Affection Grows with Time

After taking a few breaths of the faintly sweet, bloody air, Ling Li walked over to Liu Mao's corpse, stripped off his Alchemist Robe, and tossed it into the hands of the stunned Little Doctor Fairy. "Here, keep this. With this thing, things will be much more convenient for us along the way. Didn't you want to visit the Alchemist Guild? With this, you can get in. I happen to want to take a look too."

Little Doctor Fairy stood where she was, staring at the Alchemist Robe in her hands. It was something she had dreamed of obtaining, yet now that she truly had it, she found it somewhat difficult to accept.

"There's no such thing as a free lunch. If you want something, you have to fight for it yourself." Ling Li patted Little Doctor Fairy's shoulder in consolation, then added, "Let's go. We killed two alchemists. It'll be troublesome if someone finds out."

Little Doctor Fairy inwardly thought, So you know killing alchemists will cause trouble?

After pausing for a moment, however, Little Doctor Fairy finally tightened her grip on the Alchemist Robe and followed Ling Li's footsteps.

Inside a small shop tucked away in a corner, Yan Mo sensed Ling Li's aura gradually moving farther away and said with some emotion, "What a strange little fellow. Still, that group of alchemists aren't pushovers either. Heh, he really is rather like I was back then. What damned alchemists? Just seeing those faces makes me irritated!"

A sixteen- or seventeen-year-old high-level Dou Shi, carrying a top-grade weapon, and ruthless to the bone.

Tsk, tsk. It would be one thing if someone like that died young, but if he grew steadily for another twenty or thirty years, what kind of storm would he stir up across the continent?

That was truly something to look forward to...

After roughly cleaning the blood from themselves, Ling Li and Little Doctor Fairy left Yan Tie City.

They had killed two alchemists. Although no one had witnessed it, the trouble to come would likely be considerable. Thus, the two did not choose to travel to the next city through the flying transport service, lest they invite unnecessary complications.

There should be Horned Horse Carriage services in the surrounding towns, though. It might take much longer than flying transport, but Ling Li was in no hurry, so going slower did not matter.

Half a year later, Da Ling City

Da Ling City was the last major city in the southeastern part of the Gamma Empire. Situated at the end of the Monster Beast Mountain Range and surrounded by mountains of varying heights, it had earned its name from this terrain. Continuing south from here, passing several military strongholds, and then crossing Town Ghost Pass—the southernmost line of defense of the Gamma Empire—would bring one to the Black Domain Great Plain and into the territory of the Black Corner Region.

Within Da Ling City, a lavishly decorated Thick-winged Bird descended, and several people clad in Alchemist Robes stepped down one after another. Most wore proud, aloof expressions.

This Thick-winged Bird was a premium cabin specially prepared by the flying transport service for alchemists. Only those lofty alchemists were allowed to ride it.

The status of alchemists on the Dou Qi Continent was absolute. Even if they possessed no strength, when facing people far more powerful than themselves, most would still choose to lower their heads so long as the alchemists wore Alchemist Robes. For example, the staff members who had grown thoroughly bitter and impatient from their repetitive work forced their sour expressions into smiles the moment they saw this group's attire. Even passersby traveling alongside them would unconsciously take two steps back and make way for them.

"I really don't know what there is for alchemists to be so proud of. In the Alchemist Guild, they still bow and scrape before anyone of a higher rank, yet outside, they act like they're second only to heaven." Little Doctor Fairy curled her lips as she watched several women not far away repeatedly cast flirtatious glances at Ling Li.

"But it seems you like that robe quite a lot. Aside from when you bathe, I've never seen you take it off," Ling Li teased with a shake of his head.

Along the way, Ling Li and Little Doctor Fairy had encountered quite a few alchemists. They had even used their two Alchemist Robes to enter several Alchemist Guild branches. Those alchemists who acted arrogantly and tyrannically before outsiders would still bend their backs before higher-ranked people within the Alchemist Guild. This made Little Doctor Fairy deeply disdainful of them. But that was one thing, and she cherished the Alchemist Robe she wore immensely.

"Hmph." Little Doctor Fairy's face reddened slightly at his words, and she instinctively turned her head away. The bathing Ling Li referred to was not something she did alone.

The Alchemist Robes Ling Li and Little Doctor Fairy wore had naturally been taken back in Yan Tie City. Though they were only first-tier robes, they had brought the pair no small amount of convenience along the way. Not only could they use various public facilities built by the Imperial family without paying fees, but they also received considerable discounts when purchasing items from shops. Some wealthier cities even offered alchemists all sorts of free perks.

"Are you really planning to go to the Black Corner Region? I heard that place is filled with desperate criminals..." After a moment of silence, Little Doctor Fairy sighed.

According to Ling Li's original plan, they were supposed to tour the major cities throughout the Gamma Empire before eventually reaching the Black Corner Region. But after passing through several cities, Ling Li discovered there was not much difference between them. Once the initial novelty had worn off, their journey naturally sped up. A route that should have taken two or three years was completed in only half a year, bringing them to their final stop.

"Desperate criminals? Only cattle and sheep gather in herds. Lone wolves that eat meat have always traveled alone. That lot are nothing more than cowards hiding in a corner, too afraid to go out. What is there to fear?" Ling Li sneered.

Most of those gathered in the Black Corner Region were people who had committed serious crimes in the three neighboring countries and had been forced to come here. Beasts driven into a corner were naturally vicious, but that could not change their nature as homeless dogs.

Ling Li would also flee decisively whenever he realized he could not beat someone. The reason he could mock others so righteously was because... he was a complete hypocrite.

Little Doctor Fairy smiled warmly at his words, looped her arm through his, and said, "With you here, I'm not afraid."

Over the past half year, she had long since accepted Ling Li. Moreover, Ling Li seemed to be her lucky star. His appearance had gradually pulled her out from beneath the shadow of the Calamity Poison Body...

Come to think of it, her Calamity Poison Body had originally suffered a minor eruption every month. Yet now, half a year had passed without any sign of an episode...

Ling Li looked at Little Doctor Fairy, who had gone from occasionally wanting to escape at the beginning, to feigning reluctance while secretly welcoming him later on, to now revealing such a demure young woman's manner. He silently sighed. For some reason, he somewhat missed the unruly Little Doctor Fairy from before, who still tried to escape from time to time.

Perhaps this was the legendary affection that grew with time.

Over these six months, Little Doctor Fairy's changes had undoubtedly been enormous. For some reason, despite not playing with poison and despite her Calamity Poison Body showing no signs of erupting, her cultivation had soared like a rocket. In only half a year, she had gone from the lower stages of Dou Qi to the ninth stage of Dou Qi. Then, some time ago, Ling Li had used the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture in his possession to exchange for a fourth-tier Qi Gathering Powder and some second- and third-tier healing medicines at the Alchemist Guild, allowing Little Doctor Fairy to break through Dou Qi in one stroke and enter the ranks of Dou Zhe!

The bony feel against his arm pulled Ling Li back from his memories. Little Doctor Fairy had indeed changed greatly, but in some respects, no matter how hard Ling Li tried, there had not been the slightest change. Once, Ling Li had even shamelessly sought out a female alchemist to purchase an especially effective pill. Yet none of it seemed capable of changing one fact...

Why wouldn't certain places just grow a little?