Gradually, the two drew closer. Xiao Tian gently kissed the Little Fairy Doctor's soft lips, holding the kiss for a long time. His fingers ran through her hair while she wrapped her arms around his neck, responding warmly.
When the kiss finally ended, both were slightly breathless.
After that night, their relationship deepened significantly. The Little Fairy Doctor leaned against Xiao Tian's chest as he held her. They watched the stars together all night, whispering sweet nothings to each other.
The sun rose the next morning.
Xiao Tian returned to the spot where he had meditated the previous day and sat down to restore his spirit and energy. The Little Fairy Doctor rested her chin in her hand, quietly watching him from the side.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Xiao Tian took out the medicinal herbs she had given him yesterday, along with some of his own poisonous materials. He used the Qilin Burning Sky Flame to condense a medicinal cauldron and began refining the herbs into powder. Based on their different toxicological properties, he then melted the separated powders into individual poisonous pills.
After working an entire day, Xiao Tian finally transformed all the substances into colorful poisonous pills.
He placed them all into a jade box, sealed it carefully, and handed it to the Little Fairy Doctor. "You can use these for now, but you must restrain yourself and maintain a positive cycle."
The Little Fairy Doctor used a handkerchief to gently wipe the sweat from Xiao Tian's face and said happily, "Mm, I'll do whatever you say."
Xiao Tian reached out and stroked her small face. "You've been here with me for so long. Come on, let's go eat something."
The Little Fairy Doctor nodded, then went to prepare the ingredients and start cooking.
After they finished their sweet meal, Xiao Tian kissed her forehead. "I need to go into seclusion for a while to condense spiritual lightning. I don't know how long it will take. You should cultivate well on your own and wait for me to come out."
"Mmm~ Go ahead," the Little Fairy Doctor said reluctantly, tidying his collar.
At night, Xiao Tian opened a small cave not far from the thatched hut and sat cross-legged at the top of the mountain.
He summoned his Fallen Heart Flame, and a colourless flame appeared in his palm. He took out the Heaven Devouring Cauldron from the Demon Flame Ring and sat inside the Heaven Devouring Cauldron to devour heaven-and-earth energy with his own devouring power, and circulated his Dou Qi to refine this energy.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye. The heaven and earth energy in Xiao Tian's body completely transformed into nourishment for his soul and took the shape of a colourless Lotus.
After refining the Colourless lotus, Xiao Tian's body turned a shade of silver.
Feeling his own realm, he had already reached Eight-star Great Dou Master, and there was no sense of instability.
Taking stock of his gains from this seclusion, Xiao Tian couldn't stop smiling.
After steadying his mind, he began practicing alchemy. His current alchemist level was at Rank 4.
Xiao Tian condensed a pill furnace. Although he had the Mountain Melting Cauldron, he still loved using a flame-condensed cauldron because it helped him better control his soul energy. However, this flame cauldron was too flashy — not good to take out in public.
He shook off the random thoughts and took out Xuan Tian Grass, Purple Heart Vine, Wood Spirit Flower, and other herbs, preparing to refine the Mysterious Spirit Pill. These were the only materials he currently had.
Xiao Tian focused intently, placing each herb into the medicinal cauldron and refining them into powder.
Half an hour later, he gestured, and the cauldron disappeared. A fragrant Mysterious Spirit Pill was carefully placed into a jade bottle.
Xiao Tian put everything away and walked out of the cave toward the small thatched hut. He sensed that the Little Fairy Doctor was cultivating and at a critical juncture of a breakthrough, so he didn't disturb her. Instead, he lay down on a large rock near the entrance and used his soul power to constantly monitor the situation inside.
After about an hour, the aura inside stabilized. Xiao Tian withdrew his perception.
The Little Fairy Doctor, who had just broken through, opened her eyes and noticed the familiar aura outside. After stabilizing her realm, she stopped cultivating, stood up, and opened the door. Seeing the person she had been thinking about day and night lying on the rock, a joyful expression bloomed on her face.
"You've finally come out of seclusion. When did you arrive?" The Little Fairy Doctor gracefully walked to the side of the rock.
"I just came out a little while ago. I saw you were at a critical point in your breakthrough, so I didn't disturb you. In just half a month, you've already become a Dou Master. The Calamity Poison Body is indeed terrifyingly powerful." Xiao Tian truly understood what "terrifyingly powerful" meant for the Calamity Poison Body — it could level up simply by consuming poisons and refining their medicinal properties.
"Hehe, I'm already a Dou Master now. Maybe I'll catch up to you very soon," the Little Fairy Doctor said with a giggle.
"You're thinking too optimistically. Catching up to me is very difficult, you know."
"What's your current realm exactly?" she asked curiously.
"My current realm is Eight-star Great Dou Master. You still have a long, long way to go to catch up to me, haha." Xiao Tian sat up and playfully pinched her cheek.
"Hmph, I'll catch up to you sooner or later. Just wait until I do — then we'll see how you bully me," the Little Fairy Doctor said, removing his mischievous hand and pouting slightly.
"Then you'll probably be bullied by me for a lifetime. You won't have a chance."
"That's not necessarily true. Were you as fast as I am from Dou Practitioner to Dou Master?"
"Yes, yes, yes, your cultivation speed is the fastest. Your impressive braids are almost reaching the sky."
"Good that you know. I'm remembering all the times you've bullied me. Just you wait," the Little Fairy Doctor said happily.
"Alright, then remember it well. Here's a pill for you. Take it — it can help you break through one realm." Xiao Tian tossed the jade bottle containing the Mysterious Spirit Pill to her.
The Little Fairy Doctor quickly caught it. "What kind of pill is this?"
"A Rank 4 Mysterious Spirit Pill. It can help a Dou Master break through one realm without any side effects," Xiao Tian explained.
"Rank… Rank 4 pill? You're a Rank 4 Alchemist?" the Little Fairy Doctor asked, dumbfounded.
Xiao Tian said refreshingly, "That's right. A Rank 4 Alchemist is me, and I am a Rank 4 Alchemist."
"You just tossed a Rank 4 pill like that? What if it broke?" The Little Fairy Doctor cautiously opened the bottle cap, poured the pill into her palm, carefully examined and sniffed it, then said in disbelief, "This is the first time I've seen a finished pill, and it's a Rank 4 pill. I couldn't even imagine seeing a pill of this level before, and now it's in my hand. It feels unreal."
"This is for you to eat, not to make you feel bad. There will be even higher-grade ones in the future. Hurry up and eat it to refine it and increase your strength."
The Little Fairy Doctor listened and slowly put the pill into her mouth. The moment it entered, the pill melted into a burst of energy that was absorbed by her body.
After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, her realm directly reached Two-star Dou Master.
"Is that it? I haven't even tasted it yet. How about another one for me to try?" the Little Fairy Doctor said pitifully.
"You think it's candy? You can only eat one of these in your lifetime. Eating another would be pointless, and I don't have any more right now." Xiao Tian ignored her pitiful expression. "Also, instead of learning good things, you're always learning these bad ones from me."
"It's all your fault for infecting me."