Since When Did You Start Talking Like a Decent Human Being?

"Do you want to become an Alchemist?" Those words held an almost fatal attraction for the people of the Dou Qi Continent.

Back then, it was precisely because of the Apothecary's question, "Do you want to become an Alchemist?" that Xiao Yan had chosen to "magnanimously" forgive her for absorbing three years' worth of her Dou Qi... ahem.

In fact, aside from certain villains surnamed Hun, everyone on the Dou Qi Continent held Alchemists in almost unimaginable esteem, though Xiao Yan still knew nothing about the Soul Hall.

The enormous gap between her Dou Qi cultivation and soul power made it easy for Xiao Yan to tell that this Xiao Yi Xian was a physician.

Strictly speaking, physicians could be considered a type of Alchemist, but they could not truly refine pills.

They could only use ordinary flames to combine medicinal herbs and produce remedies to treat people.

These medicines were naturally far inferior to the pills refined by Alchemists. Otherwise, Alchemists would not have been so rare.

But Xiao Yi Xian had become a physician capable of making simple healing medicines before even breaking through to Dou Zhe. Her talent was certainly not lacking.

Once she broke through to Dou Zhe, becoming an Alchemist would not be difficult, provided the conditions were right.

(The protagonist doesn't know about the woeful poison body yet, but there will be new fan-created additions later, such as the "Poison Pill." After all, even Yao Lao has turned into a beautiful woman, so what's wrong with Xiao Yi Xian being able to refine pills? No more spoilers for now.)

Every physician dreamed of becoming an Alchemist, but many could spend their entire lives trying without ever crossing that threshold.

Thus, the question "Do you want to become an Alchemist?" held even greater appeal for Xiao Yi Xian than it once had for Xiao Yan.

And the effect of this "opening pickup line" did not disappoint Xiao Yan in the slightest-

"Can I... no, honored guest, are you an Alchemist?" Xiao Yi Xian's eyes shone brightly, brimming with envy.

Tsk, that emotional intelligence. Incredible.

Xiao Yan silently praised her, then gave it a little thought and decided that "exposing" herself in Qingshan Town, where even the strongest person was only a two-star Dou Shi, would do no harm.

So she took her Second-Rank Alchemist badge out of her Storage Ring and leisurely pinned it to her chest.

"Gasp~~" × N

The shop assistants and mercenaries, already cowed by Xiao Yan's oppressive aura, all sucked in a breath of cold air and discreetly retreated a few steps, keeping a "safe distance" as they watched the show.

"I think you have good talent. Interested in becoming my disciple? Room and board included," Xiao Yan continued.

"Mm... I'd be will..."

"Don't rush to agree to something like this." Xiao Yan raised a hand to interrupt Xiao Yi Xian. "You can probably tell that I'm not from Qingshan Town. I'm just passing through."

"If you want to follow me, you'll have to prepare yourself to leave Qingshan Town and travel around with me..."

Xiao Yi Xian froze for a moment, then quickly regained her composure. "Mm."

Xiao Yan stopped before finishing what she had meant to say, surprised by how readily Xiao Yi Xian agreed.

This was their first meeting. They had exchanged fewer than ten sentences altogether, and Xiao Yi Xian had already said yes?

Not even a little wariness, meow?

Although she did not look like a bad person, and actually was not one either, Xiao Yi Xian's sheer "innocence" really left her feeling a little... uneasy.

If she took this disciple in, what would she do if someone casually tricked her into running off with them later?

"...Think it over carefully. There's no hurry. I'll probably stay in Qingshan Town for two or three days. Just give me your answer before I leave."

Damn... what am I even saying? Running off with a stranger after two or three days isn't much better than 'love at first sight,' is it?

Xiao Yi Xian nodded without a word. Xiao Yan did not linger either, simply rising and leaving.

By then, the mercenaries and shop assistants watching had also begun to realize what this meant-if this esteemed Alchemist "spirited Xiao Yi Xian away," then whenever they got scraped or bruised in the future...

It was not as though Qingshan Town had no other physicians, but how could a beauty possibly compare to a bunch of rough men?

If they wanted another female physician, the Myriad Medicine Pavilion had one too: an old granny overflowing with maternal warmth sat behind the neighboring counter.

Naturally, these mercenaries did not want Xiao Yi Xian to leave.

The same went for the Myriad Medicine Pavilion. Without Xiao Yi Xian, their "living signboard," business would inevitably suffer.

But that Alchemist was a Dou Shi. Dou Zhe like them could not afford to provoke her, nor could they dictate Xiao Yi Xian's decision.

As for using their advantage in numbers to attack the Alchemist and wear her down until she died?

She was a Second-Rank Alchemist. How many lives did they have to burn on a stunt like that?

"Xiao Yi Xian, are you really going to leave with that wom... ahem, that esteemed Alchemist?"

"Xiao Yi Xian, you..."

"Please line up, everyone," Xiao Yi Xian said quietly, avoiding all their questions.

In truth, if that Alchemist was willing to take her, she could abandon everything and follow her right now.

There was nothing in Qingshan Town worth missing. To her, this place was nothing but a "cage" in disguise.

If not for her self-taught medical skills, which had earned her the gratitude of most of Qingshan Town's mercenaries while bringing revenue to the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, allowing her to rely on the balance between forces that bore her goodwill or ill intent...

In this world where people devoured one another, an orphan like her, with neither a backer nor strength but a rather pretty face, would long since have been eaten without even a scrap left.

Mr. Yao of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, the young commander of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, and certain mercenaries whose names she did not even know... all watched her like hungry tigers.

This world had never lacked wicked people.

As for freedom, she had never possessed it. She had merely been confined to the Myriad Medicine Pavilion before today, and perhaps she would be confined somewhere else from now on.

But that unfamiliar, esteemed Alchemist had recognized her talent and wanted to take her as a disciple. Even if she only became a "medicine apprentice" doing odd jobs, surely her circumstances would be no worse than they were now?

If she stayed in Qingshan Town, some "accident" might well befall her.

Perhaps this was the only way for an ordinary person who was not even a Dou Zhe to "escape" the "prison" of Qingshan Town.

If her circumstances ended up worse than they were now, she would accept that too.

Of course, if she could gain a new lease on life, she would also show her teacher, "whose name she still didn't know," the filial devotion of a disciple...

"Girl, aren't you usually quite the smooth talker? Since when did you start talking like a decent human being?" The Apothecary's voice rang out in Xiao Yan's mind.

This girl could spin a tale for the Jia Ma Imperial Family the instant she opened her mouth, yet she gave Xiao Yi Xian completely "different treatment."

As far as the Apothecary was concerned, coaxing a bewildered Xiao Yi Xian "aboard the pirate ship" would have been far more in keeping with Xiao Yan's usual style.

Not this considerate "You'll have to leave your home behind if you follow me, so think it over carefully."

Though, admittedly, hardly anyone could resist the temptation of "becoming an Alchemist" anyway.

Xiao Yan: "..."