Qing Lin, the Maid

The young girl's body trembled slightly. She stopped in alarm and timidly raised her head, revealing a delicate, lovely oval face.

Like a beautiful porcelain doll, her timid appearance resembled a frightened little rabbit, making one unable to help but feel pity for her.

Most eye-catching were her water spirit eyes, their pupils carrying a faint green tint.

Moreover, deep within those pupils seemed to be three exceedingly tiny green dots.

Seeing this, Xiao Ding hurriedly explained, "My lord, this is the maid we took in. Her name is Qing Lin.

"She is timid. If she has offended you in any way, I hope you will be forgiving."

Shen Wen's gaze fell upon Qing Lin's distinctive pupils, confirming his suspicions.

A gentle smile appeared on his face, completely unlike the calm indifference he had shown while speaking with Brother Xiao Ding and Xiao Li moments ago.

"It's nothing." Shen Wen beckoned Qing Lin over. "Qing Lin, is it? Come here and let me take a look."

Qing Lin seemed somewhat soothed by Shen Wen's gentle attitude, but she was still afraid and instinctively looked toward Xiao Ding.

Although Xiao Ding did not understand why, seeing that Shen Wen appeared to harbor no ill intent, he nodded to Qing Lin.

Only then did Qing Lin slowly make her way over to Shen Wen. Her little hands nervously twisted the corner of her clothes, and she kept her head lowered, not daring to look at him.

Cao Ying watched Shen Wen show such "interest" in a little maid.

Beneath her hood, her willow eyebrows unconsciously furrowed, and an inexplicable trace of sourness rose in her heart.

She muttered to herself, This guy... could he really be interested in such an immature little girl too? Hmph!

Dan Chen, meanwhile, looked at Qing Lin curiously. Her Soul Power was unusual.

She could vaguely sense that Qing Lin seemed to have a strange and immense power hidden within her body.

Naturally, Shen Wen had no idea about Cao Ying's inner drama. Looking at Qing Lin, he said, "Look at me."

Qing Lin's body suddenly trembled. She cautiously raised her head, and Shen Wen's Soul Power surged forth. In the next instant, he felt a slight daze in Qing Lin's eyes.

But it was quickly dispelled by the powerful force within them.

Part of it has already awakened? It probably only needs a trigger.

Shen Wen understood.

He withdrew his finger and smiled gently at Qing Lin. "She's a good seedling. What a waste to leave her here as a maid."

He turned to Xiao Ding and Xiao Li. "Make arrangements to search for the Heavenly Flames as soon as possible. As for this young girl..."

He paused.

"I happen to be lacking a maid at my side. If you are willing, I will take her with me.

"Of course, I will not let you suffer a loss."

As he spoke, he took out another Jade Bottle and placed it on the table. Inside were several medicinal pills suitable for strengthening one's foundation and nourishing one's vitality at the Dou Master stage.

Cao Ying finally could not hold herself back.

Using voice transmission, she snorted at Shen Wen, "Young Master Shen really does cherish beauties. No matter where you go, you never forget to take in a maid.

"What is so special about this girl that you have to personally ask for her?"

Hearing the jealousy in her words, Shen Wen laughed inwardly and replied through voice transmission, "Is my wife jealous? Don't worry. In my heart, no one can compare to you, my wife.

"Qing Lin possesses the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. If she remains in a place like this, her talent will only be buried. If we bring her back to the Pill Pagoda and nurture her properly, she may become a great help in the future."

Upon hearing Shen Wen's explanation, especially his words, "No one can compare to you, my wife,"

the slight displeasure in Cao Ying's heart immediately vanished, replaced by a hint of sweetness.

She gave a coquettish snort and replied through voice transmission, "Who's jealous?! Take in as many maids as you like! I was only... only worried that you would neglect proper business!"

[Affection: 23%]

Meanwhile, Xiao Ding did not accept the pills. He merely exchanged a glance with Xiao Li.

"My lord, Qing Lin is... the descendant of a Snake Person and a human..." Xiao Ding worried that Shen Wen might be the kind of person who loathed Snake People.

Upon hearing Xiao Ding's words, Qing Lin's face turned pale. Her small hands kept rubbing against her clothes until they became wrinkled.

Shen Wen seemed gentle now, but who knew what might happen afterward?

"I know. The Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils can only appear among the descendants of Snake People and humans." Shen Wen nodded.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were puzzled, but they did not dare ask. At that moment, someone spoke up. "Brother Shen Wen, what are the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils?"

Dan Chen, who had remained silent all along, could not help speaking when she heard something even she did not know.

"A special constitution. Well, it is a miracle born amid calamity."

Shen Wen explained the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. There were actually records of it in the Pill Pagoda, or rather, it had appeared there before.

It was simply that

very few had ever grown up. As for why,

it was naturally because one of the Three great magical beast families was called the Nine Netherworld Dark Python. They were serpents.

How could they possibly allow the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils to truly mature?

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were shocked by Shen Wen's words once again. The little maid they had taken in out of pity

actually had such an extraordinary origin?

Qing Lin, on the other hand, blushed slightly when she heard Shen Wen call her "a miracle born amid calamity." For more than ten years, she had endured cold looks and mockery.

Brother Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had been relatively kind to her, but even within the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, many people looked down on Qing Lin.

They did not verbally abuse her only out of consideration for the two brothers of the Xiao Clan.

Yet Shen Wen was the only one to tell her so directly that she was a miracle.

"Now that you know Qing Lin's uniqueness, are you still willing to let her go?"

Shen Wen looked at Xiao Ding.

Xiao Ding shook his head. "My lord, we took Qing Lin in because we pitied her back then. We will not restrict her freedom."

"If she is willing, then there is no need for any compensation. Please take those things back. She is a person, not merchandise."

Shen Wen raised an eyebrow.

Not bad.

The three brothers of the Xiao Clan truly had good character. But then he thought of the father of the three Xiao Clan brothers.

Xiao Ding placed the decision in Qing Lin's hands. Everyone's gaze fell upon her, making Qing Lin somewhat nervous.

"I... I'm willing."

As Qing Lin spoke those three words, it seemed as though she had exhausted all the courage of her life.

The main reason was that she vaguely sensed an aura from Shen Wen that drew her in.

Seeing Qing Lin like this, Cao Ying also felt affection for her, as though she were a younger sister.

She had more or less guessed that in this region, the Snake People Clan and humans were practically blood enemies. As a special existence left behind by the Snake People Clan's atrocities,

one could imagine how much malice Qing Lin had suffered from childhood to adulthood.

Cao Ying stood and took Qing Lin's hand, only to see the green scales on her wrist.

Qing Lin's body tensed, and she looked at Cao Ying anxiously.

Although Shen Wen was gentle, she did not understand these two people's temperaments and worried that she might offend Cao Ying.

"What beautiful scales." Cao Ying said sincerely.

At those words, Qing Lin's tense expression froze. Ever since she had been born,

only today had Shen Wen called her a miracle born amid calamity, while Cao Ying said that the scales she herself feared were beautiful.

It seemed that the hardships she had endured over the past dozen years had finally reached a turning point today.

"This is the map. Identify where this Flame mark is, then search around that area."

Shen Wen took out the map Hai Bodong had given him and placed it on the table.

In truth, he did not know whether the Green Lotus Core Flame had already been taken by Medusa.

Judging by the timeline, she probably had not taken it yet, but that was not certain.

Even if she had taken it, it did not matter. Medusa could not possibly make use of the Green Lotus Core Flame so quickly.