Bloodfire Mercenary Group

After Jiang Chen returned home, he had a meal with his mother, Li Huirong, before bidding her farewell.

"Mother, I have something to take care of outside. I'll be back in a few days," Jiang Chen said.

"Chen'er, are you going into the Great Desolate Mountain Range again?" Li Huirong asked in surprise.

The Great Desolate Mountain Range was extremely dangerous. Aside from powerful demonic beasts, there were also other cultivators. It was a true place where the weak were prey to the strong.

Li Huirong did not want Jiang Chen to enter such a dangerous place, even though his current cultivation was at the Martial Artist Realm, Fourth Level, which was considered quite respectable.

"Mother, cultivation is already defying the heavens. Danger is unavoidable. If I keep worrying about danger and never venture out, I'll never amount to much in this lifetime."

"I haven't forgotten the grudge of Liu Yun crippling my dantian. I'll definitely repay this grudge. I want revenge," Jiang Chen said.

"Mother, don't worry. I'll protect myself. The family tournament is in half a month, and I must achieve a good result. Besides, this year the Three Great Sects of Beihai Prefecture are also recruiting disciples. I want to join one of them," Jiang Chen said.

Only by achieving a good result in the family tournament would one have the chance to participate in a sect's examination.

Every town had a certain number of quotas. To obtain one, they had to display their strength.

After obtaining a quota, they would have to compete with other geniuses. Only those who performed outstandingly would have a chance to join a sect.

What Jiang Chen did not know was that the token Long Qingyao had given him earlier was entirely enough to let him bypass the process and join Tianyun Sect directly. He did not need to take any examination at all.

Long Qingyao had not made that clear at the time, and Lin Bei did not know either.

"Liu Yun!" When Li Huirong heard that name, her heart became extremely complicated. Liu Yun had once been her adopted daughter, but she had never imagined that Liu Yun would now stand opposed to them.

However, anyone who dared hurt her family was an enemy.

Jiang Chen's dantian had been crippled, and Jiang Yunfeng had been injured—all of it was because of Liu Yun.

"All right. You have your own martial path, so Mother won't stop you. In any case, be careful in everything you do." Li Huirong nodded.

A man ought to stand tall beneath the heavens and upon the earth. It was a good thing that Jiang Chen possessed such an attitude.

After leaving home, Jiang Chen bought some dry provisions at a shop in the town before entering the Great Desolate Mountain Range.

To save himself trouble, Jiang Chen had specifically bought a map of the Great Desolate Mountain Range. It depicted the rough terrain of the surrounding area, marked some dangerous regions, and even indicated the location of Snake King Valley.

"About two hundred and thirty li away. That's pretty far, but I should be able to reach it in a day," Jiang Chen thought.

For a fifth-tier blade martial skill, Jiang Chen was going all out.

Along the way, Jiang Chen directly slew every demonic beast he encountered. After practicing the Soaring Wave Steps, his speed had increased tremendously.

Jiang Chen's comprehension was now extremely powerful, making it easy for him to master these martial skills.

This was definitely the effect of practicing the Sky Devouring Demonic Dragon Art.

"Roar..." A Water Cloud Wolf charged toward Jiang Chen.

The Water Cloud Wolf was injured and at the Second Rank, Sixth Level. Its eyes gleamed with ferocity as it opened its bloody maw and bit straight at Jiang Chen.

"Courting death." Seeing a demonic beast attack him, Jiang Chen naturally would not sit there and await death.

Jiang Chen's long blade flashed out.

"Hegemonic Blade Art, First Form!" A blade ray swept across and struck directly at the Water Cloud Wolf's neck.

"Pfft..." A shocking wound appeared on the Water Cloud Wolf's neck.

Jiang Chen brushed past the Water Cloud Wolf.

The Water Cloud Wolf staggered only a few steps before its body collapsed.

Jiang Chen then circulated his cultivation art. The blood-qi power within the Water Cloud Wolf's body converged toward him and was devoured and absorbed, causing Jiang Chen's cultivation to rise somewhat.

Just then, a six-man team appeared from the direction the Water Cloud Wolf had come from.

When Jiang Chen saw the clothes they wore, he froze. These six people were actually members of the Bloodfire Mercenary Group.

The Bloodfire Mercenary Group was a force active in several nearby towns. They specialized in robbing and plundering, and many people disliked them.

However, the Bloodfire Mercenary Group was powerful, so most people dared not complain openly.

Moreover, they often entered the Great Desolate Mountain Range to hunt demonic beasts. Ordinary people would keep as far away from them as possible upon encountering them, lest they be robbed.

Since the Bloodfire Mercenary Group was so powerful, no one in the surrounding towns dared provoke them.

"Captain, that Water Cloud Wolf is actually dead," one of the mercenaries said.

The leader was at the Martial Artist Realm, Eighth Level, while the others were all above the Martial Artist Realm, Fourth Level.

"Did he kill it?" someone asked, fixing his gaze on Jiang Chen.

"Come on, let's go take a look," the burly captain at the front said.

"Kid, we were the ones who dealt with this Water Cloud Wolf first, so it's our spoils. Get lost," one of the mercenaries said viciously.

They were members of the Bloodfire Mercenary Group, and Jiang Chen did not want trouble. It was only a Second Rank, Fifth Level Water Cloud Wolf, worth little in spirit stones.

Jiang Chen thought it over. There was no need to make an enemy of the Bloodfire Mercenary Group over such a small amount of material.

"Fine, then I'll leave first." Jiang Chen turned around after speaking and was about to leave.

"Looks like you know your place." Seeing how obedient Jiang Chen was, the mercenary revealed a smug smile.

"Stop right there!" the burly captain suddenly shouted.

"Is something wrong?" Jiang Chen frowned. The Water Cloud Wolf had died by his hand, yet he had already given it up.

"Kid, leave behind the long blade in your hand and the storage pouch at your waist. We can consider sparing your life. Otherwise, if we have to act ourselves, you won't keep your life." The captain sneered.

He had discovered that the long blade in Jiang Chen's hand was actually a Second Rank blade, and its grade was not low. It was definitely a valuable treasure.

Jiang Chen also had a storage pouch. Those were all valuable things, worth far more than the Water Cloud Wolf.

Now that they had encountered such a fat sheep, how could they possibly let it go?

"You want my things?" Jiang Chen said with a faint smile. Although he was smiling, a cold glint had already flashed through his eyes.

They actually dared to covet the things on him? Then they could not blame him for showing no mercy. So what if they were the Bloodfire Mercenary Group?

"That's right." The captain sneered.

The other five mercenaries also looked at Jiang Chen with mocking smiles.

If the captain had not been so observant, they would not have realized that Jiang Chen was so wealthy. Just now, all their attention had been focused on the Water Cloud Wolf.

They had nearly let a fat sheep escape.

Their opponent was merely a Martial Artist Realm, Fourth Level youth. Although he could be considered a genius, it took guts for one person to barge into the Great Desolate Mountain Range.

But this was not home. The outside world was extremely dangerous.

"What if I say no?" Jiang Chen said indifferently.

"No? Then die. In the Great Desolate Mountain Range, one more dead person is perfectly normal." The captain shouted angrily.

He had little patience, yet this brat actually dared refuse him.

"Get him! Kill him!" the captain ordered.

"Captain, don't worry. He's only a Martial Artist Realm, Fourth Level brat. We have so many people on our side. Killing him will be as easy as turning over our hands." The other five mercenaries immediately surrounded Jiang Chen.