After half a month, Jia Xingtian, dressed in his usual hemp robe, arrived at the secluded valley as promised. His aged face carried a faint trace of unease, yet his eyes gleamed with anticipation.
"Little friend, about the pill…"
Liu Xi smiled lightly without speaking further. He retrieved a jade bottle from his Storage Ring and handed it directly to Jia Xingtian.
With trembling hands, Jia Xingtian received it carefully. For years, he had borne the weight of guarding the Jia Ma Empire, too cautious to risk a breakthrough to the Dou Zong realm. He could only watch helplessly as his blood and vitality slowly withered away.
Now, with the Serene Sea Scaly Beast restored and the Zong Breaking Pill in hand, the once peerless protector of the empire finally had the courage to gamble with his life once more.
"Little friend, wait for my good news, hahaha…"
Laughing heartily, Jia Xingtian turned and strode away from the valley, his steps light and unrestrained—clearly eager to begin his breakthrough.
As Liu Xi watched him disappear into the distance, a faint smile lingered on his lips. Turning back toward the pavilion, he caught sight of Xiao Yixian leaning lazily against the doorframe, her white dress swaying gently, as serene and graceful as an orchid blooming in an empty valley.
Liu Xi approached with a teasing smile. "Oh? You actually decided to step outside today?"
A calm, pleased smile curved Xiao Yixian's lips as she softly replied, "I'm preparing to break through to Dou Huang."
Liu Xi froze for a moment before his brows furrowed slightly. "Didn't you just reach 9-Star Dou Wang a few days ago? Aren't you pushing it too fast? Can your body handle that?"
A warmth flickered in Xiao Yixian's heart. Her gentle smile deepened. "It's fine. The poisonous Dou Qi inside me is still under control. I can feel it — as long as I have enough poisonous energy to absorb, that barrier to Dou Huang means nothing to me."
"Impressive," Liu Xi chuckled softly, "you're making me jealous already."
This kind of physique with no bottlenecks was something even he couldn't help but envy. Yet it was also terrifying — when the poison accumulated to its limit, it would devour its host from within.
"Follow your instincts. Don't rush it," he said earnestly. "I'll be here, guarding you both."
But Xiao Yixian shook her head gently. "I'm not sure what might happen during the breakthrough. I'd rather be somewhere farther away… in case something goes wrong."
A hint of tenderness flickered in Liu Xi's eyes. "Don't go too far. Stay where I can reach you in time. Whatever happens, you don't have to worry — you have me."
"Mm." She nodded softly, her eyes shining with quiet trust.
She wasn't someone who needed constant protection — a 9-Star Dou Wang was already formidable in her own right. Who knew, perhaps when she reached Dou Zong, he might still be stuck refining his Dou Huang stage.
Watching her unfurl her grey Dou Qi wings and soar gracefully toward the far end of the valley, Liu Xi extended his Spiritual Power, tracing her presence until she settled safely in the distance before withdrawing his sense.
Just then, a small snake's head poked out from his sleeve, letting out a soft hiss.
Sensing the ominous aura of Xiao Yixian's Woeful Poison Body, Zi Ling instinctively cowered, clearly afraid to get near her.
"She's busy now. I don't have time to play with you either," Liu Xi said with an amused smile, gently pressing the little snake back into his sleeve.
He stepped back into the pavilion and entered Zi Yan's room. The massive violet cocoon still pulsed faintly, brightening and dimming like a beating heart as it continued to draw in the surrounding energy.
"Looks like it'll still take a while for her to reach saturation."
He smiled faintly. "When I was breaking through to Dou Huang, you all waited a year for me. Now it's my turn to wait for you…"
Leaving Zi Yan's room quietly, Liu Xi returned to his own chamber, leapt onto the Green Lotus Platform, and settled into a meditative position.
---
Time flowed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, eight months passed.
Within the valley, an enormous energy vortex several zhang wide spun violently, formed entirely of condensed natural energy. At its center hovered the violet cocoon, greedily devouring every strand of energy like a whale drinking the sea.
The process had continued for a full month without pause.
When a Ancient Void Dragon—or in this case, Zi Yan's royal-blooded lineage—attempted to evolve to a higher rank, the amount of energy required was vast beyond measure. Were it not for the dense concentration of energy within this royal valley, even this place might not have sufficed to sustain her advancement.
Meanwhile, deep in another corner of the valley, Xiao Yixian's surroundings had turned into a thick shroud of grey-black poisonous mist. The toxins within were so corrosive that even natural energy was devoured and converted into more potent poison.
This was hardly an ideal place for her breakthrough; the best location would have been the Chu Yun Empire's toxic lands, where her body could absorb and refine ambient poisons directly. Yet even here, her Woeful Poison Body demonstrated its terrifying power.
Suddenly, the dense poison fog surged violently, collapsing toward the center where Xiao Yixian sat. The torrent of poisonous energy poured into her body like a flood, her aura soaring rapidly until it became overwhelmingly powerful.
Three hours later, as the last wisp of black mist vanished, her energy finally stabilized. Judging by her presence, she hadn't merely become a 1-Star Dou Huang — her strength was on par with a 5-Star Dou Huang!
Her long lashes quivered slightly before her eyes opened, revealing a faintly eerie shade of gray-violet. After a few seconds, they softened back into their usual liveliness.
Swaying gracefully to her feet, she looked around in mild confusion. "How long… has it been?"
At that same moment, Liu Xi emerged from his meditation. After eight months of relentless cultivation and the tempering of his Falling Heart Flame, he had advanced to the 7-Star Dou Huang realm and was steadily approaching 8-Star.
To avoid disrupting Zi Yan's advancement, he had long since moved his cultivation spot outside the pavilion, where the Green Lotus Platform gathered sufficient energy on its own.
When he sensed Xiao Yixian's surge of power, he opened his eyes and smiled. "So, she finally broke through."
A moment later, a white silhouette descended gracefully from the sky. Her gaze fell on the massive energy vortex still swirling in the distance, and she asked in surprise, "That's… Zi Yan? Has she not finished her breakthrough yet?"
Feeling the strength radiating from Xiao Yixian, Liu Xi blinked and asked with disbelief, "Xian'er, what level are you now?"
Her lips curved into a playful smile. "Seems I jumped straight to 5-Star Dou Huang."
Liu Xi could only let out a wry chuckle. 'If not for the tragic nature of her Woeful Poison Body, this would be one of the most heaven-defying physiques in the entire continent…'
Still, he was more concerned about her condition than her progress. "With your power rising so fast, does your body feel alright?"
A hint of hesitation crossed her beautiful face, but she nodded honestly. "The poisonous Dou Qi inside me is slightly expanding, but I can still suppress it for now."
"That's good," Liu Xi said seriously. "Once Zi Yan completes her breakthrough, we'll head to the Central Plains."
(End of Chapter)
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