After they divided the treasure, life in the valley settled into complete peace.
This secluded valley became their temporary place of cultivation.
Xiao Yan sat cross-legged on a bluestone rock, practicing the Flying Dou Technique.
A month after leaving home, his cultivation had advanced again. He was now a Seven-Star Great Dou Master.
He was, at most, only two or three years away from becoming a Dou Wang and gaining the ability to fly.
But who would ever complain about having too many ways to stay alive? At his current stage, this Flying Dou Technique was certainly useful.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yi Xian held the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, utterly engrossed in its contents.
Her face shone with a radiance it had never held before.
She had always been troubled by her constitution, with no suitable method of cultivation.
But this Seven-Colored Poison Scripture seemed tailor-made for her.
The various methods of wielding poison and secret arts of refining it opened up an entirely new world before her.
A world where she could gain strength and take control of her own destiny.
As for the side effects-the poison erupting and shortening her life...
Was that supposed to be a joke?
Without cultivating the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, I'm just duckweed drifting through Qingshan Town. Whether I could even live past forty is anyone's guess!
Now, even if this Seven-Colored Poison Scripture has side effects, it can at least let me live past forty with strength of my own.
Isn't that enough? I've already made a killing!
Besides!
Glancing once more at Xiao Yan meditating in the courtyard, Xiao Yi Xian smiled.
With the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, Xiao Yi Xian had finally gained a little confidence. She felt she could be slightly less ashamed of herself in Xiao Yan's presence.
Young Master Xiao Yan really is a wonderful person.
Yet precisely because she had obtained the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture and learned how unusual her constitution was, Xiao Yi Xian had completely abandoned any thought of returning Young Master Xiao Yan's affection!
Young Master Xiao Yan, I have the Woeful Poison Body-a Woeful Poison Body that brings disaster to everyone.
I neither dare nor deserve to return your feelings.
Even so, Xiao Yi Xian was happy.
These days spent living in seclusion with Xiao Yan were simply the happiest of her life.
There were no mercenaries coveting her, no schemes from Hall Master Yao.
There was only Young Master Xiao Yan, always gentle and smiling.
Between cultivation sessions, Young Master Xiao Yan would catch fish in the valley's stream and roast them for her.
Whenever she returned from gathering herbs, she would make a point of bringing back a bunch of the brightest mountain flowers and shyly giving them to Young Master Xiao Yan.
Their life was like that of a couple married for many years, warm and peaceful.
That feeling intoxicated her young, lovestruck heart.
But whenever she thought of her Woeful Poison Body, the light in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes would dim.
Xiao Yi Xian, you mustn't lose yourself in this!
There can be nothing between you! Don't bring harm to Young Master Xiao Yan!
Amid the girl's alternating hopes and fears, the power of the Woeful Poison Body began to reveal itself.
With nothing but the small amounts of poison she happened to gather outside the valley each day, Xiao Yi Xian advanced from a One-Star Dou Practitioner to a Three-Star Dou Practitioner in just one short month!
Her speed far surpassed even Xiao Yan's!
And that was with Xiao Yi Xian lacking an adequate supply of poison!
Given enough poison, Xiao Yi Xian could probably pass through the entire Dou Zhe stage in only three or four months!
Watching Xiao Yi Xian's cultivation advance by leaps and bounds, Xiao Yan was deeply satisfied.
The thought of putting Xiao Yi Xian out in front someday to shield him from wind and rain, while he stayed behind the scenes, cultivating in peace and quietly growing stronger, filled Xiao Yan with delight.
He loved that feeling!
Befriending this genius had truly been the right decision!
But what excuse could he use to get her to tell him openly about her Woeful Poison Body, so he could give her his full support?
For the moment, Xiao Yan had no good ideas, but he was in no hurry. If he waited a little longer, an opportunity would surely arise.
A few days later, that opportunity came.
Gathering poisonous herbs on her own, Xiao Yi Xian could never secure a reliable supply.
Not only did the quantity vary, but so did their toxicity.
That day, Xiao Yi Xian found another highly poisonous plant-Three-Leaf Poison Dragon Grass.
However, its toxicity exceeded what she could currently withstand.
Having tasted the sweetness of rapid advancement, Xiao Yi Xian was unwilling to waste more time searching for a suitable poisonous herb.
After some hesitation, Xiao Yi Xian decided to dilute the Three-Leaf Poison Dragon Grass's toxicity and absorb it directly.
She had not expected that even diluted, its toxicity would still exceed her tolerance.
The violent poison exploded inside her!
Xiao Yi Xian's vision went black, and she fainted.
Xiao Yan opened his eyes mid-cultivation!
He had sensed that sudden eruption of potent poisonous energy!
With a flash, Xiao Yan appeared beside Xiao Yi Xian. Her lovely face had turned purple, her breathing was faint, and she had already fallen into a deep coma!
Rather than alarmed, Xiao Yan was delighted.
How could someone with the Woeful Poison Body be poisoned to death?
Her unconscious state might look dangerous, but for the Woeful Poison Body, it was nothing more than indigestion!
Still, this gave him the perfect excuse to involve himself in Xiao Yi Xian's cultivation.
He sat beside Xiao Yi Xian, keeping watch over her as he picked up the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture nearby and briefly leafed through it.
After an unknown length of time, Xiao Yi Xian's eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly opened her eyes.
The first thing she saw was Xiao Yan's concerned face.
"I... what happened to me?" Her voice was weak.
"You absorbed too much poison and passed out," Xiao Yan said calmly.
Xiao Yi Xian struggled to sit up. When she saw the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture beside her, with signs that someone had leafed through it, her face instantly went deathly pale.
"You read it? You know everything?"
Xiao Yi Xian lowered her head, tightly clutching the hem of her clothes with both hands.
Only after a long silence did she speak, her trembling voice barely louder than a mosquito's hum:
"Young Master... Xiao Yan, I'm sorry. I lied to you.
"I have the Woeful Poison Body, a Woeful Poison Body that brings disaster to others.
"You must hate me now, don't you?
"But I never meant to hurt you. Truly! Please believe me."
With that, she bit her lip hard and waited for the final judgment.
She had already imagined Xiao Yan's response. Perhaps shock, perhaps disgust, or perhaps... fear.
Then he would find an excuse to politely bid her farewell, and they would go their separate ways, never to meet again.
In the end, she would still lose the warmth she had only just found.
Yet the silence and distance she expected never came.
Instead, she heard a soft chuckle.
Xiao Yi Xian looked up in astonishment. Not only was there no disappointment or fear on Xiao Yan's face, but he still wore that gentle smile.
"I thought it was something serious. It's just the Woeful Poison Body. I know about it."
"You... you know?"
Xiao Yi Xian froze.
Xiao Yan nodded and smiled. "Don't forget, I'm an Alchemist. How could I not have heard of a constitution as famous as the Woeful Poison Body?"
Xiao Yi Xian could not help asking, "Then aren't you afraid?"
Xiao Yan smiled. "Someone else might be, but I happen not to be.
"My lineage has dealt with the Woeful Poison Body before. We know not only how powerful it is, but also how to control its eruptions of poison."
He paused, then smiled again. "You should have told me sooner. That way, I could have helped you sooner."
Xiao Yi Xian's eyes widened.
"You can control the Woeful Poison Body's poison?"
Xiao Yan said, "At first, I can only ease it a little. But once my cultivation reaches a certain level and I find a few kinds of Heavenly Flames, I'll have a chance to refine special antidote pills for you and help clear out the poison accumulated in your body."
Xiao Yi Xian felt as though she were dreaming.
There was actually a solution to the Woeful Poison Body?
And Young Master Xiao Yan could help her with it?
Was this heaven's will?
Looking at the utterly stunned Xiao Yi Xian, Xiao Yan continued, "Still, completely clearing out the poison will have to wait until much later. After all, my cultivation doesn't advance as quickly as yours.
"Hmm, until then, why don't we travel and train together? What do you think?"
Xiao Yan finally revealed his true intention.
But Xiao Yi Xian remained completely oblivious to his calculations.
Her mind held only the words he had just spoken.
Travel and train together.
After a moment of stunned silence, Xiao Yi Xian suddenly wanted to cry. Desperately.
For the first part of her life, she had drifted like duckweed, always cautious, always watching her step.
Then she had finally stumbled upon a treasure-filled opportunity, only to discover that she possessed the disastrous Woeful Poison Body!
She had thought her life was destined to be a tragedy.
Yet suddenly, someone had stepped forward and told her:
"It's all right. We can solve everything, together."
Xiao Yi Xian felt that never in her life had she been as grounded or as relaxed as she was at this moment.
It was the security of having someone to rely on, someone to protect her!
How wonderful!
Wiping away the tears that had already begun to fall, Xiao Yi Xian lifted her face and smiled at Xiao Yan.
"Young Master Xiao Yan, from now on, please guide me along the way."
Before you continue