0039 Big Ginger Does Not Like Killing

"Actually, internal energy can naturally resist toxicity! The higher one's internal energy, the harder it is to be poisoned to death."

A-Zi spoke slowly as she pondered.

"If I had used the Invisible Powder on that Iron Rod Lama earlier, given his internal energy, even if poisoned, he would likely have been able to escape and slowly force the toxin out. That is why I had to use the Green Phosphorus Needles against him. The poison of the Green Phosphorus Needle is lethal upon contact with blood, far more potent than the Invisible Powder; only then could I turn him into a 'Lama ghost'."

Jiang Mingzhe nodded, thinking to himself that this aligned with his own line of reasoning. The tug-of-war between internal energy and toxins is, in the end, determined by form and quality.

In terms of form, poison powders, smoke, and mists are difficult to even apply to high-level masters capable of projecting their internal energy externally. If the poison cannot enter the body, it naturally cannot take effect. Therefore, one must use poisoned hidden weapons or introduce toxins into food and drink to force the poison into the body. Failing that, one must make the poison colorless and odorless so the victim is caught unaware, much like the infamous "Sorrowful Wind."

In terms of quality, once internal energy reaches a supreme realm, one becomes almost immune to all poisons. In Jiang Mingzhe's view, this is either because the practice of internal energy has forged a physique far superior to an ordinary person's, granting higher resistance, or because the individual has achieved such minute control over their body that they can precisely locate and repel the toxins—or perhaps both.

However, poisons themselves also differ in quality and quantity. Zhang Wuji’s Nine Yang Divine Skill is said to grant immunity to all poisons, yet he was still incapacitated by the Ten-Fragrance Soft-Muscle Powder. He was simply better off than others because he could slowly force the poison out of his body. Thus, it seems there is no true immunity to all poisons, nor any truly unsolvable poison; everything is a matter of the spear against the shield.

As thoughts raced through Jiang Mingzhe's mind, he heard A-Zi continue: "But the toxicity of the Green Phosphorus Needles is carefully concocted by my master using several exotic poisons. It is fierce and acts with astonishing speed. Few natural toxins are this potent. While this Six-Winged Iron Centipede is a rare and venomous creature, if you are prepared in advance and detoxify promptly, it is likely—or at least possible—that you won't die."

Jiang Mingzhe was overjoyed. Ignoring the uncertainty in her words, he hurriedly asked, "Then how should I prepare? And how do I detoxify?"

A-Zi replied, "For detoxification, I have the sect’s All-Purpose Antidote on me, which can neutralize most poisons in the world; centipede venom is naturally included. As for preparation, you must circulate your internal energy in advance and concentrate it in your fingers. Let the centipede bite your hand, and before the poison can spread, immediately use your energy to force the toxic blood out. However..."

She suddenly pouted and looked at Jiang Mingzhe sideways. "Big Ginger, you are not allowed to lie to me. Confess honestly: are you willing to be bitten just to better fuse the poison, or is it because you can't bear to see that fake princess die?"

Jiang Mingzhe took a deep breath, looked at A-Zi with a solemn expression, and said very seriously, "Junior Sister, I will tell you my truest thoughts now."

He shook his head slowly. "I don't want to see innocent people lose their lives. This isn't about whether she is beautiful or not. Even if that carriage driver or the Lama were still alive, I would not want to kill them just to fuse the poison. Unless I were on the verge of death and had no other choice—in that case, their lives are worth less than mine—but otherwise, I would rather not practice this poison technique than become a butcher with blood-stained hands."

A-Zi heard this and initially wanted to mock him for his soft-hearted cowardice, but when she looked into his eyes, she saw an intensity she had never witnessed before. A murmur died in her throat, and the mocking words remained unsaid.

She tilted her head, thought for a moment, and whispered, "But you have learned martial arts and entered the pugilistic world. How can you avoid staining your hands with blood or killing people?"

Jiang Mingzhe replied, "When it is necessary to kill, I will not be soft-hearted. I never expected to keep my hands clean forever, but at the very least, I do not want to stain them with the blood of the innocent!"

"Junior Sister, these people were also carried by their parents for ten months, brought into this world with great difficulty, and raised with painstaking effort. They might have wives and children. If they provoke me or threaten me, then beating or killing them is as natural as a wolf eating a rabbit—it is the way of the world. But if they have not provoked or threatened me, why should I kill them and create more broken hearts in this world?"

A-Zi sighed long and hard, shaking her head. "Big Ginger, at first I thought you were just a simpleton, and I worried you'd be bullied. Then I realized you weren't so simple, which put my mind at ease. But now I see your problem is even worse than being a simpleton: you are actually a kind person!"

"What does it matter to you whether others live or die? Why care if others are sad? If you died, would they be sad for you? Since they wouldn't, why do you care about them?"

A-Zi’s expression was also unprecedentedly serious. She stood with her hands behind her back and spoke in one breath.

Seeing Jiang Mingzhe about to speak, A-Zi raised a hand to stop him and continued: "You surely want to say, 'But they didn't provoke me.' Then think about this: if killing you could earn them a fortune or a divine martial art, would those people you haven't provoked come to kill you? Besides, why wait for someone to provoke or threaten you before you kill them? You should kill as many as possible to build a fierce reputation so that no one dares to provoke or threaten you in the first place!"

As she said this, she acted like a little adult, spreading her hands and speaking earnestly, "And besides, why do we practice martial arts? Isn't it so we can kill whoever we want, or to kill others before they can kill us? If we don't kill, why bother training so hard? For the sake of physical fitness?"

Jiang Mingzhe blinked in surprise. He realized he was truly at a loss for words.

This world was indeed one of "the strong prey on the weak." It was just that modern society's productivity was so highly developed that this cruel truth was buried under layers of seemingly civilized and beautiful rules. But if one were to be truly pedantic—setting aside the extreme cruelty—what about those who force you to work overtime? Are they not murdering your time? And is life not just a span of time that seems long but passes in the blink of an eye?

"Alright..."

Jiang Mingzhe had originally wanted to use this opportunity to correct A-Zi's dark worldview, but he hadn't expected her logic to be so flawless. He had no choice but to concede.

He smiled bitterly. "Junior Sister has a point. Very well, perhaps I am just a useless, bleeding-heart fool. But Junior Sister, I... I still don't want to kill people indiscriminately."

"That's okay!"

Jiang Mingzhe had expected A-Zi to mock his weakness, but to his surprise, the young girl stood on her tiptoes and ruffled his hair.

"Some people like lamb, some like beef, and others don't like meat at all, preferring only vegetables. That is what we call 'a thousand people, a thousand faces'."

A-Zi looked at him with a grin, speaking softly and with conviction.

"Since Big Ginger doesn't like to kill, I'll do it instead! In any case, we are the White and Green Duo of Evil; if others fear me, they will naturally fear you too."

*Since Big Ginger doesn't like to kill, I'll do it instead!*

Boom!

A-Zi’s reverse head-pat, combined with a sentence that perhaps seemed trivial to her, stirred a tempest in Jiang Mingzhe’s heart. Since they had met, he had always seen A-Zi as a girl who hadn't yet grown up. Only at this moment did he realize that a girl who had grown up in such a cruel environment could never be the same as the girls he understood, who had lived their lives in jars of honey.