Chapter 21: Battle Spirit

Ye Xian'er had a look of sorrow on her face, filled with fear. «I had regrets. I was scared. I didn't want to awaken my constitution.»

«But I couldn't control myself, couldn't control the desire to consume deadly poison. I resisted in my heart, but my hands made the poison and I ate it.»

«I remember promising you I wouldn't touch poison, but sometimes I couldn't help it. I'd secretly concoct it behind your back.»

Her small hands clenched into fists, her whole body trembling. «I'm so scared. I'm afraid one day I'll lose control of the poison and hurt you. I'm afraid you'll hate me, despise me, and leave me. I'm terrified the poison will eventually backfire, leading to endless pain and an ugly death, and you'll see it… sob… sob.»

At this moment, Ye Xian'er was like a little girl who had lost everything, an abandoned little beast—weak, pitiful, and helpless.

Wei Yang waited for her to vent before stepping forward. Ye Xian'er wanted to evade, but he grabbed her, holding her tightly with a pained heart.

Once held, she didn't struggle but instead clung to Wei Yang, holding on tightly.

Slap! A crisp sound of a slap echoed.

Wei Yang slapped her firm little buttocks.

Ye Xian'er shuddered but obediently lay in Wei Yang's arms, motionless.

Slap, slap, slap! A series of slaps followed.

«Will you still cause trouble?» Wei Yang asked.

«No…» Ye Xian'er shook her head vigorously, burying it in his chest, replying in a muffled voice.

From Wei Yang's angle, he could clearly see her fair neck turning crimson.

«I told you your constitution problem could be solved, but you didn't believe me, did you?»

Wei Yang, somewhat angry, said, «Didn't I tell you we'd face and solve problems together? When did I ever say I'd despise you?»

«I knew you had a poisonous constitution. If I were going to abandon you, I would've done it long ago, not waited until now.»

«But… but I'm just scared…» Ye Xian'er replied weakly, feeling aggrieved.

«Don't be afraid. I'm here. Trust me.» Wei Yang gently stroked her back, his voice softening.

Ye Xian'er lifted her head, her eyes brimming with tears, looking at Wei Yang. «But the Poison Manual says every person with a poisonous constitution ends up in a tragic state.»

«Do you trust the Poison Manual or me?» Wei Yang asked.

«You.» Ye Xian'er replied without hesitation.

«Then that's settled. If I say it can be solved, it will be solved.»

«Okay.»

«You've progressed too quickly this time, jumping from Dou Qi eight stages to Dou Practitioner three stars. Avoid taking any more poison for a while, and get familiar with your current strength first.» Wei Yang advised.

«Alright.»

…

Six months later.

Wei Yang made another breakthrough, smoothly advancing to Dou Ling.

In the Jia Ma Empire, Dou Ling was already considered high-level.

And at this moment, he was only seventeen and a half years old.

This made him reflect on his talent, realizing it was quite exceptional.

After practicing the high-level Xuan class technique, the Crazy Lion Flame Art, his potential seemed to have fully awakened, with no visible limit yet.

So far, Wei Yang hadn't felt any bottlenecks or pressure.

He had naturally progressed and successfully broken through without using any pills for assistance.

Wei Yang estimated that, based solely on his talent, he might reach the peak of Dou Huang or even Dou Zong realm.

His talent didn't seem inferior to those with eight or nine-grade bloodlines of the imperial families.

Ye Xian'er had also made rapid progress over the past six months, recently stepping into the Da Dou Shi realm.

Half a year to go from a three-star Dou Practitioner to Da Dou Shi—an outrageous speed.

This was the result of Wei Yang's efforts to restrain her; otherwise, she might have already reached the peak of Da Dou Shi or even Dou Ling.

With ample financial support, Ye Xian'er never had to worry about materials for concocting deadly poisons.

So her daily task was to get familiar with her realm and control her soaring power.

Thanks to Wei Yang's significant financial backing, she could still advance rapidly despite deliberately restraining herself.

After all, concocting deadly poisons required various expensive materials and herbs.

The more potent the poison, the rarer and pricier the materials and herbs needed.

…

«Dou Ling!»

Feeling the powerful surge of energy within, Wei Yang's mind sank into his body.

In his dantian, an irregular spherical Dou Crystal floated quietly, significantly larger than during the Da Dou Shi stage.

The energy contained within it was terrifying.

Withdrawing his mind, Wei Yang slowly opened his eyes, a bright gleam flashing, akin to lightning in the void.

Exhale He exhaled deeply.

«Dou Ling… with this strength, I can now plan for the Green Lotus Core Flame.» Wei Yang thought to himself.

There were still about six months until the official start of the plot when Xiao Yan would be rejected for marriage.

There was plenty of time.

…

Swish! In the high sky.

Wei Yang held Ye Xian'er, both wrapped in a layer of red Dou Qi.

Behind him, a pair of black wings, each about two meters wide, extended.

With each flap, they resembled a black and red streak of light, flying towards the Tagore Desert in the eastern Jia Ma Empire.

Ye Xian'er clung to Wei Yang's neck, her whole body pressed against him, her eyes filled with curiosity, her expression excited.

It was her first experience flying in the air.

Wei Yang held Ye Xian'er's waist with one hand, flying while pondering the specifics of this trip.

His eyes flickered slightly as he thought, «In the original story, Medusa takes the strange fire about six months before Xiao Yan's training in the desert, so there's at least a year or nearly two before she takes the Green Lotus Core Flame. There's no rush.»

«The exact location of the Green Lotus Core Flame is near the eastern part of Stone Desert City, about dozens or even hundreds of miles away.»

«I can search inch by inch; it shouldn't be hard. After all, the temperature around the strange fire's vicinity is slightly higher than elsewhere, and the fire energy in the air is more abundant.»

«In the original story, Ice Emperor Hai Bodong seems to have gathered some clues about the strange fire. But I'm not an alchemist, so if I approached him, he probably wouldn't pay attention to me, let alone cooperate.»

«Besides, even if Medusa sealed his power, he still has the strength of a high-level Dou Ling… with my current strength, I don't stand a chance against him.» Wei Yang shook his head.

After all, Hai Bodong was a seasoned Dou Huang. Even with his power sealed, his current Dou Ling strength wasn't something Wei Yang could casually challenge.

Surpassing his level?

Hai Bodong had no shortage of techniques and Dou skills. Wei Yang's one-star Dou Ling strength offered no advantage.

So this time, Wei Yang didn't plan to seek out Hai Bodong.

As for the three best auxiliary items needed to refine the Green Lotus Core Flame in the original story, Wei Yang hadn't prepared any of them.

First, the Blood Lotus Pill was a fifth-grade pill, essential for absorbing strange fires. Without its protection, even the peak Dou Huang Medusa was severely injured.

Let alone Wei Yang, who was just a mere one-star Dou Ling.

After all, this Green Lotus Core Flame was a mature body, with power comparable to a Dou Huang.

But the Blood Lotus Pill was a fifth-grade pill, and even if Wei Yang obtained the recipe, there were few alchemists in the Jia Ma Empire capable of successfully refining it.

The Ice Spirit Cold Spring—he knew where to find that.

And Na Ling was also difficult to obtain.

But Wei Yang didn't mind.

After all, his main purpose in finding the Green Lotus Core Flame was for the eleven lotus seeds. The Green Lotus Core Flame was secondary, not his primary goal.

(End of Chapter)