Standing outside the building, since the enemies had adopted a passive defensive formation, it was favorable for Mu Lin to take them out one by one. His true yuan force extended inward, first targeting the first floor, attacking gradually from the innermost part outward, striking each enemy individually. All the members of the Hei Hu Gang on the first floor were incapacitated without realizing what had happened. Naturally, at the same time, he also punctured their energy nodes.
Next, Mu Lin applied the same method to the enemies from the top floor down to the third floor, successfully completing the task. However, when it came to the second floor, Mu Lin found himself at a loss. The second floor had a larger number of enemies, tightly packed together, unlike the other floors where fewer people were present. Moreover, he wanted to subdue the Grand Elder without harming anyone, so he could obtain the Grand Elder’s directional poison technique.
Judging from the Grand Elder’s poison technique, it was a skill Mu Lin had not yet mastered. The poison smoke could be fixed within a certain area and deployed even in crowded places—indicating a high level of expertise and a secret family transmission. Mu Lin himself also knew poison techniques, though he had learned them from ancient manuals left behind by others. If it weren’t for his profound knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine, and his lifelong experience in identifying and testing herbs, gaining an understanding of their properties, he might not have even been able to master the poison techniques.
Except for his cultivation of true yuan force, basic physical techniques, and some medical skills—which were taught to him by his great-uncle—all of Mu Lin’s other abilities were acquired during his travels. Even the highest techniques of his sect were obtained in the secular world. Moreover, poison techniques and medical skills complement each other. Advancements in poison techniques revealed the properties of many herbs, which in turn promoted progress in medical skills. Improved medical skills further enhanced his pill-making abilities. High-quality pills, in turn, were invaluable for advancing his cultivation. Therefore, this time, Mu Lin was determined to acquire this previously unknown poison technique at all costs.
His spiritual sense detected that the Grand Elder was in a room together with two other elders. The Grand Elder was merely sitting there in meditation, while the actual command was being handled by the other two elders. Thinking this through, Mu Lin found a solution. He cast an invisibility technique and entered the building at the first-floor position opposite the Grand Elder. His true yuan force extended upward, sealing the Grand Elder’s acupoints, while his spiritual consciousness slowly infiltrated the Grand Elder’s brain.
Although the Grand Elder could no longer move, his mind had not been suppressed by Mu Lin, so when Mu Lin’s spiritual consciousness entered the Grand Elder’s brain, it met with fierce resistance. Mu Lin had not expected that the Grand Elder, whose qi had only reached the innate realm, could resist the spiritual consciousness generated by half of Mu Lin’s true yuan force.
Mu Lin immediately set up a yuan-gathering formation and a dragon-binding formation around himself, no longer concerned with concealing his form. Stepping in a celestial pattern and forming a magical seal with his hands, he cast the Five Ghosts Transportation Technique on the Grand Elder. As soon as he completed the incantation, the Grand Elder vanished from his original spot and appeared before Mu Lin.
Then, Mu Lin cast a spatial imprisonment technique on the second floor, extended his yuan force, and sealed the acupoints of two individuals, preventing the two elders from effectively commanding. He placed his hand directly on the Grand Elder’s forehead and began using the Soul Searching Technique. Since he needed the complete directional poison technique, he required the Grand Elder’s entire memory. When the technique was finally completed, Mu Lin’s forehead was lightly covered with sweat. One could only imagine how fierce the Grand Elder’s resistance had been. Releasing his hand, the Grand Elder’s eyes were now vacant, drool dripping from his mouth—he had become a complete idiot.
From the Grand Elder’s memories, Mu Lin learned that he belonged to a southern poison sect, specifically the Liu family from Jiuli Mountain, known for their poison techniques. The Liu family’s poison techniques were said to have originated from the time of Chi You, passed down orally through generations, never written down. In modern times, the Liu family had dwindled, leaving only one daughter. When the Grand Elder was young, he married into the Liu family as a son-in-law and finally learned the secret poison techniques that had been passed down for over a thousand years.
Later, he grew resentful toward his wife due to her unattractive appearance and dull demeanor, demanding a divorce. However, at that time, divorce was not possible. Possessing martial arts skills, he had already mastered the family’s poison techniques, and his father-in-law could do nothing to stop him. Eventually, in a rage, he killed off the entire Liu family, fled to the United States after wandering for a while, and later, with his poison techniques and martial arts, helped his nephew rise through the ranks, eventually founding the Hei Hu Gang. Later, citing old age, he became the Grand Elder.
Mu Lin recalled having once visited Jiuli Mountain, where he had discovered some things, but had never found any poison techniques. Now he understood—since the Liu family had been wiped out, naturally there would be no trace of their techniques left. He had gone there hoping to learn, yet now he had unexpectedly acquired the knowledge far from his homeland. Such was the will of Heaven!
From the Grand Elder’s memories, Mu Lin learned that this man had done little good in his life, and was naturally cold-hearted, committing numerous acts of banditry.
The matter involving Claire’s family also traced back to him. Originally, Claire’s mother had caught his eye, and upon first sight, he had been amazed by her beauty. Knowing his own age and unattractive appearance, he realized that Claire’s mother would never look favorably upon him. Thus, he had ordered Ma Rulong, who was then merely a Xiangzhu (a local gang leader), to seduce her, but this attempt had also failed.
Eventually, it was Ma Rulong who devised a plan to bankrupt Claire’s family, threatening the lives of Claire’s father and daughter to force her mother into submission. As a result, Ma Rulong was promoted to the position of only non-blood-related deputy leader of the gang. However, Claire’s mother died of severe depression only a few years later.
Mu Lin took away the Grand Elder’s tools for performing techniques and then left him aside. Considering that the Grand Elder had contributed the directional poison technique, he decided to let him fend for himself and die naturally.
Since he had already taken such drastic action, Mu Lin had no intention of leaving behind any hidden dangers. He extended his spiritual consciousness into the minds of the other two elders and performed the Soul Searching Technique on them. When the technique was completed, two more vegetative beings were added to the world. From their memories, it was clear that these two were also despicable individuals. This further illustrated the Hei Hu Gang’s overall nature.
Now even more resolute in his actions, Mu Lin proceeded to incapacitate the remaining gang members on the second floor by puncturing their energy nodes. He collected the private treasures of the three elders from within the building, not leaving behind even a small knife as a weapon.
When Mu Lin reached the building where the Hei Hu Gang leader was located, the gang members were already terrified by the invisible formation. Their selfishness and inherent evil fully exposed, they began fighting amongst themselves inside the building. Ma Rulong, having the least power, was the first to be killed. Now only the leader and his brother remained, each leading their own factions in a standoff.
Seeing this situation, Mu Lin sealed the acupoints of the two gang leaders and transported them outside the building using the transportation technique. Mu Lin still needed access to their secret money accounts and hidden treasures for his own use. In the end, these two also became vegetative beings.
With all the gang’s leaders defeated, what could the remaining underlings possibly do? After dismantling the formations in the other buildings, Mu Lin simply left the scene.
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