Xiao Yi Xian's Hug

With Lin Ze's reassurance and support, Xiao Yi Xian felt a weight lift from her shoulders.

"Lin Ze, thank you so much! Maybe the luckiest thing that's ever happened to me was meeting you, getting to know you, and becoming your friend."

"Haha, you're exaggerating. Life is long, and there are plenty of wonderful things ahead. Still, I'm honored!"

Lin Ze laughed as he spoke to Xiao Yi Xian.

"Have you decided to try consuming poison? Would you like me to stay and keep watch?"

Xiao Yi Xian was taken aback. She hadn't expected Lin Ze to be so accepting of the Woeful Poison Body.

It seemed her earlier hesitation had been completely unnecessary.

The main reason Xiao Yi Xian had hesitated was that she feared Lin Ze would be frightened and distance himself from her once he learned she had the Woeful Poison Body.

But now Lin Ze had offered to protect her while she took the poison.

Clearly, what he'd said earlier hadn't been empty words. He'd meant them from the bottom of his heart.

Seeing how sincere and candid Lin Ze was, Xiao Yi Xian hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"This is my first time trying poison. If anything dangerous happens, Lin Ze, promise me you'll get away from me immediately!"

Xiao Yi Xian's expression was serious, and her eyes held a trace of pleading.

"I'll be careful."

"But since it's your first time, it'd be best to choose a poison with a mild effect, and take only a small amount."

"Take it one step at a time."

Hearing his caring advice, Xiao Yi Xian smiled.

"Got it."

Xiao Yi Xian took a packet of medicinal powder from her Storage Ring and explained to Lin Ze,

"Inhaling this powder will paralyze the body. In large quantities, it can even stop the heart!"

Lin Ze nodded slightly. "Be careful."

Under Lin Ze's watchful gaze, Xiao Yi Xian dabbed a little of the powder with her slender, jade-white finger and slowly brought it to her lips.

Feeling Lin Ze's gaze on her, Xiao Yi Xian was suddenly overcome by an impulse. She stuck out her soft pink tongue and gently licked the powder from her finger.

When she came to her senses and realized what she was doing, Xiao Yi Xian hurriedly lowered her head, her pretty face flushing crimson.

Had she really just imitated the seductive gestures those women in the tavern used to enchant men, and done it in front of Lin Ze?!

Xiao Yi Xian's heart pounded like a startled fawn.

She frantically prayed that Lin Ze wouldn't realize what her gesture had meant.

But just then, Lin Ze's voice reached her, making her body tremble slightly.

"Is this powder really that potent? Why is your face so red?"

Lin Ze was at a loss. After all, he really knew nothing about poisons.

Hearing his question, Xiao Yi Xian hurriedly shook her head.

She carefully sensed what was happening inside her body.

The poison should have been enough to paralyze someone even in a small dose, but after entering her body, it caused her no discomfort at all.

Instead, through the strange effect of her constitution, its toxicity transformed into a peculiar kind of Dou Qi.

Was this the Poison Dou Qi described in the Seven Colored Poison Scripture?!

Feeling that utterly different Poison Dou Qi within her, Xiao Yi Xian slowly let out a breath and raised her head to look at Lin Ze.

"Lin Ze, I did it."

"Congratulations. Now that you've awakened the Woeful Poison Body, I imagine you'll soon surpass me."

A trace of bitterness crossed Xiao Yi Xian's face. She was about to say she'd rather not have the Woeful Poison Body, but then she remembered what Lin Ze had said earlier:

Since heaven had given her the Woeful Poison Body and she couldn't change that, she should try to accept it.

Xiao Yi Xian nodded and said with a grin,

"Then you'd better train hard. I'll be waiting for you up ahead, so try to catch up!"

Hearing her say that, Lin Ze couldn't help but smile.

"Now you're the one trying to catch up!"

Xiao Yi Xian tipped up her dainty nose and gave a couple of huffs.

"Once we graduate from Jia Nan Academy, we could travel the continent and search for the ruins left behind by past Woeful Poison Body bearers."

"With so many of them, surely one must have discovered a better way to control it. Maybe that could suppress the Woeful Poison Body's outbursts."

"Of course, just like you said, Lin Ze, even if none of my predecessors found a better way to control it, I'll create one myself!"

Xiao Yi Xian spoke with determination.

Seeing her like this, Lin Ze smiled.

Unlike in the Original Work, where Xiao Yi Xian had initially resisted the Woeful Poison Body and even hated herself for being unable to control her urge to consume poison, the Xiao Yi Xian before him was trying to accept it, just as Lin Ze had suggested. If she couldn't change it, she might as well try to accept it.

"Even though you've awakened the Woeful Poison Body, you still need to consume poison in moderation—or rather, in small amounts."

"The Woeful Poison Body isn't absolutely invulnerable to poison. Otherwise, so many bearers wouldn't have been unable to suppress the poison inside them."

Hearing Lin Ze's warning, Xiao Yi Xian sobered, her expression turning solemn.

"I understand."

"Lin Ze, I have a favor to ask. Could you keep an eye on me? I might lose control..."

Xiao Yi Xian had read the section of the Seven Colored Poison Scripture about the Woeful Poison Body over and over again.

She now understood its condition much better.

Sometimes, a bearer of the Woeful Poison Body could lose their senses.

It was precisely this loss of control that had caused Woeful Poison Body bearers to bring about so many disasters.

Otherwise, it wasn't as if every bearer of the Woeful Poison Body had been a bloodthirsty fiend, was it?

"All right. We'll work out a plan together and figure out the best way for you to consume poison."

Lin Ze smiled and nodded.

The light in the room gradually dimmed, and Lin Ze stood up. He said to Xiao Yi Xian,

"It's getting late. Get some rest. We have to gather in the square early tomorrow."

Lin Ze turned and waved to Xiao Yi Xian as he walked toward the door.

A rush of footsteps sounded behind him.

Then Lin Ze felt two soft mounds press against his back.

They seemed almost flattened from the force of the embrace.

Feeling their softness, Lin Ze's heart skipped a beat, and his breathing grew slightly uneven.

Xiao Yi Xian hugged him from behind and buried her face against his not-so-broad back. Her voice came out muffled.

"Lin Ze, thank you so much."

Hearing Xiao Yi Xian's heartfelt thanks, Lin Ze took a deep breath to calm the restlessness inside him, then gently patted her jade-white hands clasped around his waist.

"Isn't it normal for friends to help each other?"

"Mhm!" Xiao Yi Xian nodded, deeply moved.

But in their current position, it was more like she was rubbing herself against Lin Ze's back.

"And... I can feel how you feel about me too... You're so soft..."

As Xiao Yi Xian listened, she suddenly realized something was wrong.

How could feelings be soft?

"Ah!"

Xiao Yi Xian caught on and let out a soft cry, releasing her arms from around Lin Ze.

Her face flushed with embarrassment, and she gave Lin Ze a light, reproachful spit.

"Pervert!"