Poisonous Plans

I'll have to explain the best way to increase my power to her; this should be a fun conversation.

"The fastest way I've found to increase my realm is taking energy from others. At this point, astral refinement realms only offer a marginal increase, so I need core formation people. However, that is dangerous."

"Huh?"

"Kill people, then absorb, like astral stone."

She looked shocked and shook her head. "That... Nope, it's not possible."

I looked at her with a serious expression. "It is for me."

"Even if it is, we shouldn't do that."

"First, we can try to use Kedron's people at the beginning. Second what's different about it from the question I asked about collateral damage?"

I could see the gears turning in her mind as she tried to come up with an explanation before deciding she couldn't. "I don't know, it just seems different."

This girl is proof not all direct disciples think the same. Kedron would never hesitate to kill people for fun, let alone improve his strength. Yet, she does.

"Do you have a better plan?"

After thinking for a bit, she finally answered, "No, but how do we do it?"

Well, as for how we do it might depend on whether she can lure people into a position where they can be easily killed. I'm not actually sure of the best way to do it, as we cannot underestimate the power of core formation if we want to survive.

"Use yourself as bait to lure them into isolation. But as for how to kill them, I'm thinking poison. But I don't know anything about what poisons can kill a core formation. Do you know?"

She seemed slightly hesitant to say but whispered, "No, but I know where we can find out. We can ask the Dark Sect."

Dark Sect? Never heard of them. These people must practice evil arts or something. And if they would know about poisons, maybe they act as a sort of assassin organization.

"Where do we find them?"

"Down the street to the right; they have a branch in a little inn." She looked slightly nervous underneath her impassive mask.

She doesn't really seem to want to talk to these people, but she's going to have to.

"Since this seems to be the next step of the plan, let's go see what they have to offer. I'll cloak myself again; you do the talking. If something happens, I'll be there then."

She didn't disagree, but I can tell she doesn't trust me to help. After all, she needs me, but I don't really need her.

I cloaked myself, and we walked out of the alley, then turned right. After walking a few blocks, we ended up at a restaurant.

"Push the door open wide when you enter so I can also enter," I said quietly.

She started to nod, but I held her head in place.

"B-"

"Don't nod; it looks weird if you nod to yourself."

She was about to nod again but stopped herself and pushed the door open wide, walking in, I slipped in behind her.

The place was small but nice, about 10 tables arranged in a grid pattern, and on the opposite side of the door was a counter that separated the seating area from the kitchen. The place was empty except for an old man working in the kitchen.

Luna walked over the counter and waited for a moment while the man finished chopping the carrot he was working on, then walked over.

"Hello, Miss, what would you like?"

"Someone once told me if I needed help to come here. I need help with something." She gave a bow while asking for help; when she bent over, a few strands of her silver hair fell off her shoulder and stretched toward the ground. She straightened up and tucked the strands back behind her ear.

He gave a slight smile and nodded. "I can always help someone get a good meal; would you like something to eat?"

"Um, n-"

I poked her in the back, unsure of actually where he was going with the conversation. I think he knew what she was getting at, but he still asked if she wanted something to eat, so there might be a reason for his question that he wants her to ask to eat something.

"A, sure."

"I was just working on a new stew recipe. Come back and try it; see what you think. I need someone else's opinion."

She nodded and walked around the counter, following him into the kitchen. I followed but stayed a little ways away, not wanting to be in the way and get found out.

He got busy preparing the stew and hummed while he worked. "So, what troubles you?"

"A core formation person; sometimes I just want to poison him, but I don't so much as know what such a poison is called." She said in a dejected tone.

"Hmm, people are very troublesome sometimes. I once heard of a poison called Deathshade Draught that is tasteless and odorless. It can kill any core formation in 5 seconds with just a drop. I think it was sold for 10,000 astrals due to it containing rare herbs."

I like this salesman; all necessary information in 1 sentence, no wasted time. I wanted to know about poisons for supreme attainment and legendary ascension; having information is king. I snuck toward Luna and whispered into her ear, "What for the next 2 realms."

She understood what I meant.

"What about supreme attainment and legendary ascension?"

"I think I read supreme attainment is vulnerable to Nebula Nectar. It's tasteless and odorless, takes 3 seconds to paralyze, and 10 seconds to kill with just a drop. But there's no price known for it as it's too rare. As for legendary ascension, I heard they are immune to everything."

Luna gave a dissatisfied expression and muttered about how stuff costs too much.

He held out a spoon for her to try. When she tasted it, her eyes lit up, and she gave a small smile. "It's very good; how much for 2 bowls of the stew?"

"6 Astrals."

She held out 6 astrals, and he handed her 2 bowls.

"Is there anything else I can get you?"

"No thank you, sir. I'm afraid this is all I can afford for now." She said respectfully and went to a table to eat.

She sat down and started eating while I stood behind her. The scent from the bowls was mouthwatering; I'm jealous I have to stay invisible while watching her eat. I glanced toward the kitchen and saw the old man was engrossed in his cooking. Bending down to the second bowl, I lifted the spoon and took a taste. It was truly as good as it smells. Luna noticed what I'd done and made a stabbing motion accompanied by an angry face, as if to say stop or she'd kill me; it was more cute than scary, but I'll let her have her food and come back another time.

After she finished the first bowl, she grabbed the second and started eating. After the first bite, she froze, her face turning red. After a short staring contest with the soup, she continued eating. Once done, she placed the bowls on the counter and hurried out the door. After going a few blocks, her face returned to the normal color, and she turned into another alley.

"Let me see you again."

I released my invisibility and got straight to the point, afraid she was going to spend time on other things.

"Though the poisons are too expensive there, I still have a way to get them for not too much, now that I know which one I'm looking for."

I held out a vial of Deathshade Draught I'd gotten from the shop and said, "This is that Deathshade Draught; now we just have to find a way to give it to someone. I have an idea for this, but it might be a bit embarrassing for you."

Her face turned beet red as she covered her face; I could see her mind went too far.

"No! I won't do that, you bastard!"

"Tsk. Get your mind out of the gutter; nothing like that. Just lure a guy to have a drink with you. What I was meaning as the embarrassing part was you might have to insinuate something to lure them, but in reality, I'm not sure you'll have to."

She lowered her hands and looked at me with suspicion, still not fully trusting me. "Explain further."

I nodded. "Rent a small house. Ask the guy to help you with something there. Sit at the table when you enter and pour some wine into a bunch of cups, of which on his side already has poison in it. Start drinking; he drinks poison, he dies. If you have a better idea or improvements, I'm happy to hear them."

She let out a sigh. "I guess not."

"Alright then, where can we get a small house in this city?"

"I have one. No one knows it's mine, so no one will come looking for me there and mess up something."

"Oh? This is going to be faster then; no setup time. Let's go get it prepared now."

I activated my invisibility and followed her out of the alley in the direction she was originally heading when she left the arena. She must have been going to her house after that announcement.

After a minute, we reached a small house that looked almost identical to all the rest in the row. She unlocked the door and walked in; I followed behind and shut the door. Dropping my invisibility, I looked around. A bed, table, 1 chair, small kitchen, and a separate room for the bathroom, this place will work great.

I looked toward her and noticed she was tense but hiding it. I think she's nervous because I'm here in her house, and we just met.

"You don't need to be nervous; if I had ill intentions toward you, I had plenty of chances already to do something."

"I know." She didn't seem to relax, though; guess it'll just take time for her to trust me.

"We need another chair, some cups, and wine."

She nodded and went to a cupboard, pulling out 4 cups. "I have enough for 2 each."

I bought a cheap wooden chair from the store and some wine, setting them in place.

She looked at me suspiciously for producing things from thin air.

"How did-"

"Don't ask; maybe I'll explain another time."

"Fine, this should be everything."

She placed the cups on the table, 2 on each side in front of the chairs. I poured a few drops of poison into each of the 2 in front of the chair facing away from the door and toward the bed. I figure if a guy is seeing Luna with a bed as the backdrop, and they are going to have drinks, he'll probably get even more excited and let any remaining guard down that he had.

"You sit in that chair," I pointed to the one closer to the bed.

"Got it."

"Alright, pay attention, so you'll come in, leave the door open for him to follow and go sit in your chair, then start pouring the wine while telling him to 'come in and close the door.' Pour his cups first, then yours. He might ask questions like about what you want; this is where you might have to insinuate; you can be vague like 'I'll explain when we're both drunk' or something like that. You figure it out. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

"Alright, place #2 in the inter-sect competition was an enforcer from the Blood Moon Sect in early core condensation. We can go with him first, sound good?"

She looked determined. "Yes."