Walking in the cycle of reincarnation

Chapter 20 The Golden Toad's Old Dream

Meng Jinchuan, his face ashen, rushed into the building, the wooden stairs pounding loudly under his feet like a death knell.

The scene inside the building was horrifying.

Meng Yuanshan fell backward, his skin as red as blood, his body radiating heat that was clearly visible. He looked like a shrimp that had been scalded by boiling water.

What exactly is that red liquid?!

Meng Jinchuan knelt down, raising his hand to help him up, but then suddenly froze.

Meng Yuanshan turned his head with difficulty, his pupils dilated due to the high fever, but they contracted the moment he caught sight of the person who had come.

"You...you gave me...what?"

Meng Jinchuan shook his head repeatedly:

"Brother, I don't know... I thought..."

"What do you think?"

Meng Yuanshan bent his elbow to brace himself, but then lost his strength and fell back, his chest heaving violently, his eyes burning with shock, anger, and suspicion.

"You think... it's your job to poison me... the young clan leader?"

These words were like knives. Meng Jinchuan looked at his brother's bloodshot eyes, unable to tell whether the redness stemmed from suspicion or a high fever.

Tears welled up and overflowed.

He wanted to say no, he wanted to say how could he harm you? But these words stuck in his throat, turning into sobs.

He crawled forward on his knees, trying to help his elder brother up.

"Don't touch me!"

Meng Yuanshan waved his hand away, then seemed to sense something amiss within his body. He endured the burning pain and sat cross-legged.

His entire body turned crimson, which slowly receded like the tide. His eyes were tightly closed, and his breathing gradually changed from rapid to long and even.

Meng Jinchuan stopped crying, his eyes wide open, his face full of astonishment:

"Brother... are you... are you alright?"

Meng Yuanshan slowly opened his eyes, his surprise and doubt even greater than his younger brother's.

"Where did you get this red liquid from?"

He paused for a moment, then examined the meridians again, his tone filled with disbelief:

"This liquid, once it entered my body, completely flushed away the lingering toxins that had accumulated within me."

Meng Jinchuan opened his mouth, but his mind went blank.

It's not saliva. It's a gift from the Golden Toad Ancestor. It's a true miracle.

A thousand words choked in his throat, and he felt his eyes welling up again. He hastily wiped his face, turned, and ran.

......

Meng Jinchuan ran wildly, leaving the village and entering the mountains.

Dry branches in the mountains scratched his cheeks, and thorns tore his trouser legs, but he didn't care at all.

He felt a mix of anger, joy, and unspeakable grievances.

"The Golden Toad Ancestor—!"

He collapsed onto the narrow path, shouting repeatedly towards the empty mountains:

"Thank you, Ancestor Jinchan, for bestowing this elixir!"

Zhang Nanfeng did not appear; he merely watched as the boy knelt and kowtowed, his forehead repeatedly striking the ground, his mouth uttering words of gratitude and loyalty.

He felt no pride, only the calm of a hunter watching his prey step into the trap.

The plan has taken another step forward.

When Meng Jinchuan finally collapsed to the ground, sobbing, he had exhausted all his strength. Only then did Zhang Nanfeng slowly close his eyes and focus his mind on the coccyx.

A wisp of wind lies dormant, carrying with it the familiar arrogance of a past life.

......

In the following days, Meng Jinchuan indeed continued without interruption.

Every day at dawn, he would wait at the foot of the narrow path with a bamboo basket on his back. The basket contained all five poisonous creatures, all of which were the best that he had personally selected.

Zhang Nanfeng grew increasingly satisfied with the young man.

It wasn't just the poisonous insects that were satisfying, but also the respect shown to them.

He was measured in his words and actions, never overstepping the bounds. Each time he put down the bamboo basket, he would step back ten paces and wait until Zhang Nanfeng had finished eating before daring to approach and ask for the poison.

And he talks a lot.

Regardless of whether Zhang Nanfeng could understand or not, he simply poured out all his words.

Zhang Nanfeng learned about all the matters concerning Mengjia Village.

On this clear, bright day, Meng Jinchuan boldly raised his head, his eyes shining with piety:

"Golden Toad Ancestor, do you still remember my Meng family's ancestor?"

"My ancestor was once a slave, living a life worse than that of pigs and dogs. Later, he managed to escape into the deep mountains, and when he was desperate, you appeared in this world. You saved his life. After that, you poisoned wild animals, and my ancestor would go and find them to eat."

As he spoke, he scratched his head awkwardly:

"My ancestors ate too much of the poisoned meat of the beasts you killed over a long period of time, and the poison accumulated in their bodies. Instead of dissipating, they comprehended a method of tempering their bodies with poison. This is the origin of the Meng family's poison skills. It's quite laughable, actually."

Zhang Nanfeng lay on the rock listening, and for a moment he was somewhat dazed.

A slave struggled to survive amidst the mountains and poisonous insects, eating poisonous flesh and drinking poisonous blood, yet he managed to hone a set of martial arts skills and build the Meng family's legacy.

It's ridiculous.

Yet it is also tragic and lamentable.

This legend enlightened Zhang Nanfeng.

He finally understood why Meng Jinchuan was so devout to him. It turned out that in the boy's eyes, he was not a poison, but the ancestral spirit of the Meng family legend.

He had overheard Meng Jinchuan's words by the pool that day, but hadn't paid them any mind at the time. Now, however, he realized that he and the legendary golden toad were quite a perfect match.

Is it a coincidence? Or is it part of the Reincarnation Platform's arrangement?

Zhang Nanfeng shook his head, deciding not to delve into it. Whatever the reason, he would seize this opportunity firmly.

"...Golden Toad Ancestor, do you know how glorious my Meng family was in the past? We were once one of the Thirty-Six Caves, second only to the Holy Altar, and a prominent cave clan in the Southern Frontier."

The air in Meng Jinchuan's speech was filled with melancholy.

"But many years ago, for some unknown reason, my father led the entire tribe to retreat to this boundary marker mountain..."

"In the southern borderlands, the closer to the center, the more prestigious one is. But my Meng family is now... the lowest of the low."

He paused, lowered his voice, and spoke with a mixture of awe and longing:

"Does the Golden Toad Ancestor know what lies in the deepest part of the Southern Frontier?"

"That's a miasma-filled place. It's said that anyone who steps into it will turn into pus and blood, and even those with mastered poison skills dare not approach. There are even legends that immortals and gods live there..."

Miasma? Immortals or gods?

Looking at the incessantly chattering youth before him, and then gazing into the vast, misty depths, a plan began to sprout in Zhang Nanfeng's heart.

Zhang Nanfeng withdrew his gaze and turned back to Meng Jinchuan.

The boy was squatting in front of a spider web, trying to untangle the binding threads for a gray moth.

After some effort, the gray moth finally flapped its wings and broke free. Silver dust, however, covered the boy's face.

Meng Jinchuan hurriedly closed his eyes and waved his hand wildly. He struck the moth, and it fell into the mud.

Meng Jinchuan was enraged. Disdain flashed in his eyes, and he stomped his foot down hard.

With a soft sound, the silver powder and mud mingled together, making it impossible to distinguish the colors anymore.

......

Another day.

As the sun rose higher, the dew on the tips of the leaves turned into wisps of smoke.

Zhang Nanfeng waited for a long time, but the figure who kept his promise every day never arrived.

Meng Jinchuan never breaks his promise.

After spending many days together, the two had developed a tacit understanding. Even if something delayed him, he would always carve a mark on the stone or leave a leaf to pass on a message.

But today there is no trace or news of it.

Zhang Nanfeng recalled that the quality of the five poisons delivered in recent days had been getting worse day by day. Although they were still top-grade, they were still lacking something.

Although Meng Jinchuan was exceptionally quick-witted and highly perceptive, he was far too naive...

It's been exposed.

Zhang Nanfeng understood the changes, but he remained calm, because everything was within his expectations.

He patted his stomach.

There, the wind has ceased.

There, gold and pearls lay heavy.

With such confidence, what is there to fear?

Zhang Nanfeng took one last look at the empty narrow path before disappearing without a trace.