Inside the room, Xiao Yi Xian sat cross-legged in a bathtub filled with emerald-green medicinal liquid, cultivating.
More than an hour later, her eyelids trembled slightly before her eyes opened, a flash of white light passing through them.
Xiao Yi Xian parted her small lips and exhaled a long stream of turbid air.
Feeling the Dou Qi within her body, Xiao Yi Xian furrowed her delicate brows and sighed to herself.
"My talent is too poor. It has been over twenty days, and I still haven't even broken through to the first stage of Dou Qi."
Xiao Yi Xian had long since reached the fifth stage of Dou Qi. Ever since entering the Portable Space, Xiao Yan had refined Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid to assist her cultivation.
Unfortunately, her talent was limited. She could only cultivate for a little over an hour each day before her meridians began to ache and she grew restless and irritable, unable to enter a cultivation state again.
"At this rate, I'll need at least another ten days to reach the sixth stage of Dou Qi."
Xiao Yi Xian's brows were tightly furrowed. If it had been before, she would have been delighted with such cultivation speed.
But after meeting Brother Xiao Yan, she learned that Xiao Yan was already a Nine-Star Dou Practitioner, while even Nalan Yanran next door had become a Six-Star Dou Practitioner.
Nalan Yanran had cultivated in the Portable Space for over a year. Though she had no assistance from pills, the energy in the space was abundant, allowing her to advance from a Three-Star Dou Practitioner to a Six-Star Dou Practitioner.
Moreover, Xiao Yi Xian knew that Nalan Yanran was Brother Xiao Yan's fiancée, and she also knew why he had imprisoned her.
This gave Xiao Yi Xian an inexplicable sense of crisis.
With a splash, Xiao Yi Xian stood up from the bathtub. Her drenched white dress clung tightly to her long, straight legs, while strings of cool water droplets gathered between them and fell back into the tub.
She lifted a leg and stepped out of the bathtub, revealing jade-white feet that left small, exquisite footprints across the wooden floor.
After changing into a dry purple dress, Xiao Yi Xian pushed open the door and walked outside the villa.
At that moment, a flash of white light appeared, and Xiao Yan materialized out of thin air.
"Brother Xiao Yan, how is it outside?"
Xiao Yi Xian hurried over in small steps and asked with a smile.
"The Wolf Head Mercenary Group has already left the cave."
"I went back to Qing Shan Town to purchase supplies. Mu Li has been spreading word that we obtained a large number of treasures in the cave, so we won't be able to return to Qing Shan Town anytime soon."
Xiao Yan spoke with a mixture of truth and falsehood.
Xiao Yi Xian was an orphan and held no particular attachment to Qing Shan Town, so it did not matter much if she could not return.
Xiao Yan smiled and asked, "By the way, how has your cultivation been lately? Do you still have enough Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid?"
At the mention of cultivation, Xiao Yi Xian said dejectedly, "Brother Xiao Yan, my cultivation talent is too poor. I still haven't broken through."
She was already an adult, yet she was only at the fifth stage of Dou Qi. If she could not condense a Qi Vortex before the age of twenty, she would likely have no hope of becoming a Dou Zhe for the rest of her life.
"It's fine. I'll protect you for the rest of my life."
Xiao Yan rubbed the girl's head and said with a smile.
"But I don't want to become Brother Xiao Yan's burden. I want to fight alongside you."
Xiao Yi Xian bit her rosy lips, looked at Xiao Yan with wide eyes, and spoke stubbornly.
Xiao Yan fell silent for a moment. He was considering whether to give Xiao Yi Xian the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture.
Xiao Yi Xian had no talent for cultivating Dou Qi. If she continued this way, she would at most become a Dou Zhe in her lifetime.
Her true talent lay in the Calamity Poison Body.
But if the Calamity Poison Body were awakened now, Xiao Yi Xian would have to continuously consume poison. Eventually, when the toxins accumulated beyond what the Calamity Poison Body could suppress, they would backlash. Not only would she suffer immense pain, but she would also become the Heavenly Poison Woman feared by all.
This was something Xiao Yan did not wish to see.
In his plan, he wanted to find Venerable Tian Huo and learn the Heaven Heavenly Capital Fire Seal. Only then would he awaken the Calamity Poison Body, allowing the toxin outbreaks to be suppressed effectively.
In the end, he would refine a poison pill and completely resolve the toxin backlash.
Xiao Yan took a deep breath, looked directly into Xiao Yi Xian's eyes, and said solemnly,
"Xiao Yi Xian, I actually have a way to help you become a Dou Zhe quickly. I just don't know whether you are willing."
"What way?"
Xiao Yi Xian's eyes lit up at once, and anticipation appeared on her face.
Xiao Yan coughed lightly and said, "I actually possess a special constitution. If I engage in Dual Cultivation with a woman, we can raise each other's cultivation."
"Dual Cultivation?"
Xiao Yi Xian cried out, then quickly covered her small mouth with her hand as a crimson flush rose across her face.
Seeing that she remained silent for a long time, Xiao Yan said softly,
"This is indeed rather abrupt. It is perfectly normal if you are unwilling. Don't worry, I'll see whether I can develop better pills to speed up your Dou Qi cultivation."
After saying that, Xiao Yan prepared to leave. He still had some preparations to make.
He had still decided to venture deep into the Magic Beast Mountain Range and find the Amethyst Winged Lion King, to see whether he could sneak in and steal the Companion Purple Crystal Source.
But before that, he had to break through to the Dou Master realm.
That way, with Medicine Elder possessing him, he could exert strength three major realms above his own and reach the level of a Dou Wang.
Combined with the Bone Chilling Flame, he would have the strength to fight even a low-star Dou Emperor.
At this moment, seeing Xiao Yan about to leave, Xiao Yi Xian anxiously grabbed his sleeve and said in a low voice, "Brother Xiao Yan, I'm willing."
"What?"
Xiao Yan had not heard clearly and asked in confusion.
Xiao Yi Xian's face flushed scarlet with embarrassment, but she still bravely said, "I'm willing to engage in Dual Cultivation with you."
After saying that, she stamped her foot, covered her face, and fled from the villa as though escaping.
Xiao Yan stared blankly at the fleeing Xiao Yi Xian. Then he was overjoyed, clenched his fist, and swung it hard through the air several times.
Though he had proposed Dual Cultivation with Xiao Yi Xian because he wanted the Calamity Poison Body, Xiao Yan had not forced her.
If Xiao Yi Xian had been unwilling, Xiao Yan could have given up on it.
Once he learned the Heaven Heavenly Capital Fire Seal, he would still give the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture to Xiao Yi Xian.
Xiao Yi Xian sat on a huge stone beside the medicinal field, propping her chin up with both hands as she stared blankly at the lushly growing herbs.
Though she and Xiao Yan had known each other for less than a month, Xiao Yan had long since left a mark in her heart.
From the first day they met, Xiao Yan's fixed stare at her had drawn her attention.
When she learned that Xiao Yan was an alchemist and wanted to take her on as his assistant, Xiao Yi Xian had been extremely happy.
Inside the cave, Xiao Yan had faced the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's siege with calm composure, displaying powerful strength.
Coupled with the mysterious space, this made Xiao Yi Xian feel exceptionally safe.
Most importantly, Xiao Yan was interested in her as well and had been very proactive. She could sense that Xiao Yan intended to pursue her.
Therefore, when Xiao Yan proposed that Dual Cultivation could improve her cultivation, Xiao Yi Xian agreed.
Although Xiao Yi Xian had agreed to Dual Cultivation, Xiao Yan did not rush things. Instead, he spent five days building their relationship.
Over those five days, the two were like a pair of lovers deeply in love. They began by holding hands, then hugging, kissing, and did everything except take the final step.
Finally, the two began their Dual Cultivation.
Xiao Yan's Vajra Saint Body finally displayed its proper might.
During their Dual Cultivation, the world's energy within the space continuously gathered into the villa.
As the two gradually became immersed in the experience, pink vapor emanated from their bodies. The vapor rotated together with the world's energy, forming an energy egg that enveloped them both.
One hour, two hours, three hours...
No one knew how much time passed before the energy egg shattered, transforming into enormous amounts of pure red energy that entered Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian's bodies. It then flowed through their pressed palms, forming a cycle within their bodies that continued to circulate.
The momentum of Xiao Yi Xian's Dou Qi surged forward like bamboo splitting before an axe, breaking through one level after another.
Sixth stage, seventh stage, eighth stage, ninth stage, ninth stage complete.
While in the state of Dual Cultivation, Xiao Yan's soul perception was actually able to enter Xiao Yi Xian's dantian and directly help her successfully condense a Qi Vortex.
As Xiao Yi Xian condensed her Qi Vortex, all the remaining energy transferred into Xiao Yan's body.
His cultivation Qi Vortex revolved, compressing that pure energy again and again until it condensed into drops of liquid.
One drop, two drops, three drops...
By the time all the energy had been compressed into liquid, there were already fifty-three drops within Xiao Yan's Qi Vortex.
At that moment, the two also awakened from their Dual Cultivation.
Looking at each other's bodies, Xiao Yan did not think much of it.
But Xiao Yi Xian's face was completely red.
"Ah, Brother Xiao Yan, why do you also have Seven-Colored Hidden Lines on your lower abdomen?"
Before you continue