"Would I truly entrust everything to you?"
Gu Han's gaze turned extremely serious, making one instinctively want to believe him.
He didn't explain how he knew, yet he made Little Fairy Doctor feel it was only natural that he understood all this.
And the trust in his words was like the sweetest candy in the world to Little Fairy Doctor, seeping deep into her heart.
"Mmm~"
Several dozen breaths later.
"Screech!"
As Little Fairy Doctor took out a long flute and blew it, a massive Magical Beast soon appeared in the sky. Its body was entirely azure blue, resembling a giant eagle - this was the first-tier Magical Beast, Blue Eagle.
"Let's go."
Gu Han reached out and grasped Little Fairy Doctor's wrist. Illusory blue-white wings materialized behind his back, and the two soared into the air.
A thin veil of Dou Qi was casually summoned by Gu Han, shielding both himself and Little Fairy Doctor from above.
Within a few breaths, they had landed on the Blue Eagle's back.
Little Fairy Doctor's eyes sparkled as she smiled lightly and said, "Xiao Lan, fly to that valley I discovered."
That valley was her secret base. She had originally thought she would never bring an outsider there in this lifetime.
"Screech~" The Blue Eagle responded and changed direction, flying toward the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
The handsome youth and beautiful maiden stood on the Blue Eagle's back, riding the wind and piercing through clouds, looking like an immortal couple straight out of a storybook.
"You scattered powder at the end," Gu Han remarked.
"I originally wanted to part on good terms. He helped me and gave me shelter, and I helped him expand and strengthen the Ten-Thousand Herb Hall. We were even. But when he tried to incite the mercenaries at the end, I couldn't tolerate that," Little Fairy Doctor admitted without denial, though a flicker of nervousness passed through her eyes.
"As you should," Gu Han agreed. "If you repay enmity with virtue, then what will you use to repay virtue?"
A trace of amusement flashed in Little Fairy Doctor's eyes. Gu Han's appearance and Talent weren't what attracted her most - what truly drew her in was his rationality that differed from most people his age, and his way of speaking briefly yet hitting the essence.
"Fortunately, those mercenaries weren't all ungrateful," Little Fairy Doctor said, brushing aside her hair.
"Is it possible they were afraid of the sword in my hand, fearful of my identity as a Cloud Mist Sect disciple?" Gu Han lowered his gaze and countered.
Little Fairy Doctor pouted: "Actually, you don't have to speak the complete truth about everything."
"Hmm?" Gu Han turned to look at her, watching until she blushed before saying, "Naturally, there were also a few decent people. I imagine those mercenaries with conscience will make that Boss Yao pay the price."
The reality unfolded exactly as Gu Han had predicted.
The news that Little Fairy Doctor had left with the Snow Sword Young Master to become his (sword-bearing) maid spread throughout the entire Green Mountain Town in the shortest time possible.
One was a rising star within the Jia Ma Empire, the other was Green Mountain Town's top celebrity - such popularity came as no surprise.
Some envied Gu Han, but even more people envied Little Fairy Doctor.
There were many beautiful women in this world, but few could attach themselves to powerful experts and prodigies.
Instead, there were quite a few women who became powerful experts themselves, taking even stronger male cultivators as their Dao companions.
Meanwhile, the actions of Ten-Thousand Herb Hall's Boss Yao and Wolf Head Mercenary Group's Mu Li became hot topics of discussion.
The Ten-Thousand Herb Hall's business immediately plummeted. Boss Yao seemed to have contracted a strange illness after that day, and not long after, he sold off the Ten-Thousand Herb Hall and went to settle somewhere unknown. No one ever saw him again.
As for the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, Mu She felt furious yet dared not speak out about his son being taken seriously. What frightened him even more was that the Blood Battle Mercenary Group and Snake Nest Mercenary Group had actually joined forces and began targeting them.
Even when he brought offerings to seek an audience with the Dou Grand Master he had pledged allegiance to in Black Rock City, he couldn't resolve the matter. Instead, he was warned never to come again.
Clearly, his backer also feared the Cloud Mist Sect's reputation and didn't want to offend a Cloud Mist Sect disciple—especially a prodigy—because of him.
With no other choice, Mu She could only lead his mercenary group away, planning to develop elsewhere.
Regarding these matters, Gu Han and Little Fairy Doctor naturally paid no further attention.
Led by the Blue Eagle, Gu Han followed Little Fairy Doctor to her secluded spot.
A valley surrounded by high mountains on all sides, accessible only from the sky—it truly resembled a place where powerful recluses would dwell.
"Are you going to fully awaken your Woeful Poison Body?" Gu Han inquired.
"How did you know?" Little Fairy Doctor felt surprised.
"Otherwise, you should have asked me where to go instead of bringing me to your place," Gu Han said with a faint smile. "As a Sword-bearing Maiden, you shouldn't be making decisions for me."
So domineering.
Little Fairy Doctor grumbled inwardly, then smiled sweetly, "Being your Sword-bearing Maiden, I can't remain below the Dou Fighter level, can I?"
"Reasonable." Gu Han nodded slightly after some thought, then took out a tier-one poisonous plant. "This is Poison Scorpion Grass. It has reached its limit and needs irrigation with tier-two Poison Scorpion blood to advance to tier two. Use this for your awakening."
Little Fairy Doctor, who had painstakingly prepared many poisonous plants: "..."
She felt overwhelmed by such extravagance.
"Should I watch over your awakening?" Gu Han asked.
He was actually quite curious about the Woeful Poison Body awakening process.
"If you're not afraid, you can watch," Little Fairy Doctor agreed after slight hesitation.
The moment she received the Poison Scorpion Grass, an intense desire to devour it surged within her.
There was no special method to awaken the Woeful Poison Body—one only needed to consume poison to naturally trigger it.
If she wasn't mistaken, she would fall unconscious during the awakening, so having someone watch over her would be good.
She just didn't know how much toxicity the Woeful Poison Body awakening would release, fearing Gu Han might get hurt.
"Then awaken inside the house. I'll watch from outside so I can assist if anything happens."
Gu Han retreated from the wooden house, observing Little Fairy Doctor's condition from three zhang away while releasing his soul power.
Little Fairy Doctor took a deep breath, placed the Poison Scorpion Grass in her mouth, bit down, and swallowed.
"Boom!"
The poison entered her body, stimulating a certain point in her Dantian as if flipping a switch.
Immediately, seven-colored patterns rose from Little Fairy Doctor's Dantian, spreading throughout her body and converging on her face.
Her rosy cheeks instantly turned deathly pale, covered in eerie seven-colored patterns as her delicate frame began trembling.
"Ah!"
Little Fairy Doctor cried out in pain. The intensified poison spreading through her proved too much to bear, and she immediately lost consciousness.
As she fell unconscious, a force erupted from her body, threatening to tear through her thin clothing.
Seeing this, Gu Han immediately took out a cloak from his Storage Ring and threw it over her, simultaneously using palm force to close the door.
"The texts didn't mention this would happen, though Little Fairy Doctor originally awakened her Woeful Poison Body while in bed under covers."
"Probably because the Poison Scorpion Grass's toxicity is too potent."
Recalling the fleeting glimpse before the door closed completely, Gu Han felt he would never forget it for the rest of his life.
This was what truly counted as a jade-like body, though covered in seven-colored patterns—it rather resembled some form of human body art?
"Old Ling is quite principled."
Fearing the destructive power of the Woeful Poison Body's eruption, Gu Han immediately entered the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, leaving only an illusion outside.
Through his perception, Ling Ying remained on a mountain peak about a hundred zhang away, able to observe the valley from afar but unable to see inside the wooden cabin.
"I wonder when Little Fairy Doctor will wake up. I hope I won't miss the Outer Sect Competition."
Though he thought this, Gu Han wasn't particularly concerned.
With his current cultivation level, missing the Outer Sect Competition wouldn't matter much.
Perhaps by the time three months passed and he became an inner sect disciple, he might already have advanced to Dou Grand Master?
"Time to practice swordsmanship."
Gu Han found the surrounding environment quite suitable for practicing Earth-Rank Low-Level Fighting Skills - these were his trump cards for defeating stronger opponents.
He practiced until the bright moon hung high in the sky, reaching half past midnight.
Gu Han sheathed his long sword, sat cross-legged, and began visualizing the Black Tortoise Shell.
"Today, I'll randomly acquire three opportunities."
"Oh?"
As the first opportunity appeared, Gu Han opened his eyes and looked toward the blue eagle nesting nearby.
"Never expected you to have such origins, little one."