Qian Yu woke up the next day, his arm feeling a little numb with Zhao Xieren sleeping on it. 

“Ahh, pure yin is truly refreshing,” Qian Yu was always marveled by how much pure yin qi helped him. 

Closing his eyes, he started refining the yin qi as he waited for Zhao Xieren to wake up. 

Coupled with the battles in the afternoon and at night, it was close to lunchtime when Zhao Xieren woke up.

*rustle rustle* Zhao Xieren started stirring by his side. 

“Good morning!” Qian Yu opened his eyes and turned his attention to Zhao Xieren. 

*Yawn* “Hello Qian Yu,” Zhao Xieren stretched her arms. 

“Ah!” She jumped, pulling the bed sheets with her. 

“Q-qian Yu!” Zhao Xieren finally remembered the events of yesterday night. 

“Yes?” Qian Yu smiled seeing her shyness. 

“W-what are you doing here!” Zhao Xieren yelled. 

“Hehe, I-” Qian Yu scratched his nose, covering his smile. 

*Bonk* However, he was interrupted as he got kicked off the bed by Zhao Xieren. 

“G-get out! I need to wash up!” Zhao Xieren hid her face behind the bed sheets. 

“Alright alright, I’ll leave,” Qian Yu held in his laughter as he grabbed his clothes and left the room. 

Standing outside her pavilion, Qian Yu started training with Transcending Lightning Step as he waited for her. 

*Click* After an hour, the door opened as Zhao Xieren appeared after bathing herself and changing into a new set of robes. 

“Shall we go?” Qian Yu walked up and put forward his hand. 

Zhao Xieren took a few seconds as she understood the gesture and gave Qian Yu her hand. Taking their time, the couple left the sect as they headed towards Zhen Yue and Sun Hong. 

“Congratulations master! You too, sister Zhao!” Zhen Yue was ecstatic as she heard Qian Yu explain the results of the tournament. 

“Hmph, if you failed to make it through, I would have beaten you up,” Sun Hong joked. 

“Will we just be training for a month?” Zhen Yue wondered. 

“Yes, there is nothing better to do,” Qian Yu answered. 

“Anyways, let’s eat,” Qian Yu brought out the box of dumplings he had brought on the way here. 

‘Come out, Xinyi,’ Qian Yu called out Tian Xinyi to eat. 

*Thump* As she appeared though, Tian Xinyi collapsed onto the ground. 

“Xinyi!” Everyone called out seeing her appearance. It wasn’t her normal small form that could fit on Qian Yu’s shoulder but rather, the larger one that she used when fighting. 

“What happened to you!” Qian Yu dropped his chopsticks as he bent down and grabbed her. 

Bringing her to the bed, Qian Yu laid her down as he looked at her. 

“Her body is really cold!” Qian Yu felt like he was holding a handful of snow from outside. 

“Get a bucket of warm water!” Qian Yu yelled.

“I’ll get it! Towels as well?” Zhen Yue hurriedly asked. Unlike Sun Hong and Zhao Xieren, she had spent a lot more time with Tian Xinyi and was the most worried after Qian Yu. 

“Yes, yes,” Qian Yu said as he examined Tian Xinyi. Her skin was not only colder but much harder than normal. The symptoms were pretty straightforward, similar to frostbite. However, how could a spiritual beast like her suffer frostbite at all. She hadn’t even been outside in a while!

“It’s the poison,” Qian Yu muttered. 

“It must have acted up from the battles in the Uninhabited Region!” Zhao Xieren said. 

“When was the last time you talked to her?” Sun Hong said. 

Qian Yu took a few seconds to think before saying, “I’ve been too engrossed in training lately, and haven’t checked up on Xinyi using Soul Exploration recently.”

Rubbing his forehead, he said, “The last time, should be a little under a week ago. She didn’t seem very talkative but I thought it was because she didn’t want to bother me while training.” 

*Bump* Zhen Yue came back carrying a large bucket of warm water saying, “I’m back!”

Qian Yu didn’t say anything as he carried Tian Xinyi over to the bucket of water. 

*Swish* Slowly dipping her in, he gently laid her body down with her above the water. Grabbing the towels, he soaked them into the water before using it to gently wipe Tian Xinyi's head and body. 

“What now?” Zhao Xieren asked. 

Qian Yu shook his head, “Nothing… we just have to wait and pray she regains consciousness.”

Minutes passed as everyone silently stared at the purple qilin asleep in the basket. 

An hour crept by before her eyes started flickering. ‘M-master?’ Tian Xinyi couldn’t even fully open her eyes.

Her voice was quiet and if not for the perfect silence in the room, Qian Yu felt like he may have not been able to hear it. 

Qian Yu grabbed another towel, gently wiping her face as he said, “It’s good that you are awake now.”

‘I’m sorry, the poison started acting up but…’ Tian Xinyi’s voice was weak.

“Don’t. It’s not your fault. I should have been more attentive, I didn’t even notice this happened to you…” Qian Yu interrupted her. 

“Is there anything that could help you?” This was the most important matter at hand.

‘No… Other than what I’ve said before… I must become an epic grade spiritual beast… or purification technique of sorts,’ Tian Xinyi struggled to answer. 

“Do any of you guys have beast cores?” Qian Yu turned to the three girls.

Zhao Xieren and Zhen Yue shook their heads however, Sun Hong had some. 

“These are all I have on me right now,” Sun Hong summoned a few dozen beast cores. 

“Master, what did Xinyi say?” Zhen Yue asked. 

“She can only get rid of the poison if she matures into an epic grade spiritual beast or someone strong enough with a purification technique performs one on her,” Qian Yu grabbed a beast core.

“Open up Xinyi,” Qian Yu held the beast core in front of Tian Xinyi. 

Slowly opening her mouth, Qian Yu carefully placed the beast core into her mouth, letting her absorb the power within it. 

“For now, let’s just feed her beast cores, however we need to think of something else...” Qian Yu grabbed another beast core and waited for Tian Xinyi to finish absorbing the first one. They were only beast cores of the common and uncommon grade and wouldn’t really benefit Tian Xinyi that much who was at the rare grade. 

“I think I can help!” Zhao Xieren yelled out, forcing everyone’s attention to turn her way.

“Well.. not me specifically, but my mother,” Zhao Xieren specified.

“Your mother?” Qian Yu fell silent for a few seconds.

“Right! She’s an imperial doctor or something!” Qian Yu finally remembered. 

“Mhm! She might know a few things,” Zhao Xieren reassured him.

“Yes… we should head out immediately then,” Qian Yu said. 

However, a problem arose as he glanced around the room. He stared at Tian Xinyi, saying, “In this state, it is impossible to travel with Tian Xinyi. The weather outside would worsen her conditions since it is too cold. She needs to stay as warm as possible.” 

“As for leaving her inside his soul world, that was completely out of the question. Not only did it not do anything previously, my soul world is a desolate place with little sunlight and while it isn’t as cold, we need someone to help take care of Tian Xinyi,” Qian Yu continued. 

The girls grew quiet as they realized what Qian Yu was saying. 

“I’ll stay behind with Xinyi then,” Zhen Yue volunteered. 

“I’ll stay with her as well. She’ll take care of Xinyi while I’ll go hunt spiritual beasts and get beast cores to help weaken the poison’s effects,” Sun Hong said. 

“Alright, that sounds like a good idea. Having you two together will put me at ease,” Qian Yu nodded. 

“Let’s get ready to leave then,” Qian Yu turned to Zhao Xieren.