Closeness from the Nether Poison Fire

Three-star Dou Shi...

Four-star Dou Shi...

Five-star Dou Shi...

Seven-star Great Dou Shi...

Nearly half a month had passed since they entered the Ancient Nether Poison Swamp.

Little Doctor Fairy's cultivation breakthroughs had never ceased, as if she were a fish back in water.

From her initial two-star Dou Shi level, she had climbed directly to her current seven-star Great Dou Shi status.

Just watching Little Doctor Fairy break through had left him feeling numb.

He knew the Woeful Poison Body was absurd, but he hadn't expected it to be absurd to this degree.

However, through Little Doctor Fairy, he also realized one thing.

Since the Woeful Poison Body is this strong, the Spirit Fire Body I gifted to Xun'er must be just as impressive, not to mention the added blessing of the Golden Emperor Incinerating Heaven Flame. Even if she barely cultivates, there's no way she'd only be a measly nine-star Dou Zhe!

Besides, with the vast resources of an ancient clan like the Ancient Clan, wouldn't hiding one's cultivation be a simple matter?

Therefore, in summary, that girl Xun'er is definitely hiding her true cultivation realm!

Ding, obtained one Detoxification Pill.

[Detoxification Pill]
[Grade: None]
[Effect: Can neutralize all poisons in the world and grants a toxin immunity BUFF, lasting for one hour.]

This was already the umpteenth Detoxification Pill he had received.

Perhaps this damn system was terrified of him dying in this poison swamp, as it had replaced almost all rewards earned from his complaints with Detoxification Pills.

After all, this Ancient Nether Poison Swamp was a place where even a Dou Zong would not dare to step into the depths.

As they ventured deeper and the poisonous miasma grew thicker, Xiao Yuan realized he was wrong—completely wrong.

Even though he and Little Doctor Fairy were enveloped by the Life Flame, the sound of toxins clashing against the flames still hissed and crackled.

It was as if a drop of cold water had been dripped into boiling hot oil.

Frightened, he hurriedly pulled out a Detoxification Pill and swallowed it.

"Xiao Yuan..."

Seeing his actions, Little Doctor Fairy's beautiful eyes were filled with worry.

She wanted to turn back.

It wasn't worth risking such danger for her sake.

But the moment this thought sprouted, Xiao Yuan sensed it and interrupted her:

"I'm fine, don't worry."

He forced a smile onto his face.

Although he claimed to be fine, he couldn't stop the complaints in his heart.

Damn it, I was wrong, I was really wrong. This isn't just a place where Dou Zongs can't tread; at the current intensity of the surrounding toxins, I bet even a high-level Dou Zong would be poisoned to death, wouldn't they?

I reckon if a junkie came here and took a deep breath, they'd give a thumbs up and praise it for being 'potent' before dropping dead.

Good thing I'm smart enough to have left the Great Lion waiting outside where the miasma is thin, along with its cubs.

Otherwise, I'd probably have been poisoned to death long ago, right?

Ding, congratulations on obtaining one Detoxification Pill.

Alright, alright, I know you damn system are afraid I'll get poisoned to death.

Don't worry, this young master's fate is tough as nails. A mere poison swamp—how could it possibly take my life!

Listening to his inner ramblings, Little Doctor Fairy instinctively wanted to reach for his hand, but she pulled back halfway.

At some point, the hands they had been holding tightly had already let go.

It wasn't because she was shy, but because her hands were now filled with lethal poison, as was the rest of her body.

Even without looking, she knew clearly that the seven-colored hidden thread on her lower abdomen was climbing toward her heart at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Already exhausted from resisting the surrounding miasma, she didn't feel she should continue to be a burden to Xiao Yuan.

They didn't know how much longer they had walked, but they felt as if they had reached the end of the miasma.

The thick fog before them suddenly dissipated, and everything became clear and open.

Yet, the scene that greeted their eyes was truly shocking.

It was not terrifying.

Rather...

"How beautiful."

Little Doctor Fairy could not help but exclaim, her beautiful eyes sparkling with wonder.

Even Xiao Yuan had to admit that this place was truly beautiful.

Colorful flowers swayed gently with the breeze, forming a vibrant sea of blossoms.

Those flowers bloomed with such bewitching allure, swaying their graceful forms like beauties.

It was dreamily beautiful.

It felt like a fairyland from a fairy tale, a secluded paradise.

[It's just a pity that sometimes, the more beautiful something is, the more lethal it becomes.]

[Even a fool could guess that flowers with such unnatural brilliance must be highly poisonous.]

As these thoughts faded.

Little Doctor Fairy suddenly snapped back to reality, her fair face instantly flushing with embarrassment.

Could she admit that she had truly been mesmerized and failed to notice that the flowers here were highly toxic?

[But how can such vibrant flowers grow in a swamp? What kind of biological structure is this?]

[Marsh plants?]

[I do see some dark purple water lilies in those puddles...]

[Oh right, this is a fantasy world, so never mind.]

[Ding, congratulations on obtaining one Encyclopedia of Poisonous Herbs.]

Xiao Yuan: "..."

[You damn system, you're mocking my ignorance, aren't you?!]

The system did not respond.

Instead, it was met with a sudden exclamation from Little Doctor Fairy.

"Eh, Little Brother Xiao Yuan, look, this butterfly is so unique!"

Looking up, he saw a butterfly slowly flapping its wings on Little Doctor Fairy's slender, jade-like finger.

But upon seeing the butterfly's color and appearance, Xiao Yuan's pupils suddenly constricted!

The butterfly was pale purple, and although small, it possessed a crystalline, dreamlike quality.

A butterfly with this appearance, existing within the Ancient Nether Poison Swamp—there could only be one answer—

"Damn it, that's Nether Poison Fire!"

"Ah?!"

Little Doctor Fairy was startled, her small hand trembling slightly, and the butterfly immediately took flight.

"I'm sorry, Little Brother Xiao Yuan, I didn't know... I just thought it was pretty, and it flew toward me, so I reached out to catch it. It felt very comfortable when it landed on my hand, so, so..."

At this moment, Little Doctor Fairy looked like a little girl who had done something wrong and was desperately trying to make amends, explaining anxiously and at a loss.

Xiao Yuan recovered from his shock and quickly comforted her:

"It's fine, Sister Little Doctor Fairy, isn't our goal this time to find the Nether Poison Fire?"

"And looking at it, it seems to really like you."

Xiao Yuan pointed to the top of Little Doctor Fairy's head.

Looking up, she saw that the purple butterfly had not flown far; instead, it was circling above her head, as if something there was attracting it.

It seemed the step of capturing it could be skipped entirely.

One had to know that capturing a Heavenly Flame was a troublesome task, especially one that had already taken form and seemed to possess a sliver of intelligence; its strength was not to be underestimated.

[Perhaps this is the attraction the Woeful Poison Body has for the Nether Poison Fire.]

Xiao Yuan took a pile of porcelain bottles from his Storage Ring and stuffed them into Little Doctor Fairy's arms.

"This is a Blood Lotus Pill to protect your body from being incinerated by the Heavenly Flame, this is an Ice Heart Pill to guard your mind, and this is Ice Spirit Cold Spring to ensure your meridians and internal organs are not destroyed by the flame..."