131: A woman plagued by misfortune, yet capable of healing her wounded emotions.

Following the strong guidance from the black iron and the summons Medusa felt, the two left their temporary mountain cave and ventured deeper into the valley.

The deeper they went, the more desolate and deathly silent the surroundings became. The bones on the ground grew larger, and some even retained a terrifying energy pressure that made one's heart palpitate, indicating the formidable strength of their owners in life. The violent energy permeating the air also grew thicker, mixed with Evil Qi and an aura of deathly silence, causing the black iron within Li Ao's body to slightly warm, transmitting a sense of joy as if it were in its element.

Medusa's perception also became clearer; her purple eyes flickered with doubt and anticipation: "That summons... it's very peculiar. It's not directed at my Bloodline; it's more like a... resonance of shared suffering? As if some ancient existence, imprisoned here, is crying for help."

Li Ao nodded; he had a similar feeling. The black iron's guidance wasn't pointing to some treasure; it was more like leading him to a certain "place," or rather, to "meet" something.

After walking for about half an hour, a more bizarre area appeared ahead. The land there was an ominous gray-purple, and faint colored mists drifted in the air. Where the mists passed, even the hard bones made a "sizzling" sound, being slowly corroded.

"Be careful, this mist is highly poisonous!" Medusa's expression tightened, and Seven-Colored Dou Qi spontaneously formed a barrier around her, isolating the approaching poisonous mist.

Li Ao also activated the Bone Chilling Flame; the bone-white flames swirled around him, and the strange poisonous mist, upon touching the Strange Fire, immediately melted away like ice and snow meeting the sun. The Strange Fire, by its very nature, was the bane of all poisons in the world.

"To form such a large-scale poisonous miasma in this place, it's definitely not natural," Li Ao's gaze sharply penetrated the depths of the poisonous miasma. "There's probably something inside."

Just as he finished speaking, from the depths of the poisonous miasma, a suppressed, pained whimper, like that of an injured young Demonic Beast, suddenly came, followed by an extremely unstable energy fluctuation filled with destruction and death, which violently erupted!

Boom!

The gray-purple poisonous miasma violently churned like a lake into which a huge stone had been thrown, and a slender figure in a plain white dress stumbled out from the core of the poisonous miasma, falling to the ground. She curled up, trembling all over, her exposed skin a sickly gray-white intertwined with strange seven-colored patterns. A heart-palpitating poisonous Qi uncontrollably spread from her body, corroding the ground around her into pits and hollows.

"This is... the Calamity Poison Body?!" Li Ao's pupils contracted sharply as he recognized this terrifying Physique, which was considered a taboo even on the Fighting Qi Continent.

What shocked him even more was that the struggling woman before him was none other than Xiao Yi Xian, whom he had met once in the Magical Beast Mountain Range of the Jia Ma Empire years ago and who had given him Medicinal Pills!

However, at this moment, she no longer possessed her former gentle and kind temperament; instead, she was beautiful and desperate, tormented by poison and on the verge of collapse. Her once clear eyes were now filled with pain and struggle, and a hint of deep-seated unwillingness.

"It's her?" Medusa also raised an eyebrow slightly, clearly recognizing Xiao Yi Xian. Back in the Jia Ma Empire, she had also heard of this woman with the Calamity Poison Body.

"Ah—!" Xiao Yi Xian let out a pained shriek as the poisonous Qi within her body erupted uncontrollably again. The seven-colored poison patterns spread across her skin like living things, threatening to completely engulf her consciousness and turn her into a poison creature that knew only destruction.

Just then, Li Ao moved.

He didn't hesitate at all; his figure flashed, and he appeared beside Xiao Yi Xian. The Bone Chilling Flame retracted into his body. He didn't use the Strange Fire to forcibly suppress it, because he knew that would only exacerbate the backlash of the Calamity Poison Body.

He made a move that even surprised Medusa—he directly reached out and took Xiao Yi Xian's cold little hand, which was tightly clenched in pain, her nails digging deep into her palm.

"Xiao Yi Xian! Hold on!" Li Ao shouted in a low voice, his voice carrying a peculiar calming power.

At the same time, he carefully guided the dormant wisp of Nirvana Origin power within his body, not activating its destructive properties, but rather using its "ending" and "returning to nothingness" connotations, like a precise filter, slowly transferring it into Xiao Yi Xian's body.

The Nirvana Origin, which ends all things, naturally included this uncontrolled, violent poisonous energy!

The Calamity Poison Qi, which had been rampaging within Xiao Yi Xian's body, attempting to annihilate her vitality, upon encountering this higher-level Nirvana Origin, became much more docile, as if it had met a monarch! Although still violent, its destructive impact was greatly weakened, as if it had been forcibly "pacified."

Xiao Yi Xian's trembling body gradually subsided, and the wildly spreading seven-colored poison patterns on her skin slowly receded. She laboriously lifted her eyelids, and in her blurred vision, Li Ao's resolute and concerned face appeared.

"It's... it's you..." Her voice was weak and hoarse, filled with disbelief. In this desperate place, she had actually encountered an old acquaintance, and... the other party seemed to possess the power to restrain her desperate Physique?

Li Ao didn't answer, concentrating fully on controlling that tiny wisp of Nirvana Origin power, carefully untangling the chaotic poisonous Qi within her body. This process was extremely mentally taxing, and soon, fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Medusa stood by, quietly watching this scene. She looked at Li Ao's focused profile, watching him expend great mental effort, even using that dangerous Origin power for another woman. A complex emotion flashed in her purple eyes. There was a faint displeasure, but also a hint of understanding. She understood Li Ao; she knew he wasn't a philanderer, and this action was more out of a sense of friendship and chivalry. Moreover, if this Calamity Poison Body could be controlled, it might not be a powerful asset.

She let out a soft snort, not disturbing them, but instead vigilantly guarded the surroundings, preventing any potential dangers.

Time passed bit by bit.

The poisonous Qi within Xiao Yi Xian's body was finally temporarily pacified. Her complexion regained a hint of color; although still pale, the uncontrolled destructive aura had disappeared. She stared blankly at Li Ao, who was still holding her hand, feeling the strange and reassuring power emanating from his palm, as well as the sweat on his forehead. The softest part of her heart seemed to be touched.

For years, because of the Calamity Poison Body, she had endured scorn and fear, forced to wander alone, constantly battling the demon within her. Never had anyone dared to approach her so closely when her poison Physique erupted, let alone hold her hand and help her at such a cost.

An unprecedented sense of security and warmth surged into her heart.

Subconsciously, she gently squeezed Li Ao's hand back.

Li Ao felt her movement, looked down, and met her eyes, which had regained some clarity but were misty with tears and gratitude.

Their eyes met, and the air seemed to gain a subtle hint of ambiguity and flutter.

"Thank you... You saved me again," Xiao Yi Xian's voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum, with a hint of shyness.

Li Ao released her hand, his tone calm: "It was nothing. Your Calamity Poison Body seems to have reached a critical stage, and the special environment here exacerbated its eruption."

Xiao Yi Xian nodded, her expression dim: "I originally wanted to use the deathly silent energy here to suppress the poison Physique, but I didn't expect it to trigger an even more violent backlash... If not for you..."

"This place is not suitable for long stays. Although the poisonous miasma has temporarily subsided, its source is unresolved," Medusa's cold voice came, interrupting the atmosphere between the two. "Since you're awake, tell us about the situation here, and why you are in this place?"

Xiao Yi Xian then noticed the peerlessly beautiful and powerfully auraed Medusa beside them, quickly stood up, and bowed slightly: "Queen Medusa." She collected her thoughts and began to recount her experiences.

It turned out that in order to control her Calamity Poison Body, she had been searching for Opportunities everywhere. She accidentally learned that in this desperate place called the "Ancient Domain of Extinction," there might be ancient objects that could balance or even resolve her poison Physique. She ventured in, but was trapped here for many years, barely suppressing her poison Physique with the special environment and Medicinal Pills she refined, until this complete loss of control.

"Ancient objects?" Li Ao's heart stirred, sensing the increasingly strong guidance from the black iron within his body. The direction seemed consistent with where Xiao Yi Xian said ancient objects might exist.

"It seems our goal might be the same," Li Ao looked at Xiao Yi Xian. "The hidden danger of the poison Physique within you has not been eradicated, only temporarily suppressed. If you trust me, you can come with us; perhaps we can find a way to completely resolve your Physique problem."

Xiao Yi Xian looked at Li Ao, and with almost no hesitation, she nodded gently: "I trust you."

In the desperate land, the three traveled, their goal directed at the unknown ancient objects. And between Li Ao and Xiao Yi Xian, a subtle affection, born from a life-saving grace and shared suffering, quietly sprouted.