17: Chapter 17 The Little Fairy Doctor, Played by Fate

With a shift of their forms, the two slowly descended, landing at the entrance of a cave on the cliffside.

The cave entrance was sealed by a heavy stone door, covered in the marks of time. There were no signs of prying or damage; clearly, no one had ever been here before.

That made sense; Xiao Yi Xian likely hadn't even discovered this place yet.

While marveling in his heart at the benefits of his early Transmigration, he raised his hand to gather Dou Qi. A scorching red Dou Qi instantly condensed at his fingertips, and he fired it fiercely toward the stone door.

"Boom—"

A violent explosion rang out as the red Dou Qi slammed into the stone door. The heavy stone door was instantly blown apart, turning into a cloud of fine powder that drifted through the air.

Zi Yan could not wait to enter.

The cave was not particularly spacious. What met their eyes were ordinary medicinal herbs and a pile of gold coins.

"I thought there would be some kind of treasure; is this it?"

These herbs were at most for refining Rank 1 Medicinal Pills, so Zi Yan looked down on them.

Furthermore, after being fed various high-rank Medicinal Pills and spiritual fruits by Ling Yuan these past few days, she had long lost any interest in these ordinary herbs.

Ling Yuan was in no hurry to reach a conclusion. He simply glanced at the herbs and gold coins before him and spoke slowly, "Don't be in a rush. The real treasure should be deep within the cave."

He could already see the three stone boxes and the skeleton inside.

Zi Yan's eyes lit up, and she immediately leaned in, circling the three stone boxes.

Ling Yuan didn't pay much attention to the stone boxes; his goal from the start hadn't been those. He walked straight to the withered skeleton.

Relying on his senses, he accurately located a section of the skeleton's bones. With a slight pressure from his fingertips, there was a "crack" as the bone was snapped open. Inside was a rolled-up, yellowed, ancient map—exactly the remnant map of the Heavenly Flame he was looking for.

"Ling Yuan, come open the stone boxes with me!" Zi Yan's cheerful voice called out.

"Coming, coming," Ling Yuan replied with a smile. He unfurled the remnant map to take a look, and after confirming it was correct, he stored it in his storage ring. Then, he stood up and walked toward Zi Yan.

"I'll open the first one!" Zi Yan stepped ahead to block the stone box, her eyes sparkling. She was full of interest in this kind of blind-box-opening activity.

Of course, if Ling Yuan hadn't known in advance, he would probably be just like her.

Who could resist the thrill of an unknown surprise?

Zi Yan asked, "I'll open two, and you open one, how about that?"

Ling Yuan didn't want to dampen her spirits, so he nodded with a smile.

"Sure, you go first."

As he spoke, he reached out to feel the keyhole on the stone box, intending to hand her the key.

Unexpectedly, Zi Yan waved her hand. "No need for such trouble."

After saying that, she stared at the three stone boxes for a moment, picked the largest one in the middle, took a step back, clenched her fist, and slammed it fiercely into the stone box.

"Bang!" With a dull thud, the stone box was instantly smashed open, sending stone fragments flying.

Watching her crude way of opening the blind box, Ling Yuan couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Fair enough, this was very Zi Yan, exactly as he remembered her.

No wonder the students of Jia Nan Academy later called her the King of Brute Force; with this temperament, she certainly deserved the title.

Zi Yan bent down and picked up a beast-skin scroll from the pile of rubble. She unfurled it for a look, then curled her lip and tossed the scroll aside.

"Eagle's Wings. It's just a flight Dou Technique. Useless. I've long been able to manifest wings from Dou Qi; they're much better than this."

After throwing the scroll, she pointed at the remaining two stone boxes and shouted at Ling Yuan, "Your turn, your turn! Open them quickly!"

Ling Yuan shook his head with a smile. He didn't use a key either; imitating Zi Yan, he raised his hand and smashed it against one of the stone boxes.

With a "bang," the stone box shattered, and inside lay a seven-colored scroll that was exceptionally eye-catching.

Zi Yan immediately leaned in, standing on her tiptoes to peek. After seeing the words on the scroll clearly, she frowned again.

"Seven-Colored Poison Manual? That also seems useless; we don't practice poison."

Ling Yuan picked up the Seven-Colored Poison Manual and said calmly:

"It's fine. Whether it's useful or not, let's keep it for now."

He said this, but in his heart, he was secretly calculating—this Seven-Colored Poison Manual would be of no small help to Xiao Yi Xian in her early stages. He'd keep it for now; it would surely come in handy later.

Next was Zi Yan opening the last stone box. She still smashed it open with one punch. Inside was a black scroll. Upon unfurling it, it was the Mad Lion's Roar, a Profound Rank Dou Technique.

Zi Yan took one look and lost interest. "Still useless. This kind of Dou Technique isn't as practical as one of my punches."

Although none of the three stone boxes yielded anything that made their eyes light up, Zi Yan still had a smile on her face, and Ling Yuan's mood was also quite good.

The joy of opening a blind box was never about how good the contents were, but the process of being full of anticipation.

In any case, the thing Ling Yuan wanted was in hand.

After accompanying Zi Yan for a while longer and snatching some 'drinks' for her...

Zi Yan was satisfied. Drinking the accompanying purple crystal source, she asked Ling Yuan if the Central Plains had many good things.

That's right, the 'drink' the two had snatched was precisely the accompanying purple crystal source from the Amethyst Winged Lion King.

There hadn't been any intense battle. Ling Yuan's Soul was powerful, almost countering all Demonic Beasts; with just a casual strike, he had knocked the Amethyst Winged Lion King unconscious.

Something the original Xiao Yan had been reluctant to drink, Ling Yuan used as sweet water to feed the gluttonous Zi Yan.

While drinking the accompanying purple crystal source, she asked Ling Yuan indistinctly, "Ling Yuan, do you think the Central Plains has many good things? The kind that are even better than this accompanying purple crystal source?"

Zi Yan had never been to the Central Plains, so she was very curious and longing for it.

Ling Yuan said, "The Central Plains, huh? That is the most prosperous place on the continent. Not only are there many Heaven And Earth Treasures, but there are also many powerful experts."

"To describe it in one sentence: Dou Huangs are as common as dogs, and Dou Zongs walk everywhere."

After saying that, he silently added in his heart: This is only in the early stage. By the Late Stage, it will only be more exaggerated. By then, Dou Zongs will be worse than dogs, and Dou Zuns will be walking everywhere.

Beside him, Zi Yan's small mouth opened slightly and her eyes widened, clearly shocked by these words.

"Then what about my Family?" Mentioning the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan, Zi Yan inevitably felt a bit downcast.

Seeing her like this, Ling Yuan was unwilling to tell her about the internal strife and predicament of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan too early, lest it make her even sadder.

He gave Zi Yan a head pat:

"You'll know when the time comes. When we reach the Central Plains, I'll lead the charge and help you demand an explanation from those people!"

These words weren't just empty promises to Zi Yan; when the time came, he indeed intended to lead the Elders in a charge.

Unifying the Dragon Island...

Taking Zi Yan back, helping unify the Dragon Island, finding the dragon phoenix origin fruit, and rescuing Zhu Kun.

By doing all these things, he would definitely count as the greatest benefactor of the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan.

When Zhu Kun came out, it would be unreasonable if he didn't work for Ling Yuan.

Ling Yuan never felt like he was living off Zi Yan; he was achieving this through his own ability.

Without him, the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan would only continue to fracture through internal strife.

Without him, Zhu Kun wouldn't be some continent-shaking Nine-Star Dou Sheng.

He would just be a pathetic watchdog!

Zi Yan didn't know Ling Yuan had already thought so much. Hearing his domineering words, she felt moved.

"Mhm, Ling Yuan, you're so good to me!"

"Repay me when you've grown up..."

...

The two chatted idly like this as they arrived at Qingshan Town.

This was a small town near the Magical Beast Mountain Range. The town wasn't large, but there were quite a few people passing through.

Most of the people in town were mercenaries, relying on entering the Magical Beast Mountain Range to hunt Demonic Beasts, taking their monster cores, skins, and meat to exchange for money to make a living.

Fighting Demonic Beasts year-round, getting injured and seeing blood were common occurrences; some even lost their lives.

Therefore, the Wan Yao Pharmacy in town became the place with the most foot traffic. Whether day or night, one could always see mercenaries lining up to have their wounds treated or to buy medicine.

At this moment, at the entrance of Wan Yao Pharmacy, two mercenaries covered in wounds were standing, waiting in line for the person inside to treat them.

Behind the counter, a young girl dressed in a white dress was bowing her head, busy at work. She was Xiao Yi Xian.

Xiao Yi Xian had a clear and pretty face. She wasn't the kind of stunning beauty that amazed at first sight, but she was surrounded by an ethereal and clean aura that was exceptionally eye-catching.

Some people are beautiful in their skin, forgotten after one look; while others' beauty is integrated into their bones, hidden in their temperament and kind Soul.

Xiao Yi Xian was the latter.

Over these years in Qingshan Town, she had saved countless injured mercenaries. Regardless of their status or whether they had money, she would treat them with all her heart.

She was the goddess in the hearts of all the men in Qingshan Town, only to be looked at from afar; no one dared to have the slightest thought of desecration.

"Big Brother Lei, I've finished bandaging you."

Xiao Yi Xian looked up, a gentle smile on her face. Her voice was soft as she carefully instructed, "After you go back, you must pay attention to keeping the wound clean. Try not to make any large movements to avoid the wound reopening, or you'll have to suffer again."

The man called Big Brother Lei had a face full of stubble and a hideous scar, making him look fierce and not to be trifled with.

But at this moment, facing Xiao Yi Xian, he showed a simple and honest smile. His tone was full of gratitude, and his eyes were devoid of any Impurities.

"Hehe, thank you, Xiao Yi Xian. It's been hard on you. Xiao Yi Xian, you're really clever and skillful, even better than those great physicians in the city."

This scene was just happened to be seen by Ling Yuan and Zi Yan as they passed by the entrance of Wan Yao Pharmacy.

Looking at the busy Xiao Yi Xian behind the counter, Ling Yuan was thinking much more than Zi Yan.

Having read the original work, he felt quite sorry for this girl.

Clearly a girl with a kind heart who only wanted to treat illnesses and save people, yet heaven had played a huge joke on her, gifting her the Calamity Poison Body.

That kind of Physique was regarded by the world as ominous, a symbol of bringing disaster.

Once the Calamity Poison Body erupted, the poison within her would spread uncontrollably. Within a thousand miles, whether human or Demonic Beast, no living creature could survive.

She clearly wanted to save the dying and help the injured with all her heart, but in the end, she was forced to become a Poison Master feared and hated by everyone.

Also, in the original work, she accompanied Xiao Yan all the way and helped him with all her heart, but in the end, she ended up alone and miserable. It was sigh-inducing just thinking about it.

Ling Yuan sighed softly. Since he had transmigrated to this world and met her, he didn't mind giving this poor girl a hand and changing her fate.

Ling Yuan casually asked Zi Yan, "What do you think of her?"

Zi Yan said, "That older sister looks so kind and is so gentle to people."

In her eyes, Xiao Yi Xian exuded a clean aura all over, making people involuntarily want to get close to her.

"There is poison in her body. Come, let's go save her..."