Aksai let out a soft breath.

'Troubles… too many troubles,' he thought to himself.

But then his gaze shifted back to Arkaal.

If he became Arkaal's apprentice, things would change. He would not just be another recruit. He would have backing. Someone like Arkaal, a late-stage Lord, held real power within the royal faction.

With that support, Aksai could avoid many of the smaller troubles. He would have more control over what missions he accepted. He would also gain access to better resources much faster.

More importantly, people would think twice before treating him like a disposable pawn.

'This might actually make things easier,' Aksai thought.

Of course, it also came with its own risks. Being close to someone like Arkaal meant being watched closely. One wrong move, and his cover could be exposed. But compared to moving blindly within the royal faction, this path seemed more stable.

After thinking for a few more moments, Aksai finally raised his head. He looked straight at Arkaal and gave a small nod.

"Fine," he said in a calm voice. "I'll accept."

Arkaal's eyes lit up slightly. A wide grin spread across his face, clearly pleased with the answer.

"Hahaha! Good," he said loudly. "You made the right choice, brat."

He placed his hand on Aksai's shoulder with a heavy pat.

"From now on, you will follow me. I will make sure your poison constitution reaches its true potential."

Arkaal then turned his head slightly and glanced at Prince Arven.

"Take them out," he said in a calm but firm voice. "Show them the way and make sure they settle in properly."

Prince Arven nodded without hesitation. He understood what his uncle wanted. Lurina also bowed lightly and stepped back.

Raaden looked a bit reluctant at first. His eyes moved between Aksai and Arkaal, as if he wanted to stay and see what would happen next. It seemed he was also interested in the opportunity that was being presented to Aksai. But the bloodline energy pressure exuded by Arkaal in the hall was still heavy, and he did not dare to speak.

"Come," Arven said with a light smile.

Lurina gave Aksai one last look before turning around. Raaden followed them soon after. The three of them walked out of the hall, leaving Aksai alone with Arkaal.

Arkaal did not say anything more. He simply turned around and started walking deeper into the palace. Aksai followed him quietly.

They passed through a long corridor that was dimly lit. The walls had faint carvings on them, most of them showing strange beasts and twisted shapes. The deeper they went, the quieter everything became. Even the sounds from the outer parts of the palace faded away.

After a while, Arkaal stopped in front of a large stone door. He waved his hand lightly, and the door opened on its own. Aksai stepped inside and paused for a moment.

The space inside was huge and dark. The ground was covered with various Spirit formations. These formations glowed with soft light, turning on and off at different times. The light was not steady. It flickered slowly, as if the entire place was breathing.

A faint green color filled the space.

There was poison everywhere.

It was present on the ground in the form of thick liquid patches. It floated in the air as well, like a thin mist. The moment Aksai stepped in, he could feel it entering his body through his skin and breath.

The temperature of the place felt strange.

One moment, it felt like he was standing near a burning volcano. Heat brushed against his skin and made his body tense. The next moment, a cold wave passed through him, like icy wind from a deep glacier. The change was sudden and constant.

It made the place feel unstable and dangerous. Arkaal kept walking as if he was used to all of it.

Aksai followed him, his eyes moving around as he took everything in. His senses were alert, but he did not show any discomfort on his face.

After walking for a while, they finally reached the center of the space. Aksai's eyes narrowed slightly. In front of him was a large lake.

The liquid inside the lake was dark green, almost black. It was not calm. The surface moved slowly, forming small ripples again and again.

Thick fumes rose from the lake.

These fumes did not spread randomly. They gathered together at times, forming shapes in the air. Some looked like beasts with open mouths. Some looked like twisted human figures. Others were just strange, unclear forms that appeared and disappeared within seconds.

Each time a shape formed, it gave off a faint, eerie feeling. The poison essence in the lake was extremely dense.

Even standing at a distance, Aksai could feel the strength of it. It was far beyond anything he had seen before.

Arkaal stopped near the edge of the lake and turned to look at Aksai.

"This," he said, his voice calm but filled with pride, "is where your real training begins."

Arkaal's expressions turned serious as he said further.

"Naran brat, this lake is not so different from the elemental pool that the Core Formation Lords use to practice their techniques in and expedite their cultivation speed. However, this lake's poison potency is adjusted to an Expert level cultivator like you.

"That being said, you are bound to suffer even if you have a poison body. So brace yourself and try to stay inside for at least a week. If you can absorb even 10 percent of the poison essence in the lake in one go, I will reward you.

"I will come to check upon your condition after a week. Don't disappoint me. And yeah, don't die. Besides the poison lake, there are other dangers lurking inside this poison cave of mine as well. Hahaha."

Saying this, Arkaal simply vanished from his spot.

Aksai stood at the edge of the lake for a brief moment. He then took a slow breath.

Even from where he stood, he could feel the poison in the air pressing against his skin. It felt sharp and heavy at the same time. His body reacted instinctively, circulating his Spirit essence to form a thin layer of protection.

Even though it was far from threatening for his real cultivation base, he still had to say that the poison was an exceptional blend of various rare and dangerous Spirit resources.

Without saying anything, Aksai stepped forward.

The moment his foot touched the surface of the lake, a sharp burning sensation shot through his body. It was not like normal heat. It felt deeper, as if the poison was trying to seep into his bones.

Aksai did not stop.

He took another step, and then another, until the lake reached his waist. The liquid clung to him like a living thing, slowly crawling over his body. When it reached his chest, the pressure increased. His breathing grew slightly heavier, but his expression remained calm.

Then he sank further and sat down inside the lake. The poison quickly covered him up to his neck.

For a moment, nothing happened. Then it hit.

A wave of intense pain surged through his body. It felt like countless needles piercing his skin all at once. The poison tried to force its way into his body, attacking every part of him without mercy.

Aksai closed his eyes. He did not resist. Instead, he let the poison enter his body freely.

Inside him, his second heart—the Druid's Poison Heart—started beating faster. Each pulse was strong and steady. The poison that entered his body was quickly drawn toward it, like iron to a magnet.

The pain did not disappear, but it changed. It became controlled.

The poison that should have harmed him was being absorbed and refined. It was turned into a form of pure life essence and slowly spread through his body.

A faint warmth spread from his chest.

His muscles tightened slightly as they absorbed the energy. His bones felt heavier and stronger. Even his Spirit essence began to grow, bit by bit.

Aksai remained still, focusing on the process. Time passed slowly. Minutes turned into hours. Since the place was dark and gloomy, the passage of time had lost its meaning.

The lake around him continued to bubble and shift. At times, the fumes above the surface twisted into shapes that looked like beasts staring down at him. At other times, the entire lake seemed to move slightly, as if something deep inside was watching him.

Aksai ignored all of it and focused only on his breathing and the rhythm of his second heart.

The pain came in waves, sometimes sharp and sometimes dull. But each wave brought more energy into his body. His cultivation base moved forward, even if it was only a small step at a time.

At one point, the poison grew stronger. The surface of the lake trembled slightly, and a deeper, darker layer of poison began to rise. It wrapped around Aksai's body like a slow-moving current.

For a brief moment, even he felt the pressure increase. His brows furrowed slightly. Then his second heart beat faster.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

The stronger poison was pulled in and broken down even more quickly. The energy it released was purer and more potent. Aksai's body absorbed it without hesitation.

A faint smile appeared on Aksai's lips as he began absorbing the poison essence like a dry sponge drinking a bowl of water.