Chen Jun’s tirade left the others speechless, as if they’d been choked.

Just as the atmosphere grew awkward, another loud noise echoed.

"PFFFT—"

This was clearly another blast of powerful Soul Gate Sword Qi.

But the sound didn’t come from Chen Jun, who was still in the middle of his... eruption.

It came from the Sword Cultivator who had just been the loudest in lecturing Chen Jun about the bigger picture.

This man was another of the Seven Extremes Sword: Zhang Changchun, the Cyan Light Sword.

The others all turned to stare at him, their expressions utterly bewildered.

No one spoke, but the meaning in their gazes was obvious.

It was one thing for a hot-tempered guy like Chen Jun, who never cared much for rules, to do something so absurd.

’But you, Zhang Changchun, you’re always so calm and composed. Why are you joining him in this farce?’

"Uh... I... It wasn’t..."

Stared at by so many pairs of eyes, Zhang Changchun wanted to explain but didn’t know where to start.

’Am I supposed to admit that I, a grandmaster of the True Qi Realm, somehow just... inexplicably lost control? That I was just trying to let out a silent one?’

’But I never expected it to be completely uncontrollable—that the dam would just break...’

These True Qi Realm masters were normally regarded as Sword Immortals by common people, each one prouder and more aloof than the next.

So, to lose face so spectacularly now felt like having a lifetime of fame ruined in a single moment.

"What a vicious Five Poison Devouring Immortal Array! I fell into its trap without even realizing it!"

In his desperation, Zhang Changchun had no choice but to blame it on the Five Poison Devouring Immortal Array.

Admitting his strength was insufficient to resist the poison was far better than being seen as someone who couldn’t even hold in a fart.

"Hey, you know, now that you mention it, my stomach has been feeling a little funny too..."

Upon hearing Zhang Changchun’s flimsy excuse, someone immediately chimed in to agree.

He even clutched his stomach, putting on a pained expression.

"Enough with the nonsense! With the protection of the Wind and Thunder Sword Array, the Five Poison Devouring Immortal Array can’t touch us for now!" the most senior Sword Cultivator present snapped.

But it was too late; the atmosphere had already soured. Someone let out a snicker, and soon, most of them couldn’t hold back their laughter.

"Who would have thought? A whole group of Sword Sect masters come charging in to attack Biyou Palace, and what happens? We end up having a mass diarrhea party..." Since Chen Jun was the first to lose all inhibitions, he simply burst out laughing.

The most senior Sword Immortal shot him a glare, then looked up and shouted, "Jing Huaisong, if you don’t act soon, we’re going to have to..."

Before he could finish, there was suddenly a reaction from within the dark clouds.

An immense, boundless Sword Intent began to emanate from the dark clouds.

From within the clouds, a short, plain-looking man with a remarkably large head slowly descended.

If not for his extraordinary aura, his appearance could only be described as common as dirt.

This was none other than the contemporary Sword Saint of the Celestial Essence Sword Sect, Jing Huaisong.

Not everyone who became a top-tier master in the True Qi Realm was tall, powerful, and handsome.

The popular rumors about the Celestial Essence Sword Sect’s Sword Saint—how dashing he was, how he had the bearing of an Immortal—were nothing more than the wishful fantasies of the common folk.

But while Jing Huaisong’s appearance was plain, his title as the contemporary Sword Saint of the Celestial Essence Sword Sect was no empty boast.

He was, without a doubt, the most powerful Sword Cultivator in the entire Great Yan Dynasty’s sphere of influence.

Even the Sect Leader of the Celestial Essence Sword Sect, despite being blessed with extraordinary luck, wouldn’t dare claim he had a fifty-fifty chance against this Sword Saint.

To put it bluntly, Jing Huaisong was the Celestial Essence Sword Sect’s true Double Flower Red Stick.

Seeing Jing Huaisong, who had claimed to be building his Sword Intent, finally make his appearance, everyone present breathed a collective sigh of relief.

The recent string of farces had not only ruined the atmosphere but also caused morale to plummet.

If Jing Huaisong hadn’t shown up, they might as well have just tucked their tails between their legs and gone home.

’After all, this trip to vanquish evil has already been quite... fruitful...’

「Meanwhile, in Zhi Shuang’s room」, Zou Feng was still concentrating on the Refinement of the Corpse Poison.

He was, of course, the instigator of the recent farce.

That’s right. You can’t just fleece one sheep. The Third Grade cultivators of the Celestial Essence Sword Sect had to take turns being the victims.

He had to make sure the big shots among them all felt a little... uncomfortable.

One should never underestimate a bit of discomfort. In a situation like this, the slightest carelessness could lead to a state of damnation beyond redemption.

For instance, if Zou Feng had transferred the side effects earlier, Chen Jun would likely have been distracted by a sudden, overwhelming urge for "free-flying" during the attack on the Five Poison Hall.

A master from Biyou Palace could have then seized the opportunity to kill him in a single strike.

Unfortunately, Zou Feng didn’t know the specifics of the situation at the Five Poison Hall, so he couldn’t perfectly time the transfer of the side effects.

Still, this had caused immense trouble for the True Qi Realm masters of the Sword Sect, preventing them from immediately organizing their next offensive.

It even made them consider retreating.

In doing so, he had invisibly but significantly reduced the pressure on the Five Poison Hall.

And it had very likely forced the Sword Saint, Jing Huaisong, to show himself ahead of schedule...

So even though Zou Feng wasn’t on the battlefield, he was still influencing the course of the battle to a great extent.

As for why the Sword Sect’s True Qi Realm masters all ended up with upset stomachs, flatulence, and explosive diarrhea after he transferred the side effects...

First of all, it wasn’t something Zou Feng could control. Even with the same poison, the effects would vary depending on the victim’s constitution.

And these True Qi Realm masters from the Sword Sect were all top-class experts. Every one of them had a ridiculously robust physique and maxed-out durability.