A Maiden's Heart

Xiao Yi Xian was not foolish. Although she had not been exposed to cultivation from a young age, the exceptional talent brought by her special constitution allowed her to easily grasp what Lin Ran taught her.

Smart students were always favored by teachers. Seeing how gifted Xiao Yi Xian was, Lin Ran naturally taught her everything he knew that suited her.

"Ice Venerable Strength, Mysterious Ice Thorn!"

Upon the Blue Eagle, a cool voice rang out. The air between heaven and earth suddenly turned frigid as several incomparably sharp ice cones materialized out of thin air.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Xiao Yi Xian pushed her palm forward, and the ice cones before her trembled violently before shooting out with a whistle, vanishing into the sea of clouds.

After the attack ended, Xiao Yi Xian changed her hand seals and brought her palms together. Cold air surged around her once more, condensing amid a series of cracking sounds into thick, solid ice that covered her body like a layer of ice armor.

"Ice Venerable Strength, Frozen Armor!"

The ice armor surrounding her gave the delicate young girl an added touch of heroism. Yet with a whoosh, the armor covering Xiao Yi Xian's body instantly shattered and dissolved.

However, the instant the ice armor broke apart, a wisp of blue-violet poisonous cold energy spread out, sinister and icy.

"Not bad."

Lin Ran moved his fingers and casually dispersed the poisonous cold energy before him. He nodded in satisfaction. "With the Dou Qi of a Dou Zhe, this move can form an armor of Dou Qi comparable to that of a Da Dou Shi. And because of the special nature of your Dou Qi, it not only provides defense but also carries poisonous cold, making it capable in both attack and defense. This Ice Venerable Strength truly suits the Calamity Poison Body!"

"Thank you, Young Master."

Xiao Yi Xian was overjoyed, though she did not know whether it was because her strength had greatly increased or because she had received Lin Ran's approval.

"We'll reach the Tagor Desert soon. Rest and recover properly."

"Yes, Young Master."

Xiao Yi Xian nodded respectfully and obediently sat on the Blue Eagle's back, no longer cultivating her Dou Qi or practicing Dou Techniques.

Prolonged cultivation placed tremendous pressure on both body and mind. Although Xiao Yi Xian was in excellent condition and had not expended much Dou Qi, the mental exhaustion from maintaining such intense concentration was still difficult to endure.

However, Xiao Yi Xian did not simply lie down to rest. Instead, she sat on the Blue Eagle's back, took out several bottles and jars from her Storage Ring, and began tinkering with them.

Lin Ran glanced over curiously and discovered that Xiao Yi Xian was not mixing poisons, but rather preparing some special medicinal powders. He could not help but feel somewhat surprised.

"Blood Coagulating Grass, Vitality Fruit... Are you preparing medicinal powder for treating injuries?"

"Yes, Young Master."

Xiao Yi Xian nodded. After mixing the ground medicinal powders, she poured them into a jade bottle.

"I'm not an alchemist and can't refine pills. I can only make medicine by combining the most basic medicinal ingredients."

"Although this Blood-Stopping Powder is not as effective as healing pills, it can still stop bleeding from certain external injuries quite well. I also added Vitality Fruit to it, so its effects will be much better than what ordinary pharmacies sell."

Xiao Yi Xian carefully stored the jade bottle in her Storage Ring.

She had brought quite a bit of medicine when she left, but at the time, she had only considered poisons useful to her Calamity Poison Body and had not brought many medicinal ingredients for healing.

Furthermore, she was running low on healing medicine, which was why she had thought to prepare some in advance.

Although someone as strong as Young Master would hardly need such things, they were useful in case of emergencies!

"Not bad, but there's no need for you to mix healing medicine."

Lin Ran's calm words left Xiao Yi Xian somewhat stunned. Before she could speak, several jade bottles were tossed toward her.

Xiao Yi Xian curiously opened the seals on the jade bottles. A rich medicinal fragrance immediately spread out, refreshing her mind and spirit, and her eyes widened at once.

"Th-this is..."

"Some third- and fourth-grade pills. Most of them are for healing injuries."

Lin Ran spoke casually. At the same time, he pointed a finger out and lightly touched Xiao Yi Xian's fair forehead.

Xiao Yi Xian felt a slight pain in her head, then suddenly sensed a stream of information pouring into her mind. The abrupt influx made her head swell uncomfortably.

It was only after a moment that she recovered.

"Third-grade Blood Bone Pill, Fourth-grade Spring Revival Pill, Fourth-grade Weather Pill—heavens, there's even a fifth-grade Restoration Pill!"

"There are even enhancement pills: Fourth-grade Beast Power Pill and Fifth-grade Wind Hành Pill."

"Such, such high-grade pills, and you just gave them to me so casually..."

Xiao Yi Xian even felt her hands trembling. If these pills were put up for sale outside, every single one would be a supreme treasure, yet Lin Ran had tossed them to her so casually.

She was merely a Dou Zhe. How could she be qualified or capable of keeping such pills?

"Young Master, these pills are far too precious. If you leave them with me, I-I'm afraid I won't be able to safeguard them properly..."

"Pills are meant to be consumed. Besides, they're only fourth- and fifth-grade pills. I refined them when I was bored, so they aren't anything precious."

Lin Ran waved his hand casually. "Besides, I see that you lack many things, and you might not have any use for the items in my Storage Ring. Once we arrive, you can find a larger human city and sell or exchange some of them at an auction house for basic daily necessities, along with whatever else you need."

"The environment in the Tagor Desert will be rather harsh. As for clothing, food, lodging, and travel, we won't be staying in human cities for long, so you'll need to make thorough preparations whenever we settle down."

"Yes, Young Master!"

Xiao Yi Xian nodded heavily. She really had overlooked that.

Since she had now acknowledged Lin Ran as her master, she naturally had to attend to every aspect of his needs properly.

Young Master Lin Ran was a young lord from a great family and powerful faction, unlike those crude mercenaries of Qingshan Town. She had to be even more attentive.

"Eh? Wait!"

As though she had noticed something, Xiao Yi Xian suddenly raised her head and stared blankly at Lin Ran.

"Y-Young Master, did you just say that you refined all these pills?"

"Yes. I used them for practice, so their quality is quite ordinary."

Lin Ran spoke calmly. "My alchemist rank isn't high, only sixth-grade. I was originally quite interested in it, but my master wanted me to improve my strength first, and I myself was more interested in power. As time passed, I neglected alchemy."

"It's a pity that you were born with a poison body and don't meet the basic requirements of an alchemist. Otherwise, given your foundation in medicine and understanding of medicinal ingredients, I could have taught you some alchemy."

"..."

His alchemist rank was not high, only sixth-grade...

He was more interested in power, so he had neglected alchemy...

Lin Ran's words left Xiao Yi Xian utterly stunned, rooted to the spot and unable to say anything for a moment.

After a long while, she blinked and looked at Lin Ran with immense curiosity, yet also with great caution.

"Young Master, may Xiao Yi Xian ask you an impertinent and disrespectful question?"

"You know it's impertinent and disrespectful, yet you still want to ask?"

"Uh..."