Little Maid Qing Lian

The next morning, Xiao Yuan, who had slept soundly all night instead of cultivating, opened his eyes.

Feeling the lingering effects of the alcohol in his body, he pursed his lips helplessly, then sat cross-legged and began to circulate his Dou Qi. After a moment, he exhaled a breath of alcohol, and his eyes became much clearer.

Last night, relying on his powerful internal organs, Xiao Yuan single-handedly drank his two older brothers and some mercenary brothers under the table.

However, I still had a lot of alcohol residue in my body, and even after sleeping, it wasn't completely digested.

Fortunately, in this world, Dou Qi is practically omnipotent.

"Squeak."

Just then, the door was pushed open gently, and a petite figure cautiously walked in. However, when she saw Xiao Yuan sitting on the bed, looking at her, she was startled and quickly bowed, timidly greeting him. "Young Master Xiao Yuan, you're awake!"

Xiao Yuan looked at the girl in front of him, dressed in a light green dress, petite in stature but well-developed, with a shapely figure, and smiled kindly. He nodded and said, "Yes, you're awake. What's your name?"

Upon hearing this, the girl paused slightly, then gently placed the basin of water in her hand on the wooden shelf outside the bed, and said in a low voice, "My name is Qing Lin, and I am here to serve the young master while he washes up."

"Hehe, no need to trouble yourself, I can do it myself."

Smiling and shaking his head, Xiao Yuan got out of bed and went to the wooden frame to wash up carefully.

Seeing that Xiao Yuan had finished washing up, Qing Lin began to tiptoe to take the clothes off the hanger, preparing to help Xiao Yuan get dressed.

As she raised her hand, her snow-white wrist, which revealed her sleeve, reflected a faint blue light. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be covered with some blue snake scales.

These scales, which should have looked out of place on a human body, actually appeared quite harmonious on the Qing Lin, possessing a strange kind of beauty.

After removing Qing Lin's clothes, she turned her head and saw Xiao Yuan's interested gaze. She subconsciously followed his gaze, and then her eyes fell on her arm that had been inadvertently exposed. Her face turned pale instantly, and she quickly pulled up her sleeve to cover her arm. Her delicate body trembled slightly, and her eyes filled with tears.

?

Seeing this, Xiao Yuan knew that the poor girl must have been a little stressed. He walked over and, before Qing Lin speak, reached out and rubbed her cute little head. He then said softly, "I don't like the name Qing Lin. I've decided to change your name to Qing Lian, which means 'rising from the mud unsullied and being pure and unblemished.' What do you think?"

Looking into Xiao Yuan's gentle gaze, Qing Lin was somewhat lost in thought. A strange feeling welled up in her fragile heart, which had been bullied since childhood and was full of wounds.

She blinked her watery eyes, which held a hint of strange allure, hesitated for a moment, but then nodded timidly.

But she couldn't help thinking: Although the name Qing Lian is indeed much better than Qing Lin, the meaning the young master mentioned sounds so strange, and she doesn't quite understand what it means.

Seeing the faint look of doubt in Qing Lian's eyes, Xiao Yuan reacted for a moment before coming back to his senses and explained with some helplessness, "It means that the lotus grows from the mud but is not polluted, and after being washed by clear water, it does not appear seductive."

"Young master, aren't you afraid?"

Qing Lian bit her red lips and cautiously asked.

"Heh, what are you afraid of? You're not going to eat me, are you?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuan spread his arms, gesturing for Qing Lian to help him put on his clothes.

Seeing this, Qing Lian immediately understood and obediently stepped forward to help Xiao Yuan put on his clothes. She whispered, "Everyone hates me. Some kind people are afraid of me when they see the scales on my body, and then they feel disgusted."

Qing Lian's tone was filled with deep sadness; clearly, these past few years had not been easy for her.

"Hehe, you can't blame yourself. Generally speaking, someone like you wouldn't live past two years old. Being able to grow this big is a miracle of life. So, you should enjoy this wonderful world even more. You deserve to live a good life more than anyone else."

As for other people's opinions, you don't need to care. Just know what you want and work hard for it. The meaning of your life is up to you. It's not a mistake for you to be alive. If someone wants you to die because of your background, or even tries to do so, then what you should do is not cry and wait to die, but find a way to kill them.

Do you understand?

Xiao Yuan finished dressing and said with a gentle smile.

"Ah?"

This was the first time Qing Lian had heard such an eye-opening theory, and she was somewhat bewildered.

"In short, you are definitely not wrong. It's their business if they hate you. After all, the human race and the Snake-People Tribe have been fighting for many years, and the hatred accumulated over the years has been deeply rooted in people's hearts."

But you must never hate yourself. If you give up on yourself, then there's really no hope. You're quite pretty, little girl. I've always liked pretty girls. If you'd like, stay by my side and be my maid.

Seeing this, Xiao Yuan rubbed her dazed head and then walked outside.

Qing Lian had never been treated so gently before, stood there stunned. After a moment, a silly smile bloomed on her face, and three extremely tiny green dots slowly appeared in her pupils.

Then, she came to her senses, picked up the basin of water, and chased after him, calling out sweetly with a smile, "Young Master! Wait for me!"

Meanwhile, Xiao Yuan, with the attentive care of his maid, diligently cultivated every day. When the mood struck him, he would take his maid on a stroll around Shi Mo City.

Occasionally, he would take Qing Lian with him on outings with the mercenary group to stretch their muscles and bones.

On the other hand, Xiao Yan cultivated much more diligently.

After obtaining the map containing information about the Heavenly Flames from Hai Bodong, he followed the path on the map, cultivating and advancing along the way, until he finally arrived at the first location where the Heavenly Flames might exist.

He searched for two days without success! However, under the guidance of the Yao Lao, his cultivation progress was quite good.

But he still dared not let his guard down.

Before leaving Desert City, he learned from Hai Bodong that his Third Brother had broken through to the fifth star.

It can only be said that it is terrifying! He even seriously suspected that by the time he met his Third Brother, his Third Brother would already be Six-Star Dou Shi.

"Teacher, have we been fooled by that old man?"

After sighing, Xiao Yan said helplessly.

"Well... I don't know either. The terrain around here is no different from other places, and I can't sense anything unusual."

The Yao Lao slowly floated down, saying with a hint of helplessness.

"How about we go to Shi Mo City first? My older brothers have been here for years and they are more familiar with the terrain than we are. Maybe they can find some clues."

After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Yan asked.

"Okay."

After hearing this, the Yao Lao pondered for a moment and nodded.

"Young Master, um, you're still awake?"

At dawn, Qing Lian pushed open the door and entered. Looking at Xiao Yuan, who was wearing only a single garment, in a cultivation posture, and slowly opening his eyes, she blinked her big, watery eyes and said softly.

"Hehe, I'm used to it. I feel uncomfortable if I don't practice for a day."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuan smiled and got off the bed. With Qing Lian's soft and tender little hands helping him put on his white robe.

"Young Master is very diligent."

Qing Lian smiled faintly upon hearing this.

"Hehe, there's no way around it, I simply can't afford not to be diligent!"

Xiao Yuan smiled faintly and shrugged.

"Young Master is already very strong."

Qing Lian muttered.

"That's not enough. In the Jia Ma Empire, the Dou Emperor level is truly strong. What is a mere Dou Shi? If we look at the entire continent, even the Dou Emperor is not considered strong."

Sometimes I think about Dou Qi, what level of cultivation is considered strong? Dou Zong? Dou Zun? Or Dou Sheng? Heh, as long as there's anyone above me who can threaten my life, I don't consider myself strong.

Therefore, I must cultivate myself to the point of being invincible in the world. Only then, perhaps, can I finally put my mind at ease?

Xiao Yuan looked dazed and couldn't help but sigh.

Hearing Xiao Yuan's bold words, Qing Lian's mouth opened slightly, and admiration appeared in her eyes.

Young Master Xiao Yuan is really attractive.

"Let's go for a walk. I'm in a good mood today, and I feel like something good is going to happen."

Xiao Yuan said with a smile.

"Yes, please, young master."

Qing Lian ran quickly to the door, pushed it open, and gave a playful smile.

"Hehe, you little rascal."

Seeing this, Xiao Yuan smiled, shook his head, and walked out of the room.

Today is the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's triennial strength test. Those who perform well in the test will be qualified to organize their own squad and thus be promoted to captain.

This healthy competition has led to a rapid increase in the strength of the members, and has kept the overall strength of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group far ahead of other mercenary groups in Shi Mo City.

This assessment-like system was proposed by Xiao Ding and gradually improved after several discussions with Xiao Yuan through letters.

Along the way, there were quite a few members of the group who had gotten up late and were running around. When they saw Xiao Yuan, they would respectfully call him Third Regiment Commander.

Over the years, Xiao Yuan's strength has become widely known, earning him the respect of the group members. As a result, when they see Qing Lian, who has always been by Xiao Yuan's side, their original aversion has lessened considerably, and some even smile quite kindly.

This firsthand experience made Qing Lian realize for the first time how important it is to have strength.

Xiao Yuan's strength was not enough to participate in such a test; that would be bullying. So he wasn't in a hurry and chatted and laughed with Qing Lian as they walked towards the backyard.

However, just as he was about to step into the backyard, he suddenly raised an eyebrow and a look of joy appeared in his eyes.

Immediately, he grabbed Qing Lian, feeling a cool texture in his hand, as if he were touching the scales on her wrist.

However, Xiao Yuan did not care. With a gentle pull, he embraced the petite girl in his arms. Immediately, a green light surged around him, and his figure transformed into a drifting catkin.

Qing Lian felt herself being pulled into a warm, broad arm, and then, in a blur, she found herself at the gate of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.

?

After a brief moment of stunned silence, feeling the warm hand around her waist and the warm embrace in front of her, her pretty face flushed slightly. She looked up at her young master's face.

"Qing Lian, stay here for now."

The young master smiled and rubbed his head before walking towards the door.

Outside the door, Xiao Yan had just reached the entrance, preparing to enter the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, when he saw Xiao Yuan walking towards him.

"Elder brother!?"

A look of joy appeared on Xiao Yan's face, and he quickly stepped forward.

"You came fast, kid! I was thinking of waiting another two months!"

Xiao Yuan gave Xiao Yan a hug and said with a smile.

"Well, it's a long story!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's face showed a look of unbearable recollection of the past, and he said with some sigh.

"Third Regimental Commander, and this is... Fourth Regimental Commander?"

A familiar voice came from the side. Xiao Yuan looked over and saw it was Dan Zai, whom he had saved earlier.

"Hmm, this kid is also Dou Shi. You're not wrong to call him Fourth Regiment Commander! Enough said, I'll take him inside first."

Xiao Yuan smiled and nodded, then looked at Xiao Yan, patted him on the shoulder, and said, "You've come at just the right time. Eldest brother and second brother are inside. Come on!"

Pulling Xiao Yan through the gate, Qing Lian was still in a daze from her young master's warm embrace, standing there with a somewhat blank look in her eyes.

"Let's go, Qing Lian, to the backyard."

Seeing that Qing Lian was a little confused, Xiao Yuan simply reached out and grabbed her wrist, leading her towards the backyard.

"Third Brother, what's this?"

Xiao Yan looked at the petite Qing Lian with a puzzled expression.

When did my Third Brother's aesthetic sense become so outdated for this age group?

"My little maid, Qing Lian, is quite talented. I'll tell you about her later."

After giving a brief explanation, Xiao Yuan pulled the two of them and hurriedly walked into the backyard.

As soon as the three entered the backyard, they were greeted by a cacophony of noise. Inside the training ground, a chaotic battle raged with hundreds of people. The crowd below the field was all shouting excitedly, and in some places, betting was even being placed on who the last five survivors would be.

"Look, the eldest and second eldest brothers are up there."

Xiao Yuan pointed to the high platform opposite the training ground and smiled at Xiao Yan.

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback. Then he looked up and saw Xiao Ding and Xiao Li sitting on the high platform. Looking at his two older brothers' familiar figures, his nose felt a little sore.

It's been so many years, I really miss them! As if sensing Xiao Yan and Xiao Yuan's gaze, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li also turned their eyes over, and then, a look of intense surprise appeared in their eyes.

Upon seeing this scene, Xiao Yan's eyes welled up with tears. He blinked, forcing back the stinging in his eyes, and smiled at his two elder brothers.

Immediately afterwards, Xiao Yuan saw with some amusement that Xiao Li pointed to the area below and then pointed at Xiao Yan.

"My second brother said, 'Do you dare to spar with him?' It seems he's preparing to test you."

Xiao Yuan chuckled and nudged Xiao Yan with his shoulder, saying...

"Why don't you demonstrate this with your Third Brother?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan looked at his Third Brother and said with a wry smile.

"Because my two older brothers had practiced with me in private, and they both attacked at the same time, but I took them down."

Xiao Yuan shrugged and said with an innocent look on his face.

However, he was actually talking about drinking, not sparring, but Xiao Yan definitely wouldn't have guessed that.

"Alright then!"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan muttered a helpless remark, then nodded to Xiao Li.

Seeing this, Xiao Li nodded, said something to Xiao Ding beside him, and then jumped down from the platform, standing steadily in the middle of the field.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan had no choice but to leap into the arena.

"Young Master, you clearly haven't sparred with either of the two captains!"

Qing Lian gradually came to her senses and looked at Xiao Yuan as if she were looking at a conman.

"Drinking is also a kind of contest, look, five of a kind, six of a kind!"

Xiao Yuan looked at him with a disapproving expression, and then began to make the gestures for a finger-guessing game.

Seeing this, Qing Lian sighed, covered her face with her small hands with a helpless expression, and lowered her head.

Seeing her adorable demeanor, Xiao Yuan smiled knowingly and couldn't help but rub her little head again.

Xiao Li's loud laughter came from below the stage, and with the spread of his Dou Qi, it directly suppressed the noise around the training ground.

"Little Yanzi, it's better to be lucky than early. Today is the perfect time to see how much progress you, the little genius of the family, have made in the past few years!"

"Second Regimental Commander! Second Regimental Commander!"

Upon hearing Xiao Li's loud shout, the surrounding crowd, after a slight moment of surprise, immediately erupted in excited shouts. Instantly, waves of fervent shouts around the training ground merged into a sonic wave that soared into the sky.

Looking at the densely packed crowd before her, Qing Lian's emerald eyes darted around, then she raised her head, pouted, and said pitifully to Xiao Yuan:

"Young master, I can't see inside."

"Hehe, let's go upstairs and take a look."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuan reached out and embraced Qing Lian's slender waist, then floated away.

But he didn't notice that a look of satisfaction appeared on Qing Lian's flushed face, and she took the opportunity to press herself close to his chest again, greedily inhaling his scent.