A True Embrace

With the issue of the Star Spirit Flower resolved, the atmosphere in the valley grew increasingly harmonious.

Sunlight filtered through the mist, gilding the two of them with a warm, golden rim.

Lin Hai looked at the sky and spoke with a casual air: "I intend to head deep into the Magical Beast Mountain Range to find a few specific medicinal herbs. The paths there are complex, riddled with poisonous miasma, and some of the herbs have rather peculiar habits..." He paused, his gaze falling naturally upon Xiao Yi Xian with a perfectly balanced mix of invitation and slight concern. "You have spent years gathering herbs in Green Mountain Town, so you must be very familiar with the outer reaches of the mountain range. I wonder... would you be willing to guide me for a stretch? Of course, I would never let you enter the dangerous zones."

His tone was sincere and his reasoning sound; he had affirmed her value while showing genuine care, making it difficult for her to refuse.

Xiao Yixian's heart skipped a beat.

Going into the mountains with him? That meant more time spent together, seeing more sides of him, and perhaps... learning even more things.

She barely hesitated before nodding, a note of excitement she hadn't even noticed herself creeping into her voice: "Yes, okay! Let's go! I know the outer areas very well. I know several safe paths and can avoid some of the common poisonous miasma zones."

Seeing the sparkle in her eyes, the corners of Lin Hai's mouth curled upward in a subtle arc.

After making brief preparations, the two entered the dense Magical Beast Mountain Range, one following the other.

Lin Hai deliberately slowed his pace, walking slightly behind and to the side of Xiao Yixian, allowing him to keep watch without making her feel pressured.

Xiao Yixian was indeed intimately familiar with the terrain. Like a forest sprite, she moved lightly along the trails, occasionally pointing out hidden poisonous mushrooms, vines with paralyzing effects, or traces of where low-level magical beasts might have their dens. Her voice was light and airy, carrying the small, proud joy of sharing secrets.

Lin Hai listened attentively, nodding from time to time and occasionally asking a precise question, which made Xiao Yixian feel as though she had met a kindred spirit, fueling her desire to talk even more.

As they ventured deeper, the surroundings grew increasingly quiet; the trees towered overhead, and the light began to dim.

Lin Hai's conversational focus also began to shift, slowly and imperceptibly.

He transitioned from discussing medicinal herbs to the strange wonders of the Dou Qi Continent and various unique constitutions.

"...And so, the Dou Qi Continent is full of wonders. Some people are born with innate talents, such as those who can naturally control fire, known as the Fire Spirit Body; others can communicate with vegetation, which is the Wood Spirit Body. If properly guided, these constitutions can be supreme assets, but without guidance, or if misunderstood, they can lead to tragedy or even cause one to be consumed by their own power." Lin Hai's voice was calm, as if he were merely telling a story, yet his eyes were deep, observing Xiao Yixian's reaction.

Xiao Yixian listened, mesmerized, her eyes revealing a mix of envy and a trace of imperceptible sorrow.

She subconsciously touched her wrist, where a secret unknown to others seemed to be hidden.

Lin Hai acted as if he hadn't noticed her small movement, continuing in a tone tinged with reflection: "This is especially true for an extremely rare constitution known as the 'Woeful Poison Body'."

The four words "Woeful Poison Body" struck her heart like an ice pick!

Her delicate body stiffened, her footsteps faltered, and the color drained from her face, leaving it as pale as paper.

She snapped her head up to look at Lin Hai, her eyes filled with undisguised terror, panic, and a sliver of helplessness and despair at having her deepest secret exposed!

He knew! He really knew! Was this why he approached her? What did he want?!

A crushing fear seized her, making her want to turn and flee.

However, Lin Hai's expression remained calm, even carrying a hint of pity and understanding, devoid of any disgust, greed, or fear.

He did not press her, nor did he move closer; he simply stopped and watched her quietly, as if waiting for her to calm down.

His abnormal composure acted as a silent reassurance, allowing Xiao Yixian's violently fluctuating emotions to settle slightly, though her body remained as tense as a startled deer.

"Who... who exactly are you?" Xiao Yixian's voice was dry and trembling, laced with tears. "How could you know... know..."

Lin Hai sighed softly, his tone becoming even gentler, tinged with a hint of heartache: "I don't just know; I know how much pain and loneliness it has brought you. You are afraid of hurting anyone, so you hide here in Green Mountain Town, keeping company only with herbs. You hide yourself with such caution, not even daring to have any friends, terrified that one day you might lose control and harm those around you. Seeing others freely interact and live their lives, you must feel envious and very sad, don't you?"

Every word was like a key, precisely unlocking the doors to the grievances and fears locked deep within Xiao Yixian's heart.

These pains, buried deep and never spoken to a soul, were laid bare by him with such understatement yet such pinpoint accuracy.

Xiao Yixian's defenses collapsed completely, and tears rolled down like broken pearls, beyond her control.

She leaned weakly against the cold tree trunk beside her, her slender shoulders trembling slightly as she let out suppressed, desperate sobs.

"I didn't want this... I'm not a monster... I really didn't want this..." She wept incoherently, the grievances and fears of many years erupting all at once.

Lin Hai stepped forward, not touching her, but standing at a distance that made her feel safe. His voice was low and filled with strength, each word clearly reaching her ears:

"You are, of course, not a monster."

"The Woeful Poison Body is not a path of only despair."

"I have a way to solve it."

The sobbing stopped abruptly.

Xiao Yixian jerked her head up, her tear-stained lashes trembling violently, staring at Lin Hai in disbelief as if she had heard a fairy tale.

Solve it?

In countless records, the Woeful Poison Body was considered unsolvable, a source of endless calamity. He said... he had a way to solve it?

"What... what did you say?" Her voice was as light as a whisper, filled with immense hope and even deeper disbelief, terrified that this was merely an auditory hallucination born of despair.

"I said, I have a way to completely control, and even perfectly master, your Woeful Poison Body." Lin Hai's gaze was as firm as a rock, carrying an absolute confidence that left no room for doubt. "I will turn it from a curse into your own unique talent and power. You will no longer need to fear hurting anyone; you will be able to touch the sunlight freely, make friends freely, and freely... pursue your path of alchemy, perhaps even going further than anyone else."

He slowly extended his palm, facing upward—not to touch her, but as a gesture of invitation and a promise.

"Trust me."

The two words carried the weight of a thousand jun.

Xiao Yixian stared at him blankly, looking into those eyes as deep as a sea of stars. There was no deception, no pity, only a certainty and strength that bordered on the miraculous.

In this moment, all her doubts and all her fears seemed so insignificant in the face of this massive promise, one capable of overturning her fate.

Had she not been struggling for all these years just waiting for a glimmer of hope, waiting for someone who could pull her out of the endless darkness?

And now, this person stood before her, telling her that the darkness could end, that dawn was about to arrive.

The immense emotional impact made her almost unable to stand. She looked at Lin Hai's outstretched hand, which seemed to be the only piece of driftwood in her life.

Finally, all her emotions turned into a flood breaking through a dam. She was no longer the herb-gathering girl who carefully hid herself, but like a child who had suffered all sorts of grievances and finally found support, she lunged forward. But instead of lunging for his hand, she threw herself into his embrace, hugged him tightly, and burst into tears.

This time, her cry was no longer despair, but release, liberation, trust, and reliance, handing over all her burdens completely.

Lin Hai's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed. He hesitated for a moment, then finally gently wrapped his arms around her trembling shoulders, letting her tears soak his clothes.

He could feel the fragility of the delicate body in his arms and the trust pouring out, unreservedly.

He knew that from this moment on, Xiao Yixian's heart was completely won over by him.

Not by strength, not by resources, but by giving her the only thing she craved in her most desperate moment—hope and salvation.

Deep within this gloomy Magical Beast Mountain Range, a transaction had been completed, exchanging a piece of hope for a pure and desperate heart.