BTTH : From the beginning of the battle to the top

Qingshan Town is one of the closest small towns to the Monster Beast Mountain Range in the southwest direction of the Gamadi Empire.

In a courtyard in the southwest of the town, Lin Yuan was explaining some matters to Qing Lin.

"Qing'er, I'm going out for a bit. You should stay here and focus on your cultivation for a while. You've worked hard staying in the Monster Beast Mountain Range for so long. Once I finish my business, I'll take you to visit some bustling cities," Lin Yuan said affectionately, gently running his fingers through Qing Lin's hair with a hint of apology.

"It's not hard for me at all. I'm not tired; it's you who's working hard. Don't worry about me, I have Xiao Hong and the others to protect me. I'll be fine, just focus on your own matters," Qing Lin said, blinking her bright green eyes and speaking playfully.

"But what's with your appearance?" Qing Lin suddenly asked curiously, looking at Lin Yuan's face with some confusion. At that moment, Lin Yuan was not in his true form but had donned the guise of Xu An.

Although the appearance before her was good, Qing Lin still thought her master's true appearance was more handsome.

"Oh, right, this is your first time seeing me like this. Well, it's a bit complicated to explain. I'll tell you more about it next time when I have the chance. I'll be heading out now."

"Okay! Be careful on your way, Master."

Lin Yuan waved his hand and headed towards the shopping street.

After watching Lin Yuan leave, Qing Lin released a fourth-tier magical beast as a guardian, then returned to her room, sat cross-legged on her bed, formed a hand seal for cultivation, and closed her eyes to begin her practice.

"I'm still too weak. If I want to help Master, I need to become stronger quickly!"

Qingshan Town, due to its proximity to the Monster Beast Mountain Range, has become a gathering place for mercenaries, bringing a unique kind of prosperity to its commerce.

On both sides of the streets in the shopping area, there are numerous shops, and the largest herbal shop in Qingshan Town is called "Wanyao Zhai," where the best doctor, Xiao Yixian, works.

Inside Wanyao Zhai, Xiao Yixian wiped the sweat from her forehead, finishing a busy morning of work. Today, there were quite a few patients, and even she felt a bit tired.

At that moment, Mr. Yao, the person in charge of Wanyao Zhai, walked out from the inner hall. He glanced at Xiao Yixian's slender waist, and a strange light flashed in his eyes. He quickly averted his gaze before she turned around and praised her, "You've worked hard, Xiao Yixian. The success of Wanyao Zhai is largely due to your efforts."

"Mr. Yao is too kind. I'm just doing my job," Xiao Yixian replied gently.

Mr. Yao was about to compliment her further to get closer to her when suddenly a young man exuding a powerful aura walked towards them, instantly silencing Wanyao Zhai with his imposing presence.

"This powerful aura is definitely not at the Dou Master level. Could he be a Great Dou Master or even a Dou Spirit expert? A young powerhouse like this? Which prominent family's genius is he?" Mr. Yao couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat, nervously watching the young man who appeared to be around twenty-one or twenty-two years old.

The newcomer was Lin Yuan. He scanned the surroundings, his gaze sweeping past Xiao Yixian before finally landing on Mr. Yao.

"Are you the person in charge of Wanyao Zhai?" Lin Yuan asked indifferently. Although it was a question, his tone was very assertive.

Feeling the weight of the gaze on him, Mr. Yao mustered his courage, stepped forward, bowed, and said with a hint of flattery in his tone, "I am indeed the person in charge of Wanyao Zhai. If there's anything you need, please feel free to command me."

While Lin Yuan's gaze was on Mr. Yao, his spiritual perception was focused on Xiao Yixian. He intended to test whether she already knew the location of the treasure cave.

Narrowing his eyes, Lin Yuan said lightly, "Hmm, you have good insight. I do have some matters that require your assistance. Do well, and you will be rewarded; do poorly, and you will be punished. That punishment is something you definitely do not want to experience. Do you understand?"

Hearing Lin Yuan's cold words, Mr. Yao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and replied even more respectfully, "I understand. Please command me, my lord."

"There is a cave at the bottom of a cliff in the Monster Beast Mountain Range near Qingshan Town. I came here specifically to find it. Do you know where that cave is?" Lin Yuan asked, turning his back to Xiao Yixian, coldly looking at Mr. Yao, his tone deliberately infused with urgency, while his spiritual perception was keenly capturing any changes in Xiao Yixian.

"My lord, as the person in charge of Wanyao Zhai, I don't often go into the mountains to gather herbs, and I haven't heard anyone mention it, so…" Mr. Yao's face turned pale as he cautiously replied to Lin Yuan.

Meanwhile, behind Lin Yuan, Xiao Yixian's eyes slightly narrowed upon hearing him mention the cave at the bottom of the cliff, and her heart raced a bit.

Her mind began to race, "Could the cave he's talking about be the one I saw last time? A cave that even such a powerful person is looking for must indeed hold secrets, possibly a treasure cave. This could be a great opportunity. No, I need to calm myself; I can't let anyone see anything unusual."

Xiao Yixian quickly adjusted her state, putting on a confused expression. Since everyone was focused on Lin Yuan, no one noticed the subtle change in her demeanor.

A glint of amusement flashed in Lin Yuan's eyes. From the moment he entered, Xiao Yixian's state had been completely enveloped by his spiritual perception, and he naturally caught her brief change. "She has already discovered the location of that cave. It seems I won't need to explore it bit by bit myself; I can just play a little trick to draw her out."

As his thoughts turned, Lin Yuan had made up his mind. His aura intensified, and his gaze towards Mr. Yao became heavier, his indifferent tone laced with impatience: "So, you don't know?"

Mr. Yao felt the weight of the gaze on him grow heavier. Under the immense pressure, he quickly thought of a solution and said, "My lord, please don't be angry. I will quickly inquire with those who have gathered herbs and arrange for someone to search the mountains. I will definitely find the cave for you."

"Forget it. Relying on a useless person like you is worse than me taking action myself. Next, you will handle one thing. If you don't do it well, you will die. Do you understand?" Lin Yuan said coldly.

"My lord, please command me. I will do my utmost to handle it well," Mr. Yao replied in a panic.

"I'll give you three days. Gather people, collect information, and create a detailed map. The map must mark all the cliff locations in this area. When I return from the imperial capital, hand it to me. Do you understand?" Lin Yuan instructed.

"Yes, yes! I will arrange it immediately. I will ensure this matter is handled well. Please rest assured, my lord," Mr. Yao hurriedly agreed to Lin Yuan's orders.

Lin Yuan patted Mr. Yao's stiff shoulder and chuckled lightly, "Do well, take it seriously. I will also assign this matter to another person. If your map is not sufficiently detailed, then you know the consequences, right?"

"I understand. How could I dare to neglect your matters, my lord? Thank you for your leniency. I will definitely handle this well," Mr. Yao said in a fluster.

"Alright, I will return in three days."

Lin Yuan turned and walked in front of Xiao Yixian, his gaze landing on her gentle and beautiful face, which now bore a look of confusion.

"Such a convincing act; there's no flaw visible on the surface. It seems women really have a natural talent for acting, and Xiao Yixian is no exception," Lin Yuan couldn't help but feel a bit emotional as he looked at her bewildered expression.

Lin Yuan looked meaningfully at the downcast Xiao Yixian and chuckled, "I didn't expect that in a remote place like Qingshan Town, there would be such a beauty."

After saying that, Lin Yuan exerted his powerful legs, his body enveloped in fighting spirit, and leaped upward, breaking through the roof of Wanyao Zhai like a cannonball, disappearing from everyone's sight, leaving only a lingering voice echoing in the room.

"Remember, I will return in three days."

Meanwhile, Xiao Yixian, standing in place, felt her nostrils twitch slightly as a faint scent was captured by her keen sense of smell.

"This scent… it's the smell of herbs."

**(End of Chapter)**