The blazing sun poured its fire across heaven and earth, filling the air with a warm, restless energy.
High above, Liu Xi spread his azure Dou Qi wings, gliding effortlessly through the sky. The translucent wings shimmered as a faint blue Dou Qi barrier wrapped around him, shielding both his body and clothes from the fierce gales that would otherwise tear them apart.
It had been five days since he left Jia Ma Sacred City. During the day, he flew at full speed; by night, he would find a nearby city or small town to rest, recover his Dou Qi, and browse local apothecaries or mercenary stalls for rare, high-grade medicinal ingredients.
After all, he was now rich beyond measure. At the celebration where he was named Grand Elder of the Alchemist Association, the gifts from the Ten Great Experts of the Jia Ma Empire and the Sky Serpent Mansion had totaled a staggering eight million gold coins.
Even Liu Xi, who often dismissed wealth as trivial, had been momentarily stunned when President Fa Ma handed him the treasures that night, smiling as he announced the sum. Though Liu Xi wanted to say righteously, "Keep your money, I only want rare herbs," even he couldn't escape the pull of reality—eight million gold coins had doubled his entire fortune overnight.
Now he was pondering how best to convert this wealth into resources for cultivation. After reaching the Dou Wang realm, progress was anything but easy.
After five days of travel, Liu Xi finally spotted a sprawling mountain range ahead—majestic, endless, stretching for thousands of li. His eyes brightened; the monotony of flying was about to end. Channeling more Dou Qi into his azure wings, he sped forward like a streak of blue light, cutting through the sky toward his destination: the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Behind him trailed a long streak of azure that slowly faded into the horizon.
Even at his speed, it still took half an hour before he arrived at the foot of the mountains—before the small border town known as Qingshan Town.
Because it was situated so close to the Magic Beast Mountain Range, it was also called Beast Town, one of countless such settlements scattered along the mountain's edges.
Descending to the ground, Liu Xi folded his wings and began walking toward the town.
The streets were paved with smooth bluestone, and compared to the rough surroundings, Liu Xi looked almost out of place—handsome, poised, his robe clean and refined.
Most of the people around were mercenaries who lived by the blade, rough and scarred, wearing leather armor or bare-chested with battle wounds across their torsos. They stood in rowdy groups, boasting loudly about which tavern had the strongest wine, which woman the best curves, or which magical beasts were the fiercest to hunt.
When their gazes fell upon Liu Xi, surprise flickered across their faces. Then came smirks and laughter, laced with ridicule—clearly not kind words.
Liu Xi remained expressionless, ignoring them. Such people weren't worth the effort—it would be lowering himself to even respond.
He continued forward, calmly scanning the shops around him—weapon stores, armor smiths, apothecaries, taverns, and inns lined the street.
Suddenly, a shout broke through the noise. "Look, Xiao Yixian is back!"
"She's so beautiful! My goddess smiled at me—did you see that?"
Bang!
The sound of a fist striking flesh followed immediately.
"Bastard! She's my goddess! You looking for a fight?"
Within moments, the brawl escalated, all because of a single woman. Truly, men lose reason when women are involved.
Hearing the name, Liu Xi's expression shifted slightly. 'Xiao Yixian… the one with the Woeful Poison Body,' he thought.
'A mysterious and terrifying constitution—able to strengthen herself by absorbing poison. Her potential rivals Qing Lin's Jade Snake Three-Flower Pupils, yet the risk is immense. Without condensing a Poison Pill, she'll be devoured by her own toxins and lose her sanity…'
Following the commotion, Liu Xi turned his gaze toward the source. A group of mercenaries, wounded and bloodstained, were returning from the mountain. Though their armor was torn, their spirits were high, and their faces gleamed with triumph.
Through the gaps between them, Liu Xi caught sight of a girl in a white dress.
She was about fourteen or fifteen, her figure slender and graceful. Her looks were not overwhelming, yet her gentle smile carried a pure, ethereal air that made her presence quietly captivating.
Her most striking feature, however, was her delicate waist—bound by a green silk ribbon, slender enough to be held in one hand, perfectly proportioned as though crafted by heaven itself.
The mercenaries escorted her to a large apothecary marked "Ten Thousand Herb Pavilion" She smiled warmly, thanking them for their escort before slipping gracefully into the shop.
Liu Xi's eyes glimmered in appreciation, but he had no intention of approaching her. 'The Woeful Poison Body is too troublesome,' he reasoned. 'Her cultivation may soar, but so does the danger. And I'm not here to collect beauties wherever I go.'
He sighed inwardly. 'Xiao Yixian isn't like Qing Lin. Taking her away might be easy, but earning her loyalty would be difficult. Better not interfere in her fate just yet.'
After Xiao Yixian disappeared inside, the gathered mercenaries dispersed, leaving only those genuinely shopping for herbs.
Liu Xi then headed toward the Ten Thousand Herb Pavilion himself. 'If I remember right,' he thought, 'there's a Blood Lotus Essence here that's mistaken for Yellow Lotus Essence. I might as well buy it—it's not only vital for Blood Lotus Pills, but also an auxiliary ingredient in several high-grade healing medicines.'
Inside, moonlight stones lit the spacious shop brightly. The business was lively, mercenaries bustling about trading coin for medicine.
A clerk spotted Liu Xi's fine robes and hurried over, bowing politely. "Honored guest, what might you be looking for today?"
Liu Xi ignored him and scanned the rows of herb jars along the counter.
The clerk, ever eager, began enthusiastically introducing various medicinal products. "Our healing elixirs are the best in Qingshan Town—each personally refined by our resident physician, Xiao Yixian. She's not only beautiful but kind-hearted too! Every mercenary in town has received her treatment at least once!"
Liu Xi half-listened, his attention caught by a particular herb jar labeled Huang Lian Essence. Narrowing his eyes, he detected the faint crimson hue of the Blood Lotus Essence within.
He pointed. "That one. Take it down. I'll buy it."
The clerk's excitement faded instantly—he had hoped to sell something expensive. Still, he took the jar down and handed it over with a forced smile. "Here you are, sir—Huang Lian Essence, one hundred gold coins."
Liu Xi paid without hesitation. For him, such an amount was trivial.
As he stepped out of the shop with the jar in hand, the clerk watched him go, sighing in disappointment.
Outside, sunlight poured across the stone street. Liu Xi looked up toward the distant peaks of the Magic Beast Mountain Range and murmured to himself,
"Xiao Yixian, Woeful Poison Body… fate will draw us together again soon enough."
(End of Chapter)
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