Born of Calamity, Dead by Calamity

The highly poisonous powder spread throughout the room in an instant. Though it looked harmless and white, the toxicity it contained was something even a Dou Shi could not withstand!

Yet amid such terrifying poisonous mist, a figure stood calmly.

As the poisonous fog enveloped the room, the flush had only just faded from Xiao Yi Xian's pretty face when it was replaced by solemn caution. Her right hand rested at her waist, poised to act.

"If I were you, I wouldn't make any rash moves when facing someone you cannot contend with."

Lin Ran spoke softly, then took a deep breath of the poisonous mist in the air. "The toxicity is a little low. Its main effects are paralysis and unconsciousness. It might not even bring down an ordinary Da Dou Shi. Perhaps the bottles at your waist have a little more kick?"

"Who are you?"

At the sight of Lin Ran's behavior, Xiao Yi Xian's expression finally changed drastically.

She was no brainless, innocent fool. On the contrary, to protect herself in a place like Qingshan Town while still earning such a fine reputation, Xiao Yi Xian possessed not only remarkable ability, but also excellent judgment.

Someone who could inhale poisonous powder like that and remain completely unharmed was simply beyond anything she could currently contend with.

Moreover, despite such an offensive provocation from her, he had yet to make a move. That alone was already a form of mercy.

But Xiao Yi Xian was also certain that if she continued offending him, the consequences would surely be unimaginable...

"Xiao Yi Xian has offended you."

Various thoughts collided in her mind. Without betraying anything on her face, Xiao Yi Xian moved her right hand away from her waist and revealed a professional smile. "May I ask what brings you here today, sir?"

Her swift adaptability surprised Lin Ran somewhat, but when he recalled Xiao Yi Xian's circumstances in the original work, it no longer seemed strange.

She had drifted about alone since childhood, with no one to rely on, yet she had still managed to reach her current position in a chaotic town like Qingshan Town, near the Monster Beast Mountain Range.

She remained calm in the face of threats from every side and even had contingencies such as a flying magical beast.

It could be said that beneath that delicate body, this girl possessed a heart that could remain calm and perceptive no matter what she faced!

"A very clever girl. I also enjoy speaking with clever people."

A stream of Dou Qi swept through the room like a breeze, gathering up all the poisonous powder before Lin Ran inhaled it into his body.

The gray, murky room became bright again. Under Xiao Yi Xian's somewhat shocked gaze, Lin Ran smiled. "But unfortunately, clever people often do not have a good ending."

Xiao Yi Xian's expression stiffened slightly.

"Sir, what do you mean by that?"

"Calamity Poison Body."

The moment those words fell, Xiao Yi Xian was struck as if by lightning, her entire body freezing in place.

"To be honest, I'm rather surprised. The Calamity Poison Body can easily raise its Dou Qi level merely by consuming poison, yet I cannot sense much Dou Qi from you."

"Is it because medicinal ingredients are scarce, leaving your poison body with too little to devour, or is it..."

Lin Ran looked down at Xiao Yi Xian from above, lifting her chin and forcing her to meet his gaze.

"N-No, don't touch me!"

Xiao Yi Xian suddenly snapped awake and instinctively tried to put distance between herself and Lin Ran, refusing to let him touch her.

Although her Calamity Poison Body was still in its infancy and had not fully matured, she had just inhaled the poisonous mist, and her Calamity Poison Body was still in an activated state.

In this state, if any person or creature touched her flesh, they would surely be corroded by deadly poison!

Lin Ran stepped forward, and Xiao Yi Xian instinctively stepped back. But the moment she moved, a table was already behind her, leaving her nowhere to retreat.

Like the Big Bad Wolf closing in on Little Red Riding Hood, Lin Ran drew closer step by step to the Xiao Yi Xian who had nowhere left to run. He bent slightly and took a deep breath beside her ear, her fragrance washing over him.

"Or is it because of that kind heart of yours that rejects your instincts?"

Watching her ear tips slowly redden and the flush spreading across her neck, Lin Ran gently blew a breath against her. "I am your enemy. Shouldn't you take this chance to use your strongest weapon to kill me? Why warn me instead, telling me not to come near you?"

"That's not it... I... I don't want to..."

"Why don't you?"

Lin Ran pinched Xiao Yi Xian's chin, forcing her to meet his eyes once more.

"You have already tasted poison. In the days to come, your body will urge you, tempt you, and incite you at every moment to consume those highly poisonous things."

"This is your instinct, a mark branded deep into your soul. Why would you not want it?"

"Because... because..."

Xiao Yi Xian's lips moved, but she did not know how to answer.

"Because you're afraid."

"You're afraid that the eruption of your poison body will make you lose everything—your family and friends, your emotions, your life. You're afraid of losing it all!"

"You have already tasted poison, which means you have activated the Calamity Poison Body. In other words, it must have erupted once before, correct?"

"You probably still cannot forget what happened that time..."

His low voice was like the whisper of a demon, making Xiao Yi Xian's body tremble without end.

It was as though that day surfaced in her mind once again.

In that quiet, harmonious mountain village, the kind and amiable neighbors, the mother who loved her deeply—all of them had died in agony because her poison body had erupted.

From that day onward, Xiao Yi Xian understood her own uniqueness. She did not want others to die because of her again, so she began desperately studying medicine, hoping to fill the void in her heart.

But...

"But you still cannot resist your instincts, nor can you suppress your craving for poison."

Lin Ran took a jade bottle from Xiao Yi Xian's waist and opened it, revealing the highly poisonous medicinal powder within.

"You want it."

"No, I don't. I don't want it."

"Really? But I can feel that Poison Dou Qi within you trembling. I can hear the yearning of this body."

"The pleasure after devouring poison, the fulfillment after your Dou Qi surges, the strength of your poison body evolving and growing... You cannot control it."

"No, stop talking... Stop talking!"

Xiao Yi Xian's mind was in turmoil. Of course she knew exactly what Lin Ran was talking about.

She would never live a peaceful life. The Calamity Poison Body would continuously torment both her and those around her, eventually leaving her to spend her life in loneliness until the poison body erupted, leaving neither man nor beast alive within a thousand miles!

She did not want that. She only wanted to live properly, to have a normal, ordinary life, to live properly like everyone else.

But was that possible?

Born of calamity, dead by calamity!

The fate of the Calamity Poison Body had been decided from the very beginning!