Qing Lin

"Please, don't hit me!"

The girl trembled all over, keeping her head lowered and not daring to look at Bai Xiaoran.

She had not done it on purpose. She really had not.

Bai Xiaoran put his finger in his mouth and sucked it, then raised his hand to gently stroke the girl's head. Smiling warmly, he said, "I'm not a bad person. You don't need to be so afraid!"

"But I cut your finger, and they all bully me because I'm a child born between a Snake-Person and a human." The girl's voice was weak.

The middle-aged man said, "Miss, it would be best if you did not associate with her."

Bai Xiaoran cast the middle-aged man a cold glance.

"Miss, please carry on!" The middle-aged man tactfully left.

If he kept talking, even the gold coins in his hand might be taken back.

Bai Xiaoran continued gently, "I won't reject you over such things. I don't care about any of that."

The girl revealed the scales on her arm. "You really don't mind, Sister? They all say I bring disaster."

"I don't. I'm not that kind of person."

Qing Lin looked at Bai Xiaoran's gentle smile. It was like the brightest light in her life, illuminating the darkness in her heart.

"Thank you for helping Qing Lin. I will repay you for the gold coins afterward."

Bai Xiaoran smiled. "No need. It was fate that we met, and besides, how could someone so young have the money to repay me?"

"But... those gold coins..."

"Hey, don't overthink it. It isn't a problem for me."

Qing Lin gave an "Mm." What a kind and gentle older sister. Only she did not despise Qing Lin's identity or scales.

"Sister, it's your first time in Shimo City, right? Qing Lin has never seen you before."

Bai Xiaoran said, "It is my first time in Shimo City. Also, I'm not a girl—I'm a boy."

"A boy?!"

Qing Lin covered her little mouth in disbelief. Such a beautiful older sister was actually a boy.

"That's right. Calling me Sister feels a little strange."

Even calling himself Sister just now had felt deeply against his heart.

"It's Qing Lin's first time seeing a boy prettier than a girl."

Bai Xiaoran said, "Well, now you have. Let's head back to where you live first!"

Holding Qing Lin's little hand, he hurried along. On the way, Qing Lin told him about her experiences. In the end, the Desert Iron Mercenary Group had taken her in.

The Desert Iron Mercenary Group's two leaders were both Dou Masters. They had taken in quite a few people like Qing Lin.

When they arrived at the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, many people were amazed upon seeing Bai Xiaoran. It was incredibly rare to see someone like him in the desert.

"This is where the leaders live!"

At that moment, a robust man walked out. When he saw the person before him, his mind went blank for a moment before he asked in confusion, "Qing Lin, who is this?"

"This is an older brother who came from beyond the desert!"

"Older brother?"

Bai Xiaoran smiled. "Brother Xiao Ding, after all these years, you don't recognize me?"

Hearing his voice, Xiao Ding's face lit up. "You're Xiaoran!"

"That's right."

Xiao Ding spread his arms, intending to hug him, but after considering Bai Xiaoran's current appearance, he gave up on the idea.

"What made you come to the Tagor Desert?"

It had been a long time since he had last seen Bai Xiaoran.

"Of course, I came to try my luck and see whether I could make a breakthrough."

"What is your cultivation now, Xiaoran?"

"Five-star Dou Master."

Xiao Ding was startled. "A Five-star Dou Master? You're even stronger than me. Even your Brother Xiao Li is only a Four-star Dou Shi."

As Qing Lin watched the two converse, she realized they had known each other for a long time.

"Qing Lin, don't be a maid anymore. Stay by Xiaoran's side and serve him properly from now on."

"Qing Lin accepts the order!"

"Come in and drink while we talk. Xiao Li should be back soon too."

At that moment, the three Snake-People who had returned to the Snake-People tribe reported the entire sequence of events to an elder.

The elder then reported it to the ruler of the Snake-People tribe, Queen Medusa.

"A woman?"

"That's right."

Queen Medusa said, "How capable could a woman be? Continue capturing human women. If she dares interfere again, take action and capture her as well."

"Yes, Your Majesty the Queen!"

"You dare ruin This King's plans? You had better pray I don't catch you!"

"Xiaoran, you've changed so much after all these years."

When Xiao Li returned to the Desert Iron Mercenary Group and learned that the person before him was Bai Xiaoran, he too revealed an astonished expression.

He was usually very composed and rarely showed such an exaggerated expression over anything.

Bai Xiaoran had grown more and more feminine. Before, one could still see traces of him being a boy, but now, aside from the proof between his legs, there was no outward sign that he was male.

"Brother Xiao Li, let's not talk about that. Have you learned why the Snake-People tribe is capturing human women?"

"Capturing human women?" Xiao Li asked. "You encountered Snake-People?"

"I did, and I rescued five women who had been captured."

Xiao Li shook his head. "That is strange. The Snake-People tribe has been unusually quiet lately. Perhaps you happened to discover them, Xiaoran."

After wandering through the desert for several days, he really had run into them. Unfortunately, he had not made those three Snake-People leave behind their Storage Rings.

The three drank heartily for a while. Bai Xiaoran's face turned slightly red, and he left first.

"Qing Lin, take Xiaoran to rest."

"Yes, Leader."

Qing Lin supported Bai Xiaoran as she led him toward his room.

Xiao Ding said, "Big Brother, Xiaoran has changed so much. His strength has grown too. I remember that he had not even broken through to the Dou Zhe realm before."

"Yes. I wonder where Xiao Yan is. I forgot to ask Xiaoran about him." Xiao Li sighed.

Xiao Yan was the younger brother he worried about most. After his cultivation regressed, he had spent quite some time wallowing in despair. After all, it would have been difficult for anyone to persevere in those circumstances.

In the room, Qing Lin finally let out a breath of relief after placing Bai Xiaoran on the bed.

"Young Master Xiaoran, your tolerance for alcohol is rather poor."

Lying on the bed, Bai Xiaoran said lazily, "I can't drink. I get drunk easily the moment I touch alcohol."

"Qing Lin should drink less too. Enough talking—I'm going to rest first."

Qing Lin stood to one side, catching whiffs of his fragrance. Young Master Xiaoran was so fragrant and soft. He seemed like he would be nice to hold while sleeping.

"There isn't a bed. Young Master Xiaoran shouldn't mind if I squeeze in for one night, right?"

The next day

Bai Xiaoran smiled when he saw Qing Lin asleep in his arms.

After leaving, he asked Xiao Li for a rough map and began wandering through the desert.

Staying in Shimo City was not really an option.

He was gone for five or six days. Every night, he would encounter Snake-People escorting women toward the Snake-People tribe.

Over those five or six days, he encountered them three times. The women he rescued clung to Bai Xiaoran quite a bit.

Though he had not learned any specific information, he had gained plenty of resources from the robberies.

"Move! Move!"

A Snake-Man shouted, "If you don't hurry up, we'll kill you all!"

"Steward, we won't run into that woman again, will we?"

The Snake-Man said, "I don't know either. Her Majesty has been rather angry these past few days. If we encounter her again, she will personally make a move."

After being robbed time and again by one woman, Her Majesty had already begun to feel displeased.