Li Ke'er might be formidable, but if her magical beast is strong enough, it can easily overpower a grand warrior of a higher rank.
This is the very reason why spirit phantasmists are held in higher regard across the continent—they possess strength that far surpasses that of martial warriors.
Though Li Ke'er's strength is sustained by medicinal elixirs, her unstable foundation may not hinder her spirit beast. In fact, the beast stands to benefit greatly from her artificially bolstered power.
Gu Qingli mused silently: the Li family must be truly desperate. They clearly know the long-term harm of such excessive reliance on pills, yet they've still spared no cost just to defeat her.
Before she could move, Li Ke'er launched her assault.
A surge of grey energy erupted from her body. As she raised her hand, a flash of light shot forth, and Gu Qingli instantly sensed the overwhelming power behind it.
Narrowing her eyes, she realized this must be the spirit beast Li Ke'er had concealed for so long—an ominous secret, finally revealed.
As the radiance faded, a monstrous figure loomed before Gu Qingli, carried on a foul wind thick with stench.
Her first thought upon seeing the creature was—
Heavens above, does something this grotesquely massive actually exist in this world?
It was an enormous frog, so colossal it resembled a moving hill. At a glance, it was about the size of a modern freight truck.
Its bloated body emitted trails of violet-green fumes, and two enormous bulbous eyes swiveled grotesquely before locking onto Gu Qingli.
"Seriously?!"
Gu Qingli instinctively took a step back—not out of fear, but revulsion.
Who would've imagined that a dainty young girl's spirit beast would be a monstrous toad? Not only was it gigantic, but its entire body was covered in grotesque, wheel-sized lumps, making it look utterly revolting.
Even before it had struck, Gu Qingli could sense the potent venom radiating from it. Clearly, this was a poisonous spirit beast.
"Heavens! A Violet Venom Toad! That vile creature's actually been tamed into a spirit beast?"
Though Gu Qingli didn't recognize the beast, many others did.
The Gu family's elders, seasoned and wise, recognized it instantly. Their faces darkened with grave concern.
Having been tormented by poison for years, Shao Lan was especially sensitive to toxins.
"Master, that monstrous toad… it must be poisonous. Will Qingli be alright?"
No one expected the Li family to give their heir a vicious beast instead of a powerful one. Yet, in hindsight, perhaps it was to be expected—there was no underhanded tactic the Li family would not employ for victory.
"Don't worry, Xiao Lan," Shao Yan whispered reassuringly. "If it were any other creature, we might be concerned. But this one? Qingli is highly skilled in the use of poisons."
Shao Lan's eyes widened, then narrowed with understanding. This wasn't something to be made public. But if Qingli truly was adept with poison, then perhaps she had the upper hand.
Even so, Shao Lan never let his gaze stray from the slender figure standing against the grotesque beast—how small she seemed in comparison.
Anxious lines creased Gu Zhan's brow.
"Patriarch… this thing… it's no easy opponent. Can Qingli handle it?"
Gu Yifeng wiped at a cold sweat.
"Everyone be ready. The moment Qingli is in danger, we move immediately!"
But they couldn't act just yet—it would be improper to charge the stage when the battle hadn't even begun.
The atmosphere within the Gu family's ranks grew taut. Sikong Ran chuckled awkwardly, clearly uneasy, yet he too knew of Qingli's mastery in toxins and said nothing.
Li Ke'er, however, mistook Qingli's retreat as a sign of fear, and a smug smile curled her lips.
"What's wrong, Gu Qingli? Are you afraid? Where's all that confidence now?"
"Afraid? No. I just find that… thing of yours terribly unfitting. I honestly don't know how you even manage to walk around with it."
That revolting beast possessed everything a woman would abhor—bloated, hideous warts, a foul stench that assaulted the nose, and a maw tinted faintly with violet.
"Hmph, still so glib!"
Li Ke'er's expression soured. As a young woman herself, she was certainly not fond of the creature's appearance.
She pointed at Gu Qingli with a frosty sneer.
"Rip her to pieces!"
The enormous frog's lifeless, fish-like eyes suddenly gleamed with malice as it lunged forward.
Despite its immense size, it moved with startling speed, its massive body quaking the arena floor.
But Gu Qingli was quick and agile. Channeling her Phoenix Flame technique, her elegant footwork allowed her to evade the attack with ease.
Still, the air was thick with that nauseating stench, and Gu Qingli frowned—she knew this odor carried traces of poison.
The beast's venom wasn't potent enough to fell someone simply by proximity, but prolonged exposure could weaken even the strongest warrior.
The toxins floated in the air like a silent threat, their true danger lying in duration.
Gu Qingli smirked. Fortunately, she had plenty of antidotes at her disposal, along with an arsenal of poisons. Today, she would see just how deadly this so-called poison king truly was.
A fierce resolve surged within her. She gripped her silk ribbon and with a flick, it twisted into a whip.
"Let's see how poisonous you really are."
Emerald light danced around her hand as she lashed the beast with the ribbon-turned-whip.
She was no fool—she would never touch a poisonous creature directly.
Her strike landed, and though the creature's tough hide absorbed much of the impact, two of its grotesque boils burst.
Splurt!
Violet venom sprayed forth, but Gu Qingli had anticipated it. Her lithe body leapt back in a graceful arc, just as the venom splattered onto the ground—
Ssssss…
A cloud of black smoke hissed upward.