Beneath the blazing sun, a caravan slowly made its way forward.
"Everyone, stop here and rest for a bit. Let's try to reach Qingshan Town before sunset today."
As though sensing the mercenaries' exhaustion, a burly man with a full beard looked around at his weary companions and called out from amid the caravan.
"Once we reach Qingshan Town, we'll replenish our supplies and rest for the night. Tomorrow, we head into the Magical Beast Mountain Range."
The young mercenaries around him looked eager at his words. Only the visibly seasoned veterans grew more vigilant, sharing their experience with the younger mercenaries.
But with their ambitions soaring higher than the heavens, how could these young mercenaries listen to their seniors' advice? In their eyes, the veterans were merely cowards whose courage had been shattered by their adventures.
Watching the scene within the mercenary group, Xiao Fan walked slowly toward the bearded man.
He had happened upon this mercenary group, named Fire Wolf, on his journey. Hearing that they were heading to Qingshan Town, Xiao Fan had asked their leader for the favor of letting him travel with them.
Xiao Fan intended to visit Qingshan Town to see Xiao Yi Xian. No matter what, he had to catch a glimpse of the woman who had so captivated him in the novel in his previous life.
He thought of how kind Xiao Yi Xian had been at the beginning of that story, only to become a poison physician everyone feared after suffering the torment of the Woeful Poison Body.
If there was a way, Xiao Fan was willing to help this ill-fated girl.
"Captain Fire Wolf."
Xiao Fan approached the bearded man and spoke softly. "Qingshan Town isn't too far from here. Thank you for looking after me along the way."
"I won't trouble you any further."
Looking at Xiao Fan as he bade him farewell, Fire Wolf felt a pang of regret. This young fellow was exceptionally skilled and had already broken through to Dou Zhe at such a tender age.
Unfortunately, his Fire Wolf Mercenary Group could not accommodate such a towering figure.
Fire Wolf cupped his fists toward Xiao Fan and smiled. "You're too polite, Brother Xiao. We merely made your journey a little more convenient. That hardly counts as looking after you."
"With your strength, Brother Xiao, reaching Qingshan Town would only have been a matter of time, even without us. I wish you smooth sailing on your martial path. Let us part here."
After asking Fire Wolf for directions, Xiao Fan sped toward Qingshan Town while the others set up camp to rest.
Before long, as the travelers and mercenaries passing through grew more numerous, Qingshan Town came into view in the distance.
As the last town before the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Qingshan Town was indeed far more prosperous than other towns, even rivaling some smaller cities.
Countless mercenaries came and went.
Some mercenary groups wore smiles, clearly having just returned from the Magical Beast Mountain Range with rich rewards. Far more, however, carried their injured and maimed companions out of town with bleak expressions.
Many mercenaries dreamed of making a fortune, cobbling together a team and setting off into the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Only after witnessing its horrors did they bitterly regret it. By then, the lucky ones could still cling to their lives, while many more met their end in the jaws of magical beasts.
Xiao Fan paid them no mind, heading straight toward the Myriad Medicine Pavilion deep within the town.
Even from a distance, he could see many injured and maimed mercenaries queuing outside the Myriad Medicine Pavilion.
At the head of the queue, a girl in a pale white dress was applying medicine to the wounded. Though her patients were all grown men, she showed not the slightest distaste. Her faintly smiling face radiated a fresh, ethereal grace, and that delicate air made her all the more enchanting.
The other mercenaries waited quietly, as though afraid of disturbing the fairy-like figure before them. Whenever some hot-blooded youth newly arrived in Qingshan Town uttered a lewd taunt, the surrounding mercenaries swarmed him and gave him a beating.
A flash of admiration crossed Xiao Fan's eyes. Though he had expected this, only when he truly saw her did he understand that descriptions in a book could never match the impact of witnessing her in person.
Only upon meeting Xiao Yi Xian could one understand the purity she radiated. In this world where strength reigned supreme, she willingly endured hardship to heal mercenaries who licked blood from the edges of blades. It was little wonder she was so beloved in Qingshan Town.
Since Xiao Fan had arrived in this world, he had found Xiao Xun'er's manner quirky and playful, but Xiao Yi Xian's gentle elegance drew him even more strongly.
A medical fairy who selflessly helped others had ultimately become a poison master everyone feared under the torment of the Woeful Poison Body. It was little wonder Xiao Yi Xian had grown so mercurial later on.
After taking a room at an inn not far from the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, Xiao Fan needed only to wait for Xiao Yi Xian to sneak off to the Mountain Cave containing hidden treasures.
Night soon fell, and beneath its cover, a petite figure slipped quietly out of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion.
After cautiously checking her surroundings, she left Qingshan Town through an alley few people knew about.
Watching from the shadows, Xiao Fan quietly followed her. Sheltered by the darkness, he trailed the figure all the way to the edge of a cliff.
Pure moonlight shone upon the figure at the cliff's edge. Her fair face glowed faintly beneath it, her lovely lips slightly pursed. She was none other than Xiao Yi Xian, who had been treating patients and saving lives that day.
Xiao Yi Xian leaned over the cliff and looked around, seemingly searching for some marker. Then she took a coil of rope from behind her, tied it to a tree beside the cliff, and gradually disappeared over the edge.
Only after several breaths did Xiao Fan approach the cliff. He quietly watched Xiao Yi Xian laboriously climbing below, only to spot a Rock Snake not far from her, coldly flicking its tongue.
Dangling in midair, Xiao Yi Xian also noticed the Rock Snake coiled in a corner. Its triangular eyes gleamed with a chilling, bloodthirsty light, as though ready to choose someone to devour. Staring at it in terror, she reached to her waist and grabbed a handful of medicinal powder.
She had never expected to find a Rock Snake here.
"Hiss..."
The Rock Snake let out a piercing hiss, its coiled body suddenly lunging toward Xiao Yi Xian. She flung the powder in her hand with all her strength, but in her panic, it scattered before reaching the snake.
"Ah!"
Xiao Yi Xian squeezed her eyes shut and cried out in terror.
At that moment, Xiao Fan scooped up some dirt at the cliff's edge and lightly patted it onto his clothes. He raced down the rope, gripping the rope Xiao Yi Xian had lowered with his left hand while drawing the Thousand-Flame Spear from his backpack with his right, then thrust fiercely at the Rock Snake.
The crimson spearhead effortlessly pierced the Rock Snake's supposedly indestructible body.
With his right hand, Xiao Fan drove the Thousand-Flame Spear hard into the cliff face, anchoring its shaft securely in midair. He scooped Xiao Yi Xian up, gently circled her slender waist with his arm, and stood upon the spear's shaft.
With her eyes closed, Xiao Yi Xian heard only the Rock Snake's dying hiss before a man's presence enveloped her. Coming to her senses, she opened her eyes and discovered that the man before her was unexpectedly young. He looked as though he had only just reached adulthood.
Yet to kill a first-rank Rock Snake with one hand while suspended against a cliff, this youth had to be at least a Dou Zhe.
Qingshan Town had no Dou Zhe this young. He appeared to be a wealthy young man who had only just arrived. That was Xiao Yi Xian's first conclusion upon seeing Xiao Fan.
She judged him wealthy because of Xiao Fan's attire. Ordinary adventurers could not afford robes trimmed with soft mulberry silk.
"Thank you for saving my life, young master."
Feigning composure, Xiao Yi Xian clutched Xiao Fan's robes with both hands and gave a simple nod of thanks.
Looking at Xiao Yi Xian before him, Xiao Fan smiled brightly. "It was no trouble. I happened to be gathering herbs nearby. When I heard your cry, I hurried over. Luckily, I wasn't too late."
Seeing Xiao Fan's dust-covered clothes, Xiao Yi Xian believed his explanation. Only after his words sank in did she ask with startled admiration, "Gathering herbs? Are you an Alchemist?"
Meeting Xiao Yi Xian's eyes, Xiao Fan smiled. "Yes. Heaven has favored me with a little talent."
Hearing Xiao Fan's affirmative answer, Xiao Yi Xian concealed the envy in her eyes.
Noticing the fleeting despondency in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes, Xiao Fan glanced toward the concealed Mountain Cave below and changed the subject.
"Have you discovered some ruins?"
Xiao Yi Xian knew she could no longer hide it. No one would believe she had ventured alone into this desolate wilderness in the middle of the night just to gather herbs.
Xiao Yi Xian looked at Xiao Fan helplessly. "Yes. May I ask your name, young master?"
"Xiao Fan."
As they spoke, Xiao Fan held Xiao Yi Xian's soft waist lightly with one arm and kicked hard against the cliff with his right foot. The instant they sprang away, he seized the Thousand-Flame Spear with his left hand and swept toward the cave entrance.
Even through her dress, the searing warmth against her waist brought a faint blush to Xiao Yi Xian's cheeks.
Feigning composure, she slipped free of Xiao Fan's embrace. Looking toward the entrance, she said to him, "Young Master Xiao, why don't you accompany me into the Mountain Cave? We can split the treasures inside equally."
"But if I go in alone, all the treasures inside will be mine," Xiao Fan said, pretending to be cold.
"Pfft..."
Xiao Yi Xian's silvery laughter suddenly rang through the mountain forest.
"You've never turned anyone down before, have you, Young Master Xiao? You look so cute pretending to be cold."
Without waiting for Xiao Fan to respond, she clasped her hands behind her back and walked into the pitch-black Mountain Cave.
Watching Xiao Yi Xian ahead of him, whose boldness bordered on recklessness, Xiao Fan's eyes flashed with helplessness. He followed her into the Mountain Cave, his murmur echoing across the deserted ledge.
"Cute...?"
A faint chill lingered inside the pitch-black Mountain Cave. Xiao Fan found Xiao Yi Xian waiting for him in the darkness.
He understood that the dark surroundings had robbed her of her sense of security.
Xiao Fan took a piece of moonlight stone used for illumination from his Storage Ring, dispelling some of the darkness. He walked up to Xiao Yi Xian and said softly, "Stay behind me. Don't be afraid."
Looking at Xiao Fan before her, Xiao Yi Xian felt a trace of warmth pass through her heart.
She stepped forward to follow Xiao Fan and noticed that the surrounding walls were covered in marks left by various weapons, proof that fierce fighting had once taken place here.
After walking for roughly ten minutes, Xiao Fan stopped. Xiao Yi Xian, slightly distracted by the prolonged silence, failed to notice him halt ahead of her.
She bumped headfirst into Xiao Fan's back, her two soft curves making intimate contact with it.
Xiao Yi Xian hopped backward like a rabbit and said in embarrassment, "Y-you... why did you stop?"
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