Calamity

Xiao Bai came to the edge of the stone platform, casually chose a key, and inserted it into the lock of the first box. But halfway in, he felt a wave of resistance.

"Looks like it's not this one!" Xiao Bai pulled it out and switched to another key. This time, it slid in without the slightest resistance.

If this one did not work either, Xiao Bai would really have started doubting his own luck.

He gently turned the key, and a "click" rang out from inside the box, suddenly echoing through the stone chamber.

Xiao Bai directly lifted the lid of the box. As for danger, he had long since used his Soul Strength to examine it, and there were no mechanisms, poisons, or anything of the sort inside.

Inside the opened stone box, a colorful scroll lay quietly within.

Looking at the colorful scroll, Xiao Bai knew that this should be the famous "Seven-Colored Poison Classic."

Xiao Bai picked up the scroll from the box and examined it in his hand. When he looked at the small words on the side of the scroll, sure enough, it was the Seven-Colored Poison Classic.

He opened it and saw that it recorded the preparation methods for all kinds of poisons, as well as detailed explanations of their toxic effects.

It had even divided poisons into grades like medicinal pills. The highest poison formula recorded in it was a sixth-tier poison, one that could even pose a threat to a Dou Zong.

On the Dou Qi Continent, there was a profession dedicated to studying poison—Poison Masters. At the very beginning, it had evolved from the profession of physicians. Most of them were people who could not become alchemists, yet were extremely interested in pharmacology and the properties of medicinal ingredients.

At first, they treated illnesses and saved lives, but in this world where the strong were revered, whether for self-protection or out of greed, they began using the poisonous nature of medicinal properties to try developing poison formulas. In the end, this special profession was formed.

The Chu Yun Empire north of the Jia Ma Empire was a paradise for Poison Masters. Poison Masters who were rarely seen elsewhere could be found everywhere there.

Poison Master was a profession that people on the Dou Qi Continent found extremely loathsome, standing at the opposite extreme from alchemists. One was respected by others, while the other was hated by all.

"Xiao Bai, boy, don't tell me you're interested in becoming a Poison Master?" While Xiao Bai was lost in thought, Old Man Yao saw from within the ring that he seemed completely absorbed in the Seven-Colored Poison Classic and hurriedly spoke up.

This boy's talent in pill refinement was unmatched. He could not let such a fine seedling walk down a crooked path.

In Old Man Yao's view, alchemists were a thousand, ten thousand times nobler than Poison Masters. The two should not even be compared; Poison Masters were not worthy.

If the path of an alchemist was a broad, open road, then the path of a Poison Master could not even be considered a narrow sheep trail.

"Your talent in alchemy is something this old man has only seen once in his life. Don't get greedy for a moment's pleasure and go learn some Poison Master nonsense. There's no future in it!" Seeing that he did not speak, Old Man Yao continued trying to persuade him.

"Don't worry, Senior. I won't go specializing in this thing. I was just curious and taking a look!" A warm glimmer flashed through Xiao Bai's eyes as he replied gently.

"That's good!" Old Man Yao let out a breath of relief. If Xiao Bai truly obtained his inheritance in alchemy in the future, he could be considered half his disciple. If this boy wholeheartedly ran off to become a Poison Master, Old Man Yao would truly find it a pity.

Xiao Bai gradually opened the entire scroll. When he reached the end, sure enough, there was a record of the "Calamity Poison Body."

"Calamity Poison Body: a very strange constitution on the Dou Qi Continent. This constitution practically does not require cultivation. One only needs to continuously consume poisons, and they can convert them into Poison Dou Qi, rapidly increasing their strength.

Identification method: those born with the Calamity Poison Body have a fine seven-colored line on their lower abdomen. It grows as the Poison Dou Qi in their body increases. When the seven-colored line extends to the position of the heart, that is when the Calamity Poison Body is at its strongest, and at the same time, they will suffer the agony of Myriad Poisons Devouring the Body!"

"Senior, this Calamity Poison Body mentioned here—is it really that miraculous, able to rapidly increase strength without cultivating?" Xiao Bai pretended not to understand and asked Old Man Yao.

Why had he opened this scroll? Curiosity was only a small part of it. Most importantly, he wanted to use this opportunity to guide Old Man Yao into revealing that he had the Poison Pill Method.

That way, no matter when he sought out Old Man Yao in the future to trade for the Poison Pill Method, it would not seem abrupt.

"Heh heh~ Miraculous? Xiao Bai, boy, you must know that there is no such thing as getting something for nothing in this world. This kind of rapidly increasing strength will ultimately come at a heavy price!"

Old Man Yao first let out a cold laugh, then continued in a somewhat low voice:

"The Calamity Poison Body can certainly rely on poisons to rapidly increase strength, but poison is still poison in the end. Although they can rely on this constitution in the early stages to prevent backlash, when there are more and more poisons inside the body, so many that even the constitution can no longer suppress them, that will be their most painful moment. They will slowly die amid the agony of Myriad Poisons Devouring the Body!"

"Then is there no way to resolve it?" Xiao Bai asked curiously.

"There is! After discovering it is the Calamity Poison Body, one must never touch poison for the rest of their life. Then the constitution will not activate!"

"What if the constitution has already activated? In the long history of the Dou Qi Continent, there should always have been some breathtakingly talented people who thought of a way to solve it, right?"

"Someone did once resolve it!" Old Man Yao said after a moment of silence.

Xiao Bai nodded and did not continue asking. This was enough. In the future, he would have a pretext to seek out Old Man Yao.

Just then, a small head appeared beside him, peeking at the "Seven-Colored Poison Classic" scroll in his hand.

Seeing Xiao Bai look at her, Xiao Yi Xian hurriedly shrank her head back, puffed out her chest, and showed Xiao Bai the Jade Box in her arms, saying in a delicate voice:

"Here, I dug out all the medicinal ingredients and packed them up. They're all here!"

Seeing her holding more than a dozen Jade Boxes in her arms, piled almost up to her little chin, she looked very adorable.

However, Xiao Bai felt a little speechless. This girl seemed to like these medicinal herbs very much. She could have just put them over there, but instead, she had carried them all over in her arms.

After Xiao Yi Xian showed him the Jade Boxes, she again stared eagerly at the scroll in Xiao Bai's hand, looking as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.

"Um... that scroll, do you have any use for it? If you don't... can you give it to me?" She carefully glanced at Xiao Bai, one little toe rubbing back and forth against the ground as she lowered her head and spoke softly.

Then, afraid that Xiao Bai would misunderstand her as being greedy, she mustered her courage, raised her head, waved her little hand at Xiao Bai, and hurriedly said:

"Don't misunderstand! It's not that I want everything. It's just that, because of how I was born, I can't become an alchemist. I can only rely on these things!"

After saying this, Xiao Yi Xian's eyes dimmed a little. She was only a weak woman, and her cultivation talent was not considered good either. After so many years of cultivation, she was still only 9 Star Dou Zhi Qi.

If she could become a noble alchemist, then she would no longer have to worry about her safety.

During these years in Green Mountain Town, things had been fine at the beginning. She had been young and had not yet grown into her looks, so everyone had merely treated her as a little girl. Add to that her kind heart—no matter who came to her to have their injuries treated, she did her utmost—so she was very respected by everyone.

But over the past two years, as she had gradually grown up, she had also become more and more moving. The way some people looked at her had gradually become strange. Although her prestige in Green Mountain Town could temporarily keep her safe, who knew whether someone might take a desperate risk?

So she wanted some means to protect herself, and could only use this method: becoming a Poison Master loathed by all. For a kind-hearted girl like her, this left her somewhat dejected and sorrowful.

Xiao Bai looked at Xiao Yi Xian and nodded.