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--- Chapter 247 ---
After testing everything they could, Han Yuan and the others decided to return to Desert City.
Queen Medusa, Yafei, and Hai Bodong had mastered their martial souls and spirit skills sufficiently to use them effectively in battle and in emergencies.
Queen Medusa and Hai Bodong should have no problem dealing with Dou Zong or Dou Ancestor Realm Experts who are not very skilled in manipulating spatial power.
As for Yafei, even with her weak Dou Spirit cultivation, she could defeat an unsuspecting Dou Emperor using her Silver Crest Coins. All she needs to do is enhance the coins with gravity before throwing them all at once, crushing everything on her path into dust or paste.
Even Queen Medusa couldn't devour gravity, so taking the coins directly with her body would be akin to asking for a problem and weeks of recovery.
She had witnessed how miserable Hai Bodong had been and laughed at him for being dumb, but she certainly didn't want to experience the same fate.
Still, Dou Ancestors, who have touched upon the realm of spatial power, are not something Yafei could contend with yet, because they could easily deflect her gravity-enhanced coins with spatial powers.
Upon reaching Desert City, Han Yuan told them he wanted to walk around the city. Then, he stopped at the slave market.
Such establishments are common in the Dou Qi Continent, and they also exist in the Douluo Continent, although they are much more prevalent in the former.
After all, the Dou Qi Continent is not only larger but also has a more intense power hierarchy.
Han Yuan observed a variety of humans and even beautiful snake-people lined up in iron cages for buyers to examine. Utilizing his Eyes of Truth, he assessed each of their talents and worth.
While it may seem harsh that Han Yuan evaluated these "slaves" based on their value rather than purely out of compassion, he was not a saint. He could be kind, but he could also be cold.
He eventually stopped in front of a small iron cage in the corner.
Inside, he saw a little girl, malnourished and dressed in a ragged green robe. Something unique about her was the fact that green snake scales were growing on her limbs.
"Are you interested in this mutt, sir?" asked the slave merchant with a sly look on his face.
"Mutt?" Han Yuan frowned slightly.
The slave merchant smiled faintly, "Yes, this one is a defective slave. So, we call her mutt."
"She can't speak."
"She is also weak."
"Nor beautiful."
"Even the snake-men, known for their lust, were disgusted by her mere presence."
"Oh, why so?" Han Yuan remained calm and stoic.
The slave merchant rubbed his palms, "That's because she's a rare hybrid, she's half-human, half snake-woman."
"Many experts said it was impossible for someone like her to exist, but here she is."
Han Yuan pondered before asking, "Do you know information about her parents?"
"Hmm, from what I know, the mutt was born to a female human raped by a snake-man somewhere in the inner desert," The slave merchant replied casually. "It was a common occurrence in Tager Desert, but somehow it led to her birth."
Han Yuan sighed inwardly because that's just how this world works; there is no order to keep it in place, only the law of the jungle. Perhaps it will change in the future.
"I want her, that man in the third cage, the middle-aged man in the sixth cage, and the snake-woman in the tenth cage." He said indifferently.
"Hoho, you have very keen eyes, sir." The slave merchant was excited and laughed. "That would be 30,000 gold coins!"
Han Yuan smiled, "30,000? Who said I am going to buy them?"
"What-!" The slave merchant shouted when a powerful force smacked him on the face and sent him flying.
Crack!
BOOM!
He landed on the ground heavily; his fate is unknown.
Han Yuan snapped the iron cage open and reached for the malnourished little girl, using his Wood and Water Dou Qi to heal her. Although bringing her to a peak condition is not possible for now, she at least wouldn't be sick and weak until he gave her better care.
"W-Why..." A weak, barely audible voice came from her mouth.
Save..."
"Me..."
Hearing these broken words, Han Yuan couldn't help but smile. "Because your eyes are beautiful."
Even before awakening her power, the pair of azure-green eyes gleamed under the darkness of the dusty room. They are like an unpolished gem, waiting to shine in this world.
Hope.
Han Yuan saw hope in those eyes. So, he grabbed his cloak and covered the girl with it before carrying her out of the cage like a princess. "Third, Sixth, Tenth."
"You can come out yourself, right?"
The dusty room is dead silent, and then three simultaneous iron cracks echoed.
"Thank you for helping us, sir," said the thin man from the third cage.
"Mm," The middle-aged man gave Han Yuan a nod.
And then, the snake-women slowly slithered out of her cage and gave Han Yuan a doubtful look, "Why do you have the queen's scents on you, human sir?"
"I knew her." Han Yuan replied casually.
"As for helping you, why does a 4-Star Dou Grandmaster and Rank 2 Alchemist need my help? You guys are probably running away from someone, right?"
The thin man and the middle-aged man froze upon hearing Han Yuan's words. Their eyes widened as Han Yuan could see past their guise.
This young man is not ordinary!
Han Yuan stared at them indifferently and continued, "I don't care what your past is."
"If you want to stay alive, all you can do is follow me honestly."
"This..." They glanced at each other hesitantly.
"Oh, since you knew the queen, then you must be quite a strong human, after all, Queen Medusa is a Dou Emperor Expert!"
"D-Dou Emperor?" The thin man and the middle-aged man were baffled as they didn't expect such a young man to possess such strength.
Even the middle-aged man, who was the Rank 2 Alchemist, had only seen Dou King Expert, and that same expert wanted him to work for him for a lifetime, which is no different from being a labor slave.
People say that the Alchemist is the most noble profession on the Dou Qi Continent, but things can quickly take a wrong turn if one doesn't have enough strength.
Only 'strong' alchemists can make a name for themselves.
Weak alchemists? They'd better be good with refining pills and have a connection, or they'd end up like him!
Not everyone has a sect and a clan to back them up.
Not everyone has a grandpa in the ring, who was a Half-Saint Expert and Rank 9 Alchemist, to help them in case of an emergency.
"We will follow you! No, please let us follow you, Young Master!" shouted the Alchemist.
"You made up your mind so quickly, huh?" Han Yuan rolled his eyes.
"Whatever, just follow me from now on. As long as you don't do anything evil and step over common moral conduct, you're free to do your own thing."
"Y-Yes!" The thin man glanced at the Alchemist before shouting with excitement.
"You too, follow me. Medusa is currently in the city." Han Yuan said to the snake woman.
"Okay!" The snake woman's eyes lit up. Truthfully, she had let the slave merchant catch her to explore the human world and see their cruel side. Yet, who would have thought she'd find an interesting young human, a handsome one at that!
Looking at those piercing silver eyes made her feel something she had never felt before.
Han Yuan walked out of the dusty room, and when his foot landed on the light, all the iron cages inside were 'directly' broken by his Dou Qi.
"I am not a saint.
However, that doesn't mean I will promote evil either.
So today, I will set you free, but I won't take you in.
This is your chance: walk your own path and don't allow yourself to become a slave again.
Leave the Tager Desert and seek your freedom."
After saying that, Han Yuan walked away.