy. He pointed in a certain direction and said:

"Senior Sister, look! Is that a Yinlin Flower?"

In the distance, under a large tree, a flower was growing. Its petals were a deathly pale, and from afar, it looked like it had nine of them.

"It really might be a Yinlin Flower. Let’s go have a look at its stem and leaves." Zhang Cailing stared from a distance, unable to see clearly, just like Lu Zefeng. "Be careful as you approach."

"Understood."

For a Yinlin Flower to be growing here, unpicked by any living creature, meant there was likely a Demon Beast guarding it nearby.

A very high likelihood.

Of course, there was also the small possibility that nothing was guarding it, but that would require them to be exceptionally lucky.

As they drew closer, Lu Zefeng and Zhang Cailing became absolutely certain it was indeed a Yinlin Flower.

Just as they were about to pick the Yinlin Flower according to the method described in their mission, a Bone Needle shot toward them from a nearby tree, suffused with potent Yin Power.

"Junior Brother, watch out!"

"Watch me."

Lu Zefeng reacted in a flash. He slapped his Storage Pouch, and two dark-brown flying daggers flew out, merging to block the incoming Bone Needle.

"You must be Inner Sect Disciples from the Celestial Cloud Sect. This Yinlin Flower is mine. I advise you to leave at once," a gloomy voice drifted down from the tree.

This was the territory of the Black Ghost Cave.

Neither Lu Zefeng nor Zhang Cailing were wearing the attire of a Celestial Cloud Sect Inner Sect Disciple.

Wearing the uniform of a Celestial Cloud Sect Inner Sect Disciple in the domain of Evil Sects would easily attract unnecessary trouble.

But even without the uniform, their youth, their use of Spiritual Power, and their late-stage Qi Refining cultivation were three traits that still marked them as disciples of the Celestial Cloud Sect.

"If you claim the Yinlin Flower is yours, why didn’t you take it sooner?" Zhang Cailing retorted.

At the same time, she exchanged a look with Lu Zefeng.

The two had a tacit understanding and knew what the other was likely thinking.

’Based on the fluctuation of Yin Power just now, this fellow hiding in the tree is also at the Eighth Layer of Qi Refining.’

’The fact that he’s trying to persuade us to leave suggests that not only is he not confident he can deal with us, but it’s also possible this Eighth-Layer guy isn’t a disciple of the Black Ghost Cave.’

’Disciples of the Black Ghost Cave in the late stages of Qi Refining more or less all raise a Ghostly Object.’

’Fighting in this environment is highly advantageous for Ghost Cultivators like them who cultivate Yin Power. If he were truly a Black Ghost Cave disciple, he shouldn’t be afraid of the two of us.’

"I have my own uses for leaving it here," the gloomy voice from the tree spoke again.

The person’s reply further confirmed Lu Zefeng and Zhang Cailing’s suspicions.

"Just pick it," Zhang Cailing said to Lu Zefeng.

"Alright!"

The mission they had accepted offered two different tiers of rewards. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Picking the Yinlin Flower using the method specified in the mission details would naturally yield the best reward. A violent harvest, however, would cause a loss in the flower’s medicinal potency, resulting in a much poorer reward.

Using the specified method to pick the Yinlin Flower was extremely troublesome, and under the current circumstances, it would be very difficult to pull it off.

Uncertain of their opponent’s methods, Zhang Cailing couldn’t guarantee she could protect Lu Zefeng from being interrupted while he harvested the flower.

’If only Junior Brother Fang was here, this would be a completely different situation.’

’With his defensive capabilities, this would surely be an easy task.’

"You..."

The gloomy voice seemed to be choking with rage.

By the time that single word was out, Lu Zefeng had already violently plucked the Yinlin Flower.

"Let’s go."

Lu Zefeng left first, with Zhang Cailing following behind him, keeping a close eye on the situation in the tree.

Just as they expected, while they were quickly securing the Yinlin Flower, their opponent neither attacked them again nor showed himself.

This was the territory of the Black Ghost Cave; it was not a place to linger.

If they had encountered such a Ghost Cultivator within the Celestial Cloud Sect’s territory, they would have done whatever it took to capture him. That too would have been worth a fair amount of Contribution Points.

After Lu Zefeng and Zhang Cailing were a good distance away, a figure descended from the tree. He was clad in a dark green robe and leaned on a staff made of bone with his right hand.

"Rotten luck, just rotten luck. I even helped the Black Ghost Cave by dealing with those guys... Taking this Yinlin Flower will come at a price..."

He muttered to himself as he walked away.

「Meanwhile.」

Having left in a hurry, Lu Zefeng and Zhang Cailing had already reached the foot of Yinchan Mountain.

"Junior Brother, aside from the situation with picking the Yinlin Flower, this mission has gone relatively smoothly."

"It has."

Lu Zefeng nodded, then suddenly felt something was wrong.

His hand!

Lu Zefeng lifted his right hand and saw that the palm he had used to grab the Yinlin Flower had already turned purple.

Before, he hadn’t felt a thing.

"Junior Brother, what’s wrong?"

Seeing Lu Zefeng stop, Zhang Cailing turned back and immediately went over to check on him.

She too saw the condition of Lu Zefeng’s right hand.

’This is...’

"That guy put a yin poison on the Yinlin Flower!" Zhang Cailing quickly came to a conclusion. "We were in too much of a hurry to escape; we should have been more careful."

"Junior Brother, can you control this poison?"

The fluctuations of Spiritual Power coming from Lu Zefeng told her he was already trying to control it with all his might.

"I’m trying."

The next moment, Lu Zefeng sat cross-legged on the ground and consumed a pill.

Before long, Lu Zefeng’s forehead was beaded with sweat.

Twenty breaths later, he opened his eyes, his face frighteningly pale.

"It’s no use. The Antitoxic Pill is having little effect on this poison, and my Spiritual Power can’t eliminate even a trace of it. This poison is just too insidious. If I had noticed it sooner, I could have contained it on the surface of my skin, which would have been much easier to deal with."

Relying on the effects of the Antitoxic Pill, Lu Zefeng was only able to force all of the spreading poison into his right hand.

"Senior Sister, in a moment, I need you to cut off my right hand."

Zhang Cailing hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

About three breaths later, Lu Zefeng spoke.

"Now!"

As Zhang Cailing acted, Lu Zefeng immediately used his Spiritual Power to seal off the untainted blood while simultaneously swallowing a healing pill.

The severed arm fell to the ground, instantly turning a deep, purplish-black.

Zhang Cailing quickly used her abilities to freeze her junior brother’s arm, hoping there might be a way to remove the poison and reattach it after they returned to the sect.

Soon, the two of them quickly departed.

...

「Celestial Cloud Sect.」

Fang Yun was on his way to Artifact Casting Peak.

Along the way, he saw two familiar figures.

Normally, he would just offer a simple greeting and be on his way.

But then he noticed that one of them was missing an arm.

"Senior Brother Lu, you were out on a mission... What happened?"