Lin Ze mentally marked Huo Lie as someone to watch out for, then entered a state of cultivation.
The wolf pack's attack had not only drastically reduced his Flesh Essence gains, but also disrupted his cultivation plans for the day.
Thinking of how one thing after another had interfered with his plans, Lin Ze couldn't help cursing under his breath.
"Damn whoever stirred up the wolf pack."
Even Lin Ze wasn't sure whether he was cursing the Wolf Head Mercenary Group or the Flame Mercenary Group.
After all, based on the information he had gathered so far, the Flame Mercenary Group weren't exactly good people either.
Even if the Wolf Head Mercenary Group hadn't interfered,
the Flame Mercenary Group's successful completion of their mission would still have provoked an attack by the wolf pack.
In fact, as Liu Hu had said, today's attack by the wolf pack was nothing compared to one led by the Fire Wolf King. It was a mere drop in the ocean.
If they really encountered an attack on that scale, they would likely lose more than three Death Soldiers.
Still, Lin Ze wasn't going to seize on a mere suspicion and turn it into hatred for someone.
Since nothing had happened yet, he would set the matter aside for now.
He simply sent Death Soldiers to keep a close eye on the Flame Mercenary Group's movements.
If they found that the Flame Mercenary Group still hadn't given up on the Fire Wolf King Cub, then once Lin Ze grew stronger, he would have a reason to act.
After all, you got the benefits while everyone else shared the risks? What kind of deal was that?
As one of the parties bearing the risks, Lin Ze had every right to strike hard against the Flame Mercenary Group!
"I hope you know what's good for you."
Lin Ze thought to himself.
The sky was just beginning to brighten. In the light, the pale cyan Dou Qi shimmered with a hint of brilliance.
Lin Ze slowly let out a breath.
"After all this cultivation, I've finally stabilized my realm at One Star Dou Practitioner."
"But I'm still progressing a little slowly."
"I really hope another Blue Rare Death Soldier appears soon—preferably someone who can help with my cultivation. Give me an alchemist!"
Lin Ze couldn't help voicing his wish.
On the Dou Qi Continent, an alchemist could indeed provide tremendous help with cultivation.
A new day began with assigning the Death Soldiers.
Lin Ze kept four Death Soldiers by his side and had them focus on cultivation.
Two Death Soldiers pretended to be idle vagabonds, loitering near the Flame Mercenary Group and watching their movements.
The remaining Death Soldiers split into seven teams of three to hunt Magical Beasts!
However, after the wolf pack's attack, Lin Ze didn't want the Death Soldiers venturing deep into the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
He had the teams hunt only near Fire Wolf Town.
As it happened, Lin Ze seemed to have arrived at just the right time.
The Fire Wolf King had just given birth, and the Fire Wolf Pack wasn't very active. That was why things had stayed peaceful these past few days.
If the Fire Wolf King recovered and began seriously disrupting the Death Soldier Squads' hunting,
Lin Ze would have to reconsider whether to stay in Fire Wolf Town.
After all, there was nothing in Fire Wolf Town worth keeping him there.
There were so many small towns on the edge of the Magical Beast Mountain Range!
Lin Ze refused to believe every one of them was full of such damn trouble.
After assigning the Daily Death Soldiers, Lin Ze stood up and stretched.
He found that the injuries he'd suffered earlier had completely healed.
"Phew! I'm finally recovered."
"I've been cooped up in the Small Courtyard for long enough. Now that I'm healed, I might as well get some exercise and check the admissions date for Jia Nan Academy."
He acted as soon as the thought occurred to him. After arranging things with the Death Soldiers, Lin Ze tidied up and headed out.
As a small town on the edge of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Fire Wolf Town was neither large nor small, and mostly served mercenaries.
That was why taverns were common there, especially those that offered more than just drinks.
But that didn't mean the entire town was without a single library.
Following the information the Death Soldiers had gathered over the past few days, Lin Ze admired Fire Wolf Town's distinctive character as he walked.
Before long, he reached a modest library in a corner of town.
The library offered books for outright purchase or paid borrowing.
Lin Ze paid the fee and began browsing.
Besides looking up Jia Nan Academy's admissions date, he figured that since he'd paid, he might as well see whether there was any other useful information.
Lin Ze flipped through the books at a rapid pace.
If something wasn't the information he wanted, he skimmed right past it.
"Hm?"
Lin Ze came across a strange account from more than a decade ago.
One day, seventeen years earlier, the skies over the entire Jia Ma Empire—and even the territories of other, more distant empires—had turned blood-red.
It was as if some calamity were about to befall the world.
According to rumor, even the Dou Huang experts had been completely baffled.
The entire empire had been gripped by panic during that time.
But when nothing happened, the matter was gradually forgotten, becoming a curious legend.
As Lin Ze read the account, he searched his memory and found that he barely remembered it.
"I don't remember much about this. If it really happened as described here and affected such a vast area, I should have some recollection of it..."
"Wait, isn't that date my birthday?"
Lin Ze checked other books that mentioned the event and found a more precise account. He couldn't help feeling surprised.
"Wait! Could my parents have been worried I'd dwell on it, so they rarely brought it up in front of me?"
The thought came to Lin Ze out of the blue. But when he considered it carefully, if he had to find a reason for the blood-red sky seventeen years ago, he could indeed link it to himself.
After all, that day had been his birthday—and the day he had crossed over into this world.
"Was it a coincidence, something else, or the effect of the Bronze Mirror?"
Lin Ze stood there thinking for a long while. In the end, he had no further information, and wild guesses weren't going to get him anywhere.
He committed the matter to memory and put the book back.
Just then, footsteps sounded outside the door, and Lin Ze turned to look.
After all, the library wasn't exactly busy.
Since Lin Ze had arrived, the only people inside had been him and the owner.
He was curious to see who the library's second customer would be.
But the face that came into view was familiar and lovely. Her slender waist, barely wide enough to encircle with both hands, looked even more graceful beneath the cinch of her belt.
Xiao Yi Xian?!
Lin Ze was taken aback. He hadn't expected to run into Xiao Yi Xian at the library in Fire Wolf Town.
Xiao Yi Xian looked even more stunned. She stood frozen for a moment before coming to her senses and turning to the person behind her.
"I'd like to look at books by myself for a while. You can go back. It's safe enough here in Fire Wolf Town."
"But... Xiao Yi Xian, Mr. Yao told me I had to stay by your side and protect you."
"It's fine. I'll talk to him later. Go back for now."
"...Yes."
The mercenary fell silent for a moment, then could only clasp his hands and bow to Xiao Yi Xian.
Xiao Yi Xian stepped lightly over to Lin Ze and said with a bright smile,
"Aren't you going to thank me? I sent the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's man away for you."
Lin Ze was briefly taken aback. The person outside had been a mercenary from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.
He'd thought Wan Yao Zhai had assigned Xiao Yi Xian a bodyguard.
And judging from Xiao Yi Xian's words, she already knew that he and the Wolf Head Mercenary Group were on bad terms—perhaps that they'd even had a clear falling-out.
"Is the Wolf Head Mercenary Group really being that blatant? Or is this because of Mu Li?"
Lin Ze wondered to himself.
But he still smiled and said to Xiao Yi Xian,
"Thanks. And... it's been a long time, Xiao Yi Xian."
Before you continue