"Little apprentice, aren't you coming?"
Qing Lin was slightly stunned, then a genuine smile suddenly blossomed on her small face, and she jogged to catch up.
At just twelve or thirteen years old, Qing Lin thus welcomed a turning point in her life.
Stepping out of the room, the sunlight outside poured down, making one feel warm all over.
Although the desert was hot, it was still early morning, so the sun's temperature wasn't enough to make one feel scorching hot.
Walking with Qing Lin through the Mo Tie Mercenary Group headquarters, every mercenary they encountered would stop and greet Xiao Xue kindly.
Presumably, they all knew Xiao Xue's identity.
However, when their gazes swept to Qing Lin beside her, their smiles gradually cooled.
Moreover, some even had a faint hint of disgust in their eyes.
Xiao Xue could only sigh helplessly at their expressions.
The mercenaries on the edge of the desert had an indelible blood feud with the Snake-People.
As long as these mercenaries thought of the Snake-People's blood flowing within Qing Lin, they couldn't help but show some disgust.
This emotion was almost impossible to suppress; it was a deep-seated revulsion born from the long-standing animosity between humans and Snake-People.
After seeing the expressions of those mercenaries, Qing Lin's small face couldn't help but turn slightly pale, and she hid behind Xiao Xue.
Xiao Xue knelt down helplessly, looked at Qing Lin, and asked softly, "Qing Lin, have you forgotten what I told you?"
Qing Lin nodded, but her two clasped hands, with knuckles slightly white, revealed her nervous and lost feelings.
Some people spend their entire lives being healed by childhood, while others spend their entire lives healing their childhood.
As a half-human, half-snake hybrid, Qing Lin's life within the mercenary group certainly wasn't easy.
Although Xiao Ding and Xiao Li took her in, it was probably just that — taking her in.
After all, they were also mercenaries, and worldly prejudices are hard to erase.
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, who managed to carve out a foundation in the dog-eat-dog mercenary business in three or four years, were definitely not kind-hearted individuals.
They were very close to Xiao Xue and Xiao Yan, but they were never kind to others.
Taking in Qing Lin was probably also because the girl was quite attractive; after all, a personal maid's duties often involved more than just service.
It was fortunate that Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were still gentlemen, and Qing Lin was still young. If... but what did Qing Lin do wrong?
Perhaps her only fault was her birth.
However, that wasn't a reason for others to despise her.
Xiao Xue looked at Qing Lin and said softly, "Don't mind them. Many people are like this, always pointing fingers at others."
"Who do they think they are? It's everyone's first time being human, who is nobler than whom?"
"If anyone looks at you like that again, tell Teacher, and Teacher will get justice for you!"
"What are you afraid of? You have the biggest backer in the entire continent!"
Qing Lin couldn't help but laugh at Xiao Xue's serious expression, then nodded obediently.
[Whatever Teacher says, goes.JPG.]
Xiao Xue nodded in satisfaction, then pulled Qing Lin and headed straight for the main hall.
Mo Tie Mercenary Group's Main Hall.
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were slightly bewildered when they saw Xiao Xue bringing Qing Lin to eat with them.
After all, Qing Lin was merely a maid, her status pitifully low.
Logically, she had no right to sit with Xiao Xue.
Qing Lin was also a bit reserved, not daring to take a seat, but under Xiao Xue's stern-faced "threat," she still sat on half her bottom.
"Big Brother, Second Brother, Qing Lin will be following me from now on."
Seeing the two approach, Xiao Xue held down Qing Lin, who wanted to get up, and stated directly.
After greeting Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, Xiao Xue began to eat by herself, while also inviting Qing Lin to eat.
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li naturally wouldn't refuse this request, and they tacitly allowed Qing Lin to be there.
A younger sister always needs a bit of spoiling.
After eating, Xiao Xue went directly to the Pill Refining Room Xiao Ding had prepared for her and refined all the existing medicinal herbs of the Mo Tie Mercenary Group into Medicinal Pills.
The existing medicinal herbs of the Mo Tie Mercenary Group were not Advanced; most were basic healing herbs.
These mercenaries would usually grind them into powder after getting injured and apply them to wounds to stop bleeding or aid healing.
These herbs, with a little processing, could become healing Medicinal Pills, not even counting as first-grade pills, posing no difficulty for Xiao Xue.
There was also a small portion of other medicinal herbs that could be refined into a few first-grade and second-grade pills, which Xiao Xue unceremoniously took all of.
In less than half a day, Xiao Xue had transformed all the basic medicinal herbs in the Mo Tie Mercenary Group's inventory into Medicinal Pills.
After urging Xiao Ding and Xiao Li to speed up the process of selling assets and purchasing medicinal herbs, Xiao Xue returned to her small courtyard to Cultivate.
The afternoon passed quickly in Cultivation.
As the sun set, Xiao Xue slowly withdrew from her Cultivation state.
At this time, her cultivation had already reached three-star Great Dou Master Middle Stage under the infusion of Essence Blood energy.
At this rate, it would only take about half a month for her to reach nine-star Great Dou Master.
After dinner, as the sun set, the dry heat in the air slowly receded.
Xiao Xue changed her appearance, then pulled Qing Lin, preparing to take her little apprentice to explore Stone Desert City.
After all, Qing Lin, constantly discriminated against by the mercenaries, had not enjoyed the happiness a child her age should have in her first decade of life.
Twelve or thirteen years old, she was still just a child.
Xiao Xue felt some sympathy for Qing Lin's plight.
After all, in her previous life, she was also a child lacking love.
Although this empathy was somewhat inexplicable, she still hoped that Qing Lin could live a happier life.
A modern person transported to another world: when poor, Cultivate oneself; when successful, benefit the world.
Although one person's strength cannot resolve all injustices in the world, especially in the Fighting Qi Continent, a world where strength is revered.
This world was much darker than her previous life.
But when encountering things right in front of her, she couldn't pretend not to see them.
The desert has a large diurnal temperature range, and at dusk, the desert temperature was quite refreshing.
This was also when the streets were most crowded.
Xiao Xue dressed Qing Lin in a long robe, covering her figure and the snake scales on her wrists, then reached out to her and said:
"Qing Lin, there are many people outside, so hold Teacher's hand tight!"
Qing Lin paused, then slowly took Xiao Xue's hand.
At the same time, a sense of security grew in her heart.
Qing Lin couldn't help but recall when she was first taken in by the Mo Tie Mercenary Group.
Back then, she was arranged alone in a small hut.
At night, she often had nightmares, then woke up startled, looking around blankly, but there was no one around.
What followed was the unease of being abandoned by the entire world.
Yet she was powerless, only able to tightly hug herself in the dark night.
But now, someone was willing to hold her hand.
"Mm."
Qing Lin nodded vigorously, placing her hand in Xiao Xue's palm.
The two figures, one large and one small, walked together into the afterglow of the setting sun.
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