Gazing at the Ghostly Poison River, a thought immediately surfaced in Liu Xi's mind—but he needed to verify it first, lest something unexpected occur.
With a flick of his wrist, the tamed Ghostly Poison Flame slithered forward, its serpent body flashing as it dove into the river below without causing even a ripple.
Xiao Yixian, Zi Yan, and Qing Lin walked up beside him, their faces filled with wonder. Zi Yan blinked her violet eyes curiously. "Big Brother, how did you do that? Can I learn it too?"
Although all three of them believed Liu Xi capable of handling a Heavenly Flame ranked at the Dou Zong level, such an effortless display still left them amazed.
"Uh, probably not," Liu Xi said with a faint smile. "It falls under the category of soul secret techniques, and I haven't yet refined it to a level where others can use it safely."
His ability to subdue the Ghostly Poison Flame through soul control had been partly coincidence. Even now, he hadn't fully grasped its workings—let alone teach it.
Qing Lin added softly, "It feels similar to how I use my Jade Snake Three-Flower Pupils to control serpent-type magical beasts—leaving a fragment of my soul mark inside their consciousness."
Liu Xi paused for a moment, thinking. "That's… actually not far off." Indeed, after shattering its will, he had left behind a sliver of his soul imprint.
His attention returned to reality. Beneath the surface of the Ghostly Poison River, the emerald flame flickered and swayed playfully, like a spirit dancing in water. A faint smile curved across Liu Xi's lips.
He turned to Xiao Yixian, who was staring intently at the river, a glimmer of interest sparkling in her eyes.
"Xian'er," he said, "this Ghostly Poison Flame should be refined by you. Though it's not a fire-attribute Dou Qi, your Woeful Poison Body will have no problem subduing it."
"Huh?!"
Xiao Yixian looked back at him, puzzled. "Young Master, what about you? Haven't you always been searching for Heavenly Flames?"
Liu Xi gazed at the Ghostly Poison Flame and said calmly, "At my current level, this flame is of little use—like tasteless meat. It can strengthen me, yes, but not by much."
"For you, however, it could be a catalyst for transformation. The realm of Dou Saint is a true barrier—even the Woeful Poison Body can't easily cross it."
His tone was firm, allowing no room for argument. Xiao Yixian wanted to refuse, but seeing his serious expression, she silently resolved to live up to his expectations.
"…Alright. I understand."
A smile tugged at Liu Xi's lips. This was, after all, the birthplace of the Ghostly Poison Flame—its power was closely tied to the poisonous mists of the Poison Swamp.
If Xiao Yixian refined it, she might form a connection with the Ghostly Poison River itself. By channeling its toxic might through the flame and using the Woeful Poison Body's unique ability to refine all poisons, reaching the Dou Saint realm might no longer be impossible.
"No need to delay," Liu Xi said. "Let's begin now. With your 7-Star Dou Zun strength, your physique, and my support, refining the Ghostly Poison Flame won't be too difficult."
With a thought, he summoned the serpent-shaped flame. The massive fiery python emerged from the river and lowered its head before him, opening its maw.
Liu Xi reached in and pulled out a small green serpent—the flame's pure origin essence.
Turning to Xiao Yixian, his expression grew solemn. "I'll suppress its violent nature for you, but even so, the baptism of a Heavenly Flame is painful. You'll need to endure it."
He then took out several jade bottles from his storage ring and handed them to her. "These pills weren't specially prepared, but their effects are similar—they'll ease the burning pain and heal any injuries. Keep them with you. If it's not enough, I have more."
Xiao Yixian accepted the pills and smiled gently. She found a quiet spot and sat cross-legged. "I'm ready, Young Master."
"Good," Liu Xi said softly. "Open your mouth. If it feels unbearable, tell me—I can still extract it."
She nodded and opened her lips slightly. Liu Xi took a step forward and released the small serpent into her mouth.
The green flame snake darted in with a flick of its tail. Xiao Yixian let out a faint whimper, her brows knitting as discomfort flashed across her face.
"Are you alright? Should I remove it?" Liu Xi asked anxiously.
After a moment, Xiao Yixian swallowed hard and forced a small smile. "I'm fine. It's just… very hot—and filled with venom. But that's nothing I can't handle."
Then she closed her eyes, guiding her poisonous Dou Qi to merge with the Ghostly Poison Flame. Liu Xi watched quietly—he had experienced this process himself before.
Gradually, emerald light spread from Xiao Yixian's body, followed by flickers of green flame dancing across her skin. Yet, she showed no sign of pain—it seemed to be going smoothly.
Only her garments couldn't withstand the intense heat. Inch by inch, they turned to ash, leaving her pure form bathed in the soft glow of green fire.
Liu Xi remained calm. He had long since grown used to such sights; his attention stayed firmly on the refinement process.
Beside him, Qing Lin—still pure and unworldly—blushed furiously and turned away. 'So the Young Master and Sister Xian'er are already this close… I'd better catch up soon.'
She lightly tapped Zi Yan on the shoulder, who was peeking through her fingers. "Little one, no peeking."
"Heehee~" Zi Yan giggled, turning around—but her eyes still shimmered with playful mischief.
Half a day later.
Xiao Yixian slowly opened her eyes. A gleam of joy flickered within.
'I did it! With the Ghostly Poison Flame… could I perhaps become an alchemist now?'
Overjoyed, she leapt up and threw herself into Liu Xi's arms. "Young Master, I succeeded!"
Liu Xi cleared his throat, lightly resting his hand on her smooth back. "That's good—but put some clothes on first. It's dangerous standing like that in front of me, you know."
"Oh!"
Xiao Yixian looked up and met his wolfish gaze. Blushing slightly, she formed a robe of the surrounding heaven and earth energy, covering her delicate figure once more.
Having long since lost all shyness before him, she smiled lightly.
Liu Xi refocused his tone. "So, how does it feel? What did you gain from refining the Ghostly Poison Flame?"
Xiao Yixian nodded earnestly. "A lot. After the flame's baptism, my body feels purer—my poisonous Dou Qi is denser, more stable. And when I use the Ghostly Poison Flame to empower my Dou Qi, the strength increases by at least thirty percent."
As she spoke, she raised her jade hand. A cluster of green fire appeared in her palm, burning quietly.
At that moment, faint black vapors began to rise from the Ghostly Poison River nearby. The smoke drifted toward her flame, which absorbed it eagerly like a whale drinking water.
Xiao Yixian didn't seem surprised. "In this place, my cultivation speed increases tenfold. With this environment, even reaching Dou Saint may not be impossible."
Liu Xi smiled faintly. "So it really is as I thought."
"Young Master…" Xiao Yixian bit her lip and looked up seriously. "I want to stay here—to cultivate until I reach the Dou Saint realm."
Liu Xi exhaled softly, then smiled warmly. "That's fine. Just take care of yourself. Let things happen naturally—don't force it."
"Mm."
She leaned forward suddenly and sealed his lips with hers. Liu Xi held her close, returning her kiss with quiet affection.
Perhaps, the next time they met—she would already be Dou Saint.
(End of Chapter)
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