Tasting Poison

The Central Teleportation Island of the Heavenly Domain.

Having listened to Piaomiao Hong's account, Yi Feng rushed here without delay.

This was the registration point for those heading to the Heavenly Poison Island.

Initially, he had assumed that as a secret base of the World Society, the Heavenly Poison Island's outpost on Teleportation Island would be grand and imposing. Yet, to his surprise, it was just an ordinary brick-and-tile house.

At least it was located on the main street.

From a distance, he could see an elderly man in plain robes sitting cross-legged at the entrance, accompanied by a young attendant.

Though the main thoroughfare was bustling with cultivators coming and going, most only spared a glance or two at the Heavenly Poison Island registration point, rarely stopping.

There were two reasons for this.

First, in a world rife with deceit and treachery, survival alone was difficult, let alone becoming a powerful cultivator. Few were willing to sacrifice their lives for what humans called "righteousness."

Second, the conditions for registering for Heavenly Poison Island were extremely stringent—the minimum cultivation requirement was the Dao Realm. After all, those below the Dao Mirror held little significance for the island, as the World Society could easily dispatch experts to capture demons of that level from the Demon Domain.

As a result, even if someone did register, most failed to meet the requirements.

And those Dao Realm experts who did qualify valued their lives all the more at their level of cultivation.

Of course, for those who truly met the conditions, the rewards were exceedingly generous. The Heavenly Poison Island, under the name of the World Society, would fulfill any reasonable request.

Yet even so, finding willing participants remained an impossible task.

At this moment, the elderly robed man opened his eyes, glanced at the sky, and shook his head gloomily.

He had been stationed here for three months.

Not a single truly suitable candidate had been found for the Heavenly Poison Island.

Just as he was about to instruct his attendant to close the door and retreat inside, a shadow suddenly appeared before him in the fading light of the sunset.

He looked up to see a young man in white robes—refined, elegant, and exuding an air of grace.

"You…"

The elderly man studied the youth, uncertain whether he had come to register.

Over the past two years, they had managed to recruit a few individuals, but most were in poor condition.

Some were gravely injured and nearing death, while others had lost all hope in life due to personal tragedies.

But this young man before him seemed in excellent spirits, even faintly excited—hardly the demeanor of someone seeking death.

"I'm here to register," Yi Feng interjected, cutting off the old man's thoughts.

The elder raised an eyebrow, staring at the youth in disbelief.

The commotion quickly drew the attention of passing cultivators nearby.

In the Heavenly Domain, who hadn't heard of the Heavenly Poison Island's recruitment point?

Seeing someone step forward to register, they crowded around.

"Look, someone's signing up for the Heavenly Poison Island!"

"Yeah, and it's a young man!"

"I wonder what misfortune befell him to make him seek death."

"Whatever the reason, anyone daring enough to register here is a true hero."

"Well said!"

For a moment, countless admiring gazes fell upon Yi Feng.

The elderly man scrutinized the youth, still struggling to believe his intentions.

Hesitantly, he asked, "Are you… nearing the end of your life?"

Yi Feng shook his head.

The elder nodded—the youth didn't seem the type. He pressed further, "Do you seek vengeance, hoping the World Society will avenge you in exchange?"

Again, Yi Feng shook his head.

Frowning, the old man tried once more, "Then… have you suffered some blow that made life lose its meaning?"

Yi Feng shook his head yet again.

None of these?

The elder was baffled.

His sharp eyes bore into Yi Feng as he cut straight to the point. "Then why have you come to register?"

"To test poisons for your Heavenly Poison Island, of course," Yi Feng replied.

The elder was momentarily stunned before his expression darkened. "What I mean is, since you're neither injured nor tormented, why would you willingly go to the island? Don’t you know that once you register, there’s no coming back?"

"Of course I know that," Yi Feng retorted. "But why must I be dying or broken to sign up? Can’t I just want to test poisons? Isn’t your poison research meant to defend against future demon invasions? What if I’m doing this for righteousness, for the future of humanity? Why must you assume the worst of people?"

His blunt rebuttal left the elder speechless, his face flushing red with embarrassment.

After a long pause, the seated elder hastily stood up and bowed respectfully to Yi Feng.

"Young master, you’ve taught this old man a lesson. My perspective was too narrow—I apologize."

Yi Feng’s words also sparked heated discussion among the onlookers.

"What a noble cause—for righteousness, for humanity’s future!"

"This man is truly a paragon of our kind!"

"Indeed. I, too, assumed he was on the brink of death or suffering some tragedy. He’s shown me my own narrow-mindedness."

"Ah, I’m no better. It’s only natural to assume those who go to the Heavenly Poison Island are driven by despair."

The crowd murmured in admiration, many giving Yi Feng thumbs-up gestures.

The elder, now humbled, treated Yi Feng with newfound respect.

"Young master, forgive my bluntness," the elder said, clasping his hands. "Though our Heavenly Poison Island is in dire need of test subjects, your declaration of acting for righteousness and humanity’s future makes us hesitant to accept your registration."

"Think about it—if we let you onto the island and you perish there, how could we ever justify it to the world?"

"So I implore you to reconsider. With your character, you are destined for greatness and will shine brightly across the Starry Cloud. Even when demons invade, your talents would serve humanity far better alive than as a test subject. To waste such potential on poison trials would be a tragedy."

"The elder speaks wisely!"

"Such a man should not be sacrificed for poison testing."

"Exactly! With his virtue, his future achievements are limitless. He shouldn’t throw his life away."

"Young hero, your nobility is clear—please, turn back."

"Yes, leave. Your sacrifice isn’t worth it."

The elder’s words were met with resounding agreement from the crowd.

Yi Feng’s face darkened.

Damn it all.

I just didn’t want to reveal my secrets, so I gave them a lofty excuse.

And now these fools are worried about wasting my potential?

Unbelievable.

With a stern expression, he raised his voice in righteous indignation.

"What nonsense is this about wasted potential?"

"Who said testing poisons isn’t worth it?"

"The Dark Domain approaches. Demon invasions loom. Human territory will be reduced to less than a tenth, and our entire race teeters on the brink of extinction."

"Those of us with ambition founded the World Society and established the Heavenly Poison Island. Countless poison masters of the Starry Cloud gather there, toiling in obscurity, preparing for humanity’s darkest hour."

"Now, they are facing difficulties and hitting a bottleneck. As individuals with aspirations, it is our duty to respond."

"And I, Yi Feng, am merely an ordinary cultivator, just one among countless humans. My life is of little consequence."

"Moreover, death may be as light as a feather or as weighty as Mount Tai. If my demise can secure the future stability of our people, how can Yi Feng’s death ever be called unworthy?"

"So today, whether I will it or not, this name shall be registered!"