"What did you just see?"
Xiao Yan's deep voice rang out.
Sunlight spilled through the branches like shattered gold, while the scent of blood still lingered on his dark robes.
"Bang."
He raised a hand and brushed away the fallen leaf by Xiao Yi Xian's temple, then curled his knuckles and rapped against the tree trunk with a crisp clang.
Little Doctor was pressed tightly against the tree, her body extremely close to Xiao Yan's embrace.
A faint pallor rose on Xiao Yi Xian's delicate face.
"W-What are you doing?"
The corners of Xiao Yan's lips unconsciously lifted.
"I suddenly realized that you saw me kill so many people. Isn't that rather troublesome?"
Nervousness rose in Xiao Yi Xian's heart, yet she still spoke softly.
"I... I won't tell anyone."
But Xiao Yan did not respond. Instead, his gaze lingered on her fair little face.
"A verbal promise alone won't do."
"Since you know I'm a murderous fiend, why don't you offer some flesh as collateral first?"
"Then I can let you go."
A rosy flush instantly crept over the girl's pale earlobes, while the rough bark pressed against her back stung faintly.
Then she saw a teasing glint flash through the youth's eyes and immediately understood.
"Y-You're making fun of me!"
"Hahaha!"
Xiao Yan withdrew his arm and stepped back three paces, tossing over a green jade bottle that had appeared in his hand.
"A Three-Pattern Spirit Nourishing Pill. It works wonders on hidden injuries and scars."
"But why are you so nervous? Do I, Xiao, really look like some bandit who kidnaps beautiful women?"
"Xiao Yan!"
Xiao Yi Xian hurriedly cut him off, the fingers holding the medicine bottle trembling slightly.
She suddenly recalled how he had turned into an asura amid the rain of blood earlier.
He was utterly different from the youth teasing her now.
Was this the real him?
Xiao Yan's smile faded as two fingers suddenly reached for the girl's wrist.
The Kirin Devouring Heaven Flame condensed into threads and entered her meridians!
The gray poisonous mist lurking within Xiao Yi Xian's body seemed to encounter its natural enemy and rapidly shrank back into the depths of her dantian.
Xiao Yi Xian's cheeks reddened slightly, but she did not pull her hand away.
"What are you doing?"
Xiao Yan withdrew his hand, his expression turning serious as he sat down against the tree.
"Didn't you obtain a Seven-Colored Poison Scripture?"
"Open it and take a look at the last page."
"Perhaps it will answer some of your questions."
The girl was somewhat stunned. Why had the topic changed so quickly?
Yet she said nothing more and opened the ancient book, reading it carefully.
After a long while, Xiao Yan still heard no sound from her.
Then he saw a crystalline teardrop strike the dead leaves on the ground.
The rustling leaves broke the silence. Xiao Yi Xian collapsed to the ground, her knuckles clenched white.
"So... the village when I was little, it was because of me..."
"The Calamity Poison Body, why..."
Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz, yet the despair within it was unmistakable.
Soft sobs sounded.
Sorrow flooded her heart, but then she suddenly felt a warm palm press down on her shoulder.
"Follow me. Within three years, I will definitely break this deadlock!"
"I saved your life. Other than me..."
"No one can take it away!"
The hem of his dark robe swept over the mess on the ground, the youth's voice carrying an unquestionable force.
"As for the condition..."
He bent down, hooked a finger beneath the girl's chin, and looked into her tear-filled beautiful eyes.
"From now on, when gathering herbs and testing poison, be quicker with your hands and feet."
Xiao Yi Xian said nothing. She raised her head and stared fixedly into those resolute yet gentle eyes.
The defenses in her heart completely collapsed, and she suddenly threw herself into his embrace.
Seven days later, in a clearing deep within the Monster Beast Mountain Range.
Scarlet flames flickered unsteadily inside the medicine cauldron as Xiao Yan's hands moved with nimble precision.
The Kirin Devouring Heaven Flame coiled around and enveloped the medicine cauldron and herbs.
At a speed visible to the naked eye, it stripped away impurities and transformed them into crystalline medicinal liquid.
Xiao Yan suddenly frowned and shouted.
"Add three White Bone Flowers!"
"Y-Yes!"
Xiao Yi Xian hurriedly grabbed the herbs from a jade box.
Xiao Yan added ingredients far too quickly while refining pills, and she could barely react in time.
After all, her poison body had not yet awakened, and her cultivation was still very low.
Before the White Bone Flowers could fall into the medicine cauldron, they released their poison.
"Foolish girl."
Xiao Yan used his Dou Qi to force back the poisonous mist.
"The White Bone Flowers for the Five-Heart Returning Origin Pill must be handled with a Mysterious Jade Shovel. How many times have I told you?"
Xiao Yan flipped his palm and burned away the poisonous mist. Amid the rolling crimson fire, the two words "idiot" formed in the air.
Xiao Yi Xian's face reddened.
"I meant to take in a little test subject, but now I have to worship you like an ancestor."
"Hold out your hand."
Xiao Yi Xian timidly extended her fingertips.
A thread of crimson-gold fire patterns traveled along her meridians, and all poison it passed through vanished into nothingness.
The warmth of the youth's fingertips lingered for a long time, melting her heart until it trembled.
"Focus on the changes in the cauldron fire."
Xiao Yan suddenly pulled her in front of him, his voice brushing past her ear.
"If you ruin this batch of Five Elements Returning Origin Pills, you'll serve as this young master's bedwarming maid tonight."
Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian walked deep within the Monster Beast Mountain Range, collecting medicinal herbs.
Yet Xiao Yan's attention was focused on the ring on his right hand.
"Teacher, you should know how to solve the Calamity Poison Body, right?"
Xiao Yan asked because the original plot had become somewhat blurry in his memory.
He could not possibly remember every single detail.
After a long pause, Old Yao's voice came from the ring, carrying a faint hint of teasing.
"When you need something, it's Teacher. When you don't, it's Old Man?"
"If you dared to promise that little girl, how could you not have a solution?"
A rare ingratiating smile appeared on Xiao Yan's face.
"Isn't it because Teacher gives me confidence?"
"Teacher is an alchemist standing at the pinnacle of the continent. This little problem is a piece of cake for Teacher!"
A smile appeared on Old Yao's face within the ring.
Though he had once been renowned throughout the world and had heard such praise countless times.
Flattery depended on who delivered it. A bunch of insignificant rabble was clearly different from his own monstrous disciple!
Just as he was about to speak.
"Boom!!!"
A Purple-Gold Thunderstorm suddenly exploded in the distant sky, and the violent blast echoed for hundreds of miles!
Xiao Yan's flame wings spread as he rose into the air, where he saw mountains collapsing a hundred miles away.
A woman in green was locked in battle with an enormous purple beast.
Within a radius of over ten miles, mountains crumbled and clouds were torn apart!
Its might shook the heavens!
Blood soaked through the gauze on Yun Yun's shoulder, but the strange sword in her hand still gleamed with cold light.
"Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, give up and suffer less. How much longer can you hold on?"
"Human insect!"
The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King spewed thunderfire through its fangs, while cracks had already appeared in the spiraling golden horn atop its head.
"Even if this king dies, I will never let you succeed!"
"Purple-Gold Seal!"
The instant purple light flashed forth, radiance covered a radius of ten miles!
Struck by the streaming light, Yun Yun's Fighting Wings scattered, and she fell from the sky.
Within the purple radiance, a streak of red sliced through the curtain of light and shot straight into its center!
It caught Yun Yun as she fell!
Yun Yun in his left hand, Xiao Yi Xian in his right.
He flickered through the air before landing on the ground.
Turning around, he pushed Yun Yun into Xiao Yi Xian's arms.
"Xiao Yi Xian, please look after this... ah, voluptuous and captivating Dou Emperor senior."
"You insolent brat!"
A faint flush of anger rose on Yun Yun's pale face, but the seal's effects left her unable to move.
Xiao Yan paid her no heed. He turned around as four blood-red wings spread behind him.
The searing heat burned everything around them to ashes!
He looked toward the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, which had reached the end of its strength and fallen to the ground.
"Old lion, I'll spare your life. Get lost!"
"Roar, you insignificant insect!"
The Beast King roared in fury!
Scarlet streams of light behind Xiao Yan surged wildly.
"I forgot to mention, I specialize in treating stubborn fools!"
As crimson fire illuminated the night sky, Old Yao's voice sounded faintly.
"Kid, that woman bears the mark of the Misty Cloud Sect."
"I know."
A smile tugged at Xiao Yan's lips.
He raised his left hand, and a green storage ring appeared in his palm.
"Why don't you take a look, old man? Where is the storage ring from her hand now?"
"And later, we can ask for a higher price!"
Inside the ring, Old Yao's mouth twitched, and he said nothing more.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan had completely prepared his strongest attack yet.
"Flame Wings, Heaven Slash!"
Scarlet light instantly blazed brightly...
Before you continue