An Unconventional Dual Cultivation

Was there really a way?

Xiao Yi Xian's eyes were filled with hesitation.

Seeing there was hope, Gu Fengchen struck while the iron was hot. "Don't worry too much. I've read many ancient books. Although the Body of Calamitous Poison is terrifying, it's not without a solution. Rest assured, just do as I say, and I'll help you handle it."

"R-Really?"

Though she tried her best to appear more at ease, Xiao Yi Xian could not help staring at the young man. Her voice trembled slightly, and her eyes held anticipation, unease, and hesitation.

After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Yi Xian slowly nodded.

In truth, she had always been troubled by her constitution. To increase her strength, she had to consume poison, and those poisons held an innate temptation for her.

If he truly could solve the problems caused by her constitution, then it was worth trying.

In any case, it was only a trace amount of poison. Even if he was truly bragging, she had medicine that could purge the poison and would not put his life in danger.

With that thought, Xiao Yi Xian glanced at Gu Fengchen and added, "Y-You mustn't force yourself."

"Don't worry." Gu Fengchen revealed a reassuring smile.

Even if the Taotie Seal could not absorb it, he was not too worried about such toxins with the Three Thousand Burning Flame Body.

Xiao Yi Xian had never imagined that, after someone learned of her constitution, their first reaction would not be to avoid or reject her, but to find a way to help her solve it. Though he was only a stranger, Xiao Yi Xian felt a warmth she had never known before.

Collecting herself, Xiao Yi Xian pushed aside those complicated thoughts and took the initiative to draw out a thread of poison hidden deep within her body.

The instant that poison appeared, Gu Fengchen clearly felt the Taotie Seal grow scorching hot.

Sure enough, the Taotie Seal had no resistance whatsoever to poison transformed by the Body of Calamitous Poison.

In the next moment, Gu Fengchen's pupils abruptly became deep and ethereal, carrying a mysterious, lofty aura, as though galaxies were hidden within his eyes.

Three Thousand Burning Flame Body.

Under Xiao Yi Xian's watchful gaze, she felt the poison she had just activated within her body being absorbed by the young man before her.

Yet after absorbing it, his complexion did not change in the slightest.

There were no signs of poisoning, such as darkened lips.

One had to know that he was merely a Dou Practitioner.

The poison in her body was Mixed Poison, formed from countless poisons combined together. Even an ordinary Dou Shi would suffer severe injuries if they absorbed it.

Yet he was truly completely unharmed. That could not be casually explained away by merely saying his constitution was strong.

Could he truly help her resolve the negative effects of her special constitution?

At that thought, a glimmer of light flashed through Xiao Yi Xian's eyes.

For those with the Body of Calamitous Poison, the more potent the poison, the greater its attraction.

Some would even kill and rob others just to obtain deadly poison.

Naturally, Xiao Yi Xian would not do such a thing, but it was enough to show that the Body of Calamitous Poison's craving for poison was like that of an addict.

After learning of the terror of the Body of Calamitous Poison, Xiao Yi Xian had feared that one day it would truly erupt. At that time, if she could not control herself, countless innocent people might die.

According to the young man before her, each eruption of the poison body would be more severe than the last. If it could not be controlled in time, her own condition would become extremely dire, and she might not even live for many more years.

At that time, she would lose everything she had now.

She had never imagined that there was truly someone in this world who could help her.

At this very moment, Gu Fengchen was equally astonished.

After the poison stripped from Xiao Yi Xian's body entered his own, it rapidly refined into pure Dou Qi. As he absorbed the poison transmitted through the Body of Calamitous Poison, Gu Fengchen's strength rose slightly as well.

The Taotie Seal naturally would not devour ordinary poison, but such a precious constitution as the Body of Calamitous Poison was something it still found appealing.

At that moment, Gu Fengchen suddenly realized something. Xiao Yi Xian could continuously increase her strength by devouring poison, while he himself could increase his strength by helping Xiao Yi Xian absorb her excess poison.

Did this count as an unconventional form of dual cultivation?

This bug really seemed exploitable!

Xiao Yi Xian took medicine, while he absorbed Poison Dou Qi to strengthen himself and simultaneously removed the Debuff from her body.

In the future, Gu Fengchen would surely be able to grow stronger by devouring fire and attain Dao through medicine!

As for the poison needed for cultivation, aside from searching for it in the wilderness, perhaps he could ask at the Mitel Auction House.

"I never thought you could truly absorb the excess poisonous aura in my body. Oh, right, I still don't know your name." Xiao Yi Xian was still innocent at heart. Seeing that the problem which had plagued her for years could be cured, joy immediately appeared on her face, and her clear eyes stared unblinkingly at Gu Fengchen.

"Gu Feng." Gu Fengchen smiled, utterly composed. He did not reveal his full name.

Just then, a commotion suddenly arose outside.

Xiao Yi Xian seemed to know who had arrived. Her cool brows immediately furrowed, and Gu Fengchen looked outside.

At the front was a young man surrounded by a group of people.

Gu Fengchen's gaze swept over the young man. He was not very old, but there was a trace of arrogance and wildness between his brows.

He wore an exquisite brown coat and a round-topped hat pulled low. He was practically forcing himself into the image of a gang boss.

Gu Fengchen quietly mocked him in his heart, then continued looking around.

After scanning the crowd, his gaze finally stopped on an emblem on the young man's chest. Engraved upon it was a one-eyed wolf head.

Gu Fengchen thought carefully. Qingshan Town had three major mercenary groups. If nothing unexpected had happened, this was the emblem of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

As for this immature-looking youth, he was likely Mu Li, the Young Group Leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group—the one who had caused trouble for Xiao Yan after he entered the mountains.

That made him half an acquaintance.

Seeing Gu Fengchen standing so close to Xiao Yi Xian, Mu Li immediately became displeased.

The group behind him slowly closed in, faintly forming an encirclement around Gu Fengchen.

By now, many passersby had gathered outside to watch, chattering among themselves.

"Oh no, that young man ran into Mu Li!"

"This kid must have just arrived in Qingshan Town. How did he get so close to Xiao Yi Xian?"

"This boy is rather handsome. This old lady likes him." A woman in her thirties smacked her lips, looking Gu Fengchen over as though she were inspecting goods at a market.

"Hey, hey, hey, Widow Ju, isn't one man enough for you?"

"You're getting off topic. None of that matters. Though Mu Li is only at the Seven-Segment Dou Qi Stage, the guards around him are all Three-Star Dou Practitioners. This little brother is probably about to get beaten up."

"Young Master Mu Li, go easy on him!" Widow Ju still refused to give up.

Mu Li coldly stared at Gu Fengchen. Even he had never been this close to Xiao Yi Xian. He immediately demanded, "Hey, who are you?"

"I'm the Young Group Leader of the Dog-Beating Mercenary Group," Gu Fengchen said blandly.

"Dog-Beating Mercenary Group? Where did this Dog-Beating Mercenary Group come from?" Mu Li felt as though he had been played.

Gu Fengchen smiled and explained, "The mercenary group that specializes in beating you."

Mu Li's expression froze before he angrily said, "You little brat who only knows how to run his mouth! You dare oppose me, Mu Li? Tell me, how do you want to die? Want to try the Giant Club Punishment we recently invented?"

The words were clearly lewd and insulting, and the arrogant-looking burly men around Mu Li burst into laughter.

"Giant Club Punishment? Brat, let me ask you, have you ever killed anyone?" Gu Fengchen suddenly tilted his head, smiling at Mu Li.

Mu Li was visibly stunned. Because he was still too young, he truly had not even seen blood before.

But how could he lose momentum at a time like this? He shrieked, "Trash like you, I kill more than a dozen every day!!"

In the next moment, Mu Li said to his men, "This man molested Xiao Yi Xian. Beat him up! Once you beat him down, give him the Giant Club Punishment!"

Mu Li was still just a little brat, so naturally he would not fight personally.

Well, in truth, Mu Li was not that young anymore. He was already fourteen, yet he still had not broken through to become a Dou Practitioner.

Relying on his family's connections, he had obtained quite a few good things such as medicinal liquids. But no matter how abundant the resources were, they could not overcome laziness.

However, as the Young Group Leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, Mu Li naturally lacked no thugs. Many things did not require him to act personally.

With a wave of his hand, he directed a group of burly men toward Gu Fengchen.

Gu Fengchen smiled and sighed. Damn it, he really only wanted to be a minor character, not the Protagonist. Really.

Since you came knocking just to get beaten, don't blame me.

Being a minor character was actually best. No matter the occasion, all one had to do was run errands. There was no need to risk one's life saving the world like the Protagonist, becoming the kind of hero people saw soaring through the skies and burrowing into the earth.

Nor would one be like those supporting characters, never knowing when they might be sacrificed, serving as comic relief for an episode or two before getting killed off.

Of course, if a minor character was too weak, they might get killed even faster than a supporting character.

After all, if one was too weak, they might die at any moment beneath a Boss's battlefield-wide AOE, becoming disposable cannon fodder not even worthy of a name.

Naturally, Gu Fengchen's original intention had been to keep a low profile and develop quietly.

To be honest, it was just like how Gu Fengchen had not told Xiao Yi Xian his real name, how he had chosen Qingshan Town as his first stop rather than the Central Plains with its greater opportunities, and how he had insisted on leaving the Gu Clan for fear that his golden finger would be exposed.

It was only because the Taotie Seal had not displayed its power before this—because it had not encountered suitable ingredients—that Gu Fengchen had not realized how heaven-defying this golden finger was until after it devoured the Fire Bodhi Pill.

Therefore, before then, Gu Fengchen had never considered leaving the Gu Clan.

Perhaps one could hide away and cultivate, avoiding countless karmic entanglements. But the scary part was whether one could truly endure until the day one rose above others.

If one hid without any backing or path forward, could one truly develop?

Thus, from the beginning, Gu Fengchen had honestly worked on winning over Gu Xun'er within the Gu Clan while researching his golden finger. Once he had figured it out, he could naturally Devour Heaven to Attain Dao!

Xiao Yi Xian had just wanted to stand in front of Gu Fengchen when she saw him wave a hand and smile. "It's fine. I'll handle it."

He possessed the Three Thousand Burning Flame Body. Even if these people beat him, they could not kill him. More importantly, their auras were not particularly strong, and Gu Fengchen believed he could take them down.

With his current strength and physique, he would not panic even against a Dou Shi.

In the next moment, five vicious-looking burly men with the aura of Dou Practitioners strode over, their fan-sized palms slapping directly toward Gu Fengchen's head.

The arms of those Dou Practitioners were as thick as Gu Fengchen's legs, suffused with a faint white glow—the glow of Dou Qi.

But in Gu Fengchen's eyes, their movements were far too slow.

As a fierce gust swept over them, Xiao Yi Xian cried out with worry written all over her face, "Be careful!"

Gu Fengchen had no intention of retreating. He directly threw a punch at one of the Dou Practitioners.

The two figures collided like meteors. As fists and kicks flew, faint sounds of wind and thunder echoed, sending chills through many onlookers.

If such force struck someone below the level of a Dou Practitioner, they would be severely injured even if they did not die.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The grass beneath their feet exploded. When their feet landed, their force not only stamped deep pits into the ground but also shattered and scattered the surrounding turf.

Seizing an opening, Gu Fengchen stomped down hard. One burly man's lower leg was crushed and snapped, twisting grotesquely to the side. White bone, like the joints of a lotus root, could even be seen!

"Ah!"

The burly man who had just been so aggressive screamed, but his voice was quickly cut short.

Gu Fengchen punched him in the face. Teeth and blood flew as the man toppled backward onto the ground.

Another Dou Practitioner gripped a long spear. With a sudden forward step, he unleashed a Dou Skill, and the spear carried a fierce gale as it stabbed straight for Gu Fengchen's throat.

Without even raising his head, Gu Fengchen spread two fingers and swiftly caught the spearhead as it passed between them. With a snap, he broke off the spearhead, then flicked his fingers. The spearhead turned into a flying dart and instantly pierced through his opponent's shoulder. The man howled and collapsed to the ground.

Seeing their companions injured, the remaining two Dou Practitioners hesitated. Under Mu Li's cold gaze, they still lunged forward.

Even while facing the combined assault of two Dou Practitioners, Gu Fengchen remained calm.

He threw a beautiful spinning kick, yet lowered his leg by a foot in an extremely sinister move. It swept right into the waist of the burly man rushing at him with a vicious expression—no, more accurately, a certain area below his dantian.

The kick was immensely powerful, carrying the momentum of rushing thunder. That burly man who flew backward would probably have to lie at home for at least several months.

And for those months... well, for those months, he would probably be impotent.

Stepping forward, Gu Fengchen raised his left hand, his palm like jade, and directly chopped down the other mercenary.

When the remaining mercenaries realized they had encountered a tough opponent, their first reaction was not to run, but to swarm him together.

If they encountered a Magic Beast in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, they would certainly flee. But the person before them was obviously only a teenager. If they scared him a little, he should back down, right?

But what happened instead?

Crack!

The sounds of blows and breaking bones rose one after another.

Gu Fengchen moved among the mercenaries like an elegant dancer.

Accompanied by the cracking of bones, every one of those mercenaries suffered broken joints and streaming nosebleeds.

The contemptuous, shameless insults from the surrounding crowd had vanished. A mood of fear gradually spread outward as more and more people fell in the field.

Several Wolf Head Mercenary Group mercenaries had already lost their nerve and retreated behind Young Master Mu Li.

"You lot..."

Mu Li looked at them with a tone of disappointment, though he himself was terrified beyond measure.

Crack, crack, crack, crack!

Silence fell outside the Myriad Medicine Pavilion. Only the sounds of cracking bones rose and fell like a night watchman's clapper. There was no King Yama in this world, yet the mercenaries still felt that those sounds of fractures were like merciless, indifferent little ghosts of death striking their watch drums.

This youth seemed even more vicious than the wild wolves in the Magic Beast Mountain Range.

Still, Gu Fengchen had not dealt any killing blows. After all, these mercenaries were merely working for others, and he did not want to begin a massacre the moment he arrived in Qingshan Town.

Xiao Yi Xian and Widow Ju were both stunned. They had never expected the several Dou Practitioners Mu Li brought with him to be defeated so easily.

An indescribable emotion flashed through Xiao Yi Xian's eyes.

The exchange had seemed long in description, but in reality, after merely two or three clashes and a few breaths, the ground was already covered with groaning mercenaries.