The Divine Might of a Dou Zong, a Fragrant Kiss Offered

Xiao Yao gently patted the girl in his arms and said softly, "All right, stop hugging me. Some rats have arrived."

"Huh?" Xiao Yi Xian hurriedly let go and wiped away her tears.

Xiao Yao did not even raise his head. He merely faced the pitch-black tunnel entrance and spoke coldly:

"You rats over there, come out!"

As his words fell, a jumble of footsteps mixed with smug, sinister laughter echoed out from the darkness.

Several figures slowly entered the stone chamber.

The man at the front was none other than Mu She, leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group! Beside him stood the leaders of two other major mercenary groups, along with Boss Yao of the Myriad Medicine Hall!

Behind them followed two elderly men with powerful auras. They were unmistakably two genuine High-Rank Da Dou Shi experts!

They had actually followed them here, intending to be the oriole that reaped the spoils!

"Heh heh heh... What a touching little scene of love and devotion! Too bad it'll all benefit us!"

Mu She's greedy, cruel sneer reverberated through the stone chamber. His cold eyes were fixed upon the mountain of gold coins and treasures in the center of the room—and Xiao Yi Xian, beautiful and tear-streaked.

"Kid, I have to admit, you've got some skill! At such a young age, you're already at the peak of Da Dou Shi. But you're still too young! You dared reveal such an opportunity in public at the Myriad Medicine Hall, so we specifically hired two senior experts to deal with you!" Another mercenary leader licked his lips, his hostile gaze sweeping back and forth between Xiao Yao and Xiao Yi Xian.

Boss Yao of the Myriad Medicine Hall pointed at Xiao Yao with a venomous expression. "Leaders, seniors! This is the brat who found the place. Kill him, and the treasures in this cave will be ours!"

The two High-Rank Da Dou Shi behind them stood with their arms folded, utterly composed. Their clouded eyes gleamed with disdain and contempt.

In their eyes, even if Xiao Yao was at the peak of Da Dou Shi, he was still alone. On their side, they had two High-Rank Da Dou Shi, three Dou Shi, and a group of elite mercenaries waiting outside! Not to mention that the boy had a burden beside him!

No matter what happened today, he had to leave the treasures behind!

"Xiao Yao, run!" Xiao Yi Xian's pretty face turned pale. She hurriedly shielded Xiao Yao behind her and said anxiously, "Don't you have a Flight Dou Technique? Don't worry about me—get out of here!"

She did not want her weakness to drag Xiao Yao down.

Yet upon hearing her words, Xiao Yao showed no trace of nervousness. Instead, he burst into laughter.

"Ha ha ha ha!"

His laughter was filled with contempt and arrogance, as though he had just heard the funniest joke in the world.

"Run? These pathetic ants, nothing but chickens and dogs—are they worthy of making me run?"

He slowly pulled Xiao Yi Xian behind him and gently patted her shoulder. Then he turned around, his gaze sweeping over Mu She and the others as if they were already dead.

"Since you're so eager to come here and die, then... I'll grant your wish!"

"You're courting death!" Mu She flew into a rage!

But before his words could finish—

An indescribably terrifying aura, like an ancient dragon awakening, erupted explosively from Xiao Yao's seemingly slender body!

Boom—!!!

The entire mountain shook violently beneath that aura! Countless stones rained down from the ceiling, and the entire stone chamber seemed on the verge of collapse!

This pressure was no longer that of a Da Dou Shi or Dou Ling! It was the supreme divine might of a true Dou Zong expert!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

The smug sneers on Mu She's, Boss Yao's, and the two previously arrogant High-Rank Da Dou Shi's faces froze the instant they came into contact with that pressure! In their place came bone-deep terror and horror!

It was as if every ounce of strength had been drained from their bodies. Their legs gave out beyond their control, and they all collapsed face-first onto the ground!

Their bodies seemed to be pinned down by an invisible mountain. Even lifting a finger became an impossible dream! Their souls trembled beneath that abyss-like pressure, nearly collapsing altogether!

"Mercy, my lord!"

"What kind of... expert is this?!"

"No... impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"

Mu She's teeth chattered madly, and a foul-smelling stream of liquid ran uncontrollably down his legs.

He had actually tried to rob the treasure of an expert who might be even stronger than a Dou Emperor?!

At that moment, endless regret and terror swallowed him whole!

Xiao Yao looked at the grotesque ants sprawled on the ground, without the slightest pity in his eyes.

He merely snapped his fingers softly.

"Be annihilated."

As his words fell, an invisible ripple of spatial power spread outward.

Mu She and the others kneeling on the ground, along with every mercenary behind them, suddenly stiffened. Then, before Xiao Yi Xian's utterly shocked eyes, their bodies began silently crumbling from within, inch by inch, turning into the tiniest particles before completely vanishing into the air!

It was as though they had never existed in this world.

With a wave of his hand, they were reduced to ashes!

Xiao Yi Xian was completely stunned. Her beautiful eyes shimmered as she stared at that calm, unruffled figure standing with his hands behind his back. Her heart was entirely filled with shock and worship!

At that moment, the figure slowly turned around and gave her a gentle smile.

"Come with me."

He stretched out his arms again and gently gathered the still-dazed Xiao Yi Xian into his embrace.

The next instant, the two shot into the sky, smashing through the top of the mountain and soaring into the vast heavens!

Only as she felt the fierce wind whistling past her ears and looked down at the mountains and earth spread below like a painting did Xiao Yi Xian finally snap out of her daze.

"Xiao Yao... you... you were actually..."

"That's right." Xiao Yao looked down at her and admitted frankly, "I'm already a Dou Zong expert. At the same time, I'm a Grade Seven Alchemist. But I'm no old monster."

"The Jia Ma Empire's strongest Misty Cloud Sect, the so-called Pill King Gu He—in my eyes, I can wipe them out with a turn of my hand. They are nothing worth mentioning!"

Those supremely domineering words completely conquered the girl's heart!

Unable to suppress her feelings any longer, she gathered the greatest courage of her life, lifted her lovely face, and offered her innocent yet blazing kiss upon his handsome face!

Beneath the starry sky, the two soared freely, gazing down upon scenery as beautiful as an immortal realm. In the end, Xiao Yao brought Xiao Yi Xian to a beautiful little valley she had once discovered by accident while gathering herbs.

Birdsong and flowers filled the valley, making it seem like a paradise beyond the world.

At night, beside the bonfire.

Xiao Yao told Xiao Yi Xian the best method he and Grandpa Lu had discussed for resolving the Calamity Poison Body.

"To completely eradicate the Calamity Poison Body and turn it into something you can use, the best method is to find a suitable Heavenly Flame for you. With the power of the flame, we can refine the myriad poisons within your body into a 'Poison Core' that you can control freely. I've already chosen the target for you: the Netherworld Poison Flame, ranked twentieth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking."

He also told Xiao Yi Xian that he would refine a Xuanmen Clear Spirit Pill for her, helping her purify her poison body and completely transform that tyrannical poison power into her own strength.

Hearing everything Xiao Yao had planned for her, Xiao Yi Xian's heart melted completely. Sweetness and gratitude wrapped around her entire being.

That night, the sky was filled with stars.

Xiao Yao was sitting cross-legged in meditation inside his small tent.

Suddenly, a delicate hand gently lifted the tent flap.

Xiao Yi Xian wore a thin white nightgown. Her pretty face was flushed red, and she bit her lip as she walked step by step toward his bed.

Under Xiao Yao's surprised gaze, she actually gathered her courage and climbed onto his bed. Like a docile kitten, she straddled him.

She lowered herself, her warm breath brushing his ear, and said in a voice as soft as a mosquito's buzz, yet enough to drive any man mad:

"Xiao Yao... take me."

Boom!

Xiao Yao felt his blood rush straight to his head!

He abruptly rolled over and took control. Looking at the bashful expression of the breathtaking beauty beneath him, he could not help swallowing. But then he remembered something.

In the end, he could only forcibly suppress the flames rising within his heart. He reached out and gently embraced her soft body.

"Fool..." His voice was tinged with hoarseness. "Not yet."

"Your body is still too weak. My physical body has been tempered by Heavenly Thunder and is already far beyond ordinary... You can't withstand me. Once you grow stronger, even if you beg for mercy, I won't let you go!"

Hearing that, Xiao Yi Xian's face flushed so red it seemed ready to bleed. She did not persist. She merely buried her head tightly against Xiao Yao's chest and said with a nearly inaudible yet resolute voice:

"I... I'll cultivate hard!"