Hundred Joy Hall

Surging Waves Mercenary Group.

"Today's kindness is one I, Duan Quan, will never forget!" The young yet valiant Duan Quan dropped to one knee in salute.

Xiao Le carefully examined the mercenary group, which had only seventeen elderly and weak members remaining, then asked curiously, "Why would you rather die than surrender to the Wild Leopard Mercenary Group?"

"My father and the others had long-standing grudges against the Wild Leopard Mercenary Group. Their leader is a man who never forgives even the slightest offense. Even if we surrendered, we might still end up as cannon fodder. Besides, what Wang Sheng and the others want isn't people like us." Duan Quan spoke helplessly.

"Oh?" Xiao Le's interest was piqued.

Duan Quan took out a scroll faintly glowing with blue light from his storage ring and said, "A high-grade Profound-tier cultivation method: the Wind Scroll Art. My father discovered it by chance in an ancient tomb. It was also the cultivation method that allowed the Surging Waves Mercenary Group to rise. This time, my father and the others were wiped out. I believe Wang Sheng and his men had something to do with it. They have always coveted the secrets of that ancient tomb."

Xiao Le had not expected such a story, and he did not take the Wind Scroll Art.

After thinking for a while, Xiao Le said, "To be honest, I have my eye on all of you as well. I want to build a force of my own."

Before Xiao Le could finish, Duan Quan willingly submitted.

"This Wind Scroll Art was obtained by your father. Keep it as a memento. I will go take a look at that ancient tomb. Next, I'll pass something on to you. Do not resist." Xiao Le still had five high-grade Profound-tier cultivation methods and their matching combat techniques, as well as bloodlines and beast souls, within his body.

Based on the information he had gathered, Duan Quan was a trustworthy man, so Xiao Le bestowed upon him a water-attribute cultivation method, its matching combat techniques, and a Blood Spirit.

For some reason, Xiao Le felt an inexplicable familiarity with the Wind Scroll Art. What he did not know was that, in the original course of events, the Surging Waves Mercenary Group had been forced by the Wild Leopard Mercenary Group to auction off the Wind Scroll Art. It sold for five hundred and fifty thousand gold coins, and the mercenary group disbanded with that money.

He instructed Duan Quan not to limit himself to hunting magical beasts, gathering medicinal herbs, and accepting missions. They could also get involved in unattended marketplaces and purchase magical cores from other mercenary groups.

The Surging Waves Mercenary Group was renamed Hundred Joy Hall. Xiao Le, who had no interest in handling worldly affairs, returned to the Xiao Family and found Xiao Zhan, asking him to assign four talented guards at the peak of the Fighter realm to manage Hundred Joy Hall for him.

With the assistance of high-grade Profound-tier cultivation methods, combat techniques, and Blood Spirits, those four peak Fighters would surely break through before long.

Having arranged everything, Xiao Le became a hands-off shopkeeper.

Leisurely days passed in the blink of an eye.

Xiao Le and Xiao Yan returned to the back mountain. Without needing to call for him, Medicine Elder slowly rose from the storage ring.

Medicine Elder looked at the pile of combat technique scrolls on the ground and said irritably, "What is this? Why did you bring so much trash here?"

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes. "I have all this Dou Qi but no combat techniques. Of course I need to learn some to defend myself!"

Seeing the sly look in Xiao Yan's eyes, Medicine Elder was rendered speechless. "You just want to squeeze some benefits out of me, don't you? Fine. You're at the sixth stage of Dou Qi now, so you really should learn some combat techniques. I've prepared one for you both!"

Xiao Yan's eyes lit up, and without the slightest embarrassment, he said, "Teacher, anything you give us must be extraordinary. What grade is it?"

"High-grade Profound-tier: Eight Extremes Collapse. Its power is no weaker than an Earth-tier combat technique. It is famed for its overwhelming close-range attacks. Once mastered, a single punch can unleash eight bursts of force."

Not just Xiao Yan—even Xiao Le, who already knew the plot, could not help staring wide-eyed.

"The requirements for cultivating Eight Extremes Collapse are extremely harsh. Special training begins tomorrow!" As he spoke, Medicine Elder reached out with both hands and tapped Xiao Le and Xiao Yan on their foreheads.

Information about Eight Extremes Collapse exploded in their minds. The more they studied it, the more delighted they became, wishing they could begin practicing immediately.

Early the next morning, before the morning dew had even faded, Xiao Le and Xiao Yan were awakened by Medicine Elder.

"Getting beaten?" Upon hearing that the first step in cultivating Eight Extremes Collapse was getting beaten, Xiao Yan cried out in shock.

In a secluded grove on the back mountain, Xiao Le and Xiao Yan removed their shirts, each found a large boulder, and sat cross-legged atop it.

"Come on, I'm ready!" Xiao Yan gritted his teeth. Xiao Le said nothing, but a fierce glint shone in his eyes.

Smack! Smack!

Medicine Elder's illusory soul body extended both palms, firing streams of Dou Qi that transformed into two faintly crimson spiritual whips. With a flick of his hand, glaring bruises appeared on both boys' bodies.

Xiao Le nearly cried out from the pain. He sucked in a sharp breath through clenched teeth. The bone-deep agony almost left him unable to catch his breath.

Before either of them could react, the second whip came down.

"This is the best time to cultivate. Circulate your Dou Qi—recover and cultivate at the same time!" Medicine Elder reminded them from the side.

After thirteen consecutive lashes, both of them felt their legs go weak and collapsed against the boulders.

"Thirteen lashes. Not bad! Now go soak in the hot spring pool, or you may leave behind hidden injuries." Medicine Elder's voice sounded like that of a demon from hell.

The normally soothing hot spring now felt like a pool of pepper water. The instant it touched their wounds, both nearly fainted. Medicine Elder did not waste words; with a sweep of his sleeve, he tossed them into the hot spring.

"Aah! Aah! Aah!"

Their miserable screams echoed through the cave. Fortunately, Medicine Elder had set up a restriction, or they would certainly have alerted the Xiao Family guards.

Once their bodies grew accustomed to the water temperature, the medicinal power gently nourished them. The sensation was so blissful that the two soon fell asleep in the hot spring.

One month later, at the hot spring pool.

Whoosh!

Xiao Yan exhaled a mouthful of stale air and smiled at Xiao Le. "How is it?"

"I broke through!"

The seventh stage of Dou Qi! That had been the brothers' goal, yet they reached it in just one month. The Foundation-Building Elixir had helped, of course, but Mountain Essence Milk had played the greatest role.

What Xiao Le had not expected was that the pool water, after fusing with two portions of Mountain Essence Milk, had undergone a mutation. It had turned pale white, no longer resembling ordinary water, and gave off a faint fragrance.

This made Xiao Le wonder what would happen if he mixed in something else.

"We need to prepare more again!" Xiao Yan sighed as he looked at the noticeably paler pool water.

The higher the concentration, the better. In any case, they were not short on money.

Xiao Le handed his gold card to Xiao Yan and told him to prepare the medicinal herbs. After sending Xiao Yan and Medicine Elder away, Xiao Le stared at the pool water and fell into thought.

A first-tier water-attribute magical core appeared in Xiao Le's hand. Water-attribute magical cores were the gentlest, and their properties closely matched those of the pool water.

He gripped the magical core. In no time at all, it vanished mysteriously and turned into an entry. Just as he had done with the Mountain Essence Milk, he fused the water-attribute magical core into the pool water.

He reached out and touched the spring water. Its spiritual energy content had increased, but it now carried an additional hint of violent energy. Fortunately, there was a large volume of water, so the effect was insignificant.

Xiao Le was delighted. This meant their cultivation speed was about to increase dramatically, and it also meant the Xiao Family might have a chance to establish a true foundation in the future.

Xiao Le fused two more first-tier water-attribute magical cores into the pool water before stopping. After all, there was an old fox nearby, and it would not be good if he were discovered.

What Xiao Le had not expected was that, even after his interference, Xiao Yan still came into conflict with Xiao Ning. Wasn't it all because of Xiao Xun'er, that femme fatale? The two fought fiercely.

Xiao Yan, at the seventh stage of Dou Qi and armed with Eight Extremes Collapse, could easily deal with Xiao Ning at the eighth stage of Dou Qi. Even against a Fighter, Xiao Yan could put up a fight.