"No good, Qing Lin, stay here. Don't come closer!"
Xiao Jietian's voice was firm before his figure vanished in an instant.
He reappeared in Little Fairy Doctor's palace bedroom.
On the bed, the quilt was unusually arched.
"Don't… don't come over. I… I've become ugly…"
Little Fairy Doctor's trembling voice came from under the quilt.
"No matter what you look like, I will still like you the same," Xiao Jietian said softly, stepping closer.
Faint sobs escaped the quilt.
Gently, Xiao Jietian lifted the cover. Before him was a head of long, lustrous hair, white as snow, gleaming with an almost ethereal shine.
Little Fairy Doctor's tear-streaked face peeked out. "My hair… it's turned white. My pupils… they've changed color. I've become ugly, unworthy of you."
Her eyes were now a purplish-gray—the unmistakable sign of the Calamity Poison Body awakening in its later stages.
There were two theories about such a change:One, it occurred naturally after the poison body erupted.Two, it was triggered by extreme grief, as when her eruption had wiped out the village she had lived in for over a year.
Here, it was the eruption—the transformation into white hair and unusual pupils.
"You're not ugly at all," Xiao Jietian said tenderly, brushing her tears away. "Look at your fair skin, your snow-white hair—it makes you even more beautiful, more elegant than before."
"Really?" Little Fairy Doctor lifted her gaze, meeting his eyes.
"Really. I never lie to you."
He picked her up and brought her to the mirror. "See? You're like a cold, ethereal fairy, untouchable and refined. I like you even more."
Xiao Jietian wrapped his arms around her from behind, resting his head on her shoulder.
Little Fairy Doctor's face brightened, a smile breaking through as all her worries and fears melted away.
"It's so good to have you," she murmured softly.
"Have you been taking super-toxic medicine again?" Xiao Jietian's expression grew serious. Her poison body had erupted, and she was already a three-star Dou Wang. His heart raced. Her growth had been too fast, like a rocket soaring in mere months.
"I couldn't help it. I wanted to grow quickly," she admitted weakly.
Poison was addictive, especially for the Calamity Poison Body.
"Alright, I'm not blaming you. But you must control it. I'll help you manage your poison body properly now," Xiao Jietian said gently.
"You… succeeded?" she asked in surprise.
"I did," he nodded. "I mastered control while you were in seclusion, but didn't tell you because I didn't want to disturb you."
"Tomorrow, we'll begin training. Your strength could rise dramatically."
Xiao Jietian kissed her forehead. "Let's go out first. Qing Lin is waiting, she'll worry otherwise."
He carried her outside.
Qing Lin, anxiously pacing, froze with joy upon seeing them.
"Young Master! Little Fairy Doctor Sister! You're finally out!"
"Little Fairy Doctor Sister, your hair… it's changed? So beautiful," Qing Lin said, examining the snow-white strands.
Xiao Jietian observed the two, then moved to the pavilion to quietly sip his tea.
He watched Little Fairy Doctor's white hair and purple pupils, Qing Lin's green hair and emerald eyes…
"Hiss~, no, no, I mustn't think about it…" Xiao Jietian wiped drool from the corner of his mouth, forcing himself to focus.
At that moment, a Seven-Colored Little Snake slithered out from his sleeve, standing on the table and flicking its tongue. Its light purple pupils studied him intently, a faint human-like disdain hidden deep within.
"Little fellow, you're finally awake," Xiao Jietian said.
The Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python flicked its tongue eagerly.
"You need to eat after waking up," he said, producing a jade bottle filled with purple crystal source.
The snake's eyes sparkled, and it instantly stuck its head into the bottle, drinking greedily. After a fifth of it, it burped, spitting a small jet of purple flame, clearly satisfied.
The little snake hopped onto Xiao Jietian's shoulder, licking his face in joy, covering him in saliva.
"Alright, little fellow, enough licking!" Xiao Jietian laughed, holding it gently. The snake coiled warmly against him, enjoying the caresses.
Meanwhile, Little Fairy Doctor and Qing Lin whispered and giggled by the lake. Seeing Xiao Jietian play with the snake, they came closer.
"Xiao Jietian, what a beautiful little snake! Where did you get it?" Little Fairy Doctor asked curiously.
"I found it deep in the desert," Xiao Jietian said casually, hiding the truth.
The snake dodged her hand, returning to Xiao Jietian's shoulder, clearly loyal only to him.
Qing Lin, beside them, smiled. Little Fairy Doctor pinched her playfully.
"Qing Lin Sister, you're mocking me!"
"No, no. I was just thinking… Young Master has a snake, I have a snake, it's fun!" Qing Lin stammered, blushing.
"Xiao Jietian Gege~," Little Fairy Doctor cooed, hugging his arm tightly, her eyes filled with warmth.