Qing Shan Town was one of the towns closest to the Magical Beast Mountain Range, located in the southwestern region of the Jia Ma Empire.
Within a courtyard in the southwestern part of the town, Lin Yuan was giving instructions to Qing Lin.
"Qing'er, I need to head out for a while. You should stay in this residence and cultivate in peace for some time. I've kept you in the Magical Beast Mountain Range for so long—sorry for the hardship. Once I'm done with my business, I'll take you to visit some prosperous cities," Lin Yuan said gently, affectionately ruffling Qing Lin's hair, his tone carrying a hint of apology.
"It's not hard at all, really. Young Master is the one who's worked hard," Qing Lin said softly, blinking her large emerald-green eyes. "Young Master, don't worry about me. I have Hong Yu and the others protecting me—there won't be any problems. Just go take care of your own affairs with peace of mind."
"However, Young Master, this appearance of yours is…?" She suddenly changed the topic, looking curiously at Lin Yuan's face and asking in confusion. At the moment, Lin Yuan was not in his true appearance, but rather using the identity of Xu An.
Although this appearance was handsome, Qing Lin still felt that her Young Master's true appearance was even better.
"Oh, right. This is the first time you've seen me like this. Well… it's not easy to explain right now. I'll tell you properly another time. I'm heading out first."
"Mm! Young Master, please be careful as well."
Lin Yuan waved his hand and headed toward the commercial street.
After watching Lin Yuan leave, Qing Lin released a Fourth-Rank magical beast to guard the area, then returned to the room. Sitting cross-legged on her bed, she formed cultivation hand seals, closed her eyes, and began to cultivate.
"I'm still too weak right now. If I want to be of help to Young Master, I must become stronger as soon as possible!"
Because of its proximity to the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Qing Shan Town was filled with mercenaries, bringing with it a unique kind of commercial prosperity.
On both sides of the streets in the commercial district were numerous shops. Among them, the medicinal store known as "Thousand Medicine House" was the largest medicinal shop in Qing Shan Town, and the Little Fairy Doctor was Thousand Medicine House's most outstanding physician.
Inside Thousand Medicine House, the Little Fairy Doctor wiped the sweat from her forehead, having finished her morning's work. There had been quite a few patients today, and even she felt somewhat tired.
At this moment, Mr. Yao, the person in charge of Thousand Medicine House, walked out from the inner hall. His gaze swept over the Little Fairy Doctor's slender, graceful waist, a trace of indescribable light flashing in his eyes. Before she could turn around, he quickly withdrew his gaze and praised her with a smile. "You've worked hard, Little Fairy Doctor. Thousand Medicine House being so prosperous is largely thanks to you."
"Mr. Yao, you flatter me. I've only done my duty," the Little Fairy Doctor replied gently.
Mr. Yao was just about to offer a few more compliments to draw closer to her when a young man radiating a powerful aura walked toward them. The overwhelming presence instantly caused Thousand Medicine House to fall silent.
"Such a powerful aura—definitely not at the Dou Master level. Could he be a Dou Grandmaster or even a Dou Spirit? Such a young expert… Which major clan's genius is this?" Cold sweat appeared on Mr. Yao's forehead as he nervously looked at the young man, who appeared to be around twenty-one or twenty-two years old.
The newcomer was Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan swept his gaze around, briefly looking over the surroundings. His eyes passed over the Little Fairy Doctor before finally settling on Mr. Yao.
"You are the person in charge of Thousand Medicine House?" Lin Yuan asked indifferently. Though phrased as a question, his tone was extremely certain.
Feeling the other party's gaze pressing down on him, Mr. Yao gathered his courage and stepped forward. Lowering his head and cupping his hands, he spoke in a somewhat ingratiating tone. "This humble one is indeed the person in charge of Thousand Medicine House. If there is anything you require, my lord, please feel free to command me."
Although Lin Yuan's gaze rested on Mr. Yao, the soul perception he released was focused on the Little Fairy Doctor. He intended to test whether she already knew the location of that treasure cave.
Narrowing his eyes slightly, Lin Yuan said calmly, "Mm, you have good judgment. I do have some matters that require you to handle. Do it well, and you will be rewarded. Do it poorly, and you will be punished and that punishment is certainly something you would not wish to experience. Do you understand?"
Hearing Lin Yuan's cold words, Mr. Yao wiped the sweat from his forehead and replied even more respectfully, "This humble one understands. Please give your instructions, my lord."
"In the Magical Beast Mountain Range near Qing Shan Town, there is a cave located beneath a certain cliff. I have come precisely to search for it. Do you know where that cave is?" Lin Yuan said coldly, his back turned to the Little Fairy Doctor. His tone deliberately carried a hint of urgency, while his soul perception focused intently on capturing any changes in her reaction.
"M-my lord, this humble one manages Thousand Medicine House and rarely goes into the mountains to gather herbs. I've also never heard anyone mention such a cave, so…" Mr. Yao replied cautiously, his expression fearful.
Behind Lin Yuan, when the Little Fairy Doctor heard him mention a cave beneath a cliff, her eyes involuntarily shrank slightly, and her heartbeat quickened.
Her mind began racing. "Could the cave he's talking about be the one I saw last time? A cave that even such a powerful expert is searching for—there must indeed be a secret inside. It's very likely a treasure cave. This is a great opportunity. No, I need to calm myself down. I can't let anyone notice anything unusual."
The Little Fairy Doctor quickly adjusted her state of mind, forcing herself to appear completely confused. Since everyone's attention was focused on Lin Yuan, no one else noticed the subtle change that occurred within just a few breaths.
A trace of amusement flashed through Lin Yuan's eyes. From the moment he entered, the Little Fairy Doctor's state had been completely enveloped by his soul perception. Naturally, he had caught that brief change in her reaction.
'So she's already discovered that cave. In that case, there's no need for me to search bit by bit on my own anymore. I'll just put on a little show—luring the snake out of its hole.'
As his thoughts turned, Lin Yuan's mind was already forming a plan. His aura strengthened slightly, and his gaze toward Mr. Yao grew heavier. His indifferent tone now carried a hint of impatience: "So, you don't know?"
Feeling the weight of Lin Yuan's gaze press down even more heavily, Mr. Yao suddenly became clever under the pressure. "My lord, please calm your anger! I will immediately ask those who participated in the herb gathering and quickly arrange people to search the mountains. We will definitely find the cave for you, my lord!"
"Forget it. Counting on a useless fool like you isn't worth it. You'll handle one task, and if you fail, you die. Understand?" Lin Yuan said coldly.
"My lord, please command. I will do my utmost to accomplish it!" Flustered, Mr. Yao hurriedly responded.
"You have three days. Gather manpower, collect information, and produce a detailed map. All cliff locations in this area must be marked. Deliver it to me when I return from the imperial capital. Understood?" Lin Yuan instructed.
"Yes… yes, my lord. I will arrange it immediately and ensure it is done properly. Please rest assured, my lord!" Mr. Yao quickly accepted the order.
Lin Yuan patted Mr. Yao's stiff shoulders lightly, smiling faintly. "Work seriously and diligently. I will assign this task to someone else as well. If your map isn't sufficiently thorough when compared, you already know what will happen, right?"
"My lord, I understand. I would never dare to be negligent. Thank you for your tolerance. I will complete the task properly," Mr. Yao replied anxiously.
"Good. I will return in three days."
Turning, Lin Yuan walked over to the Little Fairy Doctor, his gaze landing on her gentle and beautiful face. At this moment, her expression was one of complete confusion.
'Such a convincing performance… there's no flaw to be seen on the surface. Women really are naturally gifted at acting. Little Fairy Doctor is no exception.' Observing her bewildered expression, Lin Yuan couldn't help but feel a trace of admiration.
He looked meaningfully at the Little Fairy Doctor, who kept her head lowered, and smiled lightly. "I never expected that even a remote town like Qing Shan would have such a beauty."
With that, Lin Yuan's legs powered up, Dou Qi swirling around his body. He leapt upward, his form like a cannonball bursting through the roof of Thousand Medicine House, disappearing from everyone's sight. Only one sentence echoed within the room.
"Remember, I will return in three days."
At the same time, the Little Fairy Doctor's nostrils twitched slightly, and a faint scent was picked up by her sensitive herbalist sense.
This scent… it's the smell of herbs.
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