Where does that wicked woman get her conscience?

Dongyang had an exceptional talent for medicinal herbs; shortly after entering the medical academy, he was able to refine a large quantity of medicines.

Guan Xun had no doubt about his achievements in medicine.

Furthermore, two years have passed, and it's not impossible for him to have come to Zhongzhou from the capital.

If it really is him, I wonder where in Zhongzhou he is. If it's a very famous medical clinic... it should be very conspicuous. You can just ask around in Zhongzhou and you'll find out.

However, Guan Xun was not familiar with Zhongzhou, and he couldn't just wander around like a headless fly. It would be great if he had someone to guide him on his first visit to this place.

Thinking this, her gaze fell on the mercenaries, her eyes flickered slightly, and she immediately had an idea.

"What...what are you doing?"

The honest mercenary's frightened voice interrupted her thoughts.

Guan Xun followed the sound and looked in that direction.

Several mercenaries grabbed the honest-looking mercenary, letting him struggle, and dragged him out of the camp's perimeter.

The other mercenaries raised their fists and slammed them into his abdomen, punching him repeatedly until he coughed up blood.

The mercenaries only released him after he was on the verge of death.

As soon as he let go, he collapsed weakly to the ground.

"Do you know who's in charge?" The mercenary leader squatted down, grabbed his collar, and said fiercely.

"You...you are..." The honest mercenary's mouth was full of blood, and his words were somewhat indistinct.

"You know that, yet you still dare to talk back?!"

The mercenary leader roared and slammed his head hard onto the ground again.

"boom!"

The dull sound was not light at all.

"You have to do whatever the boss tells you to do. This is what happens if you go against him! Do you hear me?"

The honest-looking mercenary nodded laboriously: "I...I understand."

"Hmph, if you know that, hurry up and take out the potion, or you'll know what will happen..." The mercenary leader slammed his fist in front of him, warning him that he would get beaten up if he didn't obey.

The honest mercenary had no choice but to hand over the potion in the end.

Just as they were about to give the medicine to the woman inside the tent, a cry of surprise from the forest drew everyone's attention.

"Ah... there's someone here?!"

Guan Xun smeared some water droplets and mud on his clothes and face.

She tucked her small hands into her chest and jogged towards us with slightly flustered steps.

The mercenaries, who had been on high alert because of the commotion, relaxed their guard when they saw that it was a frail woman.

They were not demonic beasts, but humans, and their strength was inferior to theirs.

"Great!" Guan Xun was a little out of breath, his cheeks slightly flushed, as if he had only walked a short distance to get here.

“Girl, what’s wrong with you…” one of the mercenaries asked first.

Guan Xun didn't approach rashly, turning his head to look around, appearing extremely frightened: "I went into the mountains to gather herbs, but I accidentally slipped down a slope and fainted. When I woke up, it was already dark, so I groped my way out, but I got lost..."

Seeing the other person's somewhat suspicious gaze, she paused, then feigned self-reproach, clutching the hem of her skirt and biting her lower lip: "It's all my fault. I'm petty and felt that Master always looked down on me and favored my senior brother, so I took the liberty of going into the mountains to gather some rare herbs to bring back, hoping to make Master think that I'm capable too..."

"But I overestimated myself. I had only been here once with my master and wasn't familiar with the herb-gathering paths, so I got lost..."

Upon hearing this, the mercenaries suddenly realized that he was a medical apprentice who wanted to run laps even though he had only just learned to walk.

The mercenary leader waved his hand: "You can rest here tonight, and come down the mountain with us tomorrow."

It became.

Guan Xun nodded: "Alright, then I'll trouble you all."

Just as she lifted her skirt and approached, the weasel-faced mercenary suddenly pulled a sharp dart from his waist.

A faint spiritual energy swirled around it, and then it was suddenly thrown towards Guan Xun!

"call out--"

The dart's speed was average, and its force wasn't strong; it was just like throwing it around for fun.

"Ah!" Guan Xun gasped in fright. She twisted her ankle, lost her balance, and fell straight to the ground.

Upon seeing this, the mercenaries exchanged glances.

Only then did they completely let their guard down.

She seems to be an ordinary girl.

The sharp-mouthed, monkey-faced mercenary rushed over to help her up.

"I thought there was a monster behind us, but I was just mistaken. I scared you. Are you alright? Are you hurt?"

He seemed genuinely concerned.

Just as the other person's hand was about to touch her, Guan Xun hugged her arms tightly and exclaimed in surprise, "Really?! Or did they come after me? Look more closely..."

"Don't be afraid, I must have seen wrong." The weasel-faced mercenary scratched his head.

"Phew...that's good!"

-

There were only three tents pitched in the ground.

Guan Xun was led to the place where the woman had been resting.

After she went inside, the mercenary who had led her hurriedly jogged back to the mercenary leader.

He rubbed his hands together: "Boss, although this girl's face is covered in mud, her skin looks fair and tender. Once it's cleaned up, she should be quite pretty. Should we send her to Master Hu's place too?"

Upon hearing this, the mercenary leader kicked him in the knee: "You really have no brains! Everyone who gathers herbs nearby is a familiar face. Where are we supposed to send them? How are we supposed to survive then!"

The mercenary leader winced and rubbed his knee, bowing and nodding, "Yes, yes, look at my pig brain."

The mercenary leader waved his hand impatiently, signaling them to go and rest.

"Boss, what about that iron and him...?" someone reminded him.

"That sluggish guy, have someone drag him into the enclosure, but make sure he doesn't get eaten by the monsters. Also, give him some medicine, just make sure he doesn't delay tomorrow's journey." The mercenary leader didn't even glance at Tie He, who was covered in wounds.

"Yes, sir." The mercenary accepted the order and went to carry it out.

Inside the tent.

The Xuan Yin Sect woman, who was originally going to rest, became tense after Guan Xun entered the tent. She would occasionally cast a scrutinizing glance at him, with a hint of wariness and inquiry.

Seeing that the other person was resting with their eyes closed and didn't seem to care about her, she bit her lip and took the initiative to start a conversation.

No matter how she greeted him, the other person showed no intention of paying her any attention.

After muttering to herself for a moment, the woman could only wisely shut up, and an awkward atmosphere filled the tent.

late at night.

Perhaps because of the beast-repelling powder here, not many monsters linger around, and their roars are far away, making it quite peaceful.

In this environment, a soft footstep sounded outside the tent, pacing back and forth cautiously.

The woman, who had just started to feel sleepy, was startled, clutched her collar, and huddled in a corner.

Could it be those mercenaries?

Did he develop lustful thoughts towards her?

She can't take on more than a dozen people by herself...

The more she thought about it, the more frightened she became, and the woman unconsciously moved closer to Guan Xun.

Guan Xun didn't react at all, because from the moment she stepped into this place, her divine sense had been keeping a close eye on the mercenaries' every move.

She knew exactly what was said during the conversation.

The man lingering outside the door was none other than the honest-looking mercenary.