Chapter 976: The Mysterious Poison Master

The next day.

It felt as though a magnitude eighteen earthquake had struck Tianmang Fortress. Everyone was in shock.

The newly appointed General Weiyuan, Ling Feng, was about to step onto the Hundred Battles Arena. Not only that, he openly declared that he would seize the title of King of a Hundred Battles!

The news infuriated the experts ranked on the Hundred Battles Ranking.

This ranking listed the top twenty in the Hundred Battles Arena based on accumulated points. All of them were under thirty-five years old and possessed the power to take charge of a battlefield on their own. These were true elites.

In terms of talent, they might not surpass someone like Yan Jinghong. But their experience in real combat made their techniques sharper and more brutal. Their battlefield awareness was something academy prodigies could never match.

"What a joke. A bunch of frogs at the bottom of a well. Just because they made a name for themselves at an academy, they think they're untouchable. He dares to come here? I'll knock his teeth out!"

One of the ranked experts sneered, completely dismissive.

"

Haha,

I'm actually wondering. He is a general after all. Should we go easy on him?"

"Go easy? No chance. He'd have to win at least eighty fights in a row before he even gets to face us. That wet-behind-the-ears brat won't even last ten matches."

While the elite fighters scoffed at the idea, General Weiyuan's side sent out another bold statement.

Ling Feng would complete a hundred victories in one day, and then challenge the legend of the Hundred Battles Arena, Linghu Yudao.

That claim sent ripples through the military camps of Tianmang Fortress. Most of the officers just wanted to see a good laugh. To them, Ling Feng was just a child who had never seen a true expert. He had no idea how terrifying Linghu Yudao really was.

Inside the command tent.

Commander-in-chief of the Three Armies, Yuan Tiangang, sat upright, listening to the messenger's report. His eyes swept across the generals present. Then he smiled and asked, "What do all of you think of this?"

The officers exchanged glances and burst into scornful laughter.

Li Qing and Wang Meng even clutched their stomachs as they laughed uncontrollably.

"Commander-in-chief, this Ling Feng has lost his mind. Challenging Linghu Yudao? Ha! He really thinks he stands a chance?"

The one-eyed General Li Qing roared with laughter. "Everyone in Tianmang Fortress knows that Linghu Yudao is called the Calamity God of War. He never holds back. Every strike is like a natural disaster. Those who face him either die or come out half-crippled."

Wang Meng nodded repeatedly. "This Ling Feng got lucky once when he tricked the commander-in-chief, and now he thinks he's unstoppable. This time, he's walking straight into humiliation!"

Yuan Tiangang narrowed his eyes and turned to his military adviser, Sun Boce. "What do you think?"

"It's nothing more than a farce." Sun Boce shook his head and chuckled. "I'll admit Ling Feng has guts, but guts alone won't save him. He has no idea how dangerous Linghu Yudao really is. That man can kill king-tier opponents!"

Sun Boce paused, then added, "Even if Ling Feng somehow wins ninety-nine matches, by the time he faces Linghu Yudao, he'll be exhausted. He has no chance."

"

Mmm

." Yuan Tiangang nodded slowly. "Ling Feng is decisive, but he's moving too fast. Maybe in three years he'll have the strength. Right now, it's too soon."

"Three years?" Li Qing scoffed. "Commander-in-chief, you're giving him too much credit. Not even in thirty years, or three hundred years, could he match Linghu Yudao."

"That's enough. Let's leave it at that."

Yuan Tiangang waved his hand. "Adviser, take a few veteran generals with you to watch the match. I want to see how many rounds this boy can win on his first try."

"Commander-in-chief, I'll go." Li Qing stepped forward immediately. He could hardly wait to see Ling Feng get trampled underfoot.

"I'll go too." Wang Meng chimed in without hesitation. He and Li Qing were thick as thieves, both eager to mock Ling Feng.

"Commander-in-chief, how about including me as well?"

A middle-aged man stepped into the tent from outside, dressed in a long green robe, strolling in at a relaxed pace.

It was the Empire's Top Poison Master, Su Dongling!

The sight of him made every general in the tent flinch. His combat strength might not be the highest, but on the battlefield, he was the most feared of them all.

"So it's Mr. Su!"

Yuan Tiangang immediately stood up to greet him.

The title of the Empire's Top Poison Master was no empty boast. With the three great demon emperors pressing at their borders, the empire had never faced this kind of pressure before. That was why they invited Su Dongling to Tianmang Fortress.

He had only arrived at the fortress a few days ago.

Su Dongling gave a fist-and-palm salute to Yuan Tiangang and smiled. "Commander-in-chief, since I have nothing to do, I thought I might join the fun."

"

Haha,

Mr. Su is not one of my subordinates, but a guest of Tianmang Fortress. If you want to watch, feel free."

Yuan Tiangang smiled, then turned to Sun Boce. "Adviser, make sure you treat Mr. Su well."

"Yes!"

Sun Boce looked at Su Dongling and laughed. "Mr. Su, could it be that you know this Ling Feng fellow?"

"

Haha,

I've only heard his name before."

Su Dongling stroked his beard. In truth, he knew Ling Feng far better than that. He had entrusted Ling Feng with his Nine Refinements of Mystic Fire and even passed him the

Classic Formula of Ten-thousand Poisons

!

Ling Feng was practically his true successor.

Of course, a large part of that was because of his precious daughter, Su Qingxuan.

When Su Dongling first heard the name Ling Feng, he thought it was just someone with the same name. After all, the Ling Feng he knew was a student at Tianwei Academy in the imperial capital.

But when he heard the title General Weiyuan, he realized it was the same person.

This was the perfect chance. So far, he had only seen Ling Feng's talent in medicine and poison. Now he could see for himself how talented this boy was in martial arts.

He wanted to know exactly what kind of genius could charm his proud and picky daughter!

"This General Weiyuan had some reputation back in the imperial capital," Sun Boce said with a smile and a polite salute to Su Dongling. "But this is Tianmang Fortress."

He continued, "Tomorrow's match probably won't be much to look at. Mr. Su may end up disappointed."

"

Hehe

..."

Su Dongling narrowed his eyes slightly. He simply gave a faint smile and said nothing.