"I still have something I'd like to discuss with Uncle Shao. You go on ahead—take the next few days to rest and conserve your strength. We'll meet again when we depart."
Gu Qingli said with a gentle smile.
"Alright then, see you soon, Xiaoli."
Though reluctant, Sikong Ran nodded and left with He Zhongyi in tow.
"Out with it, you little rascal—what's really going on?"
Shao Yan raised an eyebrow. He'd long sensed that Gu Qingli had dismissed Sikong Ran for a reason.
"Uncle Shao, here's the truth. I want to examine the toxins in Shao Lan's body. Ever since the battle with Li Ke'er's Violet Venom Toad during the Youth Tournament, I've gained a deeper understanding of poisons. I'd like to study the condition of the venom in Xiao Lan."
Gu Qingli's words made Shao Yan's eyes light up. As he had thought, this girl was truly extraordinary—her progress in such a short time was nothing short of remarkable.
"Of course! Go ahead and take a look. Shall we go inside?"
Shao Yan offered readily. Shao Lan remained silent, but his expression clearly conveyed his willingness to cooperate fully.
"By the way, Xiao Lan, there's something I want to discuss with you—think it over carefully. This year, you, I, Sikong Ran, and my brother Qingche will all be heading to Fengyun Holy Academy together. Though I know little of what awaits us there, any place with people is a place of conflict. To imagine we can remain uninvolved is unrealistic.
"But the four of us hail from the same city and share a bond—we must stand united."
Gu Qingli spoke at length, then turned to look at Shao Yan and Shao Lan.
Shao Yan's face carried a trace of admiration. This little girl was indeed bound for greatness—at just twelve, she already considered matters so thoroughly. Even the older boys might not yet grasp such complexities.
Shao Lan simply looked at Gu Qingli, silently encouraging her to go on.
"Relying on me alone, I fear it will be difficult to conceal your condition indefinitely. Once we're at the academy, there will be countless situations and interactions. If we move as a group, they'll inevitably discover the truth."
By "they," she clearly meant Sikong Ran and Gu Qingche.
Shao Yan and Shao Lan fell into contemplation. They had always assumed the fewer who knew, the better—but Gu Qingli's reasoning was sound.
"So my suggestion is this: Xiao Lan, start considering now whether you're willing to trust Qingche and Sikong Ran. If you are, we can protect you together. It won't be foolproof, but it will be close."
Gu Qingli paused, then added:
"Xiao Lan, I promise you—one day, I will purge every trace of poison from your body. But I need time. I must grow stronger and obtain rare and powerful herbs."
A faint mist welled up in Shao Lan's silver eyes.
"Xiaoli, thank you. I believe in you. And since you trust Qingche and Sikong Ran, I do too. When we get to Fengyun Holy Academy, I'll find the right moment to tell them."
There was a flicker of sorrow in Shao Lan's eyes—he felt as if he were dragging Xiaoli down. But the feeling quickly vanished. Seeing her resolute expression and his master's worried gaze, his heart was steadied once more.
He used to hide away in his small courtyard, claiming he didn't want to shame his master—but in truth, it had always been a way of escaping. Until Gu Qingli barged into his world.
Her gaze held no disgust—only astonishment and compassion. She had told him he needn't feel pain because of others' strange looks.
"Those who love you will love you no matter what. Those who hate you will hate you regardless."
That simple truth had struck something deep within him. Now, each time he saw the anticipation in his master's eyes, he couldn't bear to let him down.
"Xiaoli, I won't say thank you again—we're friends. I promise I'll train diligently. No matter what happens, I will stand by your side."
Shao Lan's voice was quiet but resolute—almost like a vow.
"Good! I'll hold you to that. If you dare let me down, I'll beat you until your teeth are scattered all over the ground!"
Gu Qingli raised her fist with mock fierceness, sealing her oath with a playful threat.
"Deal."
A flicker of gentleness softened Shao Lan's gaze.
"Alright, that's enough talk. Let me examine your condition. No need to go indoors—after all, we're in Uncle Shao's residence. I trust we're safe here."
"How will you do it?"
Shao Yan grew visibly anxious.
Gu Qingli took a seat opposite Shao Lan and instructed calmly:
"Give me your hand."
Obediently, Shao Lan extended his arm toward her. Gu Qingli's slender fingers rested lightly on his wrist—she was taking his pulse.
On the Divine Ancient Continent, the practice of pulse diagnosis was virtually unknown. Most people here were cultivators who seldom fell ill. Even those who weren't, thanks to the abundance of spiritual energy and herbs, rarely faced serious illness.
Curious, Shao Yan and Shao Lan watched in silence as Gu Qingli focused, not daring to disturb her concentration.
She observed carefully. His pulse was steady—but something was amiss, hidden beneath the surface.
"Xiao Lan, I'm going to send a thread of soul power into your body. Don't resist it."
Shao Lan gave a slight nod.
A whisper of spiritual energy slipped from Gu Qingli's palm, flowing quietly through her fingertips into Shao Lan's body.
She closed her eyes, guiding the thread to roam freely through him. Soon, she sensed something unusual.
No wonder the toxins hadn't shown up during the pulse reading—they were like parasites clinging to bone, hidden deep within his meridians and dantian. These were no ordinary poisons.
As Uncle Shao had said, the venom had all but fused with Shao Lan's body.
Even as she explored with her soul power, Gu Qingli noticed a faint, elusive energy in his bones and blood—subtle but unmistakable.
Yet despite his lack of resistance, she was cautious. Her soul power was a foreign force, and she dared not push too deep.
The poison hadn't yet invaded the bones or blood—it lingered only in his meridians and dantian.
What surprised her most was that some unknown power within Shao Lan seemed to suppress the toxins.
Its weakening during the full moon likely explained why the venom always flared on the fifteenth.