Dou Ling

Ye Xian'er's face was tinged with sorrow, her heart full of fear. "I was already regretting it. I was scared. I didn't want to awaken this constitution."

"But I can't control myself. I can't control my desire to devour poisons. My heart refuses, but my hands still prepare the poison, and then I eat it."

"Do you remember when I promised you I wouldn't touch poison? But sometimes, I still can't help myself. I secretly prepare it behind your back."

Her little hands clenched into fists as her entire body trembled. "I'm so scared. I'm afraid that one day, I won't be able to control the poisonous gas and hurt you. I'm afraid that one day, you'll despise me, hate me, and abandon me. Sob... I'm afraid that one day, the poison will completely backlash, and I'll die in endless agony as ten thousand poisons devour my heart. I'll die horribly, and you'll see it... sob."

At that moment, Ye Xian'er was like a little girl who had lost everything, like an abandoned little beast—frail, pitiful, and helpless.

Only after Wei Yang let her vent did he step forward. Ye Xian'er tried to dodge, but he grabbed her and pulled her tightly into his arms, his heart aching for her.

Once she was held, she did not struggle. Instead, she wrapped her arms around Wei Yang tightly, holding him with all her strength.

Slap~

A crisp slap rang out.

Wei Yang smacked her pert little backside.

Ye Xian'er's body trembled, but she obediently lay in Wei Yang's arms without moving.

Slap, slap, slap~

Several more slaps followed.

"Are you still going to make a fuss?" Wei Yang asked.

"No..." Ye Xian'er desperately shook her little head, burying it in his chest as she replied in a muffled voice.

From Wei Yang's angle, he could clearly see a flush spreading across her fair neck.

"I told you long ago that your constitution could be resolved, but you wouldn't believe me. Hmm?"

Wei Yang said angrily, "Didn't I tell you? Whatever problems arise, we'll face them and solve them together. When have I ever said I would despise you?"

"It isn't as though I didn't know you had the Body of Calamitous Poison. If I were going to despise you, I would have done so long ago. Why would I wait until now?"

"I-I was just scared..." Ye Xian'er answered softly, sounding aggrieved.

"Don't be afraid. I'm here. Believe me." Wei Yang gently stroked her back, and his voice softened.

Ye Xian'er raised her head, her watery beautiful eyes looking at Wei Yang. "But the Poison Scripture says that every person with the Body of Calamitous Poison meets a miserable end."

"Do you believe the Poison Scripture or me?" Wei Yang asked.

"You." Ye Xian'er did not hesitate.

"Then that's settled. If I say it can be resolved, then it can be resolved."

"Oh."

"Your strength has risen too quickly this time. You jumped straight from the eighth stage of Dou Qi to a three-star Dou Zhe. Don't take any more poison for the time being. Endure it as best you can, and wait until you've become familiar with and gained control over your current strength before we discuss anything else," Wei Yang instructed.

"Mm, okay."

Half a year later.

Wei Yang broke through once more, smoothly advancing into the Dou Ling realm as naturally as water flowing into a channel.

A Dou Ling was already considered part of the upper echelon in the Jia Ma Empire.

Yet he was only seventeen and a half years old.

That made him sigh inwardly. His talent really was not bad.

After cultivating the Profound Tier High-Grade Cultivation Technique, the Mad Lion Blazing Flame Art, it seemed that his potential had finally been fully developed, and he still could not see its limits.

At the very least, Wei Yang had not felt any bottlenecks or pressure so far.

To this day, he had simply cultivated naturally and broken through smoothly. He had never taken pills to assist his cultivation.

Wei Yang estimated that talent alone might carry him to the peak of Dou Emperor, or perhaps even into the Dou Zong realm.

This talent seemed no worse than those Imperial Clans with eighth- or ninth-grade bloodlines, did it?

As for Ye Xian'er, she had also advanced rapidly over the past half year, entering the Da Dou Shi realm not long ago.

Half a year—from a three-star Dou Zhe straight to Da Dou Shi. That speed was simply outrageous.

This was even with Wei Yang telling her to restrain herself as much as possible. Otherwise, she would likely already be at the peak of Da Dou Shi, or even a Dou Ling.

With Wei Yang's ample financial support, Ye Xian'er never had to worry about materials for concocting deadly poisons.

Thus, all she needed to do each day was familiarize herself with her realm and master her rapidly growing strength.

It was precisely because of Wei Yang's immense financial support that she could still advance so quickly despite deliberately suppressing herself.

After all, the various ingredients, herbs, and other materials needed to concoct deadly poisons were also very expensive.

The more potent the poison, the more precious the required ingredients and herbs.

"Dou Ling!"

Feeling the surging, powerful strength within him, Wei Yang turned his consciousness inward.

Within his Dantian, an irregular spherical Dou Crystal floated quietly. It was much larger than it had been during the Da Dou Shi realm.

The energy contained within it was even more terrifying.

His consciousness withdrew.

Wei Yang slowly opened his eyes, brilliant light flickering within them as though lightning had been born in the void.

Huff~

He exhaled a breath of stale air.

"Now that I'm a Dou Ling, I can begin making plans for the Green Lotus Core Flame," Wei Yang thought.

There were still around six months before the story officially began—before Xiao Yan had his engagement called off at his doorstep.

There was still plenty of time.

Whoosh!

High in the sky.

Wei Yang held Ye Xian'er in his arms as the two of them were enveloped in a layer of crimson Dou Qi.

Behind him, a pair of black wings nearly twenty feet wide spread open.

With every beat of his wings, they shot through the sky like a streak of black-and-crimson light, flying toward the Tagor Desert in the eastern Jia Ma Empire.

Ye Xian'er's jade-like arms were wrapped around Wei Yang's neck, her entire body pressed close against his chest. Her beautiful eyes curiously surveyed the outside world, her expression brimming with excitement.

This was her first time experiencing flight through the air.

One arm encircled Ye Xian'er's slender waist as Wei Yang flew, while he pondered the details of this journey's plan.

His gaze flickered slightly as he thought, Based on the original story, Queen Medusa took the Heavenly Flame around half a year before Xiao Yan went to train in the desert. That means there should be at least one to nearly two years before she takes the Green Lotus Core Flame, so there is no rush.

The Green Lotus Core Flame's exact location should be somewhere near the eastern side of Shimo City, perhaps several dozen to over a hundred li away.

It shouldn't be difficult to search inch by inch when the time comes. After all, the area around a Heavenly Flame should be slightly hotter than elsewhere, and the Fire Attribute energy in the air should also be denser.

In the original story, the Ice Emperor, Hai Bodong, seemed to have gathered some clues about the Heavenly Flame. But I'm not an alchemist. Even if I went to him, he probably wouldn't give me the time of day, much less cooperate with me.

Besides, even though that fellow was sealed by Queen Medusa, his strength is still at the level of a high-level Dou Ling... With my current strength, I have no chance of defeating him. Wei Yang shook his head.

After all, Hai Bodong had once been a veteran Dou Emperor. Even with only the strength of a Dou Ling now, he was not someone Wei Yang could casually provoke.

Challenge someone above his level?

Hai Bodong was a veteran Dou Emperor. He lacked neither cultivation techniques nor Dou Skills, so Wei Yang's strength as a one-star Dou Ling gave him no advantage whatsoever.

Therefore, Wei Yang had no plans to seek out Hai Bodong this time.

As for the three best auxiliary items Xiao Yan needed in the original story to refine the Green Lotus Core Flame, Wei Yang had prepared none of them.

First, the Blood Lotus Pill was a Fifth-Grade Pill and an essential item for absorbing a Heavenly Flame. Without its protection, even Queen Medusa at the peak of Dou Emperor had been burned into serious injury.

That was not to mention Wei Yang, who was currently just a mere one-star Dou Ling.

After all, this Green Lotus Core Flame was in its Mature Form, and its own might rivaled that of a Dou Emperor.

However, the Blood Lotus Pill was a Fifth-Grade Pill. Not to mention the Pill Formula, even if Wei Yang obtained it, there were only a few alchemists in the entire Jia Ma Empire capable of successfully refining it.

He did know where to find the Ice Spirit Cold Spring.

As for Na Ling, that was not easy to obtain either.

But Wei Yang did not care.

After all, his main purpose in seeking out the Green Lotus Core Flame this time was the eleven Lotus Seeds. The Green Lotus Core Flame was merely an incidental bonus, not his primary goal.