After leaving the cave, Xiao Lei didn't hurry back to Green Mountain Town. Instead, he turned and plunged into the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
With his current cultivation, as long as he stayed out of the core region, he'd face little danger in the outer reaches.
Xiao Lei had cultivation now, but little combat experience.
Although the Dou Qi Continent didn't put much stock in things like swordsmanship, instead focusing on cultivating Dou Qi and Dou Techniques to unleash a burst of power and finish off an opponent,
he still needed to develop some fighting ability. At the very least, he couldn't go blank and just take hits when a fight broke out.
With that in mind, Xiao Lei searched for Tier 2 and Tier 3 Magical Beasts to fight along the way.
A week later, Xiao Lei reached a Magical Beast carcass. He crouched down with practiced ease, drew his dagger, and dug out its Magic Core.
It was the corpse of a Tier 3 Magical Beast. When humans became Da Dou Shi, the Dou Qi Vortex inside their bodies underwent a qualitative transformation and became a solid Dou Crystal. Magical Beasts, meanwhile, were guaranteed to possess a Magic Core once they reached Tier 3.
Tossing the Magic Core in his hand, Xiao Lei hefted the Magical Beast known as a Poison Vine Snake onto his shoulder.
This Magical Beast was somewhat special. From the alchemy knowledge he'd gotten from Guni, Xiao Lei had learned that a Beast Flame called Poison Vine Fire could apparently be extracted from its corpse.
When driven, this flame was seven parts fire and three parts poison. It wasn't suitable for refining pills, so Guni hadn't bothered to obtain it.
But Xiao Lei was different. He was extremely interested in this Beast Flame!
Use Dou Qi to drive the Beast Flame and spew poison gas, then absorb the poison gas to increase his cultivation.
Step on his left foot with his right, and spiral up to the heavens!
And if Xiao Yi Xian decided to cultivate the Woe Poison Body, Poison Vine Fire could be useful to her as well!
One of Xiao Lei's goals during his ventures in the mountain range these past few days had been to catch a Poison Vine Snake.
With the Poison Vine Snake slung over his shoulder, Xiao Lei headed toward Green Mountain Town.
Extracting Beast Flame required slowly refining the Poison Vine Snake's flesh and blood in a medicine cauldron. The process took a long time and couldn't be interrupted; otherwise, the flame would be incomplete, and perfect Poison Vine Fire couldn't form.
Alone, Xiao Lei didn't intend to do the refining out in the wilderness.
At dusk, the setting sun was red as blood!
Along the trail outside Green Mountain Town that led into the Magical Beast Mountain Range, weary mercenaries returned from their outings, thankful to have survived another day.
Two mercenaries stood there, watching the returning mercenaries as if searching for someone...
"The young regiment commander's something else. The guy's obviously already left Green Mountain Town, and he still has us keeping watch here every day!"
The two men had naturally been sent by Mu Li to watch for Xiao Lei. Mu Li had asked around and learned that Xiao Lei had entered the Magical Beast Mountain Range by this trail.
"Come on, keeping watch here isn't so bad! At least we don't have to go into the mountains and risk our lives. I heard a few more men from the regiment got killed in there recently. They were all Six-Star Dou Zhe experts, too!"
Unlike the previous mercenary, Han Fan had a clearer head and a much better attitude.
"That's true. But how'd those guys from the regiment get killed? Six-Star Dou Zhe, and they were moving together. Even if they ran into a Tier 2 Magical Beast, that shouldn't have been enough to do them in. Magical Beasts aren't stupid; they won't fight people to the death!"
"Ah, I heard they ran into a Tier 3 Poison Vine Snake and got poisoned because they were too slow to escape!"
"Poison Vine Snake!" Lin Li muttered. He wasn't quick-witted, and the others weren't too keen on bringing him into the mountains. Most of the time, he only went along as a guard for herb-gathering parties, not with the mercenary group's hunting squad. So he'd never seen a Tier 3 Magical Beast.
"P-Poison Vine Snake!"
Han Fan's startled voice rang in Lin Li's ear, and Lin Li was instantly exasperated.
"What are you shouting for!"
I'd understand if I were surprised to hear about a Poison Vine Snake, but what the hell are you surprised about? You're the one who told me!
"No, Xiao Lei's back, and... he's carrying a Poison Vine Snake!"
Han Fan stared at Xiao Lei approaching in the distance, along with the long Poison Vine Snake corpse trailing behind him. He was so shocked he could barely believe his eyes.
Mu Li, you want to take on a guy this fierce? You might as well say you're planning to fly to the heavens!
"What? Xiao Lei's here? Where? Let's hurry and capture him, then collect the reward from the young regiment commander!"
Hearing Han Fan, Lin Li didn't catch his meaning. He excitedly turned around, confirmed that it really was Xiao Lei, then hurriedly turned back to call Han Fan over so they could attack together.
But...
"Where is he? Wasn't he just standing here?"
Lin Li glanced at the empty space behind him. His sluggish brain couldn't seem to come up with an answer to such a complicated question.
So he turned and charged at Xiao Lei.
"Xiao Lei, our young regiment commander told me to wait for you here. You'd better surrender!"
As he charged, Lin Li didn't forget to shout.
Xiao Lei looked at the charging Four-Star Dou Zhe, then glanced at the Poison Vine Snake on his shoulder.
What kind of idiot was this?
Kid, were you always this brave?
Without even setting down the Poison Vine Snake, Xiao Lei raised his free left hand and aimed it at Lin Li. Sucking Palm activated, yanking the man toward him.
"Who did you say was looking for me?" Xiao Lei asked with interest as he watched Lin Li struggle in his grasp.
He was already a Da Dou Shi, and the Wolf Head Mercenary Group still dared to come after him!
The key was that Xiao Lei felt completely innocent. What had he even done for Mu Li to insist on throwing himself into the grave?
"Our Wolf Head Mercenary Group's young regiment commander, Mu Li, told me to wait here..."
Before Lin Li could finish, the suction in Xiao Lei's hand surged. Dou Qi churned, and Lin Li's face twisted in agony as it flushed bright red!
At last, blood burst through his blood vessels and seeped out through his skin!
In just half a minute, all the blood in Lin Li's body had drained away in this horrifying fashion!
Seeing this, Xiao Lei felt no fear at all. This wasn't the first time he'd killed someone.
Mu Li! Since it had come to this, I'd spend a little time and personally send you to your grave!
With that, Xiao Lei set off for the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's headquarters.
The surrounding mercenaries had been scared out of their wits by the way Xiao Lei had just killed Lin Li. They scattered to clear a path, making it look almost as if they were welcoming him between their ranks.
As the saying went: If you gave it your all, I'd surely line the road to welcome you!
As for the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's headquarters, they hadn't received any news yet, because Han Fan had run for his life!
"Young regiment commander, if you ask me, Xiao Lei was probably scared of you and has already run off. Those pretty boys are all soft as dough. As soon as they offend you, they run away! Hahaha..."
"Well said! But I'm still pissed. If I catch him, I'll beat him until he can't even take care of himself, then chop off those two ounces of manhood and feed them to the dogs!"
Mu Li and several mercenaries were dead drunk, loudly shooting the breeze.
Xiao Lei: Don't believe rumors or spread them. You've got two ounces.
Boom!
A low, heavy impact rang out. Mu Li jumped in fright, and the alcohol-numbed nerves in his brain cleared considerably.
"Wh-What's going on?" Mu Li slurred. The men beside him stayed silent.
Boom!
Another low, heavy impact sounded, followed right after by the loud crash of the main gate hitting the ground.
"Ah—!"
Screams rang out beyond the gate, but fell silent after only a moment!
"Who dares cause trouble at the Wolf Head Mercenary Group? My father is..."
Mu Li shouted shakily toward the gate, as if that could drive away some of his fear!
Judging by the wet patch on his pants, it seemed to work!
Bang!
The gate was kicked open. Xiao Lei held a bloodstained long saber and stared cruelly at Mu Li, a wicked smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
"Oh! Were you talking about him?"
Xiao Lei tossed the head he was holding. It landed squarely in Mu Li's hands.
"Dad? Dad!"
"Oh, are you calling him Dad just to save your own life?"
Xiao Lei raised his left hand and wiped the blood from his cheek with the back of it. Then, holding the long saber in one hand, he walked toward Mu Li step by step.
The sharp blade scraped across the stone slabs, making a piercing sound. Blood from the saber dragged across the stone, leaving behind a thin, winding streak!
"You—"
His voice cut off abruptly!
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