Harvest Time

Hemon was thrilled. Without giving Xiao Bai more time to think, he charged at him again.

This time, Xiao Bai naturally did not back down. Without circulating Dou Qi or activating the Light Shield combat skill, he rushed forward directly.

He wanted to test just how strong his body had become.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The two wildly disproportionate figures flickered back and forth before colliding, solid impacts ringing out one after another.

Feeling that his physical strength was no weaker than his opponent's, Xiao Bai became even more unrestrained.

By now, neither of them held anything back, pushing their physical strength to its limits.

The others stared in stunned disbelief.

They had followed Hemon for many years and knew his defensive capabilities extremely well. In fact, aside from Hemon himself, no one understood them better than they did.

Yet now, they were beginning to feel afraid.

Though Captain Hemon and Xiao Bai appeared evenly matched, trading blows without either gaining the upper hand—

They knew Captain Hemon was going to lose.

The cultivation method he practiced was not of a high grade and could not sustain prolonged combat.

If someone could withstand his initial attacks and he failed to defeat them quickly, then his loss was certain.

The longer it went on, the weaker Hemon would become. His Dou Qi consumption would keep increasing until he was exhausted and unable to fight back.

Some of the mercenaries had already noticed the weariness on Captain Hemon's face and the slight stiffness in his movements. They immediately grew anxious.

"Captain, we can't just stand here and watch! We need to find a way to hold that kid back so the Third Captain can finish him off in one go."

The monkey-thin man was the captain of these people. With the strength of a seven-star Dou Zhe, he was the strongest among those remaining.

Even without that mercenary's reminder, he had already seen that the Third Captain was beginning to fall behind. He did not want to wait any longer either; delays could invite trouble.

"Fine. Pass down my orders! Archers, get ready. Fire when I give the command. Even if you can't kill him outright, wear down his strength and hold him in place. Everyone else will support them and prevent him from escaping!"

Very quickly, everyone sprang into action!

Having survived mountains of corpses and seas of blood, they knew exactly what they should and should not do.

Once the order was given, they swiftly carried it out.

The changes here did not escape Xiao Bai's notice. He split his focus, fighting Hemon while observing the movements of the others.

Another dull boom rang out, and the two figures immediately separated.

This time, they did not tangle together again.

Hemon knew he could not defeat his opponent, and he had also noticed his subordinates' actions, so he let them proceed.

He wanted them to drain some of Xiao Bai's strength while he rested, then capture his opponent in one decisive move.

Xiao Bai was different. First, he had tested his physical strength and was very satisfied. Second, he had noticed the mercenaries' movements and could no longer afford to be careless.

There were countless cautionary tales from the past. He had no desire to follow in their footsteps and suffer defeat in an unexpected place.

The moment the two separated, the squad captain gave the order to fire.

Countless arrows shot toward Xiao Bai like a dense swarm of locusts. Never mind their power—the sheer number and spectacular sight of them was enough to make one's scalp tingle and send chills through one's heart.

Xiao Bai had long noticed the group's suspicious movements and did not dare let his guard down. The Dou Qi Gauze Robe and a Dou Qi Barrier appeared at the same time, protecting him securely within.

The arrows struck his body without causing any harm. Only a constant chorus of clanging rang out, forming a wild symphony.

Under their assault, Xiao Bai finally grew angry.

"Since you're looking for death yourselves, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Xiao Bai muttered to himself. He said nothing more, but the nine light orbs behind him blazed brightly, and a beautiful jade-like sword appeared in his hand.

He stomped hard, his figure flashing repeatedly as he dodged several arrows and rushed swiftly toward the mercenaries.

"Quick, stop him!"

Several mercenaries immediately appeared in front of Xiao Bai, gripping swords and sabers as they watched him like tigers eyeing prey.

"Hmph. You think the likes of you can stop me?"

Xiao Bai sneered. Instead of slowing down, he accelerated and charged forward.

"Urgh... urgh... urgh..."

The mercenaries saw only a flash of light, followed by pain at their throats and the sensation of some liquid flowing out. They dropped their weapons and hurriedly clutched their necks, trying to stop the blood from spilling out.

However, it was all futile. In the end, they let out muffled groans and fell dead to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, Xiao Bai had charged into the mercenary group.

Blood flashed everywhere. People kept falling, and screams rang out without end.

Before long, more than half the mercenaries had fallen under Xiao Bai's attacks.

Watching his subordinates die one after another, Hemon could no longer sit still. He blocked Xiao Bai's killing strike aimed at a mercenary.

"Good, very good! You dare kill so many of my men? This time, I'll take your life! I'll use your head to honor them!"

Seeing Hemon appear before him, Xiao Bai smiled disdainfully.

"If you want my head, that depends on whether you have the ability."

Xiao Bai did not want to waste words on the fat man. He immediately unleashed his strongest combat skill—Spear of Light.

A spear appeared in his hand. Without any unnecessary movement, he threw it directly at Hemon.

Hemon had always been confident in his defense, but the instant the spear of light flew toward him, he felt death drawing ever closer.

His pupils suddenly widened. He wanted to move his body, but it was already too late.

A fist-sized hole appeared in his body. Through it, trees and grass could be seen.

The spear of light pierced through his body, and blood surged out like floodwaters from a broken dam, impossible to stop.

"Wh... why?"

Hemon looked at Xiao Bai, then fell to the ground and died unwillingly.

Xiao Bai knew what Hemon was asking. He did not explain much and merely said calmly, "Because you were nothing more than a stepping stone on my journey."

With Hemon dead, the mercenaries descended into chaos.

"Captain Hemon is dead! We must avenge the captain!" These were the diehard loyalists, and they made up only a small number.

"The Third Captain is dead! Run!" These were the ordinary men, and they made up the majority.

The group then split into two factions.

One scattered in every direction to flee, while the other charged at Xiao Bai with death in their hearts, as though they wanted to tear off a piece of him even if they died.

"Very well. Since you are so determined to die, I'll grant your wish!"

The light sword danced in Xiao Bai's hand. In less than a moment, several more corpses lay on the ground. As for those who had fled, they were already too far away to pursue.

Xiao Bai had no intention of dealing with the corpses on the ground. Perhaps before long, many magical beasts would gather here, and these bodies would become their food.

Xiao Bai did not want to concern himself with anything else now. Making a fortune was his top priority.

Li San and Wang Si had fled. Amid the chaos, they had also untied the others who had been bound. With no helpers left, Xiao Bai could only do this himself.

"Time to reap the rewards!"

Xiao Bai began looting the corpses.