Hydrology of Water

"Stinky Ye Shu, stinky scumbag, bastard, pervert..."

"You maiden-heart-deceiving jerk, disgusting, hateful, abandoning your wife and children, ruthless after getting what you want, refusing to take responsibility after pulling up your pants..."

"Are you ever going to stop scolding me?"

Ye Shu walked out of the Magical Beast Mountain Range with a look of utter helplessness.

Xiaobai, sitting on his shoulder, had been cursing at him ever since they left the courtyard. She hadn't stopped once, and she hadn't even repeated an insult.

"Hmph! I'm going to keep cursing!"

Xiaobai turned her head away in a huff. "You big baddie, all you know is how to trick innocent girls. In less than a day, you swindled Xia Hanmo out of her first kiss!"

"Less than a day!!!"

"According to my original design, you were supposed to be heavily poisoned and fall into a severe coma while protecting her. Then, after agonizing over it, she would reluctantly offer you a kiss."

"Not like how it happened just now!"

"What was I supposed to do?"

Ye Shu looked innocent. "She just kissed me right then and there. I had absolutely no defenses up."

"Couldn't you have pushed her away?"

Seeing him still shirking responsibility made Xiaobai even angrier. She gritted her teeth, her little fists clenched tight. "You promiscuous, unfaithful guy, I hate you the most!"

"Don't even think about getting any more intel from me in the future, hmph!"

What in the world was she even talking about?

Ye Shu was completely dumbfounded.

To think words could be strung together like that.

And what was up with this catching-a-cheating-husband tone of voice!

But seeing Xiaobai looking so wronged, as if her tears were about to fall, he still reached out and gently rubbed her little head. He sighed helplessly, "Alright, this one is on me. It's my fault for not pushing her away in time. I am unchaste, I am disloyal, I am impure, I am unfaithful."

"That's more like it..."

Xiaobai rolled over in his arms, rubbing against him in satisfaction, and comfortably narrowed her eyes. "You're not allowed to do this again. As the Child of Destiny, you must keep yourself clean and honest, understand?"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes."

He had finally coaxed this little princess.

Ye Shu breathed a sigh of relief.

For the upcoming trip to the Dangur Desert, he had a feeling that Xiaobai would be his greatest asset.

But now was not the time to think about that.

Xia Hanmo's problem was still unresolved.

Ye Shu suppressed his emotions and used his spiritual sense to communicate with the ancient ring.

"Master, Master?"

He called out several times before Dan Xia slowly replied with a voice from inside the ring.

"What does big brother want with his little sister?"

"Come on, Master." Ye Shu's mouth twitched. "Why didn't you answer when I just called you?"

Dan Xia's figure materialized, floating before his eyes, but she deliberately turned her face away to avoid looking at him, muttering, "In any case, you have other little sisters who are prettier than me, cuter than me, kinder than me, better at chatting, better at acting spoiled, and better at making you happy. Why should I come out and make a fool of myself?"

"Master, why are you acting like this again?"

Ye Shu looked speechless.

"Look at you!"

Dan Xia's eyes widened. She pointed at him, her cheeks puffed out angrily. "I've barely said a few words, and you already find me annoying. If it were some other little sister here, you would have sweet-talked her a long time ago."

"I wouldn't. Master, don't be like this."

Ye Shu took a deep breath before speaking slowly, "Haven't I told you before? You and I have the best relationship in the world."

"Look!"

Hearing this, Dan Xia snorted lightly, growing even angrier.

"Just look at you! Painting empty promises for me again."

"The best relationship in the world? If it were really the best, would you toss your Master aside to be all lovey-dovey with that Xia Hanmo, gifting her puppets and building houses for her?"

"Have you ever treated me this well?"

"If I actually believed you, I'd probably cry my heart out."

"I..."

Ye Shu was left speechless by her barrage. It took a long while before he sighed, his tone softening. "Master, I really haven't lied to you. In my heart, our master-disciple bond is the absolute best in the world. There's not a single false word in that."

"The heavens and the earth can bear witness to my heart!"

Hearing this, Dan Xia looked disappointed.

Just a master-disciple bond?

No, no, just a master-disciple bond!

You're just worried that little Shu is young and might be tricked by those bad women, so you're just fulfilling your duties as a Master!

After forcefully brainwashing herself, Dan Xia gave a light snort.

"Speak. What did you call me out for?"

"Uh... well, you see..."

Ye Shu rubbed his hands together with an awkward smile. "I just wanted to ask the world's most erudite, knowledgeable, beautiful, generous, broad-minded, gorgeous, and my most beloved Master... how exactly does one control the Calamity Poison Body?"

"Mhm, I love hearing that... Huh?!"

Dan Xia was happily soaking in the first half, but the last sentence completely broke her composure.

"So you only called me out for that woman?"

"You made a promise to her yourself, and after all that, you come looking to me for a solution?"

"I'm just at the Foundation Establishment realm, what kind of solution could I possibly have?"

Ye Shu said with a straight face.

"Heh..."

Dan Xia laughed out of sheer anger. Was there anything more absurd in this world? He actually wanted her to save the very woman who had cuckolded her right to her face!!!

What a joke!

"Controlling the Calamity Poison Body requires three types of Heavenly Flames, supplemented by a highly toxic substance of the sixth tier or higher. Then, an Alchemist of the eighth tier or above must refine it into a Poison Core."

"Upon swallowing this core, the Calamity Poison Body will no longer suffer the heart-devouring pain of the lethal poison, and the user will be able to wield the poison power at will."

"Three Heavenly Flames, a tier-six toxic substance, and an eighth-tier Alchemist. Which of these can a mere Foundation Establishment brat like you get your hands on?"

"And you said you'd find them for her in a year?"

"Wishful thinking!" Dan Xia struck down his hopes mercilessly.

"Then what can I do? I already bragged about it," Ye Shu replied with a bitter face.

Since he had promised someone, he had to do it.

That was his usual style.

No matter how difficult it was.

The conditions for refining the Poison Core seemed harsh.

And in reality, they were indeed very harsh.

"Sigh... Let's just take it one step at a time. Since things have come to this, I might as well eat first." He sighed, took out a gourd bottle, and gulped it down.

"Shu'er, what are you eating?"

Dan Xia asked curiously.

"Poison pills."

Ye Shu wiped his mouth, swallowed the last poison pill, and let out a burp. "I'm just verifying if Xia Hanmo scammed me, so I don't get screwed over when I actually need to use them."

After downing the whole bottle, he felt nothing but a sense of fullness.

"Looks like she didn't scam me."

"The Calamity Poison Body truly lives up to its reputation."

Ye Shu shook his head, but his mind couldn't help recalling Xia Hanmo's flushed face, her big watery eyes, and that sweet first kiss.

Sweet and soft.

It felt as if she were right there in front of him.

"I wonder how she's doing. Speaking of which, if it weren't for all this troublesome crap, living in seclusion with her in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, occasionally going out to heal the sick and save the world, actually wouldn't be so bad..."

Ye Shu muttered to himself as he walked forward, feeling an itch in his heart, constantly thinking about going back to see Xia Hanmo one more time.