Xiao Yixian wasn't stupid. Though she hadn't practiced cultivation from a young age, the extraordinary talent brought by her special physique made it easy for her to grasp whatever Lin Ran taught her.
Talented students always win a teacher's favor. Seeing Xiao Yixian's aptitude, Lin Ran naturally imparted to her everything suitable he had.
"Ice Sovereign Force—Profound Ice Spike!"
On the back of the Blue Eagle, a crisp voice rang out. Instantly, the surrounding air turned frigid, and several razor-sharp icicles formed midair.
Shhh!
With a thrust of her palm, the icicles trembled violently before shooting forward with a piercing sound, vanishing into the sea of clouds below.
After launching her attack, Xiao Yixian changed her hand seal. With a light clap, a new wave of icy cold surged around her. Amidst a series of cracking sounds, a thick layer of ice condensed on her body—like armor.
"Ice Sovereign Force—Frost Armor!"
The ice armor clung to her like a second skin, lending this delicate girl a touch of gallantry. But with a crisp shatter, the armor burst apart in the next instant, crumbling to pieces.
Yet the moment it shattered, a thread of frosty, blue-purple poisonous mist spread out—cold and sinister.
"Not bad at all."
Lin Ran flicked his finger, scattering the lingering cold poison with ease. He nodded in satisfaction. "Your Dou Qi is only at the Dou Practitioner level, but with this technique, you can form armor comparable to that of a Great Dou Master. Thanks to your unique Dou Qi, the armor isn't just defensive—it's imbued with cold poison. A balanced mix of offense and defense. The Ice Sovereign Force truly suits the Woeful Poison Body."
"Thank you, Young Master."
Xiao Yixian beamed with joy—whether from her newly gained strength or from receiving Lin Ran's praise, she couldn't even tell.
"We'll be arriving at the Tagor Desert soon. Take some time to rest and adjust."
"Yes, Young Master."
She nodded respectfully, then obediently sat down atop the eagle's back. She didn't continue practicing her techniques or circulating Dou Qi.
Prolonged cultivation was exhausting to both body and mind. Although Xiao Yixian's condition was good and her Dou Qi barely depleted, the mental fatigue from intense focus wasn't something easily ignored.
Still, she didn't lie down to rest right away. Instead, she sat on the eagle's back, pulled out several vials from her spatial ring, and began tinkering.
Lin Ran glanced over curiously, only to find that she wasn't mixing poisons—but medicinal powders. That surprised him slightly.
"Coagulation Grass… Vitality Fruit… You're making medical powder?"
"Yes, Young Master."
Xiao Yixian nodded. Once she had ground the ingredients into fine powder and mixed them properly, she poured them into a jade vial.
"I'm not an Alchemist, so I can't refine Pills. I can only make medicine using the most basic mixing techniques."
"This blood-coagulating powder may not be as effective as healing Pills, but it works well for stopping external bleeding. I also added some Vitality Fruit to enhance its effects—it should be more effective than what most shops sell."
She handled the vial with great care, storing it safely back in her ring.
She'd brought a lot of medicinal items on this trip, but most had been poisons useful for her own body. She hadn't brought much in the way of healing herbs.
And since her stock of healing medicine was running low, she decided to make some in advance.
Sure, with Young Master Lin Ran's strength, it was unlikely he'd need any of it… but still, it was always good to be prepared!
"That's commendable. But when it comes to healing medicines, you don't need to bother with mixing powders."
Lin Ran's calm words caught her off guard. Before she could respond, several jade vials were tossed toward her.
Xiao Yixian blinked in surprise, then opened one of the vials.
A rich medicinal fragrance poured out, fresh and invigorating. Her eyes widened in shock.
"These are…"
"Some third and fourth-grade Pills. Most are for healing."
Lin Ran spoke casually and then tapped her forehead lightly with one finger.
Xiao Yixian immediately felt a twinge of pain in her head as a stream of information flooded her mind. The sudden influx made her dizzy for a moment, and it took a while for her to recover.
"Grade-3 Blood Bone Pill, Grade-4 Spring Recovery Pill, Grade-4 Vital Energy Pill… oh heavens, there's even a Grade-5 Recovery Pill!"
"And enhancement Pills too—Grade-4 Beast Strength Pill, Grade-5 Windstride Pill..."
"These kinds of high-grade Pills… he just gave them away like that?!"
Her hands trembled slightly. These Pills were treasures in the outside world. Each one could cause a frenzy at auction. Yet Lin Ran had just casually thrown them at her as if they were snacks.
She was only at the Dou Practitioner level. How could she even deserve to hold onto such things, much less use them?
"Young Master, these Pills are far too valuable… I'm afraid I might not even store them properly…"
"Pills are meant to be used. Besides, these are only grade four or five. I made them when I was bored—they're not exactly precious."
Lin Ran waved a hand dismissively. "And I noticed you're missing a lot of daily necessities. Most of what's in my spatial ring probably isn't useful to you. Once we reach a large human settlement, find a trading house or auction and sell off what you don't need. Get yourself some basic supplies—whatever you think we'll need."
"The Tagor Desert has a harsh environment. Things like food, clothing, shelter—all will be difficult. We won't be staying in human towns for long, so make sure you're well prepared when we stop."
"Yes, Young Master!"
Xiao Yixian nodded seriously. It was something she had completely overlooked.
Now that she had pledged to serve Lin Ran as her master, she would naturally need to handle all his daily needs.
Lin Ran wasn't like the coarse mercenaries of Qing Mountain Town—he came from a great clan, a noble lineage. She had to put more effort into everything.
"Huh? Wait a second!"
Suddenly realizing something, Xiao Yixian lifted her head in a daze and stared at Lin Ran.
"Young Master… did you just say… these Pills were refined by you?"
"Yeah. Practice batches. The quality isn't that high."
Lin Ran replied casually. "My Alchemist rank isn't very advanced—only sixth grade. I used to be more interested in it, but my master encouraged me to focus on improving my strength. I myself prefer power, so I stopped refining for a while."
"It's a pity, really. Your Woeful Poison Body disqualifies you from becoming an Alchemist. Otherwise, with your medical foundation and knowledge of herbs, I could have taught you Pill refining too."
"…"
'Sixth-grade Alchemist, and he calls that 'not very advanced'?'
'He just… lost interest in Pill refining…?'
Xiao Yixian stood there completely dumbfounded. For a long while, she didn't know what to say.
Finally, after a long pause, she blinked and looked up at Lin Ran—full of curiosity, but also incredibly cautious.
"Young Master… may I ask you a very bold and impolite question?"
"You already know it's impolite and you're still asking?"
"Uh…"
(End of Chapter)