Qing Lin: Young Master, You Don't Want to Eat Me, Do You?

"Cough, cough..."

Green Barbarian's figure tumbled out of the wind and sand in a sorry state.

Ning Su's Flame Green Lotus had exploded directly on her.

The Green Lotus Core Flame's power was no trifling matter. She had taken the blast head-on.

Even a Six-Star Dou Huang could not endure it easily.

"Damn it, I never should have split up from White Fang!" Green Barbarian gritted her teeth.

Because of Medusa's evolution, the situation in the Jia Ma Empire had changed drastically.

Even the people from Sky Serpent Mansion did not dare act recklessly, afraid of exposing their tracks.

If the Gama Royal Family discovered them at a time like this, they would be in serious trouble.

After all, they had snuck in.

Moreover, ever since Medusa's successful evolution, the entire Jia Ma Empire had been on high alert.

That was why Green Barbarian had split up from White Fang, hoping to find the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils as quickly as possible.

When Green Barbarian found Qing Lin this time, she had thought she could bring Qing Lin to meet up with White Fang, then quickly leave the Jia Ma Empire.

Who would have thought she would run into Ning Su?!

Not only had she failed to take Qing Lin away, she had even been seriously injured.

"Brat, just you wait. I'll be back!"

Green Barbarian dragged her injured body away, flying off in a bedraggled state.

Ning Su did not pursue her. Instead, he turned around, transformed back into human form, and went to find Qing Lin.

Fortunately, Qing Lin had not been hurt by the aftermath of their battle.

But as she looked at Ning Su again, there was now a trace of fear in the little girl's eyes.

"Y-you're a Magical Beast?"

She had seen Ning Su transform into a Sky-Swallowing Python with her own eyes.

"That's right. I'm a Magical Beast." Ning Su admitted it openly. "Are you afraid of me?"

Qing Lin did not know how to answer.

What human would not be afraid of Magical Beasts?

"Qing Lin, do you think all Magical Beasts eat people?" Ning Su asked again.

This time, the little girl nodded honestly. "Mm..."

If it had been anyone else... no, any other Magical Beast...

She would have fled in terror long ago.

But this was Qing Lin's first time seeing a Magical Beast that could take human form.

For a moment, she did not know whether to regard Ning Su as a Magical Beast or a human.

"Then let me ask you: what do you think is the greatest difference between humans and Magical Beasts?"

Qing Lin's lips moved, but she could not think of an answer.

"Let me ask you something else. Do you hate humans or Magical Beasts?"

"...Probably Magical Beasts."

"Then have humans treated you well?" Ning Su asked the most devastating question for Qing Lin.

Had humans treated her well?

She did not even need to think before shaking her head.

"No..."

She lived in a human city, yet humans had never treated her like a normal person.

Instead, they regarded her as an outcast, something even more detestable than a Magical Beast.

"Humans treat you badly because they think you are not one of them."

"You hate Magical Beasts because you think you are human."

"But nothing in this world is absolute. Those of the same kind can kill one another, while those of different kinds can be inseparable."

"For you, you should not be thinking about whether you belong to humans or Magical Beasts."

"You should think about where you truly belong."

Ning Su looked at her and spoke gently, earnestly.

"You have to endure countless cold stares and mockery. Do you think that kind of life is where you belong?"

Qing Lin did not know what to say.

She felt that Ning Su made sense.

But she had never thought about such things before.

Because she believed she was human.

Even though she had suffered all kinds of bullying while living in a human city, she had never considered leaving.

"You live for yourself, not for anyone else."

"If your old life did not make you happy, why not go somewhere else?"

Ning Su held out his hand to her.

"Qing Lin, come with me."

Qing Lin looked at his outstretched palm, somewhat hesitant.

Live for herself, not for anyone else...

If her old life had been unhappy, why not live somewhere else?

Ning Su's words were like a ray of sunlight breaking through an overcast sky, making Qing Lin feel as though the clouds before her had parted and daylight had appeared.

That was right!

Why couldn't she go somewhere else?

It was not as if no kindhearted people had helped her before.

But those people had only pitied her and offered a little help, far too little to make any real difference.

Yet not a single person had ever said they were willing to take her away from that terrible environment.

Ning Su was the first.

"Young Master, you're not trying to trick me into going with you... and then planning to eat me, are you?"

Qing Lin suddenly asked timidly.

Ning Su froze for a moment, caught between laughter and tears.

"If I wanted to eat you, would I need to say all this? I could have eaten you just now."

Sometimes, this girl was rather amusing. She had actually thought Ning Su might want to eat her.

"Then... then I'm willing to stay by your side, Young Master..."

In the end, Qing Lin cautiously placed her little hand in Ning Su's palm.

This meant that she was willing to go with Ning Su.

Ning Su held her little hand and smiled.

"My name is Ning Su. From now on, stay by my side."

"Mm, thank you, Young Master..."

Mo City.

Ning Su brought Qing Lin here first to settle down.

His final destination was the Gama Holy Capital.

But Ning Su did not know the way, so he could not simply fly there. He had to take one of the Jia Ma Empire's flying convoys.

Unfortunately, there were no more convoys heading to the Gama Holy Capital today. He would have to wait until tomorrow.

So he decided to stay here for the night.

"Qing Lin, I'll take you to buy some clothes."

Ning Su sized up Qing Lin's clothes.

They were all made of coarse hemp cloth, with no texture or quality to speak of.

Such clothes were generally worn only by servants and maids.

"I think what I'm wearing now is fine. There's no need to change." Qing Lin said softly.

"Listen to me. Your clothes don't look good. We're buying new ones."

Ning Su did not give her a chance to refuse and directly brought her to the best clothing store in Mo City.

"What would you two like to buy?"

The proprietress immediately came out to greet them.

"Madam, put together several outfits for her. They need to look good. Money isn't an issue." Ning Su acted like a rich man for once, speaking generously.

The proprietress beamed at once. "Certainly, no problem!"

This was a big customer. She had to serve him well!

"Miss, your man treats you so well. What a blessing you have."

"He's not..."

Qing Lin wanted to deny it, but the proprietress had already pulled her into the fitting room.

She also brought in outfit after outfit, beginning to match them for Qing Lin one by one.

But not long after the two entered, the proprietress suddenly let out a cry and rushed out in a panic.

"Young Master, she, she is..."

Ning Su looked into the fitting room. Qing Lin had removed her outer clothes, leaving only a white undergarment.

Several patches of green scales were clearly visible on her bare arms.