A heavy atmosphere hung over the hall like an invisible weight. Several figures stood in silence, their heads were bowed, their gazes fixed on the floor, as if afraid to meet the eyes of the man seated at the far end.
Before the leader's seat, a young woman knelt on the cold stone floor, her forehead pressed against the ground. The suffocating tension made each breath feel labored, as if even the air resisted movement.
The air was thick with tension. Faces were stiff and pale, drenched in fear. Cold sweat trickled down their cheeks, and their breathing was deliberately hushed, as though the slightest sound might invoke the wrath of the figure on the leader's seat.
The standing figures were the upper echelons of the Wolf Head Mercenary Company. The kneeling woman before them, facing the leader's seat, was Li Fei—the former assistant of the Little Fairy Doctor.
At the head of the hall, a middle-aged man sat with a somber expression, his fingers rhythmically tapping the tabletop. The oppressive silence lingered until, at last, he broke it.
"Is it true that my son was last seen entering the cave discovered by that mysterious alchemist… accompanied by the little girl and the Little Fairy Doctor?"
Mu She's gaze sharpened as it fell upon the kneeling young woman. Under his scrutiny, Li Fei trembled, cold sweat streaming down her forehead as she struggled to steady her breath.
"That's right, Company Leader Mu She." Though her chest felt heavy, she forced the words out with great difficulty. "Young Master Mu Li went to the cave discovered by the mysterious alchemist. I informed him about the sedatives the Little Fairy Doctor would put in our dinner and gave him the antidotes."
"And you're only telling me this now?" Mu She narrowed his eyes, his voice laced with chilling fury. A murderous aura surged from his body, suffocating the hall.
Three days had passed since the Thousand Medicine House's gathering team returned from the mountains. Mu She had long heard of his son's disappearance, yet despite his relentless search, he had found no trace of him or the group that accompanied him for the escort request from Thousand Medicine House.
"The Little Fairy Doctor has been watching me ever since we returned three days ago. It was only today that I managed to slip away and come here to inform you, Sir Mu She!" Li Fei's voice trembled with fear.
While it was true that the Little Fairy Doctor had been keeping an eye on her, Li Fei had never intended to speak. The thought of revealing this information had terrified her. However, the moment Mu She issued an enormous reward, she rushed here without hesitation.
"Good, good… I never would have imagined that innocent little girl had the audacity to kill my son!" Mu She crushed the cup in his hand to dust, his laughter cold and filled with menace. Taking a deep breath, he slowly regained his composure.
Sensing his mood stabilize, Li Fei hesitated before nervously asking in a trembling voice, "Company Leader, about the reward…"
"Of course." Mu She nodded with a smile. "You've given me valuable information about my son. Naturally, I'll reward you with a thousand gold coins."
Li Fei's face lit up at the mention of the enormous reward, but her expression froze the moment Mu She's next words fell coldly.
"Normally, yes. But instead, I'll grant you a painless death."
"Why?!" Li Fei's body jerked upright as she attempted to flee, but in her panic, she stumbled and crashed to the ground. Turning around in terror, she saw Mu She standing before her, a spear in his grasp, its blade gleaming with a chilling light.
"I told you everything about Young Master Mu Li! Why are you still killing me?!" she screamed in desperation.
"If you hadn't given him the antidote, would my son have entered that hidden cave? Would he have met his demise at the hands of that mysterious alchemist?!"
Mu She's voice was ice-cold, his fury undisguised. Without hesitation, he thrust his spear forward. The weapon pierced through Li Fei's body in a swift, clean motion, cutting off her final breath.
He stared at the lifeless corpse for a moment before turning away. His voice was indifferent as he ordered, "Throw the body somewhere in the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Let the beasts feast on it."
"Yes, sir!" A subordinate cupped his fists before lifting the fresh corpse and carrying it outside, heading toward the mountain range where the magical beasts would make quick work of it.
As Mu She settled back into his seat, one of the upper echelons standing at the front stepped forward and asked respectfully, "Leader, the hidden cave that woman mentioned… it must be the one we discovered."
"That's right." Mu She's eyes darkened. "The location matches—it's at the bottom of the cliff. There's no doubt she was telling the truth."
He Meng, who stood beside him, nodded with a nervous and stiff expression. "What should we do about this matter?"
Mu She narrowed his eyes in contemplation. They had already confirmed the existence of the hidden cave where Xiao Hua and the others had taken the treasures.
Upon learning of his son's disappearance, he immediately gathered the Wolf Head Mercenary Company and led them to the location where the escort group from the Thousand Medicine House believed Mu Li had last been seen.
The precipitous cliff was unnervingly clean—there were no signs of a struggle, no traces of battle against a magical beast. This alone proved that his son's death was not caused by such an attack.
However, what truly infuriated him was the faint set of footprints leading away from the scene—clear evidence that while his son had perished, the other members of his group had fled, abandoning him to his fate.
Suppressing his growing rage, Mu She carefully examined the surroundings. Another troubling detail came to mind, something he had found strange ever since hearing the mercenaries' accounts.
On the night of the incident, every mercenary had been asleep—no one standing guard, no one keeping watch. Such negligence was utterly unacceptable for an escort mission, especially in magical beast territory.
A deep suspicion took root in Mu She's heart. This meant one of two things: either every mercenary was collectively lying, or something else had happened that night.
He dismissed the first possibility outright. There was no reason for such a large group to conspire together—if they had the ability to unite in such a way, his son wouldn't have survived until now. Moreover, Mu Li carried nothing of great value, no treasure worth betraying him over. That left only one conclusion: something else was at play.
Mu She had known there was an alchemist among the group, and at first, he suspected that man had played a role in whatever had transpired. But never had he imagined that the Little Fairy Doctor herself had been involved in his son's death…
Furthermore, he was curious about the reason his son had come here. To uncover the truth, he ordered his men to search the area. Eventually, one of them discovered the cave that Xiao Hua, Zi Yan, and the Little Fairy Doctor had already swept clean of treasures—leaving behind only a pile of gold coins, which they had deemed worthless.
Faint traces of medicinal ingredients and three stone containers remained, but they had long since been dug up and emptied by the first visitors.
"Does anyone know if the mysterious alchemist is still in the city?" Mu She's voice was cold, his expression dark and unreadable.
He remained highly cautious of the mysterious alchemist, aware that he had been by the Little Fairy Doctor's side ever since arriving in Qingshan Town.
Mu She knew that this mysterious figure possessed immense strength—especially after seeing how the massive stone door, which would have required a powerful Dou Shi to break, show signs of it had been forcefully pushed open with only brute strength.
This alone confirmed that the alchemist's power far exceeded that of a Dou Shi. At the very least, he had reached the Da Dou Shi level. And if he could eliminate Dou Zhe without leaving a trace—there was even a chance he had already stepped into the realm above Dou Ling.
"I have heard that the mysterious alchemist has left after descends from Magic Beast Mountain Range. It seems he found the medicinal herbs he was searching for and departed soon after." One of the people in the room responded without missing a beat.
Mu She narrowed his eyes, his tone laced with cold certainty. "It must be from that hidden cave. For someone to disregard over seven hundred thousand gold coins so carelessly, the medicinal herbs and treasures in those three stone containers were definitely no ordinary items."
"What do you intend to do about the Little Fairy Doctor, Company Leader?" Gan Mu asked curiously, waving his hand and shaking his head lightly before continuing.
"Her reputation in Qingshan Town is far too high. Even the leaders of the other two top mercenary groups owe her a favor. Any reckless action on our part will only invite the displeasure and wrath of the independent mercenaries. The other two groups would also seize the opportunity to annihilate us."
Mu She let out a cold laugh, his eyes flashing with malice. "Hmph. After killing my son, she won't have a single peaceful day left in this town. Once we confirm that the alchemist has truly left Qingshan Town, spread a rumor that the Little Fairy Doctor has obtained a powerful treasure—one that likely contains a Xuan Rank Qi Method."
A sinister smile crept onto his face. He understood the weight of the Little Fairy Doctor's reputation, but he also knew that her combat abilities were pitifully weak.
Even so, he wasn't going to act recklessly. He would wait a few more days—long enough to ensure that Xiao Hua wasn't lurking in the shadows, protecting her. If that mysterious alchemist was still in town when the rumor spread, Mu She knew it would be his last day on earth.
Patience. Revenge required patience. The Little Fairy Doctor had nowhere to run. For now, his priority was making absolutely certain that the alchemist had left—even if it meant turning Qingshan Town upside down to confirm it.
"Not everyone in this world is kind. There will always be greedy fools willing to go to any lengths for that so-called relic in the Little Fairy Doctor's possession… As for how she deals with them? That will be her problem to suffer."
"This is a solid plan. Without a doubt, even that Sir Yao will take an interest in the treasure, forcing her to lose her safe haven. When that time comes, capturing her will be as easy as plucking a ripe fruit." A sinister smile tugged at the corner of Gan Mu's lips as he let out a pleased chuckle.
"As for her fate…" Mu She's narrowed eyes gleamed coldly. "Whoever captures her may do as they please. I don't care what methods you use—just make sure she regrets ever laying a hand on my son!" His voice carried an icy finality, sending a chill through the air.
"Yes, sir!"
The moment his words fell, the hall stirred with excitement. The men's eyes darkened with desire, their lips curling in anticipation. Many had long harboured thoughts about the Little Fairy Doctor, but with their young master claiming her as his, none had dared act on them.
But now he was dead. And with their leader's permission, the upper echelons of the Wolf Head Mercenary Company left the hall, their hearts burning with fiery desire. They could hardly wait to get their hands on her.
...
A week had passed.
In a small, quiet room, a woman dressed in bright purple carefully mixed medicinal powder. Her movements were precise, each motion deliberate as she ground the ingredients together. Just as she was about to complete the mixture, her hands paused at the sound of a knock on the door.
"Little Fairy Doctor, Mister Yao would like to see you…" A gentle female servant's voice called from outside the door.
She cast a glance at the Rainbow Poison Book before swiftly hiding it away. A helpless sigh escaped her delicate lips.
For the first three days, she had lived quietly after descending from the mountain, tending to injured mercenaries and ordinary people. However, that brief peace had been shattered when a certain rumor began to spread—turning her once-calm days into quiet turmoil.
She knew exactly where it had come from—the Wolf Head Mercenary Company. The moment she realized Li Fei had disappeared, she understood the entire situation. Her former assistant must have rushed to Mu She upon hearing about the rewards, reporting to Mu She about her involvement of Mu Li's death.
Yet, Li Fei had failed to realize one simple truth—she would never return.
Mu She was no fool. He understood that if Li Fei hadn't given Mu Li the antidote, his son might have survived to see another day.
Once, Little Fairy Doctor had considered Li Fei a friend. But after her betrayal—reporting her actions to Mu Li and secretly handing him the antidote to counter her sedative—all sentiment had long since faded. For the past three days, she had felt nothing but indifference toward her.
And even if this was the last time they would ever cross paths… so be it.
'It seems Mu She has confirmed that Young Master Xiao Hua has left the city. But I doubt he realizes… Young Master will return to Qingshan Town.'
Since the rumor had begun spreading, Little Fairy Doctor had remained within Thousand Medicine House, avoiding unnecessary trouble. Yet, because of it, the same guest continued to seek her out—drawn by the rumor Wolf Head Mercenary Company had sown.
As for his intentions? There was no need to ask. Still, she was living under someone else's roof. At the very least, she owed the owner some respect.
"…Let him in."
A short while after the female servant delivered the message, a man dressed in luxurious robes stepped into the room, his face adorned with a genial smile.
"Haha, have you been well recently, Miss Fairy Doctor?" he greeted warmly.
The Fairy Doctor lifted her gaze, her expression calm as she regarded the middle-aged man before her. With a slight nod, she rose to her feet, turned around, and gracefully poured two cups of tea from the set on the table beside her.
Seated comfortably, Mister Yao observed her movements, his eyes lingering on the elegant curve of her figure. As she bent slightly, the sight of her slender waist drew his undivided attention, and a fleeting glint flashed across his eyes.
However, the moment she turned back around, Mister Yao swiftly withdrew his gaze, masking his disrespectful gaze with a composed demeanor.
Setting a delicate porcelain cup before him, the Fairy Doctor's red lips parted as she spoke in a soft, measured tone.
"Mister Yao, is there a reason you sought me out today?"
Mister Yao smiled as he picked up the porcelain teacup, his fingers subtly tracing its surface. Unnoticed by anyone, he relished the lingering warmth left behind by the Fairy Doctor's delicate touch. Taking a slow sip, he spoke with a casual smile.
"I assume you've heard the rumors spreading over the past few days?"
"Mmm." The Fairy Doctor's expression remained serene, unaffected by his words.
A glint flickered in Mister Yao's eyes as he suddenly asked, "Didn't you wander off with him while the others were gathering medicinal ingredients? Searching for that hidden cave, perhaps?"
"Mister Yao, I believe you're mistaken." The Fairy Doctor shook her head lightly, her lips curving into a polite smile. "It's true that I accompanied Young Master, but only to expand my knowledge of medicinal herbs. As for treasure hunting in some cave… I wouldn't dare covet such things."
She paused before continuing in a soft, measured tone. "However, I did hear that the Young Master of the Wolf Head Mercenary Company broke away from the group on our way back. It seems they may have found something of interest."
"If Mister Yao is interested in treasure, why not speak with the leaders of the other two large mercenary companies? I'm sure they would be curious to see what the Wolf Head Mercenary Company brought back." The Fairy Doctor maintained her gentle smile as she calmly suggested.
Hearing this, Mister Yao's expression stiffened for a brief moment before he quickly recovered, letting out a chuckle. "Oh, it was just a passing question. Hehe. I was merely curious about the treasures in that hidden cave. I thought the mysterious alchemist might have shown you something."
The Fairy Doctor let out a soft, airy giggle. "Hehe. I understand Mister Yao's curiosity. But unfortunately, he never showed me anything."
'After all, I entered the cave alongside him and Zi Yan. More than that, he let me take all the medicinal herbs and flowers inside. So, in a way, it's true—he never 'showed' me anything,' she mused inwardly, keeping her expression composed.
"Haha, I see. Well then, I won't take up any more of your time. I have some matters to attend to." Mister Yao nodded with a smile, exchanging a few more pleasantries before rising to his feet and taking his leave.
As the door slowly creaked shut behind him, the Fairy Doctor's gaze drifted toward the teacup he had just used. She lightly traced its rim with her fingertip, her smile fading into a thoughtful murmur.
"Unfortunately, he has yet to abandon his intention… I hope you won't disappoint me like Lei Fei, Mister Yao."
Her delicate fingers tightened slightly around the porcelain cup on her hand as a sharp, frigid light stirring in the depths of her gaze.
"I may not be the strongest… but do you really think you can drink the tea I brew so easily?"
As an image of a refined young man dressed in black robes with blue adornments flashed through her mind, Little Fairy Doctor's fingers, which had been gripping the porcelain cup, slowly relaxed. She gently tapped the dark green teacup, a faint smile curving her beautiful red lips.
"Young Master, the treasures you shared with me… rest assured, I will guard them well. No one shall take them from me until you return."
...
Two days later, at Qingshan Town's main square.
Two black-hooded figures moved silently through the bustling streets of Qingshan Town, blending seamlessly into the sea of people. They were Xiao Hua and Zi Yan, having returned after several days away.
After spending time in the mountain region refining pills for Zi Yan, Xiao Hua let out a weary sigh, feeling mentally drained. He cast a sidelong glance at the little girl beside him—who was currently munching on a pill with a beaming smile, as if it were the most delicious treat in the world.
His gaze darkened slightly.
"..."
Sensing his glare, Zi Yan flinched. Her bright eyes flicked away, guilt flashing in them as a cold sweat gathered on her brow. But in the end, Xiao Hua could only sigh, shaking his head in weary resignation. There was no winning with her.
As they walked through the crowded streets, they paid little mind to the town's chatter—until a particular rumor caught their attention.
It was said that the Little Fairy Doctor had discovered the hidden cave of a powerful expert and seized the treasures within.
Hearing this, Xiao Hua and Zi Yan exchanged glances. A flicker of concern flashed in their eyes as they absorbed the implications of the rumor.
"Xiao Hua, do you think she's okay?" Zi Yan asked worriedly.
"Don't worry. With her poison techniques, she can defend herself..."
Though Xiao Hua spoke with confidence, a trace of unease flickered in his eyes. He trusted Little Fairy Doctor's mastery over poison, but her strength was ultimately too weak. If they found a way to break through her defenses, she wouldn't be able to resist them.
This thought weighed heavily on him. With Mu Li's death, Mu She would make sure she suffered a fate far crueler than death if she fell into his hands.
Xiao Hua had expected trouble in his absence, but he hadn't thought it would escalate this quickly.
He had deliberately left traces to mislead them into thinking he was still in Qingshan Town, yet he hadn't expected Mu She to overturn the entire town just to confirm his absence.
This wouldn't have happened if he hadn't spent days refining those eighth-tier medicinal pills for his breakthrough…
His fists clenched tightly, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes.
'Mu She, Mister Yao… if anything happens to Little Fairy Doctor, I will make sure your deaths are anything but peaceful.'
The exhaustion in Xiao Hua's expression vanished, replaced by a dark, menacing aura. His once-weary gaze turned sharp and ruthless, like that of a predator ready to strike.
Beside him, Zi Yan shivered. A chill ran down her spine as she sensed his fury. She sighed inwardly. It seems those fools will not have a peaceful death...
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