The Wolf Head Mercenary Group's stronghold was brightly lit.
Inside the hall, a gloomy-faced Youth was toying with a wine glass in his hand, listening to his subordinates' report.
It was Mu Li, the Young Master of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.
"Young Master, I saw it with my own eyes! That Black-robed Youth, with his extraordinary demeanor, was clearly no ordinary person!"
"He said a few words to Little Fairy Doctor, and her face immediately turned very ugly!"
The scrawny fellow who had returned from Myriad Medicine Pavilion described it with exaggeration.
A hint of lewdness and greed flashed in Mu Li's eyes.
He had long coveted Little Fairy Doctor's ethereal temperament and graceful figure.
Unfortunately, though she looked delicate, her personality was incredibly stubborn, and with Mr. Yao, the owner of Myriad Medicine Pavilion, protecting her, he had never found an opportunity to act.
"A fat sheep from out of town dares to covet the woman Mu Li has set his eyes on?"
Mu Li sneered.
Just then, a young maidservant ran in from outside the door in a panic.
"Young... Young Master!"
She was Little Fairy Doctor's maidservant, Xiao Cui, who had long been bribed by Mu Li with gold coins.
"Young Miss she... she just went out! Alone, she headed towards the big tree to the east!"
"Bang!"
Mu Li slammed the wine glass heavily onto the ground and abruptly stood up.
"Good! Very good!"
A look of wild joy appeared on his face.
"A lone man and woman, meeting secretly in the wilderness late at night, this is truly heaven helping me!"
"Give the order! Everyone, grab your weapons and follow me to East Cliff!"
Mu Li licked his lips, his eyes filled with undisguised lust.
"Tonight, I'll have both the person and the treasure! That kid's treasures are mine, and Little Fairy Doctor is also mine!"
...The night was as dark as ink.
At the east end of Qingshan Town, beneath a solitary old tree.
Little Fairy Doctor walked step by step, her white dress swaying gently in the night wind.
Her heart was even more chaotic than the night.
As Little Fairy Doctor approached the old tree, her steps suddenly halted.
The expected gloom and strangeness did not appear.
Under the tree, a small wooden table and two round stools had been set up at some point.
A pot of clear tea on the table was steaming gently.
The Black-robed Youth sat leisurely on one of the stools, pouring and sipping tea for himself, his movements as unhurried as if he were in his own courtyard.
This scene formed a strong contrast with the desolate night surroundings, making Little Fairy Doctor feel somewhat dazed for a moment.
She composed herself, lowered her head, and slowly walked to the table.
"I... I'm here." Her voice was as faint as a mosquito, with a tremor she herself hadn't noticed.
Xuan Jin didn't look up, only pointed to the empty stool opposite him.
"Have a cup of tea first."
His voice was very calm, showing no emotion.
Little Fairy Doctor was a little flustered, but still sat down as instructed.
She watched Xuan Jin lift the teapot, first filling the empty cup in front of her, and then refilling his own; the entire process was smooth and natural, without a hint of artificiality.
This man... was he really just here to talk to her?
She picked up the teacup, and the warm touch from her fingertips slightly calmed her turbulent emotions.
Xuan Jin said nothing, only took out a yellowed ancient book from his storage ring and placed it casually on the table.
On the cover of the ancient book, four large characters were written in an ancient script:
"Seven-Colored Poison Scripture."
Little Fairy Doctor's breathing instantly stopped.
Poison Sutra?
"May I ask who Young Master is?" She finally gathered her courage and asked.
Xuan Jin looked up, his gaze meeting hers for the first time.
"My name is Xuan Jin, just call me Young Master." He paused, then added with a smile, "If you like, you can call me older brother too."
"..."
Little Fairy Doctor was utterly speechless.
At a time like this, how could he still say something like that?
The tense and fearful atmosphere was greatly diluted by his words, making her feel a sense of absurdity instead.
Xuan Jin seemed to have understood her thoughts and didn't continue the topic.
"Take a look at this."
Xuan Jin's finger gently tapped the "Seven-Colored Poison Scripture."
"After you read it, you'll understand everything."
Little Fairy Doctor's fingertips felt a little cold.
She took a deep breath, then reached out and picked up the ancient book.
The pages were thin, carrying a sense of aged tranquility.
She opened the first page.
"Between heaven and earth, there are those with unique Physiques, named the Calamity Poison Body... Those with the Calamity Poison Body, whether Innate or Acquired, all have faint seven-colored lines hidden in their lower abdomen; at first, their color is light as silk, concealed beneath the skin..."
The very first sentence made Little Fairy Doctor's body tremble violently—the seven-colored lines beneath her lower abdomen.
She continued to read.
"Those with the Calamity Poison Body are naturally drawn to all poisons under heaven. By consuming poison to Cultivate, they can transform virulent poisons into their own poison Dou Qi, and their Cultivation speed advances by leaps and bounds..."
"However, this Physique is a curse from heaven. The more poison consumed, the heavier the accumulation of toxins in the body, until the Physique can no longer suppress it, ultimately leading to ten thousand poisons devouring the body, causing an explosion and death. Wherever it passes, poisonous Qi spreads, and all life perishes..."
Every word, every sentence, was like a sharp knife, piercing deeply into her heart.
She read faster and faster, her face growing paler and paler.
The book meticulously recorded all the characteristics of the Calamity Poison Body, the scenarios of its outbreaks, and its ultimately tragic end.
Every description corresponded one by one with her own experiences.
Little Fairy Doctor finally understood why she had an unusual affinity for various herbs since childhood, and why those poisons that seemed fatal to others had no effect on her.
She also finally understood why, back then, her mother and everyone in the village had suddenly died mysteriously.
It wasn't an accident.
It wasn't a plague.
It was her.
It was the poison within her, erupting unconsciously, taking everything away.
"Heh... heheh..."
Little Fairy Doctor's shoulders trembled violently. She let out a few low, meaningless laughs, filled with despair and self-mockery.
"I'm a monster."
"A monster... who brings disaster to everyone around her..."
Tears silently streamed down her cheeks, dripping onto the yellowed pages, spreading into a small water stain.
Her lifelong dream had been to become an Alchemist who saved lives.
But reality had dealt her the cruelest blow.
She wasn't an angel, but a devil.
Her very existence was a disaster.
Xuan Jin watched her quietly, offering no comfort.
He knew that this kind of pain needed to be faced and processed by herself.
In his previous life, he really liked this character.
This girl, whose life was full of hardships but who always retained a trace of kindness in her heart, accompanied Xiao Yan through the most difficult years, yet never achieved a Perfection ending.
In this life, let me do it.
After a long while, Little Fairy Doctor's crying gradually stopped.
She looked up, her beautiful purple eyes red and swollen from crying, containing only a deathly emptiness.
She put down the "Seven-Colored Poison Scripture," stood up, and bowed deeply to Xuan Jin.
"Thank you, Young Master, for clarifying my confusion, allowing me to die with understanding."
She looked up again, a tragically relieved smile on her face.
"May I ask, Young Master... what do you need me for?"
"What use could a disaster like me be?"