The connection Liam had uncovered earlier was not a channel that had to be reopened every time. Now that he had awakened that awareness, it was always there, ready for him to delve deeper.
Even while testing other techniques, Liam had felt that familiarity with everything he poisoned. It was a constant echo that gnawed at his brain, the sensation intensifying the longer he spent in the toxic world of his own creation.
That trend culminated in a sort of resonance in the back of Liam's mind. He couldn't explain it, but he understood it. It was similar to when he gained enough insights into poisons to predict the behavior of those he still hadn't tested, but deeper and far more personal.
In a way, Liam felt a sort of authority toward what he had infected, as if it were an extension of his body, or rather, existence. The swamp was part of his power just like the Qi his cultivation produced.
As always, the issue lay with the weaponization.
