Chapter 224 – Departure
Misty Cloud Sect, Main Peak.
Time passed quickly. In the blink of an eye, a week had gone by. Yun Yun had already dealt with the many affairs of the sect, and although Xiao Yuan had helped somewhat, most of his time was spent cultivating Dou Techniques.
Among the techniques left to him by Mang Tianchi were Demonic Thunder Body, an advanced Earth-tier body-refinement technique, and Heavenly Thunder Step, an intermediate Earth-tier movement technique.
What left Xiao Yuan a bit helpless was that both of these required natural lightning to cultivate. The trace amount of Black Devil Lightning in his body wasn't nearly enough.
However, after some study, he found that Demonic Thunder Body was both offensive and defensive. Once cultivated to its limit, even a casual swipe could unleash thunderous power, and the explosive force would be terrifying.
In terms of defense, the technique would slowly convert all internal matter into thunder essence. At that level, unless one was obliterated completely, even severe injuries could be healed through thunder.
As for Heavenly Thunder Step, it was a movement technique that turned the user into a bolt of thunder. Unlike the agile Three Thousand Lightning Movement, it emphasized brute force and straight-line impact. It was like being struck by heavenly thunder—direct and devastating.
The technique was dramatic in execution but slightly faster than Three Thousand Lightning Movement, especially in long-distance travel.
It was said Mang Tianchi once used it to ram an equal-level opponent to death.
Xiao Yuan now understood why these two techniques complemented each other. Without sufficient refinement from Demonic Thunder Body, one might self-destruct before even hitting their target. And without Heavenly Thunder Step, the body's potential from Demonic Thunder Body couldn't be fully unleashed.
According to his estimates, had he mastered even the basics of both, he could've easily knocked Gu He flying and seriously injured Yun Shan in the past.
That said, advancing to Dou Huang truly required a massive amount of energy. Even now, he hadn't sensed an impending breakthrough.
Especially since he had five Qi reservoirs, the amount of Dou Qi required was far greater than usual.
So far, aside from slightly refining his Dou Qi, he had made little overall progress.
But he knew such things couldn't be rushed.
Additionally, Yun Yun had given him the Earth-tier technique Great Sorrow Wind Tear Palm, the one Yun Shan used previously.
Compared to Mang Tianchi's three techniques, this one was far easier to cultivate.
Still, it was Earth-tier—one week wasn't nearly enough to master it.
Thus, Xiao Yuan spent most of his time training at Misty Cloud Sect during the day and accompanying Yun Yun. At night, he would return to the Xiao Estate to ease Yafei and Xiao Yu's concerns.
Yafei and Xiao Yu were much more content because of this arrangement. Though Yun Yun felt a bit conflicted, she didn't let it show—after all, Yun Shan had just died. She couldn't exactly be romancing Xiao Yuan immediately. That would seem… indecent.
Fortunately, Xiao Yuan would always appear when she needed him, which brought her great comfort.
Still, his absence at night left her feeling lonely.
Even if nothing happened, just having him nearby made her feel more at peace.
The Canaan Academy holiday wasn't long or short.
But as an Inner Academy elder, Xiao Yuan didn't need to worry about attendance.
Still, he couldn't stay in Jia Ma Empire forever. Although Misty Cloud Sect had decent conditions, it couldn't compare to the Inner Academy.
More importantly, after learning news of the Xiao Yi Xiang from Yafei, he was becoming increasingly restless.
With two types of Heavenly Flame of his own, plus Yao Lao's Bone Spirit Cold Flame, he had enough to help her resolve her constitution issue.
In Xiao Yuan's opinion, an unstable poisonous body was less controllable and would hinder her cultivation.
Even if her current progress was fast, it meant she was approaching death just as quickly.
Such a threat could not be left unchecked.
He didn't want to leave it up to fate. He wanted to solve it personally—quickly.
Interestingly, now that he was back in Jia Ma Empire, he felt that dormant soul inside the Seven-Colored Devouring Python becoming more active.
"What are you thinking about so deeply?"
Unnoticed, Yun Yun arrived beside him and asked softly.
"I plan to visit the Chu Yun Empire. Word has it that a friend of mine has appeared there."
Xiao Yuan answered honestly, with no intent to hide it.
"Chu Yun Empire? That place is full of poison masters—it's incredibly dangerous."
She frowned, instinctively wanting to stop him. Then she paused, raising her brows, "This 'friend'... she wouldn't happen to be your girlfriend, would she?"
"You always see right through me. Remember the little valley I showed you? That place was discovered by her. Honestly, if not for that, we might not have gotten as close as we are now."
Xiao Yuan chuckled, wrapping an arm around her waist.
"Hmph, so I should thank her, huh?"
Yun Yun's jealousy was too obvious. Xiao Yuan could only laugh.
"Don't overthink it. I'm worried about her health. Her constitution is special. If we don't resolve it soon, she'll die within five years. I don't know what's happened since we parted."
His voice carried real concern.
"Five years? That serious?"
Yun Yun's expression sobered. "When are you leaving? I'll go with you. At least I can watch your back. Yafei and Xiao Yu aren't suited to travel just yet, but I'm a five-star Dou Huang. I won't drag you down."
"No need. Misty Cloud Sect just took a big hit—it needs you here. You're the Sect Leader now. If you abandon your post to run around with me, what'll people say? Wait a while. Once Yanran returns, leave the sect to her, and then we can travel together."
Xiao Yuan declined with a smile.
"You have a point. Still, be careful. You're strong, but that's enemy territory. Watch your step."
Yun Yun sighed and nodded, then reversed the lecture onto him.
"Don't worry. You forget what I can do? Disguising myself has never been a problem."
He patted her plump backside with a mischievous wink.
"Hmph! All you have is that pretty face!"
Yun Yun turned red and glared, muttering under her breath.
"But you love that face, don't you?"
He whispered into her ear.
Her ears turned crimson. Before she could react, he kissed her cheek. Thunder roared, wind rushed, and he vanished in a flash of lightning.
Covering her face, Yun Yun stomped in place, pouting, "That damn rascal!"
"Heh… Kid, you're good at everything—except keeping your hands to yourself."
Yao Lao laughed in the ring.
Flying swiftly, Xiao Yuan replied, "Can't help it. I love them all. I'll never abandon any of them. I'll take full responsibility."
Yao Lao had no objection. He knew Xiao Yuan's character.
"By the way, Teacher, you must've had plenty of admirers back in the day. So how come you…"
Xiao Yuan asked curiously.
"Back then, I was famous and had plenty of suitors. But I focused solely on alchemy. Romance wasn't on my mind. Later, I raised Han Feng like my own son… and, well, you know the rest."
Yao Lao sighed. But now, even when mentioning Han Feng, his tone was calm and detached.
"Don't you have any old flames?"
"You brat, are you teasing me?"
Yao Lao laughed wryly. His eyes grew distant.
"There were a few interested women. But I was so focused on my craft… I must've broken a few hearts."
He sighed wistfully.
Han…
He suddenly thought of that name—but the moment passed, like fog in the wind.
"Teacher, there's something else. Have you heard of the Calamity Poison Body?"
Xiao Yuan asked seriously.
"Hm? Yes. Why?"
"She's the friend I'm going to see. She has it."
Yao Lao's face darkened. "That's not good."
He recounted a tale: decades ago, a woman with that constitution wiped out an entire empire in rage, turning it into a thousand-mile poison zone haunted by the dead. Countless strong cultivators had tried to stop her—many died.
Even a near-Dou Zong expert was slain.
Eventually, reclusive powerhouses intervened. After a battle shrouded in mystery, the woman vanished, injured. One Dou Zong took ten years to purge her poison.
She later returned as a Dou Zong. The old elites dared not act again.
Yao Lao had fought her once—he barely won.
Xiao Yuan paled.
"Teacher… four years ago she was a mere Dou Zhe. Now she's a Dou Huang."
Yao Lao's pupils shrank. "What!?"
He leapt from the ring in disbelief.
"It's true. If we find her, you'll see."
Xiao Yuan smiled bitterly.
Chu Yun Empire was no less vast than Jia Ma, and far more chaotic.
Poison masters—reviled in Jia Ma—thrived there. In every city, there were shops selling poisons. The more lethal, the pricier.
One type of Dou Qi was especially common there: Poison Dou Qi.
It was a mutation formed by soaking oneself in poison and cultivating inside it. The result was a powerful but dangerous Dou Qi that slowly corroded the body and mind.
Unless one reached Dou Wang, their lifespan would be shortened dramatically.
The fear of death drove them to cultivate more fiercely than anyone.
That made Chu Yun Empire's strong hidden cultivators more numerous than Jia Ma's, though they rarely joined large factions. Each fought for survival in their own way.
In short, this empire was far more dangerous and unstable.
Still, compared to the utterly lawless Black-Corner Region, it was a step up—governed by the imperial family and the massive Poison Sect.
After several days of travel, Xiao Yuan finally stepped across the border into Chu Yun Empire.
(END CHAPTER)
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