The Day of My Return

The squad leader only saw a flash of a blade, as if night had suddenly shifted into day; before his eyes, a single streak of light passed, and he stood frozen in place.

Li Xingluo turned and left without sparing the squad leader another glance, only the sound of a heavy thud hitting the ground echoed behind him.

Xiao Yi Xian followed the herb-gathering group back to Green Mountain Town, glancing back at the Magical Beast Mountain Range from time to time; the friend she had known for such a short time had shown her a level of care she had never experienced in all these years.

"Xiao Yi Xian, hurry up!"

The members of the herb-gathering group waved, signaling for Xiao Yi Xian to follow.

"Coming!" With that simple word, Xiao Yi Xian turned away with lingering reluctance, silently praying in her heart: You must be alright!

At the temporary camp of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Mu Li looked at the dozen or so corpses lying on the ground, his rage surging instantly.

"Li Xingluo, once I catch you, I will make you taste what it means to wish for death."

Mu Li roared at the sky like a madman, and the mercenaries around him didn't even dare to draw a full breath.

Mu Li grabbed a nearby mercenary by the collar, fury flooding his entire face.

"Pass the order down: the mercenary group is to cease all other activities. You have only one mission: bring Li Xingluo to me at any cost, dead or alive!"

After finishing his command, Mu Li shoved the messenger away and turned to enter the main tent.

Far away at the headquarters of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group in Green Mountain Town, they received the request for reinforcements from Mu Li.

After reading the letter, Mu She tore it to shreds; as one of the three great mercenary groups in Green Mountain Town, such a thing could absolutely not be allowed to happen.

"Someone, come here!"

"Commander!"

"Immediately send word to the second and third commanders; tell them to take their men and hunt down Li Xingluo."

"Yes!"

Mu She's knuckles cracked, as if every joint were swelling under the drive of his power. His eyes radiated a murderous intent—the kind of coldness that spoke of devouring flesh and sleeping on hides.

Deep in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Li Xingluo had originally intended to find a path out, but he hadn't expected the area to be swarming with Wolf Head Mercenary Group patrols, with every route down the mountain heavily guarded.

After Li Xingluo was discovered and eliminated another squad, a signal flare rose into the sky. Li Xingluo couldn't help but look back, only to realize one of them had been playing dead.

Without a word, Li Xingluo sent another blade through him, but his position had now been thoroughly exposed.

Watching the unique signal flare of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group in the sky, Mu Li was ecstatic; he hadn't been able to find a trace of Li Xingluo for days, but now he finally had a confirmed location.

With a wave of his hand, the mercenaries around him sprinted toward the signal flare.

Other patrolling squads closed in from all directions at the same time.

Li Xingluo dared not linger, running at full speed, hoping to escape the area as quickly as possible.

However, he hadn't run far before the forest ahead began to sway, signaling someone was coming. He instinctively turned to flee in another direction, only to find shadows moving toward him from that side as well.

The only side without movement was to his right, and without a second thought, Li Xingluo bolted toward the right.

As he ran, a sheer cliff cut off his path, and by the time he turned to leave, it was already too late.

Shadows flickered through the forest, and before long, dozens of men caught up from behind. Li Xingluo glanced sideways at the cliff behind him; it was shrouded in clouds and mist, making it impossible to see the bottom.

The crowd parted to form a path, and Mu Li walked out slowly with the air of a boss.

Gripping the waist-blade hanging at his side, he couldn't help but let a smug smile creep onto his lips.

Knowing there was nowhere left to run, Li Xingluo simply stopped trying; he drew his blade, ready to fight to the death.

Mu Li was in no hurry to attack; in his eyes, Li Xingluo had no wings to fly away today.

"Kid, my mercenary group treated you well. Why did you rebel?"

Li Xingluo remained calm and composed, not the least bit panicked by Mu Li and his entourage.

"Rebel? I never pledged loyalty to you. Furthermore, if you take someone's money, you should fulfill your obligations—but look at you, doing nothing but killing, looting, and extorting others."

Mu Li burst into loud laughter, as if looking at a blank sheet of paper that had no understanding of the world.

"Kid, this world is built on the law of the jungle. Besides, they were the ones who were heartless first, yet you killed your own comrades to save them. And you thought you could walk away unscathed? Do you really think my Wolf Head Mercenary Group is a place you can just come and go as you please?"

Why does something feel wrong? Is this a thief crying 'stop thief'? It seemed someone had spread rumors, but Li Xingluo knew that even without the embellishments, it wouldn't change the greed and lack of morals in this group.

"So? Do you think you can catch me? Or are you saying you can defeat me?"

Li Xingluo looked at Mu Li with eyes of contempt, and sure enough, that single look caused Mu Li's smugness to transform into rage.

"I hope you won't be kneeling and begging me later."

Mu Li waved his hand, and over twenty archers drew their bows, aiming at Li Xingluo.

At Mu Li's command, arrows rained down upon Li Xingluo. He swung his blade to parry; many arrows fell over the cliff, and a pile of broken shafts accumulated at his feet.

"Keep shooting!" Mu Li was furious to see Li Xingluo blocking wave after wave of arrows.

After several more volleys, Li Xingluo felt that if this continued, he would certainly end up like a hedgehog.

He snatched an arrow from the air, channeled his Dou Qi, and aimed directly at Mu Li. Seeing Li Xingluo struggling, Mu Li was secretly gloating.

Unexpectedly, an arrow whistled toward him. Startled, Mu Li reacted just fast enough to dodge, though a streak of blood was left on his cheek.

Mu Li reached up to touch his face, and seeing the blood on his hand, he became even more enraged.

"Get him, chop him to pieces!"

Mu Li pointed at Li Xingluo, and upon his command, the members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group raised their blades and charged toward Li Xingluo.

Li Xingluo did not change his expression; he gave his blade a light flick and moved to intercept the incoming enemies.

With a single downward slash, the mercenary in the lead let out a miserable shriek as his entire arm was severed, his twisted face a sight of pure terror.

The other mercenaries did not abandon their attack despite their comrade falling, and Li Xingluo continued to swing his blade amidst the crowd.

Every parry and every swing claimed another victim; moments later, over a dozen corpses lay upon the cliff, with several others writhing on the ground in agony—a truly spectacular scene.

Li Xingluo had become a man of blood, though it was unclear whether the gore covering him was his own or that of the mercenaries who had besieged him.

Only his eyes, burning with an unyielding gaze, remained fixed on Mu Li, who swallowed hard, feeling a chill run down his spine at the sight of them.

"Loose arrows! Shoot him dead!"

The archers behind him drew their bows once more, having never witnessed such a sight—a single man fighting off dozens and still standing.

A slight arc formed at the corner of Li Xingluo's mouth, for he knew there was no chance left.

"Wolf Head Mercenary Group, I have marked you. If I, Li Xingluo, do not die today, I shall repay this debt a hundredfold."

Having said this, Li Xingluo turned and dashed toward the cliff, leaping off without a moment's hesitation.

Those words lingered in the air for a long time, refusing to dissipate, as Mu Li hurried to the edge of the cliff to peer down into the bottomless, mist-shrouded abyss where Li Xingluo's figure had long since vanished into the valley.

Observing the situation, Mu Li couldn't help but grin, dismissing those final words as nothing more than the last gasps of a dying man.