CHAPTER 415: CHAPTER 0412: DARED NOT, TRULY DARED NOT

The old man remained silent. What the other party said was true—his young master did have certain intentions. However, being so badly frightened, he directly killed the other party. As a result, they were left with the poison and had no choice but to seek out the Old Woman of the Jellyfish.

"It was all just a misunderstanding," the old man said.

The Old Woman of the Jellyfish let out a cold laugh. "A misunderstanding? Whether it was or not, I don’t know. But the fact remains—you killed my offspring. Do you really think this is still a misunderstanding?"

The old man responded, "My young master has been afflicted by the jellyfish poison. I hope you can give me the antidote. The Yue Family would be deeply grateful."

He understood how incredibly difficult it would be to obtain the antidote from the Old Woman of the Jellyfish. Yet no matter how insurmountable the challenge, he had to try—otherwise, his young master would truly be ruined.

Qin Yang had no patience for the old man’s tedious back-and-forth.

He was desperate.

The current situation was something only he could truly grasp—it was an unimaginable tragedy.

"Hey, old hag, hurry up and give me the antidote!" Qin Yang bellowed, feeling his condition deteriorating, the pain gnawing relentlessly at his soul.

The Old Woman of the Jellyfish looked at Qin Yang and burst into laughter. "Another one has fallen victim, I see. Do you think I’ll hand over the antidote to you?"

Lin Fan had a sense that Qin Yang’s attempt to secure the antidote from this woman was fraught with extreme difficulty.

It would be tough.

Almost impossible.

If it were Lin Fan himself, he certainly wouldn’t hand over the antidote either.

The situation was straightforward—he hadn’t provoked anyone, but his daughters had been slaughtered. Giving the antidote would truly be an absurdity.

Lin Fan felt it was time for him to step forward.

If the direct approach failed, and the woman refused to provide the antidote, he could always try to kill her outright. However, the Old Woman of the Jellyfish was quite formidable. A battle might not go as smoothly as hoped.

Once the Old Woman submerged herself in the water, as the old man had said earlier, even a Daluo Golden Immortal would struggle if they entered the lake.

With his current prowess...

It’d be quite problematic.

Qin Yang, oh Qin Yang—it’s not that I don’t want to save you, but her methods are formidable. Seems like you’re really in for an explosive ending.

Just as Lin Fan prepared to step forward and negotiate with the Old Woman on Qin Yang’s behalf...

Qin Yang exploded in anger. "Old hag, I am of direct lineage of the Immortal Venerable bloodline—Qin Yang of the Qin Family. You dare cut off my offspring? Do you think the Immortal Venerable Family would forgive you?"

Lin Fan sighed inwardly.

At this stage, you’re still trying to intimidate her with your Immortal Venerable Family lineage? Seriously think that’ll work?

Sure, the Immortal Venerable Family is terrifying.

But unfortunately... to most people, the thought that crosses their minds is indignation—they just want to get rid of the Immortal Venerable Family members.

Yet something baffled Lin Fan.

"How do you prove you’re from the Immortal Venerable Family?" the Old Woman of the Jellyfish asked.

Qin Yang scowled. "Prove it? I, Qin Yang, as a direct descendant of the Immortal Venerable Family, shouldn’t need to prove my identity to you."

"Fine, then. Feel the Immortal Venerable powers embedded in my bloodline."

With that, Qin Yang flicked out a drop of blood.

He had no other choice.

How else could he prove it? Everything that could verify his lineage had been destroyed by the True Dragon Tree—only his blood remained as undeniable proof of his Immortal Venerable Family origin.

After all, every direct descendant had blood imbued with the Immortal Venerable’s might.

The Old Woman swallowed the droplet of blood.

In an instant.

Her expression changed drastically as she sensed the Immortal Venerable power within that single drop of blood.

Reverently, she expelled the blood back out, not daring to consume something from a direct descendant of the Immortal Venerable bloodline.

Such an act would be the utmost disrespect toward the Immortal Venerable.

Moreover, the depths of her soul harbored an ingrained fear of the Immortal Venerable.

"I had no idea a descendant of the Immortal Venerable had arrived. Please forgive me, Little Immortal Venerable," the Old Woman’s demeanor shifted instantly—anger erased, replaced by a warm, even fearful, hospitality.

Qin Yang tilted his head back proudly, even as he struggled with his swollen condition. Nothing could stop his urge to flaunt. "Good that you understand. Consider this drop of blood your reward. You should know what to do now."

"Thank you, Little Immortal Venerable, for your generous gift," the Old Woman replied with utmost reverence. Green light shimmered from her fingers, flowing into Qin Yang’s body.

"Little Immortal Venerable, forgive my ignorance. I had no idea which foolish descendant dared harm Little Immortal Venerable."

Lowering her attitude further, the Old Woman seemed indifferent to her slain progeny. Instead of mourning, she appeared furious—angry that her offspring had failed to recognize a blessing as profound as being graced by the Little Immortal Venerable and had acted so rashly.

Qin Yang waved dismissively, "Let it go. Ignorance is no sin."

Almost instantly...

He noticed the swelling start to subside.

Soon enough, everything returned to normal.

He regained feeling.

Truly, sensation had returned.

No more swelling, not even a bit—it was absolutely blissful.

Lin Fan stared at Qin Yang, utterly dumbfounded, internally cursing this absurd turn of events. "Damn it, even this worked."

Was the Immortal Venerable Family lineage truly this effective?

Xiang Fei whispered, "Brother Lin, I think I finally understand what’s going on."

"What’s going on?"

Lin Fan, too, wanted answers. Sure, the Immortal Venerable Family reputation was daunting, but wasn’t the Old Woman’s reaction here a bit excessive?

It wasn’t as if the Immortal Venerable had made an appearance.

Why become so craven, so servile?

Xiang Fei explained, "The Old Woman’s ancestors were once mere pets in the Immortal Venerable’s fishpond. That fear and reverence toward the Immortal Venerable naturally carried through generations. Since Qin Yang is of the Immortal Venerable direct bloodline, it’s normal that she would be deeply fearful."

Lin Fan mulled this over.

He hadn’t thought the Immortal Venerable Family’s reputation reached such absurd levels.

As for the Old Woman addressing Qin Yang as "Little Immortal Venerable," what a groveling flattery.

Look at Qin Yang’s smug expression—it was clear how pleased he was with himself. That cocky smile practically begged for a punch.

At the moment, Qin Yang’s spirits were sky-high.

Listen closely...

What did she call him?

Little Immortal Venerable.

He absolutely loved being addressed that way.

The old man looked on in shock, never expecting this young man to claim he was from the Immortal Venerable Family—much less actually succeed in obtaining the antidote from the Old Woman.

"Little Immortal Venerable, are they companions of yours?" the Old Woman asked.

Qin Yang glanced disdainfully at the old man, shaking his head. "Don’t know them. I, Qin the Little Immortal Venerable, wouldn’t associate with these people."

He recalled the way those guys had been looking at him.

It irked him immensely.

"Hmph. Since you don’t know Little Immortal Venerable, yet you’ve butchered my offspring, I was prepared to make you pay dearly. But now that Little Immortal Venerable has graced us with his presence, I haven’t the time to waste on you. Take the antidote and go."

With a flick of her finger, the antidote sailed toward them.

The old man took the antidote, cupped his fists in thanks, and quickly left with his men.

"Little Immortal Venerable, I humbly invite you to visit my humble abode," the Old Woman said courteously, opening up a path through the water.

"Hmm."

Qin Yang lifted his chin high and strode proudly into the waterway. This was his second time leveraging the Immortal Venerable family name to instill fear in others. Compared to even the ancestor of the Great Abyss dynasty, the reverence shown by the Old Woman of the Jellyfish was far more satisfying.

This newfound status brought Qin Yang great joy.

"Brother Lin, Brother Xiang, the Old Woman of the Jellyfish is being so respectful—we should go have a look," Qin Yang said.

Images of the imminent gathering filled his mind: everyone encircling him enthusiastically, treating him like the center of their universe, doting on him as if he were a treasured gem.

"Hold on."

Just then, Lin Fan spoke up, halting Qin Yang as he prepared to step further into the lake.

"Brother Lin, what’s the matter?" Qin Yang asked, puzzled.

He wondered...

Could it be that his brilliance was making Lin Fan feel a bit inadequate?

Sigh.

There’s no helping it.

Those who are extraordinarily gifted naturally radiate dominance. Even if it causes some people to feel inferior, they have no choice but to reconcile with it.

"Since your affliction has been resolved, we should leave now," Lin Fan said.

Reluctantly, Qin Yang replied, "But to refuse an earnest invitation would be rude. Why not stay a while, have a cup of tea, and then head out?"

He couldn’t bear to part with the gratifying thrill of intimidating others with his family name.

The Old Woman added, "Honored guest, may I inquire if there’s an urgent matter? If there is, please share it with me."

"Of course not," Qin Yang replied. "Urgent? Of course we’re not in any rush—there’s absolutely nothing pressing."

Xiang Fei stepped up beside Lin Fan and whispered, "Brother Lin, do you sense something amiss?"

"Yes, it definitely feels off. Earlier, the old man mentioned that even Daluo Golden Immortals couldn’t enter this lake without being affected. Considering our current abilities, if we venture inside, won’t we be at her mercy?" Lin Fan explained.

He found the Old Woman’s behavior increasingly suspicious.

Although it appeared innocuous on the surface...

That’s often where the real danger lies.

Xiang Fei, mildly taken aback, hadn’t thought much about it initially. But now, with Lin Fan’s warning, he detected a kernel of truth in the concern.

"Brother Qin, we have to leave," Xiang Fei said.

He knew Qin Yang’s intentions well enough.

All he wanted was to flaunt himself.

But given the circumstances, the risks associated with showing off were considerable. Venturing deeper into the situation was likely to trigger catastrophic consequences—ones they couldn’t subsequently evade.

The Old Woman insisted, "Little Immortal Venerable, I earnestly hope you’ll honor my humble home with a visit. It would be the greatest privilege of my life. My ancestors used to serve in the Immortal Venerable’s palace, raising fish in his ponds. Since the upheaval, I’ve had no encounters with anyone of such standing."

"Now that a descendant of the Immortal Venerable bloodline graces us, I can’t help but wish to build a bond with Little Immortal Venerable."

Her words left Qin Yang conflicted.

Not accepting her hospitality somehow felt guilt-inducing.

"Brother Lin, Brother Xiang, it’s not a big deal—we should just go take a look," Qin Yang said, wondering why the duo seemed so insistent on refusing the offer.

Could it be...

That they were genuinely aggrieved?

Sigh!

But really, there’s no choice.

When you’re as outstanding as he is, anyone in proximity can develop insecurities.

Lin Fan countered, "There’s no problem, sure, but what if you walk in and don’t come back out? I’ve been thinking about this from earlier—the Old Woman’s fervent hospitality might seem like reverence for the Immortal Venerable lineage, but I realized something doesn’t add up."

"Take those Yue Family people—they don’t share any connection to the Immortal Venerable. Yet you rushed to give them the antidote, clearly in hopes they’d leave quickly."

"Your true target ought to be Qin Yang."

"You’re fixated on the Immortal Venerable bloodline—am I right?"

At this moment, Lin Fan had fully stepped into detective mode, pointing metaphorical fingers at the Old Woman. Darkness was unveiled, and clarity emerged.

PS: Writing something so pure, yet had to stretch into two Chapters—what a headache!