Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's Excitement!

Luo Bu scrambled up from the ground, his face deathly pale.

The members of the Sand Mercenary Group stood rooted to the spot, completely dumbfounded.

Their leader was a Dou Grandmaster; how could he be sent flying by a single palm strike from a mere youth?

"How is this possible..." a mercenary muttered to himself.

"Did the leader not use his full strength?" another mercenary whispered.

"Do you think the leader looks like he was holding back?"

The mercenaries exchanged glances, none of them able to utter a word.

Luo Bu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and stared at Xiao Yan, the shock in his eyes gradually replaced by fury.

To be beaten like this by a greenhorn in front of so many of his subordinates—where would he put his face?

How could he continue to survive in Desert Rock City after this?

"Little bastard."

Luo Bu spat the words out through gritted teeth.

The Dou Qi within his body surged once more, even more violently than before.

This time, he did not hold back.

As a Dou Grandmaster unleashed his full power, his Dou Qi condensed into a visible film of light over his skin.

With a roar, Luo Bu thrust both palms forward, aiming straight for Xiao Yan's chest.

He poured every ounce of his strength into this strike.

Xiao Yan sidestepped, evading the force of the palms.

Luo Bu's strike hit nothing but air, his body lunging forward as he lost his balance.

Xiao Yan raised his hand, grabbed Luo Bu's wrist, and twisted hard.

"Crack."

The sound of bone snapping was clearly audible.

Luo Bu's scream echoed throughout the entire courtyard.

"My hand... my hand..."

Xiao Yan released his grip and snatched a longsword from the waist of a nearby mercenary.

The mercenary hadn't even reacted yet, only feeling a lightness at his waist as the sword vanished.

Xiao Yan swung the blade.

A flash of sword light streaked by.

Luo Bu's right arm was severed at the shoulder, and blood sprayed outward.

"Ah!"

Luo Bu collapsed to his knees, blood gushing from his stump.

His voice was sharp and piercing, a howl like a slaughtered pig.

"My hand, my hand is gone..."

The surrounding mercenaries turned pale, some beginning to retreat.

No one dared to step forward.

Luo Bu knelt on the ground, his entire body trembling.

He looked up at Xiao Yan, the fury in his eyes completely replaced by terror.

"Don't... don't kill me..."

Luo Bu's voice was shaking.

"I was wrong, I'll never dare to do it again..."

"I beg you, spare my life!"

Xiao Yan looked down at him, his face devoid of any expression.

Luo Bu knelt on the ground, kowtowing incessantly.

His forehead struck the stone floor—once, twice, three times.

Soon, blood began to flow, trickling down the bridge of his nose.

"I really know I was wrong..."

"If you spare me, I will give you all the resources of the Sand Mercenary Group."

"I will leave Desert Rock City and never return..."

Seeing their leader kneeling and begging for mercy, the surrounding mercenaries followed suit and knelt down as well.

Dozens of men knelt in unison on the ground.

"Spare us, please."

"We were only following the commander's orders."

"I beg you, let us go."

"We won't dare do it again."

"We'll leave Desert Rock City and never come back..."

Xiao Yan looked at them, his face devoid of any expression.

He raised his hand and struck out with a palm.

The few mercenaries at the very front were sent flying backward on the spot, crashing to the ground, their breaths extinguished.

The remaining mercenaries' faces changed drastically, and some turned to flee.

Xiao Yan's figure flickered, and with each palm, one fell.

One mercenary had barely taken two steps before being struck away.

Another mercenary collapsed before he could even turn around.

A third mercenary knelt on the ground, not daring to move, yet Xiao Yan showed no mercy.

In a few moments, all dozens of mercenaries lay on the ground.

Not a single one could crawl back up.

The courtyard was filled with a thick, pungent scent of blood.

Luo Bu knelt in a pool of blood, his entire body trembling.

Everyone around him was dead, leaving only him behind.

The once-mighty commander of the Sand Mercenary Group, who could summon wind and rain in Desert Rock City, was now like a stray dog.

"I beg you, I beg you..."

"Spare me, I can give you money, lots of money."

"Everything belonging to the Sand Mercenary Group is yours."

Xiao Yan looked down at him and said indifferently, "It's too late."

He swung his sword.

Luo Bu's body stiffened in place before slowly toppling over.

Xiao Yan tossed the longsword aside and turned to walk toward Xiao Ding and Xiao Li.

The system's voice rang out in his mind.

[Host helped Xiao Yan kill Luo Bu, reward feedback received.]

[Ascension Pill (Peak Tier 6): Consuming this allows one to advance to a one-star Dou King.]

[Medicinal ingredients required for refining have been issued to the system inventory.]

Xiao Yan stopped in his tracks and opened his system inventory to take a look.

The ingredients for the Ascension Pill lay neatly inside.

Snow Spirit Ginseng, Purple Spirit Ganoderma, Thousand Spirit Grass—not a single one was missing.

There were also several auxiliary ingredients, all precious herbs used only for Tier 6 pills.

Xiao Yan smiled with satisfaction.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li stood where they were, watching Xiao Yan approach, unable to speak for a long time.

The courtyard was littered with corpses.

Xiao Ding took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.

"Little Yan, you..."

"Big Brother, Second Brother, it's over now," Xiao Yan said.

Xiao Li regained his senses, looking at the corpses on the ground and then back at Xiao Yan.

Xiao Ding stepped forward and patted Xiao Yan's shoulder firmly.

"Good, good," Xiao Ding said. "My brother, Xiao Ding's brother, is truly extraordinary."

Xiao Li also smiled, though blood still stained the corner of his mouth. "I said it before, Little Yan is no ordinary person."

"Let's go inside and talk," Xiao Ding said.

Inside the main hall.

The three of them sat down, and Xiao Ding had a servant girl serve tea.

Xiao Li picked up his teacup, took a sip, set it down, and looked at Xiao Yan.

"Little Yan, what are your plans for the future?"

"I am going to help you improve your strength," Xiao Yan said.

Xiao Ding was stunned for a moment. "Help us improve our strength?"

"I have the medicinal ingredients to refine the Ascension Pill. After consuming it, one can directly advance to a one-star Dou King," Xiao Yan said.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were both dumbfounded.

A one-star Dou King?

Their current strength was only at the Dou Grandmaster level.

They were still a long, long way from becoming a Dou King.

"Little Yanzi, you aren't joking, are you?" Xiao Li asked.

"I am not joking," Xiao Yan said.

Xiao Ding remained silent for a moment before speaking, "What grade is the Ascension Pill?"

"Peak sixth-grade," Xiao Yan said.

Xiao Ding gasped.

A peak sixth-grade medicinal pill was something that could barely be found in the entire Jia Ma Empire.

Xiao Li rubbed his hands together. "I wouldn't even dare to dream of becoming a one-star Dou King."

"Second Brother, just wait and see," Xiao Yan said.

"Little Yanzi, you should keep such pills for yourself," Xiao Ding said. "We don't need them."

"Big Brother, I have no use for them," Xiao Yan said. "I am already a four-star Dou King."

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were stunned once again.

A four-star Dou King at fifteen years old.

Xiao Ding opened his mouth, but could not find the words to speak for a long time.

Xiao Li was the same, staring at Xiao Yan with wide eyes.

The hall was silent for a moment.

Xiao Ding suddenly burst into laughter, his eyes turning red from the emotion.

Xiao Li laughed as well. "My brother, Xiao Li's brother, is a four-star Dou King."

Xiao Yan looked at his two brothers, feeling moved in his heart.

"Big Brother and Second Brother are proud of you," Xiao Ding said, patting Xiao Yan's shoulder firmly.

"Leave the matter of the Ascension Pill to me. Once I have refined them, you will also be able to advance to Dou King," Xiao Yan said as he stood up.

Xiao Yan turned and left.

As he walked out of the hall, he looked back.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were still standing there, smiles hanging on their faces.

Xiao Yan withdrew his gaze and walked toward the backyard.