After breaking through to the seven-star Dou Shi level, Xiao Yan found that his cultivation speed began to noticeably slow down. It wasn't that he was deliberately suppressing his strength, but rather because the final three stars of each rank were significantly more difficult to attain than the previous ones. It had taken him just four months to go from three-star to seven-star Dou Shi, but he estimated it would take everything he had just to reach nine stars. As for advancing into the Da Dou Shi realm—that was going to be a much tougher challenge.
Of course, if Xiao Yan chose to use pills to forcefully break through, he could reach Da Dou Shi in a short amount of time. However, unless it was absolutely necessary, he wasn't eager to rely on external aids. He understood well that shortcuts might come at the expense of his long-term potential.
That said, he didn't categorize the energy gained from devouring Heavenly Flames as external aid. But then again, Heavenly Flames weren't exactly things one stumbled upon. Even in his previous life, the few Heavenly Flames he had obtained were all gained only after reaching the Central Plains. As for the Jia Ma Empire, he'd only heard rumors that the Snake-People Tribe possessed one, but even that remained unconfirmed.
While his Dou Qi cultivation had hit a plateau, his alchemy skills had progressed at lightning speed. As his strength grew, so too did his ability to refine higher-tier pills. He had already succeeded several times in refining fourth-tier pills. This terrifying rate of advancement made even Yao Lao sigh inwardly with admiration.
'Some people are born lucky,' Yao Lao thought. 'Back when I was learning alchemy, I had to suffer through endless hardships just to become a fourth-tier alchemist. And this brat? Barely a year in and he's already surpassed most senior alchemists. At this rate, he might actually reach that legendary level someday…'
One day, with some free time on his hands, Xiao Yan remembered the items he had acquired from the cave. The first box had contained the flight Dou Technique, which he had already mastered. The third box was filled with Profound Class Dou Techniques, which he had little use for right now. But the second box… he had yet to open it.
"Seven-Colored Poison Scripture," Xiao Yan muttered as he read the title on the scroll. His eyes widened slightly in surprise. He hadn't expected it to be a manual specifically for creating poisons. As for poison itself, Xiao Yan didn't have any aversion to it. Countless powerful individuals had fallen victim to poison throughout history. Wasn't the Heavenly Poison Woman in his previous life famed for her mastery of toxins?
Many self-righteous people from so-called orthodox sects might look down on poison-users, but Xiao Yan was never one to care about such hypocrisy. He himself had been branded an evil cultivator in his previous life, hunted down by those same 'righteous' forces. Now, he found himself studying the scroll with interest, even making plans on which poisons he might start crafting first.
He couldn't help but think—if he had access to these poisons back when he fought She Mo, that battle could have gone a lot more smoothly.
The scripture didn't just list poison formulas. It also included detailed knowledge about venomous creatures and the use of poisons in battle. One thing, in particular, caught Xiao Yan's attention—Poison Dou Qi.
As the name suggested, Poison Dou Qi was a mutated form of Dou Qi that possessed a toxic nature. Unlike standard elemental Dou Qi, this one wasn't innate. It was forged through the fusion of one's own Dou Qi with highly toxic substances, turning it into something far deadlier. The result was a kind of Dou Qi that could deal corrosive internal damage to an opponent even with the slightest wound.
The scroll not only explained what Poison Dou Qi was but also laid out detailed instructions for cultivating it. However, there was a problem—Xiao Yan had already cultivated the Flame Mantra and had absorbed the Black Flame. His current Dou Qi had mutated into Black Flame Dou Qi, a type that directly conflicted with poison attributes. Even if he followed the scripture's instructions perfectly, the results would be negligible.
"Kid, Poison Dou Qi is strong, sure," Yao Lao's voice rang out from within his soul, "but it's also a double-edged sword. Anyone who cultivates it is slowly being poisoned from within. Unless you're at least at the Dou Wang level, there's a good chance you'll die from backlash before you can master it."
"And it's not just the body it corrodes—it poisons the mind too. Even Dou Wang-level experts aren't immune. Most who tried cultivating Poison Dou Qi either died from their own poison or went insane. So take my advice—don't mess with it."
"I understand, Teacher. I won't try it," Xiao Yan replied obediently. But in his heart, he wasn't entirely convinced. To him, nothing mattered more than power. If reaching the peak meant enduring suffering—even venturing into hell—he would do it without hesitation. Poison? That was just another obstacle to overcome. If not for the incompatibility of Black Flame Dou Qi, he would've already started experimenting.
As he continued reading the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, Xiao Yan's eyes suddenly narrowed. Near the end was a section about a special constitution known as the Woeful Poison Body. The scripture didn't just describe its traits; it also included a method to identify it.
This discovery immediately addressed a long-standing concern in his heart.
Although Xiao Yan was fairly certain that the Heavenly Poison Woman of his previous life was the current Xiao Yixian, the differences between this life and the last made him hesitate. What if she wasn't the same? What if she didn't possess the Woeful Poison Body?
Normally, unless someone had already activated the Woeful Poison Body, its presence was nearly impossible to detect. But the activation method was dangerous—it required ingesting large quantities of toxins. Was he supposed to test it by poisoning her? What if she didn't have the physique and ended up dying? More importantly, Xiao Yan wasn't ready for her to awaken that body just yet.
"Those with the Woeful Poison Body will have a faint, multicolored line near the lower abdomen," the scripture noted.
Xiao Yan twitched at that. 'That's… simple, I guess. But how am I supposed to see her lower abdomen? I can't just ask her, can I? She'll think I'm a pervert.'
Lifting her clothes to check? That was far too indecent—even for someone like him. He might be ruthless and scheming, but violating a young girl's modesty? That was beneath him. He was the feared Demon Saint of Wrath, not some degenerate.
Still… just as he was trying to dismiss the idea, he saw Xiao Yixian heading toward the creek within the valley, clutching her change of clothes.
Xiao Yan quietly followed.
'Lifting her clothes would be unacceptable… But watching her bathe? That's totally different. Besides, this is just to confirm if she has the Woeful Poison Body. I'm not thinking anything improper. Really.'
(End of Chapter)
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