"Let's get out of here before Xiao Yi Xian and the others start worrying," Long Xiao reminded him.
"Yeah, all right."
Xiao Huohuo put away the Eternal Heaven and Earth Keyboard and headed toward the cave entrance, while Yao Lao hid inside the Storage Ring again.
"Brother Long Xiao, Huohuo, thank goodness you're both all right!"
As soon as Xiao Yi Xian saw them, she hurried over. The cave had shaken several times earlier, nearly worrying her to death. Had Elder Hai and the others not stopped her, she would have rushed inside to check on them long ago.
Long Xiao smiled at the sight of Xiao Yi Xian. "Don't worry. We're fine. This kid even turned misfortune into a blessing."
Elder Hai and Iron Protector came over as well. "What exactly was inside?"
Long Xiao shook his head, with no intention of telling them.
Elder Hai did not press him. He knew that if Long Xiao did not want to say, it must have been something that did not concern them. As for Iron Protector, a mere servant, he had even less right to ask.
"It's time we left," Long Xiao said.
Xiao Huohuo froze. "Big brother, wasn't the way out blocked?"
"It's fine. I have a way out. Everyone, come closer."
As Long Xiao spoke, he held out his hand, and a Space Talisman appeared in his palm.
Without hesitation, everyone gathered around Long Xiao.
Long Xiao crushed the spatial rune, and a light of interwoven black and white instantly enveloped them.
"Go!"
At Long Xiao's command, their vision blurred, and they were instantly transported to the mountaintop.
"What an amazing treasure."
Xiao Yi Xian looked around at the scenery in delight. It felt as though she had been away from the world for ages, and returning to it filled her with ease.
"This feels so good."
Xiao Yi Xian took a deep breath.
"Well, you three go do whatever you like. I'm going to help Xiao Yi Xian control her Poison Body."
Long Xiao addressed Xiao Huohuo and the other two.
"All right, big brother."
All three nodded, and Elder Hai suggested taking a stroll through the Chu Yun Empire's Imperial City.
Xiao Huohuo immediately agreed. They had nothing else to do anyway.
And so, the three of them flew away.
Only Long Xiao and Xiao Yi Xian remained on the mountaintop.
Xiao Yi Xian's skirt swayed in the breeze, her silver hair fluttering as well. She looked utterly lovely.
She stood there, her face full of shyness, at a loss for what to do, occasionally glancing back at Long Xiao.
Long Xiao sat on a rock and looked up at the sky. "Do you want to remove your Poison Body completely, or control it? If you remove it completely, you may have to remain an ordinary mortal for the rest of your life, subject to birth, aging, sickness, and death."
Xiao Yi Xian bit her lip. After a long silence, she said softly, "I want to control it. My dream is to become a physician who hangs up her medicine gourd to heal the world. If I can control the power of my Poison Body, it will help me a great deal. I'll be able to save more people and atone for my sins."
Hearing this, Long Xiao looked at her with a warm smile. "What sins? None of this was what you intended. Even if life isn't worth it, all you need to do is face life and death with a smile."
"But whatever you decide, I respect your choice."
"Brother Long Xiao, thank you."
Gratitude filled Xiao Yi Xian's face. She dropped to her knees with a thud, but Long Xiao caught her with a gentle force.
Xiao Yi Xian looked at Long Xiao, her eyes reddening.
Long Xiao reached out to wipe the tears from her face and said softly, "Why are you crying?"
Xiao Yi Xian sobbed. "I want to cry... Apart from Huohuo, I've never had a single friend in my life. Everyone treats me like a disaster, or they just use me! I want to be strong too, but I'm so tired. I've wanted to end it all, but with this Poison Body, I can't even die..."
Long Xiao had not expected this girl's life to have been so bitter. It seemed he had failed to consider that.
I'm a divine son. Perhaps my way of thinking has already changed without my noticing.
"If you want to cry, let it out."
Long Xiao sighed inwardly. A girl like her was truly rare in this world.
"Waaah..."
Unable to hold back any longer, Xiao Yi Xian threw herself into his arms under his astonished gaze, rested her head on his shoulder, and burst into tears.
Long Xiao froze for a moment, then gently stroked her hair without stopping her.
Before long, Long Xiao's shoulder was soaked.
"It's all right. Everything's fine now. I'll help you control your Poison Body, and then you can do whatever you want-champion justice, hang up your medicine gourd to heal the world..." Long Xiao patted Xiao Yi Xian's back, comforting her.
Xiao Yi Xian raised her head, her eyes bright red and her face full of hurt, then nodded firmly.
"Let's begin."
Long Xiao flicked a finger, sealing off the surrounding space so outsiders could not see what happened within.
Then Long Xiao blindfolded himself with a strip of cloth.
"Brother Long Xiao, what are you..." Xiao Yi Xian froze.
"Uh, this technique requires you to remove your clothes, so this is the only way."
Long Xiao was a little embarrassed. Xiao Yi Xian paused, then nodded with a blush. Though she was shy, she chose to trust him.
Xiao Yi Xian did as he instructed.
As a garment fell to the ground, her snow-white figure was revealed, though no one was fortunate enough to see it.
Xiao Yi Xian no longer felt embarrassed. She slowly removed her last layer of clothing, then sat cross-legged.
"Brother Long Xiao, you can begin."
Hearing her, Long Xiao sat behind her, held his breath, and focused. His hands formed seals, sending streams of golden spiritual energy into Xiao Yi Xian's body.
"Mm..."
As the spiritual energy entered her body, Xiao Yi Xian felt pain as though every meridian was being torn apart. Poisonous energy surged from every part of her body and gathered in her dantian.
She trembled uncontrollably with tension, cold sweat covering her forehead and her teeth chattering.
Xiao Yi Xian gritted her teeth. She had to hold on.
Long Xiao's fingers began tracing talismans over Xiao Yi Xian's body, forcing all the poisonous energy into her dantian.
"Ah..."
The sensation of Long Xiao tracing talismans on her body left Xiao Yi Xian squirming with discomfort.
Long Xiao felt inwardly embarrassed. Is this technique really that "painful"?
Fortunately, he had undergone professional training. He could even withstand Medusa's voice a little now.
Xiao Yi Xian sensed something from the change in Long Xiao's movements and realized she had lost her composure. Her face flushed crimson, and she clenched her teeth to keep herself from making a sound.
Time ticked by, second after second.
Half a day passed.
"Condense!"
Long Xiao unleashed the power of the runes!
Xiao Yi Xian felt the poisonous energy within her gradually settle.
She sensed a Poison Pill forming inside her, with every trace of poison gathering within it.
And she could actually control this Poison Pill. That meant Long Xiao had succeeded-he had truly helped her control her Poison Body!
What was more, once the Poison Pill formed, her cultivation actually broke through to Dou Wang!
Her hair also changed from silver to purple!
Overcome with excitement, Xiao Yi Xian turned around and hugged Long Xiao.
Her sudden assault caught Long Xiao off guard. Th-this...!
Though blindfolded, he still felt a fragrant breeze rush into his face.
Even though Long Xiao was a veteran of many battles, his face instantly flushed bright red.
"Ahem, we're not finished yet."
Long Xiao coughed lightly a few times, trying to hide his fluster, then took out a jade bottle.
"This is Bodhi Saliva. Use it in a bath, then absorb the energy within. Once it cleanses your body and washes your marrow, your physique's problems will be completely resolved."
Xiao Yi Xian obediently accepted the jade bottle, put it away, and got dressed.
"Brother Long Xiao, you can take it off now."
Long Xiao breathed a sigh of relief. He could finally remove the blindfold. He hurriedly pulled it off and looked at Xiao Yi Xian before him.
Dressed in white, with purple hair cascading like a waterfall, a slender waist, and skin fairer than snow and so delicate a breath might break it, she had the air of an immortal maiden descended to the mortal world.
Xiao Yi Xian looked at Long Xiao, her cheeks scarlet. Feeling his burning gaze upon her, her heart thundered.
Suddenly, a shout broke the awkward atmosphere between them.
"Master, something terrible has happened! Monster has captured Xiao Huohuo!"
Before you continue