How About We Make a Bet?

"Little Doctor Fairy, you heard it all?"

Xiao Yuan tilted his chin at her, a faint smile on his face.

Little Doctor Fairy let out a muffled, soft hum in response.

Her heart ached; although she had learned of this through Xiao Yuan's inner voice earlier, hearing it with her own ears still made it impossible not to feel distressed.

Why would Lifei betray me?

We've been as close as sisters for so many years...

She desperately wanted to return to the Myriad Medicine Pavilion right now and demand an explanation.

However, the next second, the blood gushing from Mu Li's throat startled her.

Mu Li clutched his neck, emitting a "ho-ho" sound, his eyes filled with disbelief before he collapsed to the ground, motionless.

"You... killed him?" Little Doctor Fairy asked in shock.

"Yeah."

Xiao Yuan nodded candidly, flicked the blood off his halberd blade, and stowed it back into his Storage Ring.

Little Doctor Fairy felt her mind struggling to keep up.

According to the usual flow of events, shouldn't she have been the one to personally execute this culprit?

Why didn't things go according to plan?

Xiao Yuan saw right through her thoughts and chuckled, explaining, "Scum like this isn't worth dirtying your hands, Little Doctor Fairy. It's better that I, your younger brother, handle the dirty work."

As he spoke, Xiao Yuan collected the Storage Rings from the bodies, then flicked his finger, casting a wisp of flame that instantly engulfed the corpses in a towering blaze.

In the blink of an eye, they were reduced to ash.

"Alright, Little Doctor Fairy, let's go."

"..."

Little Doctor Fairy followed Xiao Yuan out of the stone chamber, but as she watched his back, her heart was filled with a complex mix of emotions.

She understood that Xiao Yuan had done this to take all the responsibility upon himself.

Yet, the more he did so, the more she felt she owed him.

Little did she know, Xiao Yuan simply found it too troublesome to let her do the killing and preferred to handle it himself for a cleaner, faster result.

However, after this ordeal, Xiao Yuan noticed that the relationship between him and Little Doctor Fairy had inexplicably grown much closer.

Should he thank that idiot Mu Li?

Upon leaving the cave and returning to the camp, they found the members of the Blood Battle Mercenary Group already tied up like dumplings.

Xiao Yuan and Little Doctor Fairy helped untie them.

Once freed, the mercenaries didn't care about their own condition; their first priority was to ask if the two of them were injured.

Only after learning they were unharmed did they heave a sigh of relief.

They didn't ask where the people from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group had gone.

Little Doctor Fairy offered no explanation, choosing instead to rush back to Qingshan Town overnight.

Since Little Doctor Fairy and Xiao Yuan had returned unscathed, even a fool could deduce that Mu Li and the Wolf Head members were likely dead.

However, just as they were about to return to the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, Little Doctor Fairy tugged on his sleeve.

"Xiao Yuan, why don't you leave Qingshan Town? Mu Li is dead, and this won't stay hidden for long. Besides, Mu Li's father is Mu She, the leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. He definitely won't let you off."

"And what about you?"

Xiao Yuan asked curiously, but Little Doctor Fairy shook her head.

"I'll be fine. I have the protection of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, and the mercenaries in town are very supportive of me. Mu She wouldn't dare do anything to me."

Hearing Little Doctor Fairy say this, Xiao Yuan almost laughed out loud.

[My dear foster sister, you are truly foolishly adorable.]

[Mr. Yao of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion only values her fame and treats her like a cash cow. Does she really think that Mr. Yao would offend the Wolf Head Mercenary Group just to protect her?]

[Little does she know, if the Wolf Head Mercenary Group makes a move, Mr. Yao would be the first to sell her out.]

Little Doctor Fairy bit her lower lip; how could she not be aware of what Xiao Yuan's inner voice was implying?

But Mr. Yao had saved her life, given her a place to stay, and had shown her great kindness by taking her in.

How could she not repay that debt?

Besides, it wasn't as if she had no way to protect herself.

On the road, she had already read the contents of the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture; the poisons recorded within were potent enough to kill even a Great Dou Shi.

"In any case, Brother Xiao Yuan, you don't need to worry about me. You should leave immediately. When the time comes, we shall meet again if fate allows."

After speaking, Little Doctor Fairy reached out and nudged him, urging him to leave Qingshan Town quickly before dawn broke.

However, Xiao Yuan stood rooted to the spot, unmoving.

"Since you believe Mu She cannot touch you, Little Doctor Fairy, why would you think he can touch me?"

"Ah?"

With a small exclamation of surprise, Little Doctor Fairy seemed not to have expected such a reply from Xiao Yuan.

But when she recalled how Xiao Yuan had instantly killed over a dozen high-level Dou Zhe in the stone chamber, her willow brows could not help but knit together.

"Little Brother Xiao Yuan, I admit your talent is indeed formidable, but Mu She is a two-star Dou Shi. How could you possibly be his match?"

"How about we make a bet? If I can take care of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, will you leave Qingshan Town with me, Little Doctor Fairy?"

"Must you gamble with your own life?!"

Little Doctor Fairy grew somewhat anxious.

This was the first time she had discovered that Xiao Yuan could be so stubborn!

But meeting his firm gaze, which held no room for compromise, she sighed helplessly.

"Fine. If you can truly do it, I will leave with you. However, you must promise me that even if you cannot handle them, you must leave Qingshan Town alive, understand?"

"Rest assured, I couldn't bear to part with such a beautiful and flower-like foster sister."

"Hmph, glib-tongued. You must come back alive, do you hear me?"

Little Doctor Fairy couldn't help but urge him once more, just like a sister watching her younger brother head out into the world, her heart and eyes filled with worry.

As the saying goes, one's living environment determines one's horizons.

Little Doctor Fairy was no exception.

In a remote, backwater place like Qingshan Town, the realm of a Dou Shi was already a sky that everyone looked up to, unreachable and vast.

Higher realms were things she had never seen in her entire life.

Not to mention that Xiao Yuan was so young.

The news of Mu Li's death spread quite quickly.

Even though the deed had been done cleanly, by the time the sky was just beginning to brighten, Mu She had already received the message.

In the somewhat heavy atmosphere of the main hall, several figures sat within.

At the head of the hall sat a middle-aged man with a slightly gloomy face. Tapping his fingers lightly on the tabletop, he was the first to break the silence in the room.

"I just received news from the Blood Battle Mercenary Group. My son, Mu Li, died at the hands of a brat named Xiao Yuan. Do you have anything to say?"

The middle-aged man's voice was hoarse, his eyes rimmed with red; it was clear he had just been crying.

Yet, the resentment and fury in his eyes could no longer be contained.

"Commander, I am deeply sorry for the passing of the Young Commander. Given the nature of our Wolf Head, we must certainly pay blood with blood!"

"However, I have heard that this brat named Xiao Yuan seems to have some connection with Little Doctor Fairy of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion. If we act rashly, I fear we will not gain any advantage..."

Everyone present was well aware of how terrifying Little Doctor Fairy's influence was; even many within the Wolf Head had once received her favors.

"Hmph, she is just a Little Doctor Fairy! Don't think I don't know that it's those people from Blood Battle backing that wench! I don't care about anything else now; I only want to slaughter that brat Xiao Yuan to avenge my son!"

Mu She slammed his hand heavily onto the armrest of his chair, his eyes bloodshot and wide with rage.

The aura of a two-star Dou Shi was released without reservation, pressing down on everyone present until they could barely breathe.

Just then, a flippant voice rang out leisurely in the hall, instantly shattering Mu She's Dou Shi aura.

"Yo, I heard you were looking for me. May I ask what business you have?"