Qing Lin

Qing Lin opened her eyes and looked around at the stone walls in confusion. Just as she was about to take a closer look, she suddenly felt something seemingly licking her foot. Looking down, she found a purple little beast about three feet long.

The little beast was entirely purple, its body covered in crystal-like purple scales. A small, delicate, adorable horn sat atop its head, while its round, gleaming eyes brimmed with spirit. Qing Lin, a young girl herself, stared at it so intently that she forgot her situation entirely. Sitting up, she smiled and reached out to stroke the little beast's head.

"Little one, why are you here? Were you captured too?"

As she spoke, Qing Lin seemed to finally realize what was happening. She hurriedly looked around, then scrambled to her feet and prepared to bow. However, Yang Chen, standing nearby with a gentle smile, stopped her.

"Little girl, you remember me?"

"Mhm. When Qing Lin served tea to you before, I saw you, so I remembered you."

Perhaps she had been infected by Yang Chen's smile, or perhaps she simply held no guard against him. Qing Lin nodded obediently and replied timidly.

Yang Chen smiled and gently stroked Qing Lin's long hair. There was a trace of tenderness in his eyes, and Qing Lin could not help becoming immersed in it. Her eyes narrowed slightly, as though she greatly enjoyed being petted, like an obedient little green snake.

"Aren't you afraid that I brought you out here to harm you?"

Hearing Yang Chen's voice, Qing Lin finally opened her eyes. Recalling how she had reacted earlier, she immediately lowered her head in embarrassment. Unfortunately, her thin body could not hide her little face.

She cautiously raised her eyes, intending to steal a glance at Yang Chen. Yet the moment she met those gentle eyes, she shyly hid again, lightly shaking her head as she said,

"No. I believe you, sir."

"Since you believe me, then follow me from now on."

Yang Chen rubbed Qing Lin's hair with heartfelt pity. In other people's eyes, Qing Lin, who carried the bloodline of the serpent people, was a monster, a freak. But was the former Yang Jian, from whom he had inherited this legacy, not seen the same way by others?

However, whether it had been Yang Jian in the past or Yang Chen now, both had once been protected by someone. Qing Lin, the weakest of them all, had endured everything alone.

"Can I really?"

There was anticipation in Qing Lin's eyes, but also fear and unease. Yang Chen did not answer. He merely smiled, took a jade pendant from his robes, and placed it around Qing Lin's neck.

"From today onward, you are the holy maiden of my True Lord Hall. With a single command from you, they must all obey."

As he spoke, Yang Chen rubbed Qing Lin's hair again and pointed at the little Purple Crystal Winged Lion.

"Do you like it? From now on, it'll be your companion. How about that?"

Yet after he finished speaking, Yang Chen heard no response. Turning around, he saw tears already streaming freely down Qing Lin's little face.

Yang Chen said nothing. He merely pulled Qing Lin into his arms with aching tenderness. If he had not been reborn and crossed into this world, he should have had a daughter too, one about Qing Lin's age. She would wear beautiful dresses, laugh happily, and...

After crying for quite some time, Qing Lin finally stopped. Seeing Yang Chen's doting expression, her face immediately reddened. She only lowered her head timidly and said,

"Thank you, sir."

Feeling little Qing Lin's dependence on him, Yang Chen smiled like an old father whose heart had been greatly comforted. But Hai Bodong, standing nearby, was so frightened that he quietly took two steps back and moved closer to the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, as though he wanted to warm himself by a fire.

The Purple Crystal Winged Lion King tilted its head, about to mock Hai Bodong, when it suddenly noticed something. It quickly shrank its neck and began pretending to sleep.

"It's not very convenient for you to take care of a child in your daily life, and there aren't many people in True Lord Hall either. Why not let her stay with the serpent people for now?"

Medusa Queen walked over to Yang Chen with graceful steps. Though she appeared to be speaking to Yang Chen, her gaze remained fixed on Qing Lin.

Jade Snake Three-Flower Pupils. While Qing Lin had been unconscious, Medusa Queen and Yang Chen had already used a secret technique to confirm Qing Lin's special constitution.

For this kind of special eye technique, Medusa Queen, whose body possessed the bloodline of serpent magical beasts, instinctively did not wish to approach it. That was why she had remained standing to the side earlier.

For some reason, seeing Yang Chen act this way gave Medusa Queen the strange feeling that she had suddenly gained another romantic rival. The ever-dominant Medusa Queen subconsciously began to guard what was hers.

The instant Qing Lin looked up and saw Medusa Queen, her little face turned pale. Although Medusa Queen had not deliberately released her aura, and her aura-concealment technique had become even more superb after cultivating the secret art, making it nearly impossible for others to sense the serpent people bloodline within her—

Qing Lin was different. The existence of the Jade Snake Three-Flower Pupils gave her a far stronger perception of serpent people bloodlines than ordinary people possessed. Even though Medusa Queen had deliberately concealed her aura, Qing Lin still sensed it from such close proximity.

"Y-you... you're the Medusa Queen!"

The name Medusa Queen possessed an intimidation around the Tagore Desert that no one could rival. Over the years, she had built that fear with the sword in her hand and mountains of blood.

Thus, the moment Qing Lin saw Medusa Queen, her face became deathly pale. There was no helping it—Medusa Queen's vicious reputation was simply too great.

"Hm?"

A flicker of surprise crossed Medusa Queen's eyes. She had not expected that, despite controlling her aura so perfectly, a little girl who had not even truly stepped onto the path of cultivation could still detect her.

"Don't be afraid. She won't hurt you."

Yang Chen stroked Qing Lin's little head, then turned to Medusa Queen and spoke softly.

"I remember there seems to be a little creature hidden beneath that magma. Call it here."

Yang Chen had barely touched anything in the underground magma. That Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake, which had only just reached the fourth tier, had immediately hidden at the bottom after sensing Medusa Queen's aura. Yang Chen had not bothered to seek it out.

With Medusa Queen's current methods and the pressure of her bloodline, that Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake would not dare disobey her orders.

"Hmph. You think you can just open your mouth and have this queen act for you? You..."

It was not that Medusa Queen was unwilling to help Yang Chen. It was simply that asking her to help the "little romantic rival" in her eyes was truly making things difficult for her. But before she could finish, Yang Chen said,

"I'll give you a small bottle of the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King's Companion Amethyst Source!"

Upon hearing "Companion Amethyst Source," Medusa Queen instinctively licked her red lips before reluctantly agreeing.