Decision to Cultivate

Over the next three days, Xiao Yu and Xiao Yi Xian each busied themselves with their own affairs. Xiao Yi Xian studied the poison scripture, while Xiao Yu cultivated and learned alchemy at the same time.

Xiao Yu had begun learning to refine third-tier medicinal pills. Although the results were far from ideal, he was only a step short each time. More importantly, the ingredients required for third-tier medicinal pills had to be of much higher quality. While the valley contained many varieties of herbs, there were not many that could support Xiao Yu's pill refining.

"Looks like I still need to visit the Alchemist Guild. With an alchemist's identity, buying certain ingredients should be much more convenient," Xiao Yu muttered after finishing his alchemy for the day.

Just then, Xiao Yu suddenly caught a strange fragrance. It was exceptionally rich, yet he detected something wrong within it. He jolted awake and said, "This is poison!"

What alarmed Xiao Yu was that he had only discovered it after carefully distinguishing it. Ordinary poisons were nothing to him, but this poison was clearly anything but ordinary. The fragrance itself carried trace amounts of toxins. However, the Dou Qi Xiao Yu had cultivated through the Chaos Origin Cultivation Method possessed the ability to neutralize poison, something he had discovered himself when he first began refining pills.

Thus, he circulated his Dou Qi and forced the toxins directly out of his body. The Bone Spirit Cold Flame followed close behind, burning them away completely.

Xiao Yu turned his gaze toward Xiao Yi Xian's little wooden hut, where the fragrance originated. He first fed Little White, Little Zi, and Little Lan each an antidote pill he had refined, then headed toward Xiao Yi Xian's house.

Knock, knock, knock!

Xiao Yu knocked on the door first, and Xiao Yi Xian's voice immediately came from inside. "What is it?"

Xiao Yu frowned slightly. "Are you refining poison?"

As he spoke, the door creaked open. Xiao Yi Xian directly opened it, and Xiao Yu looked inside. A small iron pot was bubbling with pale white foam, and the fragrance was coming from within it.

Xiao Yi Xian noticed where Xiao Yu was looking, and her expression immediately changed. Forcing herself to remain calm, she smiled. "I-I'm refining poison for self-defense. What's wrong?"

But Xiao Yu merely looked at Xiao Yi Xian and said, "The potency of the poison you refined has already exceeded what you would need for self-defense. This poison is enough to kill a Dou Master. Don't think about lying to me. Don't forget that I'm an alchemist!"

After hearing Xiao Yu's words, Xiao Yi Xian's face gradually turned pale. She knew she could not hide it from him, but she had not expected him to discover it so quickly.

Xiao Yu swept his gaze around the room and, sure enough, spotted the colorful scroll on the desk. The Dou Qi in his hand shot toward the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture scroll and pulled it back. Xiao Yu grabbed it in one hand.

Xiao Yi Xian was about to snatch it back, but Xiao Yu gave her no chance. He held it behind his back and asked, "Did you discover something in this poison scripture?"

Xiao Yi Xian froze, then said bitterly, "I actually wanted to travel the continent, but my strength doesn't allow it."

Xiao Yu was startled. He immediately unfurled the poison scripture scroll in his hand and indeed saw the description of the Calamity Poison Body and the method for identifying it at the very end of the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture.

"You discovered long ago that your constitution was different from others, didn't you?" Xiao Yu asked in a deep voice.

Xiao Yi Xian looked up at Xiao Yu but said nothing, only nodding.

After a moment of silence, Xiao Yu said, "I know you want to become stronger, and I don't know how to stop you. But after I tell you a story, if you still choose to cultivate the Calamity Poison Body, I won't stop you!"

Xiao Yi Xian stared at Xiao Yu with her bright, watery eyes, wanting to know what story he was going to tell her.

After looking deeply at Xiao Yi Xian, Xiao Yu slowly said, "There was once a woman on the continent who cultivated the Calamity Poison Body. It was a secret of the continent. In a fit of rage, that woman forcibly turned an entire empire into a toxic wasteland stretching thousands of miles, causing hundreds of thousands, if not more, to lose their lives!"

Xiao Yi Xian's pupils immediately contracted, her eyes filled with disbelief.

But Xiao Yu continued, "That woman possessed the strength of a five-star Dou Huang. After many experts barely escaped from the toxic wasteland of that empire, they prepared to seek revenge on her. One powerful expert after another fell at that woman's hands, and the weakest among them were all Dou Lings!"

"There was even a nine-star Dou Huang on the verge of stepping into the Dou Zong realm. But unfortunately, he still perished at that woman's hands!"

"In the end, this matter alarmed some reclusive old monsters. After launching a great battle unknown to outsiders, the woman fled far away with severe injuries. Yet one Dou Zong expert among those old monsters still had to purge the toxins from his body for a full ten years before he completely recovered!"

After Xiao Yu finished speaking, he saw the shock in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes and continued, "Poison Masters are already deeply rejected by others. Once you decide to cultivate the Calamity Poison Body, you may face the pursuit of every cultivator in this world. Do you truly want to cultivate it?"

Xiao Yi Xian cautiously asked, "Then... what happened to that woman in the end?"

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Yu said, "I'm not sure. I only know that twenty years after that great battle, the woman had already become a Dou Zong!"

Xiao Yi Xian's lips went dry. "She actually became so powerful!"

Xiao Yu nodded. "Naturally. If the Calamity Poison Body is properly controlled, all one needs to do is consume poison to convert it into Dou Qi and increase one's strength. It's much easier than cultivating as painstakingly as I do!"

Xiao Yi Xian let out a soft laugh upon hearing Xiao Yu's words. "The way you put it, you sound rather envious?"

"I am envious, certainly. But the power gained through this method also comes with enormous risks. But putting that aside, are you sure you want to cultivate the Calamity Poison Body?" Xiao Yu shrugged, neither confirming nor denying it.

Instead of answering Xiao Yu's question, Xiao Yi Xian asked, "I have only one question. If I cultivate the Calamity Poison Body, will you become my enemy like everyone else in this world?"

Looking at the anticipation in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes, Xiao Yu smiled and shook his head. "Of course not!"

After hearing Xiao Yu's words, an indescribable light flashed through Xiao Yi Xian's eyes. Then she said with incomparable resolve, "I've decided to cultivate the Calamity Poison Body!"

Xiao Yu looked at Xiao Yi Xian in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"Mm, I'm sure!"

Seeing Xiao Yi Xian's resolute expression, Xiao Yu said nothing more and simply handed the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture scroll back to her.

After taking the scroll, Xiao Yi Xian asked somewhat curiously, "How do you know so much about the Calamity Poison Body?"

Xiao Yu smiled. "Naturally, I've read widely since childhood and am immensely knowledgeable!"

A sweet smile curled at Xiao Yi Xian's lips. She rolled her eyes at Xiao Yu and said, "All you know is how to boast!"

Xiao Yu chuckled. "Even if I'm boasting, didn't you still believe me?"

Xiao Yi Xian did not refute that. However, Xiao Yu's next words left her even more astonished—or perhaps pleasantly surprised!