Word Count: 3,013 Words
******
Countless Ancient Devouring Insects swarmed forth, pouring out of the sphere like a stream of white sand. In midair, they slowly wove themselves together, stitching through the void until they formed a massive cube that enclosed both Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor within its protective embrace.
The insects' bodies began to secrete a special liquid. It clung to empty space like invisible glue, spreading outward in thin, glistening layers. After roughly a quarter of an hour, that formless sheen had solidified into a crystalline cube roughly ten cubic meters in size.
Just like the solid crystal layers they had once seen in the Heavenly Tomb's passages, these clear walls completely isolated them from the Ancient Wasteland Region's raging storms. The ceaseless howling winds outside cut off as if someone had snuffed them out. Within the cube, it felt as though Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor had been severed from the world itself and wrapped in profound, almost sacred tranquility.
"Incredible. These Ancient Devouring Insects keep absorbing the energy storms and then secrete crystals that gradually fuse into a nest. If we control it properly, this becomes a natural barrier!" Little Fairy Doctor gazed at the surrounding crystal with barely concealed excitement. Her slender fingers caressed the surface with open curiosity, without the slightest revulsion at its insect origins.
But then again, if Little Fairy Doctor were afraid of bugs, she might as well give up being a herb cultivator!
"With these Ancient Devouring Insects, we might actually breathe life back into this land."
Fully encasing the vast Xiao Realm with the insects' crystal layers would take a very long time. Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor both understood this was a step-by-step undertaking, not something that could be accomplished overnight. But at least they had taken the first step!
"Xiao Yan, I still need to prepare some energy-rich spiritual liquids to nourish the soil. See if there are any magical beasts nearby and catch a few for me." Little Fairy Doctor produced several seeds from her storage ring. Now that they had begun addressing the environmental hazards, soil restoration was the next priority.
The seeds resting in her palm belonged to unusual grass species with extraordinarily tenacious vitality.
"At your command, Grandmaster Fairy Doctor!" Xiao Yan snapped to attention with exaggerated formality, a playful grin spreading across his face.
Little Fairy Doctor rolled her eyes. She was just about to ignore this childish fellow when a dull thud rang out, like some creature slamming straight into the crystal wall.
Their gazes met. It seemed they weren't going to be bored here after all.
Xiao Yan set the sleeping mother insect gently on the ground. With a thought, an opening silently appeared at the top of the crystal cube. He shot upward through the gap and emerged outside.
A glance was all it took to spot herds of sheep-like magical beasts. Each one bore a pair of sharp, slightly curved horns, and patches of their bodies were covered in plates that resembled dragon scales, clearly evolved to resist the Ancient Wasteland Region's savage energy storms.
'Truly worthy of the most ancient region. Creatures containing dragon bloodlines that would be rare treasures outside exist here in droves.' From afar, these bizarre magical beasts advanced in dense ranks, surging toward the crystal barrier like a living tide. They had clearly been drawn by the energy crystallization.
The price of surviving here, however, was becoming extremely violent and bloodthirsty.
The weakest among them were already Rank 6. Xiao Yan even spotted one approaching Rank 8. This near-Rank 8 sheep-dragon was beginning to show clear signs of dragonification. The bloodline pulsing within its body was likely comparable to Xiong Zhan's, though it came not from the Ancient Void Dragon but from some other long-extinct dragon lineage.
Xiao Yan had no idea what these sheep-dragon creatures were actually called. But since they had made the wrong choice, he had no choice but to act.
"ROAR!"
The sheep-dragon beasts spotted him almost instantly. Dozens of them stamped down on empty air, stepping into the sky as naturally as if striding across solid ground. Their razor-edged horns gleamed with cold light as they charged straight at Xiao Yan.
Thunderous rumbling boomed across the land. As the herd rushed forward, trampling the air itself, the scene was shockingly grand. A surging mass of enormous sheep-beasts charged together; the sight was even more spectacular than ten thousand cavalry in full gallop.
"Taking me for prey? Then don't blame me for what comes next."
A faint smile tugged at Xiao Yan's lips. Ever since leaving the Gu Clan, he hadn't had a chance to test the true extent of his current strength.
He willed his Heavenly Flame into motion. Fire instantly condensed into countless arrows, each shaft burning with terrifying heat. With a sweep of his hand, a sky-covering barrage whistled forward.
A series of muffled pops rang out as blood misted the air. The flame-condensed arrows punched through skull after skull, and colossal bodies crashed from the sky one after another. Even the Rank 8 sheep-dragon fell with nothing more than a flick of his finger.
Xiao Yan disposed of the herd in moments. Yet in the days that followed, he came to truly understand why the Ancient Wasteland Region was called humanity's forbidden ground.
Wave after wave of magical beasts surged from every direction like an endless tide. Even as corpses piled into mountains around him, increasingly powerful beasts continued to emerge. In this place, Rank 8 magical beasts were not rare at all. Perhaps he and Little Fairy Doctor had already ventured into a particularly deep section of the Ancient Wasteland Region.
'No wonder no one dares enter the Ancient Wasteland Region anymore. The beasts here have been shaped by this land's special nature into killing machines that fear no death.'
The beast tide finally subsided only after Xiao Yan encountered a super magical beast with power approaching the Half-Saint level. They clashed in a fierce battle that left the surrounding terrain devastated. In the end, neither could overcome the other, and only then did the frenzied assault finally cease.
"Xiao Yan, are you alright?" Little Fairy Doctor rushed over, genuine alarm tightening her delicate features at the sight of his blood-soaked form.
Xiao Yan quickly shook his head. "I'm fine. Just flesh wounds."
Though he spoke lightly, some cuts ran bone-deep, nearly tearing flesh from bone. Strange berserk factors and lingering toxins clung to the wounds, stubbornly preventing them from closing. Without the Three Thousand Burning Flame and the tempering he had undergone by refining the Ghostly Poison Flame, these injuries would have been enough to kill any peak Dou Venerate.
'This place really is bizarre. That magical beast possessed at least seven‑change Dou Venerate strength, if not higher, together with some unknown bloodline.' For the first time, the Ancient Wasteland Region inspired a trace of real wariness in Xiao Yan's heart. He hadn't entered from the region's normal entrance, but had instead arrived directly through the Hall of Souls' Soul Path.
He could now freely access the Heaven Hall, but even knowing where it lay, he truly had no desire to come here.
He wasn't certain which part of the Ancient Wasteland Region they currently occupied, but it was clear that the Xiao Realm had fallen somewhere very deep.
Xiao Yan hadn't gone all out. He hadn't even used his Clan Mark. But the other side also hadn't unleashed its full bloodline. Both had merely been probing. In a true life-and-death struggle, the outcome would have been unpredictable.
'Revitalizing the Xiao Clan truly remains a long and arduous journey.'
With his and the Yan Alliance's current strength, returning the Xiao Realm to the world still seemed impossibly distant. They had only claimed a tiny corner of land and had already provoked such a fierce attack. If they truly attempted to move the entire Xiao Realm out of the Ancient Wasteland Region, it would be enough to overturn the heavens themselves!
He watched Little Fairy Doctor kneeling beside him, medicines already in hand, her gentle fingers carefully cleaning his wounds and working the stubborn toxins free. Warmth flowed quietly through his chest.
"If you didn't have the Woeful Poison Body, I imagine you'd be out there traveling the land with a banner that says 'Healing the World,' treating people wherever you go," he said softly.
Little Fairy Doctor didn't look up, concentrating on her work. "There are no 'ifs' in life. Besides… with your reckless, death‑defying nature, even if such a life were possible for me, I would still choose to stay by your side."
Both of them froze at those words. Color flooded Little Fairy Doctor's face in an instant, turning it scarlet. "I-I mean, a healer's heart is like a parent's heart. If I left, I'd be afraid you'd die in battle somewhere."
Her voice grew smaller and smaller as she spoke, until it was barely more than a whisper. Xiao Yan's heart softened completely. Between the two of them, only the thinnest veil remained. Little Fairy Doctor certainly possessed a healer's compassion, but there was a gentle warmth, a special kindness, that she reserved for him alone.
He certainly hadn't forgotten what she had done before the Pill Region's Star Region, nor their brief moments in Creation Valley, and neither had she.
With one smooth motion, Xiao Yan's arm swept around her slender waist and pulled her soft, seemingly boneless figure into his embrace. He shifted, settling her onto his lap, and held her tightly.
A delicate herbal fragrance drifted up with her warmth. Years of working with medicinal ingredients had left Little Fairy Doctor with a uniquely pleasant scent. Her supple body fit perfectly against his chest, as comforting as holding a small cat—soft, warm, and instinctively soothing, yet stirring in a way that was hard to describe.
"Thank you for always staying by my side," Xiao Yan murmured, burying his face in her silky hair.
He couldn't deny it. A man's heart was deeply moved by steadfast companionship. Little Fairy Doctor had always been there, quietly offering her support, never asking for anything in return.
Held so intimately, Little Fairy Doctor's cheeks burned like fire. Her mind had gone almost completely blank. "I-I'm just repaying your life-saving grace…"
Xiao Yan chuckled. Mischief lit his eyes as he lifted his head to look at her. "Shouldn't repaying a life debt involve pledging yourself to your savior?"
Such direct words left Little Fairy Doctor, who lacked Xiao Yan's silver tongue, completely defenseless. Heat spread down her neck as her thoughts scattered. "I-I-I-I… mmph!"
Her protest was cut off mid-stammer. Xiao Yan tilted her chin up and pressed his lips gently to hers.
Ever since leaving the Heavenly Tomb, he had discovered his self-control had… deteriorated somewhat.
The strange warmth on her lips made Little Fairy Doctor squeeze her eyes shut as her body went rigid. But this kiss was different from the brief, accidental contacts of the past. Perhaps it was their isolation in this desolate land, or the smell of blood still lingering on his robe, or simply that the paper-thin barrier between them had finally become too thin to maintain.
When Xiao Yan deepened the kiss, she found herself responding before she even realized it. Her arms crept up around his neck. Though clumsy and inexperienced, her earnest response carried a tenderness that made his heart ache.
The mists of Creation Valley hadn't been thick enough, and neither were the Xiao Realm's poison clouds.
By the time they finally parted, Little Fairy Doctor's face glowed crimson. She summoned the Thousand-Eyed Night Zhen in a panicked flurry and fled like a startled rabbit.
Xiao Yan touched his lips, still feeling her warmth, and could only smile helplessly. With Little Fairy Doctor's personality, things could never progress too quickly. How could she have had any mental preparation for something like this?
Of course, the deeper reason was that the Woeful Poison Body remained a thorn in her heart. Even now, having obtained the Thousand-Eyed Night Zhen and completely suppressing it, she still worried that certain activities might trigger a sudden eruption and harm him.
…
In the days that followed, Xiao Yan threw himself into refining tier 8 pills of every grade, from those that drew two-colored Pill Lightning all the way to nine colors. With Saint Zhao Hua's medicinal forest behind him and the Ancient Wasteland Region providing endless Monster Cores, he had no concerns about resources.
During this period, Xiao Yan single-handedly transformed the area into a lightning zone. Pill Lightning of various colors crashed down from the sky again and again. Anyone watching his frenzied pill-making would have thought he was stocking up to supply a trade fair, not purchasing from one!
Meanwhile, Little Fairy Doctor was busy on two fronts. On one hand, she methodically followed the Creation Saint Classic to restore the land around them step by step. On the other, she truly began cultivating in earnest for the first time in her life.
The Ancient Wasteland Region's constant storms and poisonous fogs proved to be a perfect training ground for her Woeful Poison Body. In the past, even after obtaining the Thousand-Eyed Night Zhen, she had never deliberately cultivated, letting her strength grow naturally instead. Even without effort, her cultivation had still climbed continuously. It was enough to demonstrate just how frightening the combination of the Woeful Poison Pills Xiao Yan had refined and her physique truly was.
Now, she actively urged the Woeful Poison Body to absorb poison. The resulting spectacle was terrifying. Each cultivation session summoned a massive vortex of toxic gas, like a demon starved for countless years finally allowed to feast. Any living thing that strayed too near the poison vortex died without exception.
She knew very well that Xiao Yan wanted her at the spatial trade fair not to help pick out treasures, but for her strength.
This time, he was determined to secure the map fragment by any means necessary.
She also hadn't yet taken the Venerate Ascension Spirit Pill. This strength-enhancing medicine would be just as effective for her as for anyone else.
Naturally, with the two of them alone together for so long, the 'little sheep' Little Fairy Doctor stood no chance of escaping the 'big bad wolf' Xiao Yan.
"You're taking advantage again…" she muttered one evening after he stole another kiss, though her voice held more shyness than anger.
"I'm taking advantage? You're the one who keeps finding excuses to come check on my alchemy every few hours," Xiao Yan retorted with a chuckle.
"That's because… I'm an alchemist too. Wanting to learn is only natural."
"And does learning require sitting in my lap?"
"Y-You pulled me here!"
Days slipped by in this quiet, strangely sweet rhythm. When only one month remained before the spatial trade fair, Xiao Yan finally stopped refining pills. Over nearly five months, even he had lost count of how many he had created.
He had transformed half of Saint Zhao Hua's medicinal forest into pills. This frenzied production had pushed his cultivation from peak one-change Dou Venerate to two-change Dou Venerate while completely mastering tier 8 alchemy. Now, he stood only a single step away from tier 9.
If he had more time, his success rate with tier 9 pills would hardly be low.
"Your cultivation…" Xiao Yan's words trailed off as Little Fairy Doctor emerged from the poison vortex in pristine white robes. Not a speck of dust nor a trace of toxin clung to her. She resembled a pure, sacred lotus blossoming alone in a sea of poison. Untouched and untainted, beautiful beyond measure.
One-change Dou Venerate! Using the Venerate Ascension Spirit Pill in tandem with devouring poison energy, Little Fairy Doctor's cultivation had advanced with astonishing speed.
She smiled quietly. "Just a fluke."
"Oh, a fluke, is it? At this rate, you'll reach Dou Saint soon," Xiao Yan teased.
At the mention of 'Dou Saint,' Little Fairy Doctor's pretty face immediately flushed red. During these months together, she had somehow let herself be 'talked into' a certain promise by Xiao Yan. If reaching the Dou Saint realm proved her constitution would never erupt again, then everything would truly be fine.
Upon reaching Dou Saint, even Divine Grade Bloodlines could be stabilized, let alone the Woeful Poison Body. When that time came, there would be no barriers left between them.
Somehow, another Dou Saint agreement had emerged.
Little Fairy Doctor turned her head away, voice soft with embarrassment. "We should head back. The spatial trade fair is about to begin."
Xiao Yan nodded. It was time to return and pick up Ya Fei and Cai Lin. This time, he planned to bring the Yan Alliance's strongest fighters with him, fully prepared to take what he wanted if negotiations failed.
Little Fairy Doctor swept her hand through the air. Boundless poison mist surged outward, cloaking their refuge from sight. The crystal layer the Ancient Devouring Insects had woven now covered nearly five thousand square meters. It was still far from enough to enclose the entire Xiao Realm, but the foundation had been laid.
…
Three days later, Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor returned to the Yan Alliance to gather Ya Fei and Cai Lin for the spatial trade fair.
But when they arrived, only Ya Fei awaited them, worry written across her beautiful features. Cai Lin and Qing Lin were nowhere to be seen. A flash of cold killing intent passed through Xiao Yan's eyes.
"Where's Cai Lin?"
Ya Fei had sent word to Cai Lin on the frontlines long ago. Given Cai Lin's personality, there was no way she would break such an appointment of her own accord.
Ya Fei's expression remained troubled. "I've already sent men to the borders of the Yan Alliance to gather information, but they haven't returned yet."
"No need." Xiao Yan waved his hand. A shard of ice-cold light flickered in his gaze. "We'll go ourselves."
It seemed someone no longer knew the meaning of death.