Xiao Yi Xian pressed her lips together, and tears suddenly streamed down her cheeks.
"What's wrong? You don't want to?"
Xiao Ze couldn't help feeling curious. If she wanted to refuse, she could just say so. Why had she suddenly started crying?
"No, I do want to!"
Xiao Yi Xian shook her head vigorously and hurriedly replied.
"Ever since I was little, whenever anyone discovered my poison body, they treated me like a tiger and avoided me at all costs. You're the only one willing to accept me."
Hearing this, Xiao Ze's smile faded. He reached out and patted Xiao Yi Xian on the head, looking her straight in the eyes as he spoke sincerely.
"Don't worry. Your poison body will definitely be brought completely under control. Then people won't be afraid of you anymore."
Xiao Ze made the solemn promise.
Xiao Yi Xian nodded with all her might, her eyes brimming with tears.
Xiao Yi Xian was kind by nature, and her dream had been to become an alchemist. Unfortunately, she hadn't been born with the necessary aptitude, so that dream had remained out of reach.
But she had still resolutely chosen to become a physician who saved lives and healed the wounded, and had worked hard to live up to her dream.
Sadly, it seemed fate had played a cruel joke on her.
A physician who saved lives and healed the wounded, yet possessed a poison body that would kill anyone who touched it!
No matter how unwilling she was, her poison body could still harm those close to her without her even realizing it!
In the original story, Xiao Yi Xian went to the Chu Yun Empire and accidentally killed two elderly people who had doted on her.
Even as they lay dying, those two old people had still been worried about her!
That cruel experience had made Xiao Yi Xian shut her heart away completely!
She came to believe that she was a calamity by nature!
That was also why Xiao Ze wanted to take Xiao Yi Xian with him.
Not only because Xiao Yi Xian could help him cultivate.
His Perfect Woe Poison Body could also help Xiao Yi Xian control her poison body, so she wouldn't accidentally hurt anyone else.
He wanted to spare Xiao Yi Xian from going through that pain again!
"All right. Since you're coming with me, let's properly introduce ourselves!"
Now that Xiao Ze knew Xiao Yi Xian was willing to follow him, he stopped concealing his identity.
"I'm the fourth young master of the Xiao Clan in Wutan City, Xiao Ze!"
Of course, the Exquisite Skin Mask wasn't easy to take off. He'd have to wait until they returned to Wutan City. Once removed, it would be ruined.
"I'm Xiao Yi Xian, a physician at the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion in Green Mountain Town!"
Xiao Yi Xian looked at the somewhat weathered young man and asked curiously, "Should I call you Young Master Xiao Ze from now on?"
"No need. We should treat each other as friends. I didn't come here looking for a maid or a subordinate."
Xiao Ze shook his head and gazed earnestly at Xiao Yi Xian.
"I'd much rather you become a close friend I can talk to about anything, and a partner who'll fight by my side!"
Xiao Yi Xian smiled warmly at his words and nodded with all her might.
Ever since meeting Xiao Ze, she'd nodded far more often than she used to, and she'd smiled a lot more too.
Xiao Yi Xian had actually noticed it a while ago.
Xiao Ze didn't treat her like a subordinate or attendant.
Once he'd earned her trust, he'd taken her by the hand and helped her up from the ground.
He no longer looked down at her from above.
That small gesture had made Xiao Yi Xian's affection for Xiao Ze shoot up.
"Just call me by my name. I'm probably about your age. This face is a mask, and taking it off would ruin it, so I can't remove it for now."
Xiao Ze explained again, and Xiao Yi Xian obediently nodded.
She studied Xiao Ze's face closely. If he hadn't told her, she never would've guessed it was a fake skin mask.
Xiao Yi Xian wondered what his face looked like beneath the mask.
But just as Xiao Ze had said, he couldn't take it off for now, so she held back her curiosity.
After talking for a while, the two grew much closer.
"Speaking of which, how did your Woeful Poison Body flare up? Did you deliberately swallow poison?"
Xiao Ze was curious. As he remembered it, Xiao Yi Xian had been quite averse to swallowing poison.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have cried into her blanket after taking it.
"No. I remember eating a box of pastries, and then I started feeling strange. I realized my poison body was about to flare up."
"I hurriedly left Green Mountain Town by myself and came to the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Then I ran into you, Xiao Ze."
Xiao Ze looked thoughtful and said, "You were poisoned. Whoever did it wanted you dead!"
"If even you, with your Woeful Poison Body, were knocked unconscious, you can imagine how vicious that poison was!"
Xiao Yi Xian nodded, anger showing in her eyes.
"Who could be so vicious as to want me dead? As far as I know, I haven't offended anyone in Green Mountain Town!"
"Sometimes, even when you don't go looking for trouble, trouble comes looking for you."
Xiao Ze shook his head as he spoke to Xiao Yi Xian.
That was precisely why he'd kept away from people on the journey.
Even a physician like Xiao Yi Xian, who saved lives and healed the wounded, had someone trying to kill her with potent poison.
"Do you want whoever poisoned you to pay for it?"
Xiao Yi Xian's eyes lit up at his words, and she nodded repeatedly.
She was kind by nature, but she wasn't the sort of person who could simply smile and let it go when someone tried to kill her.
"Then let's go back to Green Mountain Town and have a look. We might find some answers."
Xiao Ze took out two cloaks and handed one to Xiao Yi Xian.
"Your clothes are dirty, and I don't have any women's clothes with me. You'll have to make do for a while. Put on this cloak to hide your identity."
Xiao Yi Xian obediently took the cloak and wrapped it tightly around herself.
"Also, don't use my real name from now on. When you're out and about, it's easy to invite trouble and drag your family into it, so you'd better not reveal my name."
Xiao Yi Xian nodded, then asked, puzzled, "What should I call you, then?"
"Just pick a nickname."
"Can I call you Young Master?"
"Uh, sure."
They chatted as they hurried toward Green Mountain Town. From Xiao Yi Xian's account, Xiao Ze quickly figured out who was behind it.
The Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion's rival—the Benevolent Medicine Hall!
Ever since the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion had hired Xiao Yi Xian, its business had boomed, cutting into the Benevolent Medicine Hall's profits.
Taking away someone's livelihood was like killing their parents!
It wasn't surprising that the Benevolent Medicine Hall wanted to get rid of Xiao Yi Xian.
When they arrived in Green Mountain Town, Xiao Ze realized there was probably no need for him to investigate.
The owner of the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion had brought people to surround the entrance of the Benevolent Medicine Hall. A young man was kneeling beside them, while the crowd surged around, furious and indignant.
Xiao Ze and Xiao Yi Xian listened from the side for a while, and soon got the gist of what had happened.
After Xiao Yi Xian's poison had flared up and she'd left the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion,
the people at the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion had quickly discovered the half-eaten pastries she'd left behind and immediately caught the person who had poisoned them.
After interrogating him, they'd traced the scheme to the Benevolent Medicine Hall.
Now, the owner of the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion was at the Benevolent Medicine Hall, furious and demanding answers!
The ordinary mercenaries who'd heard the news had gathered too, demanding an explanation from the Benevolent Medicine Hall. Otherwise, they warned, the hall would regret it!
Xiao Yi Xian had saved many of their lives!
But the owner of the Benevolent Medicine Hall, a lean, wiry old man, looked utterly unafraid.
"People from the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion! You think you can pin this on my Benevolent Medicine Hall just because of this little punk?!"
The owner of the Ten Thousand Medicine Pavilion snorted and scolded him. "We have both witnesses and evidence. No amount of arguing will help you!"
"If you don't give us an explanation today, I'll tear this Benevolent Medicine Hall down!"
The crowd around them chimed in.
"That's right! Xiao Yi Xian is so beautiful and kind, and you still tried to poison her. You're monsters!"
"Poor Xiao Yi Xian! You heartless bastards nearly killed her!"
"I'm here to back you up!"
Suddenly, a discordant voice rang out.
"If a physician can be poisoned to death so easily, I'd say her medical skills weren't all that impressive!"
Mu She slowly stepped forward!
Before you continue