Departure

Mu She stared in disbelief as Xiao Yu's Dou Qi changed from the Fire Attribute to the Wind Attribute. Such a thing was simply unheard of. A cultivator's attribute was determined from birth—how could it possibly be changed midway?

However, Xiao Yu clearly did not notice the shock in Mu She's eyes. At extreme speed, Xiao Yu closed in on Mu She, his calm voice sounding beside Mu She's ear. "Captain Mu, it's over!"

Mu She felt an intense killing intent. Icy Sword Qi instantly sliced across his throat, and warm, crimson blood sprayed from his body. The once-colorful world began to turn gray and white as scenes from his life flashed repeatedly through his mind.

His final thought was: If it hadn't been for the treasure in that cave, perhaps this disaster would never have happened!

But reality had no "if." Even if it did, the Wolf Head Mercenary Group would not have lasted much longer. They had long since become hated by Qingshan Town; destruction was both their destination and the inevitable course of events.

Holding Mo Scale, Xiao Yu flashed away from Mu She's side. He had long grown accustomed to bloody scenes like this, though the pungent stench of blood still made him frown. He put away Mo Scale and snapped his fingers lightly. Every corpse in the courtyard was enveloped by Heavenly Flames, turning to ashes within a few breaths!

"Let's go," Xiao Yu said as he looked at Xiao Yi Xian.

Xiao Yi Xian nodded. Little Lan, perched on her shoulder, gave a slight shudder, and its body abruptly enlarged. Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Yu, along with Little White and Little Zi, leaped onto Little Lan's back.

Xiao Yi Xian softly said, "Little Lan, let's go. Off to Mo City!"

Screech!

An eagle's cry rang out. With a slight beat of its wings, Little Lan carried everyone into the sky!

"Look, that's Xiao Yi Xian on the Azure Eagle's back!"

"It really is Xiao Yi Xian! Looks like Myriad Medicines Pavilion and the Wolf Head Mercenary Group joined forces to harm her!"

The people of Qingshan Town had all felt the intense Dou Master-level energy fluctuations coming from Myriad Medicines Pavilion just now, but they had only dared to observe from the outskirts. After all, they had watched Mu She lead a group of higher-ups inside, and they did not dare approach a battle between Dou Masters.

Only after Xiao Yi Xian and the others had flown far away did someone finally gather the courage to head toward Myriad Medicines Pavilion. Yet upon entering, they found nothing but white powder scattered all over the ground, without a single person in sight!

The leaders of the other two major mercenary groups soon arrived with their own higher-ups. Upon seeing the white powder, they seemed to realize something, their expressions changing drastically as they hurriedly departed with their men!

Xiao Yu, who had already left, naturally paid no attention to the panic that erupted in Qingshan Town afterward. At this moment, they were flying toward Mo City.

Mo City was a city standing amid a vast golden desert. It was the city closest to the Tagor Desert, located on the eastern border of the Jia Ma Empire, and one of the cities where humans gathered within the Tagor Desert!

Although Little Lan was a flying magical beast, it was only a first-tier magical beast and was not specifically meant for transportation. Thus, Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Yu traveled in fits and starts, barely arriving at Mo City after half a month!

High in the sky, a streak of blue light shot past, racing toward Mo City like a shooting star chasing the moon. The closer they came to the city, the more they could feel waves of heat rushing toward them.

Xiao Yu narrowed his eyes as he looked at the boundless golden desert. Even though he had lived two lives, this was still his first time truly setting foot in a desert. The dry air left him somewhat unaccustomed to it!

Xiao Yi Xian directed Little Lan to descend slowly several hundred meters away from Mo City. Flying directly into the city would be too conspicuous and draw too much attention.

Xiao Yu was the first to leap down from Little Lan's back. His feet settled lightly onto the soft sand, and a scorching heat rose from beneath his soles, making him frown slightly. Xiao Yi Xian jumped down after him.

"It's so hot here!" Xiao Yi Xian muttered after the sand beneath her feet scalded her. Her pretty face had also turned flushed from the heat wave.

As for Little White, there was no need to mention it. It simply stayed on Xiao Yi Xian's body and refused to come down. Only Little Zi behaved more normally; there was even a hint of satisfaction in its eyes. If Xiao Yu had not known that the air here was rich in Earth Attribute and Fire Attribute energy, and that Little Zi carried Purple Flame within its body, he might have thought Little Zi had masochistic tendencies!

As Xiao Yu took out a Shape-Shifting Pill and fed it to Little Lan, he said to Xiao Yi Xian, "That's normal. This trip won't be easy. Once we enter the city, remember to buy more medicinal ingredients to protect your skin."

Xiao Yi Xian gave a soft huff. "I know. Don't worry!"

Xiao Yu nodded lightly. "Then let's enter the city first. My eldest and second brothers happen to be around here. Once everything is settled, I'll take you to see them?"

Xiao Yi Xian let out a startled sound upon hearing Xiao Yu's words. "Your eldest and second brothers?"

"Yes. My eldest and second brothers established a group called the Iron Mercenary Group in Stone Desert City, in the middle of this desert. Since we're entering the desert this time, we can visit them," Xiao Yu said.

Xiao Yi Xian's face reddened slightly as she secretly thought, Isn't meeting his eldest and second brothers this soon a little too fast?

Then she shook her head. Xiao Yu surely doesn't mean it that way. Ahh!

Blushing, Xiao Yi Xian asked, "Am I going with you too?"

Xiao Yu did not notice Xiao Yi Xian's odd behavior. Instead, he turned and looked at her in surprise. "Of course. Otherwise, how am I supposed to help you refine the Poison Pill?"

Xiao Yi Xian paused slightly at his words, unable to conceal a trace of disappointment in her heart. She softly said, "Oh!"

Xiao Yu said, "Let's enter the city and prepare a few things first. Then we'll find an inn and rest for the night." With that, he lifted his foot and headed toward Mo City.

Xiao Yi Xian followed silently behind Xiao Yu. By the time they reached the city gate, there were far more pedestrians around them. Many men were bare-chested, showing off lean, dark bodies that gave them a bold and rugged air!

The women were not as delicate and gentle as those in the cities within the Jia Ma Empire. Instead, they appeared healthier and more forthright. Their daring clothes in particular—short skirts and shorts—gave Xiao Yu quite a feast for the eyes!

As they drew closer, they saw two large characters carved above the city gate, glowing with a faint red light: Mo City!

More than a dozen armored soldiers stood on either side of the gate, holding long spears as they shouted for pedestrians to pay the entrance tax. Xiao Yu and Xiao Yi Xian lined up and slowly entered the city. Just as it was about to be Xiao Yu's turn, an arrogant voice suddenly rang out behind them.

"Get out of my way!"

Xiao Yu turned around and saw a fat man in an alchemist's robe swaggering toward the entrance passage.

The soldiers, who had been extremely impatient with the pedestrians, immediately walked toward the man with ingratiating smiles. "My lord, are you entering the city?"

The fat alchemist glanced at the soldier. "What else would I be doing? Hurry and make these lowlifes move aside. Why are they blocking the way?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" The soldier hurriedly agreed, then turned toward Xiao Yu's group and barked angrily, "A bunch of blind fools! My lord is entering the city, so why aren't you getting out of the way?"