As the blue eagle carried the Little Fairy Doctor toward the Monster Mountains, Lin Yuan, hidden from her sight, spread his Azure Fire Wings and followed like a streak of blue light.
Beneath where he had just stood lay several unconscious figures on the ground.
After a while, one of them slowly got up, rubbing his head and muttering softly to himself.
"Strange… Old Li and I were discussing things outside the town, weren't we? How did we suddenly fall asleep? Where is this? Who are these people? Hey, Old Li, wake up."
Guided by the Little Fairy Doctor, Xiao Lan soon flew her to the cliff where the cave was located.
Upon arrival, the Little Fairy Doctor confirmed the mark she had made previously, then took out a prepared torch. Using the fire source from her bosom, she ignited it.
She then guided Xiao Lan to slowly descend toward the dark cave below.
Not far away, Lin Yuan also extended his soul perception, observing the situation.
At this moment, the Little Fairy Doctor was guiding Xiao Lan closer to the cave entrance. When they were only a few meters away, suddenly a long black shadow lunged at them. It was a First-Rank monster, a rock snake that had been lying in wait. The rock snake collided with Xiao Lan, skillfully coiling around her. Xiao Lan lost her balance, and the Little Fairy Doctor fell backward.
"Ah!"
A girl's scream echoed through the night.
At that instant, a green light shot toward the Little Fairy Doctor, catching her before she could hit the ground.
It was Lin Yuan. At the last possible moment, he caught her in his arms.
He held the Little Fairy Doctor's pale waist firmly. With a flap of his wings and a nimble twist, he flew them both back near the cave. Meanwhile, a fierce battle unfolded between the eagle and the snake, with the rock snake gaining the upper hand.
"Xiao Lan!" Seeing the blue eagle in danger, the Little Fairy Doctor immediately snapped back to reality, her anxiety evident.
Lin Yuan smiled lightly. With a flick of his fingers, a spark of azure fire appeared at his fingertip. He flicked it toward the rock snake's vital spot, and the spark instantly ended its life. Xiao Lan broke free from the coils, looking at Lin Yuan holding the Little Fairy Doctor with fear. The monster's instinct told it that this presence was extremely dangerous.
Seeing Xiao Lan safe, the Little Fairy Doctor finally relaxed. She stole a glance at Lin Yuan's face—a youthful face of sixteen or seventeen. Her nose twitched as she detected a faint yet unforgettable scent, and her heart jumped. "This faint herbal scent is exactly the same as that of the powerful person yesterday… could it be…"
Suppressing her suspicion, she then noticed the Azure Fire Wings behind Lin Yuan and was even more shocked. This young boy, seemingly no older than herself, was already a Dou King? Such a young Dou King?
Lin Yuan landed with the Little Fairy Doctor at the cave entrance and gently set her down, releasing her delicate waist from his grasp.
The Little Fairy Doctor suppressed her chaotic thoughts and bowed to Lin Yuan.
"Thank you for saving my life, my lord. I am deeply grateful."
"You've realized who I am, haven't you?" Lin Yuan asked directly. Though phrased as a question, his tone carried certainty. His intuition told him the Little Fairy Doctor had recognized that he was the same person who had visited Thousand Medicine House yesterday.
The Little Fairy Doctor paused briefly before replying candidly.
"You're the lord who came to Thousand Medicine House yesterday, aren't you?"
"Exactly. You are indeed clever, Little Fairy Doctor. Can you tell me how you figured it out? My appearance was completely different." Lin Yuan's curiosity was piqued—his disguise should have been flawless.
"The scent. When I was close, I could smell a very faint but unique herbal fragrance on you, exactly the same as yesterday. I'm a doctor; I won't mistake it." The Little Fairy Doctor answered honestly.
"I see. The herbal scent… you are indeed exceptional to notice that. Since you've satisfied my curiosity, I will answer your questions in return. Is there anything you wish to ask?" Lin Yuan looked at the slightly puzzled Little Fairy Doctor with interest, eager to see her reaction.
The Little Fairy Doctor thought for a moment, then looked at Lin Yuan with a hint of frustration.
"You've been following me, haven't you? How did you find out? I haven't told anyone about this."
Lin Yuan lightly patted his palm and smiled, clearly pleased.
"That's right. I've been following you since yesterday. How did I know? It's simple. I am an alchemist. When I asked about the cave yesterday, I used my soul perception to sense everyone at Thousand Medicine House. At that moment, your sudden emotional change revealed that you knew something about this place, yet you acted completely unaware. I knew you had your own intentions regarding the cave. All I had to do was lure you out."
"I see… so this is the soul perception of an alchemist mentioned in the books? It seems the deadline set for Mr. Yao to make the map was also to force me to act quickly," the Little Fairy Doctor said, a hint of admiration flashing in her eyes as she thought of alchemy—it was her own ideal.
"Partly yes, partly no. That was just a calculated move. If following you leads me to this cave, so much the better. If not, I can still use the map to search later, then the map will come in handy."
The Little Fairy Doctor fully understood. No wonder she hadn't encountered anyone after leaving Qing Shan Town, it must have been arranged by him. She had been fooling herself into thinking she was simply fated to find the treasure.
A wave of helplessness washed over her as she realized she had been caught in the plans of a far stronger being from the start. Feeling a bit disheartened, her voice carried a tinge of heaviness: "How do you plan to deal with me?"
"Since you're here, you might as well come with me and take a look. You have some connection to this place. As for the treasure, I don't mind sharing a portion with you." Lin Yuan looked at the Little Fairy Doctor's sorrowful expression and couldn't help but smile.
The Little Fairy Doctor was surprised and asked: "You're not going to punish me for trying to get ahead, and you're willing to share the treasure with me?"
"It seems my actions and attitude yesterday gave you the wrong impression," Lin Yuan said, rubbing his forehead as he looked at her seriously. "Whether you believe it or not, I can only tell you I am, by nature, a kind person. My high-handed attitude at Thousand Medicine House was deliberate—it worked better with some people. Under that attitude, Mr. Yao took the tasks I assigned far more seriously, didn't he?"
The Little Fairy Doctor nodded slightly. She knew Mr. Yao well; Lin Yuan's approach was indeed the most effective.
After a pause, Lin Yuan continued: "So don't think of me as some villain. After all, you brought me here, which is merit in itself. Sharing a portion of the treasure with you is no big deal. Moreover…"
"Moreover?" The Little Fairy Doctor asked curiously.
"Moreover, you're a beauty. Naturally, beauties deserve some privileges. Besides, holding you in my arms is… quite comfortable. Haha." Lin Yuan's clear laughter rang out, teasingly dispersing the heaviness between them.
"You…!" The Little Fairy Doctor's cheeks flushed as she recalled being rescued and held by Lin Yuan. Her earlier worries faded—after all, the boy before her had saved both her life and Xiao Lan's.
Relaxed now, she asked with curiosity: "So carefree? Are all geniuses like you in personality?"
"Not a genius's personality," Lin Yuan replied, "but the arrogance of a strong person. Within the bounds of their abilities, they do what they like. That is the arrogance of a strong person, and power is the qualification for that arrogance."
His words, casually delivered yet laden with meaning, reached the Little Fairy Doctor's ears, causing her thoughts to wander.
"The arrogance of a strong person… will I ever reach that day?"
----
For additional chapter's
Join pateron.com/Translaterappu