Inside the Xiao Clan grounds, Xiao Yan, who had only just regained consciousness, scrambled around with Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin, using the pills Yao Lao had just refined to revive the poisoned clan members one by one.
It was no small undertaking. Only today did Xiao Yan discover that 1,461 people actually lived on the Xiao Clan grounds. Counting the clan members running businesses elsewhere, their numbers approached two thousand.
Facing the newly awakened clan members, Xiao Yan could only lie and say he had been teaching himself alchemy. His skills were lacking, and an accidental furnace explosion while refining Mafeisan had caused the whole incident.
The end result was a thorough scolding from Xiao Zhan, and the good image Xiao Yan had only just established came crashing down again.
From that day onward, the thirty-meter radius around Xiao Yan's residence became an absolute forbidden zone in the minds of the entire Xiao Clan. Ordinary clan members even had to gather companions before daring to pass his door.
On the bright side, at least it gave him considerably more peace and quiet.
"But Yao Lao, what exactly is the woeful poison body?" Sweating all over from his frantic work, Xiao Yan lay on his bed and asked Yao Chen, who floated in midair.
Yao Chen's gaze grew unusually grave. He pondered briefly, gathering his words before slowly speaking. "There are many peculiar constitutions on this Dou Qi Continent. Among them is one known as the 'innate poison body,' or the 'woeful poison body,' because its appearance often brings misfortune to the world around it."
"Of course, it isn't without advantages. Those with a woeful poison body can rapidly increase their strength by consuming poisonous substances, so every generation's bearer has been a powerhouse in their own right. But that comes at a price. During cultivation, the woeful poison body can easily spiral out of control, leaving nothing in its bearer's heart but slaughter. At the end of their life, they will also explode uncontrollably, turning everything within a thousand miles into a wasteland devoid of life."
Xiao Yi Xian sat nearby with an awkward expression. At her feet was a basin of ice that Xiao Yan had brought in to cool the room.
Beside the ice, Qing Lin crouched on the floor with shining eyes. After hesitating for a while and secretly checking that everyone else was discussing serious matters, she reached out her little hand, picked up a shard of ice, and stuffed it into her mouth with the speed of lightning that left no time to cover one's ears.
"Hsss..." After that first moment of pleasure, the cold instantly shot straight to Qing Lin's head.
"So what happened when she refined pills earlier was because of that misfortune?" Xiao Yan abruptly sat up in bed, staring at Xiao Yi Xian in disbelief.
There was actually a constitution like that in this world? A lone star of calamity?
"No." Yao Chen shook his head. "If my guess is correct, your master, Hun Tiandi, has already dealt with her woeful poison body. This happened because of her Dou Qi."
"Her Dou Qi?"
"Yes. Originally, she had fire attribute Dou Qi, but her woeful poison body forcibly converted it into poison attribute Dou Qi. Once the two reached a balance, her Dou Qi took on a very unusual fire-poison attribute. Although formations can still convert this Dou Qi into flames, its poisonous attribute will turn every pill she refines into a terrifying Poison Pill."
Xiao Yan took a deep breath. At last, he understood the cause. The first thing he did after getting out of bed was walk over to the Pill Furnace and paste a sealing strip onto it.
"You're not allowed to use this anymore."
"Then how am I supposed to learn alchemy?!" Xiao Yi Xian instantly grew anxious. The whole reason she had given up the chance to accompany her Adoptive Father, Hun Tiandi, back to the Soul Realm was to come here and learn alchemy!
"Then you'll have to find a beast flame or a heavenly flame. You're not allowed to refine pills with your own Dou Qi!" Xiao Yan's attitude was utterly firm. For the sake of his clan members' lives, he had to strangle this danger in its cradle.
"Can't I refine them somewhere deserted in the hills behind the clan grounds?" Xiao Yi Xian's eyes brimmed with hope. She truly didn't want to waste time searching for a beast flame or a heavenly flame.
"No. Besides, your poison Dou Qi can't produce finished pills at all. You'll have to rely on the power of a spirit flame!" Xiao Yan took two steps forward, approaching Xiao Yi Xian. He raised his hand, condensed Divine Crow Flame Dou Qi in his palm, and gently brought it down.
"Don't hit me! I'm a Dou Ling!" Guiltily, Xiao Yi Xian clutched her head, not daring to fight back.
But that palm didn't land on Xiao Yi Xian's head.
"So warm." Feeling the warmth above her head, Qing Lin found that the chill from secretly eating ice evaporated completely in an instant.
"Children shouldn't sneak ice to eat. You'll get aching knees when you're older, and you won't grow tall." Xiao Yan took the opportunity to give Qing Lin's little head a couple of vigorous rubs with his large hand.
No wonder Xiao Yi Xian always liked holding Qing Lin in her arms and rubbing her. This really did feel wonderful...
Watching Xiao Yan's movements, Xiao Yi Xian lowered the hands covering her head, her face full of despair.
"But where am I supposed to find a beast flame?"
"Buy one. The Jia Ma Empire may be remote, but surely its Imperial Capital has someone selling beast flames," Yao Lao suggested.
"Good suggestion." Xiao Yi Xian's eyes lit up. Anything money could solve wasn't a problem.
"What if they don't have any in stock?" Xiao Yan shook his head.
He had already pocketed the only beast flame available around Wutan City. There couldn't possibly be a second one anytime soon. Going to the Imperial Capital to buy one would not only take a great deal of time, but there might not even be any available.
Beast flames were relatively rare, after all. At the very least, there were far fewer of them than Alchemists. Whenever an Adventurer Group brought a beast flame out of the Magical Beast Forest, someone would quickly snap it up at auction, just like last time. Very, very few ever reached the ordinary market.
An awkward atmosphere settled over the room. Yao Lao suggested simply waiting until Hun Tiandi arrived in a little over a month, then asking him to personally catch a magical beast in the Magical Beast Forest and extract its flame. That would save both time and effort.
But Xiao Yi Xian didn't look particularly happy.
"Brother Xiao Yan!" Suddenly, Xiao Xun'er's sweet voice rang out from outside Xiao Yan's courtyard.
Xiao Yan hurriedly put everything in the room into his Storage Ring, then pushed Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin into the inner room. Yao Lao tactfully returned to the Black Ring as well.
"Xun'er." Having hastily tidied everything up, Xiao Yan went outside and opened the door. A graceful young girl stood at the entrance, holding a map.
"Brother Xiao Yan, you smell like a woman. More than one, too." Xiao Xun'er's face suddenly fell, and her resentful gaze seemed to pierce through Xiao Yan toward the room behind him. "That woman isn't inside, is she?"
"No, no." Xiao Yan hurriedly denied it, blocking Xiao Xun'er's view with his body.
"Forget it." Xiao Xun'er haughtily lifted her chin in annoyance and shoved the map in her hands into Xiao Yan's arms.
"What's this?" Puzzled, Xiao Yan unfolded the map. It depicted the Magical Beast Forest, with flames of different colors marking several locations.
"I heard you've been teaching yourself alchemy lately, Brother Xiao Yan, so I asked my family to prepare a Beast Flame Map. It shows four different beast flames. Adventurer Groups paid with human lives to scout them out." Xiao Xun'er pointed at the flame markers, and only then did Xiao Yan notice the tiny writing beside them.
The tiny writing clearly noted which magical beast each flame came from, how powerful it was, and how to obtain it. This information was worth a fortune.
"Xun'er, thank you." A sudden warmth touched Xiao Yan's heart, and his gaze softened.
"But I have to warn you, I don't have time to go with you. Hire a mercenary group yourself. Uncle Xiao will surely be willing to pay." After handing Xiao Yan the map, Xiao Xun'er turned and left. Partway down the path, she even looked back and pulled a face at him.
Xiao Xun'er successfully made Xiao Yan laugh. Looking at the Beast Flame Map in his hands, he was filled with emotion.
Only a moment ago, he had been worrying about where to find a beast flame, and now a Beast Flame Map was already in his hands.
"What a coincidence."
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