Woeful Poison Body Flare-Up!

In the isolated little valley, Xiao Lei and Xiao Yi Xian quietly lived their own lives.

One cultivated Dou Qi while the other diligently studied poison manuals. They occasionally chatted to relax, and their days were leisurely and carefree.

In the blink of an eye, nearly another month passed.

That day, Xiao Lei sensed signs of another breakthrough in his cultivation. After informing Xiao Yi Xian, he sat cross-legged atop a huge rock in an open area of the valley, devoting himself fully to cultivation as he charged toward the Nine-Star Dou Shi realm.

As his Dou Qi Cultivation Method circulated, vast amounts of natural energy continuously poured into Xiao Lei's body. He refined and absorbed it, transforming it into his own Dou Qi before finally compressing it into liquid and gathering it within the Dantian Qi Cyclone.

Gradually, Xiao Lei's aura grew stronger and stronger.

Boom!

At a certain moment, a thunderous roar seemed to ring out from within Xiao Lei's body. His aura abruptly surged, whipping up a storm throughout the little valley before gradually settling back into calm.

"Phew!"

Xiao Lei slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of stale air, immediately feeling refreshed and clear-headed.

"Congratulations. Your cultivation has improved again." Several meters away, Xiao Yi Xian had somehow arrived beside Xiao Lei. Seeing that he had successfully broken through, she smiled and offered her congratulations.

"Thank you." Xiao Lei leaped down from the huge rock and chuckled.

"Hungry? I'll make lunch."

The two slowly returned to the area outside the thatched hut together. Xiao Yi Xian tilted her head and gave Xiao Lei a playful smile.

Xiao Lei glanced at the sky and realized that, without his noticing, it was already noon. "Thanks for the trouble."

"It's no trouble. I have to make something to eat for myself anyway."

Xiao Yi Xian smiled, then crouched down and rolled up her sleeves. She lit a fire beneath the stone stove and methodically prepared everything needed for cooking.

Sitting on a rock nearby, Xiao Lei watched Xiao Yi Xian hum softly through her delicate nose as she busied herself, and a faint smile appeared on his face.

When it came to cooking, Xiao Yi Xian was indeed a clever and skillful woman. Of course, Xiao Lei had not forgotten that the fair, jade-like hands of this innocent beauty with superb culinary skills were equally ingenious and strange when it came to poisoning people.

Poison masters did not have a very good reputation on the Dou Qi Continent, and many people feared dealing with them.

Their stealthy methods of administering poison could leave any opponent—or even friend—unable to eat or sleep in peace.

Xiao Lei possessed the Myriad Poisons Immunity Body and feared no poison whatsoever. Over the past month, he had accepted every bit of food Xiao Yi Xian prepared without hesitation.

Perhaps because of this, after spending a month together, Xiao Yi Xian's attitude toward Xiao Lei had become increasingly kind, even gentle.

This somewhat sensitive woman did not need much. Just a little trust was enough to bring a beautiful smile to her lovely face.

Yet her profession meant she would rarely receive such things, which made Xiao Lei's actions all the more heartwarming to her.

Looking at the lovely figure busy preparing lunch for them, Xiao Lei made conversation. "What are your plans for the future?"

"I plan to travel the Dou Qi Continent and see its scenery," Xiao Yi Xian replied casually as she worked.

"Traveling the continent is a pretty good idea." Xiao Lei nodded slightly with a smile.

"Are you interested too? We could go together." After adding some firewood, Xiao Yi Xian said with a bright smile.

Xiao Lei smiled. "In another two months, I need to return to my family for the coming-of-age ceremony. After that, I plan to go to Jia Nan Academy."

"Why not come with me then? We can first visit Wu Tan City, then go to Jia Nan Academy together."

Xiao Yi Xian's hands paused slightly before she shook her head with a smile. "Forget it. Jia Nan Academy probably isn't suitable for me."

Xiao Yi Xian had already learned that she possessed the Woeful Poison Body and had begun consuming poison.

She was worried that if she went to Jia Nan Academy, the powerful experts there would discover her.

"Then you can visit Wu Tan City first, before heading elsewhere," Xiao Lei said with a smile.

"Wu Tan City—is that where your family is?" Xiao Yi Xian turned and asked.

"Yes..." Xiao Lei nodded slightly, then briefly introduced Wu Tan City and the Xiao Family to her.

"We'll talk about it later." Xiao Yi Xian kept working as she replied.

Xiao Yi Xian chatted with Xiao Lei while preparing their lunch, yet did not delay her work in the slightest.

"All right, time to eat..."

Half an hour later, Xiao Yi Xian lightly shook her head and smiled at the bubbling little pot.

As she spoke, she stretched out her jade-like hand, took a small bowl from nearby, filled it with mushroom soup, and carefully handed it to Xiao Lei.

"It smells amazing." Taking it, Xiao Lei sniffed the fragrant mushroom soup, swallowed, and gave Xiao Yi Xian a thumbs-up before drinking deeply from the bowl.

Seeing Xiao Lei take the mushroom soup and gulp it down without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Yi Xian's lovely face blossomed into a captivating smile. She liked the trust Xiao Lei placed in her.

Xiao Lei drank several bowls of mushroom soup in succession before reluctantly handing the bowl back to Xiao Yi Xian. Smiling, he said, "Excellent cooking. Whoever marries you will have good food for the rest of his life."

"Marries me?"

Xiao Yi Xian could not help but laugh. Covering her mouth, she said, "You should know that poison masters are the profession least likely to marry on the Dou Qi Continent."

"After all, not many people would dare share a bed with a wife who can release deadly poison with every gesture."

"Not necessarily," Xiao Lei said, shaking his head slightly.

"Remember this. If we meet again somewhere on the Dou Qi Continent someday, you mustn't hate me. Otherwise, I think I'll be very sad."

After putting away the bowls, Xiao Yi Xian walked toward the little thatched hut. Just as she was about to enter, she paused, suddenly turned around, and smiled softly at Xiao Lei.

Xiao Lei said seriously, "Don't worry. I definitely won't."

Watching Xiao Yi Xian return to the thatched hut, Xiao Lei shook his head slightly and went off to find a place to continue cultivating.

Soon, another day passed.

The next morning, when Xiao Lei woke up, he found the entire valley silent.

At this time in the past, Xiao Yi Xian would have already risen and begun preparing breakfast.

Xiao Lei's heart stirred. He immediately released his soul power and sensed the movements within the thatched hut where Xiao Yi Xian lived.

Before long, Xiao Lei discovered Xiao Yi Xian lying quietly on the bed, her face covered in seven-colored hues. A cloth pouch lay in her hand, filled with black medicinal powder.

The same black powder also stained the corners of Xiao Yi Xian's mouth.

At the sight of this, Xiao Lei frowned and directly smashed open the wooden door of Xiao Yi Xian's thatched hut before walking inside.

Just then, Xiao Yi Xian, whose eyes had been tightly shut on the bed, happened to open them. Her jade-like hand moved slightly, and she glanced from the corner of her eye at the pitch-black poison, bitterness appearing on her lips.

Then Xiao Yi Xian suddenly pulled the blanket over her face. Faint, broken sobs drifted out from beneath it.