Chapter 1309: Five Poisons Wine

Chapter 1309: Five-Poison Wine

Hearing this, Black Snake fell silent.

"Have you forgotten how the Great King used to treat us?" Centipede's emotions were agitated. "We are his subordinates, but even more so, his playthings! I've truly had enough of that fear, waking up every day not knowing what torture awaited us!! The time the Great King has been away from the abyss has been the most liberating period for me... I refuse to be controlled by fear anymore, I've had enough!"

"You're insane, you actually want to assassinate the King?!!" Black Snake exclaimed in shock. "Do you know what you're doing?!"

"I know... The King is too powerful, he's invincible, but this might be my only chance... I must try."

Black Snake seemed unable to comprehend Centipede's insane idea. After much hesitation, it slowly moved its body and crawled out of the cave:

"I can pretend I heard nothing... but if you want to die, don't drag me into it."

Seeing Black Snake give up so easily, Centipede grew somewhat enraged. It let out a low hiss, as if cursing a "spineless wretch who's been kneeling too long," then redirected its gaze towards the royal palace...

It definitely wouldn't do to rashly test the King's strength... It needed to find a better moment.

Centipede didn't notice that while it was lost in thought, a scorpion quietly burrowed into the ground from a corner, silently crawling towards the nearby toad's territory...

Chen Ling was woken by the sounds outside.

Outside the royal palace, it seemed incredibly lively, with the continuous hisses and calls of various underground creatures, as if a grand gathering was taking place... This was accompanied by occasional rumbles and tremors.

The Ghost Mocking Abyss had no distinction between day and night; it was an eternal carnival of darkness. Chen Ling calculated the time, estimating he had slept for seven or eight hours. Upon waking, much of his fatigue had receded.

He casually draped the large red opera robe over himself and walked out of the royal palace.

Seeing Chen Ling emerge, Wu Yi immediately and instinctively lowered its body, as if it had been waiting outside since Chen Ling entered several hours ago.

"What's going on outside?" Chen Ling asked.

Through Wu Yi's explanation, Chen Ling learned that Toad Chief, to celebrate his return, had specifically organized a welcoming banquet. The entire Ghost Mocking Abyss was now in a frenzy. However, Toad Chief, hearing that Chen Ling was still asleep, hadn't rushed to wake him, as there was no day or night in the Ghost Mocking Abyss, and according to the custom of the underground creatures, such festivities typically lasted at least a day and a night.

A welcoming banquet, huh...

Chen Ling was somewhat surprised. A group of calamities, understood such customs?

Chen Ling naturally stepped onto Wu Yi's back and patted its head. The latter immediately understood, carrying Chen Ling towards the "banquet" venue.

On the way, Chen Ling wondered how a group of calamities could adopt human customs like welcoming banquets. Did they expect centipedes, scorpions, and vipers to put on elaborate clothes and then stand up to circle around and toast him?

When he arrived at the venue, he realized he had been overthinking.

In the rugged ravines, large groups of calamities were rolling on the ground. The ground seemed to be covered with a significant amount of a wine-like liquid. Each time these calamities rolled, they would get it on their bodies or drink it, becoming visibly excited and entangling with other calamities nearby. Some, reaching extreme levels of excitement, even began to directly fight with other calamities!

Centipedes, vipers, scorpions, geckos, toads... countless venomous creatures gathered together, rolling and fighting. Various hisses and calls rose and fell continuously, creating a scene both spectacular and unsettling.

The higher-ranking calamities occupied more of the liquid, not needing to compete with others. However, some, after drinking too much, would actively provoke fights in the territory of neighboring calamities. The thunderous roars that had woken Chen Ling earlier came from two seventh-tier calamities fighting each other to the death.

Unlike these common calamities, there was a raised platform on the cliff face where the five great Venom Chiefs sat high above, each soaking in a pool of liquid. Both the concentration of the liquid and the environment were far superior to what other calamities enjoyed...

Toad was happily flipping its belly and rolling in its pool, while Scorpion calmly seemed to be bathing, occasionally taking a sip of its "bathwater." Gecko lay motionless at the bottom of its pool; one might think it had drowned... As for Centipede and Viper, they were in their respective pools, both appearing somewhat reserved, as if preoccupied.

"What kind of wine is this?" Chen Ling asked, utterly perplexed.

"Great King, this is our Ghost Mocking Abyss's unique 'Five-Poison Wine'."

Wu Yi, sensing the rich aroma of the wine in the air, became incredibly excited. "The toxins of five different venomous creatures are mixed together and buried underground to ferment for several months to brew a single jar... If we venomous creatures drink even a sip, not only can our strength improve, but we can also experience intense pleasure."

Five-Poison Wine was quite precious. Even in the Ghost Mocking Abyss, where venomous creatures abounded, it couldn't be enjoyed frequently. Ordinarily, only Mocking Calamity could have unlimited refills; others had to wait for large banquets to get even a hint of the wine, but for them, this was already a blessing.

Seeing Chen Ling arrive, the calamities that had been rolling around immediately sobered up and respectfully cleared a path for him;

The Toad, which had been rolling in its pool, suddenly stabilized itself and continuously let out dull "croaking" sounds, as if inviting Chen Ling to join them...

Chen Ling, naturally, didn't stand on ceremony. With a leap, he gracefully landed on the raised platform like a red butterfly. Behind the pools of the five great Venom Chiefs, an entirely black throne had been set up, with a line of small "Five Poisons" creatures crouching nearby, appearing like servants specially assigned to Chen Ling.

Chen Ling glanced at them, then expressionlessly sat down on the throne.

At the same time, Toad's throat sac puffed out again...

"Croak, croak, croak—"

A loud, thunderous sound reverberated through the Ghost Mocking Abyss. The many chaotic calamities below immediately sobered up and respectfully prostrated themselves, as if listening intently to Toad Chief's words.

Toad's words were simple: after so long, the Great King had finally returned, and to welcome him, they were holding this banquet...

As Chen Ling listened, he found it odd. The customs of the calamities in the Ghost Mocking Abyss were too human-like.

Could the former Mocking Calamity really have trained a group of calamities so well?

As Toad's words faded, the calamities of the Ghost Mocking Abyss let out calls, as if responding to the Chief's speech... At the same time, a small scorpion nearby, carrying a skull goblet filled with rich, aromatic wine, approached Chen Ling.

All the calamities turned their heads to look at Chen Ling.

Chen Ling knew that it was time for him, the King of the Ghost Mocking Abyss, to "raise a toast."

After a moment of hesitation, he picked up the full goblet of Five-Poison Wine and slowly stood up...

The large red opera robe fluttered in the lightless abyss. Chen Ling looked down at the countless prostrating calamities below. After a long silence, he spoke in a deep voice:

"To... the Ghost Mocking Abyss!"