The woman in black was none other than Mina Frost, the Poison Mistress of True Heaven Palace from the Western Lands. Though young, her body radiated youthful vitality beneath her dark robes, her skin so pale it seemed to outshine snow—a perfect match for her name, as her fair complexion could truly "reflect snow."
She raised her hand to catch the jade vial, and only then did Quinn Shepherd notice the ultra-thin black gloves she wore—delicate yet able to shield her skin from exposure to air.
These gloves were clearly no ordinary item. Those who make a habit of refining and using poisons must take extreme care to avoid accidental contact. Quinn was certain Mina’s black gloves weren’t silk, but rather completely airtight—even air couldn’t pass through.
Her chest did not rise and fall; instead, she breathed through the pores of her skin to avoid poisoning herself.
Clearly, her true strength lay not in cultivation or spirit weapons, but in her mastery of poison.
Cultivation realm has never been the true measure of a physician’s power. Even with a low realm, it’s entirely possible to poison a god to death!
Mina Frost glanced at the jade vial, but instead of sniffing the Lost-Mind Incense inside directly, she lifted her sleeve and let her skin absorb a faint trace. Instantly, half her arm went numb, losing all sensation.
“Excellent medicine!”
Her eyes lit up. She sealed the jade vial, tossed it back to Quinn, and praised, “While it can’t paralyze a Heaven-Man realm expert, it can still restrict their movements. This is an impressive anesthetic.”
With a flick of his palm, Quinn sent a surge of yuanqi to lift the jade vial, careful not to touch it directly. Then, from his Glutton Dragon Pouch, he produced a three-legged, green-eyed toad.
The toad opened its mouth with a croak, swallowed the jade vial whole, then spat it out again.
Quinn set the toad down. The three-legged creature hopped toward Mina Frost.
Raina Bear and the others stared in amazement. They only knew Quinn had been gathering herbs in the basin, but had no idea when he’d caught a green-eyed toad and stashed it in his Glutton Dragon Pouch.
“Sister Mina’s poisons are exceptional too.”
Quinn praised, “But your poison is still just a minor art. It hasn’t reached the heights of true mastery, nor can it claim to be peerless.”
Mina’s eyes flashed like snow as she watched the hopping green-eyed toad. With a flick of her finger, a thread of yuanqi turned into a flying insect that darted about. The toad lashed out its tongue, catching the bug and swallowing it with a couple of croaks. Then, as if inflating, it swelled up until it was as big as a cow.
Quinn took out a spirit pill, lightly scoring its center with his finger. The pill split open, and with a buzzing sound, a mosquito flew out from the hollow inside.
The mosquito buzzed over to the toad’s back and settled there. Soon, the toad shrank smaller and smaller, while the mosquito grew larger and larger—its belly swelling like a giant water sack, but filled not with red blood, but a glistening green fluid.
Once it had drunk its fill, the three-legged toad returned to its normal size, hopping about and flicking its tongue at the enormous mosquito overhead—though it was far too small to swallow it now.
Mina Frost was surprised. “A pill that breeds insects? Interesting.”