Xiao Yi Xian's Poison Body Erupted, Feelings Deepened

(The next two chapters would lay some emotional groundwork. Please don't find them annoying, or it would feel very awkward when he took women in later. Afterward, the focus would return to his growth in strength.)

He walked up to the little wooden hut.

Xiao Yan keenly detected a strange scent.

It clashed with the fresh air, carrying a faintly sweet smell.

"Poison!" Xiao Yan immediately realized what it was and thought of something.

The Woe Poison Body!

Could it be that Xiao Yi Xian had consumed poison, absorbed too much of it, and fallen unconscious?

With that thought, Xiao Yan immediately pushed open the door and walked inside.

Sure enough, Xiao Yi Xian lay on the bed in the wooden hut, her once-rosy face covered by a seven-colored hue. This was precisely a sign of her poison body acting up!

Xiao Yan did not rashly approach Xiao Yi Xian. Even with his current physical strength, he could not claim to be able to withstand the poison of the Woe Poison Body.

Unless he obtained the Nether Poison Flame, ranked twentieth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. With the poison of the Nether Poison Flame, if it could not suppress the Woe Poison Body's poison, it could at least contend with it—or even absorb and merge with it.

However, the Nether Poison Flame was violent and frigid, clinging like a disease in the bones. Though powerful, its poison was equally difficult to guard against.

Compared with Heavenly Flames like the Green Lotus Core Flame and the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, the Nether Poison Flame was a Heavenly Flame that most people would not want to absorb even if they encountered it.

First, it was difficult to absorb and control. Its poison could often kill opponents above one's level. Even if one had the strength to completely subdue the Nether Poison Flame, a moment of carelessness could still lead to being secretly killed by its poison.

Furthermore, after absorbing it, one could not use the Nether Poison Flame to refine pills because its flames contained poison, making it utterly useless.

Moreover, it was common knowledge that once a Heavenly Flame was absorbed, it would replace the flame seed within the body, causing one's Dou Qi flame to completely disappear.

This meant that once an ordinary Alchemist absorbed the Nether Poison Flame, even pills they had previously been capable of refining could no longer be made.

For all these reasons, even Xiao Yan in the original story had never encountered a Nether Poison Flame or its wielder.

But by coincidence, Xiao Yan was precisely the only person who could completely avoid these drawbacks.

With his Fire Spirit Body, making the Nether Poison Flame submit without erupting was not difficult. The first drawback of suffering a backlash from its poison would thus be resolved.

As for pill refinement, as long as he first absorbed other Heavenly Flames, he could use them rather than the Nether Poison Flame when refining pills, and it would have no effect on him.

Without the drawbacks, all that remained were advantages.

Absorbing a Heavenly Flame would increase his cultivation. He would no longer need to fear foreign poison entering his body, and when fighting enemies, poison could often produce the effect of defeating stronger opponents.

Xiao Yan stood there and pondered for a while before making up his mind to visit the Chu Yun Empire someday.

As a nation of poison masters, it had a high chance of producing the Nether Poison Flame. He could certainly try his luck there.

"What happened to her?" Yun Yun had also arrived at the wooden hut. Looking at Xiao Yi Xian's seven-colored complexion, she asked with some concern.

"She's fine. Just wait a while." Xiao Yan fetched a stool, sat beside the bed, and patiently waited.

Yun Yun sat down as well. Seeing Xiao Huo patiently wait for Xiao Yi Xian to wake up, she thought, He always seems to be in such a hurry. Whenever he has time, he goes out to hunt magical beasts. Other than that, he refines pills and cultivates.

For someone so impatient, he was actually willing to sit here quietly just to wait for a girl to wake up.

For some reason, Yun Yun felt an inexplicable sense of envy.

She looked at Xiao Huo and, for some reason, found herself desperately wanting to know him better.

Hmm, now that I look closely, he's actually quite handsome. His nose is high, his brows are well-shaped, his temperament is good too, and he seems very dependable. If I had met a man like this when I was younger...

Time passed as the sun rose and set.

Yun Yun propped up her head and watched Xiao Huo. Xiao Yan propped up his head and watched Xiao Yi Xian. Xiao Yi Xian lay there pretending to be a zombie.

When the first ray of moonlight shone into the wooden hut, Xiao Yi Xian slowly opened her eyes.

When she saw Xiao Yan guarding the bedside, obvious panic flashed through her eyes. She swiftly hid the packet of poisonous powder clenched in her palm behind her back.

She also quickly wiped away the poison lingering at the corner of her mouth.

"I..." Xiao Yi Xian lowered her head, unsure how to begin.

The air fell silent.

Her eyes instantly turned red as she blamed herself inwardly. Xiao Yi Xian, why couldn't you hold back? Now it's exposed. What are you going to do? If he leaves, would you still have the courage to keep living on your own?

"Xiao Yan... are you going to leave me?" Xiao Yi Xian gathered her courage, raised her head, and asked through tears.

Xiao Yan looked helpless. "Leave you? Why? Because you have the Woe Poison Body?"

Xiao Yi Xian froze. "How did you know?"

"Obviously, I knew a long time ago. I read the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture before giving it to you. How could I not know?" Xiao Yan was amused by Xiao Yi Xian's foolishness.

Xiao Yi Xian's expression turned confused. Just as she was about to speak, Xiao Yan pressed a finger to her lips.

"Enough. I know what you want to ask. Are you wondering why I was willing to get close to you even though I knew you had the Woe Poison Body? Are you even a little sad inside, thinking that I clearly know the fate of the Woe Poison Body, yet I'm acting like I don't care? Do you think I don't hold you in my heart?" Xiao Yan said quickly.

Xiao Yi Xian nodded blankly.

Xiao Yan said, "Then I'll tell you. It's because you're a companion I've acknowledged! Would you stay away from me just because I have a special constitution that might harm you?"

Xiao Yi Xian quickly shook her head, afraid that Xiao Yan would misunderstand.

"Then there you have it!" Xiao Yan said angrily. "Then why did you hide it from me all this time? You don't trust my friendship with you?"

Xiao Yi Xian said nothing, because she would not leave him because she knew her feelings for Xiao Yan were not ordinary friendship.

Xiao Yan had the same attitude toward her. Could it be that he also...

Xiao Yi Xian did not dare think too deeply about it.

"Also, don't be so pessimistic. The Woe Poison Body isn't impossible to solve. I know of a Poison Pill Method that can condense all the poison in your body into a single poison pill. Then, you'll be able to freely control the poison within you and won't have to worry about your poison body erupting again." Xiao Yan spoke with absolute confidence.

Joy appeared on Xiao Yi Xian's face, and her eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Why would I lie to you? I'm so certain because I don't think your poison body is any trouble. Why should you make such a big deal out of it? Cultivate with peace of mind, and don't secretly eat poison behind my back anymore." Xiao Yan issued his final "order."

Xiao Yi Xian nodded, her eyes sparkling.

"Alright, since you're awake, I should get back to business. Guarding you has cost me quite a bit of time." Xiao Yan rose and stretched before turning to Yun Yun. "Yun Zhi, come with me too."

With that, Xiao Yan left the wooden hut.

Yun Yun did not leave immediately. She looked at Xiao Yi Xian with a complicated gaze and said, "Xiao Yi Xian, you're very lucky. Xiao Huo is someone unwilling to waste even a moment of time, yet he guarded you for nearly an entire day without even closing his eyes to rest."

A warm current flowed through Xiao Yi Xian's heart, but she quickly realized something. "How did you know?"

Yun Yun stiffened and hurriedly changed the subject. "Xiao Huo asked me to go with him. I shouldn't waste any more time."

Could she possibly tell her that she had spent the entire day staring at Xiao Huo without moving?