Battle Through the Heavens: The Rock King Emperor's Leisurely Wanderings in the Mortal World

Chapter 20 Yao San

Zhongli slowly stepped out of Wanyaozhai, and the scene before him was bustling with people, busy with their lives.

Among them were many wearing tattered armor, most of them ordinary members of mercenary groups. Perhaps their once brand-new armor had been damaged somewhere in several battles with magical beasts; perhaps they were simply short of money and unable to afford a brand-new set; or perhaps it was left behind by a comrade who had unfortunately died on the battlefield.

Those who frequent the Herbalist's Shop are mostly elderly and young. Few families would send their children alone to get medicine or shop, after all, this is not Liyue or Teyvat, where strength reigns supreme, the concept of law is weak, and human instincts run rampant.

"Big brother, what are you thinking about?" Little Fairy Doctor lightly leaped down the steps at the entrance of Wan Yao Zhai, playfully tugging at Zhong Li's sleeve, a sweet smile on her lips.

Zhong Li didn't turn around, for he had already deeply memorized Little Fairy Doctor's aura. He slowly raised his hand and pointed to a middle-aged man with a large belly, fanning himself with a paper fan, standing by the roadside. If that were all, it might not have been enough to attract Zhong Li's attention, but the key was that the mercenary group members in armor often revealed a fierce glint in their eyes when passing by ordinary people, yet they were extremely respectful towards this seemingly ordinary middle-aged man, even awkwardly bowing.

"Who is that man?"

"Hmm?" Little Fairy Doctor looked in the direction Zhongli was pointing, and then a look of disgust appeared on her face. "He is Yao San, the eldest son of Mr. Yao of Wan Yao Zhai, a first-grade alchemist. Mr. Yao has tried to match us up many times. If it weren't for my superb medical skills and Wan Yao Zhai's unwillingness to lose me easily, he probably would have forced himself on me long ago."

"Oh?" Zhong Li slowly turned his gaze to Little Fairy Doctor, pondered for a moment, and said, "However, as far as I know, even if your medical knowledge is extensive and your medical skills are superb, it seems that you still can't match a pharmacist, right?"

Little Fairy Doctor lowered her head helplessly and with a hint of disappointment, and said softly, "Yes, ever since I learned last month that Yao San was going to the nearby main city to take the alchemist qualification exam, I had already guessed that this would probably be the last time I delivered medicine to Wan Yao Zhai."

Little Fairy Doctor looked back at Wan Yao Zhai, a hint of reluctance in her eyes. It wasn't that she was attached to Wan Yao Zhai itself, but rather that she couldn't bear to part with the joy of practicing medicine and healing, and with the patients who still needed time to recover under her care.

Zhong Li lowered his eyes slightly, his gaze seemingly filled with deep pity for the child's fate. After a moment, he asked softly, "After leaving Wan Yao Zhai, do you have a place to stay?"

Little Fairy Doctor's head drooped lower and lower, as if bearing a heavy burden, and she slowly and laboriously shook her head.

A gentle light appeared in Zhongli's eyes. When his gaze fell on Little Fairy Doctor, his thoughts involuntarily drifted back three thousand years. At that time, the war between the demon gods had just ended. On Guili Plain, groups of children were left homeless because their homes had been destroyed. Their weeping figures left a deep impression on Zhongli's memory.

Just as the Little Fairy Doctor was filled with worry, her mind seemingly about to plunge into endless darkness, Zhong Li's voice, like a ray of salvation, gently rang out in the silence: "In this situation, you might as well become my disciple. I will impart to you the precious 'Nine-Colored Poison Scripture' to help you heal your afflicted poisonous body. Objectively speaking, this is my fulfillment of my duty as a teacher."

"Really?!" Upon hearing this, Little Fairy Doctor suddenly raised her head, her eyes shining like twinkling stars in the night sky, filled with undisguised joy, and eagerly asked Zhongli.

"Of course." Zhong Li's lips curled into a gentle smile, and he nodded slightly. He elegantly rested his chin on his hand and slowly said, "As a guest of the Xiao family, the Xiao family head will naturally, out of consideration for me, arrange a place for you to stay within the Xiao family. However, even so, you will still find it difficult to escape your dependent status. When you face those Xiao family members alone, you will inevitably suffer grievances due to your lack of confidence. If you hope to move into the Xiao family with the composure of a normal person, then you must provide the Xiao family with something they crave. Only in this way can you stand tall and have enough confidence when facing the Xiao family members in the future; and only then will you have the right to refute them with righteous indignation when they make things difficult for you or bully you."

Then, Zhong Li slowly lowered his head, his gaze meeting that of Little Fairy Doctor. His eyes were gentle, yet tinged with a barely perceptible chill, as he said softly, "However, I won't do this for you; you'll have to pay the Xiao family yourself."

Zhong Li truly didn't want to see such a clever and kind-hearted girl wandering the streets. He knew in his heart that Little Fairy Doctor had accumulated enough money over the years to allow her to stay in an inn or rent a house. If he were in Liyue, Zhong Li would certainly feel at ease. However, this was the Dou Qi Continent, a world where strength supersedes the law.

The reason Little Fairy Doctor has remained unscathed for so many years is because she skillfully maintains a delicate balance between the Myriad Medicines Hall and the numerous mercenary cultivators behind her. The Myriad Medicines Hall values ​​Little Fairy Doctor's superb medical skills, while Little Fairy Doctor needs the powerful influence of the Myriad Medicines Hall as her support. Once this balance is broken, Little Fairy Doctor, having lost her backing, will be mercilessly torn to pieces in the struggle between these two ferocious "beasts," the Myriad Medicines Hall and the mercenary cultivators, ultimately dying without a burial place.

Even if she survives by sheer luck, her future will likely be incredibly miserable, like being trapped in a dark abyss, a living hell.

Yes, reality is indeed cruel, and this is the true picture of the Dou Qi Continent.

However, even so, Zhong Li was unwilling to let Little Fairy Doctor develop a habit of getting something for nothing. He knew that all Little Fairy Doctor could offer was probably a considerable amount of gold coins. Even if these gold coins were insignificant in the eyes of the Xiao family, Zhong Li would still secretly compensate Xiao Zhan with some "fees" when no one was looking. These "fees" might be precious cultivation techniques, rare pill formulas, or fighting skills. After all, Lei Dianzhen's notes contained all sorts of treasures that the Xiao family would covet.

Little Fairy Doctor frowned slightly, lost in thought. At this moment, the first-grade alchemist, who was highly respected by everyone on the roadside, slowly turned his gaze in this direction. "Oh ho, look who this is! It's Little Fairy Doctor! What's wrong, not out making house calls today?" Yao San walked over with a slow, leisurely gait, swaying his round, Buddha-like belly, looking quite comical, making people unable to help but laugh.

(End of this chapter)

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