Qing Lin Becomes a Maid; Master and Disciple Become Neighbors in Prison

In the Snake-People Tribe's prison, Yun Yun had her cultivation sealed by the tribe's secret technique and was imprisoned here.

Looking at the cold walls of the cell, Yun Yun sighed. "I was careless."

Half a year ago, Gu He had come to the Tagor Desert in search of medicinal ingredients. By chance, he sensed a Heavenly Flame and found a Medusa snake scale carrying the aura of a Heavenly Flame.

Gu He had long coveted Heavenly Flames. If Yun Yun had not been in the Magical Beast Mountain Range at the time, he would have immediately set out for the Tagor Desert to trade with Medusa for the Heavenly Flame.

In the past, even if she felt nothing for Gu He, she would have helped him for the sake of his status as a Sixth-Rank Alchemist and an honorary elder of the Misty Cloud Sect.

But after her journey through the Magical Beast Mountain Range, her heart had already been filled by a young man.

Thinking of how that young man seemed to be in particular need of special flames...

Even she did not know what had gotten into her. She had actually come alone to the Tagor Desert, intending to steal the Heavenly Flame.

To that end, she had sent away all the elders and disciples around her, disappearing under the pretext of secluded cultivation, terrified that her plan might be exposed.

Yet no matter how carefully she plotted, Medusa was ultimately stronger than her.

It was laughable that she had thought her aura perfectly concealed, when in reality, she had merely been a clown in the other woman's eyes.

She had lurked for several days and believed she had figured out Queen Medusa's routine. She had even personally watched Queen Medusa leave before sneaking into her chambers, only to find Queen Medusa waiting for her inside.

A Three-Star Dou Emperor against a peak Sixth-Rank magical beast—the gap in strength was self-evident.

If not for the fact that she was the Misty Cloud Sect's leader and could be used to extract benefits from the sect, she probably would have been killed on the spot.

At that thought, Yun Yun covered her face in shame.

Only then did she belatedly realize that her mind seemed to be somewhat lacking.

Inside a prison carriage headed toward the heartland of the Snake-People Tribe, Nalan Yanran's lips were cracked as she weakly leaned against the bars.

For days and nights, not a drop of water had passed her lips.

Those snake-people feared she might find a chance to escape, so they had done everything possible to weaken her.

In truth, the snake-people's plan had indeed worked.

Due to her extreme dehydration, Nalan Yanran no longer had the energy to think about escaping.

She had even begun to pray, hoping she would reach the Snake-People Tribe sooner and be thrown into a prison cell.

At the very least, she would receive food and water then.

Besides, her master, Yun Yun, would never abandon her.

When the time came, she would do her utmost in the future to repay whatever resources were spent to secure her freedom.

Thinking that way, Nalan Yanran even developed a faint desire to simply give up.

At least nothing had happened, right?

Qing Lin had never felt so comfortable. Her entire body was surrounded by warmth and softness, while a faint scent that made her feel incredibly at ease and want to draw close kept drifting into her nose.

Her delicate nose twitched, and she wore an expression of blissful enjoyment.

Vaguely, voices entered her ears.

"Is she still not awake?"

"No, not yet. I checked her briefly. Her body is probably weak, and her emotions suddenly became agitated not long ago, which caused her to faint. Big Brother, Second Brother, why have you been mistreating a maid?"

"Hey, Third Brother, don't talk nonsense. The group has never withheld or lacked resources for her. Her poor health is due to other reasons."

"Your Second Brother is right. Qing Lin is a hybrid of snake-person and human, so she has suffered severe discrimination and frequent bullying. Hardly anyone in the city is willing to sell her food."

"Exactly. If Big Brother and I had not kindly taken her in to work for the mercenary group, she might have... Forget it. She's your maid now, Third Brother. If you think she's too weak, just nourish her properly."

"Heh, I'd be willing to have her as my maid, but I don't know whether this girl would be willing to follow me. If she isn't willing, then I..."

Hearing that, cold sweat seeped from Qing Lin's forehead. She abruptly opened her eyes and sat up from the bed. "I'm willing!"

Three pairs of eyes turned toward her in unison.

When Qing Lin saw Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, and Xiao Yan, whose body carried that special fragrance, her face immediately flushed red.

Then she looked again and realized she was lying on the bed prepared for Young Master Xiao Yan!

"F-forgive me!"

Qing Lin apologized in a panic and immediately tried to get out of bed.

Xiao Yan reached out and pushed her straight back down. "What are you apologizing for? Lie down properly and behave!"

His somewhat forceful words made Qing Lin reveal a wronged expression, but her body honestly lay back down.

Xiao Yan casually pulled the blanket over Qing Lin, then signaled for his two brothers, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, to follow him outside.

After leaving the room, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li asked, "Third Brother, you're kindhearted, but you're not someone who hands out kindness casually. Why are you so concerned about Qing Lin?"

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Yan replied, "Qing Lin has a special talent and is worth nurturing."

"If we raise her well, she can protect the Xiao Clan and even become an aid to me."

"A special talent?" Xiao Ding and Xiao Li did not understand.

They had not noticed anything special about Qing Lin.

But thinking that their Third Brother was a Sixth-Rank Alchemist whose eyesight was surely better than theirs, they did not ask further.

"Third Brother, if that's what you say, then we really should treat this girl better," Xiao Ding and Xiao Li agreed.

With their doubts resolved, the two exchanged a glance and said, "Well, Third Brother, your Second Brother and I are going to take the Myriad Beast Blood Pill you gave us."

"You said we'd fall unconscious for several days after taking it, so we'll leave the mercenary group to you for the next few days."

After saying that, neither waited for Xiao Yan to respond. They immediately fled as if escaping, looking like they had cast off a heavy burden.

Xiao Yan laughed as he rubbed his forehead and shrugged. "Fine. A few days earlier or later won't delay anything. I'll treat these days as a rest."

Deep within the Tagor Desert, in Snake-People Tribe territory.

Nalan Yanran gripped the bars with both hands and shouted at the snake-person who had captured her, "We've already reached your Snake-People Tribe's territory. Can you give me some food and water now?"

"Now that we're in your territory, are you still worried that I can escape?"

Hearing Nalan Yanran's words, the snake-person rolled his eyes and snorted. "Human, now that you've entered Snake-People Tribe territory, forget you—even a strong expert like your master won't be able to escape!"

"Water? Once you're in the prison cell, you'll naturally get some."

Nalan Yanran did not argue. My master is a Dou Emperor. How could she possibly fail to escape... No, my master could never be captured by these snake-people in the first place.

This snake-person is so blindly arrogant to say something so ridiculous.

Nalan Yanran gazed at the sky and prayed inwardly, Master, come save me quickly.

"This is your cell. Stay put, or you'll suffer for it. You humans are the most disgusting of all!"

A female snake-person brought Nalan Yanran into the cell and spoke coldly.

Nalan Yanran wisely kept her mouth shut rather than argue, thinking that once her master arrived, she would definitely repay every humiliation she had suffered.

After the snake-person left,

Nalan Yanran discovered some dry rations, fruit, and water in the cell. She wolfed everything down, and her strength recovered greatly.

Leaning against the cell wall, she called toward the neighboring cell, unsure whether anyone was there. "Is anyone there?"

In the neighboring cell,

Yun Yun, who had been staring blankly in a daze, refocused her eyes.

Had she just heard her beloved disciple's voice?