301: Where did I go wrong?

[You gently laid Cao Qingyi down on the bed and probed her Meridians with your Divine Sense, which felt like a thin thread.]

[Upon close inspection, your brows knit together—the poison had spread throughout her Meridians, tangled like dark vines strangling a tree.]

[Fortunately, it had not yet invaded her heart Meridians or internal organs, so it was still salvageable.]

[You gathered your focus, and strands of pure Primordial Spirit Power slowly flowed from your palms into her body, moving like a gentle stream along her Meridians.]

[This power drove out and gathered the scattered, lurking toxins one by one.]

[Under the pressure of your Primordial Spirit Power, the toxins retreated step by step, first gathering in her limbs and then contracting toward the extremities.]

[You guided them to her fingertips and, using the same method, forced the remaining toxins down to the tips of her toes.]

[Seeing that her fingertips had turned a deep purple, you shaped your fingers into a blade and sliced through the air—]

[Sshhh!]

[Fine droplets of black blood, thick as ink, oozed from the base of her ten fingernails and dripped to the floor.]

[Immediately after, venom also seeped from her toes and beneath her lips, and a fishy, turbid stench faintly permeated the hall.]

[Your expression remained unchanged as you continued to channel your Primordial Spirit Power, slowly forcing out the pools of stagnant poison within her abdomen.]

[Until her complexion turned pale, but a hint of light red finally appeared on her lips.]

[After repeating this several times, most of the toxins in her body had been cleared.]

[However, this poison was quite devious and seemed to have the ability to regenerate—even if only a sliver remained, it could quietly corrode her spiritual power and transform into new poison.]

[You pondered for a moment and came to a decision—]

[The only way was to fight poison with poison.]

[You leaned down, pressed your lips gently against hers, bit your tongue, and slowly transferred your own blood into her mouth.]

[Once the blood containing the Ice-Fire Evil Poison entered her body, you felt through your Divine Sense that it was like ink dropping into clear water—your domineering poison began to crazily devour the remaining toxins within her.]

[In just a few short moments, all the residual toxins had been devoured.]

[However, you had not yet fully mastered the method to neutralize your own virulent poison.]

[But you had long since prepared a countermeasure for this.]

[So you raised your hand and slowly undid her collar...]

[The Rising Sun ascended, and the morning light began to filter through,]

[A ray of morning light passed through the lattice window, landing on Cao Qingyi's cheek, making her skin appear as bright and pure as the moon.]

[You sat upright on the edge of the bed, focusing your attention to probe the condition inside her body.]

[A moment later, her eyelashes fluttered, and she slowly awoke.]

[She immediately peered inward with her Divine Sense and discovered that the toxins in her body had been completely cleared; she only felt a gentle, peaceful energy circulating in her abdomen, identical to that warm current from last time.]

[She seemed to recall something, lowered her head with flushed cheeks, and slowly sat up to begin dressing.]

[You looked at her, feeling somewhat awkward, and explained: "The poison in your body... this was the only way to neutralize it."]

[She nodded gently, her tone calm: "The result is the best explanation; there is no need to say more."]

[Immediately after, she seemed to remember something, and her expression tightened: "By the way, my father... did he return?"]

["Ah, y-yes," you quickly replied, your words carrying a hint of panic, "The City Lord said he had urgent business and has already left in a hurry. He instructed not to make a fuss, so as not to alert others."]

[You spoke very quickly, giving her almost no room to interject.]

[She lowered her eyes and remained silent, seemingly in thought; you could not tell if she believed you or was suspicious.]

["Rest well; I'll head out first." You turned to leave.]

[She did not try to stop you, only raising her eyes to look at your retreating back, whispering to herself: "Why did Father... not kill him? Could it be... that Father also approves of him?"]

[Thinking of this, the corners of her lips lifted involuntarily, revealing a bright, spring-like smile that had never been seen before.]

[As for the Soul Transformation level of power you displayed yesterday, she assumed it was because her father had successfully achieved a Soul Transformation Breakthrough, which was why he had returned.]

[After you stepped out of the sleeping quarters, you ran head-on into the rushing Cao Tianxiong.]

[He stared at you, his eyes cold: "Why are you coming out of my sister's room so early in the morning?"]

[Cao Tianxiong was full of surprise—never in his life had a man walked out of his sister's boudoir.]

[Even he himself did not dare to step in casually.]

["Your sister was injured last night, so I helped her inside to rest. Don't let your imagination run wild." You answered casually.]

[Cao Tianxiong raised a hand and poked you in the chest, lowering his voice: "Kid, you'd better put away any thoughts you shouldn't have, understand?"]

["What thoughts?" You feigned confusion.]

["I am a man too; I know best what a man thinks." He sneered, "If I find out you've harbored any improper intentions... be careful, or I'll cripple you."]

[Just as his voice fell, a cold reprimand came from the sleeping quarters: "Cao Tianxiong, get lost immediately. If I find out you go to the Fairy Maiden Tower again, I will break your legs."]

[Cao Tianxiong shuddered all over and hurriedly shouted toward the room: "Sister, I'm glad you're okay! I—I'm leaving now!"]

[After saying this, he ran off in a flash without looking back.]

[Watching his panicked retreating figure, you couldn't help but recall your own dissolute years—back then, you also often ran to Tianxiang Pavilion, every few days, never tiring of it.]

[This Cao Tianxiong was exactly like you back then.]

[It was just that he frequented the "Fairy Maiden Tower," which was second to none in Tianyang City—the establishment was full of female Cultivators with extraordinary looks, famous throughout the region.]

[You couldn't help but feel that indulging in such sensual pleasures was merely wasting time and wearing away one's life; it was utterly meaningless.]

[Time slipped away quietly, and another few days passed,]

[The incident of Cao Qingyi's attack seemed as if it had never happened—the number of assassination attempts she had experienced since childhood was countless, and she seemed to have grown accustomed to it.]

[But this time, it was indeed more dangerous than ever before.]

[This day, Cao Qingyi wore a face of frost and stormed straight into the famous "Fairy Maiden Tower" in the city.]

[She headed straight for a private room on the top floor and blasted the door open with a palm strike.]

[Bang!]

[Immediately after, several cries of alarm rang out, and a few disheveled female Cultivators were tossed out of the private room one after another by a gentle force.]

[From inside the room, Cao Tianxiong's pig-like squeals for mercy immediately rang out:]

["Sister! Spare me!"]

["Ouch—!"]

["It hurts, it hurts... Sister, I won't dare do it next time!"]

[Cao Qingyi's face was livid; she grabbed Cao Tianxiong by the ear, her voice as cold as ice: "Tianxiong, Qi is the foundation of cultivation and the root of the Dao."]

["By indulging yourself like this, how can you face Father, and how can you face your younger brother?"]

["If I had known you were so pathetic, we should never have transplanted our third brother's Spiritual Root and Saint Body to you!"]

[Being pulled by her, Cao Tianxiong's rebellious spirit was ignited instead; he stiffened his neck and roared: "Did I beg you to switch them?! It was you and Father who insisted on forcing them onto me!"]

[Hearing this, you stepped into the private room and closed the door behind you.]

[Immediately, you flicked your sleeve, and a pale gold barrier silently expanded, completely isolating the sounds inside from the outside.]

[Cao Tianxiong clutched his face and glared at you: "What are you coming in here for? Get out!"]

[You paid him no mind.]

[Cao Qingyi raised her hand and slapped him again—]

[Slap!]

[Cao Tianxiong was slapped until his body spun, and he stumbled a few steps before barely managing to stand steady.]

[With your keen eyes, you could naturally see that his steps were unsteady and his eyes were dull; he was clearly suffering from excessive depletion of his vital essence.]

[Even as a Golden Core Cultivator, he could not withstand such immoderate squandering.]

[Cao Qingyi said angrily: "Do you still not know you are wrong?"]

["Sister... I know I was wrong!" Cao Tianxiong clutched his face, his voice cracking.]

["Where did you go wrong?"]

["Huh? I—where did I go wrong?" He was momentarily speechless and couldn't answer.]