Once they left the vicinity of Qingshan Town and entered the Magical Beast Mountain Range, encounters with Demonic Beasts became more frequent.
However, the area where Xiao Yi Xian usually gathered herbs was only the outer fringe of the mountain range; second-tier beasts were rare, let alone third-tier ones.
And when the occasional first-tier beast did appear, Xiao Yi Xian could deal with it easily using poison, so Chen Yang never needed to intervene.
The two of them strolled casually toward their destination, pausing now and then to discuss any precious medicinal herbs they spotted.
From the look in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes, Chen Yang could tell how much the girl longed to become an Alchemist.
"Perhaps I can find a way for you to become one."
Meeting her hopeful gaze, Chen Yang swatted dead a shrieking badger guarding a herb, stored the plant, and spoke.
"I… I could really become an Alchemist?"
"Isn't it said the requirements are extremely strict?"
"You need not only powerful Soul perception, but your Dou Qi must also be fire with a hint of wood!"
Though excited, Xiao Yi Xian remained calm; her childhood had taught her that the less hope you held, the less disappointment you faced—she had already endured despair far deeper than mere disappointment.
"There exists in this world something called a Strange Fire!"
"If you refine one of them, you can, in theory, become an Alchemist."
Chen Yang smiled at her.
In the original story, Yao Lao had offered only the poison pill method to control the Calamity Poison Body, but Chen Yang believed that if Xiao Yi Xian could refine the Netherworld Poison Flame—ranked twentieth on the Strange Fire list—it should also suppress her constitution, at least temporarily.
Yet the original tale never mentioned where that flame could be found, and Chen Yang had no clue either.
But once he became a Dou Emperor, the entire Fighting Qi Continent would hold no secrets from him.
"A Strange Fire is something even Alchemists covet; what right do I have…" Xiao Yi Xian gave a carefree laugh and stopped dwelling on the matter, skipping ahead.
Even she failed to notice that Chen Yang's words had stirred a ripple in her heart—a faint hope for the future and a secret yearning to become an Alchemist.
"This girl…" Chen Yang shook his head, stepped forward, and was instantly beside her. They walked on, stopping occasionally, and after roughly another two and a half hours Xiao Yi Xian finally led him to the edge of a cliff.
"The cave is down there."
"I discovered it while herb-picking, but the cliff is too sheer; I'm only a One-Star Dou Practitioner and couldn't get in."
She pointed below.
"Mm, I can indeed sense the aura of my SectSenior. Let's go down together."
Without waiting for agreement, he slipped an arm around her officially certified slenderest waist in all of battle through the heavens and leapt off the cliff.
"Eek!" Xiao Yi Xian yelped in surprise.
Wind whistled past her ears, yet she didn't dare close her eyes, afraid she might miss a chance to save herself.
Whoosh!
Suddenly their descent halted; she realized they were now hovering in front of the cave.
Turning her head, she saw a pair of crimson Dou Qi Wings spreading behind Chen Yang.
"This… this is…"
She stared, dumbstruck.
Wasn't he just a Great Dou Master?
How could he manifest Dou Qi Wings?
Could it be that he was already a Dou Wang expert at such a young age?
Shock filled her gaze; the warm hand at her waist sent tingles through her, and at that moment her heart fluttered.
Whoosh!
Chen Yang glanced at her reaction, the corner of his mouth curving slightly. With a wave of his hand, the tangled vines on the cliff face—and the rock snakes hidden within—were all hurled into the abyss.
With the entrance cleared, the bright mouth of the cave appeared.
"This is it!" Xiao Yi Xian turned, delight lighting her face.
"Let's take a look." He landed at the entrance and folded away his Dou Qi Wings.
Watching, Xiao Yi Xian wanted to ask but hesitated; the "Great Dou Master" before her might actually be a Dou Wang—or even a Dou Huang expert.
"Stop guessing. I'm a Dou Huang."
He glanced at her, hand still resting on her slim waist; honestly, the feel was superb—neither Senior Sister nor Ya Fei could compare.
"A Dou Huang?"
"So young… amazing!"
Shock and admiration were all she had left.
"You'll become a Dou Huang too—stronger even."
He smiled, finally releasing her, and strode into the cave.
Blushing, she rubbed the spot his hand had warmed, then trotted after him.
With a Dou Huang expert beside her, she felt no fear at all.
The traps inside had long since decayed, but to her it simply showed Chen Yang's familiarity with his Sect's Seniors. They reached a dead end; Chen Yang swept his gaze over it and, following the original plot, easily located the mechanism.
Rumble!
The stone door slid open, revealing a chamber lit by moonlight stones. The pale glow and the skeleton at the center gave the room an eerie air.
Yet fear stems only from weakness; possessing the power of a Seven-Star Dou Huang, Chen Yang would gladly test whether his long rainbow sword could slay a ghost if one appeared.
Who the seated skeleton had been was never mentioned in the original story, but now he would become a Senior of Chen Yang's fabricated Sect who had passed away here.
"JuniorChen Yang pays respects to Grand-Uncle."
He stepped forward and bowed slightly.
For some reason, Xiao Yi Xian behind him also found herself offering a bow.
Noticing, Chen Yang chuckled and caught her in the act: "He's my SectSenior—why are you saluting?"
The teasing tone made her blush; she lifted her chin and shot him a glare. "None of your business!"
Her lack of conviction made him laugh, almost causing her to flush again.
"Alright, enough."
"Let's see if there's anything useful; if there is, it's yours."
He gestured toward the items in the cave.
She nodded, shifting her gaze to hide her racing heart.
"Wow, so many precious herbs!"
"And lots of gold coins!"
"What's inside these three boxes?"
She looked around, eyes sparkling.
"Open them and find out."
Chen Yang stepped forward, took the key from the skeleton's hand along with the bone fragment that held the Purification Lotus Demon Flame map, and slipped both into his storage ring.
"Since Grand-Uncle passed away here, he must have felt attached to this place. Taking a piece of his remains back to the Sect gives me something to report."
She nodded, her favorable impression of him rising rapidly.
Sometimes a woman's fondness for a man is born in an instant—no need for life-and-death trials or long separation.
Once that fondness exists, every positive act adds points in her eyes.
Chen Yang used the key to open the three stone boxes, obtaining a High-Grade Profound Tier Dou Technique—Lion's Roar; a high-grade profound tier flight Dou Technique—Eagle Wings, also known as Purple Cloud Wings; and finally the Seven-Colored Poison ManualXiao Yi Xian needed.
"Here, pick whichever you want."
He indicated the two scrolls and the book on the table.
"I… I want this one…"
(End of Chapter)
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