Battle Through the Heavens: Obtaining the Extraction System at the Start

Hearing Xiao Ling say that there was a way to resolve the side effects of the Calamity Poison Body, Xiao Yi Xian's emotions settled slightly. She impatiently asked Xiao Ling, "What method is it? Can you tell me?"

Nodding, Xiao Ling looked at Xiao Yi Xian and calmly explained, "There are two methods I know of that can resolve the side effects of the Calamity Poison Body. The first is the Heavenly Flame method. As long as you can subdue one of the Yin Yang Twin Flames, Three Thousand Burning Flame, or Flame of Life, it can grant you immense vitality. Even if the side effects of the poison body erupt, its powerful restorative abilities should be enough to preserve your life. There is another Heavenly Flame called the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame. It possesses the ability to purify all things. Anything touched by even the slightest trace of it will be purified into nothingness. If you can subdue the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, you can first use the Calamity Poison Body to raise your cultivation, then directly use the flame to purify the toxins once they accumulate to a certain point. The Heavenly Flame most suitable for you, however, is the Nether Poison Flame. Filled with toxicity, it can absolutely be said to be the Heavenly Flame most compatible with the Calamity Poison Body. The Nether Poison Flame's poison can accelerate the growth of a Calamity Poison Body's owner, while the poison body erupts because the toxins within the body accumulate to a certain extent. The Nether Poison Flame can instead use those toxins gathered by the Calamity Poison Body to grow. Thus, the Nether Poison Flame and the Calamity Poison Body complement each other. The second method is the Poison Pill Method. It gathers all the toxins accumulated within the body and ultimately forms them into a Poison Pill. Once the Poison Pill is formed, the Calamity Poison Body will become a truly terrifying constitution, free from all restraint. Refining a Poison Pill requires three things: three different Heavenly Flames, the Monster Core of a Seventh-tier Sky Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast, and Bodhi Body Saliva."

After hearing Xiao Ling's two methods, Xiao Yi Xian felt as if her brain had grown bigger. She had seen Heavenly Flames mentioned in books about Alchemists before, but she had no idea which Heavenly Flames existed or what effects they possessed. As for the Poison Pill Method, setting aside the need for three Heavenly Flames, a seventh-tier Monster Core should be equivalent to that of a human Dou Zong expert, right? And that thing called Bodhi Body Saliva—she had never even heard of it.

Seeing the confusion on Xiao Yi Xian's face, Xiao Ling knew that she had probably never heard of these things. After all, Xiao Yi Xian was merely a physician from Qingshan Town. Most Dou Emperors might not even recognize all the items Xiao Ling had mentioned. Hai Bodong, who had only recently recovered his Dou Emperor cultivation, certainly would not recognize Bodhi Body Saliva.

Thus, Xiao Ling became like a teacher instructing a student and began giving Xiao Yi Xian a lesson, explaining in simple terms the origins and effects of the materials he had just mentioned.

After hearing Xiao Ling's explanation, Xiao Yi Xian felt rather speechless. Now that she understood the value of these items, she felt that there was simply no way she could gather all the materials. To resolve or resist the side effects of the Calamity Poison Body, she needed at least one Heavenly Flame. Of the flames Xiao Ling had mentioned, the only one whose whereabouts were known was the Three Thousand Burning Flame imprisoned within the Danta of the Central Plains. Setting aside whether she could even travel from the remote Northwest Continent to the Danta in the Central Plains, even if she arrived there, she was not an Alchemist and would have no chance of subduing the Three Thousand Burning Flame. As for snatching it from the Danta, she did not even dare entertain such a thought. Xiao Ling had said that the Danta had a Dou Saint ancestor guarding it. No matter how heaven-defying the Calamity Poison Body's talent was, its side effects would emerge upon reaching the Dou Venerate realm. With that little strength, she would not even be worth one of their fingers.

Seeing Xiao Yi Xian looking so lacking in confidence, Xiao Ling knew it was time to start luring her in.

Xiao Ling walked before Xiao Yi Xian and gazed at her somewhat haggard yet pretty face. "Although resolving the side effects of the Calamity Poison Body is difficult, it is not without hope. As long as you stay by my side, I will do everything I can to gather the materials you need. I have already obtained two Heavenly Flames, and I also know some information about other Heavenly Flames. Once I possess sufficient strength, obtaining a third Heavenly Flame will not be difficult. I also know of forces that possess Bodhi Body Saliva. As long as we offer treasures of sufficient value, we can trade for it. As for the Monster Core of a Seventh-tier Sky Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast, we can go to the Central Plains, find where the Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beasts live, kill a seventh-tier one, and take its Monster Core."

To make his words more convincing, Xiao Ling briefly released the Green Lotus Core Flame before storing it back in the System Space. Then he spread open his palm and summoned the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame from within his body.

Xiao Yi Xian, who had originally felt that her life held no more hope, listened to Xiao Ling's account and personally witnessed him summon two Heavenly Flames. An inexplicable illusion arose in her heart: as long as she followed Xiao Ling, she would be able to resolve the Calamity Poison Body's side effects.

After hesitating briefly, Xiao Yi Xian asked, "Since you are willing to help me resolve the side effects of the Calamity Poison Body, what do I need to do for you? I promised you before that as long as you could help me resolve its side effects, I would agree to anything you asked. Could it be that you want..." By this point, Xiao Yi Xian's ears had already turned red. Only now did she remember that, in her emotional state earlier, she had spoken without thinking. Could this Xiao Ling truly be the sort of lecherous man...

Xiao Ling hurriedly waved his hands. "Don't get the wrong idea about me. I'm not the kind of person who cannot walk when he sees a beautiful woman. The main reason I want to help you is because I value the terrifying cultivation talent of your Calamity Poison Body. If you can successfully condense a Poison Pill, the Calamity Poison Body will become a truly terrifying constitution, free from restraint. Cultivating to the Dou Saint realm would not be difficult."

"Medicine and poison are inseparable. Medicinal herbs possess both medicinal properties and toxicity. Unless you never touch medicinal herbs again, the moment you accidentally consume even a tiny amount, your poison body will awaken. Once it does, the more poisonous the poison, the greater its allure to you—comparable to the attraction Heavenly Flames hold for Alchemists. You have nowhere else to go now, so you might as well stay by my side and search with me for the materials needed for the Poison Pill Method. You can also take a look at the vast world beyond Qingshan Town." Xiao Ling looked at Xiao Yi Xian, his tone earnest.

After hesitating for a while, Xiao Yi Xian fixed her gaze on Xiao Ling. "I... I'm willing to stay by your side..."

Although she only wanted to be an ordinary physician in Qingshan Town, if she wanted to resolve the Calamity Poison Body's side effects, she could only follow Xiao Ling and seek those materials.

Having received the answer he wanted, Xiao Ling inwardly sighed in relief. Compared with the future Heavenly Poison Girl who would dominate an entire region, Xiao Ling preferred the current innocent and kind Xiao Yi Xian.

Wanting to protect the girl's pure heart—perhaps that was his damned protective instinct.

"Since you have agreed to my proposal, we will be companions from now on. But I still need to make something clear in advance. Once you follow me, you must listen to my arrangements." Xiao Ling smiled at Xiao Yi Xian.

Hearing this, Xiao Yi Xian nodded. She felt that such a request was quite reasonable. She could not take someone else's benefits for nothing without doing anything in return.

Glancing at Xiao Yi Xian's somewhat bulging backpack, Xiao Ling searched around himself and took out a Ring.

Xiao Ling handed it to Xiao Yi Xian and pointed at the backpack on her body. "It seems you do not have a Storage Ring yet. Use this one for the time being. Once we reach the Jia Ma Imperial Capital, I'll buy you one of better quality."

"This Ring also contains some pills and medicinal liquids that can speed up Dou Qi cultivation. Although I wanted to take you with me because you possess the Calamity Poison Body, I will not force you to do anything you dislike. If you do not want to awaken the Calamity Poison Body yet, use these pills for cultivation instead. Besides, no one in the Jia Ma Empire can threaten me at present. You do not need to absorb poison and rapidly increase your cultivation. With these pills, even without awakening the Calamity Poison Body, reaching the Dou Zhe realm will not take long."

Extending a slender jade-like hand, Xiao Yi Xian took the Ring Xiao Ling had offered her. Somewhat awkwardly, she said, "Thank you..."

After putting the Ring on her finger, Xiao Ling began teaching Xiao Yi Xian how to use it to store objects.

Before long, Xiao Yi Xian had stored the backpack on her back, as well as the gold, silver, and treasures inside the stone chamber, into the Ring Xiao Ling had given her.

After Xiao Yi Xian had placed all the valuable items in the stone chamber into the Ring, Xiao Ling looked at her and curiously asked, "Xiao Yi Xian, is there anything else in the Myriad Medicine House that you need to take with you?"

Xiao Yi Xian first nodded, then shook her head. "I do not have anything else I need to take. But Mr. Yao of the Myriad Medicine House did take me in. Now that I'm leaving the Myriad Medicine House, I should at least tell him."

"In that case, I should meet this Mr. Yao. Time is of the essence. Let's set out now." With that, Xiao Ling began walking toward the cave entrance. Qing Lin and Zi Yan followed on either side, each holding one of Xiao Ling's hands.

Although he did not know what motives Mr. Yao of the Myriad Medicine House had for taking in Xiao Yi Xian, he had extended a helping hand when she needed it. Since Mr. Yao had not done anything harmful to her, that kindness still had to be repaid.

Seeing the three of them prepare to leave, Xiao Yi Xian also took light steps and followed behind them.

After chatting for a while in the cave passage, the four arrived at the cave entrance.

Xiao Ling opened his arms toward Xiao Yi Xian. Seeing the confusion in her eyes, he explained, "You're a little taller than Zi Yan, so it would be inconvenient for her to carry you while flying. This time, I'll take you back to Qingshan Town."

Turning her head to glance at Zi Yan and Qing Lin, who had already flown away, Xiao Yi Xian felt rather speechless. You did not leave me any choice at all.

Suddenly, an idea flashed through Xiao Yi Xian's mind. Her eyes shifted, and she did not walk toward Xiao Ling.

Under Xiao Ling's puzzled gaze, Xiao Yi Xian walked to the edge of the cliff and blew several whistles toward the valley outside.

Not long afterward, a first-tier Blue Eagle flew before Xiao Yi Xian and affectionately rubbed its cheek against hers.

Turning back, Xiao Yi Xian smiled smugly at Xiao Ling. "This is my friend, Little Blue. I met it while gathering herbs outside once. It was injured at the time and was very wary of me. Later, I healed its injuries, and we became good friends."

After stroking the Blue Eagle's head, Xiao Yi Xian flipped onto its back and waved at Xiao Ling. "Little Blue, take me back to Qingshan Town."

As soon as she spoke, the Blue Eagle flapped its wings, stirring up a gust of wind as it flew toward Qingshan Town.

Seeing this, Xiao Ling helplessly shook his head. He truly had no improper intentions. He had merely felt that it was unsuitable for Zi Yan to carry Xiao Yi Xian, who was taller than her.

He then unfolded a pair of golden Dou Qi Wings, transformed into a streak of light, and followed behind the Blue Eagle.

Qingshan Town.

Outside the Myriad Medicine House.

As Xiao Ling led the three girls toward the shop, the surrounding crowd hurriedly made way, not daring to approach them in the slightest.

After the four entered the Myriad Medicine House, the empty space was quickly filled again. The passersby watched Xiao Ling and the others with reverent eyes.

Among those four were two experts who had reached the Dou Wang realm. In this tiny Qingshan Town, the strongest people were merely at the Dou Shi realm. Before such great figures, they were nothing more than ants.

"It seems Xiao Yi Xian really caught the eye of some great figure," someone in the crowd whispered.

"If only I had a face as pretty as Xiao Yi Xian's. Maybe these great figures would take a liking to me and bring me away too," said a somewhat attractive woman.

Just as Xiao Ling and the other three entered the Myriad Medicine House, a middle-aged man dressed in black-and-white robes stepped before Xiao Ling.

He deeply bowed to the four of them, glanced at Xiao Yi Xian without seeming to mean to, and asked Xiao Ling, "Your honored arrival truly brings glory to this humble shop. If there is anything you fancy, please take it as you wish."

Xiao Ling gave Mr. Yao an indifferent glance, took out a Porcelain Bottle from his Ring, and placed it on the counter. "I'm taking Xiao Yi Xian with me. There are three Second-grade Pills inside. Consider them payment for taking care of Xiao Yi Xian all these years. From this day onward, Xiao Yi Xian will have no further ties with your Myriad Medicine House."

It was not that Xiao Ling was unwilling to give more, but he feared that if Mr. Yao received something of greater value, he might attract unnecessary trouble.

Mr. Yao was also a sensible man. Knowing that the Myriad Medicine House could not keep Xiao Yi Xian, he stored the pills in his Ring.

"Let's go. Our next destination is the Jia Ma Imperial Capital..."

As news of Xiao Ling's return to the Jia Ma Empire gradually spread, families large and small throughout the Imperial Capital also learned of it.

Because Xiao Ling had not concealed himself when he appeared at Town Ghost Pass that day, many ordinary people who had never heard of him before gained a preliminary understanding of this youth known as the "greatest genius of the Jia Ma Empire in a thousand years."

Some time after Xiao Ling returned to the Jia Ma Empire, the Xiao Family, which had been forced to leave the Imperial Capital over a decade ago after the old family head Xiao Lin was injured and died, causing the family's strength to plummet, returned to the Jia Ma Imperial Capital due to Xiao Ling's powerful rise.

Furthermore, because Xiao Ling was a distinguished Sixth-grade Alchemist, the Xiao Family's status even showed signs of surpassing its former peak.

Several days earlier, Hai Bodong, the Ice Emperor and one of the previous generation's Top Ten Experts of the Jia Ma Empire, returned to the Imperial Capital and sparred with Jia Xing Tian, the Imperial Guardian. This also made the long-peaceful Imperial Capital lively once more.

Although no one knew the outcome of that battle between Dou Emperors, Hai Bodong's return meant that the Mite'er Family had gained another Dou Emperor-level combatant.

The Mite'er Family, originally the weakest of the Imperial Capital's three great families, leaped into becoming a top power within the Jia Ma Empire, second only to the imperial family and the Misty Cloud Sect.

Moreover, observant people noticed that after the Mite'er Family's Grand Elder, Hai Bodong, returned to the Imperial Capital, he had often been quite intimate with the Xiao Family, which had just moved back into the city.

Not only had he provided considerable help to the Xiao Family upon its return to the Imperial Capital, allowing it to regain its footing there smoothly, but he had also publicly declared that the Mite'er Family was the Xiao Family's most steadfast ally.

Seeing Hai Bodong treat the Xiao Family so favorably, the upper ranks of the major powers all began speculating. When they connected it with Hai Bodong's return to the Jia Ma Imperial Capital not long after Xiao Ling's return to the Jia Ma Empire, they could not possibly believe that the two had no connection at all.

Originally unfamiliar with the Imperial Capital, the Xiao Family had nevertheless gained a foothold within the Jia Ma Imperial Capital and become one of its top powers, thanks to Hai Bodong leading the Mite'er Family in fully supporting them and their longstanding friendship with the Nalan Family—even though the legendary genius Xiao Ling had yet to return to the Xiao Family.

The sky was like a blue canvas, adorned with white clouds and sunlight, reflecting endless vastness and freedom.

Among layers of white clouds, a slender black shadow stood out. It tore through the clouds ahead at tremendous speed, leaving behind a bright blue trail.

Xiao Ling stood atop Void Dragon's head. The oncoming air currents could not affect him in the slightest, while his long blue-silver hair fluttered in the wind, glimmering beneath the sunlight.

Beside Xiao Ling, Qing Lin swept her wind-tousled hair behind her ear and looked ahead. A city, faintly visible in the distance, entered her sight.

"Young Master, is that city ahead the Imperial Capital of the Jia Ma Empire?" Qing Lin turned to Xiao Ling, her face full of curiosity.

"Yes, that is the Imperial Capital. My family should have moved there by now." Xiao Ling nodded faintly as he looked at the city appearing in his view, feeling rather emotional.

After transmigrating to the Dou Qi Continent for so many years, this was Xiao Ling's first visit to the Jia Ma Empire's Imperial Capital. He was about to return to his family, and his emotions could not help but stir.

Zi Yan and Xiao Yi Xian, who were behind them, heard their conversation and moved closer, both looking ahead.

Although Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin had been born in the Jia Ma Empire, they had only ever heard of the Imperial Capital. Zi Yan had lived in the Magical Beast Mountain Range since she could remember, only later following Grand Elder Su Qian into the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy. She too was quite curious about a great city like the Jia Ma Imperial Capital.

As Void Dragon flew swiftly onward, the indistinct city gradually became clearer in everyone's vision.

The grandeur of its city walls formed a striking contrast with the natural scenery around it, further highlighting its unique charm and historical significance.

The streets teemed with people, like the beating pulse of the city. Hurried crowds flowed endlessly through streets and alleys like surging rivers of humanity.

As the Imperial Capital of the Jia Ma Empire, it gathered all the major forces of the empire. After countless years of accumulation, its exquisite and prosperous buildings also exuded an ancient, weathered aura.

Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin had never seen such a sight and were both stunned by the scene before them. Even Zi Yan and Xiao Ling, who had lived in Jia Nan Academy, could not help sighing at the prosperity of this holy city.

Just then, Zi Yan sniffed the air, pointed ahead, and excitedly said, "Xiao Ling, Xiao Ling! I can sense the aura of so many rare medicinal herbs in that city ahead. Let's go steal them together later! I'll give you half!"

Xiao Ling rubbed Zi Yan's little head and looked at her helplessly. "Zi Yan, those medicinal herbs are treasured possessions of other factions. Every one of them already has an owner. This isn't the Black Corner Region. If you see something that belongs to someone else, you cannot simply go up and snatch it."

Back when they lived in Jia Nan Academy, Zi Yan would occasionally go to the Black Corner Region. Whenever she took a liking to someone else's belongings, she would forcibly take them away. Relying on Zi Yan's unique spatial talent and the fact that her activities never took her far from Jia Nan Academy, where none of the local forces had experts capable of threatening her, Zi Yan often managed to obtain rare medicinal herbs.

Because the people of the Black Corner Region were all vicious criminals, Su Qian had not stopped Zi Yan from doing this. However, now that they were in the Jia Ma Empire, these people had not provoked Xiao Ling. Directly snatching medicinal herbs from them was truly inappropriate. If others learned of it, who knew how they would speak of him?

Upon hearing Xiao Ling's words, Zi Yan's face immediately fell. She could sense so many rare medicinal herbs but could not take them away, which made her feel miserable. "Those medicinal herbs are useless just sitting in their warehouses. They might as well all let me eat them, so I can grow up faster."