Chapter 1958 — 1958: Unknown Poison

"Poison?!" Binglan suddenly burst out, her voice sharp with disbelief. "Are you saying poison is what caused the decline of our Azure Dragon Clan's bloodline?! That's outrageous!"

Her eyes flared with fury as she stepped forward. "I've tolerated this farce only because it was my father's wish—but I can no longer endure it! You're nothing but a fraud!"

"E-Elder sister… please, calm down," Xuanbing said softly, stepping in with a concerned expression, trying to ease the rising tension.

Yuan looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"Father? You're the Clan Leader's daughter?"

"That's right! My full name is Jiao Binglan, and I am the eldest daughter in the Azure Dragon Clan!"

Xuanbing sighed and spoke next, "I'm Jiao Xuanbing, the second eldest son. Also, this isn't our real appearance."

Now that their identities had been exposed, there was no longer any need for concealment. In the next moment, they shed their disguises, revealing their real appearances.

"Senior Envoy, are you sure it's poison? I don't mean to doubt you, but I also cannot sense anything," said Dragon Emperor with a doubtful look on his face.

"I'm certain. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you what kind of poison it is."

"Why are you so certain?" Jiao Xuanbing asked.

Yuan looked at him and said without any hesitation, "Because I have Perfect Poison Immunity, and it reacted the moment I entered this place."

"Perfect Poison Immunity?!" Jiao Binglan exclaimed, her voice rising with disbelief. "Isn't that the highest level of poison resistance—one that only exists in legends?! And you expect us to believe you, a human, have actually acquired such an ability?!"

Yuan gave a light shrug. "Whether you believe me or not is your choice. And for the record, there's no definitive proof yet that this poison is tied to your clan's predicament. It's just a possibility."

After learning about the poison, Yuan and the others hurried back to inform Jiao Zhenhai and the Three Grand Elders about the discovery.

"Poison?! Are you sure…?"

Unsurprisingly, Jiao Zhenhai and the Three Grand Elders met the news with skepticism. Doubt flickered across their faces, their expressions tightening as they struggled to accept such an improbable explanation.

"I've never heard of a poison capable of weakening a royal bloodline," said the First Elder.

As the Azure Dragon Clan's foremost poison expert, his skepticism carried weight.

"We've examined our bodies and blood thoroughly in the past, but there were no traces of any poison."

"This might be something entirely new," Yuan replied. "A poison specifically designed to target your bloodline without leaving behind the usual signs."

"You can't be serious! Do you even know what it would take to create something like that? And why would they target our Azure Dragon Clan? We've always lived here in peace without offending anyone!" Jiao Binglan exclaimed.

"You said he came here for your family heirloom, right? Do you think I can take a look at it?" Yuan asked.

"That must be your true purpose here!" Jiao Binglan snapped, her eyes blazing with fury. "Are you working for that bastard?!"

Without hesitation, she withdrew her weapon and leveled it at Yuan, her killing intent sharp and immediate.

But before she could take another step, the Dragon Emperor moved. In an instant, he stepped between them, and the room was flooded with his overwhelming pressure, so heavy it made the walls groan and the very water around them tremble.

"Stop!"

Jiao Zhenhai roared.

"Binglan, what are you doing?! Lower your weapon right this instant and apologize to our guest!"

"B-But—" she trembled with hesitation.

"I will not repeat myself!"

Jiao Binglan gritted her teeth in frustration as she lowered her weapon before putting it away.

"I apologize for her unruly behavior." Jiao Zhenhai said with a weary sigh. "This is a deeply sensitive matter for our clan, and emotions are running high. I ask for your patience and understanding."

Yuan shook his head lightly. "It's fine. I understand how you feel. I don't expect you to place your trust in me so easily, either."

He paused for a moment before continuing, "How about this—let me return to that area and investigate further. The poison doesn't affect me, so I'm in no danger."

"Honestly, we can only enter that area up to a certain point before we're forced to retreat," Jiao Zhenhai admitted. "The deeper we go, the more nauseating it becomes, and if we push any further, we eventually lose consciousness, regardless of our cultivation."

"Why didn't you tell me that before I wasted two weeks wandering the city?" Yuan sighed.

Jiao Zhenhai fell silent. He didn't have any excuses for this blunder.

Yuan turned to look at the Dragon Emperor and said, "I should do this alone. I don't want you to become poisoned."

"There's a good chance that I am already affected by it."

"Yes, but I believe it's unlikely," Yuan replied. "The poison may be unique and potent, but it seems to act very slowly. If it were truly aggressive, the Azure Dragon Clan's bloodline would have begun deteriorating much earlier. More likely, it's a poison that requires prolonged exposure, something that seeps in gradually over time before it begins to take effect."

"In that case, I'll listen to your advice and stay here for now."

"Allow me to accompany you," said the First Elder, stepping forward. "I possess the most extensive knowledge of poisons among us."

Yuan considered mentioning that the First Elder likely wouldn't be of much help, given that even he couldn't detect the poison.

But he held his tongue and simply gave a quiet nod, choosing not to worsen his relationship with them.

Sometime later, Yuan and the First Elder made their way to the poisoned area.

"My poison immunity starts reacting from this point," Yuan said.

The First Elder didn't respond. Instead, he calmly retrieved a set of tools from his spatial ring—treasures designed for detecting poison.

He activated them and tested the surrounding water. After a few moments, he shook his head and said grimly, "Nothing."

Yuan then said, "I'll be going deeper. I suggest you stay here."

"No, I'm coming with you."

"Do as you please."