A whistle pierced the air, followed by a wave of searing heat that instantly left everyone covered in sweat.
A figure burst in at incredible speed and swept a spear across, instantly forcing back the Wolf Head Mercenary Group members closing in around him.
Xiao Yao stood before Xiao Yi Xian, his imposing presence like a rainbow.
But the searing heat radiating from Xiao Yao made Xiao Yi Xian take an involuntary step back, a fine layer of sweat appearing on her forehead.
Xiao Yi Xian was even more shocked. The mere aftershock of his power had such an effect; his strength was easy to imagine.
Xiao Yi Xian's beautiful eyes fell on Xiao Yao. Judging from his back alone, he was tall and broad, with an imposing presence.
At the sight of Xiao Yao, Xiao Yi Xian unconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
Though she did not know why he had come, how much worse could things get for her?
The Wolf Head Mercenary Group members facing Xiao Yao, meanwhile, looked horrified.
Mu Li's brow tightened as he looked at Xiao Yao. At the sight of Xiao Yao's handsome face, he could not help feeling jealous.
His pose in particular made it obvious that he had chosen this moment to play the hero saving a beauty.
Though tales of heroes saving beauties were a common sight in biographies and legends, they were so common precisely because they won people's hearts!
Playing the hero saving a beauty really did work!
Realizing this, Mu Li frowned deeply and looked at Xiao Yao. "Who are you? How dare you meddle in the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's affairs?"
Xiao Yao held his spear, a faint smile appearing on his handsome face.
"I couldn't stand seeing so many of you bullying a young girl, so I stepped in."
Mu Li snorted. The man's attitude showed that he held the Wolf Head Mercenary Group in complete disregard, and Mu Li could not help narrowing his eyes.
He had been unable to gauge Xiao Yao's true strength from that brief exchange just now.
Now that he sensed him more carefully, Xiao Yao's presence felt like a great ball of fire, making it impossible to tell what level his cultivation was at.
Sensing alone would not reveal it; he could only find out in battle.
At that thought, Mu Li said in a low voice,
"Since you insist on meddling, prepare to pay with your life."
"Attack! Take this fellow down, dead or alive!"
At Mu Li's words, the Wolf Head Mercenary Group mercenaries around him were immediately emboldened.
Earlier, when trying to capture Xiao Yi Xian, the mercenaries had not dared use Dou Techniques for fear of hurting her.
But now, against this meddlesome fellow, they could unleash their powerful Dou Techniques to their hearts' content.
Even if he had some strength, two fists could not fight four hands. With so many of them using Dou Techniques at once, they could blast him to death.
Hearing Mu Li's words, Xiao Yi Xian stepped forward, a little nervous, and spoke to Xiao Yao in a low voice:
"Thank you very much for helping me. This is an antidote pill. I'll support you with poison in a moment."
Xiao Yi Xian took a cyan pill from the small medicine pouch she carried and held it out to Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao raised a hand and politely declined her offer. Smiling, he said, "A bunch of shrimp soldiers and crab generals like these? I can deal with them with a flick of my hand."
Even as he spoke, a mercenary with a vicious grin charged forward, swinging a massive heavy sword a full two palms wide. Like a crashing thunderbolt, it came smashing down toward Xiao Yao's head.
Though it was called a sword, the heavy blade did not seem meant to cut a man so much as slap him flat.
Faced with the heavy blow, which came with the force of a thunderbolt, Xiao Yao poured Dou Qi into his spear and flicked it upward, sending the sword flying.
It looked utterly incredible for a spear to send a heavy sword flying.
But this was a fantasy world where one could cultivate. With Dou Qi poured into it, even an ordinary blade of grass could shatter hard stone.
Having sent the heavy sword flying, Xiao Yao followed through with his spear, driving it straight through the mercenary's throat. The vicious grin froze on his face.
Xiao Yao drew the spear out without the slightest resistance and swung it through the air, leaving streaks of fiery red. He thrust, swept, and flicked it upward... The moves were simple, but their power was formidable.
In the blink of an eye, the mercenaries who had rushed forward fell dead one after another, pierced by the spear. The remaining Wolf Head Mercenary Group mercenaries stopped in their tracks, too frightened to advance.
Standing behind Xiao Yao, Xiao Yi Xian watched as the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, which had driven her into a desperate situation, was dealt with before him as easily as chopping melons and vegetables. Shock appeared on her lovely face.
At the same time, a strong sense of safety welled up in her heart, as though standing behind Xiao Yao meant she no longer had to fear these dangers.
The mercenaries watching from the sidelines were equally horrified. Earlier, they had thought little of Xiao Yao's reckless actions, believing him a hothead who did not know how powerful the Wolf Head Mercenary Group was.
But Xiao Yao had slapped them hard in the face with his actions, showing them that the Wolf Head Mercenary Group was not so invincible after all.
Mu Li's face had gone pale. Though he could not sense his opponent's exact cultivation level, the man's strength had already been made plain.
Even if their whole group rushed him, they would not be enough for him to warm up.
Mu Li's expression changed several times, from anger to shock, and then to fear.
When he noticed Xiao Yao's gaze fall on him, a chill ran through his heart, and he hurriedly said,
"Senior, don't kill me. I'm willing to offer compensation for offending you earlier."
"Compensation? I heard your Wolf Head Mercenary Group recently obtained treasures from some ruins."
Hearing this, Mu Li nodded hurriedly. There was no need to fear the man's greed; what he feared was that the man had set his heart on killing him.
As long as he could stall for time until his father, the group leader, arrived, everything would be all right.
"Then do you know why I came to Qingshan Town?"
Mu Li shook his head, looking utterly bewildered. Surely the man had not come specifically to kill him?
"I obtained a treasure map showing a cave ruin near Qingshan Town. I came to hunt for treasure, but I didn't expect you to beat me to it."
Understanding dawned on Mu Li's face, but inwardly he grumbled.
Was this fellow just making up an excuse to seize the treasures from the ruins?
Quite a few of the surrounding mercenaries had the same thought as Mu Li.
Seeing Mu Li's expression, Xiao Yao knew he certainly did not believe him. He spoke unhurriedly.
"You think I'm looking for a reason to rob you of what you found? Unfortunately for you, the treasure map contained quite detailed information, including the items inside the ruins."
"Among the inheritances were mainly two High-grade Profound Tier Dou Techniques, one of them a Flying Dou Technique, and a poison-making scroll. Am I right?"
Mu Li's expression changed drastically. He had not expected the man to really have a treasure map to the cave ruin.
Now it would not be so easy to settle the matter with compensation.
The treasures inside the cave ruin were the key to the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's rise. They could not possibly hand them over as compensation, much less return them just because the man had a treasure map.
Watching Mu Li's expression change, Xiao Yao gave him little time to think. He stepped forward, his spear striking like a dragon, and drove its tip straight through Mu Li's throat, killing him in one strike!
Mu Li was dead!