Terrifying Poison Skills

Within a single day, news of Yan Yun’s impending marriage into the Jiang family had swept across the entire Jiang Kingdom.

To wed a woman of such esteemed standing, a ‘proud daughter of heaven,’ should have been an affair of immense glory.

Alas, in this world, becoming a ‘Live-in son-in-law’ (TL Note: A son-in-law who marries into his wife’s family, often taking her surname and relinquishing his own, traditionally seen as a loss of status for men) was, regrettably, a matter of profound shame.

Today, Yan Yun was headed out to purchase some medicinal herbs, ingredients for concocting a potent poison to aid in her cultivation.

Yet, every person she encountered along the way offered nothing but derision or biting sarcasm.

“Hahahaha, congratulations, Yan Yun! In just a few more years, you’ll be getting married!”

“Indeed, what a novelty! I’ve never once seen what a man looks like when he ‘marries out.’ Hey, do any of you know?”

“I know, I know! I once read a book that said when a man becomes a ‘Live-in son-in-law’, he follows the bride’s wedding rituals: wearing a red veil, riding in a sedan chair to be carried to the Jiang family, and I even heard he has to change his surname to match the woman’s…”

Their words, exchanged back and forth, contained not a single pleasantry.

Though Yan Yun was typically thick-skinned, even she couldn’t endure such relentless mockery. Her face instantly flushed crimson, and she lowered her head, unwilling to meet anyone’s gaze.

‘This is utterly humiliating.’

But as she continued walking, a sneering, sarcastic voice drifted into her ears.

“Oh! Isn’t that Third Brother? Third Brother will be marrying Jiang Yao in a few years. How truly felicitous!”

Yan Yun immediately lifted her head, and upon seeing the speaker, realized it was none other than her second brother, Yan Kun.

Of everyone in the entire Yan family, this fellow was the most detestable, always delighting in tormenting her.

Yan Yun had no desire to engage with him whatsoever, so she turned away, preparing to leave.

However, Yan Kun was far from pleased; he suddenly let out an angry roar.

“Yan Yun, though you’ll soon belong to the Jiang family, you are still, for now, a member of the Yan family! Is this the attitude you show when your elder brother speaks to you? Did your mother never teach you proper etiquette?”

Yan Yun still ignored him; she wouldn’t be provoked so easily.

Yet, she couldn’t fathom why her second brother constantly sought trouble with her, having enjoyed bullying her since she was just a few years old.

Seeing Yan Yun maintain her indifferent, unresponsive demeanor, Yan Kun’s face darkened. He abruptly appeared before her, seizing her collar and demanding furiously, “Are you mute or deaf? Can’t you hear me talking to you?”

Observing her brother’s obnoxious behavior, Yan Yun felt another wave of exasperation wash over her.

She simply gazed at him with an innocent expression, remaining silent, conveying an attitude of ‘do whatever you want, I couldn’t care less,’ as if to say, ‘I’m just not going to acknowledge you.’

Upon witnessing this scene, a follower standing beside Yan Kun immediately started to reprimand Yan Yun.

“Yan Yun, are you perhaps asking for a beating?”

However, no sooner had the words left his mouth than Yan Kun backhanded him across the face.

The follower’s face registered utter shock; he couldn’t comprehend why Yan Kun had struck him.

“Brother Kun, you…?”

“My own sibling, is it your place to lecture them?” Yan Kun stated coldly.

Yan Yun observed her second brother’s reaction, her face full of questions. ‘What’s gotten into this guy?’ she wondered. ‘He clearly despises me, yet why won’t he let anyone else bully me?’

At this thought, Yan Yun’s mind drifted back to her childhood, to their very first meeting.

Back then, this fellow had been a complete fop, a true ‘Second-generation heir’ (TL Note: A derogatory term for a rich second-generation heir who is arrogant and relies on their family’s power). Among their generation in the family, everyone except their eldest brother and sisters treated him with utmost deference, yet Yan Yun alone had repeatedly ignored him.

“Second Brother, what are you doing?” A heavy voice broke the tense atmosphere.

A deep, resonant voice rang out.

A robust and dignified young man, whose presence commanded respect, strode purposefully towards them.

Upon seeing the newcomer, Yan Kun immediately released Yan Yun and greeted him with a jovial laugh.

“It’s Eldest Brother! I… I was just playing around with Third Brother.” Yan Kun instantly cowered.

The newcomer was Yan Hui, the eldest legitimate son of the Yan family, born to Yan Long and Wu Peiping.

As the eldest son of the household, his status and authority were undeniably beyond question.

Yan Hui approached Yan Yun, looking down at his delicate younger brother, who resembled a frail little girl.

The men of the Yan family were all towering figures, each standing at least 1.8 meters tall.

While Yan Yun had previously been identified as male, she had not inherited Yan Long’s towering physique; even at twelve years old, she stood merely around 1.4 meters tall.

“Third Brother, he didn’t bully you, did he?” Yan Hui asked.

Yan Yun smiled and shook her head.

“No, Second Brother was just playing around with me.”

Yan Hui narrowed his eyes, then cast a sharp gaze towards the gossiping clan members nearby.

“If I ever hear you gossiping again, you will face the consequences.”

Although Yan Yun wasn’t particularly favored by Yan Long, aside from Yan Kun, Yan Hui and her older sisters treated her quite well.

After all, she was Yan Long’s youngest child.

“Third Brother, don’t bear such a heavy psychological burden. Ordinary people lead ordinary lives, and marrying into the Jiang family isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Try to look at it more openly.” Yan Hui patted Yan Yun’s small head, then casually pulled Yan Kun away.

“Second Brother, I have something to discuss with you. Come with me.”

This effectively resolved Yan Yun’s immediate trouble; otherwise, who knew how long Yan Kun would have continued to pester her.

Yan Yun immediately let out a sigh of relief.

‘Sigh! They truly don’t seem to be born of the same father.’

****

Meanwhile, Yan Hui led Yan Kun to a secluded corner where no one was present, then released him.

“Hey, Eldest Brother, what—what are you going to do?” Yan Kun asked, looking visibly intimidated.

After glancing at Yan Kun, Yan Hui earnestly cautioned him, “Second Brother, do you hold some prejudice against Third Brother? This isn’t the first time I’ve seen you deliberately pick a quarrel.

The family has already signed the marriage contract with the Jiang family….Although everyone knows he is merely Jiang Yao’s… nominal husband, his status is established, and you should treat him with more courtesy.”

At this, Yan Kun immediately became disgruntled.

“Eldest Brother, you simply don’t know how arrogant this kid is! The first time we met as children, she acted completely aloof towards me, and with that womanly face, she just makes me furious to look at.”

Upon hearing this, Yan Hui found himself caught between laughter and tears.

“You, you just see Third Brother as easy to bully, don’t you? Do you think I don’t know you? What’s more, you’re quite hypocritical; I saw you many times as a child, going to beat up those very gossips.”

At that, Yan Kun’s face inexplicably flushed red.

Crossing his arms, he retorted somewhat flustered, “My—my younger sibling is only allowed to be bullied by me!”

Truth be told, Yan Yun’s appearance was quite endearing, yet it also made her an easy target for mockery.

****

Turning back to Yan Yun, she soon arrived at a pharmacy within the city.

“Oh, Third Young Master, back for more medicine?” The moment Yan Yun entered, the pharmacy owner greeted her without delay.

For their pharmacy, Yan Yun was considered a regular customer.

“Yes, Shopkeeper Li, the usual. You know what I need.” Yan Yun placed a silver ingot on the counter.

The shopkeeper chuckled.

“Understood, I’ve had it ready for a while.”

Shopkeeper Li immediately produced several large packets of medicinal herbs, or more accurately, medicinal powders.

Yan Yun had specifically asked him to grind her purchased herbs into powder beforehand, making them easier to carry home. Otherwise, the bulky packages would have been far too conspicuous.

With the medicinal ingredients in hand, Yan Yun promptly returned to her residence.

She retrieved the boiled water she had prepared earlier, then, following the known properties of the ingredients, mixed the various medicinal powders together. After adding water, a bowl of dark, murky liquid quickly formed.

‘I hope this poison cultivation technique actually works,’ Yan Yun thought, gazing at the toxic concoction in the bowl. ‘Otherwise, with this one bowl of poison, I don’t know how many times I’d have died already.’ With a final resolve, she swallowed it all in one gulp.

As the poison entered her stomach, Yan Yun’s lips immediately turned a dark, ominous black, and sharp, stinging pains erupted throughout her body.

It was a potent poison, quick to take effect.

Yan Yun swiftly sat down cross-legged and began to circulate her poison cultivation technique. The poison pearl within her body glowed with a purple light, and the lethal poison was immediately drawn in by the pearl’s power, transforming into streams of purple poison energy that flowed towards the pearl.

At the same time, the purple Poison Spirit Root also began to glow with a purple light, indicating that the spirit root was being activated.

With both the spirit root and the poison pearl operating simultaneously, Yan Yun’s hair once again turned silver-white, and her eyes shifted to a vibrant purple.

Finally, she slowly raised her hands, and intricate purple, eerie patterns swiftly spread across both palms. A faint, ethereal energy emanated from her.

Yan Yun distinctly felt this surge of power.

“Haha, so this is the first stage of the poison cultivation technique, ‘Poison Embodiment’?” Yan Yun rose, eager to find a place to test its power.

Just then, she spotted a rat scuttling across a part of the room.

In an instant, she pounced.

Her speed had significantly increased due to the poison energy, making her as agile as a cat. She seized the rat in a flash.

Upon contact with Yan Yun’s palm, the rat was immediately corroded by the purple poison energy, gradually dissolving into a putrid liquid, leaving behind only a skeleton.

This sight sent shivers down Yan Yun’s spine.

“What the? Is it really that toxic?”

Yan Yun suddenly felt a pang of fear, for if she were to fight someone using this poison cultivation technique, wouldn’t they die upon touch?

This method couldn’t be used casually; it had to be reserved as a trump card, lest she accidentally kill someone.