Hey?

"That really is a good place."

Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes slightly. He was now especially sensitive to the aura of unusual flames; once he got within a certain range, it was as though he had a radar.

The fiery aura in the cave Xiao Yi Xian mentioned was extremely faint, but even if it was not a Heavenly Flame, it was something related to one.

"Looks like this poison really does have an affinity with fire."

Xiao Yan rubbed his nose.

Yao Lao and the Woeful Poison Body who was supposedly his confidante, himself and Xiao Yi Xian, and the cave containing an aura that simultaneously attracted both the Woeful Poison Body and himself.

All three pairs they had encountered were like this.

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Xiao Yi Xian blinked at his words, looking thoughtful.

"Let's go see what our opportunity really is." Xiao Yan patted Xiao Yi Xian's shoulder and casually pressed a wisp of white fire into her body. Their essence, energy, and spirit resonated, greatly enhancing her condition.

This was a new technique he had comprehended from the Flame Mantra while cultivating in the Gray Mist Space every night.

It could reverse, to a certain extent, the effect of Samadhi True Fire burning one's origin. By doing the opposite, he could transfer his own power to others as fuel and stimulate all their attributes.

It was somewhat like Nine-Tails giving people chakra.

As they chatted, the two quickened their pace and headed rapidly toward the cliff.

When they reached the end of the narrow path and were about to enter the deep mountains, Xiao Yan abruptly glanced back and smiled.

Then he paid it no further mind and swaggered into the mountains.

A moment later, a group of mercenaries bearing distinctive emblems appeared where the two had vanished.

Mu She, the leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, had a vicious look in his eyes.

More than a year ago, when Xiao Yi Xian had entered the mountains to gather herbs, his son Mu Li—who had long wanted to make Xiao Yi Xian his—had led men in after her. Yet when Xiao Yi Xian emerged from the mountains, Mu Li had vanished without a trace, his fate unknown.

It was also after that incident that a youth named Xiao Yan suddenly appeared at Xiao Yi Xian's side. Knowing what kind of scum his own son was, Mu She naturally suspected Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Yan.

Given his temperament, he would have acted long ago. But Xiao Yan unexpectedly had a Dou Master guarding him, and had even stationed a Dou Master in Qingshan Town to protect his business.

This left Mu She furious but unable to speak out.

But today, he had finally found his chance!

More than a year ago, Xiao Yan had not even been a Dou Zhe, while Xiao Yi Xian had only just entered the Dou Zhe rank.

The guard stationed by the Xiao Clan at Hundred Herb Hall had not followed them into the mountains either. Mu She immediately saw hope!

Precious Dou Skills, medicinal herbs, cultivation techniques!

And he could learn the exact whereabouts of his son.

"Heh heh! Keep biting down on them!" Savage greed flashed in Mu She's eyes as he waved his hand and led the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's elite in pursuit.

Once all traces of people had disappeared, a wisp of pure white flame on the ground slowly went out.

"Someone is watching you." Atop the cliff, Xiao Yan curled his index finger slightly. A butterfly formed from pure white flames lightly rested upon his fingertip.

"People from Wolf Head?" Xiao Yi Xian's delicate brows knitted tightly. With only that hint from Xiao Yan, she knew who it was.

In all of Qingshan Town, the only people who held a grudge against him were Mu She, leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, and Boss Yao, formerly of the Myriad Medicine Store.

"I told you we should have uprooted them completely, but you wouldn't let me." Xiao Yan spread his hands.

The last time he had come to the mountain range to train, he had encountered Xiao Yi Xian. Perhaps because the two were such a perfect match, like an immortal couple, they had enraged some clown. On a dark, windy night, while they were chatting in the night breeze, several Dou Zhes and a pile of cannon fodder surrounded them, intending to kill them.

Left with no choice, Xiao Yan had furiously activated the Eight Gates and sent them down below to learn some manners from their Old Feng.

After returning to Qingshan Town, Boss Yao of the Myriad Medicine Store, Xiao Yi Xian's former employer, had easily been persuaded by Mu She and begun coercing and tempting Xiao Yi Xian.

Xiao Yan had wanted to go all out on the spot or call in reinforcements to eliminate the unstable factors, but Xiao Yi Xian disagreed. So he opened a clinic with her, then, after getting Xiao Zhan's approval, spent a large amount of his own gold to hire a one-star Dou Master captain of the clan's guard.

"..." Xiao Yi Xian shook her head.

After meeting Xiao Yan back then, she had thought everything would get better, that everyone would be like Xiao Yan. Instead, reality had taught her a brutal lesson.

There were simply too many vermin.

"If you ask me, your medical skills still aren't good enough." Xiao Yan looked up with a sigh. Under Xiao Yi Xian's puzzled gaze, he grinned.

"A superior physician treats illness before it arises. Before they reach this point, you should nip the seed of disaster in the bud. The greed in people's hearts is even more ferocious than floods and beasts. How can such greed be left untreated?

It may not matter to you and me, but what if they target others? Wouldn't that bring another bloody storm?

For other people, aren't people like this a disaster in themselves?" Xiao Yan argued with conviction.

Xiao Yi Xian stood there dumbfounded and speechless.

The mountain wind by the cliff grew fiercer, stirring wave after wave within her heart.

She instinctively lowered her head toward her lower abdomen. Though layers of clothing separated her from it, she could still sense the colorful patterns condensing the strange poison.

For some reason, the Poison Dou Qi she had always resisted so fiercely suddenly did not seem quite so repulsive anymore...?

Seeing Xiao Yi Xian immersed in thought, Xiao Yan shook his head and smiled. He casually tossed several Samadhi Pills onto the ground, waiting for some fated person to step on the landmines.

Then he rested his cheek on one hand and quietly watched Xiao Yi Xian, waiting for her to settle her emotions before exploring the cliff with her.

He knew Xiao Yi Xian had issues with her mindset. Someone who dreamed of becoming an alchemist to heal and save people had instead gained a constitution that made her body full of poison. Once Xiao Yi Xian learned of this, it would certainly deal her a tremendous blow.

She might even fall into self-doubt and self-denial.

After all, Poison Dou Qi and the Woeful Poison Body were not on the same level at all.

Before the Woeful Poison Body, anything poisonous was merely a little girl.

Helping her overcome this hurdle was therefore necessary. Xiao Yan did not want Xiao Yi Xian to be driven mad by this constitution.

As his thoughts wandered, Xiao Yi Xian soon came back to her senses. Xiao Yan immediately flashed a smile, wrapped an arm around her waist, and amid her cry of surprise, jumped straight off the cliff.

Whoosh—

The howling wind whipped their clothes, making them flap loudly. Xiao Yi Xian's initial shock and doubt swiftly turned into enjoyment of the thrill. She spread her arms and experienced something she had never felt before.

She had an immeasurable degree of trust in Xiao Yan. This youth seemed to possess a kind of magic; as long as he was beside her, Xiao Yi Xian felt her confidence soar, without any fear or uncertainty.

Until their bodies passed the cave and continued falling, showing no sign of stopping.

Watching the ground draw closer and feeling the wind grow increasingly violent, Xiao Yi Xian froze slightly.

"Hey?"

Oh no, she had put Xiao Yan on a pedestal and forgotten that he had always been so unpredictable.

The ground drew closer and closer, and Xiao Yi Xian's heart tightened further and further.

Whoosh—

A broad chest embraced her from behind. Flames surged, and the two of them soared back into the air.