Heading to Qingshan Town to Find Xiao Yi Xian

The next morning, the thin mist had yet to disperse.

At the entrance of the Xiao Family, a furtive figure emerged. It was Lu Yu.

He had changed into an inconspicuous gray cloak that concealed most of his face, while he held a detailed map of the Jia Ma Empire.

According to the original timeline, Xiao Yi Xian should still be working as a physician at the Myriad Medicine Pavilion...

The corners of Lu Yu's mouth lifted slightly. "The Calamity Poison Body is the perfect candidate for cultivating the Great Pagoda Art Yin Scroll!"

He quickened his pace and headed straight out of the city.

A month later,

Near the Monster Beast Mountain Range, Qingshan Town.

Shops lined both sides of the Bluestone Street, and cries of vendors rose one after another. A tall figure in a gray cloak walked calmly through the bustling crowd.

Suddenly, he stopped and turned his gaze toward a spacious medicinal herb shop on the corner—the Myriad Medicine Pavilion.

"Found it!"

The corners of Lu Yu's mouth lifted slightly as he pushed open the door and entered.

The moment he stepped into the pharmacy, he swept his gaze around and saw a white-clothed young girl standing behind the counter. She had delicate features and picturesque brows, and was lowering her head to sort medicinal herbs, her movements gentle and focused.

"What medicinal herbs does this guest need?" Xiao Yi Xian raised her head and asked in a gentle voice.

Lu Yu smiled faintly and took out a prescription from his robes. "Miss, could you help me prepare a batch of Spirit Clearing Powder?"

Xiao Yi Xian accepted the prescription and examined it carefully. Suddenly, her brows drew together slightly. "This prescription... is rather strange. Several of the medicinal herbs conflict with one another. If they aren't prepared properly, I'm afraid..."

Lu Yu pretended to be surprised. "Miss, you understand medicine?"

Xiao Yi Xian nodded lightly. "I know a little."

"Then could I trouble you to adjust it for me?" Lu Yu asked with a warm smile.

Xiao Yi Xian hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement. She turned around to fetch the medicinal herbs, her slender back clad in white as pure as snow.

A moment later,

"These are the medicinal herbs for the Spirit Clearing Powder you requested. There are five low-grade medicinal herbs in total, costing five hundred Gold Coins."

Hearing this, Lu Yu's smile deepened. He casually took a heavy Money Bag from his Storage Ring and placed it lightly on the counter. "Here are one thousand Gold Coins. Consider the rest payment for your guidance."

Xiao Yi Xian's beautiful eyes widened in surprise, and she hurriedly waved her hands. "That's too much..."

"Your medical skills are excellent. They're worth this price."

Lu Yu's gaze was sincere as he said earnestly, "Besides, there's another special medicinal herb I'd like to ask you about."

His praise caused Xiao Yi Xian's cheeks to flush slightly. She lowered her head and said softly, "You're too kind... What special medicinal herb is it?"

Lu Yu took a Jade Box from his robes and slowly opened it. Inside lay a wholly dark-blue herb, its leaves marked with fine Silver Patterns.

"This is... Ghost Soul Grass?" Xiao Yi Xian's breath caught, and she instinctively leaned closer to examine it. "Judging by the silver patterns on the leaves... could it be a variety nearly eight hundred years old?"

"You have a sharp eye, Miss." Lu Yu nodded approvingly. "This is indeed an eight-hundred-year-old Ghost Soul Grass. I happened upon it deep within the Monster Beast Mountain Range. It's said..."

He deliberately lowered his voice. "This kind of Ghost Soul Grass is extremely poisonous, but it has miraculous effects on certain special constitutions."

"Someone has been purchasing this medicinal herb in large quantities recently."

"Miss Xian'er, what do you think?"

At his words, Xiao Yi Xian's fingers trembled almost imperceptibly as she sorted the herbs. She forced herself to remain calm and asked, "Guest... what else do you know?"

Lu Yu did not answer immediately. Instead, he cast a meaningful glance at the Back Door of the Pharmacy. "This isn't a convenient place to talk. Why don't we go somewhere else and discuss it in detail?"

Just then, the pharmacy's main door was suddenly shoved open!

"Xiao Yi Xian! Our Young Leader wants to see you!" Three Wolf Head mercenaries swaggered inside. The Burly Man at their head leered at the young girl.

Xiao Yi Xian's face instantly turned deathly pale, and her fingers clenched tightly around the hem of her clothes.

A cold glint flashed through Lu Yu's eyes. He turned and stepped in front of her. "If you're buying medicine, get in line."

"Where did this blind brat come from?" The Burly Man snarled as he drew his long saber. "You dare meddle in the affairs of our Wolf Head Mercenary Group?"

Lu Yu let out a cold laugh. A layer of dark-black Dou Qi Gauze Armor instantly covered his body, and a dangerous curve appeared at the corner of his mouth. "What a coincidence. Meddling in other people's business is exactly what I specialize in."

"Dou Master?"

When the Burly Man at the head saw this, his pupils suddenly contracted. He then forced an awkward smile. "Misunderstanding. It's all a misunderstanding..."

A moment later,

"Ah!"

After several screams, three figures were thrown out of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, and the street immediately erupted into an uproar.

The onlookers stared at one another. No one had expected the usually overbearing Wolf Head Mercenary Group to kick an iron plate today!

Inside the shop, Xiao Yi Xian stared blankly at Lu Yu, her red lips slightly parted. Clearly, she had yet to recover from the shock of what had just happened.

"You... you're a Dou Master?" Her voice trembled slightly, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Lu Yu smiled faintly and dispersed his Dou Qi Gauze Armor. In a gentle voice, he said, "Now, can we have a proper talk?"

Xiao Yi Xian took a deep breath and steadied herself. She then bit her lower lip lightly and asked in a low voice, "Who... who are you, exactly? Why did you help me?"

Lu Yu did not answer directly. Instead, he took out a Jade Slip and placed it lightly on the counter. "The Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, a poison manual detailing how to prepare poisons. I believe you'll be interested."

Xiao Yi Xian's pupils shrank slightly. Her slender fingers instinctively brushed against the Jade Slip, but the instant she touched it, she recoiled as though shocked. She regarded Lu Yu warily. "How do you know I need this?"

Lu Yu's gaze was deep as he slowly said, "There is a constitution in this world known as the Calamity Poison Body. A fine, seven-colored hidden line grows near the lower abdomen. Those born with it are accompanied by poison and can grow stronger by devouring poisonous substances, but without a method of control, the poison will eventually turn on its host."

"You—!" Xiao Yi Xian's expression changed drastically. She staggered back two steps, terror filling her eyes. "How could you know..."

"Don't be nervous." Lu Yu's tone was gentle, yet carried an unquestionable firmness. "I'm not your enemy. On the contrary, I can help you control this constitution and even... allow you to completely master this power."

Xiao Yi Xian's chest rose and fell violently. Only after a long while did she ask in a low voice, "What do you want?"

The corners of Lu Yu's mouth lifted slightly. "Cooperation."

He lightly tapped his fingertip. A strand of dark-black Dou Qi gathered in his palm, transforming into the illusory image of a miniature Pagoda Tower. "I need the power of your poison body, while you need my method of control. We each get what we need. How does that sound?"

Xiao Yi Xian stared at the profound tower image, struggle flickering in her eyes. To release Dou Qi outward at the Dou Master level, something only a Da Dou Shi could accomplish—how profound was this cultivation technique?

What exactly was this man's background?

At last, she slowly raised her head and spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz. "Why should I trust you?"

"Wouldn't you know after trying?"

Lu Yu suddenly reached out and seized Xiao Yi Xian's slender wrist. The young girl cried out in surprise and instinctively tried to break free, only to find that his hand was as immovable as an iron clamp.

"What are you doing?!" Her pretty face went deathly pale, panic flashing through her eyes.

"Don't move." Lu Yu's voice was low as dark-black Dou Qi slowly flowed from his palm into her body. "Feel it carefully."

Xiao Yi Xian's entire body trembled. She felt a cool aura travel along her meridians. Even more astonishingly, the deadly poisons lying dormant within her began to gather in an orderly manner under the guidance of this power!

"This is..."

Her red lips parted slightly as she watched the poisonous energy that had ravaged her body for years compress bit by bit, ultimately condensing into a grayish-purple poison core in her dantian. The poison was still there, but it would no longer erupt uncontrollably!

"The poison body won't act up again for three months." Lu Yu released her hand, a faint smile on his lips. "Now, do you believe me?"

Xiao Yi Xian stared blankly at her palm, her fingertips trembling slightly. For the first time in all these years, she felt so light—she no longer had to worry about poisoning others by accident or endure the agony of the poison's backlash alone in the dead of night...

Crystal tears suddenly spilled from her eyes and rolled down her fair cheeks.

"Why..." She raised her tear-blurred eyes. "Why did you help me?"

Lu Yu did not answer. He merely pushed the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture toward her. "Tomorrow at this time, I'll be waiting for you at the entrance to the Monster Beast Mountain Range. If you want to completely control the Calamity Poison Body, then come with sincerity."

With that, he turned and left, leaving Xiao Yi Xian staring blankly at his departing figure, the Jade Slip clenched in her hand growing faintly hot...

Comparison of cultivation realms between The Great Ruler and Battle Through the Heavens

Sensing Stage—Dou Qi stage

Spirit Movement Stage—Dou Zhe to Dou Master

Spirit Wheel Stage—Da Dou Shi to Dou Ling

Divine Soul Stage (the watershed for the lower realms of the Great Thousand World)—Dou Wang

Heaven Melting Stage—Dou Emperor

Heaven Transformation Stage—Dou Zong

Heaven Piercing Stage—Dou Zun

Minor Tribulation of the Supreme—Ninth Revolution Dou Zun

Supreme Stage—Dou Sheng (An eighth-grade Supreme can open up space, similar to a Dou Sheng, but the space of the Great Thousand World and that of a lower plane cannot be treated as identical.)

Earth Supreme—Dou Di (Whether Dou Di is equivalent to a Supreme, an Earth Supreme, or a Heaven Supreme has been debated for decades, and every reader has a different opinion. This book adopts the later setting of The Great Ruler, where Dou Di equals an Earth Supreme. Please don't take offense.)