"Y-you, hold me tighter... I-I'm still cold."
Xiao Xiao lowered her head, speaking with a hint of embarrassment.
An Yi, feigning reluctance on the surface, tightened his embrace around her soft, delicate frame.
The two held each other so closely that there was almost no space between them. He could even catch the faint, pleasant fragrance of her hair.
The warmth and softness of her body pressed tightly against him made An Yi involuntarily swallow hard.
This girl was truly a rare beauty.
Under the gaze of the crowd, Xiao Xiao decided to throw caution to the wind.
The cold was unbearable—it felt like her blood had frozen solid, the pain excruciating.
Compared to that, being stared at in public seemed trivial.
Besides, this guy was ridiculously handsome! It wasn’t exactly a loss for her.
Zhang Qianyu was on the verge of a breakdown. "Wait, you two—what are you—"
"D-don’t misunderstand! I’m just using him as a heater!" Xiao Xiao stammered, her face flushed.
Never in her life had she imagined she’d end up embracing a guy she’d just met.
But An Yi’s embrace was impossibly warm. The bone-chilling cold that had gripped her body melted away in an instant.
It was like falling into an icy abyss, only to suddenly find herself wrapped in a heated blanket, basking in the warmth of a fire—utterly intoxicating.
Thud!
At that moment, a plump Taoist priest who had also been poisoned by the snake venom collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
His face had turned a sickly shade of purple.
He wasn’t the only one. Others, too, were pale and ghastly, their complexions worsening by the second.
Only Jiang Cheng, whose strength was formidable, managed to hold on, using his inner energy to resist the venom.
"Senior Brother Zhang Peng!"
Seeing the poisoned Taoist collapse, Xiao Xiao immediately broke free from An Yi’s arms and rushed over.
"Quick, An Yi, hold him!"
She dragged the unconscious priest toward An Yi, urgency in her voice.
An Yi: "..."
That wasn’t exactly his preference.
"Uh... I-I can’t hold him like this," An Yi hesitated.
He really didn’t want to.
But the expectant gazes of the crowd bore into him.
Fine, fine.
With a long sigh, An Yi retrieved a set of silver needles from his storage space.
"Open his collar," he said, rolling up his sleeves.
Someone stepped forward and loosened the priest’s robes.
In the next moment, An Yi’s needles flashed as they struck precise points across the man’s body.
Before long, the priest’s torso was lined with silver needles.
Thump!
An Yi delivered a firm strike to his back, channeling fiery spiritual energy into him.
Gag!
The priest’s face flickered between shades before he suddenly vomited a thick, black substance.
"Senior Brother Zhang, how are you feeling?" Xiao Xiao handed him a handkerchief.
Zhang Peng wiped his mouth, gasping for breath. The purple hue had faded from his face, replaced by a more natural pallor.
"I... I think I’m better. Just a bit weak," he said, surprised.
Xiao Xiao shot An Yi a sharp look.
So he knew how to cure the venom all along?!
And yet he’d held her for so long—
"Next! Quit dawdling—time is life!"
An Yi assumed an air of solemn authority, his tone stern.
A second poisoned priest was brought before him.
Another mesmerizing display of acupuncture followed.
Every movement An Yi made carried an effortless grace, exuding a unique charm.
The second priest spat out blackened blood, his complexion improving almost instantly.
"Next!"
An Yi sterilized the needles with a flicker of flame before continuing.
Soon, all five affected priests had been treated.
Finally, it was Jiang Cheng’s turn.
"Who would’ve thought the leader of the Asura Sect possessed such extraordinary medical skills? You’ve kept this talent well-hidden."
Jiang Cheng watched An Yi’s movements with a faint smile.
Though no expert in medicine himself, he could recognize mastery when he saw it.
An Yi’s needle technique alone was unparalleled in all of Xia.
"You flatter me," An Yi replied humbly. "I’m not that impressive. I’m also a singer, and I’m pretty damn good at basketball."
Jiang Cheng: "..."
"You’ve reached the Void Realm, haven’t you?"
Jiang Cheng’s narrowed eyes sharpened as he studied An Yi.
The Void Realm—the pinnacle of martial prowess in Xia.
Those who attained it stood among the nation’s elite warriors.
An Yi arched a brow. "Not sure. What’s it to you?"
"Fight me."
Jiang Cheng’s gaze hardened, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes.
"To determine who stands above—and who dies."
In some ways, he was a madman.
His pride refused to tolerate a rival.
"Agh!"
Suddenly, Jiang Cheng let out a pained cry.
"Oops. My hand slipped. Wrong acupuncture point."
An Yi calmly withdrew the needle and continued, smiling. "What were you saying?"
Jiang Cheng’s forehead beaded with cold sweat.
This bastard did that on purpose!
"N-never mind."
He gritted his teeth.
I’ll have to plan my challenge more carefully.
After Jiang Cheng expelled the venom, only Xiao Xiao remained.
She glared at An Yi, clearly still annoyed.
Ahem. "Your turn," An Yi said, clearing his throat awkwardly.
This time, he refrained from any mischief, treating her properly.
Xiao Xiao coughed up black blood, her complexion brightening.
The icy grip on her body vanished completely.
The return of warmth made the world feel vibrant again.
"Thanks," she said softly, meeting his gaze with sincerity.
"Oh? Not mad anymore?" An Yi teased.
"Of course I’m still mad!"
She shot him a fiery glare.
Not only had he shamelessly taken advantage of her, but he’d done it in front of all her fellow Taoist Union members.
Her reputation was probably ruined!
"But... you defeated the Water Demon of the Hundred Ghosts Sect and saved all of us. That’s a debt we can’t ignore."
Xiao Xiao pressed her lips together, her tone firm. "The Taoist Union owes you. If you ever need anything, I’ll do my best to repay you."
An Yi chuckled.
This girl knows how to separate personal grudges from duty.
She then pointed a warning finger at him. "But don’t you dare use that as an excuse to grope me again!"
An Yi: "..."
Slander!
Outright slander!
As a scholar of Donghai University, how could he possibly stoop to such vulgar behavior?
"Brother An Yi, may I ask where you learned your fire-attributed spiritual techniques?"
A lean, sharp-eyed Taoist—Wu Senior Brother—stepped forward, his voice cold.
Xiao Xiao quickly interjected, "Wu Senior Brother!"
An Yi smirked. "I learned it after watching Miss Xiao Xiao demonstrate it once."
To him, such a basic spiritual art was child’s play.
"You mastered it after one glance?"
The Taoists exchanged stunned looks.
This was a secret technique of the Azure Sky Pavilion!
Even Xiao Xiao, a prodigy, had taken a month to learn it!
And this guy picked it up instantly?
Xiao Xiao suddenly recalled something—An Yi had also wielded flames effortlessly.
In fact, his control surpassed hers.
Could it be...
She gasped. "Y-you’re also a Natural Dao Body?!"