Xiao Yi Xian's Decision

"Oh, okay!"

Xiao Yan hurriedly replied, then composed himself and sent his soul power into the Storage Ring.

He rummaged through the medicinal ingredients inside repeatedly, then slowly channeled Dou Qi into the ring, successfully activating its storage space.

With a flash of light, many streaks of multicolored light shot out and piled up on the flat ground to the left.

There was an abundance of medicinal ingredients: flowers, herbs, fruits, and wood of every kind, including quite a few potent poisons.

He had not expected Xiao Yi Xian to be so strong within.

One moment she was still struggling, and the next she had accepted her circumstances and was even willing to try to change herself.

People with that kind of resolve were few and far between...

Still, that's good. Getting exposed to these things earlier will be a great benefit to Xiao Yi Xian too.

Xiao Yan pondered this, then bent down and picked up a brilliant red flower. He handed it to the girl before him and said with a smile:

"This is the Red Blood Lotus, the main ingredient for a sixth-tier Poison Pill. Try eating it."

Xiao Yi Xian stared fixedly at the crimson flower, her gaze hesitant for a moment.

But in the end, she sighed and reached out to take the Red Blood Lotus.

She opened her red lips wide, suddenly bit off a petal, and chewed it in her mouth.

Munch, munch...

Xiao Yi Xian carefully savored the petal's texture.

She had originally thought poison would taste bitter.

But she soon discovered that she was wrong...

When she teased apart the juice seeping from the petal with the tip of her tongue, she felt a delicate fragrance wash over her taste buds.

Then the flavor flowed down her throat, just like eating pastries, leaving a taste that lingered endlessly.

"This... this flower is so delicious!"

Covering her mouth with a jade hand, Xiao Yi Xian exclaimed. At the same time, she licked her red lips with her fragrant tongue, looking as though she wanted more.

"Huh, it tastes good? Is that another ability of the Woeful Poison Body?"

Seeing the girl's reaction, Xiao Yan could not help being slightly taken aback.

He then lowered his gaze, quickly fixing it on the antique-looking ring in his hand, and asked Yao Lao curiously:

"Poison is supposed to taste pretty awful, isn't it? Or it should have no taste at all... teacher, what do you think?"

Yao Lao, however, was not particularly shocked. He explained with a smile, his tone full of confidence in his own extensive knowledge:

"Hehe, of course..."

"The Woeful Poison Body makes its possessor addicted to poison, which is why she finds it delicious."

"It's just like eating when you're hungry or sleeping when you're tired. It's nothing more than instinct."

Xiao Yan immediately understood and reflected inwardly:

So that's how it is. No wonder Xiao Yi Xian was so obsessed with poisonous things back then that she couldn't free herself...

But in the very next moment, a fierce fluctuation of Dou Qi suddenly came from within Xiao Yi Xian's body.

Xiao Yan broke off his thoughts and looked up:

A mass of black-purple poison mist churned ceaselessly around Xiao Yi Xian, surging like a sea of clouds.

The black mist did not remain still. It spun constantly, eventually flowing slowly into the dantian in the girl's lower abdomen.

She gave a soft hum, feeling only a warm current well up in her heart.

A moment later, the girl's face suddenly flushed, and she panted repeatedly. Her face was covered in smiles, full of enjoyment.

Xiao Yi Xian closed her eyes and composed herself, looking inward at the changes deep within her delicate body.

At that moment, a dark world abruptly appeared before her eyes.

All around this world, dense meridians crisscrossed in a dazzling array of colors.

At the center, endless Poison Qi concentrated around her dantian, rapidly forming a small cyclone.

Beneath the cyclone was something like a black hole, madly drawing in the surrounding Dou Qi and dyeing it black.

After all this, the black Qi continued to expand, then erupted from the top of the cyclone, turning into an ocean of Dou Qi that helped her complete her breakthrough.

The next second, Xiao Yi Xian's strength suddenly soared!

One-Star Dou Practitioner, two-star, three-star... Peak Dou Zhe!

Seeing this, Xiao Yan's pupils shook, and he cried out:

"That's outrageous!"

"She went straight from Ninth Stage Dou Qi to Peak Dou Zhe. Could the Woeful Poison Body be even more abnormal than the Flame Mantra?"

Yao Lao also clicked his tongue in amazement at the sight.

"It really is impressive, but it's also very dangerous..."

At this point, he recalled an event from the past.

Back when he had fought that possessor of the Woeful Poison Body, he had won by a narrow margin, but he had also been afflicted by a deadly poison and paid an extremely devastating price.

At the thought, Yao Lao could not help shivering.

Clearly, he was still shaken by what had happened back then.

Before long, Xiao Yi Xian finally stirred.

Her brows lifted slightly, and then she opened her eyes.

Feeling the changes in her body, the girl immediately clenched her fists and said excitedly:

"This feeling is really wonderful!"

"It's as though my mental state has improved a lot too, now that I'm free of my restraints."

"If I ate this whole flower, would I reach Da Dou Shi right away?"

Xiao Yi Xian squeezed her jade hand hard and suddenly sensed a tremendous force surging through her entire body.

She was confident that if she encountered Mu Li again, she could smash him to pieces with one punch.

But where there was opportunity, there was risk.

In a place unbeknownst to her, a fine, seven-colored line had faintly appeared on her lower abdomen.

The fine line flickered in and out of sight as it extended toward her heart. It quickly grew by one centimeter, then came to an abrupt stop.

That fine line was the mark of the Woeful Poison Body accumulating energy.

When the line passed all the way across her chest, Xiao Yi Xian's life would also come to an end.

At the same time, the Poison Qi in her body would erupt within a single day, destroying the land for a thousand li around her.

"Don't get happy too soon!"

Xiao Yan's serious voice rang out, quickly pouring a bucket of cold water over Xiao Yi Xian:

"The problem with your constitution hasn't been resolved, so you absolutely must not accumulate too much Poison Qi."

"Reaching the Dou Zong realm will be enough. Otherwise, the consequences will be too horrible to imagine. Do you understand?"

He cautioned Xiao Yi Xian and told her some of the knowledge Yao Lao had imparted to him.

All of it concerned the Woeful Poison Body, including information about the fine seven-colored line.

"Thank you for your concern. I'll be careful!"

Xiao Yi Xian nodded just as gravely, warmth filling her heart.

She knew Xiao Yan genuinely cared about her well-being, and it did not matter even if he had other motives.

"Then what should I do next?"

Xiao Yi Xian put away the poisonous flower and looked at Xiao Yan before her. "What have you arranged?"

"Don't worry, I've already thought it through!"

Xiao Yan gave her a thumbs-up and grinned.

"Go to the Chu Yun Empire. Poison masters are common there, so it's perfect for you to gain experience. I'll arrange for a magical beast to take you there right now."

After speaking, the youth took out the Storage Ring he had used to confess to Xiao Yi Xian earlier.

He bent down and circulated his Dou Qi, making the Storage Ring generate suction that swiftly drew in many of the poisonous medicinal ingredients on the ground.

Then he handed the Storage Ring to Xiao Yi Xian again and said with a faint smile:

"Having a storage space with you will make things much more convenient while you're away from home. Be careful on the road!"

"Mm-hmm!!"

The girl reached out to take the Storage Ring, her jade hand accidentally brushing the youth's fingertips.

Feeling their warmth, her cheeks could not help turning red. She lowered her head and thanked him softly:

"Thank you... Xiao Yan!"

There were some words, however, that she did not say aloud.

If the problem with the Woeful Poison Body really can be completely resolved...

Then I'll do everything in my power to make you mine!

No matter how many girls are around you...

Looking into Xiao Yan's bright eyes and recalling everything he had done, Xiao Yi Xian's heart filled with gratitude.

The girl's breathing quickened, and her heartbeat sped up noticeably, but she continued to suppress those feelings on the surface, her mind lingering on her memories.

Through her own eyes, Xiao Yi Xian seemed to see Mu Li and the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's misdeeds once more, as well as Xiao Yan's protection.

When she had been at her most helpless, Xiao Yan had been the one who kept stepping forward and staying by her side.

She always felt that she could never repay this kindness in her entire life.

The next moment, Xiao Yi Xian took a deep breath and murmured softly to herself:

"Then let's set off now. I can't wait any longer!"

Xiao Yi Xian was a person with a goal, and she would never delay for any reason.

For her as she was now, increasing her strength was the most important thing of all.

Besides... if I'm a little too late, someone might snatch Xiao Yan away. By then, it'll be too late for regrets.

The girl made up her mind, patted her small chest, and put on a determined expression.

"All right, then you two should set off!"

Hearing her words, Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback, then laughed in spite of himself.

He snapped his fingers and ordered the Amethyst Winged Lion King beside him:

"Lion King, this is information about the Chu Yun Empire. Take Xiao Yi Xian out for a ride, and don't let her get hurt."

With that, he flicked a finger, using Yao Lao's soul power to shoot out two streaks of milky-white light.

The lights entered the spots between the Amethyst Winged Lion King's and Xiao Yi Xian's brows, then quickly vanished.

Specks of silver light drifted openly through the air, looking especially mysterious and beautiful against the backdrop of the amethyst cave.

Through this power, Xiao Yan had written out everything he had learned about the Chu Yun Empire in his previous life.

It recorded not only the paths of development of many powerful factions, but also some mighty sects and Dou Zong experts to watch out for.

Even information about poison masters was touched upon, with a few faint clues.

"As you command, Lord Xiao Yan," the Amethyst Winged Lion King said, bowing her head respectfully.

She paused briefly, then decisively tossed the Little Lion King to Xiao Yan.

Then she slowly rose and stepped forward gracefully.

Her two padded paws stepped out one after the other, left and right, her steps forming a straight line as she quickly came to the girl's side.

The Amethyst Winged Lion King swung her hindquarters, whipping up a gale as she used her steel-like tail to coil around Xiao Yi Xian and lift her up.

"Whew~ What are you doing?"

Xiao Yi Xian lay on the Lion King's back and complained.

The Amethyst Winged Lion King said nothing, merely placing her roughly on her back.

Then she immediately let out a roar, exerted her whole body, and spread the enormous feathered wings on her back.

Flap flap flap~~~

The Amethyst Winged Lion King beat her wings fiercely, her tail wrapped around Xiao Yi Xian and holding her firmly in place.

Just like that, she carried the girl into the air, becoming a flash of intense purple light that surged out of the cave in the blink of an eye.

"Bang, bang, bang!"

As the air flowed, vortices visible to the naked eye instantly formed around the brilliant purple light.

All the surrounding Dou Qi gathered together and burst with a loud report.

Invisible shock waves spread in every direction, directly shaking the entire cave without end.