"Calm down. You've probably noticed some unusual things happening with your body, haven't you?" Xie Tianxiao said calmly mentioning abnormal signs, looking at Xiao Yixian with a steady gaze.
Xiao Yixian, visibly shaken, was trembling. The signs he mentioned struck a deep chord within her—she had indeed experienced strange symptoms over the years. The mysterious instances where people around her fell ill or even died suddenly after a brief moment of contact haunted her memories.
"But... but... how do you know?" Xiao Yixian's voice wavered, her initial denial slowly giving way to fear. She could feel the weight of his words sinking in, terrifyingly accurate. She had always sensed something was wrong but never dared to face it directly.
"what you possess is a rare constitution called the the 'woeful Poison Body.' It is both a blessing and a curse," Xie Tianxiao continued, his tone still steady. "Your body is filled with a potent and uncontrollable poison. That's why no matter how hard you try to avoid it, you're drawn to toxins and poison. It's also why becoming a poison master is your best chance at survival and control."
"No... I don't want to be a poison master," Xiao Yixian said, shaking her head in disbelief, backing away slightly as if trying to escape the truth. "I don't want to harm people. I became a healer to save lives!"
"I understand your intentions, but you're already walking a dangerous path. Your body naturally produces toxins, and it will only get worse as time goes on. Eventually, if you don't learn to control it, your power will overwhelm you, and you will harm everyone around you—even if you don't intend to."
Xiao Yixian's face went pale. Deep down, she had feared something like this was true, but hearing it spoken out loud was devastating. "Is... is there no other way?"
Xie Tianxiao sighed softly, giving her a look of sympathy. "There's no way to change your fate, but you can learn to control it. The path of the poison master isn't necessarily about causing harm. You can still help people, but you must understand the nature of your power and accept it. Only then can you become strong enough to use it for good."
Xiao Yixian stared at him, her mind racing. The idea of being labeled as a poison master terrified her. But the thought of her body's poison uncontrollably spreading—harming those she cared about—was even worse.
"So... you're saying I can still save people? Even as a poison master?" she asked, her voice trembling but with a flicker of hope.
Xie Tianxiao nodded. "Yes, it's possible. You can become a powerful force for good, but it requires knowledge, discipline, and above all, acceptance of your true nature."
Xiao Yixian fell silent, her mind swirling with conflicted emotions. Could she truly embrace such a fate?
"You don't need to decide now," Xie Tianxiao added, noticing her hesitation. "But the longer you delay, the more dangerous your situation becomes. The choice is yours, Xiao Yixian. Embrace what you are, or let it destroy you."
Xiao Yixian stood still, grappling with the reality of her condition and the choice laid before her. The truth weighed heavily on her, but at least now, she had the information she needed to move forward—if she was brave enough to face it.
Finally, she nodded slowly. "I... I need some time to think."
Xie Tianxiao smiled slightly, satisfied with her response. "Take all the time you need. But remember, time is not on your side."
With that, he turned to leave, knowing that the seed of realization had been planted. It was only a matter of time before Xiao Yixian would come to terms with her destiny.
At this moment, Xiao Yixian felt an unprecedented sense of oppression. To think her body harboured such a constitution—it was as if the heavens were tormenting her, someone who had always been a healer dedicated to saving lives.
"Calm down."
"Though reality is as it is, you needn't worry too much," Xie Tianxiao's voice sounded in her ears.
Seeing Xiao Yixian's distress, Xie Tianxiao immediately understood what she was thinking. He walked forward and helped her sit down.
"Get away from me! I don't need your fake concern!" Xiao Yixian shouted, shaking off Xie Tianxiao's hand.
Unfazed, Xie Tianxiao replied calmly, "Though I cannot change the fact that you possess the woeful Poison Body,' I can help you control it and even make it your tool."
Hearing this, Xiao Yixian immediately looked up, her eyes filled with doubt. "You... you can control my poison body?"
"Not me, but I can help you gain control over it," Xie Tianxiao corrected.
"Why should I believe you? And how do you even know about my constitution when even I didn't?" Xiao Yixian remained skeptical.
xie Tianxiao sneered. "With your meager Dou Qi strength, do you really think you can hide anything from me?"
Xiao Yixian snorted but said nothing. She had to admit that Xie Tianxiao's arrogance suggested he was stronger than a mere Dou Master. After all, the leader of the wolf head Mercenary Group, a powerful Dou Master, was quite domineering in Qingshan Town.
"You can believe what you want, but due to your increasing affinity for poisons, it's only a matter of time before you become a Poison Master. When that happens, your poison body will flare up, growing more severe each time. If left uncontrolled, you won't live long," Xie Tianxiao explained gravely.
"Is it really that bad?" Xiao Yixian was taken aback.
She had begun to believe him when he described the symptoms of the woeful Poison Body'—a faint rainbow line on her abdomen, among others. She knew her body had those signs.
"Then why are you helping me?" she asked after a moment of silence.
"I'm not doing it out of the goodness of my heart," Xie Tianxiao said, casting her a glance. "The owner of the woeful Poison Body, if allowed to grow, will stand at the pinnacle of the continent!"
"So, you're just using me to further your own goals?" Xiao Yixian scoffed.
"Using you? I'm already half a step into that pinnacle. Why would I need you?" Xie Tianxiao retorted, adding, "I simply pity you and want to pull you in ahead of time."
"Hmph, pity? You just want something from me!" Xiao Yixian huffed disdainfully.
Xie Tianxiao coughed awkwardly and replied, "What use could you possibly be? You're as flat as a board!"
"You bastard!" Xiao Yixian flared up, feeling insulted. She straightened her chest and shouted, "Where am I flat, huh?"
Seeing her reaction, Xie Tianxiao couldn't help but laugh.
"Stop laughing, or I'll make you regret it!" Xiao Yixian fumed. She quickly grabbed a handful of itching powder from behind her back and threw it at him. However, the powder evaporated before reaching him, and Xie Tianxiao caught her wrist effortlessly.
"You little rascal, trying to sneak attack me?" he chuckled.
"Let go of me, you scoundrel!" Xiao Yixian struggled, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't break free.
"Stop moving, or I won't be so gentle next time," Xie Tianxiao warned, his grip firm.
Seeing no choice, Xiao Yixian stopped resisting and glared at him fiercely.
After releasing her wrist, Xie Tianxiao said, "I told you, I'm interested in you. I'm planning to form a great force and need talented people like you to join."
"So you're just after my talents?" Xiao Yixian rolled her eyes. "And you're not worried my poison body will destroy everything?"
"That's not something you need to worry about. With my strength, handling a woeful Poison Body is no big deal," Xie Tianxiao responded with a calm gaze.
"Do whatever you want, but I'm not joining you," Xiao Yixian replied coldly. She had no interest in becoming part of any grand plan. She just wanted to live peacefully in Qingshan Town as a healer.
Xie Tianxiao smirked but said nothing more.
Despite his attempts, Xiao Yixian was resolute in her refusal. She preferred her simple life over the vague ambitions of this stranger.