"A miracle doctor?"
At those words, Nalan Jie instinctively looked over Nalan Sheng and the others before his gaze finally settled on Xiao Yi Xian. He could not help asking doubtfully, "Don't tell me the miracle doctor you mentioned is this little girl?"
Nalan Jie could hardly be blamed for his doubts. Xiao Yi Xian looked far too young, roughly the same age as Nalan Sheng. No matter how he looked at her, she hardly seemed like a miracle doctor capable of treating difficult and mysterious ailments.
"Grandfather, don't underestimate Xiao Yi Xian. Xian'er may only be a One-Star Dou Zhe right now, but she has awakened the legendary Woeful Poison Body."
"The Woeful Poison Body?"
A trace of puzzlement flashed through Nalan Jie's eyes. "What is that?"
"The Woeful Poison Body is an extremely rare special constitution. Anyone who awakens it only needs to keep consuming poisonous substances to rapidly advance their cultivation."
Nalan Sheng's expression turned solemn. "And as far as I know, anyone who awakens the Woeful Poison Body is guaranteed to become at least a Dou Zong in the future, provided they don't die prematurely."
"What did you say?"
Nalan Jie's pupils abruptly contracted, and disbelief covered his face. "Sheng'er, where did you learn this? Why have I never heard anything about the Woeful Poison Body?"
"Grandfather, it's perfectly normal that you haven't heard of it. Forget our Jia Ma Empire-even if you included the surrounding empires, there probably hasn't been a single case of someone awakening the Woeful Poison Body."
Nalan Sheng explained with a smile, "A few months ago, while training on the outskirts of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, I happened to discover the ruins of a cave dwelling left behind by an Ancient Dou Wang. Only after obtaining his inheritance did I learn about the Woeful Poison Body.
"If I hadn't obtained that Ancient Dou Wang's inheritance, how could I possibly have advanced from a One-Star Dou Zhe to a Six-Star Dou Zhe in such a short time?"
More than two months had passed since Nalan Sheng raised the Jinglei Formula to the perfection level, so he had finally advanced to a Six-Star Dou Zhe three days earlier.
"..."
Upon hearing this, Nalan Jie and Nalan Su instinctively exchanged a glance, then both reached out and grabbed Nalan Sheng's arms.
Although the Six Vault Immortal Thief could conceal a cultivator's aura fluctuations, it could not prevent Nalan Jie and Nalan Su from probing him with their Dou Qi.
They soon discovered, to their astonishment, that not only had Nalan Sheng advanced to a Six-Star Dou Zhe, but his Dou Qi was also several times purer than before.
They had worried that Nalan Sheng's cultivation was advancing too quickly and might leave his foundation unstable. They had never expected that they had still underestimated the inheritance left by the Ancient Dou Wang.
"Good, good, good! Truly the qilin son of our Nalan Family!"
Nalan Jie smiled and patted Nalan Sheng's shoulder, then said gently to Xiao Yi Xian, "Little girl, if this brat ever dares to bully you, come to Grandfather. I'll back you up."
Since Nalan Sheng really had obtained an Ancient Dou Wang's inheritance, the information about the Woeful Poison Body must be true as well.
At the thought that Xiao Yi Xian could one day become a Dou Zong, and might even lead the Nalan Family in unifying the entire Jia Ma Empire, Nalan Jie could not have been more pleased with this granddaughter-in-law.
"Thank you, Grandfather."
Xiao Yi Xian spoke somewhat shyly.
"By the way, no one else must learn about the Woeful Poison Body. Not even that little brat Yanran."
Nalan Jie's expression abruptly turned solemn. "Our Nalan Family has no shortage of enemies. If those people learn about the Woeful Poison Body, they'll stop at nothing to assassinate Xiao Yi Xian."
Hearing this, Nalan Sheng and Nalan Su naturally nodded with equally grave expressions.
"Father, Grandfather, there's something else I need your help with."
Nalan Sheng got straight to the point. "Xian'er only recently advanced to a One-Star Dou Zhe, and she still lacks suitable cultivation methods and Dou Techniques. I'd like you to use the family's resources to purchase some poison-attribute cultivation methods and Dou Techniques of Profound Tier High Grade."
"Of course we should."
Nalan Jie stroked his beard with a smile, then turned to Nalan Su. "As the family head, you'll handle this. Ideally, have it done within half a month."
"Yes, Father. I understand."
After learning that Xiao Yi Xian was guaranteed to reach at least Dou Zong in the future, Nalan Su had already elevated this future daughter-in-law's standing in his heart to second only to Nalan Sheng's, even a notch above Nalan Yanran's.
After all, a daughter would eventually marry into another family, while a daughter-in-law belonged to their own.
If Xiao Yi Xian and Nalan Sheng's descendants could also awaken the Woeful Poison Body, the Nalan Family would find it difficult not to rise to prominence.
"All right, Grandfather. We can set aside the poison-attribute cultivation methods and Dou Techniques for now. Let Xian'er draw the Brand Poison out of your body first!"
Following Nalan Sheng's instructions, Nalan Jie obediently lay facedown on the bed and reined in his Dou Qi, lest it automatically defend him and accidentally injure Xiao Yi Xian.
"Pfft, pfft, pfft..."
Once Nalan Jie was lying properly, Xiao Yi Xian's back suddenly bulged. Eight purplish-black spider legs, each over ten feet long, burst through her white dress and stabbed toward his back.
Nalan Jie first felt a faint pricking pain. Then an invisible suction force forcibly drew the Brand Poison that had tormented him for years out of his body.
Meanwhile, as the Eight Spider Lances continually devoured the Brand Poison inside Nalan Jie, their originally purplish-black surfaces were stained completely black by the poison.
A full incense stick's worth of time passed before the Eight Spider Lances finished devouring all the Brand Poison in Nalan Jie's body. Her face deathly pale, Xiao Yi Xian withdrew the Eight Spider Lances into her body.
"Xian'er, are you all right?"
Seeing this, Nalan Sheng hurriedly reached out to support Xiao Yi Xian, his face full of concern.
"I'm fine."
Xiao Yi Xian shook her head and forced a faint smile. "I just swallowed too much Brand Poison at once. I feel a little overstuffed."
Seeing this, Nalan Su hurriedly told Nalan Sheng, "Sheng'er, take Xian'er back to rest!"
"Father, Grandfather, I'll take my leave, then."
Nalan Sheng stood on no ceremony with Nalan Su and immediately took Xiao Yi Xian to rest in the Separate Courtyard where he lived.
Only after watching them leave did Nalan Su ask expectantly, "Father, how do you feel?"
"Wonderful! I haven't felt this relaxed in ages."
Nalan Jie rolled off the bed and stretched his limbs. "That brat Sheng'er really managed to
"stumble into good fortune through a mistake this time.
"If he hadn't taken Yanran to the Xiao Clan to break off the engagement, he probably wouldn't have obtained the Ancient Dou Wang's inheritance, much less brought Xiao Yi Xian back."
"That's right!"
Nalan Su nodded instinctively. "Without Xiao Yi Xian's help, who knows when we would have managed to clear all the Brand Poison from your body?"
Before you continue