Legend had it that the Ancient Nether Poison Swamp was a forbidden land for humans in the Chu Yun Empire, shrouded day and night by the Sky-Covering Poison Miasma.
Even the most powerful poison masters who entered the depths of the Poison Marsh faced certain death.
Deep within the Poison Marsh, a wisp of flame had been steeped in the poison miasma for thousands upon thousands of years, eventually transforming into a poisonous flame.
That flame was the Nether Poison Fire, ranked twentieth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking.
That was how the map of the Heavenly Flames rewarded by the system described it.
But in reality...
"Wasn't this supposed to be a forbidden land for humans? Weren't poison masters supposed to die if they went in? Why are there so many people gathered here?"
Seeing the bustling scene before him with his own eyes, Xiao Yuan's eyelids twitched.
The town on the outskirts of the Ancient Nether Poison Swamp was packed with people, their noisy voices blending into a cacophony.
What a racket.
The variety of poisons for sale was even greater than in the towns they had just passed through.
But when he thought about it, it made sense. After all, the Chu Yun Empire belonged to the poison masters.
It was understandable if someone here didn't cultivate poison-type Dou Qi. But if they went out without a couple of poisonous tricks up their sleeve, and couldn't poison a few people to death, they'd probably be laughed to death by the other poison masters.
The same went for how they treated the Poison Marsh.
Just as alchemists yearned to obtain Heavenly Flames, poison masters were likewise filled with longing for this ancient Poison Marsh, an opportunity that might never come again. They hoped to raise their rank as poison masters.
"Ah, let's go."
Xiao Yuan couldn't be bothered to think about it anymore. He took Xiao Yi Xian by the hand and led her into town.
Their arrival, however, startled the townspeople.
With an Amethyst Winged Lion King following behind them, everyone turned to look their way. The moment they spotted the lion king, their eyes burned with even greater greed.
After all, the Amethyst Winged Lion King was a treasure trove.
The great quantities of Purple Spirit Crystals, its powerful Beast Flame, and its Magic Core—all of them were worth a fortune!
"Hmph!"
Sensing the ill intent in the humans' gazes, the Amethyst Winged Lion King immediately released the aura of a sixth-rank magical beast.
The crowd turned deathly pale with fright and didn't dare look at it again.
The densely packed crowd even parted to make way for them.
See? This is the benefit of bringing along the Great Lion. I don't even have to lift a finger, and these people are already scared stiff.
As they drew closer to the entrance to the Poison Marsh and felt the gazes of those around them, Xiao Yi Xian gently squeezed his hand.
"Little Brother Xiao Yuan, are we really going into the Poison Marsh like this? What about those few people following us?"
Her voice was very soft. She had practically pressed herself against his ear to say it, and her warm, sweet breath sent a tingling sensation through Xiao Yuan's body.
"N-no problem. We'll go in just like this. If they dare follow us, we'll deal with them right there in the Poison Marsh."
It's the Ancient Nether Poison Swamp, after all. A couple of people dying in there is perfectly normal.
"But I have to say, I'm surprised, Sister Xiao Yi Xian. You actually noticed those little tails behind us."
Xiao Yi Xian blushed at his teasing.
It wasn't as if she had noticed them herself. She'd only happened to spot them after Xiao Yuan had reminded her with his earlier thoughts.
Still immersed in her embarrassment, Xiao Yi Xian followed close behind him as they left the town. Their figures gradually disappeared into the dense woods beyond the Poison Marsh.
However, not long after Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yi Xian entered the Poison Marsh, several figures appeared outside the dense forest as well.
"They... just went straight in?"
One of them spoke, his voice full of disbelief.
The man at the head of the group was a refined-looking young man in his twenties. Even he was at a loss as to what to make of the situation.
"Never mind the Amethyst Winged Lion King, which has the strength of a Dou Emperor, or that young man whose strength we can't discern. That little girl is merely a Dou Shi. How dare she enter the Nether Poison Swamp?"
After all, even he—a Three-Star Dou Ling—didn't dare enter the Poison Marsh recklessly.
He couldn't understand what gave that little girl the confidence to go in.
"Something just occurred to this old man."
The man beside the young man suddenly spoke, drawing everyone's attention.
He was a richly dressed, burly middle-aged man of around forty. A powerful aura surged from within him, so strong that it faintly carried the might of a Dou Wang.
Judging by appearances, this burly man's cultivation was at least around the seventh or eighth star of the Dou Ling level.
"Oh? May I ask what Senior Yan Li has remembered?"
The middle-aged man known as Yan Li gave a slight nod and pondered for a moment before speaking.
"Does the Young Sect Master remember that, sixteen years ago, a baby girl with the Woeful Poison Body appeared in our Chu Yun Empire?"
"Senior Yan Li, do you mean...?"
"Exactly."
When Yan Li nodded, the young man was initially somewhat hesitant. But now his eyes widened, brimming with excitement and delight!
Sixteen years ago, a baby girl with the Woeful Poison Body had appeared within the Chu Yun Empire.
At the time, all the sects, great and small, as well as the various clans, had wanted to get their hands on her.
But the baby girl's mother had taken her away.
They had fled the Chu Yun Empire and gone into hiding in the Jia Ma Empire.
The various clans in their Chu Yun Empire had even sent many people to the Jia Ma Empire to look for the baby girl, but they had never found her.
In the blink of an eye, sixteen years had passed.
The baby girl should have grown into a young woman by now...
If the Dou Shi girl who had just entered the Poison Marsh was the baby girl from back then, then everything made sense!
If she had the Woeful Poison Body, what reason would she have to fear the Nether Poison Swamp's Sky-Covering Poison Miasma?
At first, they had merely wanted to see what sort of person the young man with the sixth-rank magical beast was. They had planned to pocket whatever benefits they could, or at the very least, make his acquaintance.
But they hadn't expected such a delightful surprise!
At the thought, excitement surged in the young man's heart. He even tightened his grip on the folding fan in his hand.
That was the Innate Calamity Poison Body! It was nothing like the trashy, artificially cultivated kind that could never compare!
It was the ultimate aspiration of every poison master!
The young man hurriedly instructed the two servants beside him.
"You two, go back to the sect right now and inform the Sect Master. Tell him we've found someone with the Woeful Poison Body, and to send reinforcements at once!"
The two servants didn't waste time. They immediately accepted the order and turned to leave.
"Senior Yan Li, why don't we follow them in and take a look?"
After the servants left, the young man extended an invitation to Yan Li.
"Very well. Let's go in and have a look."
The two exchanged a smile, then strode into the dense forest.
Meanwhile.
Xiao Yuan had been riding the Amethyst Winged Lion King with Xiao Yi Xian for some time through the outer reaches of the Poison Marsh.
Yet as they ventured deeper, they discovered that the poison miasma shrouding the forest was growing denser and denser.
It had started as a hazy veil of mist, but now a vast fog blanketed the area, almost making it impossible to tell which way they were going!
The poison in the mist was growing stronger as well.
The lush greenery they had seen at first had now dwindled to nothing but withered trees and broken branches.
Just then, Xiao Yuan suddenly felt a surge of energy from heaven and earth behind him.
He turned around and saw Xiao Yi Xian standing still, her aura steadily rising.
What the—no way! She's breaking through already?!