(TL/N: I forgot to mention, Little fairy Doctor images... Well you know where to find them.)
If Little Fairy Doctor had only been suspicious before, then the appearance of the Green Lotus Core Flame completely confirmed her guess.
In an instant.
A glimmer of tears welled up in her eyes.
She bit the tip of her tongue hard, refusing to let the tears of excitement fall, refusing to let Ye Hao discover that she had already recognized him.
Ye Hao did not think much of it.
Xun'er assumed she had been frightened to tears by the Magical Beasts and gently comforted her, telling her not to be afraid.
"Thank you, my lord, for saving our lives."
"Thank you, my lord."
The surviving mercenaries all knelt on the ground, kowtowing to Ye Hao in gratitude.
Ye Hao waved his hand, telling them to clean up and leave quickly.
Because he could sense that within dozens of miles, the Magical Beasts seemed to have been stimulated by something and were all in a restless state.
Several auras of third-tier Magical Beasts were even racing toward this direction.
Bearded Man and the others kowtowed again in thanks.
"Little Fairy Doctor, it seems we came at the wrong time. We should head back and return after some time," Bearded Man said.
Little Fairy Doctor shook her head. "No. We are already out of several medicinal ingredients. We must gather some and bring them back. Otherwise, those few friends waiting for treatment may lose their lives."
"But you saw it yourself. The Magical Beasts are in turmoil. Even third-tier Magical Beasts have appeared. If we go deeper and encounter something even stronger, what then? We will be powerless," Bearded Man said bitterly.
They could rely on their numbers to kill first-tier Magical Beasts.
But third-tier ones…
"Unless…"
Several mercenaries turned their gaze toward Ye Hao at the same time.
He had killed a third-tier Magical Beast in a single move.
Such strength was truly terrifying.
With his protection, even third-tier Magical Beasts would not be a threat.
But…
Would he agree?
Little Fairy Doctor fell silent for a moment. She looked at Ye Hao, then quickly lowered her head, her pretty face slightly flushed as she asked,
"This… sir, could you help me with something?"
Hearing Bearded Man call her Little Fairy Doctor, Ye Hao was momentarily stunned.
He had not expected their first meeting to be like this.
However, judging from the current situation, Little Fairy Doctor did not seem to know him.
Perhaps in the simulation, there had not yet been a scenario centered around her.
Thinking of the last simulation.
In order for him to obtain that Emperor-Grade Embryonic Pill, Little Fairy Doctor had self-detonated both her body and soul to stop Hun Tiandi.
Ye Hao had no reason to refuse.
"As it happens, we are also heading into the mountains. Let's go together."
"Thank you."
After tidying up, they set off once more.
…
"Bah! Disgusting! Playing the hero saving the beauty trick! Shameless!"
Watching their departing figures, Xiao Yan, who was lying in the bushes, could not help but complain.
He looked as if the Crimson Flame Serpent that had been killed were himself.
Yao Chen teased, "Xiao Yan, are you perhaps jealous of him?"
"Ha? Jealous of him? Old man, do not talk nonsense! Who am I? I am the dignified young master of the Xiao Family. Would I envy him?"
Xiao Yan stiffened his neck and argued.
Yao Chen rolled his eyes at Xiao Yan's insincere denial.
Ever since Ye Hao and Xun'er had left, Xiao Yan had been like Wu Dalang returning home after selling steamed buns only to find Pan Jinlian missing, restless and uneasy.
(TL/N: Wu Dalang and Pan Jinlian are married couple in Chinese novel: The Plum in the Golden Vase. Pan Jinlian had an adulterous affair with another guy while Wu Dalang doesn't know until he caught them in the act.)
Finally.
On a dark and windy night, Xiao Yan made up his mind, packed his belongings, and secretly ran out.
Yao Chen tried to stop him but could not.
If not for Yao Chen intervening several times, Xiao Yan would have already become a first-tier Magical Beast's self-service meal.
Yao Chen said, "I say, kid, you really do not know what is good for you. You had a perfectly fine place in the Xiao Family, yet you insisted on running out."
Xiao Yan retorted stubbornly, "What do you know? Flowers raised in a greenhouse cannot withstand wind and frost. A tree grown in a flowerpot can never reach the sky. Only by experiencing real life-and-death trials can one become strong!"
Tempering himself was only an excuse. The real reason was that he wanted to follow behind Xun'er.
Yao Chen was speechless. "Hah. Your strength is mediocre, but your mouth is certainly tough."
Xiao Yan said nothing more and fixed his gaze ahead.
…
As they ventured deeper into the Magical Beast Mountain Range, third-tier Magical Beasts became increasingly common.
Ye Hao had killed more than ten of them.
This left Bearded Man and the others utterly convinced. If not for knowing their own limited talent, they would have wanted to kowtow and take him as their master.
The deeper they went, even fourth-tier Magical Beasts began to appear.
This abnormal situation shocked everyone present.
Such a thing had never happened before.
Finally, after several days of travel, Little Fairy Doctor arrived at the small valley rich with medicinal herbs.
They spent a full day gathering ingredients.
Recently, Xun'er had noticed that while collecting herbs, Little Fairy Doctor would occasionally sneak glances at Ye Hao.
That look was definitely more than simple gratitude.
She did not alert her and instead observed quietly several times, reaching a conclusion.
It was love.
Although she tried to hide it, Xun'er still discovered it.
Xun'er felt somewhat helpless.
"Hao Gege is too outstanding. Everywhere we go, women covet him. I must be careful."
Little Fairy Doctor knew that her uncontrollable glances at Ye Hao had already been noticed by Xun'er.
In the following days, she restrained herself and did not look at him.
Finally, after all the herbs had been gathered.
Little Fairy Doctor mustered her courage and approached Ye Hao.
"Ye.. Ye.. Ye Hao, sir, to thank you for protecting us while we gathered herbs, I.. I.. I.. have decided to tell you a secret."
Little Fairy Doctor kept stuttering while her eyes full of shyness.
"What secret?"
Xun'er leaned her head forward curiously.
Little Fairy Doctor's face flushed red.
"I.. I.. I will only tell Ye Hao, sir."
Xun'er stepped back a few paces, narrowing her eyes and watching Little Fairy Doctor warily.
Ye Hao was surprised.
He also wondered what secret she intended to tell him.
Could it be…
That she also possessed memories from the simulation?
Was she going to lay everything bare?
"Ye Hao, sir, I know of a place that may contain a treasure. If you are interested, I can take you there."
"What kind of treasure?"
Ye Hao asked as if unaware.
Little Fairy Doctor shook her head, indicating she did not know.
She had discovered it by accident.
"In that case, let us go and take a look together."
…
They set up camp.
After resting for the night.
The next day.
Ye Hao escorted Bearded Man and the other mercenaries to a safe place.
Little Fairy Doctor asked them to bring the herbs back to Wan Medicine House first. She would take Xun'er and Ye Hao to the location of the hidden treasure.
Under her guidance.
They arrived at the edge of a cliff.
"Little Fairy Doctor, is it? You are not planning to repay kindness with betrayal, are you?"
Xun'er's brows knitted slightly.
Of course, she was not suspecting Little Fairy Doctor of harming Ye Hao.
She was worried that the other girl might push her off the cliff when she was not paying attention.
Then monopolize Hao Gege for herself.
"Xun'er, Little Fairy Doctor brought us here to search for treasure. How could she repay kindness with betrayal?"
Hearing Ye Hao say this, Xun'er relented, though she remained on guard.
When Little Fairy Doctor stepped to the cliff's edge and looked down, her expression suddenly changed.
She discovered that beside the cliff hung a rope ladder.
Could it be that someone else had already found the treasure cave?
"What's wrong?"
Ye Hao noticed her unusual expression.
Little Fairy Doctor pointed at the rope ladder. "Perhaps… someone has beaten us to it."
Ye Hao was startled.
He was not interested in the other items below.
Only the fragment of the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame map was something he was determined to obtain.
Gathering the fragments would increase his assurance of subduing the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame.
And the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame was the key to opening the inheritance of the Ancient Emperor Tuoshe.
The system was powerful, but having an extra safeguard was never wrong.
Ye Hao carefully examined the area and did not see any additional footprints near the rope ladder.
"Let's go down and take a look first."
Ye Hao proposed.
The two girls nodded.
Xun'er naturally moved closer to Ye Hao and hugged him.
Little Fairy Doctor hesitated for a moment before turning toward the rope ladder.
"Come together. It will save trouble. There might be Rock Serpents below," Ye Hao said.
Little Fairy Doctor had intended to refuse, but upon hearing about Rock Serpents, she immediately retreated.
Ye Hao wrapped an arm around her slender waist. With a leap, he landed precisely on the platform before the cave below.
"Hao Gege is amazing," Xun'er immediately praised.
But in the next second.
Xun'er sensed something was wrong.
Because…
There was someone else inside the cave.
Xun'er looked up.
Inside the cave stood a woman dressed in a plain-colored gown.
Her long hair was styled into a phoenix hair ornament.
Her serene and beautiful face carried an elegance and nobility that even plain attire could not conceal.
At that moment, her gaze was locked onto Ye Hao.
A glimmer of tears welled up in her eyes.
She slowly walked toward Ye Hao.
Her red lips parted slightly.
"Ye… Ye Hao…"
Xun'er: "????"
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