On the Dou Qi Continent, there was an exceptionally prestigious profession: the Alchemist.
Wherever an Alchemist went, people flocked to them, making them highly sought after. Yet there was one empire whose Alchemists received no respect at all, only contempt from the other nations. Even its Alchemist Guild had become an object of scorn throughout the profession. That was the Chu Yun Empire.
The people of the Chu Yun Empire primarily cultivated Poison Dou Qi, and Poison Masters were its most common profession. Even its Alchemist Guild gave no thought to improving its alchemy, instead devoting itself to developing ever stranger poisons. By putting the cart before the horse, it had earned the outside world's rejection.
The people of the Chu Yun Empire cultivated in poisonous liquids from childhood. When they broke through to Dou Zhe, they developed Poison Dou Qi within their bodies.
Poison Dou Qi possessed greater destructive power than ordinary Dou Qi, but it also had one obvious flaw: it constantly eroded its wielder's life, drastically shortening their lifespan. There was only one way to change that outcome-breaking through to Dou Wang.
Only after reaching Dou Wang would the Poison Dou Qi within their bodies cease to harm them. Thus, cultivation flourished all the more within the Chu Yun Empire, and its people trained with exceptional diligence. No one wanted to die under the torment of Poison Dou Qi. As a result, the Chu Yun Empire actually had slightly more experts than the Jia Ma Empire.
The Chu Yun Empire and the Jia Ma Empire were sworn enemies. During their war several decades earlier, the Chu Yun Empire's Poison Masters had spread vast quantities of poisonous gas across the battlefield, inflicting devastating losses on the Jia Ma Empire's army. What enraged the people of the Jia Ma