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--- Chapter 251 ---
"Um, my eyes feel funny," said Qing Lin as she tried to rub her eyes.
"Don't rub your eyes; it will only make them feel more irritated." Han Yuan stopped her and gently injected wood Dou Qi into her body while patting her head.
It not only made Qing Lin more comfortable but also provided energy to her newly awakened Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, which deactivated a few seconds later.
Qing Lin's companion martial souls and innate pupils were strong, but she was still too young, inexperienced, and weak.
Let's not even mention the manipulation of Dou Qi and spirit energy, as she didn't have basic knowledge about cultivation.
All Qing Lin knew about Dou Fighters and spirit masters came from bedtime stories and Han Yuan's explanations earlier.
"Are you feeling alright now?" Han Yuan asked, lifting his hand off her head.
Qing Lin responded with a happy smile, hugging Han Yuan affectionately. If Xiao Yixian saw this, she would probably feel jealous.
Xiao Yixian, my dear brother's instincts are tingling. Someone is threatening my little sister's position!
Han Yuan smiled and said, "Okay, remember this, Qing Lin: you shouldn't use the power of your eyes and martial souls until you reach the Dou Practitioner Realm."
"Do you understand?"
"Mm." Qing Lin nodded obediently.
Han Yuan rubbed the little girl's head again and added, "From now on, you should focus on refining your Dou Qi. Leng Yi will give you some pills later, so be sure to take them when training, okay?"
"I understand! Qing Lin will train very, very hard," Qing Lin replied determinedly.
Han Yuan chuckled and encouraged her enthusiasm further, "When you reach the Dou Practitioner Realm and form your Dou Qi cyclone, big brother will give you a powerful Dou Technique."
"You said it! You can't take your words back, big brother!" Qing Lin shot him a confident look.
Han Yuan didn't mind her cheeky attitude; it reminded him of a certain little witch and smug rabbit. Yes, he was thinking of Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu.
"Before we get to that, it's already night, so let's get you into bed. I'll tell you a story." Han Yuan lovingly flicked Qing Lin's forehead before picking her up and tucking her into bed.
As Qing Lin grasped the edge of her blanket, Han Yuan began to tell her a story. "Legend tells of a legendary warrior whose kung fu skills were the stuff of legends. He traveled the land in search of worthy foes..."
---
Han Yuan exited Qing Lin's room with a smile on his face. He glanced at the corner of his eye and saw Leng Yi already waiting with a calm look on her face.
"Besides taking care of Qing Lin when I am away, you're also responsible for watching over her when she's refining her Dou Qi." He said calmly while grabbing two storage rings in his Sky Poison Pearl.
He approached Leng Yi and placed two rings on her palm, "The green ring is Qing Lin's, and the other is yours."
"Make sure Qing Lin exercises lightly every day, and then get a medicinal bath in the morning and before bed."
"Also, there are foundation-making pills that she should consume when refining her Dou Qi."
"Make sure she doesn't eat too many pills. These pills taste too good for kids, after all."
"I don't want her to get a toothache..."
Meanwhile, Leng Yi's mouth twitched upon listening to the instruction given by Han Yuan. 'Sure enough, only the Master can make the Alchemist Pill taste like candy.'
"Understood. I will make sure Qing Lin faces no trouble." Leng Yi said solemnly.
Han Yuan smiled, "Thanks, Leng Yi."
'Uwoooghh! The master is thanking me! I am crying!' Leng Yi cried inside, but still maintained a solemn look outside.
"No, Master, I should be thanking you. You've given me a pill earlier, and now you've given me more again." Leng Yi shook her head.
Han Yuan patted Leng Yi's shoulder, "You deserve it."
Han Yuan wasn't petty with his subordinate. If they have done a good job, he will reward them handsomely. And once Han Yuan thoroughly adjusted the spirit master cultivation, he'd awaken martial souls of those who had shown their merits.
After saying that, Han Yuan left. What he didn't know was that just a few kind gestures from him were enough to touch Leng Yi's heart.
---
Han Yuan stepped out of Qing Lin's courtyard, and Queen Medusa, who looked a bit disheveled, appeared before him.
"Did you awaken that little girl's martial soul?' asked Queen Medusa seriously.
Han Yuan shrugged, "I did."
"What kind of martial soul did she awaken?" Queen Medusa pressed him again.
Han Yuan narrowed his eyes on her but still answered, "Qing Lin awakened companion martial souls, a little green-scaled snake, Heavenly Serpent, and a straight, one-bladed sword, Grass-Cutting Blade."
"Heavenly Serpent, Grass-Cutting Blade..." Queen Medusa frowned as she racked her brain, recalling some knowledge that her ancestors' souls had left behind.
"Ancient Heavenly Serpent, the Nine-Headed Heavenly Serpent."
"Another ancestor of snake-type Magical Beasts..."
"So, that's how it is." She sighed helplessly.
"What's the matter?" Han Yuan was confused by her reaction.
Queen Medusa crossed her arms and sighed again, "I don't know if I should congratulate that little girl or pity her."
"No wonder her birth is an anomaly."
"Her father is a snake-man, and her mother is human."
"Normally, a hybrid shouldn't be born."
"However, not only was that little girl born, but her bloodline also mutated her ancestor's line."
"As you know, my lineage was that of Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Snake."
"Then, her father should be from the Ancient Heavenly Serpent lineage, which mutated because the Ancient Heavenly Serpent's color is dark red, not green."
"Shouldn't it be a good thing?" Han Yuan commented with a smile.
Queen Medusa rolled her eyes, "Of course, but that girl is far too weak, and once her bloodline fully awakened, she would go insane due to the Ancient Heavenly Serpent's impulse."
"She's half human, and the madness of an ancient beast is not something she could resist."
Han Yuan's smile widened, "We don't have to worry about that. The Grass-Cutting Sword will balance that madness."
"In fact, Qing Lin also awakened Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, which should tame the ancient beast's madness you talked about."
"She awakened what???" Queen Medusa froze.
"Grass-Cutting Sword?" Han Yuan tilted his head.
"I am not talking about that!" Queen Medusa grumbled.
"Oh, you mean the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils." Han Yuan snapped his fingers.
Queen Medusa's body shivered. Her eyes widened as she didn't expect the feared legendary eyes that can dominate nearly all snakes to be born in a hybrid little girl.
Snake-people are still snakes, which means once Qing Lin grows stronger, they are nothing but slaves to her.
If Qing Lin wanted to take revenge on her father's race, Queen Medusa couldn't help but imagine the disaster.
'Damn it!' Queen Medusa wished she could find Qing Lin's bastard father and punch him to death. However, snake-men like that are common, and he probably died somewhere, considering how hectic the Tager Desert was.
After all, there are many tribes of snake people.
Several conflicts have occurred among themselves.
Han Yuan held Queen Medusa and said, "Calm down, Medusa. Qing Lin probably won't go after your people."
"She's a kind and naive child."
"However, it would be better if you treat her more gently and kindly from now on."
"Maybe teach her a few tricks once in a while. Your fighting style and martial soul are both snake-like, after all." "
"Also, take her to eat tasty food."
"Show her that snake-people aren't that bad."
"Not just because snake-people make her suffer, but also because she's my younger sister and one of us."
"I..." Queen Medusa's eyes widened upon hearing this, and then mellowed down as she calmed herself. "I understand."
She panicked and ignored that Qing Lin wasn't an enemy. She's part of Martial Union, and more crucially, Han Yuan's adopted sister.
In fact, acknowledging this, Queen Medusa also realized that Qing Lin might be her way to win Han Yuan's heart.
'Adopted sister is still sister, and making her think of me as a mother or sister-in-law figure will make Han Yuan see me in a better light!'
I, Queen Medusa, was the enlightened one!
Han Yuan shook his head and then asked, "By the way, why do your hands feel damp? Your hair is wet, too."
"Ah, um, I-I, this queen doesn't need to explain things to you, Han Yuan!" Queen Medusa was caught off guard, blushing in realization, and then lashed out in her usual queen-like charisma.
"Don't ever ask this again!" Queen Medusa glared at Han Yuan.
"Oh, okay, alright, jeez." Han Yuan wanted to say Queen Medusa's hand feels sticky as well, but since she was like this, he couldn't possibly press further.
Weirdly enough, her hand smells, how to put it, pleasant?
"Oh, so it is you, after all, Han Yuan!" A lively voice arrived at the corridor Han Yuan and Medusa were in.
It was Hai Bodong with a lazy smile on his face. "You should have seen the thunderclouds outside earlier."
"I can't. I was awakening Qing Lin's martial soul." Han Yuan replied while giving the ice emperor a shrug.
"Is that so? That little girl's martial soul is just like Queen Medusa's, then, a god-level martial soul. Tch, this old man's halberd can still grow, wait and see!" Hai Bodong said confidently.
Queen Medusa secretly dried herself and wiped her hand with a clean handkerchief, feeling somewhat thankful for the puny ice emperor.
It's hard to believe, but she did feel thankful.
"So, are we going now?" Hai Bodong asked. "Tonight is the night Han Feng and his people hunt the Heavenly Flame, no?"
"Right now." Han Yuan put on his serious look.
"I've asked some of my people to monitor Han Feng, and they should bring back some news on the way later."
"Are you going, Medusa?" He glanced at the queen of snake-people.
Queen Medusa's face is still somewhat flustered, but she responded with a strong battle spirit, "Of course!"
"This queen wanted to see how a Dou Ancestor Expert fares well against my Heaven Swallowing Snake!"
'Hmph, my Frost Dragon Halberd is better...' Hai Bodong murmured to himself.
"Wait! Han Yuan, I want to go, too!" Yafei, who followed Hai Bodong from behind, also arrived at the corridor. "My cultivation is weak, but my martial soul can help you."
Han Yuan gave Yafei a perceptive look before smiling, "Okay, but you shouldn't face your opponent directly, wait for an opportunity to strike them, okay?"
"I will listen to you." Yafei pumped her fist in excitement.
With that, the four of them left Desert City for the border of Black Corner Region.