Friends

After becoming friends, the sense of distance between them lessened considerably, and their speech grew more casual.

Lin Yuan asked Xiao Yi Xian, "What are you thinking? Do you want to stay as you are now, or awaken the Woeful Poison Body?"

Xiao Yi Xian's brows drew together slightly. A bit more bitterness appeared on her pretty face, and she shook her head. "I don't know. My heart is a mess right now. I have all sorts of thoughts."

Lin Yuan could understand Xiao Yi Xian's dilemma. After all, the Woeful Poison Body was different from the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. The latter had no side effects at all, while the former began the countdown of one's life from the moment it awakened. Every bit stronger one became was one step closer to the end of life.

"Then think it over slowly. Think about what you want, what your decision will make you lose, and what you will gain." Lin Yuan smiled brightly and gave his suggestion.

From Lin Yuan's own standpoint, he naturally hoped Xiao Yi Xian would awaken the Woeful Poison Body. After all, only then would she have the possibility of becoming his help in the future. Moreover, Lin Yuan was certain that no matter what, Xiao Yi Xian would inevitably walk the path of awakening her poison body. Xiao Yi Xian's outstanding beauty had doomed her to be unable to return to the ordinary.

As for how to resolve the side effects after the Woeful Poison Body awakened, he had long since had a plan in mind, but there was no need to explain these things to Xiao Yi Xian for now. After all, confusion, struggle, and decision were excellent tempering granted to the strong. This period of thought and resolve would make her undergo a transformation.

"If you were in my place, what would you choose? And what would you do?" Looking into her friend's deep, quiet eyes, Xiao Yi Xian asked. She truly was curious how the young man before her would choose.

Lin Yuan raised his eyebrows, pondered for a moment, then honestly voiced his thoughts. "I am someone who pursues power, someone who wants to climb to the peak. If there is a way to obtain power, I naturally would not give it up."

His right hand pressed over his heart, and Lin Yuan's tone grew distant. "In fact, I have already paid some price in pursuit of power. In order to become strong as early as possible, this body has less than four years of lifespan remaining."

"You..." Looking at the friend before her, Xiao Yi Xian felt somewhat shaken and somewhat worried, but even more than that, regretful. Such a brilliant person actually only had four years of life left. A bit more of the feeling of sharing the same misfortune rose in her heart, yet she did not know what to say.

Seeing Xiao Yi Xian's expression, Lin Yuan chuckled. "Heh, no need to worry. I have already found a way to solve the problem. This continent has countless extraordinary people and strange matters. When you encounter a problem, you just solve it. The Woeful Poison Body may not necessarily be without a cure."

"I hope so." Xiao Yi Xian gave a bitter laugh. Deep in her heart, she vaguely had a premonition that she would inevitably awaken the Woeful Poison Body. When that time came, she would have to face the fate of the Woeful Poison Body.

"Take this. You can take the things here too." Lin Yuan handed the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture to Xiao Yi Xian. He had already memorized the parts he needed.

"You only want that Flight Dou Skill? After clearly spending so much effort?" Xiao Yi Xian accepted the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, somewhat surprised.

Lin Yuan smiled without speaking. Among the things here, aside from the Demonic Flame Partial Map, only the Flight Dou Skill was worth studying. The rest did not matter. Profound-Tier Dou Skills, medicinal herbs, and the like filled his storage ring in heaps. These little treasures were not worth mentioning to him as a Sixth-Grade Alchemist, and giving them to Xiao Yi Xian did not matter.

"Debts of favor are the hardest to repay. The seed at the bottom of the heart will sooner or later sprout. That will be the time for the true harvest."

In the end, this treasure hunt was declared over after Lin Yuan leisurely watched Xiao Yi Xian's beauty-at-work scene from the side. Lin Yuan even specially gave Xiao Yi Xian two storage rings, though her amusing appearance with a pile of things stuffed in her arms until her body bulged was recorded by Lin Yuan with an Image Stone.

After the two walked out of the cave side by side, the Blue Eagle Xiao Lan was waiting at the cave entrance.

After Xiao Yi Xian saw Xiao Lan, she jogged over and checked its condition, while this huge Blue Eagle was especially docile before Xiao Yi Xian.

"Although it is only a First-Tier Magical Beast, this little fellow is quite intelligent. How did you subdue it? In terms of strength, you are not even its match." Lin Yuan, who had walked over from behind, looked at the Blue Eagle before him, which faintly seemed protective of its master, and praised it before asking Xiao Yi Xian a question.

"Xiao Lan, that is, this Blue Eagle, was one I happened to rescue a few years ago. Later, as we spent time together, I gained its loyalty and friendship. I suppose this is fate." Xiao Yi Xian stroked Xiao Lan's feathers. Recalling her first encounter with Xiao Lan, a bit more nostalgia entered her tone.

"Fate, huh!" Lin Yuan's tone was somewhat ethereal. He also believed in fate, but he did not force fate. He believed even more in schemes and strength.

He walked to Xiao Lan's side and reached out to stroke Xiao Lan's beautiful feathers. Xiao Lan was somewhat afraid, but under Lin Yuan's aura, it did not dare dodge. From the person before it, it could sense a faint but extremely noble aura among magical beasts, leaving it without any thought of resisting.

Xiao Yi Xian, watching from the side, was rather astonished. Xiao Lan clearly did not like strangers touching its feathers, yet under Lin Yuan's hand, it was so docile.

"Since it is fate, then I will give you an opportunity! Xiao Yi Xian, step back a little."

Although she did not know what Lin Yuan wanted to do, Xiao Yi Xian stepped back several paces as told, watching Lin Yuan curiously.

Lin Yuan took out a medicinal pill from his storage ring, then took out a drop of magical beast essence blood. It was precisely the essence blood of the Tier 6 Magical Beast, the Gale Eagle King. With a thought, he formed a cluster of Green Lotus Core Flame that wrapped around the medicinal pill and the eagle king's essence blood. As the flame refined them, the energy of the pill and the magical beast essence blood merged into a stream of pure blood-colored energy.

Under Lin Yuan's control, the blood-colored energy enveloped Xiao Lan and slowly seeped into Xiao Lan's body. During this process, Xiao Lan's bloodline and aura began to transform, and an aura surpassing a First-Tier Magical Beast began to brew.

Not long after, as the blood-colored energy was fully absorbed and digested by Xiao Lan, an eagle cry resounded through the night sky.

"Screech!"

Xiao Lan let out a carefree cry and flew into the sky. Its blue feathers seemed to have gained a bit more faint luster, and a pressure outstanding even among Tier 2 Magical Beasts emanated from it.

After circling in the sky a few times, Xiao Lan flew back beside Xiao Yi Xian and gently nuzzled Xiao Yi Xian's chest with its head, expressing its joy. Xiao Yi Xian also happily stroked its head.

After seeing Lin Yuan walk over, Xiao Lan docilely stretched its head in front of Lin Yuan, expressing its friendliness. Lin Yuan reached out and stroked the feathers on Xiao Lan's head. Looking at his work, he sensed it a bit, and a bit more satisfaction appeared in his eyes.

"The method tested on Crimson Jade really is feasible. Using the essence blood of a high-level magical beast of the same type together with a suitable medicinal pill can raise the bloodline and strength of low-level magical beasts. Crimson Jade still has not completed its evolution probably because the quantity has not been piled up enough."

Xiao Yi Xian on the side looked at Lin Yuan enviously. So this was an alchemist, so this was a strong person? A casual action had made Xiao Lan become a Tier 2 Magical Beast comparable to the strongest in Qingshan Town all at once.

Shaking her head, Xiao Yi Xian suppressed her chaotic thoughts, walked to Lin Yuan's side, and looked at him seriously as she expressed her gratitude. "Thank you, Lin Yuan."

Lin Yuan looked at Xiao Yi Xian and smiled freely. "There is no need to be so distant. Although we have not known each other for long, I have a strange sense of familiarity with you. I suppose this is the fate you spoke of. Besides, helping Xiao Lan was just something I did on a whim. You do not need to thank me."

"On a whim? Is this the willfulness of the strong that you spoke of?" Xiao Yi Xian looked toward the stars in the night sky, thought of what Lin Yuan had said before, and asked softly.

"Mm, you can understand it that way." Lin Yuan looked toward the same starry sky.

"Is that so? The willfulness of the strong, huh."

"If you insist on thanking me, then give me a strand of your hair as a keepsake, to serve as a token witnessing our friendship."

"Is this also the willfulness of the strong?"

"Mm, you can understand it that way."

Under the starry sky, the words of the young man and young girl intertwined in the night wind. Their two hearts drew a little closer in silence, yet still maintained a subtle distance.

After a long while, the two looked at each other and smiled.

Xiao Yi Xian took a dagger from her storage ring, cut off a strand of her black hair, tied it with a white hair tie, and handed it to Lin Yuan. A bit more inexplicable meaning entered her gentle voice. "Here. This is the witness to the friendship you wanted. You must treasure it well."

Lin Yuan accepted this strand of black hair and looked at Xiao Yi Xian. A curiosity rose in his heart. When Xiao Yi Xian awakened the Woeful Poison Body and her head full of black hair turned white, what kind of expression would she have when she saw this strand of black hair again? It really was something to look forward to.