Search for Xiao Yan!

News of Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Yan's disappearance reached the Wolf Head Mercenary Group headquarters, immediately causing a huge uproar.

Inside the headquarters hall, the atmosphere was grave.

Mu She, the mercenary group leader, sat in the seat of honor with a gloomy expression. Below him stood the grim-faced He Meng and several key members of the group.

He was broad and powerfully built, with a scar running from his brow to the corner of his mouth, making him look especially fierce. His aura had astonishingly reached the level of an eight-star Dou Shi.

"Useless trash! You couldn't even keep an eye on two people!" Mu She slammed his palm onto the table, instantly cracking the solid wooden surface.

"He Meng, you alerted them yesterday. Now they've run off, and the clue to the treasure has been cut off! What crime should you be charged with?"

He Meng trembled in fright and quickly dropped to one knee. "Leader, please calm your anger! It was this subordinate's failure! But I suspect Xiao Yi Xian and that boy of unknown origins must have entered the mountains overnight to search for that treasure cave!"

"Do you need to tell me that?" Mu She snorted coldly, greed and viciousness flashing in his eyes. "A possible cave dwelling left behind by an expert must not fall into anyone else's hands!"

At that moment, a young man dressed in fine robes emerged from the rear hall. His face carried a sickly pallor.

He was Mu She's only son, the young leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group—Mu Li.

Mu Li's cultivation was not high, barely reaching seven-star Dou Zhe, but he was sinister and ruthless. He was also generous with his money, giving him considerable influence within the group.

"Father, now isn't the time to assign blame." Mu Li's voice was shrill, carrying a feminine softness.

"The urgent matter is to send people into the mountains at once and capture those two! We must see them alive or see their corpses! Most importantly, we must obtain the cave dwelling's exact location!"

Mu She nodded. He relied heavily on this son of his. "Li'er, you're right. How do you think we should arrange this?"

A calculating glint flashed through Mu Li's narrow eyes as he said, "Captain He Meng knows that area fairly well. Have him lead a squad of elites as the vanguard and track them along the herb-gathering routes Xiao Yi Xian might have taken.

"At the same time, Father, order the main routes into that part of the Monster Mountain Range sealed off. Let no one leave!

"Send several more squads to conduct a sweeping search from other directions!

"I refuse to believe those two, wounded as they are, can fly out of our grasp!"

"Good! We'll do as Li'er says!" Mu She decided immediately, his gaze sweeping across the crowd as he barked.

"Did you all hear the young leader's orders? Move out immediately! Whoever finds them first, or finds the cave dwelling, will be richly rewarded! If you let them escape, bring me your heads!"

"Yes, Leader! Young Leader!" everyone shouted in unison, killing intent surging around them.

Very quickly, the entire Wolf Head Mercenary Group began operating like a massive war machine.

He Meng led a squad of elite Dou Zhe into the Monster Mountain Range first, pursuing them along the concealed paths Xiao Yi Xian was likely to have chosen.

At the same time, most of the group's manpower was mobilized to seal off several key routes in and out of the mountains, inspecting all travelers passing through. The atmosphere immediately grew tense.

The remaining mercenaries split into several groups and began conducting an intensive combing search of the target area.

Mu Li stood atop the watchtower at the mercenary group headquarters, watching the busy troops below. A cold, assured smile appeared on his pale face.

"Xiao Yi Xian, and that boy who doesn't know his own limits... There has never been anything this young master wanted that I couldn't obtain!"

Meanwhile, deep within the Monster Mountain Range.

After a night of arduous travel, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian finally reached the hidden Valley Xiao Yi Xian had mentioned at dawn.

The entrance to the Valley was concealed by dense vines and scattered rocks. Without Xiao Yi Xian leading the way, it would have been extremely difficult to find.

However, both of them looked rather bedraggled now.

Xiao Yan's leg injury had yet to heal, and forcing himself onward had made his face even paler and his breathing uneven.

Xiao Yi Xian was also exhausted, with several tears in her dress from the thorns.

"This is it."

Xiao Yi Xian pushed aside the thick vines, revealing a pitch-black cave entrance behind them. A cool breeze carrying the smell of mildew and long-sealed dust blew out from within.

Xiao Yan extended his Soul Power slightly, sensing the situation around the entrance.

There were indeed faint traces of energy remaining at the entrance. They were extremely old, and there did not seem to be any obvious mechanisms or traps.

"Let's go in and take a look. Be careful."

Xiao Yan spoke quietly, removing the Black Heavy Ruler from his back and gripping it in his hand.

Though he was in poor condition, he could not afford to lower his guard.

Xiao Yi Xian nodded, raising her moonstone lamp as she entered the cave first. Xiao Yan followed close behind.

The cave interior was more spacious and dry than they had imagined. The passage sloped downward, and there were signs of artificial excavation on the rock walls.

Though crude, it did indeed resemble some abandoned cave dwelling.

The two cautiously explored inward for roughly the time it took to burn an incense stick before a heavy stone door appeared ahead, blocking their path.

The stone door was covered in thick dust, with nothing remarkable visible on its surface.

"Looks like we'll need to find the mechanism or force it open," Xiao Yan said as he examined the stone door.

Just then, his expression abruptly changed, and he whipped around toward the cave entrance!

"What is it?" Xiao Yi Xian was startled by his sudden movement.

"Someone's coming! Quite a few of them, and they're moving fast!" Xiao Yan said gravely. Within his soul perception, several murderous auras were rapidly closing in on the Valley!

It was clearly the Wolf Head Mercenary Group pursuing them, and the person leading them was obviously He Meng, whom he had encountered before!

"What? They found us so quickly?" Xiao Yi Xian's face paled, panic flashing in her eyes.

"Looks like we underestimated their determination and tracking ability." Xiao Yan's gaze turned cold as his mind raced.

An unknown stone door blocked the way ahead, while pursuers closed in behind them. The situation had instantly become extremely dangerous!

"Teacher, what do we do?" he urgently asked in his heart.

"Why are you panicking?" Han Feng's cold voice sounded, carrying a trace of impatience.

"Would a few mere Dou Zhe really leave this old man helpless? Try pushing open this stone door first. If that doesn't work, I'll use Soul Power to frighten them off temporarily, then we'll think of another way!"

Hearing this, Xiao Yan felt somewhat reassured.

He walked to the stone door, took a deep breath, poured the little Dou Qi he had left into both arms, braced them against the door, and pushed with all his strength!

Rumble...

The stone door let out a dull rumble and shook slightly, sending down a shower of dust, but it did not open.

Clearly, the stone door was incredibly heavy. In his current state, Xiao Yan could not force it open.

"No, I can't push it open!" Xiao Yan's expression darkened.

At that moment, distinct shouts and hurried footsteps came from the cave entrance!

"They're inside!"

"Quick! Block the entrance! Don't let them get away!"

The Wolf Head Mercenary Group had arrived!

A ruthless glint flashed through Xiao Yan's eyes. He tightened his grip on the Black Heavy Ruler and shielded Xiao Yi Xian behind him, ready to fight for his life.

However, at that critical moment, the stone door behind him suddenly made a faint series of clicking sounds without warning.

A faint light flashed through the gap in the door. Then, the heavy stone door slowly opened inward, creating a crack just wide enough for one person to pass through!

An even stronger ancient, musty aura rushed out from beyond the gap.

Both Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian froze.

"Get inside, quickly!" Han Feng's urgent voice rang in Xiao Yan's mind. "There's something strange about this stone door. It seems to have opened only after sensing specific conditions! Don't worry about that now—get inside first!"

Xiao Yan had no time to think. He grabbed the still-dazed Xiao Yi Xian and slipped into the darkness beyond the stone door.

The very next second after they entered, He Meng and seven or eight elite mercenaries charged murderously up to the stone door.

Seeing the slowly closing gap and the figures disappearing behind it, he flew into a rage!

"Damn it! They got inside! Smash it! Break this damn door open!"

He Meng roared as he swung his saber and slashed fiercely at the stone door.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Sparks flew everywhere, yet the stone door did not move in the slightest. Only a few shallow white marks appeared on its surface.

"Captain, this stone door is too hard! We can't break it!" a mercenary said, panting heavily.

He Meng's face turned livid. Staring at the tightly shut stone door, his eyes were filled with unwillingness and greed.

He knew the treasure was behind that door!

"You lot, guard this place! I'll go back at once and report to the young leader and the leader! We'll bring more men and tools! I refuse to believe we can't open this damn door!" He Meng said through gritted teeth.

Inside the cave dwelling, the immediate danger had eased.

But outside, the Wolf Head Mercenary Group had surrounded the place like sharks scenting blood, sealing it off completely.

Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian discovered that they were trapped inside the cave dwelling.

And behind that door, would the cave dwelling bring them fortune or disaster?