When Qing Lin heard Xiao Tian's words, a sweetness like honey spread through her heart, and a bright, genuine smile bloomed on her delicate face.
Over the past few days, she had grown completely used to serving Xiao Tian. More than that — she felt truly happy doing so, because he treated her with genuine care and warmth, something she had rarely experienced in her life.
"If Young Master Xiao Tian is willing… Qing Lin can be your personal maid forever," she said softly, her eyes filled with longing and hope.
Xiao Tian smiled gently. "I am willing. However, I will be traveling across the continent, cultivating, and facing many dangers. The road ahead will be arduous and full of uncertainty."
Qing Lin shook her head without the slightest hesitation. "As long as I can stay by Young Master's side and serve you, Qing Lin is not afraid of any hardship. The only thing I fear… is that Young Master will find me a burden."
She added silently in her heart: Without Young Master by my side, my life would be nothing but darkness.
Seeing her firm determination, Xiao Tian's expression softened. "Since that's how you feel, I'll speak with Big Brother later. From today onward, you'll follow me. My young master's life will continue as usual."
Qing Lin nodded heavily, her eyes shining with joy.
Xiao Tian reached out and gently ruffled her soft green hair. "Qing Lin, do you want to cultivate?"
"Cultivate?" Qing Lin blinked in surprise. "Qing Lin has no talent… I tried before, but I could never sense any Dou Qi."
"You possess an extremely rare and powerful talent," Xiao Tian said calmly. "If it awakens properly, it would rank among the top talents on the entire Dou Qi Continent. However, I only have one method right now, and it carries risks. It might even cause you harm. Are you still willing to try?"
Qing Lin didn't hesitate for even a second.
"I'm willing, Young Master."
Xiao Tian was slightly taken aback by her decisiveness. He had expected her timid personality to make her pause, yet she agreed without any fear.
"Very well."
He had Wen Yan erect a strong Dou Qi barrier around the room to isolate them from the outside world. Then, Xiao Tian closed his eyes and released his powerful soul energy.
Using the Soul of the Eternal Dreamweaver Soul Body, he constructed a terrifying illusion.
In an instant, Qing Lin felt the world around her change. She found herself standing in a dark, eerie underworld, surrounded by countless hissing snakes. Giant pythons slithered across the ground, their cold scales gleaming as they stared at her with hungry eyes.
"Ah—!"
Qing Lin's body trembled violently. Her eyes widened in extreme fear as three faint green dots slowly appeared deep within her pupils. The dots gradually brightened, becoming clearer and more distinct until three vivid green flower-like patterns emerged in each eye.
Sensing the successful activation, Xiao Tian immediately withdrew his soul energy. The horrifying illusion of endless snakes vanished like smoke.
The moment the illusion disappeared, Qing Lin's body went limp. She fainted on the spot.
Xiao Tian moved swiftly, catching her small frame in his arms before gently placing her on the bed.
Roughly half an hour later, Qing Lin slowly opened her eyes. Realizing she was lying on Xiao Tian's bed, she sat up in panic.
"Young Master… what happened to me?"
"You don't remember?" Xiao Tian asked with a gentle smile.
"I… I only remember a very, very large snake appearing… and then everything went black."
"Do you feel any discomfort? Or anything unusual in your body?"
Qing Lin rubbed her slightly dizzy head. "My eyes feel a little strange… It's like there's an extra space inside them."
"Concentrate and sense it carefully."
Following his instructions, Qing Lin closed her eyes and focused inward. When she opened them again, three clear green dots had appeared in each of her pupils.
Xiao Tian picked up a mirror and held it in front of her. "Look. This is your hidden talent — the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils."
He then explained the abilities and power of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils in detail.
Qing Lin stared at her reflection in shock. "These… these are my eyes? They look so strange… Will I have to stay like this forever?"
"You can try to retract them."
Qing Lin focused again, and the three green dots slowly faded away, returning her eyes to their normal clear appearance.
"I can control them!" she exclaimed happily, patting her chest in relief.
However, the moment her small hand touched her chest, Xiao Tian's gaze froze for a brief second. The newly awakened Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils carried a strange, natural allure that was hard to ignore.
"Young Master… why are you staring at Qing Lin like that?" she asked softly, her face turning red as she lowered her head shyly.
"Cough… cough…"
Xiao Tian quickly came back to his senses and coughed awkwardly, pretending to wipe the corner of his mouth.
"I was just thinking about which cultivation technique would suit you best," he said, smoothly changing the topic. He took out a yellow scroll from his storage ring and placed it in front of her.
"This is the Teng Snake Illusion Spirit Art. From today onward, you will cultivate this."
Qing Lin's eyes widened in disbelief as she carefully accepted the scroll. "I… I can really cultivate now?"
"Yes. And with your talent, your cultivation speed will be extremely fast. You are a true genius."
A bright, determined smile appeared on Qing Lin's face, revealing her two small canine teeth.
"Then Qing Lin will cultivate very diligently! In the future, I will be able to help Young Master fight the bad guys!"
Xiao Tian felt a warmth in his heart. He finally understood why she had agreed to the dangerous method so readily.
He took out a delicate light-green storage ring and threaded it onto a thin but extremely durable metal necklace. Then he gently lifted Qing Lin's long green hair and helped her put it on.
"This storage ring isn't very large, but it should be enough for now. Wear it like this so others won't easily notice it."
Qing Lin's face turned completely red. She didn't dare to move as Xiao Tian's fingers brushed against her neck. Once the necklace was secured, she looked down at the hidden storage ring with eyes full of happiness.
"It's so beautiful… Thank you, Young Master."
"Alright, let's go. I'll take you to your Big Sister Little Fairy Doctor. I have something to discuss with her, and she can also teach you some basic cultivation knowledge."
Xiao Tian stood up and walked toward the door. Qing Lin quickly followed behind him, her steps light and full of joy.