"I... I..."
Xiao Yi Xian stood there, speechless, as she stared at the utensils dropped by Nalan Yanran in shock. Her face showed disbelief, and she couldn't find the words to explain herself. Helplessly, she turned to look at Gu Changqing for support.
"Mmm, smells so good."
"Why are you looking at me like that? This mushroom soup smells incredible, and with such a beautiful chef like Xiao Yi Xian, even if it's poisoned, I'd happily take my chances. Now, eat up!"
Gu Changqing spoke casually as he poured himself another bowl of soup, unbothered by the previous tension, and began to enjoy it openly.
Seeing Gu Changqing eating with such ease and without a trace of suspicion, Nalan Yanran realized her misunderstanding. Feeling guilty, she quickly apologized to Xiao Yi Xian.
"Xiao Yi Xian, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have doubted you."
Although they hadn't known each other for long, Nalan Yanran had come to realize over time that Xiao Yi Xian was a kind-hearted girl. It was just her recent secretive behavior that had made her suspicious.
"It's okay, really," Xiao Yi Xian waved her hand hurriedly, a touched look in her eyes as she glanced at Gu Changqing.
Even though she knew Gu Changqing was skilled in medicine, his unquestioning trust in her still warmed her heart. Her gaze toward him softened considerably.
"I didn't mean to keep secrets from you both. It's just that..."
Xiao Yi Xian bit her lip, her voice trembling as she looked at the two with a mixture of fear and uncertainty.
"If one day, I become someone everyone despises—someone with the power to poison—would you still want to be my friends?"
"This..."
Nalan Yanran's eyes widened in surprise. She had always thought of poison masters as villains who secretly harmed others. Her impression made it hard to give a definite answer.
"Of course not!"
Gu Changqing's immediate and firm response left no room for hesitation.
Xiao Yi Xian's face went pale as the bowl in her hands fell to the ground. Her fingers dug into her palms as she prepared to leave, her heart heavy with despair.
But then Gu Changqing smiled. He downed his bowl of soup in one go, belching loudly before setting the bowl down. Standing up, he approached Xiao Yi Xian.
He gently lifted her chin with his slender fingers, looking into her eyes with a teasing smile.
"You're too beautiful to just be a friend. How about you and Yanran both become my girlfriends?"
"W-what?!"
Xiao Yi Xian's face instantly flushed red as she stared at Gu Changqing, stunned. Her lips parted slightly, her mind a jumble of emotions. Her beautiful eyes were filled with a mix of embarrassment, frustration, and, surprisingly, a hint of joy.
Embarrassed because of Gu Changqing's bold teasing. Frustrated because even in such a serious moment, he found time to joke around. And joyful because despite everything, Gu Changqing hadn't rejected her or turned his back on her.
"Shameless! Who's your girlfriend? Xiao Yi Xian, don't listen to him. He's just a scoundrel!"
Nalan Yanran stepped forward, grabbing Xiao Yi Xian's hand and offering her comfort.
"Don't worry. As long as you still consider us friends, it doesn't matter what you become. You'll always be one of our best friends."
Though Nalan Yanran had some biases against poison masters, she was willing to believe in Xiao Yi Xian, who had shown her nothing but kindness.
"Yanran, thank you. Thank you both!"
Xiao Yi Xian's eyes filled with tears as she looked at Nalan Yanran and then at Gu Changqing, who stood there as if nothing could ever faze him. The gratitude she felt was overwhelming.
"Alright, no more tears. It's just the Woeful Poison Body, not the end of the world. Stop acting like we're about to be torn apart forever."
Gu Changqing waved his hand dismissively, as if it were a trivial matter.
"You knew?!"
Xiao Yi Xian gasped, staring at Gu Changqing in disbelief.
"What is the Woeful Poison Body?" Nalan Yanran asked, looking confused.
"It's a type of innate poison constitution. People born with it can consume poison to increase their strength. The more potent the poison, the faster they grow. But once the poison in their bodies reaches a certain limit, it will backlash. Their sanity fades, and they become mindless, walking disasters. Everywhere they go, death follows, leaving entire regions uninhabitable. When they die, the poison spreads across a vast area, turning it into a death zone."
Gu Changqing explained with a smile.
"What?!"
Nalan Yanran took a few steps back, her face turning pale as fear filled her eyes.
Xiao Yi Xian's body trembled. She had always known people would reject her because of her condition, but seeing the fear in her friend's eyes still hurt deeply.
"I... I should go..."
Xiao Yi Xian lowered her head, her voice full of sorrow as she turned to leave.
"Come back here."
Gu Changqing's calm voice stopped her in her tracks. He walked over and gently knocked her on the head, making her wince slightly from the light pain. She looked at him with teary, confused eyes.
"I already told you, it's just the Woefl Poison Body. It's not like you're cursed or something. If you leave now, are you planning to go out there and hurt others?" he said teasingly.
"No, I'd never! I never wanted to harm anyone. I just... but..."
Xiao Yi Xian stammered, her voice choked with emotion, unsure of how to explain her inner turmoil.
"I happen to know a method that can suppress the Woeful Poison Body, though it's not exactly the best solution. You can take a look."
Gu Changqing pulled out a scroll from his ring and tossed it to her.
The technique he handed over was a crude method for creating a poison pill. It involved using a combination of Heavenly Flame, a Heaven Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast's core, and Bodhi Saliva to forge a makeshift 'golden pill.' This pill would suppress the poison in Xiao Yi Xian's body but also greatly limit her future growth.
Once her poison surpassed the pill's capacity, the Woeful Poison Body would inevitably explode, and the consequences would be disastrous.
That's why Gu Changqing had called it a terrible method.
The best solution was to cultivate his immortal path. With the special nature of the Woeful Poison Body, once she formed her golden core through this method, it would naturally align with the Dao. Such a core would grow infinitely with the heavens and the earth, with no risk of backlash or explosion.
However, Gu Changqing knew that Xiao Yi Xian needed time to accept all of this.
She had to first understand the true danger of her condition before she could appreciate the value of the path he offered. Only then would she walk further down the road ahead.
If Gu Changqing were more ruthless, he could have simply let her struggle on her own until she had no choice but to accept his help. But that wasn't how he treated his own people.
For those close to him, Gu Changqing showed no such cruelty.