Deep in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, a valley shrouded in mist.
After slaughtering the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, Xiao Yi Xian had brought Xiao Lei to this secret hideout of hers to avoid any potential trouble.
The valley's terrain was unusual, and the clouds and mist concealed it, making it difficult for ordinary people to find.
Xiao Lei sat cross-legged before a medicine cauldron, one hand resting on it as he continuously poured Dou Qi inside.
Every so often, the hand seals in Xiao Lei's hands changed. Then he opened the cauldron and tossed in a chunk of the Poison Vine Snake's corpse.
Inside the cauldron, green poison and pale yellow flames mingled, churning wildly.
As the flesh touched the flames Xiao Lei had conjured, it sizzled and instantly turned into wisps of greenish-white smoke.
At the center of the cauldron, a green Beast Flame had begun to take shape. Its flickering flames brimmed with dense poison; even a Dou Zhe would likely perish from a single touch.
If Xiao Lei had possessed a Beast Flame like this when he slaughtered the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, he probably wouldn't have needed to swing the long saber in his hand.
He continued this process for several more hours, until he tossed in the final chunk of flesh. The flame inside the cauldron suddenly burst into a green glow that looked rather eerie.
"Success!"
Xiao Lei opened the cauldron and took out the Poison Vine Fire, examining it carefully with great satisfaction.
Now that he had it, he could begin helping Xiao Yi Xian awaken her Woe Poison Body.
After all, there weren't many poisonous creatures in the Jia Ma Empire, and making the poisons listed in the Seven-Colored Poison Manual was troublesome. With this Beast Flame, Xiao Lei could rely on his formidable cultivation to provide Xiao Yi Xian with all the poisonous energy she needed to train, whenever and wherever she wanted.
"How amazing!"
Xiao Yi Xian leaned closer, her wide eyes fixed curiously on the Poison Vine Fire in Xiao Lei's hand, from which wisps of poison occasionally drifted.
Over the past few days, Xiao Yi Xian had watched Xiao Lei refine a flame from the body of a poisonous snake. Her curiosity about alchemists had only grown.
"Sit cross-legged. Once I successfully absorb this Beast Flame, I'll help you awaken your Woe Poison Body safely."
After speaking, Xiao Lei took out two pills and swallowed them. Then, without the slightest hesitation, he swallowed the Beast Flame whole.
Beast Flames were nothing like Heavenly Flames. Though they appeared ferocious, they posed little threat to the person who swallowed them. What's more, this was only a third-tier Beast Flame. Xiao Lei could have handled even its former owner, so why should he fear a mere flame?
The sight left Xiao Yi Xian stunned. She had felt the Beast Flame's power herself just moments ago, and Xiao Lei had swallowed it whole.
"No wonder he became a Da Dou Shi at such a young age!" Xiao Yi Xian exclaimed.
Why had Xiao Lei become a Da Dou Shi?
Of course, it was thanks to talent and hard work!
The pills Xiao Lei had taken weren't anything high-grade, just a second-tier Ice Vein Pill.
Xiao Lei's alchemy skills were only good enough to make pills of this grade. Still, it should be enough to help him absorb a third-tier Beast Flame.
The moment the green Beast Flame entered Xiao Lei's meridians, it began releasing poison in every direction, trying to poison him to death!
This was no different from using the villain's own trick against him.
In no time at all, Xiao Lei successfully left his Soul Imprint on the Beast Flame. Then he tossed the Poison Vine Fire into his Dou Qi Vortex.
Unlike Heavenly Flames, Beast Flames didn't require a Spirit Gathering item to contain them. The Poison Vine Fire's poison was all that remained. Whenever it rose up, Xiao Lei would absorb it, so it wouldn't affect his alchemy at all. He only needed to deliberately release the poison when he wanted to.
"I actually broke through to six-star Da Dou Shi!"
Thanks to the Poison Vine Fire's attempt to poison him, Xiao Lei had used his Woe Poison Body to break through to six-star Da Dou Shi in one go.
"Sit cross-legged. Now comes the important part!"
Opening his eyes, Xiao Lei didn't pause for a moment before continuing to help Xiao Yi Xian awaken her Woe Poison Body.
Xiao Yi Xian had been waiting nearby for a long time. At his words, she immediately sat up straight.
Xiao Lei opened his left hand, and a green flame appeared. He infused it with Dou Qi, making the flames flare up as wisps of green poison spread through the air.
"Focus. Absorb all this poison. Once enough has built up, your Woe Poison Body will awaken on its own!"
Xiao Yi Xian immediately came to her senses. She inhaled the poison Xiao Lei sent toward her, then circulated it through her meridians, directing it to every part of her body.
At first, the poison made Xiao Yi Xian feel uncomfortable all over. But as more of it entered her body, a hint of pleasure inexplicably rose in her heart.
First pain, then pleasure!
"Ah!"
Xiao Yi Xian let out a soft cry, feeling that something within her had changed in a way she couldn't quite describe.
But in Xiao Lei's eyes, it was different.
[Target: A doctor with a modest reputation.] [ cultivation: Ninth Stage Dou Qi.] [Technique: None.] [Dou Technique...] ... [Constitution: Woe Poison Body.]
The words "not awakened" had disappeared from her constitution!
"That's enough. Your Woe Poison Body has awakened. Your cultivation is still low, so you can't yet feel the pain of poison eating away at your body. That's why you won't notice much about your constitution for now."
Xiao Lei casually explained.
"Don't take too much poison each day. The Woe Poison Body can't be poisoned, but a toxin that's too potent can still leave you unconscious. That would only get in the way of your cultivation."
For a Woe Poison Body, eating poison was like an ordinary person eating food. Eat too much, and you'd still get indigestion. It wouldn't do you any good.
"This is the Seven-Colored Poison Manual. It's the gift I told you I'd give you. Now that you've awakened your constitution, it's yours, as promised. It records many kinds of poison. You can try making them, but remember: take poison in moderation."
Xiao Lei had secretly torn out the section on how to identify a Woe Poison Body. If Xiao Yi Xian asked about it, he'd say it had already been damaged before.
Otherwise, it would be rather difficult to explain how he'd known she had a Woe Poison Body before it had even awakened.
"Thank you!"
A long time had passed since Xiao Yi Xian had decided to awaken her constitution. She was in much better spirits now, no longer constantly sighing.
"Where do we go next?"
Xiao Yi Xian examined Xiao Lei's unique gift with delight.
"Your little valley is nice. You can try making some of the poisons in the manual over the next few days. Then we'll head to Black Rock City."
Xiao Lei had already been planning his next copying targets for some time. Two alchemists in Black Rock City were perfect. In terms of cultivation, both were seasoned Dou Lings; in terms of alchemy, both were fourth-tier alchemists.
The Alchemist Badges were just a bonus.
He was after the two of them!
"But they're still stronger than me. I'll have to think of a good way to deal with that."
The stronger the target Xiao Lei copied, the longer the copying took, and the more discomfort it caused.
Xiao Zhan and Guni knew that all too well. So Xiao Lei needed to find a suitable moment when his targets couldn't leave or attack him.
Far away in Black Rock City, Otto and Frank suddenly shivered...
Who's talking about me?!
Before you continue