A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality: Immortal Realm

"Truth be told, there aren't many people in the entirety of Green Goat City that can treat your injuries, and I'm the only one capable of doing so in our ninth area," Han Li said.

"I believe you. The fact that you were able to see through my condition and identify its cause is sufficient reason for me to believe that you're the only one who can save me. May I ask how you plan to treat my condition?" Toxic Dragon asked.

"Your problem is that you've used an incorrect acupoint opening method, so that's where I'll begin addressing the matter. I'm using a cultivation art by the name of the Wingform Ascension Arts, and it also opens profound acupoints on the legs, so I can teach you the correct acupoint opening method," Han Li replied.

"How is that going to help me? I've already opened the profound acupoint, so it's already too late, is it not?" Toxic Dragon asked with a perplexed expression.

"The acupoint opening method on its own naturally won't be enough, assistance is also required from someone with powerful spiritual sense, and I just so happen to fit the bill," Han Li explained with a smile.

A complex look appeared on Toxic Dragon's face upon hearing this, and he sighed, "It sounds like you really are the only one who can help me. I'm sure your conditions must be very difficult to fulfill, right?"

"Not at all," Han Li chuckled. "Aside from some beast cores for my cultivation, I'll only need your help in some minor favors."

"What would you like me to do for you, Fellow Daoist Li?" Toxic Dragon asked.

"I know that you have many connections in the arena, so I would like you to help me track down a few people," Han Li replied with a serious expression.

"I actually came to Green Goat City with two other people, one of whom is called Shi Kong, while the other is called Daoist Xie. Seeing as I've been forced to become a gladiator, I presume they've suffered a similar fate. Have you heard of them?" Han Li asked.

Toxic Dragon was quite relieved to hear that Han Li's demands were very reasonable, and he replied, "I'm afraid I haven't heard of these two names before, but I can help you look for them. The gladiator turnover rate is quite high, so there are always many newbies, but if we narrow it down to gladiators who entered the arena at the same time as you, then that'll narrow things down a lot."

"Also, have you ever heard of an extremely beautiful woman who appeared in the city over the past century or so? She..."

Han Li wanted to give Toxic Dragon a physical description of Violet Spirit, but didn't know where to begin.

A peculiar look appeared on Toxic Dragon's face as he shook his head and replied, "In Green Goat City, women are the rarest and most prized commodity. Even women with slightly above average looks are extremely rare, let alone extremely beautiful women. If such a woman really has appeared in Green Goat City, then the entire city would be aware of her."

Han Li nodded in response. Chen Yang was a trusted subordinate of the city lord, yet even he only had a female servant who was quite ordinary in appearance, so it seemed that Toxic Dragon was telling the truth.

"Is that all you need me to do for you, Fellow Daoist Li?" Toxic Dragon asked with a hint of disbelief in his eyes.

"Your condition isn't something that can be remedied in a short time, so I'm going to be taking a lot of beast cores from you over time," Han Li replied.

"That's fine. If you can cure my condition, then I'll perhaps be able to participate in some higher level battles, and if I can do that, then the rewards that I'll be able to earn will go far beyond what I can now," Toxic Dragon said with a nonchalant wave of his hand.

"What are these higher level battles that you speak of, Fellow Daoist Toxic Dragon?" Han Li asked.

"I don't mean to belittle you, Fellow Daoist Li, but with the number of profound acupoints that you've opened thus far, you won't come into contact with such battles for a very long time, so there's no need for you to get ahead of yourself. You'll find out about them when the time comes," Toxic Dragon said.

Han Li didn't pry into the matter any further, and he changed the subject as he declared, "On top of that, I want you to hand Scarface over to me."

"What are you going to do with him, Fellow Daoist Li?" Toxic Dragon asked as his brows furrowed slightly.

Han Li remained silent as he dragged a hand across his own throat, simulating a killing gesture.

"Scarface can be very petty and snide, and I understand that there's some bad blood between the two of you, but surely that's not enough to warrant his death," Toxic Dragon said in a hesitant manner.

"I had no intention of going after him, but he went too far by trying to kill me with Heart Pitting Insects," Han Li said in a cold voice.

"Heart Pitting Insects?" Toxic Dragon asked with a surprised expression.

Han Li gave Toxic Dragon a recount of his close encounter with the Heart Pitting Insects, and after hearing his story, Toxic Dragon's brows furrowed tightly as he said, "Fellow Daoist Li, I'm not trying to protect Scarface, but this sounds very suspicious, and I think there may be some type of misunderstanding involved."

"Why do you say that?" Han Li asked.

"Scarface is indeed able to acquire certain things that others in the arena aren't able to, but that definitely doesn't include Heart Pitting Insects. Those insects are no less valuable than Black Tribulation Centipedes, and I'm certain there's no way that Scarface could've acquired them. On top of that, I told him not to do anything rash before I went into seclusion, and he's always been very obedient to me, so this would be a very uncharacteristic move from him," Toxic Dragon explained.

"In that case, this does seem to be rather suspicious," Han Li mused with slightly furrowed brows.

"This isn't a difficult matter to make sense of, we'll just have to go and confront Scarface together. If he really did do it, then I'll put an end to his life for you. However, if he's not the culprit, then I implore you to spare him. After all, he's been with me for many years, and it would be sad to see him go," Toxic Dragon said.

Han Li nodded in response.

"If he's not the culprit, or he was acting under someone else's instructions, then I can spare him."

"Alright, in that case, let's go right now," Toxic Dragon said as he rose to his feet.

As soon as the two of them made their way out of Toxic Dragon's room, they were immediately greeted by the sound of a loud commotion.

At this moment, there were many people gathered in front of a certain room, and Toxic Dragon raised an eyebrow as he said, "That's Scarface's room... Did something happen?"

The two of them exchanged a glance before hurriedly making their way over to the crowd, and everyone that was gathered in front of Scarface's room immediately parted at the sight of Toxic Dragon to allow him through.

Toxic Dragon rushed into the room with Han Li in tow, and as soon as they entered the room, they spotted Scarface laying on the stone bed in the corner of his room.

There was a large hole on his chest, and his eyeballs were bulging outward, while his expression was twisted in horror and agony. It was clear that he had already been dead for quite some time.

"What the hell happened here?" Toxic Dragon yelled in a furious voice.

A short green-skinned man stepped forward with a slightly fearful expression as he said, "A few days ago, Scarface agreed to procure some things for me, and he told me to come and look for him today, but when I arrived not long ago, his door was shut, and he didn't answer when I knocked. Hence, I decided to go in, and this is what I saw."

Han Li strode over to inspect the hole on Scarface's chest, and after carefully probing his fingers into the hole, he pulled out a piece of a black centipede's tail and a thin, white line.

"That's a Black Tribulation Centipede and a Heart Pitting Insect!" someone exclaimed, and everyone hurriedly backed away with horrified looks on their faces.

Han Li then turned to discover an opened bone box sitting beside Scarface's hand. He picked up the box before conducting a close inspection, and Toxic Dragon also took a closer look, then declared, "It looks like this box was crafted using the nasal bone of an Insect Devouring Beast.

“This beast is capable of sucking Heart Pitting Insects into its trunk, then melting the insect using its nasal mucus, so its nasal bone can restrict Heart Pitting Insects and is often used to craft containers for such insects."

"Is he insane? He must have a death wish to be keeping Heart Pitting Insects in his room!" someone exclaimed.

"What an idiot," another gladiator scoffed.

"Who's going to give me my Sword Thorn Beast bones now that he's dead? I gave him three Polo Beast Cores in exchange for that!" a muscular gray-skinned man suddenly whined.

Right at this moment, a group of armorclad guards from the arena arrived on the scene, and they forcibly evicted all of the gladiators from Scarface's room.

The leader of the guards inspected Scarface's body momentarily, then announced that this stone room was going to be shut down for now before ordering his subordinates to carry Scarface's body away.

Everyone turned to Toxic Dragon with peculiar looks on their faces upon seeing this, and Toxic Dragon exchanged a glance with Han Li before both returned to the former's room.

Only then did the gladiators of the ninth area realize that the two of them had become inexplicably close, considering they had been at each other's throats not long ago.

After re-entering his room, Toxic Dragon asked, "What do you think of all of this, Fellow Daoist Li?"