After Little Blue, the First Tier Blue Eagle, swallowed the Level-Three Rice Xia Kong fed her, a rich surge of energy immediately welled up inside her, and she sensed an opportunity to advance from the first tier to the second. She shook out her wings, let out a long cry, and flew straight back to the cave at the top of the valley, entering a deep sleep to cultivate in seclusion.
At the center of the valley, a clear stream flowed with a tinkling murmur. Xia Kong and Xiao Yi Xian worked together to build a cottage beside it.
Though the cottage was hardly grand or magnificent, its simple structure made chiefly of wood and bamboo had everything they needed-a sparrow might be small, but it still had all its vital organs.
With his cultivation as a Five-Star Dou Master, rough work such as felling trees and smoothing beams and pillars took Xia Kong no effort at all. Nor did he waste the time between construction tasks. As he split logs and cut bamboo, he repeatedly practiced the High-grade Profound Tier Dou Technique, Blossom Sword Cluster. Throughout the afternoon, fine, sharp bursts of wood-attribute sword energy erupted in the valley from time to time.
In his spare moments, Xia Kong also sorted through his plans for future cultivation.
His original plan had been to lie low in this valley in the Magical Beast Mountain Range for six months to a year. He would diligently polish his cultivation foundation and work his way toward the higher ranks of Da Dou Shi, while fighting the mountain's magic beasts to hone both the Dou Techniques he already knew and the several he had newly acquired. At the same time, he could spend time with Xiao Yi Xian and slowly deepen their affection. Once everything was ready, he would set out for the Tagor Desert to find Qing Lin and seek the Green Lotus Core Flame from Queen Medusa.
But suddenly learning how to obtain the sacred water in the Farm Space, and what it could do, had completely overturned his original plans.
His plan to remain in the valley, cultivate diligently, and hone his Dou Techniques would not change, but he would not simply bury himself in secluded cultivation. He intended to prioritize mastering the Purple Cloud Wings. Once he could soar freely through the skies, he would return to Wutan City. Ya Fei had not yet left the city, so Xia Kong could ask her to buy up as many of the magic cores circulating in Wutan City and its surrounding towns and villages as possible.
Magic cores could be converted into the Farm Space's sacred water, which could greatly shorten the time crops needed to mature. Once this resource chain was fully established, he would be able to produce a continuous supply of high-level crops in an extremely short time.
Then not only he himself, but Xiao Yi Xian, Ya Fei, and even Qing Lin and others he would meet in the future could benefit. Their cultivation speed would rise to an almost horrifying degree, to say nothing of their future potential.
Night slowly settled over the entire valley. A bright moon rose past the steep cliff face and hung high in the night sky, spilling its clear light over the soft grass.
The cottage had just been completed. Worn out from an afternoon of physical and mental effort, the two simply lay down on the grass to rest beneath the moonlight and evening breeze. As they chatted, they spoke of their pasts, sharing one matter after another that weighed on their hearts and coming to understand each other more deeply.
Xia Kong had never regarded Xiao Yi Xian as a delicate ornament who needed to depend on others. He sincerely saw her as a cultivation partner who would walk beside him. After a brief silence, he turned his head and spoke.
"Xian'er, start cultivating again tomorrow. The woeful poison body is, in other words, an innate poison body. If you can fully master that power, becoming a Dou Emperor in one year, a Dou Zun in three, and a Dou Sheng in ten might not be mere empty talk."
"Dou Zun? Dou Sheng?"
Xiao Yi Xian blinked her clear eyes, her face adorably blank with confusion.
She was currently only a One-Star Dou Zhe. The strongest people she ordinarily encountered were merely Dou Shi, and the highest realm she had ever heard of was Dou Emperor. She had never even heard the titles Dou Zun and Dou Sheng, which belonged to those standing at the continent's summit.
In truth, very few people knew that Xiao Yi Xian had already become a One-Star Dou Zhe after that disaster she could not bear to remember. She had not even been ten at the time. Even Xiao Yan, who had become a Dou Zhe at twelve, could hardly match such talent. Yet ever since then, she had refused to recall her past and deliberately stopped cultivating altogether.
She had long known that she possessed poison-attribute Dou Qi and had absolutely no talent for becoming an Alchemist. She had never revealed her cultivation to anyone, either, afraid of being despised by those around her.
Xiao Yi Xian had revealed all this during their heartfelt conversation just now.
"Above Dou Emperor is Dou Zong. A Dou Zong can walk through the air and even shatter the void. Beyond Dou Zong is Dou Zun, who can easily tear space apart, travel short distances through it, and establish spatial transportation formations spanning tens of thousands of miles. One major realm above Dou Zun is Dou Sheng. A single Dou Sheng can easily crush and annihilate thousands upon thousands of Dou Zun. Xian'er, even I can't help envying your talent."
As Xia Kong spoke, he made no attempt to hide the envy in his eyes.
Xiao Yi Xian gently rested her head on his shoulder. Through his clothes, her slender fingers unconsciously traced circles over his firm abdomen as she asked with some doubt, "Is it really that powerful? You're not deliberately coaxing me because you know I haven't seen much of the world, are you? And didn't you say you were just a nobody from Wutan City? How do you know so many secrets from deep within the continent?"
"When have I ever deceived you? Give me a few more days to master the Purple Cloud Wings, and I'll take you back to Wutan City with me. As for those secrets, I have my own special sources of information." Xia Kong chuckled.
"You're fobbing me off with that excuse again."
Xiao Yi Xian rolled her eyes prettily and reached out to pat his chest.
This was not the first time she had heard that explanation. She could tell that Xia Kong was open and straightforward most of the time. Only when he mentioned his supposed special sources of information did he grow evasive, clearly hiding a secret.
But that was his own private matter and had nothing to do with her. Xiao Yi Xian had never intended to dig down to its roots.
Yet the thought that resuming her cultivation would hasten the awakening and eruption of the woeful poison body inside her-that the disaster of the past might repeat itself one day and harm innocent people-cast an inescapable shadow of dread over her features. Even her body stiffened slightly.
Sensing her sinking mood, Xia Kong tightened his arm and pulled Xiao Yi Xian onto him, letting her lie against his chest and making her lift her eyes to meet his. His gaze held undisguised certainty and sincerity.
"Don't be afraid. I'm here. I'm still counting on you to break through to Dou Zun and protect me someday. How could I let tragedy befall you? Besides, we're already family."
"Mm."
Looking into his earnest eyes, Xiao Yi Xian felt the fear in her heart entirely displaced by a burning warmth. Deeply moved, she murmured her assent and shifted her waist, trying to find a more comfortable position to nestle against him.
"Hm? Xia Kong, something on you is poking me..."
Halfway through speaking, the girl suddenly realized what it was, and her pretty face instantly burned crimson. In a fluster, she sprang off Xia Kong, not daring to stay another moment, and rushed back into the cottage. She slammed the wooden door shut with a bang and even bolted it from inside.
The evening breeze swept over the grass, leaving Xia Kong lying there alone.
He shook his head with a wry smile. "I told you not to wriggle around. Now look at the trouble you've caused."
Xia Kong could only sit quietly by himself for a while to suppress the heat surging through him. Once he had calmed down, he rose and headed toward the cottage to prepare their evening meal.
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