Alchemist

"Have you heard? Kagan and Mu She both broke through recently. They're already Dou Masters now and are establishing the Blood War Mercenary Group and the Wolf Head Mercenary Group."

"Dou Masters? Is that true?"

"How could it be false? You can tell at a glance whether they have a Dou Qi Gauze Robe. I heard they've both been recruiting lately. So, want to join?"

"Of course! They just became Dou Masters. If I join now, won't I become one of the founding members? Come on, where are they recruiting?"

Su Luo rubbed his chin as he listened to the passing mercenaries. In the original story, Mu She was a two-star Dou Master, but considering Xiao Yi Xian's current age, that should have been several years later. For him to have already broken through to Dou Master now could only mean that Qingshan Town's resources and Mu She's talent were truly too limited.

"Looks like many things are still far off. But as for the mercenary groups..."

In Qingshan Town's square, two burly men sat in the center, each with a group of newly recruited subordinates standing behind them.

They were Kagan and Mu She, who had only recently broken through to Dou Master. Though they had not been Dou Masters for long, their mercenary groups already somewhat resembled those in the original story.

Both sides were recruiting new members, but the Blood War Mercenary Group was already at a disadvantage during recruitment.

In the original story, this disadvantage gradually erupted several years later. However, due to Xiao Yan's appearance, the Blood War Mercenary Group ultimately turned defeat into victory.

"This is where you're recruiting, right?"

Su Luo arrived at the square where the Blood War Mercenary Group and Wolf Head Mercenary Group were recruiting. After looking over both sides, he spoke.

Recruitment was already nearing its end. Nearly everyone who could come had come, and those who had not were unlikely to come at all. Thus, Su Luo's arrival quickly drew both sides' attention.

"Little brother, are you a Dou Zhe?" Mu Li, the Young Leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, asked politely.

People from Douluo Continent seemed to mature earlier. Although Su Luo was only eight years old, he did not look like an eight-year-old from Dou Qi Continent.

But no matter how quickly he matured, eight was still eight. An eight-year-old could not possibly grow as tall as an adult. Combined with Su Luo's still-childish face, everyone could tell that he was at most twelve or thirteen.

A possible twelve- or thirteen-year-old Dou Zhe—even though Mu Li was still young, he did not dare show him disrespect to his face.

After all, being young did not mean being completely stupid.

Su Luo shook his head. "No."

"Then... little brother, are you at the ninth stage of Dou Qi?"

"No."

"The eighth stage?"

By the time he mentioned the eighth stage, a trace of anger had already appeared on Mu Li's face. When Su Luo shook his head again, Mu Li no longer bothered to hide it.

"Are you fucking treating me like a monkey? A piece of trash who hasn't even reached the eighth stage of Dou Qi dares come to our Wolf Head Mercenary Group to scam food and drink? Believe it or not, I'll kill you!"

Su Luo scratched his head. "Uh... I never said I had to join your Wolf Head Mercenary Group."

"If you haven't even reached the eighth stage of Dou Qi, our Blood War Mercenary Group doesn't want you either."

As soon as Su Luo finished speaking, before Kagan, the leader of the Blood War Mercenary Group, could say anything, a girl's voice suddenly rang out. Kagan immediately shot her a glare.

"Shut up, Ling'er! This isn't your place to speak." Qing Ye tugged her, then gave Su Luo an apologetic look.

"Sister Qing, I'm telling the truth. Someone who hasn't even reached the eighth stage of Dou Qi would only be deadweight if he joined us. Why would we want him?"

Ling'er, the girl in question, said stubbornly. Just now, she had thought Su Luo was stronger than her Big Brother Mu Lan. But upon hearing that Su Luo had not even reached the eighth stage of Dou Qi, she immediately felt, like Mu Li, that she had been played.

"Little brother, don't take it to heart. We've spoiled Ling'er too much. Please don't lower yourself to her level."

"May I ask why someone your age wants to become a mercenary? You should be cultivating Dou Qi at home."

"What, Kagan? You really intend to let him join your Blood War Mercenary Group? Well, that figures. How else could it be called a trash mercenary group? You can't even compare to a single toe of our Wolf Head Mercenary Group."

Mu Li laughed. At this point, he was rather glad Su Luo had appeared.

Although he had been toyed with earlier, it was still worth it if he got to watch the Blood War Mercenary Group make fools of themselves.

"What did you say?!"

Several burly men from the Blood War Mercenary Group stepped forward, looking ready to fight Mu Li to the death.

"Heh, I'm only stating facts." Mu Li glanced at Su Luo. "A bunch of trash really is a perfect match. As they say, birds of a feather flock together."

"You..." Several hot-tempered mercenaries raised their weapons, ready to hack at Mu Li, but the Wolf Head Mercenary Group also stepped forward.

"What, are you planning to attack our Young Leader? Think carefully. Our Wolf Head Mercenary Group isn't afraid of your Blood War Mercenary Group."

For a moment, the two sides formed a standoff. However, judging by their auras, the Wolf Head Mercenary Group seemed to hold a certain advantage.

"Enough. You all hunt magical beasts in the mountains. Don't spill blood over something meaningless. Little brother, you still haven't answered why you want to become a mercenary at such a young age."

Kagan casually stopped the conflict that was about to break out, then asked Su Luo.

"Because my mother needs money for treatment."

"I see. Something happened to your family. You're quite pitiful too. Here, take these gold coins. Forget about becoming a mercenary."

Kagan tossed a bag of money to Su Luo. Su Luo glanced at the gold coins inside; there were roughly four or five hundred.

"Thank you, Uncle, but I can't accept a reward without merit. I should still do something for the Blood War Mercenary Group. Don't worry, I know my own limits, so I plan to hunt magical beasts based on my own ability. I only need you to provide some medicinal herbs."

"Medicinal herbs? Little brother, are you a physician?"

Kagan's eyes lit up at the mention of a physician. Although Su Luo's strength did not seem impressive, if he were a physician, he would be of great use to the Blood War Mercenary Group.

Su Luo shook his head. "No."

"Hahaha, Kagan, you're not much older than my father. How can you be so muddleheaded? At his age, he can still be a physician? Do you think everyone has Xiao Yi Xian's talent?"

Mu Li laughed. Even Mu She behind him curled his lips into a smile. As mercenary groups in Qingshan Town, seeing another mercenary group suffer embarrassment was immensely satisfying.

However, their smiles did not last long, because Su Luo spoke.

"I'm not a physician. I'm an Alchemist."

Silence. As Su Luo's words fell, the square became so silent it was deafening.

A few seconds later, Mu Li was suddenly kicked from behind, sending him flying five meters.

"You unfilial bastard! Get on your knees and apologize to the esteemed Alchemist at once!"