Chapter 65: Nine Stars
In the secluded valley, Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yixian each focused on their own cultivation—he, refining Dou Qi; she, studying the Poison Scripture. Sometimes, when one of them got so engrossed they forgot to eat or sleep, the other would silently prepare meals and bring them over, neither disturbing nor neglecting the other.
The wooden cabin Xiao Yuan had expanded was divided into three sections: two personal rooms and one shared space. When exhausted from training, they would sometimes sit together and chat idly.
Living under one roof, some level of mutual trust had grown between them. Of course, Xiao Yixian still often brought up her desire to poison Xiao Yuan to death.
Xiao Yuan, however, always responded with a carefree smile.
Now protected by a Heavenly Flame, he no longer feared her poison.
Still, he kept that little fact to himself. Telling her would probably ruin her motivation to continue studying the Poison Scripture.
Within half a month, Xiao Yuan broke through to a Six-Star Dou Zhe. Another half month, and he reached Seven-Star.
This terrifying cultivation speed left Xiao Yixian dumbfounded.
She finally understood how he could be this strong at sixteen or seventeen—and still have time to learn other skills.
What kind of Dou Zhe levels up twice in a single month?!
Of course, much of this was thanks to her.
First, the valley was rich in energy. Second, it had an abundance of herbs that greatly aided Xiao Yuan's training.
Though refining the Heavenly Flame hadn't directly boosted him to the next realm, it had compressed and refined his Dou Qi substantially. So now, his energy absorption was wild and unrestrained.
Basically, as long as he didn't burst from overfeeding, he'd keep absorbing.
At this rate, in two more months, Xiao Yuan could attempt a breakthrough to Dou Shi.
This rapid growth seemed to light a fire under Xiao Yixian as well. Recently, she had been studying the Poison Scripture with an almost fanatical intensity.
"Xiao Yixian, food's ready!"
Xiao Yuan knocked on her door and called out.
"Oh."
She replied briefly, then opened the door and stepped out.
"Wow, looks great!"
Her eyes lit up at the sight of the full table of dishes.
"Heh, well, I've got something to tell you too."
Xiao Yuan smiled and said.
"What is it?"
She started eating without any formality.
"I'll be leaving in two months. There are things I need to deal with, and after that, I'll go deeper into the Magical Beast Mountain Range to train. I might come back to check in, though."
Xiao Yuan's expression turned more serious.
Xiao Yixian paused briefly, then responded coolly, "Oh, do whatever you want."
"What about you? Any plans?"
Xiao Yuan asked gently.
"Not much. I'll probably travel around the continent eventually. No rush, though. I've got nothing urgent going on. Definitely not going back to Wan Yao Zhai."
She wrinkled her nose in disgust.
If she weren't so weak, she never would've relied on them. That Yao guy wasn't exactly a decent person.
"Traveling sounds great. It's a shame I'm tied up right now, or I'd go with you."
Xiao Yuan nodded with a touch of regret.
"Who said I wanted to go with you?!"
Xiao Yixian glared at him, trying to look fierce.
"Heh."
Xiao Yuan laughed at her pouting.
"Hmph!"
She huffed, angrily shoveling rice into her mouth.
She was determined to eat everything and leave him starving!
"When you're out traveling, be sure to keep your identity as a poison master under wraps. Otherwise, your journey might get... lonely."
Xiao Yuan advised with a helpless shake of his head.
"Not like I can hide it forever. People will find out eventually."
There was a flash of sorrow in her eyes.
Hearing this, Xiao Yuan's heart stirred. It sounded like she had already learned something about the Calamity Poison Body.
Still...
"Well, I hope that next time we meet, you'll have succeeded in poisoning me. Not that I think you can."
He smiled lightly.
"Hmph! I'll be able to kill you with a wave of my hand—just you wait!"
Xiao Yixian bit her lip and growled.
"In that case, just a heads-up: if you fail, I won't go easy on you."
Xiao Yuan baited her with a smirk.
"I'll succeed for sure!"
She didn't meet his gaze, focusing instead on her food.
"Heh."
Xiao Yuan chuckled and quickly dug in too.
He had to—though small in stature, she ate like a horse. A few more sentences, and he'd have been left with nothing but scraps.
"Don't steal my food!"
"I'll take what I want!"
"Have some class!"
"Classy girls starve!"
—Five weeks later—
Xiao Yuan stepped out of his room, his eyes bright and clear.
He had reached Nine-Star Dou Zhe.
But he wasn't rushing to break into Dou Shi just yet. Having rapidly absorbed energy for so long, it was time to refine and stabilize his Dou Qi.
Besides, he had new Dou Techniques to practice, and he hadn't even started mastering the Heavenly Flame yet.
All of that would take time and training.
"Xiao Yixian, lunch is in the pot. Remember to reheat it. I'm going out to train some Dou Techniques!"
He knocked on her door, left a message, then walked out of the wooden cabin. With a thought, his Purple Cloud Wings unfurled, lifting him into the air.
He scanned the valley below until his eyes landed on a secluded area perfect for training. With a flap of his wings, he flew over and landed, retracting them as he struck the ground with Wind Hawk Kick.
Boom!
The kick created a large, circular crater in the earth.
"Oh? Not bad!"
Xiao Yuan smiled as he landed.
Though Wind Hawk Kick was just a high-tier Yellow-rank skill, when used with flight Dou Techniques and Dou Qi Wings, its speed and power rivaled Xuan-rank techniques.
The faster the speed, the greater the damage.
"Let's start by cycling through the techniques I've already mastered."
With that, Xiao Yuan summoned his heavy black spear and unleashed a flurry of strikes at the innocent mountainside.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The deafening echoes of combat resounded from the valley's corner.
(END CHAPTER)
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