The Fire Elder remained silent for a long moment, his fingers lightly tapping against the armrest as he carefully processed everything Xiao Feng had just revealed, his gaze shifting between Xiao Feng and Xiao Yi Xian as if trying to see through them completely.
Then suddenly—
He paused.
His eyes narrowed slightly, as if a crucial detail had just surfaced in his mind.
"You said earlier…" he began slowly, his voice lowering but growing sharper with interest, "that she has already stepped onto the path of an alchemist… didn't you?"
"How is that possible?" the Fire Elder asked, this time more directly, leaning slightly forward. "A Calamity Poison Body should be dominated by poison. It should disrupt balance, not create it."
Xiao Feng did not hesitate.
He stepped forward calmly, his expression unchanged, as if explaining something he had already calculated long ago.
"Normally, that would be true," he said.
"The Calamity Poison Body continuously generates poison energy. That poison spreads through the body, making stability extremely difficult, especially for something as precise as alchemy."
He paused briefly, allowing them to follow his reasoning.
"But…"
"I did not let her body remain in that state."
The elders' expressions sharpened.
Xiao Feng continued, his tone steady and clear.
"I used a method to introduce wood attribute Qi into her body… to counterbalance the poison."
A slight stir ran through the room.
"Wood Qi?" one elder repeated.
Xiao Feng nodded.
"Poison originates from decay… but it also has a connection with life energy," he explained. "Wood attribute energy naturally contains vitality. If guided properly, it can suppress, regulate, and even harmonize poison instead of letting it run wild."
He raised his hand slightly, outlining the process step by step.
"I used the Green Lotus Core Seeds, formed during the birth of the Green Lotus Core Flame."
"They contain rich vitality and pure wood attribute essence."
"I refined them into medicinal pills—"
"Specialized pills designed not just for healing… but for attribute transformation."
The elders' eyes widened slightly.
"Attribute transformation through pills…?"
"Yes," Xiao Feng replied calmly.
"After she consumed them, the wood attribute energy began integrating into her meridians… slowly forming a secondary balance within her body."
He paused briefly, then continued.
"At the same time—"
"I guided her to extract the poison generated within her body… instead of letting it accumulate."
Xiao Yi Xian stood quietly, listening, her eyes slightly lowered but focused.
"The poison is not wasted," Xiao Feng said.
"It is redirected."
"During alchemy, she uses that poison as an additional refining force—burning away impurities far more aggressively than normal flames."
"Then, before the final condensation stage…"
"She isolates the medicinal essence completely—"
"And removes all remaining poison."
Silence filled the room.
then the elder fire spoke slowly, almost in disbelief.
"So… she uses poison as fuel… but never allows it to contaminate the final product?"
"Exactly," Xiao Feng said.
but elder fire frowned slightly, deep in thought.
"That level of control… requires extremely high soul strength."
"I've already taught her basic soul cultivation," Xiao Feng replied.
The Fire Elder's eyes lit up.
"And the results?"
Xiao Feng glanced at Xiao Yi Xian briefly before answering.
"She has already refined a first-grade medicinal pill successfully."
"In just weeks…?"
Xiao Feng nodded once.
"With her current progress, reaching the peak of second-grade before long is not difficult."
At this point—
The Fire Elder slowly stood up.
His expression had completely changed.
This was no longer just about a rare constitution.
This was…
A perfect combination of talent, guidance, and potential.
"I want to take her as my disciple," he said directly.
"Not just because of her Calamity Poison Body…"
He looked directly at Xiao Yi Xian.
"But because she has already learned how to control it."
"And because she has the foundation of an alchemist…"
"And…"
He briefly glanced at Xiao Feng, a faint knowing smile appearing.
"She is someone you value."
Xiao Yi Xian's cheeks flushed slightly, but she did not deny it.
Xiao Feng remained calm, neither accepting nor rejecting immediately.
The Fire Elder, however, had already made up his mind.
"This matter is too important."
Without another word—
He took out a summoning token.
And crushed it.
A faint light spread outward, carrying a signal far beyond the room.
"I will call the Grand Elder," he said.
"And the Acting Dean."
Moments later—
A powerful aura descended.
The flame within the chamber flickered ever so slightly, not because of any wind, but because the very air itself had begun to shift, turning heavy and dense as an overwhelming pressure silently descended from above, pressing down like an invisible mountain. The space grew quiet—too quiet—as if even sound itself hesitated to move freely under that presence. And then, without warning, without disturbance, a figure appeared, as though he had always been standing there from the very beginning.
It was Su Qian, the Acting Dean of Canaan Academy, and the moment he arrived, the entire atmosphere seemed to stabilize around him, as if even the world acknowledged his authority. His gaze moved slowly across the room, calm yet absolute, sweeping past Xiao Feng before settling on Xiao Yi Xian, his eyes sharp and deep as though they could see through her body, her meridians, even the very nature of her existence.
"What is so urgent?" he asked, his voice not loud, yet carrying a weight that made even the steady flame in the chamber seem to dim slightly.
The Fire Elder stepped forward immediately, wasting no time, and began explaining everything in full detail—the nature of the Calamity Poison Body, its terrifying growth potential, the inevitable destruction it would bring if left unchecked, and then the method Xiao Feng had already devised. He spoke of the introduction of wood attribute Qi through specially refined pills, the process of stabilizing the poison rather than suppressing it, the use of poison during alchemy as a refining tool, and finally the long-term solution that Xiao Feng had prepared.
When the explanation ended, silence fell once more, but this time it was deeper, heavier, filled with thought rather than doubt, because this was no longer just a matter of talent or cultivation—it was something that touched the very limits of what was possible.
Su Qian did not speak immediately. His gaze remained fixed on Xiao Yi Xian, unwavering and penetrating, as if evaluating every aspect of her existence. Only after a long moment did he speak again, his tone calm yet carrying undeniable authority. "Calamity Poison Body… left alone, it leads only to destruction. But guided correctly… it becomes a weapon."
His eyes shifted toward Xiao Feng, not questioning, but testing. "You claim to have a method to control it."
Xiao Feng stepped forward calmly and answered without hesitation, his voice steady like that of a teacher explaining a principle rather than a student defending a claim. "Yes. The first step is balance. The poison cannot be suppressed directly—if forced, it will only rebound more violently. So instead, I introduced wood attribute Qi into her body using pills refined from Green Lotus Core Seeds. The wood energy does not fight the poison, it regulates it, stabilizing the internal flow and preventing uncontrolled outbreaks."
Su Qian listened without interruption, his gaze unwavering.
"The second step is release," Xiao Feng continued. "The poison must not be allowed to accumulate. It is continuously extracted—during alchemy, during cultivation, and even through controlled breathing cycles. Instead of being a burden, it becomes something that can be managed."
"And the third step?" Su Qian asked, his tone sharper now.
"Control," Xiao Feng replied. "A Strange Flame is required. It acts as the final suppressor and purifier, allowing her to refine poison without being consumed by it, ensuring that even as the poison grows stronger, it remains within controllable limits."
A brief silence followed before Su Qian asked the final question, his voice quieter, yet more focused than before. "And the ultimate solution?"
Xiao Feng met his gaze directly. "When she reaches Dou Zong, I will use the Strange Flame in combination with high-grade medicinal pills to completely refine and integrate the poison into her body, turning it from a destructive force into a controllable source of power."
The chamber fell completely silent. Even the flame seemed to still, as if the world itself was waiting for a decision. Xiao Yi Xian stood quietly in the center of it all, her fate being weighed at a level far beyond her current understanding.
Finally, Su Qian spoke. "This method is dangerous… but it is not reckless." His gaze returned to Xiao Yi Xian. "As long as the first two stages are maintained, she will not lose control before reaching Dou Zong. And if your final method succeeds… then she can be saved."
Those simple words carried finality. A decision had been made.
Su Qian straightened slightly, his presence firm and unquestionable. "Very well. She will be placed under the academy's protection. Resources will be allocated without restriction, her cultivation will be monitored personally, and her guidance…" he paused briefly before glancing at the Fire Elder, "…will be entrusted to you."
The Fire Elder nodded immediately.
Then Su Qian's gaze returned to Xiao Feng, this time carrying a trace of approval. "And you will remain involved in her development." It was not a suggestion—it was a decision.
Because at this point, this was no longer just about one girl.
This was something that could redefine limits themselves.
And Xiao Yi Xian… stood at the very center of it all.
If the Calamity Poison Body could truly be cured and the news spread, Canaan Academy's status would skyrocket. They might soon boast a Dou Zong—or perhaps even a Dou Zun—as an elder within just a few years.
Su Qian was lost in this thought when Xiao Feng suddenly asked, his voice calm but carrying a subtle weight:"Do they know anything new about the strange flames—the 21st flame on the ranking list, the Ghostly Poison Fire?"
Su Qian's brow furrowed. "No… nothing."
Xiao Feng's eyes flickered as he recalled something. With quiet confidence, he revealed his own achievement: his refined strange flame, ranked 22nd on the list, named the Ten Thousand Beast Fire.
Shock rippled through Su Qian and Elder Fire. Their hearts skipped a beat. They had seen strange flames before—the Inner Academy's Fallen Heart Flame, ranked 14th, was proof of that—but never, not in a thousand years, would they have imagined that a student from the Outer Academy could not only carry such a flame but also refine it.
Even at the very bottom of the ranking, the audacity of this feat was astonishing. The mere existence of Xiao Feng's Ten Thousand Beast Fire sent tremors through the academy, hinting at the boundless potential of the young cultivator before them.
Xiao Feng then added, almost casually, that he was now able to refine 5th-grade pills and had reached the Dou Spirit stage.
But because of the urgent news, neither Elder Fire nor Su Qian paid much attention to Xiao Feng's cultivation level.
Both Su Qian and Elder Fire were stunned.
Only now did they truly notice Xiao Feng's aura. Even before entering the Inner Academy, he had already reached the Dou Spirit level.
Su Qian let out a slow breath, his eyes filled with astonishment.
"To reach such a level at your age… your talent is extraordinary."
Elder Fire nodded in agreement, his expression turning serious.
"Not just in cultivation," he added, "but also in alchemy. Being able to refine 5th-grade pills at this stage… your talent can be compared to the geniuses of the Central Plains."
Hearing their words, Xiao Feng remained calm, though a faint smile appeared on his face.
Su Qian looked at him for a long moment before speaking again, his tone carrying a hint of decisiveness.
"Xiao Feng, if you win first place in the Inner Academy Selection Competition…"
He paused briefly, then continued:
"I will allow you to choose two items from the Library Pavilion—anything you desire."
Xiao Feng's eyes lit up instantly.
He cupped his fists respectfully and said with firm determination,
"Dean Su, I will definitely win first place in the competition!"
Elder Fire chuckled softly from the side.
"In that case, you don't need to worry about registration. I've already applied for your participation in the selections."
He waved his hand casually and added,
"All you need to do is show up at the fighting arena four days from now."
Xiao Feng nodded. "Understood."
With everything settled, he cupped his fists once more.
"Then I will take my leave."
Su Qian gave a slight nod, while Elder Fire smiled faintly.
Xiao Feng turned and left, taking Xiao Yi Xian with him as they headed back to their courtyard to rest, quietly preparing for the battle that would soon come.
after the three day the Competition has officially started.