Morning light pierced the clouds, spilling over the scarred and battered land of Qingyan Village. Xiǎo Shítóu knelt before Ling Xiao, his forehead pressed tightly against the ground, his thin shoulders trembling slightly.
"I beg Senior Ling to take me as your disciple! I am willing to follow by your side, to pour tea and water, with no complaints!"
Ling Xiao looked at the stubborn young boy, recalling the sight of Xiǎo Shítóu diligently practicing alchemy over the past few months—hands covered in blisters from the medicine furnace yet never uttering a cry of pain, eyes bloodshot from studying alchemy formulas throughout the night.
Chapter 333