"Elder Sister Li Mei, Elder Sister Xin Yu, Elder Brother Ming Cheng!"
At Zi Yan's cheerful cry, Little Fairy Doctor and Tian Huo Zun-zhe, though initially startled by the sudden appearance of the three strangers, quickly relaxed. Hearing their names, they realized these three were Xiao Hua's sworn siblings. Naturally, there was no need for hostility.
Watching Zi Yan rush over with a bright smile, gentle expressions slowly surfaced on Li Mei and Xin Yu's faces.
Li Mei reached out and softly rubbed Zi Yan's head. Sensing the refined strength within the little girl, she spoke with grace, "Little one, it seems Xiao Hua has been feeding you well, even if he claims to be strict with you."
Xin Yu let out a light chuckle, her ethereal voice drifting like wind chimes, "So much for him saying he'd be stern. In the end, even he couldn't resist spoiling you."
"That's right, Xiao Hua!" Zi Yan suddenly cried out, her expression shifting as she remembered. "Elder Sister Li Mei, Elder Sister Xin Yu, now's not the time for this—Xiao Hua is…!"
Li Mei and Xin Yu quickly turned their pretty faces, only to see Ming Cheng already beside Xiao Hua, quietly examining his condition. His expression was solemn, his brows tightly furrowed.
Little Fairy Doctor and Tian Huo Zun-zhe were both startled. Neither of them had noticed Ming Cheng's sudden appearance—he had approached without a sound, like a phantom in the mist.
Ming Cheng raised his head. His voice was low and steady, carrying the weight and sharpness of a battle-hardened youth with powerful strength. "Follow me. There's a safe place in this forest where you can treat the poison."
There was no need for him to ask questions. Through the communication jade, he had already grasped their identity. He knew that the Little Fairy Doctor was a Poison Master personally taught by Lady Azure.
Naturally, he understood their next course of action—finding a secure location where she could resolve the poison festering within Xiao Hua's body.
Little Fairy Doctor and Tian Huo Zun-zhe both sighed in relief and nodded in acknowledgment. Truthfully, they had been concerned about venturing into the Peripheral Peaks—the outer coil of the Stormcoil Region.
"Li Mei, carry Zi Yan with you. We'll be moving at full speed," Ming Cheng said, his voice laced with urgency.
Li Mei responded with a solemn nod. She and Xin Yu exchanged a glance—Ming Cheng's tone alone was enough to tell them that Xiao Hua's condition was far more serious than they had initially believed.
A moment later, three distinct brilliances erupted, each radiating a unique presence.
Ming Cheng's luminous lightning burst forth like a celestial aurora, shifting through the six colors in dazzling bands. He exuded the presence of a divine emperor of lightning, resplendent and commanding.
Li Mei's lightning was flawless—imbued with both chilling frost and untamed ferocity. Unmarred by impurity, it flowed ethereally around her, dancing with her every movement. She appeared like a fairy veiled in sacred lightning, untouched and unapproachable.
Xin Yu, by contrast, was enveloped in gentle, crystalline droplets of water, each bead swirling with a faint frost. Her aura radiated purity and calm, like a frostborne water spirit—serene and graceful, as though she had emerged from the depths of a sacred spring untouched by worldly dust.
Meanwhile, Little Fairy Doctor and Tian Huo Zun-zhe were quietly astonished by the display of strength from the three. All of them were six-star Dou Zuns—clearly, they had gained substantial benefits within the Stormcoil Mountain Range.
Still, the two quickly surged their Dou Qi and prepared to follow. They couldn't help but feel curious about the place these three had been residing in—this strange, verdant forest brimming with the essence of lightning.
"Let's go."
The moment Little Fairy Doctor and Tian Huo Zun-zhe gave a nod, the group took off at once following Ming Cheng's command, transforming into streaks of light that shot across the forest, covering hundreds of meters in mere moments.
…
Despite their impressive speed and strength, it still took nearly half an hour to traverse the complex maze of this verdant forest, whose paths twisted and turned beneath the canopy of lightning-fed growth.
At last, they arrived at a breathtaking sight—a serene lake, fifty meters wide, nestled within the lush greenery.
At the lake's center stood an enormous tree. Its thick branches stretched far and wide, some even extending beyond the lake's edge, forming a vast umbrella-like arc. Countless silvery-white leaves shimmered with radiance, and flickers of lightning crackled softly among them.
This colossal tree seemed to be absorbing the natural lightning strength of heaven and earth, refining it within its core before releasing waves of pure, dense energy into the surroundings.
As a result, the area around the lake—once saturated with wild lightning—had become strangely tranquil. The violent lightning aura had been cleansed, replaced by a calm and nourishing essence of pure energy.
"Is this… a Silvershroud Canopy Tree?" Tian Huo Zun-zhe murmured in astonishment, his eyes fixed on the radiant tree. "I never expected to see such an exceedingly rare treasure in this mountain range…"
"It's also the only place here where one feels no suppression," Ming Cheng replied calmly. He then gestured toward a nearby cave. "That cave can be used to purge the poison from Xiao Hua's body."
"We will assist you," Xin Yu and Li Mei said in unison, stepping forward with soft smiles as they offered their help to the Little Fairy Doctor.
"Thank you, Miss… Sister Li Mei, Sister Xin Yu." The Little Fairy Doctor nodded and smiled, her voice carrying a hint of awkwardness. Though it was their first meeting, she hesitated to address them so familiarly.
However, when she caught a glimpse of their faintly intimidating smiles, she quickly gave in and called them "Sister" without further resistance.
"Then, let's go," Xin Yu said softly, taking the Little Fairy Doctor's hand and gently leading her toward the cave.
Naturally, Li Mei and Zi Yan followed behind, leaving Ming Cheng and Tian Huo Zun-zhe standing outside.
Ming Cheng shook his head with a faint, wry smile. He could tell that Li Mei and Xin Yu wished to speak privately with their future sister-in-law, so he didn't interfere.
Turning to Tian Huo Zun-zhe—who seemed equally unconcerned with the girls' departure—Ming Cheng cupped his hands and said with a polite smile, "I've heard from Xiao Hua that Elder Tian Huo Zun-zhe has formally become an elder of our faction."
"As one of the Hall Masters of Moonlit Chaos Mansion, this Ming Cheng offers his heartfelt gratitude for your support."
"Ke ke, it's nothing worth mentioning," Tian Huo Zun-zhe chuckled, returning the gesture. "This old man has received no small number of pills and favors from him. Besides, it's not a bad thing to find a place to settle down."
He laughed again and added, "With a Tier 9 Treasure Alchemist like Xiao Hua, what better place is there to call settle down?"
"Not a Tier 9 Treasure Alchemist—three," Ming Cheng said with a faint, proud smile, clearly pleased by Tian Huo Zun-zhe's sincerity but unable to let the detail pass uncorrected.
"T-Three Tier 9 Treasure Alchemists…!" Tian Huo Zun-zhe's eyes widened, disbelief and shock flashing through his gaze as he muttered in a daze.
He quickly turned to face Ming Cheng, seeking confirmation. But upon seeing the firm, confident smile on Ming Cheng's face, he couldn't help but believe it.
"Elder Tian Huo must've heard that I have another sworn brother and sister," Ming Cheng said, his gaze deepening.
"According to the two of them, their Spiritual States are on the verge of entering the initial stage of the Heavenly Realm. Once they're fully rested after successful breakthrough, each intends to refine a Tier 9 Treasure Pill and officially ascend as Tier 9 Treasure Pill Alchemists."
"…And does Hall Master Ming Cheng truly believe—" Tian Huo Zun-zhe began to speak, but seeing the unshakable confidence in Ming Cheng's expression, he stopped himself and simply cupped his hands. "Never mind. Congratulations, Hall Master Ming Cheng."
"Ke ke. Thank you, Elder Tian Huo," Ming Cheng chuckled, returning the courtesy. Then, with a smile, he added, "But I do know that Elder Tian Huo received the Phoenix's Elemental Core Pill from Xiao Hua. Why not take this chance to refine it here?"
"Unfortunately, Xiao Hua mentioned that the pill requires quite a long time to fully refine," Tian Huo Zun-zhe said, shaking his head as he declined. "So, I'll hold off for now."
He turned to Ming Cheng, his eyes glinting with curiosity. "That said, I am rather intrigued by the force I've chosen to join. Would Hall Master Ming be willing to tell me more?"
"Ke ke, with pleasure." Ming Cheng nodded with a soft laugh, and with a wave of his hand, retrieved a set of wooden table and chairs from his storage ring.
Pouring a cup of wine, he sat down and began explaining in earnest. He spoke of the faction he and his sworn siblings had established in the western region of the Central Plains—a force born from loyalty and shared purpose.
Its creation wasn't merely for influence or dominance, but to ensure the Gu Clan would recognize their younger brother, Xiao Hua, as a worthy match for Xun Er, their youngest sworn sister and cherished daughter of the Gu Clan.
"May I ask why Lei Zun-zhe attacked you, even after suffering such a humiliating defeat at your hands, Hall Master Ming Cheng?"
After hearing the name of the Moonlit Chaos Mansion, Tian Huo Zun-zhe could no longer suppress the question that had long stirred his curiosity. Even if Lei Zun-zhe had called upon allies, he doubted any would dare respond—especially if they knew that Mei Ling and Wei Jie were not only part of the Moonlit Chaos Mansion, but were two of its founding members.
A single eighth-tier alchemist was already enough to act as a powerful deterrent to even the most prestigious factions—let alone two. For a force like the Wind-Lightning Pavilion, this was no trivial threat.
An eighth-tier alchemist alone was already enough to deter even the most powerful of factions. With two standing together, even the Wind-Lightning Pavilion should have had no choice but to tread lightly. And yet, Lei Zun-zhe had the audacity to launch an attack on Ming Cheng.
If Wei Jie and Mei Ling were to catch wind of this, they could very well lead an army to crush Lei Zun-zhe and raze the Wind-Lightning Pavilion to the ground.
"They caught me at the worst possible time…" Ming Cheng let out a bitter sigh as he recalled the moment of his ambush.
"I was searching for something in the northern region of the Central Plains. After obtaining it, I sensed that my strength was on the verge of a breakthrough. So, I found a remote place and went into seclusion to advance. Who would've thought that someone from the Wind-Lightning Pavilion happened to spot me? That single moment of exposure was all it took for Lei Zun-zhe and his men to strike in a secret and quiet manner."
"I was attacked during the most critical phase of my breakthrough. The disruption caused a fierce backlash, leaving me heavily injured."
"Fortunately, I had informed Li Mei and Xin Yu before entering seclusion, and they arrived in time to protect me. Had I gone in alone... I might have fallen into Lei Zun-zhe's hands without anyone ever knowing."
Tian Huo Zun-zhe let out a soft sigh. In truth, Ming Cheng was fortunate to have kept a communication jade on him and had the foresight to inform his sworn sisters beforehand. From what Tian Huo could tell, Li Mei and Xin Yu had likely set out the moment they received news of Ming Cheng's breakthrough, clearly intending to guard him through the process.
Otherwise, it would've been nearly impossible for them to arrive in time—especially considering the vast distance between the secluded location where Ming Cheng had entered closed-door cultivation and the Moonlit Chaos Mansion. That they managed to reach him while he was still locked in battle with four Dou Zuns proves this.
What made matters worse for Lei Zun-zhe was what followed. Once Li Mei and Xin Yu joined the fray, the clash intensified drastically. The scale of the battle drew the attention of nearby forces, completely shattering Lei Zun-zhe's plan to carry out the ambush in secret. At that point, with everything exposed and knowing that Ming Cheng would never let such a grudge go, retreat was no longer an option—they had no choice but to continue fighting.
However, what Lei Zun-zhe and his allies failed to anticipate... was the sheer ferocity and strength of Li Mei and Xin Yu. From the moment they arrived, they launched a brutal counterattack, immediately suppressing the enemy without mercy.
'That Lei Zun-zhe... his intelligence must have plummeted after being blinded by greed.'
Tian Huo Zun-zhe sighed deeply in his heart. Even he couldn't help but feel a mix of amazement and disbelief at Lei Zun-zhe's uncanny ability to make the worst—and most disastrous—decisions.
…
Within the cave, an enormous wooden bathtub had been prepared, its clear water personally created by Xin Yu. After countless refinements—infused with a mixture of rare and lethal poisonous essences—the once-pure water had turned pitch-black, so dark that not even the bottom could be seen.
A faint, murky black mist hovered above the surface. Strangely, the fog carried a sweet, almost enchanting fragrance. Yet, rather than draw one closer, it instinctively made people want to retreat. Clearly, this was no ordinary vapor—it was an extremely potent poison.
At this moment, four graceful figures stood silently around the bathtub, their gazes fixed on the unconscious, unclothed young man resting within.
"What dense poisonous water…" Li Mei murmured, her cold gaze sweeping across the dark liquid. "If it weren't you preparing it, and for Xiao Hua… I would've thought someone was trying to kill him."
Even with her cultivation, Li Mei couldn't help but feel an intense sense of rejection from the poison-laced water. The malicious nature of the poison was overwhelming—even she dared not touch it lightly.
"Under normal circumstances, poisons would be swiftly refined by Xiao Hua's flames. They rarely pose a threat to him," The Little Fairy Doctor said as she squatted beside the tub. Her delicate hand, as calm as that of an ordinary person, reached out and stirred the poison-laced water—despite it being toxic enough to corrode flesh.
Her fingers moved gently through the black liquid before she spoke again, her voice soft and serious. "However, this time, the poison invaded while his body was in an exhausted state. That made it extremely difficult for him to refine it quickly."
She paused, then continued with a solemn tone. "What's more, this isn't just any poison—it's the Thousand Lightning Death Poison, an extremely potent and dangerous variant. But if Xiao Hua cultivates within this poison bath under my guidance, it may be possible to fight poison with poison. We could suppress the Thousand Lightning Death Poison temporarily. Once he's recovered, he might even refine and absorb it for his own benefit."
Upon hearing this, Li Mei and Xin Yu turned their gazes toward Xiao Hua, who lay quietly in the tub with his eyes closed. For now, there were no signs of pain or distress on his face. Only then did they quietly exhale, a measure of relief settling in their hearts.
After a brief silence, Xin Yu furrowed her brows slightly, her voice laced with curiosity. "Lady Azure, Lady Xue Yue… I thought Lightning Beasts were capable of devouring any form of lightning strength. Why haven't they reacted to this lightning poison?"
Lady Azure and Lady Xue Yue emerged from Xiao Hua's spiritual sea, their ethereal forms gently floating out from his body.
With a light shrug, Lady Azure replied, "Simply put, it isn't pure lightning strength. The poison has merged with the remnants of countless magical beasts and the negative emotions they harbored when they were slain by that scorpion."
She paused briefly, her gaze narrowing as she scrutinized the dark water in the tub. Her voice filled with disgust as she continued, "The Heavenly Lightning Dragon Scorpion ensures its enemies die in agony—filled with sorrow, anger, regret, and curses. The Thousand Lightning Death Poison is not merely venom. It's a pool of wailing curses and lingering torment—echoes of those who fell under its claws."
"It's like eating a fine steak that's fallen into filthy water," Xue Yue added gently. "No matter how delicious or rare the meat might be, no one would willingly consume it."
"I never imagined the Heavenly Lightning Dragon Scorpion's poison contained such vile corruption…" Zi Yan murmured, her expression tinged with unease.
In that moment, she finally understood why the Lightning Beasts wouldn't so much as extend their tongues toward it.
Li Mei and Xin Yu both sighed softly, unable to disagree with Zi Yan's words. Now, they fully understood why the Lightning Beasts showed no desire to consume the poison—it was no longer pure lightning strength, but something far more vile.
Meanwhile, the Little Fairy Doctor paid no attention to their conversation. She had already known all of this beforehand. Quietly, she stepped to the opposite side of the wooden bathtub and lowered her gaze, focusing on the strange dark-grey lines that had crept up from the beast-like seal on Xiao Hua's abdomen.
These ominous markings, which had been spreading rapidly, were now being forcefully suppressed by the intense poisonous energy in the tub.
Seeing this, the Little Fairy Doctor exhaled a quiet breath of relief. Her gaze then shifted upward, locking onto the faint black mist above Xiao Hua's head. Her brows furrowed slightly as she scrutinized it, sensing the searing heat still radiating from his body.
Lady Azure turned to her and said calmly, "Relax, lass. The situation has improved significantly. You've managed to suppress the Thousand Lightning Death Poison, and its spread has slowed. That alone is no small accomplishment."
The Little Fairy Doctor nodded, yet a trace of anxiety lingered in her eyes. She turned to Lady Azure and spoke softly, "Even so, the poison's spread has only been slowed—not stopped and completely suppressed. It's merely delayed."
"You understand the reason for that, don't you?" Lady Azure asked, gently shaking her head.
She paused for a moment, her gaze settling deeply on the Little Fairy Doctor. Her voice lowered, calm yet firm. "The poison-infused water is entering Xiao Hua's body passively—without direction or guidance. That alone isn't enough. If you wish to truly suppress the Thousand Lightning Death Poison, the energy must be circulated with intent."
"Hm? So someone has to help circulate the poison within his body?" Li Mei asked, tapping her porcelain-white chin thoughtfully.
"Then let Sister Li Mei or Sister Xin Yu assist him!" Zi Yan blurted out, her voice flustered with urgency.
But Lady Azure shook her head and gave a slight nudge of her chin toward the Little Fairy Doctor. "Unfortunately, only this lass can do it."
Xin Yu remained silent, her gaze fixed intently on the Little Fairy Doctor. But when she saw the alluring flush of bright red spreading across the latter's delicate face, understanding suddenly dawned.
Without hesitation, she took Zi Yan's hand and gently pulled her toward the exit, leaving the younger girl visibly confused. With a light cough to ease the awkwardness, Xin Yu said, "Sister Fairy Doctor, please continue the treatment. We'll be waiting outside."
Naturally, Li Mei understood the situation at the same moment as Xin Yu. With a graceful yet slightly awkward step, she too exited the cave.
"At the very least, your girls are quite sensible, Sister Xue Yue," Lady Azure remarked, a faint smirk tugging at her lips as she watched the three retreating figures.
"With how red this lass is blushing, even someone with the barest bit of common sense could guess what's going on," Xue Yue sighed softly, her eyes falling on the Little Fairy Doctor, whose face was now dyed with an unmistakably deep crimson.
"Alright, enough teasing. Let's give the young ones some privacy," Lady Azure said with a chuckle, though her tone remained lighthearted—she trusted that neither of them would overstep the lines and acted intimately.
With her words, both Lady Azure and Xue Yue turned into faint glimmers of light and swiftly entered Xiao Hua's body, returning to his spiritual sea.
"Finally… they're gone," the Little Fairy Doctor murmured, letting out a soft sigh of relief as her gaze swept across the now-empty cave.
As her voice faded, she slowly rose to her feet. After a moment of hesitation, her delicate hands reached up to undo the buttons of her robe. She bit her lower lip softly, and under the quiet flicker of light in the cave, a graceful, well-proportioned figure was revealed—her skin as smooth and fair as flawless jade, gleaming with a gentle luster.
"Hehe… Sister Little Fairy Doctor's aren't as big as mine in my adult form…"
"Get back here, you brick-headed little lass…!"
Suddenly, two voices echoed faintly through the cave entrance—one smug and teasing, the other flustered and scolding. Moments later, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed away from the entrance, clearly retreating in embarrassment from Zi Yan's outrageous comment.
An embarrassed flush surfaced on the Little Fairy Doctor's face as she stood beside the wooden bathtub. She had never imagined that her brief moment of hesitation would give Zi Yan the chance to secretly return and peek at the scene.
Without a word, she cast a cold, smiling glare toward the disappearing figure of the mischievous little dragon girl. That smile—chilling enough to make one's skin crawl—carried a silent promise.
'I'll be sure to teach her a lesson after this…' she thought darkly.
As if sensing the ominous intent aimed at her, Zi Yan shivered and glanced around nervously, unable to shake the creeping sense of danger that suddenly washed over her.
Ignoring her, the Little Fairy Doctor turned her attention back to the task at hand. She stepped forward, her slender legs parting the dark, poison-laced water with a smooth motion. Her movements were fluid and graceful, like a mermaid preparing to slip into her oceanic domain—quietly breathtaking.
But just as she was about to fully enter the bathtub, her body froze.
She had sensed something.
Her gaze rose instinctively—only to meet a pair of wide, bright eyes staring back at her from within the water. They shimmered with a faint trace of shock.
Their eyes locked in an instant, and time seemed to pause.
The next moment, a deep crimson flush exploded across the Little Fairy Doctor's face, her cheeks burning as if set aflame.
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