38. Spitting in Her Face

After a night of commotion, it was not until the sun hung high the next day that Yun Yun finally woke up.

As for Qing Lin, she had long been accustomed to rising early.

The seal of the Amethyst Winged Lion King! I was too careless. If he hadn't intervened, I fear my fate would have been grim.

Yun Yun gently parted her clothes to inspect the strange purple mark on her chest, sighing to herself, before turning her gaze toward Qing Lin and Xiao Yi Xian.

Both girls were undoubtedly flawless in appearance, though their temperaments differed slightly.

Having sensed Xiao Lei's Dou Emperor cultivation the previous night, Yun Yun was not at all surprised that he had two peerless beauties by his side.

"Little girl, where is your young master?"

Yun Yun had not seen Xiao Lei since she woke up. Although the mere thought of him brought back memories of last night—stirring a strange sense of shame and anger—she still wanted to see her savior.

At the very least, she had to know his name!

"Young Master didn't return last night, and Qing Lin is very worried! It's a pity my cultivation is too low; Young Master won't let me go out recklessly!"

Xiao Lei's group had been in the Magical Beast Mountain Range for some time. Xiao Lei had long since helped Qing Lin awaken her constitution, as there were no downsides to it.

However, Xiao Lei's strength had been limited at the time, and the situation in the core region was chaotic, so he hadn't dared to act rashly. He had only prepared a Rank 3 magical beast for her, and in such a short time, Qing Lin had only just broken through to become a Dou Practitioner.

Yun Yun didn't pay much mind to Qing Lin's words, assuming she was merely a vase kept by Xiao Lei.

Still, she couldn't help but silently disparage Xiao Lei in her heart; bringing someone without cultivation into the core of the Magical Beast Mountain Range was truly unsafe.

"Then, can you tell me what your young master is called?"

It was shameful to admit, but after the chaos of last night, everyone had tacitly remained silent. Even now, Yun Yun didn't know the name of the man who had saved her.

"Young Master's name is Xiao Lei. Big Sister can just call him by his name! Young Master is very kind and doesn't mind such things."

The little girl's every word was filled with admiration for Xiao Lei, which made Yun Yun secretly marvel.

"By the way, I am Qing Lin, and that is Big Sister Xiao Yi Xian. We are both traveling with Young Master, though our strength is quite weak right now! We can't help Young Master with much."

Ever since learning of her own constitution, Qing Lin had become much more confident and cheerful.

Hearing this, Yun Yun quickly turned her gaze toward Xiao Yi Xian.

A Dou Grandmaster at this age!

With a brief probe, Yun Yun was shocked. Although she didn't know Xiao Yi Xian's exact age, she estimated she wasn't much older than Nalan Yanran—and what was Nalan Yanran's current cultivation level?

Yun Yun checked Qing Lin's cultivation again and let out a sigh of relief upon realizing she had only just broken through to a Dou Practitioner.

I was scaring myself!

How could there be so many geniuses?

"Miss Qing Lin, I hear you call Young Master Xiao Lei 'Young Master.' Are you his maid?"

Curious about Xiao Lei, Yun Yun became interested in the relationship between the two girls and him, and she couldn't help but gossip.

Qing Lin didn't overthink it and spoke directly.

"Mm-hmm! Young Master gives me one hundred gold coins a month! He even advanced me fifty gold coins. Qing Lin has never received such a wage before!"

As she spoke, the young girl's face beamed with contented happiness, leaving Yun Yun stunned.

One hundred gold coins? One hundred gold coins!

He lured such a beautiful young girl to be a maid for a mere hundred gold coins!

In Yun Yun's mind, Xiao Lei's previously heroic image instantly collapsed.

Such a handsome man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, who would have thought! He's actually swindling a little girl!

"One hundred gold coins? He only gave you one hundred gold coins a month and you followed him? What about her?"

Yun Yun was completely dumbfounded, looking at Xiao Yi Xian and thinking, Don't tell me she's also one hundred gold coins!

"That's right! Qing Lin doesn't follow Young Master for money! It was Young Master who insisted on giving it to me; I only wanted a bite to eat!"

"As for Big Sister Xiao Yi Xian's situation, Qing Lin cannot say. You should ask her yourself!"

As Qing Lin finished speaking, before Yun Yun could even inquire, Xiao Yi Xian exhaled a breath of turbid air and exited her meditative state.

"Xiao Lei didn't promise me any gold coins. I follow him of my own volition; you could say it's for free."

Xiao Yi Xian's eyes were calm. She had initially followed Xiao Lei because he gave her hope—hope to resolve the Woe Poison Body. Later, as they interacted, they became friends.

This was rare for Xiao Yi Xian; after all, from the day she awakened the Woe Poison Body, it was destined that she would face the alienation of others.

Having a friend was good, and following Xiao Lei was truly not a bad thing.

However, Yun Yun knew none of this.

Absurd, simply absurd!

One for a hundred gold coins, and the other for free!

Yet, just as Yun Yun's brain stalled at this thought, a low sound of footsteps came from the entrance.

"Is Young Master back?"

The three of them looked toward the entrance simultaneously, and they saw the vine-covered cave opening suddenly pushed aside, revealing Xiao Lei's handsome face.

Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin were long accustomed to this, especially Xiao Yi Xian; back when she was holding consultations, she had even let the other party cut the line simply because of Xiao Lei's appearance and his identity as an alchemist.

But Yun Yun was different. She had seen Xiao Lei twice: once when she was struck by a seal and lost consciousness, and once at night, so she had never imagined that Xiao Lei would be this handsome.

Moreover, it was a handsome look full of youthful vitality, not at all like some middle-aged uncle.

At this moment, Xiao Lei was carrying a giant python on one shoulder and holding a black long blade in his hand, the visual impact rushing straight toward Yun Yun's face.

Thump, thump, thump!

The sound of a frantic heartbeat; Yun Yun had never felt her own heartbeat so clearly before—well, perhaps she had in her dreams last night, but Yun Yun had forgotten.

At this moment, Yun Yun couldn't help but think of the situation with Qing Lin and the other girl. If she hadn't yet become the Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, she might have wanted to travel the continent with Xiao Lei as well.

After all, the other party was not only a Dou Emperor, but his looks were also beyond reproach.

"Yo, you're up. How are your injuries?"

Seeing Yun Yun, Xiao Lei felt no awkwardness and spoke naturally.

Last night's events?

What events? Xiao Lei had no idea!

"I do!"

??

Xiao Lei was stunned. You do what? Did I even say anything!

"Ahem, what is that behind you?"

Realizing she had spoken out of turn, Yun Yun hurriedly tried to remedy the situation and change the subject, yet the moment she looked, she froze again.

"This is a Tier 5 Magical Beast—a Mystic Ice Python!"

Even among Tier 5 Magical Beasts, there were distinctions. The Mystic Ice Python Xiao Lei had possessed an excellent bloodline; with normal cultivation, it could become a Tier 6 Magical Beast, at which point it would be known as a Mystic Ice Flood Dragon.

Such magical beasts were usually stronger in combat than others of the same tier.

What's more, the one on Xiao Lei's back appeared to be alive!

"Oh, I suppose so! I don't know much about them. I saw it guarding a high-tier poisonous herb, so I gave it a beating!"

Xiao Lei's foundation was ultimately too shallow. He was fine with medicinal herbs, as he possessed the knowledge that came with his Copy Alchemy Technique, but when it came to magical beasts, he was completely blind.

However, Xiao Lei didn't care. He possessed the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils; as long as it wasn't some heaven-defying bloodline, what could stop him from catching a Tier 5 snake-type magical beast?

"Xiao Yi Xian, take this medicinal herb. Just stay here for the next few days and digest it!"

As he spoke, Xiao Lei took out a poisonous herb—the very one he had snatched from the Mystic Ice Python—and handed it directly to Xiao Yi Xian.

"Nine-Leaf Gelsemium!"

As a Dou Emperor, Yun Yun's knowledge was vast, and she recognized the poisonous herb in Xiao Lei's hand at once.

Although this thing was a poisonous herb, it was of immense value, no less than an ordinary Tier 5 medicinal pill, yet Xiao Lei gave it away without a second thought.

Xiao Lei's reasoning was simple: this thing was of little use to a Dou Emperor like him, so he might as well give it to Xiao Yi Xian. Her strength was too low, and he had to keep an eye on her constantly to prevent accidents; it was too much trouble.

"That is a highly toxic herb! Even an ordinary Dou King might perish if they consumed it directly. You can't eat that!"

Yun Yun shouted in alarm, but Xiao Yi Xian didn't care; she snatched the herb, consumed it, and ran to the side to begin absorbing it.

"Qing Lin, take this little snake as a pet!"

Hearing this, Yun Yun was once again completely bewildered. A Tier 5 magical beast as a pet? Even if you were willing, the beast wouldn't be!

One had to know that even the Misty Cloud Sect didn't have a Tier 5 magical beast as a guardian beast!

Xiao Lei was unaware of Yun Yun's shock; he simply dropped the Mystic Ice Python. The creature didn't struggle in the slightest, quickly shrinking into the form of a small snake and slithering toward Qing Lin.

"Be careful, that is a peak Tier 5 magical beast!"