Ouch..."
The little girl had obviously not expected someone to be standing behind her. Furthermore, she had her head down when she turned, so she bumped into him headfirst. The person she bumped into didn't fall, but she herself stumbled backwards and nearly fell.
"Be careful!"
A hand grabbed the girl's wrist and pulled her back, while another hand also supported the wooden basin on the other side.
"Are you okay?"
The person who spoke was a young man, completely shrouded in a black robe. He took the girl's hand and gently swung it, helping her to stand again. He then asked softly.
"No, I'm fine. Thank you, young master,"
the girl muttered in thanks, bowing respectfully, carefully tugging at her sleeve to avoid the pale blue scales on her wrist from being seen.
"What's your name?"
Yan Qingshan slowly walked up to the girl, lifted her thin, fair chin, and gently pinched her delicate chin to make her face him.
The girl was charming and charming, not particularly old, probably no more than twelve. She wore simple attire. Though petite, she seemed even more impressive than the already thirteen-year-old Little Doctor Fairy, her curves brimming with alluring charm.
Her adorable, delicate face, like a beautiful porcelain doll, resembled a frightened little rabbit. Her timid and endearing presence made one want to embrace her and cherish her.
Yan Qingshan's gaze, a touch too intense, roamed the girl's body, from her delicate features to her slender waist, and the delicate, three-inch golden lotus feet that peeked out from her skirt.
Her waist, barely slender enough to be grasped, evoked the sensation of that slender waist twisting... The image of a beautiful snake, seductively twisting, flashed through his mind.
Carefully, Yan Qingshan lifted her sleeve. Pale blue snake scales were neatly arranged on her arm. The girl seemed deeply reluctant to show them. Her adorable face paled, and her tiny body trembled.
"Young Master, I don't have a name... Sorry... I didn't mean to scare you."
The little girl suddenly noticed her wrist was exposed from beneath her sleeve. Her trembling voice was tinged with anxious sobs, filled with timidity and fear, fearing she would be punished for her snake scales.
Snake scales are the hallmark of a race distinct from humans in the Tagor Desert: the Serpent People. The Serpent People are a unique race of the Tagor Desert, with human bodies and snake tails, and snake scales on their
bodies. Shortly after birth, Serpent People are infused with the soul of a serpent-like magical beast through secret techniques. As they age and gain strength, this companion spirit gradually merges with them, becoming indistinguishable from each other and becoming even more serpent-like.
The girl before Yan Qingshan had snake scales but no tail, clearly not a Serpent People, but another, even rarer species in the Tagor Desert: a hybrid Serpent People.
In the Tagor Desert, the Snake People and humans are at war with each other. Human slave-hunting teams venture deep into the desert to capture Snake People women as slaves, while there are also cases of Snake People warriors abusing human women.
Whether Snake People or human women, encountering these two situations generally leads to a bad experience and a bad outcome.
Normally, Snake People and humans do not conceive when they have intercourse, but there is a rare chance that a hybrid offspring will be born.
However, such children rarely survive past the age of two. Those who do survive either have a relatively well-off family or... exceptional physical constitutions and exceptional talent.
The girl held by Yan Qingshan's hand was thin, barely more than skin and bones, a bit too thin. Light scars etched on her arms, clearly indicating a less fortunate family. Her survival suggests the latter scenario.
Most mercenaries on the desert's edge held deep-seated blood feuds with the Serpent People. This little girl, with Serpent People blood coursing through her veins, felt a wave of disgust from those around her even without her tail.
This feeling, almost impossible to suppress, stemmed from the long-standing hostility between humans and Serpent People.
Qinglin, possessing both human and Serpent People blood, bore the brunt of the discrimination and dislike from both sides. She was, after all, a profoundly innocent girl.
The constant stream of disgust from those around her made the frail little girl incredibly sensitive. Her petite frame trembled slightly, and her adorable face, once captivating countless hearts, was now tinged with a dull expression.
"Don't worry, it's beautiful. How could I be frightened?"
Yan Qingshan gently wiped the tears from the little girl's eyes. The terrified girl froze. This was the first time in her life that she had ever spoken of the beauty of these scales, which frightened even her.
Yan Qingshan looked at the frail little girl before him. She was probably no more than ten or eleven years old, delicate and pretty, but sensitive and timid. Her identity as a half-snake had made her life difficult in Stone Desert City. Her ability to grow to this size was entirely due to a combination of physical strength and luck.
Yan Qingshan had come to the Tagor Desert for this girl. Half-snakes were rare in the Tagor Desert, and there was probably only one in Stone Desert City that could grow to this size and possess cyan scales. Therefore, his search hadn't taken much effort.
The little girl felt the warmth of the hand caressing her face, and her devastated little heart was instantly brightened.
She subconsciously tilted her head, carefully letting more of her face feel the palm. Opening her eyes, faintly radiating a strange charm, she timidly whispered, "Young Master!"
"Is there anyone else at home?"
Yan Qingshan tried to speak softly, with indescribable gentleness and patience, afraid to startle the pitiful little bunny girl.
"No, no, after my mother died of illness, I was all alone. Luckily, Sister Xuelan was willing to let me wash my clothes, otherwise..." The
little girl spoke of her family with a hint of loneliness. After her mother's death, because of her mixed-blood snake-person identity, few people wanted to approach her. Even though she worked diligently and washed clean clothes, not many were willing to give them to her. Fortunately,
there were kind people in Shimo City. Several old customers who knew her mother were willing to take care of her, which helped her survive in Shimo City.
"It's okay. From now on, just follow me, okay?"
Yan Qingshan gently cupped the little girl's face, gazing into her watery eyes, which skewed slightly green. Three tiny emerald dots lurked deep within their pupils.
After experiencing the winter's Lionheart Baptism, Yan Qingshan not only achieved a breakthrough to the Intermediate Fighter level but also gained special powers.
Yan Qingshan wasn't a pure Wood element. Most people possess hidden talents, but compared to their primary attributes, these are so insignificant that their potential is rarely realized.
The only exception is perhaps the Alchemist, whose fire is mingled with a hint of Wood, combined with exceptional soul perception, can make them a distinguished Alchemist.
Yan Qingshan's talent was similar: he was born with a natural element of Thunder within his Wood, but that trace of Thunder power was so weak that even cultivating Thunder-attributed Fighting Techniques was difficult, let alone cultivating a cultivation technique.
Perhaps it was a divine intervention, but the Blue Mane Scorpion Lion used in the Lionheart Baptism was a rare thunder-attributed magical beast. Using the essence and blood of a magical beast to cultivate secret techniques and awaken special talents is not uncommon. Yan Qingshan's thunder nature was intensified, and
he developed a pair of Thunder Eyes. The power of thunder in his eyes was the strongest of any part of his body. This accumulated thunder allowed him to focus lightning within them, briefly opening his Thunder Eyes. This enhanced vision also possessed a certain intimidating power, intimidating ordinary people who met his gaze.
"So powerful!"
Yan Qingshan stared into the girl's eyes for only a moment before unconsciously looking away. The blue light in his eyes gradually faded, and he staggered, nearly collapsing.
"Young Master, are you alright?"
The little girl immediately tensed, her delicate face filled with anxiety. Her hands struggled to support Yan Qingshan, fearing he would collapse.
"It's alright!"
Yan Qingshan shook his head to ease his fatigue. Recalling the scene just now, those eerie emerald green pupils made him lose consciousness. Even his Thunder Eyes Blue Eyes couldn't resist, and in a very short time, he exhausted the thunder power he had accumulated over many days.
"Will you follow me?"
Yan Qingshan spoke again, but this time, he didn't dare look her in the eye.
"Young Master!"
The girl's lovely, delicate face lit up with an inexplicable glint. Her nose twitched slightly, and three tiny green dots suddenly and silently appeared in her emerald pupils.
"Why, you don't want to?"
Yan Qingshan stroked the girl's hair and smiled gently. This small gesture instantly filled the girl's dry heart.
"Young Master, I'm willing to do this for the rest of my life..."
He whispered softly. The girl's face suddenly lit up. Although it was their first meeting, the warmth of his hand warmed her heart.
The boy looked at her with surprise and a touch of the passion he often saw in other uncles, but without the loathing. Even her mother and her kind sister, Xue Lan, would unconsciously show disdain whenever they saw the cyan scales. Even if it was just a hint, it only made the little girl more sensitive.
"For a lifetime, that's a deal..."
The boy lowered his head in joy, having not expected the seduction to go so smoothly. He reached out and scratched the little girl's delicate nose, earning a shy smile from her. A hint of strange allure lingered, and her small hands took Yan Qingshan's arm, refusing to let go, fearing he would abandon her.
As the sun set in Shimo City, a large hand held a small hand, their backs gradually lengthening...