Xiao Yi Xian

In the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Li Xingluo lowered his head in thought. Of all the people he could have transmigrated into, why had it have to be a mercenary in the Wolf Head Mercenary Group?

Thinking of how the Wolf Head Mercenary Group would end up nearly wiped out, Li Xingluo couldn't help shivering, as if he'd fallen into an icy pit.

He had to find a way to slip away, or he might lose his life. As he thought about making a run for it, he turned the black ring in his hand, his face clouded with worry. The black ring had been with him ever since he transmigrated, but after studying it for days, he still hadn't made any progress.

"Captain, no Magic Core again!"

A loud shout pulled Li Xingluo back to reality. He'd planned to make a break for it while the squad fought a Demonic Beast, but things hadn't gone his way—the beast had chased him instead.

"Damn it, nothing again."

The squad leader was in a foul mood. They'd hunted several Demonic Beasts that day and hadn't gotten a single Magic Core, while wasting plenty of healing medicine. This trip was sure to be a loss.

Cursing under his breath, the squad leader called his men together, ready to try their luck again. Li Xingluo had no choice but to follow.

They hadn't gone far when they rounded a patch of woods. The squad leader raised a hand, signaling them to stop.

Li Xingluo still looked listless. He leaned against a nearby tree.

"Captain, isn't that someone from the Herb Gathering Group? What's she doing here alone?"

The speaker wore a wicked grin. The squad leader thought for a moment, then gently patted his subordinate.

A crafty look spread across his face. He was already in a foul mood because they hadn't managed to hunt down any Magic Cores that day.

The squad leader gestured to a few men, and they charged forward. The girl gathering herbs heard them and spun around, only to see several men closing in on her with ill intentions.

"What... do you want?"

She clutched the herbs she'd just picked and eyed the pack of wolves warily, edging backward.

The squad leader rested his broadsword on his shoulder, putting on airs like a big shot.

"Nothing much. Just hand over all those herbs so my brothers and I can have a little reward."

"But our Herb Gathering Group paid your Wolf Head Mercenary Group for protection. You promised to keep us safe. Why are you asking for our herbs now?"

The squad leader scratched his ear, flicked his finger, and sneered.

"What was that little bit supposed to cover? You're out here gathering herbs all by yourself. If you run into trouble, don't blame the Wolf Head Mercenary Group."

The girl's cheeks flushed with anger at the squad leader's shameless words. She wished she could slap him dead.

She was so furious she could barely get the words out. "You... you..."

The squad leader seemed to be running out of patience. He took two steps toward her and let his broadsword drop, driving it more than two inches into the ground.

"Hand them over nicely, or my brothers here might get rough."

The squad leader waved a hand. The men behind him immediately rubbed their hands together with leering grins, eyeing the girl hungrily.

"You..."

"My patience is running out!"

Li Xingluo had been so distracted that he hadn't noticed the squad leader's actions. He'd planned to sneak away while they forgot to call for him.

The girl's angry accusation reached his ears. Should he intervene or not?

Li Xingluo was torn. He froze mid-step, and perhaps pricked by his conscience, he sneaked a glance back. The girl's face came into view, and he felt as if he'd seen her somewhere before.

Could she be...? No, that couldn't be such a coincidence. Wait, if she was... The more Li Xingluo thought about it, the more uneasy he felt.

The girl had been forced back against a boulder by the men. There was nowhere left to run.

Just as one of them reached out to tug at her clothes, a scream rang out.

A severed arm hit the ground. The man clutched his bloody stump and collapsed, howling in pain. The Wolf Head Mercenary Group's men stood frozen, stunned by what had just happened.

Li Xingluo stood in front of the girl, a blade in his hand, blood staining its edge.

Once the squad leader recovered, he realized the person who had attacked them was Li Xingluo.

"Kid, what are you doing?"

The others also recognized the man protecting the girl as one of their own squad members.

The girl stared at Li Xingluo's back in confusion. Had the mercenaries turned on each other? Whatever was going on, she was safe for now. But why was he protecting her?

"I've long been sick of the way you act. You're a pack of thieves and scoundrels, bullying the innocent. I'm just doing what's right!"

"Fine, fine. You're brave, kid. Let's see if your bones are as hard as the blade in my hand. Brothers, take him down!"

At the squad leader's command, the five men charged with their blades raised.

Li Xingluo cursed inwardly: So much for fighting fair!

He'd caught them by surprise before, but he knew his own strength. He was only a Two-Star Dou Zhe. He might have a chance one-on-one, but against several opponents, he wasn't so sure.

There was no time to think. Li Xingluo spotted his opening and slid forward. He dropped low and swung his blade, and one man clutched his stomach and fell in agony.

The remaining four didn't spare a glance for their fallen, groaning companion. They kept charging at Li Xingluo with their blades raised.

Li Xingluo darted back and forth among them. In moments, the other four were dead too.

Seeing Li Xingluo wipe out his squad with ease, the squad leader lost half his nerve.

"Kid, have you been hiding your strength?"

Li Xingluo was just as baffled. He couldn't believe he'd taken down five Dou Zhes in such a short time. In theory, he shouldn't have been able to do it.

He seemed to catch a trace of fear in the squad leader's eyes. The man's hand on his blade was visibly trembling.

"Don't think that beating five of my men means you can beat me. I'm a Five-Star Dou Zhe!"

The squad leader seemed to remember something, and some of his confidence returned.

Li Xingluo had been wondering why the fight had felt so easy. Maybe he could find out by using this Five-Star Dou Zhe as a test.

"Go ahead and try!"

As he spoke, a glint flashed in Li Xingluo's eyes. The squad leader looked at the corpses on the ground, then charged at Li Xingluo with his blade, as though he had to summon all his courage to do it.

In a single exchange, Li Xingluo moved with terrifying speed. The two men crossed paths.

The squad leader's eyes widened in disbelief. He slowly turned, pointing a finger at Li Xingluo's back.

He tried to speak, but no sound came out. A tiny wound on his neck began to seep blood, and the squad leader fell, dying with his grievance unavenged.

As he hit the ground, a flare shot into the sky. Li Xingluo frowned slightly at the sight. It was a warning flare made specially for the mercenary group.

The woods around them rustled. There was no time to think, and Li Xingluo didn't have a chance to check if anyone was still alive. Everyone in the squad but him was dead. If the others saw him later, they'd suspect him right away.

The girl stared wide-eyed. This man was terrifying. He'd wiped out an entire squad in just a few exchanges, and yet he was clearly wearing the uniform of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

Li Xingluo sheathed his blade and turned to find the girl watching him warily.

"Why are you still here? Go!"

The girl couldn't believe her ears. Confused, she asked, "You're letting me go?"

Li Xingluo ran toward a patch of woods that hadn't rustled, answering as he went.

"Are you going to wait for the mercenaries nearby to come and capture you?"

The girl glanced at the bodies on the ground, then hurried after him. They ran one after the other.

Once they'd reached a safe distance, both were gasping for breath. Li Xingluo leaned against a tree and looked at the girl as she came closer.

"You're safe now. You can go."

The girl tried to catch her breath, then looked at Li Xingluo with a pitiful, pleading expression.

"If I go alone, I might run into bad people or a Demonic Beast. Then..."

"So..."

"So, please see this through and let me come with you. I promise I'll return to the Herb Gathering Group tomorrow. I won't bother you."

When the girl saw that Li Xingluo didn't object, her pout instantly turned into a smile. She walked up beside him, then spoke in a gentle, youthful voice,

"My name is Xiao Yi Xian. What's yours?"

Li Xingluo suddenly froze. Xiao Yi Xian tilted her head and smiled. She was Xiao Yi Xian? What were the odds?

"Li Xingluo!"