Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes

Ever since Xiao Yan had shown his fondness for Qinglian and Qinglian's own cultivation talent had been revealed, her status had risen greatly. She now had her own private room in Xiao Yan's courtyard, complete with a living room, guest room, bathroom, and cultivation chamber. Xiao Yan had even allowed Qinglian to find herself a personal attendant.

This thoroughly startled Qinglian. She hurriedly said that she was merely a servant herself, so how could she possibly have a servant of her own?

Qinglian was not the only one surprised. When Xiao Ding and Xiao Li heard about it, they both came over to ask what was going on. There had been unsavory rumors in the residence that Qinglian had gained her current wealth and status by climbing into Xiao Yan's bed, though the two of them had not believed them at first.

After all, they believed that no matter how lustful their younger brother might be, he would not lay a hand on a child as young as Qinglian. Yet Xiao Yan's inexplicable kindness toward Qinglian had reached an excessive level. Even Little Fairy Doctor, who had come out of seclusion to rest midway through her cultivation, could not help casting him a suspicious look.

It was not until Xiao Yan explained that he had discovered Qinglian might possess a special constitution worth nurturing that Xiao Ding and Xiao Li finally left at ease.

Little Fairy Doctor suspected that Xiao Yan might be playing some sort of raising game. Qinglian was obviously the seed of a great beauty, after all. But on second thought, even if that were true, so what? In Dou Qi Continent, where killing someone did not even earn a prison sentence, something like this hardly counted for anything. It was not even enough to draw moral condemnation.

And forget Dou Qi Continent—even on Blue Star in his previous life, how many people who had visited Lolita Island had ever been punished?

At most, Xiao Yan would be cursed as lecherous and shameless a few times. So she did not dwell on it any longer.

Xiao Yan felt that Little Fairy Doctor had probably guessed part of his intentions, so he had been feeling somewhat guilty. But when he realized she had not asked anything, he could not help sighing inwardly. What a damned feudal... no, cultivation society.

In the main hall of Xiao Yan's courtyard.

"Y-Young Master Xiao Yan, is this for me?"

Qinglian looked at the pill in her hand, visibly excited.

"Of course. I prepared it especially for you." Xiao Yan smiled and rubbed Qinglian's soft little head.

Qinglian lowered her head shyly. She knew about the things the servants had been saying.

"Young Master treats Qinglian so well. Qinglian doesn't even know how to repay you."

With her head lowered, Qinglian shyly glanced at Xiao Yan. Her Serpent-Person bloodline seemed to make her sway unconsciously at that moment, leaving Xiao Yan's mouth rather dry.

He hurriedly suppressed his wicked thoughts and regained the clarity in his eyes.

When Qinglian saw the clear look in Xiao Yan's eyes, her heart dimmed slightly. She knew what kind of person Young Master Xiao Yan was, yet he showed no interest in her at all. She must not be pretty enough yet.

Although Qinglian was only thirteen, children on Dou Qi Continent generally matured early and were not entirely ignorant of adult matters. As for those rumors, Qinglian herself felt that if Young Master Xiao Yan wanted it, she would not refuse.

Naturally, Xiao Yan had no idea what Qinglian was thinking. For him, the important thing now was not only helping Qinglian awaken the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes, but also making everything clear to her.

"Qinglian, after cultivating these past few days, you should have felt that you're different from other people, right?" Xiao Yan's expression turned serious.

"Um... in reply to Young Master, a little." Seeing Xiao Yan's serious expression and tone, Qinglian sensed the importance of the conversation to come. She herself had indeed noticed something unusual.

Not only had she reached the third stage of Dou Qi immediately upon beginning cultivation, but after only a few days, her cultivation had risen again to the fourth stage of Dou Qi. At this rate, even without any other assistance, Qinglian would likely break through to the Dou Fighter realm in less than half a year. Even if the Dou Fighter realm held her back for a few more months, it would take no more than a year.

Reaching the Dou Fighter realm in just one year! That was far faster than Xiao Yan had been back then!

Even if cultivation was not merely a competition of speed, this was still far too astonishing.

It was only because Xiao Yan had instructed Qinglian to keep it secret that no one knew. Otherwise, the entire Tagore Great Desert would have been shocked.

"Qinglian, you're a very clever child, so I won't hide it from you. You possess an extremely special and powerful talent, and this pill is meant to help you awaken it." Xiao Yan explained steadily. "If I'm not mistaken, your talent should be the legendary Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes!"

"Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes?"

"That's right, the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes! It is a special constitution that only appears among the descendants of Serpent-People and humans. Aside from creating illusions, its most important ability is its innate power to control the vast majority of serpent-type magical beasts. The Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes also possesses an independent space capable of holding controlled serpent-type magical beasts, and can gradually absorb the cultivation of those within it. It can be called one of the strongest constitutions in this world!"

"Th-Then Qinglian really has such a powerful talent?" Qinglian could scarcely believe it. It was like a poor student who had lived for over twenty years suddenly learning that her father was actually the richest man in the country. Her first reaction would never be belief, but thinking she was dreaming.

"Of course it's true!" Xiao Yan said firmly. But mere words were obviously hard to believe, so he brought Qinglian before the third-tier Sand Python he had captured earlier.

The enormous snake body, dozens of meters long, was curled up inside an iron cage less than ten meters across, making the space seem extremely cramped.

There was no helping it. With the Mo Iron Mercenary Group's capabilities, they could not prepare a beast cage capable of imprisoning a third-tier magical beast. The iron cage before them was merely psychological comfort for the ordinary members. What truly kept it contained was Xiao Yan's iron fist.

Every so often, Xiao Yan would come over, knock the Sand Python unconscious again, and drain the Dou Qi from its body.

What? If the Sand Python had not woken up yet, wouldn't striking it simply wake it?

Xiao Yan's solution was to knock it awake first, then knock it unconscious. After all, he could not stand around waiting for it to wake up.

"Qinglian, don't be afraid. Come over."

Xiao Yan gently pushed Qinglian forward, making her face the sleeping Sand Python through the iron bars.

For a little girl who had only just begun cultivating, facing a magical beast a hundred times larger than herself was a terrifying experience. Even though Xiao Yan had told her more than once that she could handle it, fear still crept over her uncontrollably. Her pleading eyes kept turning back toward him.

Though Xiao Yan wanted to soften, he knew this was already the bare minimum. Even if cultivation did not require risking one's life, one could not lack even the most basic courage. If she lacked courage, then there was no point cultivating at all, because even breaking through in cultivation carried the risk of failure and falling in realm.

When Qinglian saw that Xiao Yan had no intention of helping, she knew she could only rely on herself.

Following Xiao Yan's earlier instructions, she swallowed the pill in her hand.

Although the pill was only second-tier, it still contained enormous power for Qinglian, who was only at the fourth stage of Dou Qi.

The moment it entered her body, the powerful energy nearly burst her meridians apart. Qinglian desperately circulated the Dou Qi in her meridians, trying to restrain and refine the wildly rampaging energy, but Dou Qi at the Dou Qi stage was clearly incapable of dealing with the energy of a second-tier pill.

The uncontrolled energy sent waves of pain through Qinglian's meridians, which faintly showed signs of cracking. Yet she could do nothing about it. She even began to wonder whether Xiao Yan had been mistaken, whether she did not actually possess such talent and was merely an ordinary cultivator whose cultivation speed was a little faster than most.

Just then, the essence blood of the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Serpent that Xiao Yan had fused into the pill began to manifest. The instant it appeared, it charged directly into Qinglian's bloodline as though it intended to seize the nest from its rightful owner, but it had clearly chosen the wrong opponent.

Stimulated by the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Serpent's essence blood, the dormant Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes bloodline was rapidly awakened. The pill's rampaging energy was instantly taken over and absorbed by the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes, becoming nourishment for its awakening!

The pain in her meridians receded, replaced by a strange sensation in her eyes. They itched slightly, as though something were growing within them.

From an outsider's perspective, three tiny green dots suddenly appeared outside Qinglian's emerald pupils. As the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes bloodline completely suppressed and absorbed the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Serpent's essence blood, the three green dots blazed brightly, swelling and blooming in an instant until they transformed into three tiny green flowers.

"Hiss—"

The commotion from Qinglian awakening the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes quickly roused the sleeping Sand Python. Its savage, hungry snake eyes stared through the iron cage at the girl before it, gleaming with cruelty. But when it noticed her strange pupils radiating ghostly green light, terror from the depths of its soul surged into its heart.

Though its Dou Qi had yet to recover, the third-tier Sand Python easily crushed the iron cage surrounding it like paper with nothing but the strength of its body. The next moment, its massive head lunged toward Qinglian.

The thick stench of snake flooded Qinglian's nose. If this had happened before, her legs would have gone weak from fright.

But at this moment, Qinglian felt little fear. As the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes awakened, an obscure stream of information entered her mind, teaching her how to control this miraculous talent and taking away her fear of serpent-type magical beasts.

"You beast! Retreat at once!"

Following the guidance of the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes, Qinglian shouted. A powerful ghostly light shot forth, shining directly upon the Sand Python as it pounced toward her.

The Sand Python's body suddenly stiffened. Having lost the force supporting it, its airborne body slid forward some distance before crashing heavily to the ground before Qinglian.

The green ghostly light continuously gathered, finally condensing between the Sand Python's brows. The light flared once more, branding two tiny green flowers onto its forehead.

As the green ghostly light faded from Qinglian's eyes, the green flowers on the Sand Python's forehead also vanished. Yet the Sand Python had already lost its initial arrogance.

After regaining the ability to move, it slowly crawled before Qinglian and gently licked her cheek with its forked tongue.

"Ah, wait, don't do that! It's so itchy!"

Once Qinglian emerged from the state of awakening the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes, she became the same little girl she had been before, at a loss over the Sand Python's sudden affection. But from this day onward, no one would dare look down on her as they once had. Otherwise, the third-tier Sand Python beside her would certainly teach them what it meant to behave like a person.

Qinglian knew Xiao Yan was still waiting behind her, so she recalled the method the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes had passed on to her for opening the space within her pupils.

A green ray shot from Qinglian's eyes, enveloping the Sand Python's body, which was dozens of meters long.

The next moment, the enormous snake body began shrinking continuously within the green light. Once it had shrunk to the size of a fingernail, Qinglian's left eye swallowed it, drawing it into the pupil space of the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Eyes.

"Young Master! Look! I succeeded!" Qinglian turned around and bounced into Xiao Yan's arms, crying excitedly.

Xiao Yan steadily caught the lunging Qinglian. Feeling her body tremble faintly with joy, his eyes filled with relief and emotion.

He had worked so hard for so long, yet he was only a Great Dou Master. Qinglian, on the other hand, had cultivated for just a few days and already had a third-tier Sand Python comparable to a Great Dou Master as her servant. Of course, he had brought all of this about himself, so naturally he would not be jealous.

"Well done, Qinglian!" Xiao Yan said sincerely.

"Hehe, it's all thanks to Young Master." Qinglian giggled. "Don't worry, Young Master. Once Qinglian becomes stronger, Qinglian will protect you."

Xiao Yan froze for a moment, then laughed. "Silly girl, I'm not so down and out that I need your protection."

He rubbed Qinglian's little head. "Go make preparations. Once your Sister Little Fairy Doctor comes out, we'll be leaving."

"Young Master is leaving?" Qinglian asked in surprise, then grew sad. "Does Young Master not want Qinglian anymore?"

"Of course not." Xiao Yan pinched Qinglian's little cheek. "You'll come with us when the time comes."

"Mm, Qinglian will listen to Young Master."

Night, dark as ink, quietly enveloped the ancient courtyard. Moonlight spread gently across the bluestone slabs like silver gauze, outlining mottled patches of light and shadow. The old locust tree in the courtyard stretched its thick branches, its leaves rustling in the breeze as if accompanying the gathering. Several jars of aged wine sat on the stone table, their fragrance permeating the air and mingling with the scent of flowers. The three brothers sat around the table, with a carved wooden screen behind them. Candlelight flickered within the lantern shade, casting their shadows long and short, creating a warm yet faintly sorrowful atmosphere.

Clink!

The sound of cups meeting rang out. In the courtyard, the three brothers sat facing one another around a stone table, drinking warmed wine.

If they had been mercenaries, this would have been the time to drink from large bowls and gorge themselves on meat. But the Xiao Clan was one of the foremost great clans in the city, and the three brothers were all young masters of the Xiao Clan, so naturally they would not be so crude. Even Xiao Li, who was usually so carefree, delicately held a small wine cup between both hands as he savored it.

"Ah, I never expected Little Yan to leave again so soon after arriving. I was planning for the three of us brothers to make the Mo Iron Mercenary Group bigger and stronger, then simply unite the entire Tagore Great Desert!"

"Enough, Second Brother. Little Yan has his own path to walk. His talent is better than either of ours. This little Tagore Great Desert cannot hold him."

"Where do you plan to go after returning this time?"

Xiao Yan thought for a moment. "This time, I'll probably stay for a few months after returning. After that, I may first visit the old master of the Nalan Clan in the imperial capital, then I plan to go to Canaan Academy."

"Canaan Academy? That's a good place. I heard Canaan Academy's founder was a great figure from the Central Plains. Perhaps you might use that opportunity to enter the Central Plains as well. But you should know that Canaan Academy's enrollment date is not far off," Xiao Ding reminded him.

"Don't worry, Big Brother. If nothing unexpected happens, I'll already be a Dou Spirit by the time I reach Canaan Academy. Do you think Canaan Academy's teachers would reject a Dou Spirit under twenty just because he missed the enrollment period?"

"That is true." Xiao Ding nodded.