Take Xiao Yi Xian as My Disciple

Ye Xiu stood where he was, pondering for a while, then said, "I just figured something out."

Xiao Yi Xian looked up at him. "What?"

"Your Woe Poison Body is a deadly constitution," Ye Xiu said. "The faster you cultivate, the more poison builds up. Sooner or later, you won't be able to keep it under control. Then you'll either poison yourself to death or kill everyone around you."

Xiao Yi Xian nodded.

She knew that better than anyone. The accident when she was a child had wiped out everyone in her village. She would never forget it for as long as she lived.

"But," Ye Xiu continued after a pause, "when I touched you just now, I found that my constitution can absorb your poison."

Xiao Yi Xian froze.

"After I absorb it, the poison circulates through my body and turns into something purer, which I can then return to you," Ye Xiu said. "In other words, if we cultivate together regularly from now on, not only will you cultivate faster, but we'll also be able to reduce the risk of your poison body turning on you. My own Dou Qi will circulate much faster than usual, too."

"Cultivate together..." After hearing this, Xiao Yi Xian looked up. Her eyes were a little red, but she was smiling. "Senior, you mean..."

"I want to take you with me," Ye Xiu said. "Are you willing to come?"

The answer she had hoped for filled Xiao Yi Xian with such joy that her mind went blank.

She looked at the young man before her, her heart in turmoil.

For so many years, she had kept her distance from others, afraid to get too close in case her poison body flared up and hurt them. She had lived alone in Qingshan Town, treating people and gathering herbs, letting the days pass one by one.

Now, someone had suddenly told her that he could control her poison body and take her with him.

Xiao Yi Xian said, "Senior, I... Can someone like me really go with you?"

"What kind of person are you?" Ye Xiu asked.

Xiao Yi Xian lowered her head. "With my constitution, what if one day..."

"There are no what-ifs," Ye Xiu cut her off. "If I say I can keep it under control, then I can. If you don't believe me, just pretend I never said it."

"I believe you!" Xiao Yi Xian hurriedly looked up. "I do!"

She stood and took a step forward, then stopped, her face turning bright red. "Senior, I... I'm willing to go with you."

Ye Xiu nodded. "All right. It's settled, then."

Xiao Yi Xian stood there as tears trickled down her cheeks, yet her smile bloomed like a flower.

Seeing her like that, Ye Xiu wasn't quite sure what to say.

After a while, he spoke up. "There's one more thing."

Xiao Yi Xian wiped away her tears. "Please, go ahead, Senior."

"We'll probably have to spend a lot of time together cultivating," Ye Xiu said. "Calling me 'Senior' all the time would be awkward. How about I take you as my disciple? You can call me Master from now on."

Becoming the disciple of a Dou Wang was something Xiao Yi Xian had never dared to imagine.

She looked at Ye Xiu, her heart filled with excitement.

But amid that excitement, she also felt the tiniest bit of regret.

Could she only be his disciple...?

But Xiao Yi Xian knew she shouldn't be greedy. She was just a little apothecary; becoming a Dou Wang's disciple was already an incredible stroke of luck.

She bit her lip and said softly, "Master..."

"Mm," Ye Xiu replied.

Xiao Yi Xian lowered her head, and the complicated feelings in her heart were soon overtaken by others.

"All right," Ye Xiu said, waving his hand. "Pack your things. We'll leave in a bit."

Xiao Yi Xian nodded vigorously and ran inside to pack.

Ten minutes later.

Xiao Yi Xian stood in the courtyard with a small bundle on her back, looking at Ye Xiu.

"That's all you're bringing?" Ye Xiu asked.

"Mm." Xiao Yi Xian nodded. "There's nothing else worth taking."

Ye Xiu said nothing more. He walked over and picked her up in his arms.

Xiao Yi Xian stiffened, her face turning bright red.

Before she could react, a pair of purple-gold flame wings burst open behind Ye Xiu with a roar. He pushed off the ground, and they shot into the sky.

"Ah—!"

Frightened, Xiao Yi Xian squeezed her eyes shut and instinctively wrapped both arms around Ye Xiu's neck.

The wind roared past her ears. She felt herself soaring higher and higher.

After a while, she cautiously opened one eye.

Below them stretched an endless forest, growing smaller and more distant. Above was a brilliant blue sky, with clouds drifting right beside them.

She slowly opened both eyes, taking in everything around her, her eyes shining.

"Master..." she said softly.

"Mm?"

"Where are we going?"

"Heiyan City," Ye Xiu said.

Heiyan City lay east of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, not too far from Qingshan Town. Ye Xiu carried Xiao Yi Xian there in a single day.

They landed outside the city gate, and Ye Xiu put away his wings.

Xiao Yi Xian was only a Dou Zhe, after all. Her legs were still a little unsteady once she was on the ground, so she held onto Ye Xiu's arm and took a moment to recover.

"Are you all right?" Ye Xiu asked.

"I-I'm fine." Xiao Yi Xian took a deep breath and looked up at the city gate before them.

Heiyan City was far bigger than Qingshan Town, even larger than Wutan City. Its walls were tall and thick, and people streamed through the gates in both directions. There were merchant caravans, mercenaries, well-dressed wealthy merchants, and herb gatherers carrying baskets on their backs.

Ye Xiu led Xiao Yi Xian into the city.

The streets were bustling, with shops of every kind lining both sides. Xiao Yi Xian looked around so eagerly that she hardly knew where to look.

"Master, what are we doing in Heiyan City?" she asked.

"Going to the Alchemist Guild," Ye Xiu said.

"The Alchemist Guild?" Xiao Yi Xian was taken aback. "Master, are you an Alchemist?"

"Mm."

"Oh. Master, what rank Alchemist are you? Could you tell your disciple?"

Ye Xiu thought for a moment. "Fifth rank."

Xiao Yi Xian stopped in her tracks, nearly losing her balance.

She looked up at Ye Xiu, her eyes almost popping out of her head.

Fifth rank?

There couldn't be more than a handful of fifth-rank Alchemists in the entire Jia Ma Empire!

And her Master was only fifteen or sixteen, right?

"M-Master..." Xiao Yi Xian stammered. "You're not joking, are you?"

Ye Xiu glanced at her. "Do I look like someone who jokes around?"

Xiao Yi Xian shook her head.

He didn't.

She knew Ye Xiu never joked around.

She swallowed, the complicated feelings rising in her heart once again.

A fifth-rank Alchemist.

A Dou Wang expert.

And so young.

Someone this powerful was actually her Master!

Xiao Yi Xian followed Ye Xiu onward, stealing curious glances at him as all sorts of thoughts swirled through her mind.

The Alchemist Guild was in the eastern part of Heiyan City, housed in an imposing building.

People came and went at the entrance, most of them wearing Alchemist robes with wave patterns embroidered on their sleeves. One wave meant first rank, and two meant second rank.

Ye Xiu led Xiao Yi Xian inside.

The hall was quite spacious. A row of counters stood on the left, where people were handling registration. On the right were several chairs occupied by Alchemists waiting their turn. A staircase directly across from them led to the second floor.