First Meeting with Xiao Yi Xian

Green Mountain Town, this small town situated right next to the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

At the town gate, dust billowed and the air was thick with the clamor of voices.

Various mercenary groups gathered here, their noisy shouts rising one after another.

Not far away, several merchants pushed carts filled with supplies, calling out loudly: "Top-quality healing medicine, fresh dry rations, come and buy now!"

The entire town entrance was a scene of chaos and vibrant energy.

Yao Chen flew to the town gate and, seeing the three large characters "Green Mountain Town" inscribed above, knew he had arrived at the right place.

Yao Chen then entered the town, walking slowly along the ground paved with blue bricks.

After walking for a while, he saw a rather spacious herb shop and stopped in his tracks; after a moment of contemplation, he stepped into the shop named "Ten Thousand Herb Pavilion."

This is the herb shop where Xiao Yi Xian is located; I must find someone to ask, Yao Chen thought to himself as he scanned his surroundings, looking at the counters filled with low-grade herbs.

"Is the shopkeeper in?" Yao Chen asked loudly when no one paid him any mind.

At this moment, the shop assistants were still busy with their own tasks, and no one responded to Yao Chen's inquiry.

Yao Chen, rendered speechless by this scene, released the aura of a Dou King.

The surrounding assistants were instantly terrified by this pressure, and a middle-aged man hiding behind the counter immediately rushed to Yao Chen's side, asking obsequiously: "Respected Dou King, please forgive our poor hospitality; I hope the Dou King will not take offense."

Yao Chen said dismissively: "It is nothing."

"Dou King, is there some herb you require? Any herb the Dou King needs, our shop will provide at a twenty percent discount."

The middle-aged man bowed to Yao Chen as he asked.

Yao Chen said expressionlessly: "What is your name, and are you the one in charge of this shop?"

Upon hearing Yao Chen's question, the middle-aged man immediately knelt before him and replied: "This humble one's surname is Yao, called Yao Jinbao. Everyone gives me a bit of face and calls me Master Yao; you may just call me Little Yao, sir. This Ten Thousand Herb Pavilion is my property; if you fancy it, sir, you may take it."

"This old man has no interest in your shop. Does your shop have a physician named Xiao Yi Xian?"

Hearing this, Yao Jinbao let out a long breath, the heavy stone in his heart finally dropping.

"That is correct, Dou King. My shop does indeed have a physician named Xiao Yi Xian."

Upon hearing Yao Jinbao's answer, Yao Chen hurriedly pressed: "Where is Xiao Yi Xian now?"

"Dou King, I am very sorry. Xiao Yi Xian went to the Magical Beast Mountain Range with the Snow Wolf Mercenary Group yesterday to collect herbs; it is estimated that she will not return for a few more days."

After Yao Jinbao finished answering, Yao Chen said helplessly: "Very well. When Xiao Yi Xian returns, you must treat her well. If I learn that you harbor any malicious intent, this old man will surely reduce your shop to ashes."

With that, Yao Chen waved his hand casually; a sense of extreme cold emanated through the shop, followed instantly by intense heat, and a stone statue of a wealth-god at the entrance vanished into thin air in an instant.

Seeing this, Yao Jinbao immediately kowtowed to Yao Chen, crying out with a look of grievance: "Dou King, Xiao Yi Xian was taken in and raised by me since she was a child. Even if you gave me a hundred guts of a dog, I would not dare to harbor the slightest malice toward her."

"That is good." After saying this, Yao Chen immediately extended a pair of snow-white Dou Qi wings from his back and flew straight out of the Ten Thousand Herb Pavilion to head toward the Magical Beast Mountain Range in search of Xiao Yi Xian.

A long while after Yao Chen flew out of the shop, the owner, Yao Jinbao, finally rose from the ground and muttered to himself in grievance.

"Where did this ancestor come from?"

At this moment, deep within the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Xiao Yi Xian was dressed in a pale white dress, her figure moving nimbly through the dense jungle.

Her bright, intelligent eyes constantly scanned the surrounding vegetation, searching for precious medicinal herbs.

Beside her, members of the Snow Wolf Mercenary Group stood guard vigilantly, their weapons gripped tightly in their hands.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled light and shadows.

Xiao Yi Xian carefully crouched down, examining a herb that emitted a strange fragrance, a joyful smile appearing on her face.

However, just as she was about to pluck it, the ground suddenly trembled slightly.

"Not good, we have a situation!" the mercenary group leader, Li Feng, let out a low roar, and the group instantly entered a combat state.

A Tier 3 Amethyst Pangolin magical beast charged toward them.

The Amethyst Pangolin was massive, its hard scales refracting an eerie light in the dim forest, like armor forged from amethyst.

Its eyes flashed with a fierce red glow, and its roar caused the leaves to rustle and fall.

Li Feng swung his heavy battle axe, hacking fiercely at the beast's head, but he only left a shallow white mark on its hard scales.

The beast shook its head violently, and the immense force sent Li Feng flying; he crashed heavily to the ground, spitting blood from his mouth.

Seeing this, the other mercenaries rushed forward with swords and blades, but their attacks were like throwing eggs against a rock. The beast's tail swept across, and in an instant, several mercenaries were sent flying, their bodies snapping the surrounding tree branches.

Xiao Yi Xian stood to the side, quickly scattering a handful of poison powder, but it had absolutely no effect on the thick-skinned Amethyst Pangolin.

The Amethyst Pangolin charged toward Xiao Yi Xian, and she hurriedly dodged, narrowly avoiding the beast's attack.

As time passed, the mercenaries fell one after another, injured, and the once-orderly formation became scattered.

Some mercenaries lay on the ground groaning in pain, while others had lost consciousness.

Xiao Yi Xian's clothes were torn by branches, her face covered in dust, and her eyes revealed fear and despair.

She looked at the nearly invincible beast before her, her heart filled with helplessness.

The members of the Snow Wolf Mercenary Group had lost the courage to fight, and they began to scatter and flee.

However, the Magical Beast had no intention of letting them go, pursuing them relentlessly as screams echoed continuously through the mountain forest.

"Everyone is protecting me, I cannot let them lose their lives here. I will lure this Magical Beast away alone to buy time for everyone." Watching the Snow Wolf Mercenary Group fighting to protect her, Xiao Yi Xian could not help but harden her heart.

Xiao Yi Xian ran in the opposite direction of the mercenary group, actively using medicinal powder to attract the Amethyst Pangolin, watching as the beast drew closer and closer to her.

Just as she felt a sense of despair, the Amethyst Pangolin was instantly enveloped in a ball of white light, radiating an unbearable temperature that could be felt in the surroundings.

At this moment, white crystals began to sprout from the body of the Amethyst Pangolin, and it stood there motionless, as if it had been frozen solid.

A gentle breeze swept through the forest, and the Amethyst Pangolin dissipated into the air along with the wind, leaving behind a Rank 3 Monster Core.

Standing to the side was an old man dressed in white robes, his hair as white as snow, his features exuding an ethereal and sage-like temperament.

Yao Chen casually collected the Monster Core into his Storage Ring, while Xiao Yi Xian, who had been watching from the side, hurriedly cupped her hands to thank him.

"Thank you, Senior, for saving my life!"

"Little girl, are you Xiao Yi Xian?" Yao Chen asked, looking toward her after hearing her voice.

Xiao Yi Xian replied upon hearing this: "Yes, Senior! I was taken in by the Ten Thousand Herb Pavilion when I was young and have no name. Because I know a little medicine and usually treat mercenary groups injured in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, everyone calls me Xiao Yi Xian."

"Then there is no mistake!"