Gu He Arrives

"Young Master Ye, it's Pill King Gu He!"

After pondering for a long while in the Council Hall of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's headquarters, the core member Xiao Ding had previously sent to contact my family's shop finally returned.

A Nalan Family guard had come back with him as well. It seemed the Nalan Family had finally remembered that I existed...

Before I could get angry, I listened to the guard's report, and my brows shot up sharply.

Pill King... Gu He?

No wonder, no wonder. I turned to look at the map, gritting my teeth, and finally understood what was going on. Pill King Gu He had actually come!

I asked in a low voice, "Is Gu He alone?"

The guard shook his head. Looking up at me, fear showed in his eyes, and his voice trembled slightly as he said, "Reporting to Young Master Ye, it isn't just Pill King Gu He. The Lion King and Wind Walker, two Dou Wang experts, have come with him, along with seven Dou Spirits and twenty-four Da Dou Shi!"

Three Dou Wangs, seven Dou Spirits, twenty-four Da Dou Shi...

As soon as the guard spoke, the entire Council Hall fell silent. The core members of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group and the few members of the Xiao Family all wore looks of shock.

Even I could not help revealing a bitter expression. Although the Nalan Family was one of the Gamma Empire's Three Great Families, it only had one Dou Wang and seven Dou Spirits.

Gu He's lineup was a little too terrifying...

As an alchemist, he had definitely come to seize the Exotic Flame. Yet the Exotic Flame concerned my grand plan—how could I let him take it away?

A cold glint flashed through my eyes. As the Gamma Empire's sole Sixth-Rank Alchemist, Gu He had been such a massive obstacle that I had considered him from the very beginning of my plan.

And I had already thought of a way to deal with him!

Could Gu He summon so many experts to aid him because he was the Gamma Empire's only Sixth-Rank Alchemist? That was his strength, but it was also his greatest weakness...

I swept my gaze across everyone in the hall, then suddenly burst into laughter and declared, "Gentlemen, are you interested in accompanying me to meet this Pill King?"

The hall went quiet. After a moment, Xiao Li said gravely, "Pill King... He brought so many experts. What use are people like us?"

I chuckled and shook my head. "Second Brother, you're worrying too much. The Exotic Flame hasn't appeared yet—how could the two sides possibly start fighting? They're just trying to intimidate each other!"

"Hehe, then let's go take a look."

Xiao Yan stepped forward and looked toward Xiao Ding and Xiao Li. "First Brother, Second Brother, Nalan Ye is right. The Exotic Flame isn't in anyone's hands yet. No matter how foolish the two sides are, they won't start fighting. In that case, why don't we go join the excitement?"

Dressed in black robes, he folded his arms across his chest, a lazy smile on his face. "Pill King Gu He, hehe, and so many experts gathered in one place... Just thinking about it is exciting. Who knows when we'll get to see such a spectacle again?"

Xiao Ding laughed in exasperation, glaring fiercely at Xiao Yan as he barked, "Little Yanzi, stop fooling around! How can the spectacle involving those experts be so easy to watch? If they start fighting, we won't be able to defend ourselves at all!"

With Yao Lao by his side, what danger did Xiao Yan fear? Besides, he had his sights on the Exotic Flame and was surely harboring some scheme. He paid no attention to Xiao Ding's words and insisted on joining the excitement.

Xun Er had an unfathomable background, so she cared even less about a conflict between a few Dou Wangs and Dou Emperors. She took light steps to stand beside Xiao Yan. Though she said nothing, her actions had already made her stance clear.

Xiao Yu had seen plenty at Canaan Academy and was unwilling to be outdone by Xiao Yan, so she immediately stubbornly declared that she was going too.

Xiao Meier looked around in panic. Upon hearing the titles of Pill King, Dou Wang, and Dou Spirit, she was so frightened that her eyes reddened. She looked at me pitifully, having no idea what to do...

I sighed. Xiao Meier was a year younger than me and was only sixteen this year. She was a little girl who had never experienced anything and was leaving Wutan City for the first time. One could hardly expect her to remain as composed and calm as Xun Er no matter the situation...

I reached out and took her hand, gently feeling it. Her palm was covered in cold sweat and slightly chilled.

"Meier, just stay with me. Ye Gege will protect you."

I gave her a faint smile. At once, she seemed to have found someone to rely on and nodded heavily while biting her lip.

Afterward, Xiao Yan and the others and I left the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's headquarters. Xiao Ding and Xiao Li remained behind at the headquarters in case anything happened.

As we made our way there, the once-lively streets had become desolate, with every household's doors and windows tightly shut. Only occasionally did a few people peek out furtively. Who knew which family's spies they were?

We did not concern ourselves with that. Led by the guard, our group soon arrived near the shop. This shop belonged to my Nalan Family, so naturally it occupied an excellent location right beside the main road.

Yet when I looked over from afar, I saw that the broad main road was densely packed with people, who had completely surrounded the shop.

They wore a mishmash of armor, leather armor, and robes, making them look like a disorderly rabble. Yet their ranks were exceptionally neat, banners snapping in the wind as they stood at ease. More than a thousand people had formed up in formation, yet not a sound could be heard!

Even more terrifyingly, everyone in sight held a Dragon Slayer Crossbow in their hands. Behind the formation stood more than ten enormous weapons, already poised to fire—Dragon Hunting Crossbows!

With this equipment and bearing, how could they possibly be mercenaries?

I suddenly realized that these two thousand people dressed as mercenaries were clearly the Nalan Family's elite guards!

The shock and emotion in my heart were beyond words. Everyone always said that the Nalan Family was one of the Gamma Empire's Three Great Families, but I had never truly understood where the Nalan Family's strength lay.

Was it because we had a Dou Wang expert? The Lion King and Wind Walker were also Dou Wangs, so why were their families not among the Three Great Families?

Today, I had finally witnessed the Nalan Family's foundation!

Two thousand hardened Dou Zhes, two thousand Dragon Slayer Crossbows, at least forty Dragon Hunting Crossbows—this was only part of the Nalan Family's strength. The Lion King and Wind Walker might be Dou Wangs, but could they produce this? Would they dare face its edge head-on?

They could not, and they would not!

My confidence grew considerably. The fighting strength of two thousand mercenaries and two thousand elite guards of the Nalan Family differed by more than tenfold.

The guard then led me to the heavily guarded command center. It was a pavilion. When I climbed to the top floor and looked around, I was both shocked and delighted. I had not expected the Nalan Family to have a third Dou Spirit here.

It was none other than the Guardian Elder commanding these two thousand elite guards—Nalan Jia!

I looked down from above. This pavilion was in an excellent position. From here, one could clearly overlook the area around the shop. That tightly organized formation had already sealed off the surroundings of the shop completely.

I withdrew my gaze, my expression turning solemn. Stepping forward, I cupped my hands and said, "This grandson, Nalan Ye, pays his respects to Guardian Elder."

The Guardian Elder's face had remained taut the entire time, partly out of habit and partly because the pressure Gu He brought him was simply too great. He turned to look at me, his voice ringing like metal as he demanded, "Nalan Ye, are you certain the Azure Lotus Core Flame truly exists?"

I froze slightly before coming back to my senses and hurriedly said, "This grandson would never dare deceive Elder. The Azure Lotus Core Flame definitely exists!"

After a pause, I added, "Elder, this grandson wishes to go inside. I hope Elder will permit it."

The Guardian Elder furrowed his sword-like brows and said, "What could a little brat like you accomplish by going in?"

I shook my head and said with a light smile, "Has Elder forgotten? The matter of the Exotic Flame began because of me. Gu He has come for the Exotic Flame today as well, so naturally I must go in."