"Why did you only come now?"
Xiao Yi Xian complained a little when she saw Liu Yan. She was at a crucial stage of cultivation and had planned to charge ahead in one go!
Liu Yan said awkwardly, "Too many people have asked me to refine pills for them over the years, so I've accumulated quite a lot of things."
Xiao Yi Xian shook her head at that. She had nearly forgotten just how sought-after alchemists were.
Xiao Yi Xian waved her hand and had Xiao Lan land on Chi Han's back. With a low roar, Chi Han spread his wings, spanning a hundred meters, and flew toward the Cold Pool.
Liu Yan, riding on Chi Han's back, was even more astonished by Xiao Yi Xian's abilities. To make a Dou Wang-level magical beast obey her like this, he had truly chosen the right person to follow.
Xiao Yi Xian patted Xiao Lan's head and said to Liu Yan beside her, "This is our companion, Chi Han. We'll be staying here for quite some time."
Chi Han was secretly delighted to hear his master call him a companion. He turned his head and greeted Liu Yan, saying, "I'm Chi Han. Please take care of me from now on."
Though Liu Yan was somewhat frightened by the snake head before him, he still smiled and said, "I'm Liu Yan. Brother Chi, please take care of me as well."
Liu Yan looked at the Twin-Winged White Crystal Snake before him, which had introduced itself as "Chi Yan." He had once researched this magical beast.
The Twin-Winged White Crystal Snake possessed a faint trace of the ancient Dragon Clan's bloodline. Given enough opportunity, even reaching the Dou Emperor realm would not be impossible.
Xiao Yi Xian tossed Liu Yan a book. "This is a Fifth-grade Medicine Master's notes. Study it carefully. We'll be staying here for a long time."
Liu Yan's entire body trembled uncontrollably as he held the notes before him. These were the notes of a Fifth-grade Alchemist. He was already over fifty years old.
He had entered the ranks of a Fourth-grade Alchemist at thirty-nine. He had thought he would soar from then on, yet eleven years later, he was still stuck at the fourth grade.
He had believed this was all his life would amount to, and had even taken on an apprentice. Now, the possibility of advancing further lay in his hands. How could he not be excited?
"Thank you, Miss!"
Liu Yan respectfully dropped to one knee before Xiao Yi Xian.
Xiao Yi Xian waved her hand. Medicine Elder had given her these notes, saying that this Medicine Master had been stuck at the fourth grade for a long time. Giving him the notes would let him advance further and, in passing, allow him to help her more.
After all, with Medicine Elder no longer by her side, she could not help but worry when she was alone. Medicine Elder had even feared that a Fourth-grade Alchemist would not be much help, which was why he had given her these notes.
Chi Han watched the scene with envy. At the same time, he was shocked that Xiao Yi Xian could casually give away the notes of a Fifth-grade Medicine Master.
And now that their group had a Fourth-grade Alchemist, he could ask Liu Yan to refine pills for him whenever needed.
He had been desperately craving human pills...
The area around the Cold Pool seemed to return to how it had been before. Xiao Yi Xian sat cross-legged within the pool, absorbing the Cold Poison.
However, from a small house not far away, the sounds of exploding cauldrons rang out from time to time.
"Cough, cough!"
Liu Yan emerged from the thick smoke, his handsome middle-aged face blackened like charcoal, making Chi Han want to laugh.
"I wonder, Brother Liu, did you advance to a Fifth-grade Alchemist this time?" Chi Han's somewhat handsome snake head leaned toward Liu Yan.
During this period, Liu Yan had constantly been studying the Fifth-grade Alchemist's notes. Including this time, he had already blown up three cauldrons.
At first, Chi Han had thought this man was incredibly impressive. He guessed that Liu Yan had definitely failed again this time...
Liu Yan saw the consoling look in Chi Han's eyes and grew so angry that he nearly lost his breath. Furiously, he took out a fifth-grade pill and said, "This old man has already advanced to a Fifth-grade Alchemist!"
The fifth-grade pill in Liu Yan's hand emitted a dense medicinal fragrance. Just a whiff was enough to raise Chi Han's cultivation slightly.
"Hehe, Brother Liu, I was wrong just now. I'll go gather medicinal ingredients for you. Help me refine some pills, will you?"
Chi Han shamelessly sidled up to Liu Yan, and his suggestive gaze gave Liu Yan goosebumps all over.
"Fine. We'll do things according to a Medicine Master's rules!"
Liu Yan could not stand Chi Han acting like that, but having just entered the fifth grade, he also needed more medicinal ingredients to practice with.
"Roar!"
With a roar, Chi Han spread his wings and swiftly carried Liu Yan toward his Treasure Pavilion. He could not wait to improve his cultivation either.
Compared to the farce over there, Xiao Yi Xian's condition was not particularly good either...
At that moment, Sword Qi and Poisonous Gas clashed within her body. One was incomparably sharp, while the other was lethally toxic. It was as though neither could stand the other.
Silver-white Sword Qi and purple Poisonous Gas roamed freely through her body. The issue that had not shown itself at the lower realms had now appeared.
A massive vortex formed around Xiao Yi Xian as the Cold Poison's aura surged wildly into it. Even the area around her emitted sharp Sword Qi and supremely toxic Poisonous Gas.
Cold sweat continuously beaded on Xiao Yi Xian's forehead. Her physical condition was far too terrible. The Calamity Poison Body had always been something beyond control.
Now, the Sword Qi was just as unruly. It was as if neither force thought much of the other...
"Hmph!"
Xiao Yi Xian let out a muffled groan, and streaks of blood slid from the corners of her lips.
Her body could no longer be described in any ordinary way. It was completely chaotic, like a pot of porridge.
If this continued, she would not even need to wait for Myriad Poisons Devouring the Body. These two forces would kill her first.
Just as Xiao Yi Xian was at her wits' end, the Sword Box on her back emitted a green glow, and the ever-renewing Creation Force poured into her body.
The Sword Qi and Poisonous Gas within her body seemed to be soothed. The two steadily merged with each other, as though they had reached a balance.
The hidden injuries in her body were completely healed, as though the previous crisis had never existed.
The Cold Poison around her was also absorbed by her in a steady cycle. Although she did not know what had happened, Xiao Yi Xian knew that the Sword Box itself had saved her.
She wondered what kind of tree this Sword Box had been made from. This Creation Force was so pure—could she somehow obtain more of it?
The vortex around Xiao Yi Xian continuously absorbed the Cold Poison, and her cultivation grew day by day. The spiritual liquid within her body also became increasingly dense.
One day after another passed...
Xiao Yi Xian had unknowingly sat cross-legged in the Cold Pool for nearly half a year. Her cultivation had now reached a critical point.
The liquid surrounding her energy vortex had filled her entire Dantian, while endless Poisonous Gas poured into it. Crack!
The barrier between Dou Shi and Da Dou Shi instantly shattered. Her condensed energy transformed into a solid, diamond-shaped form.
Xiao Yi Xian opened her eyes from cultivation. The aura of a Da Dou Shi spread from her body, while a suit of purple Fighting Armor appeared over her.
Xiao Yi Xian felt her own strength. Compared to before, it was like heaven and earth. Moreover, the Poisonous Gas within her seemed close to breaking the balance again, so she could only spend the next period stabilizing herself properly.
And by her calculations, Yun Yun's appearance should be drawing near as well!
Time was closing in bit by bit!
Before you continue