The bronze door ring glowed red from the scorching sun.
Heat haze twisted into ripples above the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's plaque.
Xiao Yi Xian's veil was lifted by the hot wind, revealing the faint Purple Poison Mark on her neck.
The guards instinctively gripped their sword hilts and retreated half a step.
"Stop! Who goes there?"
They sensed an incomparably lethal threat from the seemingly delicate young girl.
It could not be helped. Xiao Yi Xian's progress had been too rapid, and she could not yet completely conceal her aura.
Xiao Yan chuckled.
"Go report to your captain and deputy captain. Tell them Xiao Yan has come to see them."
The two mercenaries' expressions stiffened.
Xiao Yan?
They both had the surname Xiao. Could this be the younger brother their captain often spoke of?
"Very well. Please wait a moment."
After the two guards entered, Xiao Yi Xian suddenly felt the hand holding hers tighten slightly.
She looked up and found that the young man's usually sharp gaze had unexpectedly softened.
Only moments after the mercenaries left—
"Little Yan!"
A thunderous shout pierced through the courtyard.
Xiao Li burst out of the main hall bare-chested, his bronzed, muscular upper body covered in scars.
He rushed forward in two strides, his eyes filled with excitement.
Yet when he approached, his fan-sized hand hung in midair, not daring to fall.
The tall young man before him, with sharp brows and eyes—
Was he really the third brother whose gaze had once been so clear as a child?
"Second Brother!"
The familiar voice rang out, and Xiao Li immediately came to his senses.
Xiao Li's large hand suddenly came down.
"Good lad!"
"I heard you awakened overnight and soared straight to the heavens."
"You even unified Wutan City."
"They've been boasting so much about you. Let your second brother see how much your cultivation has improved!"
The instant he finished speaking, lightning-attributed Dou Qi erupted as he slapped toward Xiao Yan's shoulder.
Yet Xiao Yan neither dodged nor avoided him. The moment that large hand touched his black robe—
A surging cultivation burst forth.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Xiao Li was directly forced back three steps, leaving three deep prints in the sand.
"Good heavens!"
"Your body is tougher than a Thunder Horn Rhino!"
"Come on, come on. Let's see Eldest Brother first."
Inside the mercenary group's main hall—
Xiao Ding, seated in the seat of honor, turned his gaze toward the girl sitting beside his third brother.
He softly asked,
"Third Brother, may I ask who this young lady is?"
Xiao Yi Xian's heart tightened, and the hand holding the celadon teacup trembled slightly.
She was still somewhat nervous. After all, according to Xiao Yan—
He had already had someone dear to him when they first met.
She wondered what impression his two elder brothers had of her.
Xiao Li also turned his gaze toward Xiao Yan. He had noticed her from the start.
It was simply not in his nature to ask.
Xiao Yan did not answer at once. Instead, he openly and gently took Xiao Yi Xian's hand.
Xiao Yi Xian immediately glared at him, her eyes filled with bashfulness.
What are you doing!
There are people here!
Ignoring the powerless struggle of the little hand in his palm—
Xiao Yan spoke with certainty.
"This is my future wife."
The moment those words came out, not only were Xiao Ding and Xiao Li startled—
Even Little Doctor looked stunned. Then a crimson blush instantly crept up to her earlobes.
What?
We didn't agree on this when we came here!
Xiao Li froze, then instinctively asked,
"What about Xun'er?"
Xiao Yan calmly lifted his teacup and took a light sip.
"Her too."
"Pfft!"
On the platform, Xiao Ding sprayed out the tea he had just swallowed.
His eyes were filled with shock as he looked at his third brother.
Good heavens!
I thought my third brother was devoted to one woman.
Turns out he's devoted to many.
After coming to his senses, Xiao Li burst into laughter.
"Hahaha!"
"Third Brother, you've got some nerve!"
"You've mastered the skill of passing through a sea of flowers and coming out covered in them!"
"But you mustn't neglect your cultivation because of it."
"How much has your strength improved over these past few years?"
Xiao Yan chuckled.
"This little brother is untalented. I've only barely reached Four-star Dou Ling."
"Four-star Dou Ling? Then that's—"
"What?!"
"What did you say?"
Ignoring the stunned expressions of his two brothers, Xiao Yan took another badge from his robes.
"Oh, and I also casually earned Rank 5 Alchemist certification."
"Rank 5?!"
Just as their shocked cries fell—
Xiao Yan casually tossed out three Jade Bottles, and the Pill Fragrance instantly filled the entire room.
"Fifth-grade Dragon Strength Pill, Fifth-grade Heaven Heart Pill, Fourth-grade Ice Heart Powder, and also—"
He deliberately drew out the last word.
"Your younger sister-in-law's specially made Bone-Corroding Poison Powder."
"It can bring down a third-tier Demonic Beast in five seconds!"
"Coat your weapons with it, and nothing can stand in your way!"
The sound of the Jade Bottles landing on the stone table was especially crisp.
Xiao Li shakily reached out. The instant he removed a stopper—
Purple poison mist rose in the shape of a skull, corroding honeycomb-like holes into the ceiling beam.
The two elder brothers stood dumbfounded as Xiao Yi Xian's soft laugh reached their ears.
"This is my first meeting gift for my two elder brothers."
"I had limited time to prepare it. I hope Elder Brothers won't dislike it."
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had long since risen to their feet and gathered around the table of pills.
Their hands hovered uncertainly, as though they wanted to touch them but did not dare.
"You, you..."
"I..."
They were completely incoherent.
After a long while—
"A Rank 5 Alchemist?!"
Xiao Ding finally came back to his senses.
"How long has it been since you left home?"
"You couldn't even roast a chicken over a fire without leaving it only twenty-five percent cooked."
"And now you're telling me you can refine Fifth-grade pills?"
Xiao Yan merely smiled without speaking.
Only after they exchanged pleasantries for quite some time—
Did the two of them finally accept the fact that their younger brother possessed unparalleled talent.
Once that was settled, Xiao Yan finally brought up the important matter.
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, I'm looking for a little girl."
"Her left pupil reflects a three-petaled flower."
He deliberately left out Qing Lin's name.
"Have either of you seen her?"
The command flag in Xiao Ding's hand suddenly snapped.
"You mean Qing Lin?"
He gestured for someone outside to bring over the roster.
"I vaguely remember that last month, we rescued a little girl from a Bandit Den. Her eyes really did—"
Before he could finish, the messenger slammed open the doors, bloodstains covering his armor.
"Captain!"
"The Sand Scorpion Mercenary Group has detained our Herb Gathering Team!"
The soldier's Adam's apple bobbed.
"Several of the orphans we took in are among them too."
"Qing Lin is there too?"
"Yes!!"
The teacup in Xiao Yan's hand suddenly vaporized, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.
"Lead the way."
A waning moon hung high in the sky as the two groups met on the outskirts of Desert City.
The Sand Scorpion Mercenary Group's Darksteel Heavy Shields glowed with Gleaming Blue Poison Light.
Dozens of men surrounded the Herb Gathering Team.
Mo Xing stepped out from the crowd.
"Listen up, Desert Iron. These people belong to us now."
"You're not qualified to yap here. Go call your—"
Before he could finish, a brilliant red light filled his vision.
The instant Fire Wings tore through the night sky, every sound fell silent.
Xiao Yan descended before the formation atop Flowing Fire, his Heavy Black Ruler carving a Ten-Zhang Scorch Mark through the sand.
The scimitar in Mo Xing's hand clattered to the ground, the flesh on his face twisting in terror.
He stood frozen in place, his voice trembling.
"D-Dou Qi Manifested Wings?!"
"A Dou Wang?!"
Mo Xing signaled frantically for his underlings to notify their captain.
Then, forcing down his fear, he spoke.
"T-This lord?"
"We merely have some conflict with the Desert Iron Mercenary Group."
"Has your sudden arrival perhaps been caused by some misunderstanding?"
Xiao Yan paid no attention to the burly man and turned his gaze toward the people they had surrounded.
There, a frail little girl stood helplessly in the middle.
The tattered Hood on her head had slipped down.
Under the moonlight:
Three petal-like patterns slowly rotated within the emerald pupils.
The shackles around the slender ankles clinked.
Xiao Yan's expression immediately turned cold, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips:
"Misunderstanding or not, let's set that aside for now."
"Let's go by what you just said."
"Am I qualified?"
Before you continue