I was born in the Stone Desert City of the Tager Desert. Because of the greenish-blue snake scales that covered my body when I was born, my mother named me Qing Lin.
For as long as I can remember, no one was ever willing to be my friend. Whenever I tried to approach other children, their parents would immediately pull them away.
I was terrified of those adults. They always pointed and whispered about me, their eyes filled with something I didn't understand back then—disgust and contempt.
Whenever a family lost a relative who worked as a mercenary, people would come to our home just to curse me. They said I was cursed, an omen of death, that I had brought misfortune upon their loved ones. In those moments, I would hide in some dark corner, trembling and crying silently.
Mother was the only person who ever treated me kindly. I was different from the other children—I didn't have a father, only her. She raised me all by herself.
I remember one day, when I saw my mother struggling and tired, I asked her why I didn't have a father. At that question, her eyes turned red, and tears of anger and hatred streamed down her face as she cursed through her sobs.
I panicked. I rushed forward, trying to comfort her, but she shoved me away, screaming and trembling in fear. That was the only time Mother ever hit me.
After that day, I began to fear her too. When I grew older, I finally learned why. My father—he was one of the vile Snake-People from the depths of the Tager Desert. He was not a good man, not a good husband, not a good father. He brought only pain and humiliation to my mother, leaving her with nothing but shame—and leaving me with these wretched blue-green scales and filthy Snake-People blood.
I hated him. I hated him for everything. I even began to hate everyone in this city—because to them, I was never human. They were always cheerful, friendly to one another, yet to me they showed only hatred and disgust.
Eventually, I began to hate myself. I hated these scales. I became timid, fearful, hiding from sunlight, terrified of those eyes filled with loathing.
When I was nine, my mother—the only one who loved me—fell seriously ill after years of exhaustion.
I didn't want to lose her. I begged everyone to help, but no one even cared. They spat at me, insulted me, called me a monster and drove me away.
She grew weaker and weaker… until one night, she was gone forever. I cried beside her body for a whole day and night. I wasn't strong enough to lift her, so I wrapped her in a worn mat and dragged her outside the city.
People who saw me whispered "ominous" and turned away, covering their faces. Not one stayed.
After burying Mother, I knelt at her grave for a long time, thinking maybe… maybe it wouldn't be so bad to die too. But in the end, instinct forced me to live. I returned home and survived on the leftover food we had.
I lived alone from then on. I hid during the day and went out only after dark, wrapped completely in a black cloak. I washed clothes, led travelers, did whatever small work I could find just to stay alive.
I didn't know what I was waiting for—or if there was anything left to hope for. I just lived… one numb day after another.
Until one evening, I saw him.
A tall young man in a spotless white robe, his aura calm yet radiant. He didn't look like he belonged to this harsh desert. I followed him quietly, thinking maybe I could offer to guide him and earn a few coins.
But he noticed me. When he suddenly turned around, I froze, terrified. Still, I gathered what little courage I had and stepped forward to speak.
Then—he came right up to me. He lifted my hood and looked at me. My heart stopped. 'He's seen my scales! He'll hate me like the rest… I have to run!' But his hand held me still, and then I heard his voice—gentle, warm.
He said my eyes were beautiful. That my existence wasn't wrong. That I had meaning.
My nose stung; tears blurred my vision. 'Someone like me… could have meaning?'
When I asked him that, he smiled and said that everything in this world exists for a reason. Perhaps… my reason for living was to meet him today.
He asked for my name, and if I had a home. I almost cried again. I had nothing—no family, no friends, only these cursed scales and this filthy bloodline.
Then he asked if I was willing to go with him, said that wherever he was, that would be my home.
I stared at his face—so kind, so warm—and saw no disgust in his eyes, only compassion. I nodded. I wanted to go with him.
Then he lifted me up into his arms. I yelped in surprise, clutching his neck—but his embrace was warm… comforting. For the first time, I didn't feel afraid.
Maybe I've finally found the reason I was born.
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Qing Lin was light in his arms. Looking at her frail, thin body, Liu Xi could tell she'd suffered greatly. When she guided him to her small home, he followed her to a run-down hut on the outskirts of the city.
The cracked walls and creaking door spoke of age and hardship, though everything was swept clean and tidy.
Liu Xi looked down at the little girl in his arms and asked softly, "So this is where you lived before?"
Qing Lin's cheeks flushed. She hid her face against his chest and nodded shyly. "Mm."
Liu Xi smiled wryly. He'd been raised in comfort, tutored by his master Xuan Hao, and had never known such poverty. Still, he shook his head, pushed open the door, and entered. The room held only a few pieces of furniture and one small bed.
He chuckled inwardly. 'Well, I don't really sleep much these days anyway… And since this 'little' girl brought me here, I'll make do for tonight.'
He sat down on a chair and said gently, "My name is Liu Xi. I came to the Tager Desert to find a divine flame—an Heavenly Flame. Tomorrow, I'll buy a larger residence here in the city as a temporary base. You'll move there with me."
Qing Lin quickly shook her head. "No… Wherever you go, I'll go too!"
Liu Xi hesitated, then nodded slightly. 'Perhaps she'll even be useful when dealing with the Snake-People…'
"Very well. From now on, you'll be my attendant. Wherever I go, you'll come with me."
"Yes, Young Master Liu Xi!" she said, her voice soft but firm.
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The Next Morning
Qing Lin woke to a faint, sweet fragrance. She stepped outside and found Liu Xi standing before a massive cauldron, refining pills.
Before long, the cauldron lid opened with a deep clang. Eight round, lustrous green pills floated out, each marked with a faint pill pattern. With a wave of his hand, Liu Xi drew them all into his palm with his Dou Qi.
He picked one and handed it to Qing Lin, smiling. "Here, try it."
She took the pill and swallowed it without hesitation. A gentle warmth spread through her body, washing away her fatigue. Her voice was light and sweet as she said, "Young Master, my body feels so warm!"
Liu Xi nodded with a smile. "You've suffered a lot. Your health is too weak, so I made these to nourish your body and replenish your strength. They're roughly a 2nd Tier pill."
He continued calmly, "You have great potential. Once your body recovers, I'll teach you how to cultivate Dou Qi. Then you'll truly be able to help me."
Hearing that he'd made the pills especially for her, Qing Lin's heart filled with joy. Her pale-green eyes shone with determination. "Young Master, I'll train hard! I'll become strong enough to protect you one day!"
Liu Xi laughed softly and nodded. "Good. That's what I wanted to hear."
He handed her a jade bottle filled with pills—thirty-one in total. "Take one each day. They'll heal you, nourish you, and also keep you from getting hungry on the road. Since they can replace food, let's call them Fasting Pills."
He gently patted her head. "Later, show me around the city. We'll buy a proper mansion and move there. No need to live like this anymore."
Liu Xi smiled faintly. Even 'if I'm only staying for a while, I'm not sleeping on a tiny bed with a child. Maybe when she grows up, we'll see.'
(End of Chapter)
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