BTTH: From Genius to Invincible

"Little beast, since you're courting death, I'll grant your wish!" Xiao Yan's words enraged Zhang Chuan Wu beyond measure. With a fierce shout, he waved his hand, scattering a cloud of poison powder while concealing a poison dart that shot out from his sleeve.

Xiao Yan leisurely leaped back to avoid the poison powder and slightly tilted his head to dodge the poison dart hidden within.

He lightly patted his coat as if the powder had dirtied his clothes.

"Where did this mad dog come from? Your verbal skills are much better than your Poison Master skills."

Xiao Yan's tone and demeanor screamed for a beating!

Zhang Chuan Wu's face contorted with rage as he angrily shouted, "Don't think you're so great just because you have strong Spiritual Strength! Our Poison Master methods will definitely make you wish you were dead!"

Xiao Yan suddenly understood in his heart that the reason Zhang Chuan Wu couldn't become an alchemist was likely due to insufficient Spiritual Strength.

Possessing Dou Qi with both fire and wood attributes was just the foundation for becoming an alchemist; having inherently strong Spiritual Strength was even more crucial.

Whether one could possess the Spiritual Strength needed to become an alchemist without the aid of a Soul Training Method was purely up to fate.

"Poison Cloud Palm!" Driven by a heart full of jealousy and murderous intent, Zhang Chuan Wu's entire body surged with poison Dou Qi. He condensed a poison palm with his right hand and pushed it toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan waved his hand and unleashed the invisible heat wave of Flame Splitting Tsunami. The high-temperature wave completely incinerated the poison gas of the Poison Cloud Palm, turning Zhang Chuan Wu's attack into nothing more than harmless vapor.

Seeing his Dou Technique so easily countered, Zhang Chuan Wu roared in anger as dark purple Dou Qi surged around his body.

"Poison Energy Cloak!" The poison Dou Qi gradually expanded from his body, forming a thin, venomous layer around him. This was far more dangerous than the Dou Qi cloak of Lu Xing from the Xuan Class; touching this poison energy cloak was out of the question.

Zhang Chuan Wu, seeing his aggressive approach proving effective, decided to press the attack. Xiao Yan quickly pulled out the Heavy Xuan Ruler to confront him.

Even though he had a 2nd-tier detoxification pill, a 2nd-tier detoxification pill couldn't neutralize all 2nd-tier poisons. Detoxification pills could only be refined as a base. Once an alchemist was poisoned, they needed to treat the specific condition by adding ingredients to the basic detoxification pill, thereby quickly refining a suitable antidote.

Zhang Chuan Wu let out a low shout and stomped on the ground in a violent manner. Then, he concentrated strands of poison in his palms to prevent Xiao Yan from breaking his Poison Cloud Palm again. After that, he lunged wildly toward Xiao Yan.

His palm strikes were overwhelming. They cunningly and viciously targeted Xiao Yan's vulnerable areas such as the heart, neck, and face. A single strike that could force the poison into Xiao Yan's body would ensure his victory! Xiao Yan would inevitably succumb to the poison, a fact that he was confident in with his Poison Cloud Palm.

Zhang Chuan Wu was no ordinary opponent. As a 6-star Dou Master with strange poison powders and hidden weapons, he was much stronger than Lu Xing.

Facing Zhang Chuan Wu's vicious attacks, Xiao Yan kept stepping back while using the broad surface of the Heavy Xuan Ruler in his hands to parry and block the onslaught of the Poison Cloud Palm.

The Heavy Xuan Ruler was designed to be used in conjunction with the Di Class Dou Technique, Flame Splitting Tsunami. It was also forged from meteorites. Naturally, it was impervious to poison.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!!!

As the two of them exchanged blows in attack and defense, bits of poison gas splattered into the air with each clash between the Poison Cloud Palm and the Heavy Xuan Ruler. As a result, Xiao Yan inhaled traces of poison with every breath he took.

Zhang Chuan Wu finally gauged Xiao Yan's strength after engaging in close combat for a while. To his surprise, Xiao Yan wasn't even a Dou Master but just a Dou Practitioner, and an 8-star Dou Practitioner at that!

The more they fought, the more shocked Zhang Chuan Wu became. An 8-star Dou Practitioner was holding his own against him, a 6-star Dou Master!

'No, it's his Spiritual Strength! How can his spiritual perception be so strong?!'

All of Zhang Chuan Wu's sneak attacks were dodged by Xiao Yan as if he knew his next move in advance.

Without the effectiveness of a Poison Master's surprise attacks, Zhang Chuan Wu was actually weaker than many other 6-star Dou Masters.

During a moment of Zhang Chuan Wu's astonished lapse, Xiao Yan violently swung the massive Heavy Xuan Ruler with a focused gaze and hurled it toward him. Then, Xiao Yan took advantage of his dodging moment to suddenly appear behind him.

"You didn't really think that I wouldn't dare to touch you, did you?" Xiao Yan let out a cold laugh that sent shivers down Zhang Chuan Wu's entire body.

Octane Blast!

Xiao Yan's fist suddenly filled with a shockingly ferocious power. His clenched fist created a ripping sound through the air as it violently struck Zhang Chuan Wu's back.

He had been waiting for this moment, for Zhang Chuan Wu to truly believe that he wouldn't dare touch his poison energy cloak, letting his guard down for that split second.

The sudden surge of powerful energy from behind caused Zhang Chuan Wu's face to change drastically. The poison Dou Qi within his body surged wildly, and the poison energy cloak on his back became denser.

Bang! A muffled sound of contact quietly echoed within the fighting platform. Although faint, it was laden with palpable power.

The terrifying power of the fully mastered Octane Blast turned Zhang Chuan Wu's face deathly pale. His body lurched forward, tumbling several times in the air before finally landing a few meters away, somewhat staggering.

Xiao Yan examined the wound on his fist. Zhang Chuan Wu had a piece of armor on him that blocked part of the Octane Blast's attack and prevented a fatal blow.

He swallowed a pill without a word. This wasn't for detoxification but to delay the onset of poison until after the fight when he could deal with it.

Zhang Chuan Wu looked at Xiao Yan, trembling, then burst into maniacal laughter. "Hahaha, your detoxification pill is useless! My poison has tainted your hands; there's no escape for you now!"

He suddenly began to vomit violently as his voice faded. Countless tiny black poison insects emerged from the vomit and swarmed out like ants.

Xiao Yan's eyebrows furrowed deeply. Even he felt revolted by this sight.

Most people cultivated poison attribute Dou Qi in the Chu Yun Empire. Xiao Yan had read about a special poison attribute Qi Method in some books describing Poison Masters. This method involved using one's poison attribute Qi cyclone as a breeding ground to cultivate poison insects within the body.

Much like breeding Gu, these Poison Masters used their bodies as vessels. Although this method could cultivate powerful poison insects, the toxins secreted by these insects would accumulate within the Poison Master's body, eventually leading to death either from toxin accumulation or from not having enough poison Dou Qi to sustain the poison insects, culminating in being devoured by them.

Xiao Yan hadn't expected to encounter one today. No wonder Zhang Chuan Wu's complexion was so deathly pale, paler than someone who had been dead for three days. It turned out this was the reason.

"Kekeke, my Poison Winged Ants will relentlessly attack any target tainted with poison Dou Qi. Once bitten by a Poison Winged Ant, one would wish for death as the body loses all sensation and then slowly rots away, enduring torment for a whole day and night before dying slowly." Zhang Chuan Wu said as he wiped the vomit from the corner of his mouth, his smile twisted and maniacal.

It was enough to send shivers down one's spine and make one feel nauseous.

Countless poison insects spread their wings and covered the sky as they swarmed toward Xiao Yan like ants on a rainy day.

Facing the overwhelming swarm of poison insects, Xiao Yan remained calm as he sat down. He flicked his right hand and took out the three-opening medicinal cauldron he had purchased at the auction in Wu Tan City from his storage ring.

Dou Qi rushed into the medicinal cauldron and ignited a roaring flame inside with a wave of his hand. Xiao Yan couldn't produce real flames on his own yet, so he had to rely on the medicinal cauldron.

After which, he forcefully threw a Rank 2 Fire Attribute Monster Core into the cauldron. This time, however, he didn't intend to refine pills, but to detonate the Monster Core!