Mentor Ruo Lin left, carrying with her a sense of indignation at the world's unfairness. Only after Xiao Bai repeatedly assured her that he hadn't fed Xiao Xun'er or Xiao Yi Xian anything special—that their current cultivation was purely the result of their own efforts—did she finally believe him.
This revelation gave her a new perspective on talent. She'd cultivated for over twenty years to reach five-star Da Dou Shi, yet these girls had matched years of her progress in mere months. The realization left her feeling isolated, muttering that she shouldn't have come today and needed time alone to process, with strict instructions not to disturb her.
Recalling the fleeting look of hurt and despair in her usually gentle eyes, Xiao Bai gave a wry smile and shook his head. He hadn't meant to upset her. His focus had been on ensuring Xiao Xun'er and Xiao Yi Xian's registration, trusting that honesty would prevent Ruo Lin from blocking them. He hadn't anticipated it would shake the mature mentor so deeply. Comparing cultivation speed with these two was a recipe for heartache.
Even he didn't dare entertain such thoughts. Xiao Yan, with his protagonist aura and destiny's favor, couldn't match these girls early on. Across the Dou Qi Continent, only Qing Lin could rival them in the initial stages. Even Zi Yan needed the Dragon-Phoenix Origin Fruit later to truly shine.
As for Xiao Xun'er's leap to Da Dou Shi in two months, Xiao Bai was mildly surprised. He hadn't expected the quiet girl to deliver such a shock. But considering the Life-Devouring Pill, a seventh-tier elixir that could propel someone from Da Dou Shi to Dou Wang, her god-tier Dou Di bloodline seemed almost modest by comparison. With the Gu Clan's millennia of resources and her divine bloodline, it wasn't so shocking after all.
"Brother Xiao Bai, is Mentor Ruo Lin okay?" Xiao Xun'er asked, a trace of worry in her voice.
She'd always known concealing certain truths was wise. For those in the northwestern continent, some realities were too jarring, potentially causing them to question the purpose of their own cultivation. Over the years, Xiao Bai had learned bits about her cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, elixirs, and protectors like Ling Ying and Qing Shuang. Yet he seemed unfazed, as if these were trivial, never probing into her origins. This was why she'd relaxed her usual restraint, allowing herself to stand out a bit more.
"She'll be fine," Xiao Bai said, waving off her concern. "Mentor Ruo Lin may be gentle, but she's strong-willed. Today was just a bit overwhelming. Give her a couple of days, and she'll bounce back. Life goes on, after all."
"That's good," Xiao Xun'er said, relieved. Mentor Ruo Lin had been kind to them, letting them stay at her home and agreeing without hesitation when Xiao Bai opted out of classes for two months. Such a mentor was a rare find.
"Don't worry. If all three of us make it to the Inner Academy, Mentor Ruo Lin might get promoted to a Xuan-class mentor and lead a Xuan-class group," Xiao Bai said, patting Xiao Xun'er's head with a smile. "You've just jumped from Dou Zhe to Da Dou Shi, so take these next few days to get used to your surged strength."
After a moment's thought, he added, "Xian'er's close to a breakthrough. This time, her poison body might erupt. Those eruptions are painful, so I need to keep an eye on her."
Catching the hint of explanation in his expression, Xiao Xun'er shot him an exasperated glance, ignoring him. She turned to Xiao Yi Xian, taking her hand. "Xian'er, want me to stay with you?"
Warmth flickered in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes, but she shook her head with a soft smile. "No need. I went through it once when the Calamity Poison Body first awakened. It's not too bad. This guy's just making a fuss."
Leaning closer, she glanced at Xiao Bai and whispered to Xiao Xun'er, "Truth is, I didn't want him there, but he's so overbearing!"
Xiao Xun'er peeked at Xiao Bai, whispering back, "That's just how he is. But he's got a bit of a conscience, at least."
Xiao Bai, watching the two whispering figures, felt a touch of helplessness. They really think I can't hear them? These two girls!
___
That night, under a canopy of twinkling stars, a tent stood in a secluded camp within the Magical Beast Forest.
Xiao Bai sat by the bedside, his gaze fixed quietly on Xiao Yi Xian, who lay before him.
They'd chosen not to stay at Mentor Ruo Lin's residence. For safety's sake, the desolate forest was the better choice.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine," Xiao Yi Xian said, her jade-like hand gently smoothing the faint crease in his brow, her voice tender and reassuring.
"Mm." Xiao Bai smiled and nodded. His concern wasn't the eruption itself but the pain she'd endure during it.
Seeing his brow relax, Xiao Yi Xian retrieved a faintly black pill from her storage ring and swallowed it without hesitation.
This pill, crafted by Xiao Bai, contained a trace of the Eight-Winged Black Emperor Serpent's venom. The dose was minimal, as the sixth-tier poison was potent. Only her Calamity Poison Body allowed her to handle it; an ordinary Dou Shi, even a poison master, would be overwhelmed.
Moments after swallowing the pill, Xiao Yi Xian's delicate brows furrowed. Her clear eyes began to change, a gray hue seeping into them.
Strands of gray-purple mist started to rise from her body, gradually filling the tent. As time passed, the mist thickened, layering densely and obscuring visibility.
Xiao Bai felt the mist brush against him, causing a slight numbness even to his robust physique. Instantly, the several thunder seeds within him stirred. The most volatile, Little Bing, surged forth, a crimson lightning streak flashing through his meridians. Thunder roared, and fiery energy flared, dispersing the toxic mist like a natural predator.
No wonder it's the Calamity Poison Body's toxin—it even affects my body! Xiao Bai marveled inwardly. His physique, tempered relentlessly by multiple thunder seeds, was comparable to the little dragon girl's in the original story. Known as the "Brute Force King" in the Inner Academy, she dominated the Strong Ranking, settling disputes with a single punch—or two, if needed.
Suddenly, Xiao Bai's expression shifted. Though his vision was blocked, his soul perception remained sharp, detecting Xiao Yi Xian's body trembling slightly, a trace of pain in her gray-purple eyes.
Her fair face was now etched with mysterious purple patterns, and intense energy fluctuations pulsed from her dantian.
Xiao Bai's soul force probed her body carefully. At the center of her lower abdomen, a dense cloud of gray-purple mist radiated, and a seven-colored thread extended slowly from her dantian toward her heart at an agonizing pace.
After a moment's consideration, Xiao Bai formed a sword gesture with his hands and pressed it to her lower abdomen. His soul force surged, forming a seal at her dantian.
As the seal took hold, the seven-colored thread halted, and the toxic mist ceased spreading.
Xiao Yi Xian's furrowed brows eased, the pain subsiding. Sensing the anomaly at her dantian, she knew Xiao Bai had intervened. The intimate placement of the seal brought a flush to her already pale face, mingling embarrassment with relief.
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