I Want to Help You

Dawn was just breaking, and faint light filtered through the window, adding a dim glow to the originally pitch-black room.

Although it was still early, they had to get up since they would be taking a flying magical beast back to Wutan City today.

Xiao Yan reached out and gave Little Fairy Doctor's smooth skin another caress, then pinched her cheek while she was still asleep.

"Mm..."

"Wake up, Xian'er."

Little Fairy Doctor had just awakened and was still somewhat groggy. One hand supported her body while the other rubbed her sleepy eyes. She did not even notice the bedsheet slipping from her body, fully revealing the beauty beneath and giving Xiao Yan quite a feast for the eyes.

As someone on the verge of advancing to Great Dou Master, Little Fairy Doctor quickly shook off her post-sleep haze. She noticed her own state, as well as Xiao Yan's wandering, doglike eyes.

Though quite some time had passed since the two had first bared themselves to each other, Little Fairy Doctor still could not help blushing. The faint pink rising on her cheeks added another touch of alluring charm to the already beautiful girl.

She shot Xiao Yan a fierce glare, then grabbed the nearby blanket and barely covered her proud curves.

"Enough, stop looking. Let's talk business," Little Fairy Doctor said with a touch of coy annoyance.

"Mhm, I'm listening. Go ahead." Xiao Yan picked up a lock of hair that had fallen onto the bed and savored it carefully as he spoke.

Little Fairy Doctor glanced at the person beside her helplessly. "We can't hide our return to Wutan City on a flying magical beast from the Mo Clan. Once they discover there is a Xiao Clan in Wutan City, they will definitely connect it to you. Have you thought of a countermeasure?"

Although Xiao Yan was powerful, he could not remain with the Xiao Clan forever. He would have to leave in a few months. If the Mo Clan bore a grudge against him and tried to seize the Xiao Clan to threaten him, it would truly cause him trouble. Not to mention the source of Xiao Yan's strength—if the Mo Clan believed it came from an opportunity Xiao Yan had obtained himself rather than from joining some major faction, they might well become greedy and take a desperate gamble.

"Mhm." Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened, and he grew slightly more serious. "I've thought about that too, but honestly, I haven't come up with a very good solution. What do you think?"

There was actually one simplest method: kill everyone in the Mo Clan with any real strength. However, neither of them was particularly bloodthirsty, so they tacitly avoided mentioning it.

"Poison them!" Little Fairy Doctor's eyes turned cold. "I can prepare a special poison that will lie dormant in their bodies once they consume it. If they do not regularly take the antidote I prepare, they will die suddenly! What do you think?"

It sounded like a good method, but Xiao Yan was not excited in the slightest. He merely gazed quietly at Little Fairy Doctor's somewhat flickering eyes.

"Great Dou Masters are manageable, but what about Mo Lan, a Dou Spirit? Even with the Woeful Poison Body, you do not have that kind of strength. What are you planning to do?"

Little Fairy Doctor's gaze shifted evasively. "There are still plenty of Earthfire Lotus Seeds. I'll be fine."

Xiao Yan's eyes turned icy. "Don't take me for an idiot. There can be a first and second time, but not a third. Losing your essence blood is nowhere near as trivial as you make it sound. If I agree this time, what about next time? And the time after that? I, Xiao Yan, have not fallen so low that I need the woman I love to bleed for me. If there really is no good solution... I can kill them."

Xiao Yan was not a bloodthirsty person, but when Little Fairy Doctor's safety was involved, he did not mind taking on a few blood debts.

Xiao Yan forcefully pressed Little Fairy Doctor beneath him and delivered a hard slap to her raised buttocks. His tone was stern as he said, "You are not allowed to have thoughts like that again. Understand?"

Little Fairy Doctor winced in pain. Knowing this plan could never succeed, she stopped arguing. Tears welled in her eyes as she simply looked at Xiao Yan.

Seeing Little Fairy Doctor's pitiful expression, Xiao Yan's heart softened as well.

"Alright, don't be sad. I'm doing this for your own good. But why do you always think about using your essence blood? I didn't realize it last time, but this is the second time. Why?" Xiao Yan asked, somewhat puzzled.

"I..." Little Fairy Doctor's gaze darted away, and she unconsciously turned her head aside, wanting to escape the question. Yet in the end, she could not escape. Xiao Yan forcefully turned her face back.

"I... I just wanted to help you."

"What?" Xiao Yan was somewhat stunned. But since Little Fairy Doctor had begun, she no longer concealed anything and continued.

"Ever since we met, you've always been the one helping me. From the Melded Ape at the beginning, to escaping Ten Thousand Medicine Hall, to living in the Magic Beast Mountains and driving away magical beasts—you were always the one taking care of me. I... I don't want it to stay that way forever. I want to be able to help you. But your cultivation advanced too quickly. When I had Dou Qi, you were already a High-Rank Dou Fighter. When I became a Dou Fighter, you were a Dou Master. When I became a Dou Master, you had already reached Great Dou Master. I was always one step behind you. Now you have obtained the Green Lotus Core Flame and the Medusa Queen's Dou Qi essence, so there will not be any major obstacle before Dou King. I... I'm always an entire major realm below you. Other than using my essence blood, I can't think of any way to gain the strength to help you."

Little Fairy Doctor poured out all the thoughts she had kept buried over the years. Then, somewhat afraid to look at Xiao Yan, she buried her little head directly in her folded arms.

Xiao Yan felt deeply moved. These were indeed things he had failed to notice over the years. He had always thought of Little Fairy Doctor as a rather fragile, pitiable girl, and unconsciously forgotten that beneath that gentle, lovely exterior lay a heart determined to grow strong. It was not that Little Fairy Doctor could not accept Xiao Yan's help and care; she simply could not accept receiving help and care from only one side. It made her feel awkward and miserable.

Xiao Yan silently pulled away the hands Little Fairy Doctor was using to cover her face.

"Um, I'm sorry. Was I being too pretentious? I've been accepting your care all this time, yet in the end I said something like this," Little Fairy Doctor said guiltily.

"No, I'm the one who neglected your feelings all these years." Xiao Yan shook his head.

After a brief silence, Xiao Yan sighed inwardly. Truthfully, he wanted to stay with Little Fairy Doctor forever—to return to Wutan City together and attend Canaan Academy together. Unfortunately, that probably would not be possible. Perhaps this was fate.

"Xian'er, do you know about the Cloud Empire?"

"The Cloud Empire?" Little Fairy Doctor thought for a moment. "Do you mean that country ruled by poison masters?"

"Yes. The Woeful Poison Body needs to absorb toxins to cultivate, but obtaining them in the Jia Ma Empire is difficult after all, especially as your strength increases. If you want to grow stronger faster, the Cloud Empire is the only place to go."

Little Fairy Doctor blinked and said, "You won't go, will you?"

Though it was phrased as a question, Little Fairy Doctor sounded certain.

Xiao Yan fell silent and felt somewhat ashamed, but he still forced himself to answer. "Mhm. Canaan Academy has a Heavenly Flame, and I need to obtain it first. If I went to the Cloud Empire with you first, then by the time I arrived at Canaan Academy, I would either be a Dou King or a Peak Dou Spirit. But Canaan Academy graduates students at Dou King at the latest. Wouldn't it make it obvious that I enrolled with ulterior motives? So..."

"Alright, you don't need to say any more. I understand. Whether I go to the Cloud Empire is my own choice. There is no reason for you to abandon your own opportunity just to make me stronger." Little Fairy Doctor placed a finger over Xiao Yan's lips and spoke understandingly.

"Will you go?" Though he already knew the answer, Xiao Yan still wanted to ask once more.

"I will." Little Fairy Doctor answered firmly.

"Then stay with me a few more days."

"Alright."