After exchanging pleasantries, Xiao Yan could not help asking out of curiosity.
"Qing Lin, since you left the Black-Corner Region, why didn't you come straight to me?"
With his current reputation throughout the Central Plains, Qing Lin should have been able to find him simply by asking around.
Qing Lin smiled shyly and explained.
"Because I wanted to improve my strength as quickly as possible. That way, I could always stay by your side, Young Master Xiao Yan."
Back then, Xiao Yan had only taken Xiao Xun'er, Xiao Yi Xian, and the other two women with him, so Qing Lin had always assumed he had left her behind because she was not strong enough.
Thus, in the third year after Xiao Yan's departure, Qing Lin had left the Black-Corner Region to venture out alone, hoping to improve her strength quickly.
Not long afterward, she had heard about Xiao Yan's exploits at the Pill Gathering and learned that he had returned to Starfall Pavilion.
Yet Qing Lin still had no intention of going to Starfall Pavilion to find him.
She felt she still was not strong enough!
To grow stronger, Qing Lin had come to the Beast Region, hoping to control a few snake-type magical beasts to bolster her strength.
Although she had been lucky enough to obtain the Ancient Heavenly Snake's inheritance, exposing her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils had also led to the Nine Netherworld Python Clan hunting her down.
Her journey had turned out much the same as in the original story.
After hearing Qing Lin's account, Xiao Yan looked with a pang of heartache at the girl before him, who had grown into a graceful young woman. "You mustn't be so foolish again."
"Do you really think your young master would stop acknowledging you just because you're