Battle Through the Heavens: Oh no, I've become the succubus Xiao Yan!

The valley was hidden deep within the Monster Mountain Range, surrounded by mountains on all sides, with only a secluded path leading in. A stream babbled within, medicinal herbs grew everywhere, and a faint medicinal fragrance permeated the air. If Xiao Yan hadn't relied on his soul perception and memories from the original story to find this place, he probably wouldn't have discovered it at all.

"This place is so beautiful." Little Fairy Doctor stood at the entrance of the valley, her eyes lighting up.

The stream flowed down the mountainside, forming a small river that meandered through the valley. The banks were covered with various medicinal herbs, some she recognized, others she had only seen in ancient texts. The air was filled with the scent of herbs, as well as the aroma of earth and grass, so refreshing it made her want to take a deep breath.

"We'll live here from now on," Xiao Yan said, "at least for a while."

"us?"

"Hmm. You need a quiet environment to cultivate the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, and it will also take time for me to suppress the poison power for you. Instead of running around outside, it's better to settle down here."

Little Fairy Doctor's heart skipped a beat.

She couldn't help but imagine the days when she and Xiao Yan would live together undisturbed, and her face flushed slightly.

Xiao Yan, oblivious to her change in expression, had already circled the valley and chosen a sheltered spot on a mountainside as his dwelling. He used his Dou Qi to carve out a simple cave at the foot of the cliff, then brought in some wood from outside to build a makeshift wooden hut.

Although simple, it was enough to keep out the wind and rain.

"It'll have to do for now," he said. "I'll tidy it up when I have time."

Looking at the rough but warm wooden house, Little Fairy Doctor couldn't help but smile.

-

Life in the valley is slow-paced but fulfilling.

Every morning, Little Fairy Doctor would cultivate according to the methods in the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture. Xiao Yan would watch from the side, ready to use the Flame of the Fire God to help her suppress the poison power that might get out of control.

The process of taking the poison was much safer than before. With the guidance of the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, the poison no longer rushed into the meridians recklessly, but instead flowed along specific routes and was absorbed by the body in an orderly manner. In addition, with Xiao Yan's Fire God Flame suppressing and neutralizing excess toxins, Little Fairy Doctor's cultivation efficiency was more than ten times higher than when she was figuring it out on her own.

But the flames of Vulcan are not omnipotent.

"My Vulcan Flame isn't strong enough yet," Xiao Yan said to Little Fairy Doctor one night. "It's fine to suppress these low-level poisons for you now, but once you ingest more and stronger poisons, like when you reach the Dou Huang level, even if the Vulcan Flame can eradicate the poison from your body, it will be very troublesome."

"What should we do then?"

"By then I will definitely be stronger, and eradicating the poison shouldn't be a problem. It will just slow down your growth—I'll spend more time helping you neutralize the toxins, and your cultivation progress will be slower."

Little Fairy Doctor was silent for a moment, then said, "So now I don't need to worry about so much?"

"Yes. As long as your life is not in danger, you can cultivate with peace of mind."

Little Fairy Doctor nodded, her eyes becoming much more determined.

From that day on, she began to cultivate by taking poison more actively. Each time she took the poison, Xiao Yan was by her side, and the Flame of the Fire God helped her suppress and refine it. She only needed to guide the poison's power according to the methods of the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture.

  

Her cultivation level improved noticeably. In just one month, she broke through to the Dou Shi realm. The speed was so fast that even Elder Yao was amazed.

"The Calamity Poison Body is truly something else," Yao Lao exclaimed in the ring. "The speed of cultivation by taking poison is more than ten times faster than normal cultivation. However, if it weren't for the suppression of the Fire God's Flame, this girl would have been devoured by the poison sooner or later."

Every night is the quietest time for the two of them.

Xiao Yan would use the Flame of the Fire God to help Little Fairy Doctor suppress the residual poison after a day of cultivation, a process that usually took half an hour. His palm was placed on her back, and the warm flames flowed slowly along her meridians, soothing the restless poison one by one.

Little Fairy Doctor would always quietly close her eyes and feel that warmth.

Under Xiao Yan's control, the Flame of the God of Fire was not hot or scalding; on the contrary, it was quite warm, like a fireplace in winter or the sunshine in spring. That warmth spread from her back to her limbs, and then back to her heart, making her feel completely relaxed.

Sometimes she would fall asleep during this half hour.

When Xiao Yan discovered she was asleep, he would slow down the rhythm of his flames, only withdrawing his Dou Qi once she was sound asleep. Then he would gently pick up Little Fairy Doctor and place her on the bed, cover her with a blanket, and sit at the cave entrance to keep watch and cultivate.

One day, the old apothecary couldn't help but ask, "You lad, aren't you tired of keeping watch like this every night?"

"Not tired."

"You're quite good at taking care of people."

"Master, I'm alright."

"Hehehe."

-

Two months later, one evening, Little Fairy Doctor returned from washing herbs by the stream and saw Xiao Yan sitting on a rock in front of the wooden house, lost in thought.

"What's wrong?" She walked over and sat down next to him.

"Nothing, just thinking about some things."

"What are you thinking about?"

Xiao Yan glanced at her. The setting sun had turned her white hair golden, her skin glowed white in the warm light, her eyes were bright, and the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned. Compared to when they first met, she smiled much more often.

"Miss you."

Little Fairy Doctor blushed.

"I remember when you were at the Ten Thousand Medicines Hall, you didn't even dare to laugh. I remember how scared you were when you took poison for the first time. I remember the smug look on your face when you told me yesterday after you finished your training, 'I've gotten a little stronger again.'"

His voice was soft, like a stream.

I like you the way you are.

Little Fairy Doctor's face flushed red, as red as the scorpion venom powder she had just prepared.

"W-What did you say...?"

I said, I like you.

Xiao Yan turned his head and looked straight at her. His gaze was serious, without a trace of jest.

"It's not because you need protection, it's not because you're useful to me. It's just that I like you. I like your stubbornness, I like your tough exterior but soft heart, I like your efforts to become stronger."

Little Fairy Doctor's eyes reddened.

She always felt like a burden to others. Her cursed poison body destined her to be different, and destined her to be alone. She dared not get close to people, fearing her poison body would go out of control and hurt them. She dared not rely on others, fearing she would become a burden.

But Xiao Yan is different.

He knew about her poisonous nature from the beginning, but he didn't back down. He helped her suppress the poison, helped her find the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, and helped her cultivate to become stronger. He never let her feel like a burden.

"Me too..." Her voice was very soft, almost inaudible, "...I like you too."

Xiao Yan smiled and reached out to ruffle her hair.

"That's good."

Little Fairy Doctor glared at him with red eyes: "Don't touch my hair! It's all messed up."

"Okay, okay, I won't rub it."

"...You can still massage it in the future."

"Um?"

"It's nothing!"

She turned her head away, her ear tips so red they looked like they could bleed.

The stream gurgled at their feet, and the setting sun cast long, overlapping shadows of the two people.

The old man chuckled twice inside the ring, then wisely remained silent.

-

Days passed by like this.

They cultivate during the day and suppress the poison's power at night. Xiao Yan occasionally ventures deep into the mountains to hunt magical beasts and retrieve their cores and medicinal herbs. Little Fairy Doctor, on the other hand, studies the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture and cultivates the Purple Cloud Wings within the valley, steadily improving her cultivation.

Three months later, Little Fairy Doctor had become an eight-star Dou Shi.

Six months later, she broke through to the level of a three-star Grandmaster.

The speed was so fast that it was rare even in the history of Dou Qi Continent. However, the Calamity Poison Body was already a heaven-defying physique, and with the guidance of the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture system and the suppression and protection of Xiao Yan's Fire God Flame, this speed was actually quite conservative.

The tacit understanding between the two deepened. A single glance, a single gesture, and the other knew what to do. Little Fairy Doctor felt that she was no longer just the one being protected; she could also help Xiao Yan hunt magical beasts and do things for him.

Xiao Yan sometimes thought that if they weren't in such a dangerous world, and if Little Fairy Doctor didn't have the Calamity Poison Body, they would probably live a very ordinary life. A small town, a pharmacy, he concocting medicine and she treating patients, their days were simple but warm.

But this world doesn't allow ordinary people to live peacefully. This world is not kind to the weak.

So he had to become stronger, strong enough to protect her, and everyone he cared about.

Night fell in the valley, and the two sat at the cave entrance gazing at the stars. Little Fairy Doctor leaned on Xiao Yan's shoulder, her white hair shimmering silver in the moonlight.

"Xiao Yan".

"Um?"

"Will we always be like this?"

"Won't."

Little Fairy Doctor's body stiffened for a moment.

"We'll get better," Xiao Yan said. "You'll become stronger and stronger, and so will I. You won't need me to suppress the poison anymore; you'll be able to control it yourself. Then we'll go to more places together and see more scenery."

Little Fairy Doctor didn't speak, but her smile became even brighter, and she leaned a little closer.

Moonlight spilled into the valley, and the stream reflected the starlight; everything was quiet and beautiful.