Taking Qing Lin Away

One child was the first to shout, his voice full of contempt and malice. The other children joined in, jeering as they circled around Qing Lin.

Qing Lin trembled all over in fright. She hurriedly crouched down, wrapped her arms around her knees, and buried her head in her chest. Her tiny voice carried a trace of sobbing fear. "I... I'm not a Snake-Person."

Her whole body shook as she cried.

Yet those children had no intention of letting her off easily. They continued to jeer and fool around. One of them reached out and grabbed Qing Lin's sleeve, trying to pull out her arm.

Qing Lin clutched her sleeve desperately, but she was slight and frail, with nowhere near the strength to resist those children.

Before long, her sleeve was forcibly pulled up, exposing a thin, delicate arm covered in patches of green snake scales.

They stood out especially clearly beneath the sunlight, forming a stark and jarring contrast against her fair skin.

"Look, look! She has snake scales on her arm! She really is a Snake-Person monster!" One particularly burly brat, built like a calf, shouted even more excitedly upon seeing the scales.

Ling Yuan stood quietly at the mouth of a nearby alley, watching the scene unfold with a silent sigh.

He had only heard before that Qing Lin, being a half-blood of Snake-People and humans, had suffered discrimination and bullying since childhood. He had not expected it to be this severe.

No wonder she had developed such a timid, insecure personality after living under others' mockery and abuse for so long.

However, on second thought, he felt that this had its advantages as well.

Qing Lin had been bullied for years, to the point where she even believed herself to be lowly.

Her heart yearned for warmth and protection. As long as he helped her escape this misery and gave her a little care and warmth, she would surely become utterly devoted to him and follow him faithfully.

By then, even if he told Qing Lin to die, she probably would not hesitate in the slightest.

Among the geniuses of the Douqi Continent, she was one of the easiest to win over.

The return on investment was exceptionally high.

At that moment, Qing Lin's sobs grew louder and louder. Tears slid down her cheeks, glinting in the light.

She slowly raised her head from her knees, her eyes full of helplessness and grievance. Her hands hurriedly tugged at her sleeve, trying to hide the snake scales on her arm so no one could see them and laugh at her again.

Ling Yuan carefully examined her face. Her features were delicate, and her little face was as exquisite as a porcelain doll's, making her utterly adorable.

Though she was still somewhat childish and retained an air of youthful innocence, it was not difficult to see that she would grow into a breathtaking beauty. What drew the eye most, however, was her pair of clear, timid eyes, like those of a startled fawn, making one unable to resist feeling pity for her.

What caught Ling Yuan's attention most was her pair of eyes.

Looking closely, he discovered three tiny dots within them, giving them an exceptionally bewitching appearance.

Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils!

Ling Yun, who had been secretly protecting him all along, also noticed Qing Lin's unusual trait.

"Young Patriarch, those are the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils!"

The shock in his voice was unmistakable.

It was no wonder Ling Yun was so moved. Those were the exceedingly rare Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils!

The nemesis of serpents—so long as she was provided with enough serpent-type magical beasts, she was guaranteed to break through to the Dou Saint realm.

Who would have thought they would encounter her in such a small city, and that she would appear so easy to recruit? They were truly fortunate!

Recruiting a future Dou Saint for the clan would be no small merit.

Moreover, Qing Lin was being bullied right now. If they took her back, he could also earn the gratitude of a future Dou Saint expert!

"Young Patriarch, we cannot let a gifted talent like this slip away!"

Ling Yun felt that Qing Lin's talent far surpassed even Zi Yan's and Medusa's.

Ling Yuan nodded with a quiet hum. He had come here to recruit Qing Lin in the first place.

Now that Ling Yun had brought it up himself, it made things even more natural.

After bullying Qing Lin to tears, the group of children soon giggled and prepared to leave.

However, Ling Yuan had no intention of letting them off so easily.

The youngest among them were already thirteen or fourteen. They were not truly ignorant children; they were simply rotten to the core.

Ling Yuan acted directly, precisely immobilizing the children.

Qing Lin was still hugging her knees and crying when Ling Yuan walked over.

Qing Lin looked up and discovered a handsome older brother standing before her.

Seeing Ling Yuan staring at the snake scales on her hand, Qing Lin hurriedly pulled down her sleeve and lowered her head in shame.

"They bullied you. I've already restrained them. You can do anything you want to them and take your revenge..."

Qing Lin noticed that they truly could not move. Then she saw that Ling Yuan's feet were off the ground—he was actually flying!

Qing Lin did not know what it meant to tread upon the Void, but she knew that this older brother had to be powerful. Even Captains Xiao Ding and Xiao Li could not fly.

She timidly shook her head. "F-forget it. They didn't do it on purpose."

Qing Lin had regarded herself as lowly since childhood. Even with those children unable to move, she did not dare entertain thoughts of revenge.

Ling Yuan could help her now, but what about later? If she took revenge, she would only be bullied even more severely afterward.

Seeing her like this, Ling Yuan could not help but feel pity for her.

But he was also somewhat frustrated by her weakness.

"Not on purpose? Do you believe that if you spare them now, not only will they fail to thank you later, they may even beat and kick you because you let them go?"

As if she had imagined that scene, Qing Lin's body shook even more violently.

Ling Yuan knew the groundwork had been laid, so he slowly crouched down and took her small hand.

"The reason they dare treat you this way is not because you are mixed-blooded, but because you are too weak. If you had strength, they would only dare look up at you. They would never dare do such things to you!"

Qing Lin had never heard anyone put it that way before, and she could not help looking up.

"I will give you an opportunity now. Follow me. Not only can I protect you, but I can also teach you cultivation and make you strong."

"Are you willing to come with me?"

Qing Lin had never dreamed that this older brother, even after learning she was mixed-blooded, would not despise her. He even intended to protect and nurture her.

Every day, all she did was work. Aside from working, she rarely went outside, because she might run into those children and be mocked and bullied.

Timidly, she met Ling Yuan's eyes. There was no mockery in them, only resolve.

When had Qing Lin ever been treated this way? She felt only warmth, as though Ling Yuan's entire body was shining.

Qing Lin suddenly felt that Ling Yuan was right. She thought of how her mother had suffered mockery because she lacked strength, and had ultimately taken her own life.

A thought rose in her heart: Follow him. Become stronger, until no one can bully me again!

"I'm willing!" Qing Lin nodded, with a little less timidity and a little more determination.

"Good. Then let's go!"

Ling Yuan pulled Qing Lin up from the ground and left by treading upon the Void.

Not long after they had gone, the immobilized children seemed to be crushed by some unseen force and exploded directly into bloody mist!

Ling Yuan had never claimed to be a good person.

Since Qing Lin had already been recruited by him, she was one of his people.

Those people had bullied Qing Lin right in front of him, so naturally Ling Yuan would not let them go.

The fact that he had not wiped out their entire families was already merciful enough.