Cutting the Grass and Removing the Roots

The next day, the midday sun dispelled the chill in the mountain ravine, but it couldn't dispel the gloom and rage that weighed on Mu Li's heart.

He led a group of his subordinates, dragging their exhausted bodies, finally returning to the outskirts of Qingshan Town in a sorry state.

Just thinking about how last night he not only failed to capture Xiao Yi Xian and that brat, but they had escaped in a bizarre manner, and several of his brothers had been injured falling on that damned ice path, made Mu Li so angry he almost vomited blood.

"Damn it! Once I get back to the group, I'll mobilize everyone to drag out that pair of dogs and bitches! Mo Lin, you little bastard, I'll tear you to shreds!" Mu Li growled through gritted teeth, his face contorted with ferocity.

He fantasized about how he would mobilize his troops and exact his revenge once he returned to headquarters.

However, as he and his subordinates approached the familiar street where the Wolf Head Mercenary Group headquarters was located, a strange atmosphere made his heart skip a beat.

It was too quiet! Normally, at this time, the area around the headquarters should be bustling with people, filled with the noise and training sounds of mercenaries.

But now, it was terrifyingly silent.

An ominous premonition coiled around Mu Li's heart like a poisonous snake.

He quickened his pace, almost running to the gate of the headquarters' courtyard.

Then, he and all the mercenaries behind him froze in place as if under a spell, staring dumbfounded at the scene before them.

The heavy, iron gate, symbolizing the majesty of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, along with a large section of the adjacent courtyard wall, was gone!

In its place was a huge, hideous gap with jagged edges, as if a primordial beast had gnawed a piece out of it!

Through the gap, they could see the chaos within the courtyard. The ground was covered with a thick layer of frost that hadn't completely melted, and within the frost were frozen dark red bloodstains and... some unidentifiable, human-shaped ice fragments.

The once noisy and powerful headquarters of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group now resembled a ruin that had just experienced a natural disaster, silent and filled with an aura of death and cold.

"This... how is this possible?!" Mu Li's mind went blank; he couldn't comprehend what he was seeing.

Where did my huge home go? Where is my father? Where are all my brothers?

He stumbled into the courtyard, his feet crunching on the cold, blood-stained ice shards, making "crunch, crunch" sounds.

He looked around; there was nothing but desolation and silence.

"Young leader... Young leader... Look over there..." a mercenary said, his voice trembling, pointing to the entrance of the main hall.

Mu Li followed his gaze and saw, on the ground at the entrance of the main hall, a headless corpse covered in thick ice. The familiar clothing and build...

"Father--!" Mu Li let out a heart-wrenching scream, tumbling and crawling as he rushed over, hugging the cold corpse and sobbing uncontrollably.

He couldn't accept that in just one night, the pillar of his support, the capital of his arrogance, was gone just like that!

"Who?! Who did this?!" Mu Li's eyes turned blood red, and he roared like a madman.

A figure flashed through his mind – that white-robed youth, Mo Lin!

Only him! Only he possessed such bizarre ice-attribute abilities, and only they had such a deep grudge!

"It's Mo Lin! It must be that little bastard!" Mu Li suddenly stood up, his face filled with bone-chilling hatred. "I'm going to kill him! I will definitely kill him! Even if I have to chase him to the ends of the earth, I will..."

Before he could finish his harsh words, a calm, cold voice, as if from the depths of hell, suddenly sounded behind them:

"No need to chase to the ends of the earth, I'm already here."

Mu Li and his surviving mercenaries trembled violently and turned around in terror!

At the broken gap of the headquarters, at some unknown time, a figure had appeared.

Clad in a white robe, spotless, it was Mo Lin!

He leaned against the broken wall, arms crossed, calmly looking at them as if they were already dead.

"You... you..." Mu Li pointed at Mo Lin, trembling with rage. Fear and anger intertwined, making it almost impossible for him to speak coherently.

"It seems you've received the 'gift' I left behind," Mo Lin's lips curved into a cold arc. "For a family, the most important thing is to be whole. How about I send you down to reunite with your father?"

"Attack me! Kill him! Avenge the leader!" Mu Li went completely mad, shouting hysterically.

Although the remaining mercenaries were terrified, under the command of their young leader and the stimulus of their desperate situation, they charged forward with red eyes, brandishing their weapons.

Mo Lin shook his head, his eyes showing no ripple of emotion. "Stubborn fools."

He didn't even use the Ice Emperor's Claws or the Emperor Sword. He casually raised his right hand, spread his five fingers, and gently clenched them towards the charging mercenaries!

"Mimic Absolute Zero: Condense!"

In an instant, centered on him, a terrifying and purer extreme cold erupted, far more potent than last night's!

The air seemed to freeze, making "crackling" sounds! The charging mercenaries, including Mu Li, stiffened instantly, their faces frozen in expressions of horror, and a thick, impenetrable layer of profound ice rapidly covered their bodies!

In just a breath, the entire ruined courtyard was filled with more than a dozen ice sculptures in various poses!

Sunlight shone on the ice sculptures, reflecting a dazzling yet cold light.

Mo Lin lowered his hand, not even glancing at the ice sculptures, as if he had merely swatted away a few flies.

He walked up to Mu Li's ice sculpture, looked at the madness and fear frozen on the man's face, and flicked his finger.

"Crack..."

The ice sculpture shattered, turning into a pile of ice crystals. Along with Mu Li inside, he completely vanished from this world.

Cut the weeds, remove the roots. Clean and efficient.

Meanwhile, at Myriad Medicine Hall.

Xiao Yi Xian had barely slept all night. As soon as dawn broke, she returned to her room.

Her mind was a mess. She worried about Mo Lin's safety, blushed and her heart raced from their intimate contact last night, and felt fear of possible retaliation from Mu Li and the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

She sat by the window, gazing at the street that was gradually becoming lively, her delicate brows furrowed.

It wasn't until late morning that a huge commotion and uproar suddenly erupted outside, with faint sounds of panicked discussion from the people.

"Something big happened! The Wolf Head Mercenary Group... is gone!"

"Their entire headquarters is frozen solid! Commander Mu She is dead! It's terrifying!"

"I heard it was a young man in white! He did it in one move..."

"Heavens, Qingshan Town is about to change!"

Hearing these discussions, Xiao Yi Xian was stunned at first, then her beautiful eyes widened instantly, filled with disbelief and shock!

The Wolf Head Mercenary Group... gone? Mu She is dead? Did... did he do it?

An indescribable surge of ecstasy and relief washed over her!

That huge threat that had weighed on her heart, keeping her restless day and night, had actually... disappeared just like that?

Was it erased by that seemingly flippant, yet terrifyingly powerful young man, all by himself?

After the shock came a deep joy and a hint of pride.

She remembered Mo Lin's confident smile, his immense power. So when he said he was "going to solve the trouble," he meant it in such a thunderous way!

Her previous worries seemed so ridiculous in the face of his absolute strength.

But then, she remembered last night by the cliff, in the cave, how he had held and embraced her, teasing and provoking her with all sorts of words... She had been terrified to death then, filled with shame and anger. Thinking back now, that guy was clearly at ease, deliberately taking advantage of her! Enjoying her embarrassment!

"This scoundrel... big scoundrel!" Xiao Yi Xian couldn't help but pout her rosy lips, muttering to herself in the air.

Her tone held seven parts shyness, two parts annoyance, and one part sweetness that she herself didn't notice. "He's clearly so powerful, yet he just had to pretend and scare me... Is it that fun to toy with me? He's just... so annoying!"

The more she thought about it, the more indignant she felt, and she lightly punched the windowsill with her small fist.

Just then, a familiar voice with a teasing chuckle sounded in her ear without warning:

"Oh? So you're secretly calling me a scoundrel behind my back?"

Xiao Yi Xian yelped in fright and spun around abruptly. She saw that the room's window had been opened at some unknown time.

The "big scoundrel" who had unsettled her was sitting on the windowsill, resting on the frame with one hand, looking incredibly dashing.

His white robe fluttered gently in the breeze, and a roguish smile that made her both angry and helpless played on his lips as he gazed intently at her.

"You... How did you get in?!" Xiao Yi Xian's pretty face instantly turned crimson, like a ripe tomato, her heart pounding wildly as if it would leap out of her chest.

Hadn't he heard all her private mutterings just now? Oh heavens!

Mo Lin leaped lightly into the room and walked slowly towards her, leaning down to get close to her flushed, burning little face.

He deliberately asked in a deep, magnetic voice, "Did I just hear someone call me... a scoundrel? And say I was annoying to death?"

His breath brushed against her cheek, and Xiao Yi Xian felt her body go weak, even the tips of her ears turning red. She was so ashamed she wished she could find a hole to crawl into, stammering, "I... I didn't! You misheard!"

"Is that so?" Mo Lin raised an eyebrow, reached out, and gently pinched her soft, hot cheek. The sensation was excellent. He chuckled, "But I see someone's face is so red it could fry an egg. Are you... thinking bad thoughts?"

"You... You're talking nonsense! Get out! This is my room!" Xiao Yi Xian was both ashamed and flustered. She reached out to push him, but Mo Lin easily caught her wrist.

"Get out?" Mo Lin gently pulled her closer, looking at the delicate body trembling slightly in his arms from shame and anger, smelling the faint medicinal scent. He felt great, "I just helped you solve a huge problem, and you want to kick me out before I've even had a drink of water? Isn't that a bit heartless, my Xiao Yi Xian?"

"Who... Who's yours!" Xiao Yi Xian struggled, but felt his embrace was like a warm harbor, making her somewhat reluctant to leave. Her strength gradually waned, and finally, she could only bury her burning little face against his chest, protesting like a mosquito, "Let go of me... Big scoundrel..."

Seeing her shy and coquettish demeanor, a mixture of wanting to push him away and wanting him to hold her, Mo Lin felt a sense of accomplishment.

It seemed this trip to Qingshan Town had yielded far more than he had expected.

He lowered his head, blew gently into her ear, and chuckled softly:

"Scoundrel or not. In any case, you'll never escape from this 'big scoundrel's' palm in this lifetime."