A Dark, Windy Night

In a room in the rear courtyard of Myriad Medicine Hall, Xiao Yi Xian finally nodded as if under a spell. She had no experience in such matters and was gentle by nature. Faced with Yan Qingshan, who had her completely figured out, how could she resist? Before she knew it, he had coaxed her into agreeing to his request.

"Xian'er, lie down first."

Yan Qingshan gently helped Xiao Yi Xian lie back on the bed. She obediently followed his movements, though she could not help feeling nervous. Her body was tense as she turned her head aside, closed her eyes, and let him proceed.

"Xian'er, then... I'll begin."

There was a change in Yan Qingshan's voice as well, as though he could barely contain his excitement. The hand reaching toward the little beauty's waist trembled slightly.

This was his first time helping a beauty loosen her clothes. He wondered whether the ruqun worn by girls in this other world would be easy to undo. Just thinking about it made him a little excited.

"Wait... let, let me do it myself..."

Xiao Yi Xian spoke in a voice as soft as a mosquito's hum. If Yan Qingshan had not been paying such close attention, he might not even have heard her. His outstretched hand rested on her slender waist for a while before withdrawing. He wanted to turn around, but that felt too affected, while his eyes stubbornly refused to look away.

Xiao Yi Xian hesitated before lightly undoing the buttons of her clothing. Biting her lip, she revealed her ivory-white, delicate body. Though still youthful, her figure was already well-developed.

Xiao Yi Xian covered her eyes with both hands as though too ashamed to face anyone. A trace of embarrassed anger appeared on her cheeks, and she bit down on her silver teeth in extreme nervousness.

Yan Qingshan's expression became somewhat blank. His gaze flickered as it roamed over her, reluctantly shifting away from the pure-white orchid-embroidered chest wrap before moving downward.

There was something unusual below Xiao Yi Xian's dantian. A thin Seven-Colored Hidden Thread, like a tattoo, glimmered with faint rainbow light beneath the lamp. Its radiance flowed like a tiny living snake.

Yan Qingshan leaned closer to inspect the seven-colored line. He cautiously touched it with the tip of his right index finger. The moment he did, Xiao Yi Xian let out a faint, muffled whimper, seeming uncomfortable but forcing herself to endure it.

Yan Qingshan's finger slowly traced the Seven-Colored Hidden Thread across Xiao Yi Xian's snow-white skin, his eyes wide as he stared without blinking.

Xiao Yi Xian felt increasingly shy and uncomfortable, but she obediently did not urge Yan Qingshan to hurry. She had already realized that he might truly be handling something important.

The Poisonous Body of Misfortune was an innate constitution. By consuming poison, one could cultivate Poison Dou Qi and rapidly grow stronger. Such congenital poison bodies were exceedingly rare. Those with extraordinary talent could even become a Dou Zong within ten years.

The mark of the Poisonous Body of Misfortune was a Seven-Colored Hidden Thread naturally born upon the lower abdomen. As the poison body awakened, its length would extend past the navel. When the seven-colored line reached the heart, the Poisonous Body of Misfortune would reach its strongest state. At the same time, however, its bearer would suffer the agony of ten thousand poisons devouring the body...

Yan Qingshan carefully took out a dagger. "Xian'er, I need to take a little of your blood. Bear with it..."

After receiving Xiao Yi Xian's response, Yan Qingshan carefully touched the dagger to the Seven-Colored Hidden Thread. Its sharp edge lightly nicked her snow-white abdomen, creating a tiny wound almost too small to see under his control.

Yan Qingshan did not dare be careless. Profound Green Dou Qi covered the area, preventing even a trace of poison qi from leaking out. He used his Dou Qi to draw out three drops of blood that shimmered with faint seven-colored radiance, placing them into three prepared jade bottles.

Afterward, he carefully spread medicine over the wound with his Dou Qi and massaged the area to speed its healing. In only a few minutes, the wound had closed completely, leaving no sign that there had ever been a cut.

Yan Qingshan still did not dare relax. He carefully examined it again for a long while, his face nearly pressed against Xiao Yi Xian's pale abdomen. The heat of his breath brushed against her skin, making the little beauty's heart race and her face flush with embarrassment.

The seven-colored hidden mark contained the innate poison-body energy of Xiao Yi Xian. It was incomparably mysterious, yet it also contained peerless poison. If even a trace of poison qi leaked out, Xiao Yi Xian's constitution might awaken ahead of time.

However, Yan Qingshan had observed it carefully for a long time before acting and had personally checked it as well. The wound was so small, and he had applied the best medicine to ensure it healed quickly. Xiao Yi Xian's poison body should not erupt early because of what he had done.

"Brother Qingshan, what did you put on it? Xian'er's tummy feels very cool..."

Xiao Yi Xian seemed to understand that Yan Qingshan had not intended to do anything improper. She lowered her hands from her eyes and spoke sweetly in an innocent tone.

After putting everything away, Yan Qingshan leaned down beside the bed and fastened Xiao Yi Xian's clothes button by button. Then he lay on the couch with the little beauty in his arms, resting her against his chest while his right hand gently stroked her back. Xiao Yi Xian did not move, simply lying obediently in his embrace.

Yan Qingshan suddenly said, "Xian'er, promise Brother that you won't secretly prepare medicines without telling me in the future, and you're not allowed to touch poison either. Do you understand?"

"Okay!"

With her little face pressed against Yan Qingshan's chest, Xiao Yi Xian wore a blissful expression as she softly answered like a child.

After lying nestled against Yan Qingshan for a while, Xiao Yi Xian hesitantly said, "Brother Qingshan, Xian'er thinks that you were... somewhat impulsive today... Xian'er knows you wanted to help Uncle Mang Ba and the others, but stepping forward like that... was too dangerous.

In the end, what happened today was a dispute between Myriad Medicine Hall and Wolf Head. Even if you had not stepped in, Boss Yao certainly would not have let it go. You did not need to... Now that you have exposed the secret that you possess a high-level cultivation technique, I'm worried..."

"Xian'er, I know what you're worried about, but do you think Brother Qingshan is a reckless person?"

Holding Xiao Yi Xian, Yan Qingshan said softly, "Xian'er, you must understand that a person cannot hide forever. Some of my strength and secrets will eventually be revealed to others with time. This has merely happened a little earlier.

Of course, I could have continued hiding until I was strong enough before revealing myself, but... there is something I need to do soon that requires a great deal of money and resources. Boss Yao can help me, but he will not be very willing to do so. I need to make him willing.

Let the Wolf Head Mercenary Group count themselves unlucky. Who told them to run into me at exactly the wrong time?

It's getting late. Rest early. Sleep!"

Xiao Yi Xian blinked her large eyes at Yan Qingshan as though she only half understood, but she soon surrendered beneath his affectionate pat on the head. Drowsily closing her eyes, she quickly began breathing softly and evenly.

"What! That little bastard really went into Xiao Yi Xian's room and still hasn't come out?"

In the rear courtyard of Myriad Medicine Hall, at Boss Yao's residence, he blew his beard and glared furiously after hearing his subordinate's report.

Then he suddenly laughed. "Good boy! He moved fast. I raised Xiao Yi Xian for so long, only for her to be claimed by him so easily.

Xiao Yi Xian isn't even thirteen yet, and Tian Kui has not arrived. That little bastard actually dared to make a move on her. The brat really is no good..."

Boss Yao cursed for a while, still seeming unable to vent his frustration. Only after quite some time did he sit down. "Forget it, forget it. That little bastard even brought a betrothal gift. Xiao Yi Xian won't be losing out by following him..."

The Wolf Head Mercenary Group was stationed in South City of Qingshan Town. As one of the foremost powerful forces in Qingshan Town, their influence spread through nearly all of South Town.

On a full-moon night with biting cold winds, a figure arrived in South Town. The night was dark and the wind fierce—perfect weather for killing.

Inside the main hall of the largest residence in South Town, bright lamps illuminated every corner of the room. Mu Li, Herman, and two other men, all of whom had appeared at Myriad Medicine Hall during the day, were discussing matters.

In the hall, a middle-aged man whose brows and eyes somewhat resembled Mu Li's asked, "Mu Li, how much have you found out about what happened during the day?"

"Father, I have found out most of it."

Mu Li fearfully glanced at his father, Mu She, the leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. After swallowing, he answered, "Yan Qingshan also comes from a mercenary family in Qingshan Town. His father, Yan Tie..."

Mu She raised a hand to cut Mu Li off, then stood and roared, "An entire afternoon, and this is all you found out? Did I ask you to investigate such things?

I asked you to investigate his cultivation technique, his background, where he obtained such a high-level cultivation technique, and whether some major power might be involved behind him..."

"F-Father!"

Mu Li stood trembling as he replied in fear, "There truly is nothing else to find about Yan Qingshan. That is the entirety of his background...

But, but during this Snow Season, he left Qingshan Town alone for about a month. However... he used to leave Qingshan Town regularly even before this. This time merely lasted a little longer. There really is nothing more to investigate!"

Mu She's face darkened even further upon hearing this. Savage coldness repeatedly flashed through his narrow eyes. After pacing back and forth through the hall a few times, he said icily, "So you cannot determine whether he has any backing."

"That's right!"

Mu Li lowered his head, barely daring to respond. Today had been his first time representing the Wolf Head Mercenary Group in handling matters, yet he had made such a mess of it. Worse still, they had found nothing conclusive afterward. Naturally, he was extremely frustrated as well.

Mu She glared at Mu Li in disappointment before turning to the sickly-looking Herman. "Third Brother, you fought him. Can you tell us anything?"

Herman rose and replied, "Leader, I cannot say much else for certain, but that brat's cultivation technique is definitely extraordinary. It may not even be an ordinary Profound-tier Cultivation Technique. It is very likely above the low Profound tier, and its origins are certainly not simple.

Furthermore, the method behind the move he used to injure me was exceptionally profound. It may have been a technique from a Profound-tier Dou Skill. It was so subtle that I never noticed anything wrong. His cultivation technique and Dou Skill should be a matched set. This may very well..."

Another gaunt man beside Mu She spoke up. "A matched set of high-level cultivation technique and Dou Skill, Big Brother—this truly cannot be underestimated!"

Mu She said unhappily, "Hmph... That brat dared to oppose the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. He clearly does not take us seriously! With a matched set of high-level cultivation technique and Dou Skill, perhaps he simply stumbled upon some treasure through sheer dumb luck!"