"Since you've successfully learned both Dou Techniques, you can continue practicing them," Xiao Tian said to the Little Fairy Doctor.
"Then what are you going to do?" she asked curiously.
"To…" Xiao Tian paused for a moment.
"To what?" Little Fairy Doctor tilted her head in confusion.
"Cough, cough. I'm going to refine some medicine," Xiao Tian replied with a light cough.
"Can I watch you refine medicine? I've never seen alchemy before."
"You can, but when I start, you must remain completely quiet and not make any sound. Alchemy cannot be disturbed, or the entire batch of pills will be ruined."
Little Fairy Doctor happily made a zipping gesture over her lips. "I promise I won't make a single sound. I'll watch quietly."
Xiao Tian led her to a nearby cliff beside the dense forest and carved out a simple cave with a wave of his hand. Once both were inside, he sealed the entrance, leaving only a small air vent.
Xiao Tian sat cross-legged at the center of the open ground, while the Little Fairy Doctor stood quietly five body lengths away, careful not to intrude.
With a single thought, a medicine cauldron appeared on the ground before him, standing about half a person's height. Its body was a deep purple-black, wrapped in stripes of purple-gold. Patterns of sun and moon, mountains and rivers, rare treasures and exotic beasts were engraved across its surface, and together they gave it a quiet, overwhelming grandeur.
The Little Fairy Doctor drew a small breath, her eyes fixed on it. "It's so beautiful..." She hesitated, glancing at him. "Can I touch it?"
"You can."
She stepped closer and laid her fingertips against the cauldron. Her eyes widened. "It's warm, like warm jade. So comfortable." She looked up at him, her curiosity plain. "What kind of cauldron is this? It feels so magical."
"My medicine cauldron is called the Purple Abyss Cauldron, and it ranks third on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking," Xiao Tian said.
"Heavenly Cauldron Ranking?" She tilted her head.
Xiao Tian smiled and began to explain. "The Heavenly Cauldron Ranking lists the thirteen finest medicine cauldrons on the Dou Qi Continent today. Each one carries a magical allure that countless Alchemists covet. More importantly, these cauldrons can raise an Alchemist's success rate when forming pills."
"Then yours, being third, would make even Pill King Gu He drool." Her eyes shone as she gazed at the Purple Abyss Cauldron, its surface glowing with a soft, steady light. Then she shook her head with a rueful smile. "You're incredibly lucky, you know. A unique flame, and now a cauldron like this. It sounds as though you're the darling of the heavens."
Her expression turned earnest, and her voice dropped.
"But you must be careful. Don't flaunt your wealth, or others will come to covet it. A treasure shown carelessly can be more dangerous than any enemy."
Xiao Tian met her worried gaze and felt an unexpected warmth. He nodded.
"I understand. I'll remember it.''
"I'm about to begin refining. Please step back a little."
Little Fairy Doctor obediently moved to the side and waited in silence.
Xiao Tian waved his hand, and a large pile of poisonous herbs appeared to his right. After sorting them carefully, he placed his palm over the cauldron's fire-entry point and activated his Life Spirit Flame. The flame instantly surged into the cauldron.
He controlled the flame with precision, steadily heating the furnace. Then, he tossed all the medicinal ingredients inside. Under the intense heat of the Life Spirit Flame, the herbs quickly turned into powder and liquid. Xiao Tian carefully adjusted the temperature, allowing the components to fuse perfectly.
Once the medicinal liquid formed a large mass, he divided it into smaller portions. After continuous scorching, the liquid gradually condensed into shiny black poisonous pills.
Xiao Tian opened the cauldron lid, withdrew his flame, and guided the finished pills into a jade box in his hand.
He closed the box and tossed it to Little Fairy Doctor, who caught it carefully with both hands.
Without pausing, Xiao Tian summoned his flame again and began refining the remaining ingredients, his fingers dancing elegantly as he controlled the temperature with masterful precision.
Little Fairy Doctor watched his focused expression, then looked down at the jade box in her hands. A sweet, joyful smile bloomed on her face, her slightly upturned lips filled with pure happiness.
About half an hour later, Xiao Tian extracted an emerald elixir, placed it into a jade bottle, extinguished his flame, and stored the cauldron away.
Seeing him finish, Little Fairy Doctor walked over, gently wiped the sweat from his face with a handkerchief, and asked curiously, "What kind of elixir is this? It smells so fragrant. Amazingly, something made from poison can smell this good."
"This is the Purple Fiend Poison Spirit Pill, a fourth-grade elixir," Xiao Tian explained. "Taking it can help you break through two or more realms at once. Eat it now. I'll guard you."
Little Fairy Doctor took the jade bottle, poured out the pill, and swallowed it without hesitation.
The moment the pill entered her body, a violent purple poisonous mist erupted around her, spreading rapidly. Xiao Tian quickly surrounded himself with his Life Spirit Flame to block the mist.
The poisonous fog soon filled the entire cave, yet it dared not approach the small area around Xiao Tian.
A quarter of an hour later, Little Fairy Doctor's body trembled. She gradually absorbed the poisonous mist back into herself. Her cultivation realm rose steadily until it stabilized at the Four-Star Dou Master level.
Once the mist disappeared, Xiao Tian withdrew his protective flame and smiled. "Congratulations on breaking through to Four-Star Dou Master."
Little Fairy Doctor ran over and hugged him tightly, planting a happy kiss on his cheek. "Thank you, Xiao Tian."
"Haha, with that box of small poisonous pills plus the ones I gave you before, once you finish them all, you should reach around Eight-Star Dou Master," Xiao Tian said, assessing her condition. "But you must take them slowly. If you rush, it can damage your foundation and destabilize your realm. For the next few days, I'll train you thoroughly to help you solidify your foundation."
"Mhm, mhm. Then I'll be in your care," Little Fairy Doctor replied obediently.
In the dense forest.
Clap! Clap! Clap!
The crisp sound of a branch striking flesh echoed continuously.
"Too slow! Speed up! And connect your Dou Techniques better. Your vines are too sluggish — if they're not fast enough, how can you trap an enemy? They won't just stand still and wait for you!"
Xiao Tian's mouth never stopped giving instructions while the branch in his hand repeatedly broke through her techniques, striking various parts of her body.
The two had been sparring intensely in the forest for three full days.
Little Fairy Doctor's progress was remarkable. Even when Xiao Tian suppressed his cultivation to the peak of Nine-Star Dou Master, she could now hold her own against him.
"Alright, that's enough for today's training," Xiao Tian said, watching her clutch her backside. "Does it still hurt? Do you want me to rub it for you? My massage technique is ancestral — guaranteed to make you feel comfortable."
"Hiss… No need!" Little Fairy Doctor gently rubbed the sore spot and hissed in pain. "You can save your massages for yourself. You're doing this on purpose!"
"If I'm not a little strict, how will you improve?" Xiao Tian insisted, refusing to admit any wrongdoing. "Your Dou Qi is very stable now, and there won't be any more instability. We've been here for several days. Rest well tonight. Tomorrow, we'll head to a new place and begin a new journey."
"Mhm, mhm. I'll listen to you," Little Fairy Doctor said softly.
She had already made up her mind — wherever Xiao Tian went, she would follow. As long as he was by her side, the destination didn't matter.