Just as Mo Xing sweated profusely, unsure how to respond:
"Thud, thud, thud!"
A burst of hoofbeats came from behind. It was the entire Shaxian Mercenary Group.
Behind Xiao Yan, Xiao Ding, Xiao Li, and Xiao Yi Xian arrived at just the right moment.
Luo Bu's soft armor gleamed coldly beneath the moonlight.
The faint rasp of its plates rubbing together was like a venomous snake hissing.
The instant he clasped his fists, the mechanism of the Triangular Bone-Piercing Dart at his wrist clicked softly.
Elsewhere:
Arrows coated in snake venom glimmered an eerie blue within the shadows of the rock walls!
Thirty archers had already climbed under cover of darkness to the best sniping positions.
Arrows coated in snake venom glimmered an eerie blue within the shadows of the rock walls!
Their arrowheads simultaneously locked onto Xiao Yan's vital points.
From the start, he had not believed the report that this fellow possessed the cultivation of a Dou Wang!
Now that he had seen him in person, he was merely such a young boy. How could he possibly be a Dou Wang?
This only made him more certain of his judgment.
Besides, if he truly were a Dou Wang, he would have wiped them out long ago if he found them displeasing.
Why would he stand there without moving!
He had once seen a rare thing called a Flying Fighting Skill in some ancient book.
The youth before him was probably just a lucky bastard who had stumbled into some good fortune.
Xiao Yan's Heavy Black Ruler pierced three inches into the sand with a metallic clang. The gilded tassel on its hilt stirred without wind, drawing a crimson-gold afterimage beneath the moonlight.
"Captain Luo certainly knows how to welcome guests in style."
He flicked his fingers, and nine clusters of crimson fire silently disappeared into the night sky.
Xiao Yi Xian lightly waved her hand, and pale purple poisonous mist spread across the sand like a living thing.
"A misunderstanding! A tremendous misunderstanding!"
Luo Bu pretended to kick over the deputy beside him, his iron-studded combat boot stamping a deep pit into the sand.
"Why aren't you unshackling them already!"
As soon as he spoke, the mercenaries beside him headed toward the Herb Gathering Team.
"Clang! Clang!"
The crisp sound of iron chains hitting the ground had yet to fade.
Before anyone could react, three Bone-Piercing Nails suddenly shot from his sleeve.
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The sound of air being torn apart erupted!
The Dou Qi threads wrapped around the nails wove a poisonous net in midair.
It was Yama's Three Points Incense, worth a fortune on the Desert City black market!
"Boom!"
A crimson Fire Ring exploded beneath Xiao Yan's feet, and the poisonous net was instantly reduced to nothing beneath the Crimson Flame.
Nine pillars of fire tore through the night sky, transforming into nine fire dragons dozens of meters long.
They coiled through the night sky as an overwhelming aura suddenly erupted.
Like the majestic might of heaven, it pressed down upon the earth!
The mercenaries discovered in terror that no matter how they urged their Dou Qi, they could not move an inch.
"I'm in a bad mood today, so I can't be bothered wasting words on you!"
"Nine Flame Lock Scales!"
"Rumble!"
Golden flames ignited in Xiao Yan's eyes, and the fire dragons in the night sky exploded in response.
Countless fiery arrows descended with dragon roars. Luo Bu's Golden Silk Soft Armor instantly melted into molten iron!
Flames erupted across the exposed skin of over a hundred mercenaries.
Excruciating pain spread through their minds in an instant!
They discovered in despair that their Dou Qi was being burned away by the Crimson Flame.
The flames coursing through their meridians made their flesh appear transparent like colored glaze.
Qing Lin curled up inside the poisonous mist barrier Xiao Yi Xian had created.
The flames had deliberately avoided that area as well.
The bruises around her ankles gleamed a horrifying bluish-black beneath the moonlight.
Xiao Yi Xian took out a medicinal ointment, but the aura of her Calamity Poison Body made the girl shrink back instinctively.
Xiao Yan knelt halfway down in the sand, condensing Fire Cloud Water Flame into an Ice Blue Phoenix Tail Butterfly in his palm.
Ice crystals falling from its wings traced frosty marks across the scorching desert.
"This is a fire spirit that can heal bruises."
Xiao Yan guided the ice butterfly toward her wounds.
"Look."
The moment the Phoenix Tail Butterfly landed, the girl's gaze was drawn to it.
While she was distracted, Xiao Yan directly flicked a pill into her mouth.
The girl suddenly hugged Xiao Yan's right arm, her thin body trembling like a dying candle in the wind.
She began to cry softly. Xiao Yan gently stroked her hair and comforted her in a soft voice.
Outside the scene:
The Thunder Light Spear in Xiao Li's hand crackled loudly, while Xiao Ding's Dark Iron Axe struck heavily against the ground.
They had only just been about to make a move, and the battle was already over!?
The enemies had not even left behind ashes!
Watching their third brother gently comfort the little girl amid the flames and screams, the two men could not help twitching at the corners of their mouths.
So this was how geniuses thought!
If you had simply carried her out, she might have stopped crying immediately.
But you had to comfort her amid all those screams. What good was that supposed to do!
Three days later:
The Bronze City Gate of Desert City gleamed with verdigris in the morning light as Hai Bodong's frost-white hair and beard fluttered in the wind.
Looking at Xiao Yan and the other two beside him, he frowned slightly.
"We're going to subdue a Heavenly Flame."
"Are you sure you want to bring two little girls along?"
Xiao Yan looked at Hai Bodong and smiled lightly.
"With the Ice Emperor, one of the Jia Ma Empire's ten strongest experts, here—"
"Do we really need to worry about safety?"
Hai Bodong turned away and said nothing more.
Only a barely noticeable smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
He unfurled the sheepskin scroll in his hand, revealing three blood-red markers.
"Then let's go."
As soon as he spoke, Hai Bodong spread his Ice Crystal Wings and soared into the sky!
"Hold tight."
Xiao Yan's four wings spread wide. His left arm wrapped around Xiao Yi Xian's slender waist, while his right arm held Qing Lin protectively against his chest.
Where his Fire Wings swept past, they left a crimson stream tail behind.
After checking two areas in succession without finding anything.
They flew toward the location marked by the final red dot.
High in the sky:
"Nine Flame Lock Scales!"
Surging fire dragons appeared and blasted toward the ground with unstoppable force.
"Boom!"
The instant the fire dragons exploded, the sound of the ground collapsing rang out.
A massive underground passage appeared before them!
The group did not hesitate and swiftly dove down.
They passed through a dark tunnel, descending straight downward!
Until they reached a thousand meters below ground.
As they continued onward, the temperature rose higher and higher!
Xiao Yan used his Dou Qi to protect Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin.
When the red light from the exit finally came into view, the four of them entered.
Everything before their eyes suddenly opened up, revealing a nearly boundless Lava Lake.
The searing heat scorched the entire space.
Hai Bodong frowned.
"Kid, you'd better hurry."
"The aura here makes me very uncomfortable."
Xiao Yi Xian also spoke softly.
"Xiao Yan, there's nothing but endless lava here."
"Where are we supposed to find the Heavenly Flame?"
Before Xiao Yan could answer, Hai Bodong's expression tightened.
Dou Qi gathered in his palm.
"Careful. There's something in this lava."
"Boom!"
The moment he spoke, a massive wave suddenly exploded from the surface of the Lava Lake!
The Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake burst through the flames.
The left snake head had upright golden pupils, while the right one spat vivid scarlet flames.
Liquid earthfire flowed through the gaps between its scales.
Hai Bodong raised a hand and condensed an ice wall, easily blocking the flames.
Just as he was about to act, Xiao Yan had already vanished from where he stood.
He slammed head-on into one of the snake heads, Qilin Heaven-Devouring Flame coiling around his body!
He actually devoured every bit of the breath attack unleashed once more by the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake!
He raised his hand and made a grasping motion.
"Hiss!"
A shrill snake cry rang out as the Fire Spirit Snake's body suddenly froze atop the Lava Lake.
Visible to the naked eye, fire-attributed energy flowing like lava continuously poured from its body.
It streamed into Xiao Yan's palm.
A moment later, Xiao Yan kicked the immobilized Fire Spirit Snake onto a rocky cliff!
He flashed back onto shore!
He gently pressed a hand against Qing Lin's trembling shoulder.
"Look into its eyes."
The instant her jade-colored pupils met the snake's eyes.
A strange contract pattern appeared on the Fire Spirit Snake's magic core.
Jade Eye Three Flowers, its pupils awakened for the first time!
Brilliance surged from Qing Lin's jade eyes, and the giant snake that had been struggling suddenly lowered its head meekly.
"Hai Bodong, I'll trouble you to watch over her."
"Qing Lin, make this stupid snake obey my command."
As soon as he spoke, Xiao Yan dragged the Fire Spirit Snake and plunged into the Lava Lake again.
Heavenly Flames wrapped around his entire body. He had only descended several hundred meters.
When Xiao Yan's body suddenly trembled, an intense palpitation rose from his heart!
And it had not been caused by the Heavenly Flame. Then...
Before you continue