Dragon Saliva

Three days passed slowly. During those three days, Zi Yan never went out and quietly stayed by Xiao Fan's side.

Even Xiao Fan found it unbelievable. With Zi Yan's mischievous nature, she had actually managed to stay here peacefully.

But...

"Xiao Yan'er?"

"What is it, Xiao Fan?"

"Ahem. Can you tell me why there's such a deep bite mark on my shoulder?" After removing the bandages, Xiao Fan discovered the bite mark on his shoulder. Even after three days, the wound was still clearly visible.

"Xiao Fan, are you hungry? I'll go catch something for you to eat."

Without waiting for Xiao Fan's response, Zi Yan ran off in a flash.

Xiao Fan finally understood. This wound had to be Zi Yan's doing too. For all he knew, even his injuries had been caused by her...

Of course, it was not entirely bad. Over the past three days, Xiao Fan had circulated the Spirit Devouring Art to refine a mass of liquid in his stomach that contained pure energy.

Recalling the strange taste in his mouth earlier, Xiao Fan had some idea what it was. "This... couldn't have been Dragon Saliva, could it..."

"But it really worked..."

By refining the Dragon Saliva, Xiao Fan had actually broken through to the one-star Dou Master realm in one go.

Out of habit, Xiao Fan summoned the Dou Qi within his body. Yet this time, unlike the vivid fiery red it had always been, his Dou Qi was tinged with a trace of purple-black.

"Hm?!"

Xiao Fan once again sensed the changes in his body's Dou Qi. "Poison Dou Qi?"

As Xiao Yi Xian's confidant, he understood Poison Dou Qi all too well. Yet now, his body seemed to contain not only fire-attributed Dou Qi, but also Poison Dou Qi. It was beyond his imagination.

"Spirit Devouring Art..."

Before long, Xiao Fan understood where the Poison Dou Qi had come from, but a new doubt arose. "Why did it only appear after I broke through to Dou Master? I had treated Xiao Yi Xian for some time before this, yet when I circulated my Dou Qi back then, no Poison Dou Qi appeared."

A bolder thought emerged in Xiao Fan's mind. During the period when the Poison Dou Qi had appeared, three changes had occurred: his realm had broken through, he had taken poison made by Xiao Yi Xian, and Zi Yan's...

Compared to the latter two, Xiao Fan still believed that his breakthrough in realm was probably the key.

"But why did refining Magic Cores of different attributes have no effect?"

In his previous life, Xiao Fan had also advanced his realm by refining all sorts of heavenly treasures, yet no new Dou Qi attributes had appeared. It had still been fire-attributed Dou Qi mixed with a trace of wood attribute.

"Woe Poison Body... perhaps it has something to do with one's physique?"

After all, what the Spirit Devouring Art had refined was not the Poison Dou Qi inside Xiao Yi Xian's body, but the negative effects of the Woe Poison Body.

At that thought, Xiao Fan took out the Aphrodisiac Powder prepared by Xiao Yi Xian again. But after hesitating, he returned it to his Storage Ring and took out a Three-Lobed Ragweed that contained mild poison. Its toxicity was not great and would only cause a slight stinging pain.

He had no desire to experience being mounted by a little mountain again. If his guess was wrong, then his body would once more replace his brain.

Xiao Fan decisively swallowed the Three-Lobed Ragweed. The herb was refined in his stomach. This time, he did not circulate the Spirit Devouring Art, yet he could clearly feel his Poison Dou Qi grow slightly stronger.

"I really have obtained the Woe Poison Body..."

Xiao Fan could not help sighing once more at the terror of the Spirit Devouring Art. It could devour not only all kinds of heavenly treasures, but physiques as well...

Xiao Fan had not discovered this trait in his previous life either. After all, who would casually circulate their cultivation art to devour other people...

"Seems like there was? The Tunling Clan?"

Black Rock City.

This time, Xiao Fan did not let Zi Yan ride on him. The wound on his shoulder was still faintly aching, and he had no idea what grievance the girl had suffered to bite him so hard.

"Xiao Fan... don't be angry, okay? I didn't do it on purpose." Zi Yan obediently let Xiao Fan lead her along the entire way. She did not make trouble or run around, her little eyes constantly watching Xiao Fan's expression.

"Angry?" Xiao Fan looked at Zi Yan in confusion and asked curiously, "Xiao Yan'er, why do you think I'm angry?"

"But... Xiao Fan, you won't give me Sugar Pills anymore..." In Zi Yan's not-so-big little head, refusing to let her eat Sugar Pills meant Xiao Fan had to be angry.

Xiao Fan was somewhat speechless. "I want to make you some Sugar Pills too, but the medicinal herbs and Medicine Cauldron were destroyed by you last time. Right, and that foolish woman too!"

The moment he remembered that Yun Yun seemingly had not even paid him yet, he became incomparably angry. She had taken advantage of him and then run away. How could that not make anyone angry?

Once Zi Yan heard that Xiao Fan was not angry with her, she immediately pushed her luck. "Xiao Fan!"

"Hm?" Seeing Zi Yan suddenly stop, Xiao Fan asked in confusion.

"Hug."

Zi Yan stretched out her tender little arms and raised her small head slightly, her eyes filled with anticipation for Xiao Fan.

What else could Xiao Fan do? Naturally, he fulfilled her wish.

How could Xiao Fan be angry with Zi Yan? Whether she was being mischievous or had done something wrong, Xiao Fan would always indulge her, and Zi Yan would always remain by Xiao Fan's side.

He supported Zi Yan's little bottom with one hand, letting her press her whole body against his. Zi Yan also wrapped her arms around Xiao Fan's neck at just the right moment.

Their cheeks were only a tiny distance apart.

"Xiao Fan..."

"I'm sorry... I didn't mean to..."

Xiao Fan knocked Zi Yan on the head again, not at all gently. "Ow!"

"What are you hitting me for again, Xiao Fan?!"

"This is your punishment for biting people randomly. And stop overthinking. I won't abandon you."

Xiao Fan added another sentence in his heart. You're the Little Dragon Maiden I raised with my own hands. How could I bear to abandon you...

Though she was clearly a Little Dragon Maiden, Zi Yan was more like a clingy little kitten right now, constantly rubbing her little head against Xiao Fan's cheek.

Her earlier low spirits seemed to have vanished completely with Xiao Fan's promise.

Zi Yan softly sniffed Xiao Fan's scent. It was a scent that belonged solely to her, a home that made her feel incomparably safe.

Little Dragon Maiden Zi Yan actually fell asleep against Xiao Fan just like that. She seemed truly exhausted. During the days Xiao Fan had been bedridden, she had never rested, and her nerves had been constantly tense.

Soon, drool flowed from the little girl's mouth in streams...

"Xiao Fan... I like you!"

Zi Yan's muddled words in her sleep caught Xiao Fan slightly off guard. Even his raised hand hesitated for a moment, but he soon revealed an indulgent smile again, rubbed the Little Dragon Maiden's little head, and then...

"I like you too, Xiao Yan'er."