"I see you have good talent. Would you like to be my Disciple?"
"L... Lord, what did you say?" Xiao Yi Xian was stunned and asked subconsciously.
"I... I can become an Alchemist?"
Physicians could also be considered a type of Alchemist, but their status was far inferior.
After all, they couldn't truly refine Medicinal Pills; they could only use ordinary flames to mix medicinal ingredients together to achieve a healing effect.
However, these medicines were undoubtedly much worse than an Alchemist's Medicinal Pills.
Therefore, every Physician dreamed of becoming an Alchemist.
However, many spent their entire lives unable to cross that threshold. Ultimately, it was mainly due to their own talent and the lack of guidance.
Xiao Yi Xian was an orphan. After experiencing unknown hardships and wandering, she finally settled down in Qingshan Town.
Now, she was a specially recruited Physician of Wan Yao Pharmacy. Though called "specially recruited," she was merely confined here.
She devoted herself to studying medicine and saving lives, hoping to use this method to fill the void in her heart.
Becoming an Alchemist and gaining her freedom—she couldn't refuse either of these conditions.
"I see you have good talent. If you are willing, you can Cultivate with me from today onwards."
"I won't stay in Qingshan Town for long. Whether you want to take me as your master is for you to decide."
Xiao Xue said as she casually handed a bag of gold coins to Xiao Yi Xian. "Money for the medicinal ingredients."
Xiao Yi Xian nervously took the money to pay the bill. A middle-aged man bowed respectfully and jogged over to Xiao Xue's side.
"Respected Lord Alchemist, I am the owner of this Wan Yao Pharmacy, known as Mr. Yao. Is there anything I can help you with?" The middle-aged man smiled obsequiously.
"Prepare a quiet room for me. I don't like being disturbed," Xiao Xue said, casually taking out a defective Medicinal Pill and tossing it to the middle-aged man.
Although it was a defective product, the middle-aged man naturally lacked the discernment to tell. In a small place like Qingshan Town, a Medicinal Pill was a rare and precious item.
With the Medicinal Pill in hand, the middle-aged man's smile grew even wider. "Right away, Lord. Please follow me."
The middle-aged man arranged the best room for Xiao Xue, along with two maids and two high-level Dou Practitioners to "protect" her at the door.
However, these things had no impact on Xiao Xue.
After all, the current strongest person in Qingshan Town, Mu She, the leader of a certain mercenary group, was only a Two-star Dou Master.
If she wanted to, she could even solo the mercenary groups of Qingshan Town.
Rainy days were her home turf.
A few days later, the rain stopped, and Xiao Xue joined Wan Yao Pharmacy's herb-gathering team along with Xiao Yi Xian.
In the entire Qingshan Town, countless people liked Xiao Yi Xian. Every time they went to the Magical Beast Mountain Range to gather herbs, if Xiao Yi Xian went along, those mercenary groups would lower their prices to the minimum.
Some mercenaries even nearly came to blows over the remaining spots.
After a chaotic mess, the herb-gathering team of Wan Yao Pharmacy was finally assembled.
Xiao Xue's figure was wrapped in an Alchemist's robe, making it hard to see her clearly, but the "Second-Grade Alchemist" badge on her chest drew frequent glances from everyone.
Xiao Xue had her own reasons for concealing her appearance with the Alchemist's robe.
After all, the [Charm 10] attribute could sometimes cause some minor troubles, and she had no intention of wasting much time in Qingshan Town.
Once she took Xiao Yi Xian as her Disciple and visited the cave containing the Seven-Colored Poison Manual, she wouldn't stay in Qingshan Town any longer.
In the original story, during the Three-Year Agreement, the Xiao Family was nearly wiped out, and Xiao Zhan was taken away by the Hall of Souls to be fast-tracked to the Dou Huang level.
If she wanted to prevent the tragedy, she would need to have at least Dou Huang or even Dou Zong level combat power by the time of the Three-Year Agreement.
Therefore, the most important things were to quickly improve her strength and develop her own team.
Xiao Xue looked over everyone in the team. "Mr. Yao" himself wasn't there, but most of the experts from Wan Yao Pharmacy were.
In this team, the Wan Yao Pharmacy side had two Seven-star Dou Practitioners and three Six-star Dou Practitioners.
As for the others, except for a few independent mercenaries, they all belonged to the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.
"If there are no problems with the team, let's set off now," Xiao Xue said indifferently, walking to Xiao Yi Xian's side.
"Yes, Lord." The mercenaries of Wan Yao Pharmacy immediately responded respectfully. The other mercenaries said nothing, and the group walked toward the outskirts of Qingshan Town with various thoughts in mind.
"What is your name?" Xiao Xue chatted idly with Xiao Yi Xian on the way.
"I'm just called Xiao Yi Xian," she said. "What about you?"
Xiao Xue smiled slightly. "If you agree to take me as your master, I'll tell you."
"..."
Xiao Yi Xian didn't answer; she neither agreed nor denied.
Xiao Xue waited for a while, and when no answer came, she took it as tacit consent.
Hearing their conversation, someone from the Wolf Head nearby couldn't sit still.
Mu Li spat. A few days ago, Wan Yao Pharmacy had suddenly and loudly announced they had hired an Alchemist. He had been a bit skeptical, but now it seemed it was likely true.
If Xiao Yi Xian really became the other's Disciple, she would likely leave Qingshan Town with them. This was unacceptable to a qualified simp.
"I have to find an opportunity to take her out!"
Mu Li's face was gloomy. Since this Alchemist had chosen Wan Yao Pharmacy and had the audacity to reach out for Xiao Yi Xian, it was naturally best to get rid of her.
Most mercenaries in Qingshan Town had received favors from Xiao Yi Xian. If he touched her, it would be no different from inciting public outrage.
However, the life or death of that outsider Alchemist would likely only matter to the people of Wan Yao Pharmacy.
The Magical Beast Mountain Range was the perfect place to kill and bury someone. Once a Demonic Beast passed by, no traces would remain.
Although a Second-Grade Alchemist certainly had an impressive network, who could blame the Wolf Head people if she died in the Magical Beast Mountain Range?
Moreover, Alchemists were already rare, and female Alchemists were as rare as phoenix feathers.
Being able to play with a noble Alchemist would make the trip worthwhile.
As the Young Leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, he was experienced in such matters.
The group soon entered the Magical Beast Mountain Range and were attacked by some small Demonic Beasts in the forest.
Mu Li seemed to be intentionally guiding the Wolf Head mercenaries to let the Demonic Beasts attack Xiao Xue, using this to exhaust the stamina and Qi of the Wan Yao Pharmacy's Dou Practitioners.
Xiao Xue soon noticed this and couldn't help but sneer, "Childish tactics."
"Since you want to play so badly, I'll play along with you."
Xiao Xue took out a hallucinogenic drug from her storage ring and used the moisture in the air after the rain to apply it to the members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.
Suddenly, a thick mist appeared out of thin air.
It was now nearly noon, yet the forest was shrouded in a layer of thick mist.
Logically, with the warm sun shining brightly, there was no reason for dense mist to form.
In reality, this was indeed produced by Xiao Xue using the Power of Water.
She hadn't learned any Formations yet, but this thick mist could serve as a Bewildering Formation.
Ordinary mercenaries entering it would instantly lose sight of everything around them, while she could manipulate the mist at will to confuse everyone.
The mist appeared so quickly that before the Wolf Head members could react, they had already scattered in small groups.
The Wan Yao Pharmacy mercenaries and the independent mercenaries immediately grouped together, decisively giving up on entering the Magical Beast Mountain Range and preparing to return to Qingshan Town.
However, after searching around, they couldn't find any sign of the Wolf Head people, the Alchemist, or Xiao Yi Xian.
Xiao Xue held Xiao Yi Xian's hand, standing less than a hundred meters away, yet no one could discover their figures.
In the eyes of the Wan Yao Pharmacy people, the Wolf Head Mercenary Group had used the sudden mist to kidnap Xiao Yi Xian and the others.
Now, Xiao Xue could easily retreat with Xiao Yi Xian, leaving Wan Yao Pharmacy and Wolf Head to fight like dogs.
However, she didn't plan on letting Mu Li live.
Xiao Xue hadn't actually killed many people, but she wasn't particularly averse to the idea of killing—
The Fighting Qi Continent was a world of kill or be killed.
The hands of every powerhouse were stained with blood.
Xiao Xue turned to look at Xiao Yi Xian and smiled slightly. "Don't be afraid, it'll be over soon."
Xiao Xue raised her hand toward Mu Li and the others. As the [Suction Palm] was activated, a surging suction force erupted from her palm.
The white mist covering the mountain was stained red in an instant!