Seeing the somber expressions of everyone present, Jiaoqiu understood immediately.
Aha's unpredictable ways had nearly left them all scarred with lingering trauma.
He spoke softly. "Everyone, there's no need to worry. Though this potion's effects are powerful, it is no longer something meant to enhance one's strength. It won't cause any unusual energy fluctuations, so it shouldn't attract the attention of any Aeon."
He adjusted the vase in the center of the table, repositioning the blooming [Aromatic Silk Beauty].
With a grave tone, he said, "This is a peerless poison—one so dreadful it violates the natural order itself. Though I've created it, I have resolved that unless there is truly no other path forward, I will never use it. I've invited you two generals here today to witness it—as the ultimate trump card of the entire Xianzhou."
Feixiao did not respond immediately. She rubbed her chin with one hand, lost in thought.
Violates the natural order…
Jiaoqiu had always been ruthless toward his enemies, using any means necessary. If even he called something too cruel to use—then just how terrifying could this poison be?
Jing Yuan and Fu Xuan, too, found their curiosity stirred, momentarily overriding the dread Aha had left behind.
The final trump card of the entire Xianzhou…
It was quite the claim—yet the fox-man before them was not one for exaggeration. There was no need for him to bluff.
"Could it be that poison formula you've never dared to prepare?"
Feixiao knew he had long held onto a certain recipe—one said to be potent enough to kill even Hoolay, a Borisin warlord blessed by Abundance's grace. But because of its excessive toxicity, Jiaoqiu had never dared to brew it.
It must be that one, right?
But Jiaoqiu shook his head. "No. Compared to the toxin in my hands now, that formula is as insignificant as the bacteria carried by a fly landing on a grain of rice. None of the poisons I've ever known come close to this one."
Even a venom that could kill Hoolay is insignificant? Could this new toxin slay an Emanator?
Feixiao nodded slowly. If it couldn't, how could it possibly qualify as Luofu's ultimate safeguard?
She held her breath and gestured for him to continue.
Jiaoqiu handled the test tube with utmost care, glancing several times at the [Aromatic Silk Beauty] subtle reactions. Only after confirming there was no anomaly did he finally speak.
"The potency of this toxin is enough to kill every living creature below the level of an Emanator. Even Hoolay, at his peak, would die before he could take another breath. But that isn't what makes it truly terrifying."
He paused, inhaling slowly. His narrowed eyes lifted, and he spoke with utmost seriousness. "This toxin contains ten mutated venomous insects. When the host dies, they burrow into the brain, seize control of the host's body, and secrete a toxin that transforms the corpse into a poison puppet. The puppet retains over eighty percent of its original strength—but gains the added ability to wield poison. These poison puppets lose all reason, turning feral, feeding on the flesh and blood of their own kind to sustain themselves."
"Not only can it kill, but it can control the dead?"
A chill ran through Feixiao's heart.
She imagined her own corpse, twisted by this toxin, slaughtering her comrades—and she felt she could never rest in peace.
This poison was truly too vile.
The puppets weren't just enslaved—they were turned into executioners of their own kin. Heroes of their people would become bringers of ruin.
It was more than killing; it was an insult to the fallen!
But Jiaoqiu wasn't done speaking.
He clicked his tongue and continued, "Indeed—and that's not all. In fact, each of the ten insects can control a single host independently. The remaining nine will spread like an infection as the puppet kills, transforming up to ten others into similar venomous thralls."
"!"
At that revelation, everyone's eyes widened.
Now they truly understood what too cruel to exist meant.
There were weapons banned by interstellar conventions—but compared to this, those prohibitions were child's play.
This poison's cruelty surpassed even the atrocities of ancient slavers by tenfold.
"This thing… should never have been created," Feixiao muttered after long thought, unable to reconcile it within her heart.
Even if it were used against the Borisin, she couldn't bring herself to condone it.
She hated those selfish, life-despising beasts—yet she couldn't bear to see herself and her people become the same kind of monsters.
Jing Yuan closed his eyes, tilting his head back in silence.
Indeed, this poison was terrifying beyond words. Used in war, it could earn countless victories—but the moral burden of using it was far too great.
And yet… he couldn't simply discard it either, because—
He opened his eyes and stepped forward. "There's something I must know. Without the Memory Bubble, could anyone else replicate this poison? I mean—does this toxin surpass our current level of science and technology?"
Jiaoqiu shook his head regretfully. "No. And that's precisely why I created it. The materials required are unimaginably costly, and the methods highly specific. Before obtaining the Memory Bubble, I never imagined poison could be crafted in such a way."
Hearing that didn't ease Jing Yuan's heart—it only weighed heavier. "Then, theoretically, if somewhere in the universe, a poison master of extraordinary genius and sufficient wealth existed, they could reproduce this toxin?"
Jiaoqiu nodded, equally grim. "Yes. Though I've never seen anything like it, I must admit—the universe already possesses all the necessary conditions for this poison to exist. Its creation is merely a matter of time. Perhaps, somewhere in the unexplored corners of the cosmos, it's already being used—we just haven't witnessed it yet."
At those words, everyone's expressions darkened further.
The unknown… is the root of fear.
If Jiaoqiu was right, then—
Jing Yuan rapped his knuckles against the table and spoke slowly. "Sentient beings will always use their most advanced technology for self-destruction."
The others understood at once.
Even if no other civilization yet possessed such a poison—who could guarantee that none ever would?
Just like the Corporation, who exploited the Genius Society's Chadwick to seize control of imaginary pulses, only to discard him afterward.
They believed themselves clever—cutting ties cleanly to monopolize the technology. As the only holders of the imaginary pulse, unopposed, they could dominate the cosmos.
But the universe would never birth only one Chadwick. There would always be others who could achieve the same.
What has been made once will be made again. What has been done once will be done again.
Once something exists, its spread is inevitable.
And this poison… was no different.
If the Xianzhou rejected it entirely, and someone else developed a similar weapon in the future, they would lose all means of deterrence.
Luofu had no shortage of enemies. Whether the Denizens of Abundance or the Antimatter Legion like Phantylia, they would not be bound by the same moral code as the Xianzhou.
Jing Yuan thought for a long while before finally opening his eyes, his decision made.
With a firm wave of his hand, he declared, "This time, I'll act on my own authority. Record this poison's formula and seal it away in the archives. It shall never be used—unless a similar substance appears elsewhere in the universe. When that day comes, the Xianzhou must be the first to reveal the weapon we hold."