Taking a Disciple, Rejection

Xiao Yi Xian could sense that the other person's Woeful Poison Body was far stronger than hers.

It was like a stream encountering the sea—they were not even on the same level!

That feeling of sharing the same origin could not be faked.

He really... had a Woeful Poison Body too?

Did that mean he had suffered far more than she had?

Yet he looked perfectly fine. He could even freely control the aura of his constitution...

Could it be... that he really had a way to control the Woeful Poison Body?

The wariness in Xiao Yi Xian's heart unknowingly faded by more than half.

She looked at Lu Xia, her eyes filled with shock, confusion, and a trace of anticipation.

"Y-you... are you really like me?"

She asked softly, her expression complicated.

Lu Xia withdrew his aura and nodded. "Of course."

"Otherwise, how do you think I knew so much?"

"Like you, I suffered the pain of toxin backlash since childhood, and I was treated as a monster before."

"But fortunately, I later met an expert and obtained a method to control the Woeful Poison Body."

"So, I can help you."

He looked at Xiao Yi Xian with sincere eyes, though his tone carried a hint of persuasion.

"Do you want to never suffer the pain of toxin backlash again?"

"Do you want to stop hiding and be able to use your own power openly?"

Xiao Yi Xian's heartbeat instantly quickened.

Yes!

Of course she did!

She had dreamed of it!

All these years, the Woeful Poison Body had tormented her, and she had never dared reveal what made her different.

She did not dare get too close to others or make friends.

She was like a small beast hiding in a dark corner, cautiously concealing her secret, terrified of being discovered and burned to death as a monster.

If... if there really was a way to control the Woeful Poison Body, then she...

Xiao Yi Xian looked at Lu Xia, her eyes full of longing, but reason made her hesitate.

"Y-you... why do you want to help me?"

She asked cautiously, "We don't even know each other!"

She still understood that there was no such thing as a free lunch.

Why would a stranger help her for no reason?

He must have wanted something.

Seeing her wary expression, Lu Xia nodded inwardly.

He had not intended to hide it anyway. It was better to make things clear early.

Lu Xia smiled slightly and said frankly, "The reason is simple."

"First, we both have Woeful Poison Bodies. We share the same affliction, and I don't want to see you suffer backlash from your constitution in the future and meet a miserable end."

"Second, your talent is very high. If properly nurtured, your future achievements will be limitless."

"So, I want to take you as my disciple."

"What?"

Xiao Yi Xian raised her head, suspecting that she had heard wrong.

Lu Xia looked into her eyes and repeated himself in a serious tone. "I want to take you as my disciple."

"Huh?"

Xiao Yi Xian stared at Lu Xia with wide eyes, her face filled with disbelief.

Take her as his disciple?

She had not heard wrong, had she?

This person not only knew her secret and claimed he could help her control the Woeful Poison Body, but now he wanted to take her as his disciple?

Wasn't that far too sudden?

Xiao Yi Xian opened her mouth, but no words came out for a long while.

Seeing her stunned expression, Lu Xia continued.

"I know this is sudden, but I am serious."

"As someone with a Woeful Poison Body too, I understand its dangers very well, and I also understand its benefits."

"If this constitution is left unchecked, it won't be long before you suffer toxin backlash, completely lose control, and ultimately either explode to death or become a mindless calamity that brings disaster upon an entire region."

"I can't bear to see such good talent as yours ultimately meet such a tragic end."

"And besides..."

A trace of loneliness entered Lu Xia's voice.

"Woeful Poison Bodies are too rare. I want a companion walking the same path."

"In the entire Dou Qi Continent, there are probably only the two of us with Woeful Poison Bodies."

His voice was calm, but his words were deeply earnest.

Listening to him, Xiao Yi Xian felt even more conflicted.

She could tell that Lu Xia was speaking sincerely.

All these years, she had hidden this secret alone, walking through darkness in loneliness.

Then someone just like her had suddenly appeared and said he wanted to be her companion on the same path...

It would be a lie to say she was not moved.

But moved as she was, her caution still prevailed.

They had only met for the first time. She did not know him at all.

Who knew whether what he said was true or false?

What if he had some other motive?

To many poison cultivators, a constitution like the Woeful Poison Body was a treasure they could only dream of.

Xiao Yi Xian bit her lip, her heart locked in a fierce struggle, before finally shaking her head.

"I'm sorry."

She raised her head and looked at Lu Xia apologetically. "Thank you for your kindness, but... I can't agree."

"I'm doing quite well in Green Mountain Town right now, and I still have matters at the Myriad Medicine Hall to handle. For now... I don't want to change anything."

Lu Xia had long expected this outcome.

If it were him, and a stranger suddenly appeared claiming to know his secret and wanting to take him as a disciple, he would not believe it either.

What if he turned out to be another Wu Ya?

Lu Xia smiled, his tone calm. "It's all right. I understand your concerns."

"After all, we have only met for the first time. It's perfectly normal that you don't trust me."

"I'll be staying in Green Mountain Town for a few days. If you think it over, you can come find me anytime."

"If you don't..."

He looked at Xiao Yi Xian seriously. "Then just pretend I never appeared. I won't come bother you again."

After saying that, he nodded to Xiao Yi Xian, turned, and walked out of the alley.

Xiao Yi Xian stood where she was, watching his departing back with a jumble of emotions in her heart.

Over the next two days, Lu Xia truly did not come looking for Xiao Yi Xian again.

He settled into an inn at the entrance to town. Every day, he either cultivated in his room or wandered around town, living leisurely.

He was not in the slightest hurry.

Xiao Yi Xian would come around sooner or later.

Only those who had personally experienced the pain of the Woeful Poison Body could understand it.

She could still suppress it now because her cultivation was still low.

Once a few more years passed and the toxins grew stronger, when she could no longer suppress them, she would naturally come looking for him.

Of course, he would not simply sit around and wait.

At the right time, he would still need to give her a push.

Over the past two days, he had secretly observed Xiao Yi Xian a few times.

Aside from helping at the Myriad Medicine Hall every day, she went to gather herbs in the outer region of the Magical Beast Mountain Range once every two days.

She went alone every time. She was quite bold.

After calculating the days, Lu Xia realized that tomorrow would be her next trip into the mountains to gather herbs.

Early the next morning, when the sky had only just begun to brighten.

Xiao Yi Xian left the Myriad Medicine Hall with a medicine basket on her back and a herb hoe in hand, heading toward the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

She had changed into a light green dress and wore a bamboo hat that concealed most of her face, leaving only her pointed chin exposed.

The Myriad Medicine Hall was nearly out of medicinal herbs, so she had to gather some from the mountains.

There were not many low-tier magical beasts in the outer region of the Magical Beast Mountain Range. As long as she was careful, there should not be much danger.

As Xiao Yi Xian walked, she kept an eye on the herbs along the roadside. Whenever she encountered one she recognized, she stopped to dig it up and carefully placed it into her medicine basket.