An Unexpected Incident

After entering Stone Desert City, Xiao Yun and Xiao Li crossed several streets and headed toward the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.

Along the way, Xiao Yun noticed that there seemed to be far fewer people in Stone Desert City.

"Something's not right," Xiao Yun said, narrowing his eyes.

Xiao Li had noticed the anomaly as well, and the two immediately broke into a run.

On the street where the Desert Iron Mercenary Group was located, the once bustling scene had become a complete mess. Yet when Xiao Yun and Xiao Li had left the city that morning, everything had still been normal.

"Something happened!" Xiao Li cried.

A faint scent drifted through the air. It seemed to be coming from the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's grounds. Xiao Yun's voice turned icy. "The smell of blood!"

He had not expected that after taking Xiao Li out to train for only half a day, a battle would break out in the city. And judging from the scent of blood, there had clearly been casualties.

When they arrived outside the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's gates, Xiao Yun and Xiao Li saw a ruined entrance.

The gates appeared to have been blasted open with a single punch. As they entered the courtyard, they saw that the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's flag, which had once flown high in the center, had been snapped in two. There were many clear footprints stamped across it.

Just as Xiao Yun and Xiao Li entered through the gates, someone lying on the ground made a sound.

"Second Captain!" The man on the ground had initially thought more enemies had arrived, but after recognizing Xiao Li and Xiao Yun, he cried out in wild joy.

The shout made Xiao Yun and Xiao Li stop.

Suppressing his emotions, Xiao Li looked down at the blood-covered man on the ground. "Hamm! What happened? Where are the others from the Desert Iron Mercenary Group?"

"Cough, cough." The man Xiao Li had called Hamm coughed violently several times. When he opened his mouth, his teeth were stained red with blood, showing just how severe his injuries were.

He raised a hand to stop Xiao Li from crouching down to carry him, then pointed in a direction. "Second Captain, hurry inside and help them. The Sand Mercenary Group suddenly attacked us not long ago. The captain and the others are trapped inside."

"The Sand Mercenary Group? Those bastards have some nerve!" Xiao Yun's furious voice rang out, killing intent rising in his eyes.

He had not expected something this serious to happen after he had been gone for only a few hours.

Xiao Yun headed deeper into the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's compound and soon heard the sounds of battle.

In a spacious clearing, two groups faced one another, intense killing intent blazing in both sides' eyes.

In the middle of the two groups, three figures were fighting fiercely. One of them was Xiao Ding.

All three were Great Dou Masters. Xiao Ding was facing two opponents alone, yet he still held a faint advantage.

After another exchange, all three stopped fighting at the same time and retreated to their respective groups.

"Captain, the back gate has also been surrounded by people from the Sand Mercenary Group." Once the battle stopped, a mercenary immediately approached Xiao Ding and spoke in a low voice.

"I see." Xiao Ding clenched his fists and took a deep breath, forcing down the rage in his heart.

Caught off guard by the Sand Mercenary Group's sudden attack, the Desert Iron Mercenary Group had suffered terrible losses today. Xiao Ding looked ahead and said, "Since there's no way out, then we'll fight to the death. If the Sand Mercenary Group wants to wipe us out, we'll make them pay in blood."

Xiao Ding gave a soft laugh, and a vicious expression appeared on his face. "Besides, once my uncle and second brother return from outside the city, they'll surely destroy the Sand Mercenary Group and avenge us."

Just as Xiao Ding was about to give the order to fight desperately, Xiao Yun's figure appeared between the two groups like a ghost.

With a stomp of his foot, the ground beneath Xiao Yun let out a sharp crack, and a huge pit appeared before everyone's eyes.

Rob and the other Great Dou Master both changed expressions at the sudden turn of events.

Rob shouted coldly, "Who is it?"

Xiao Yun looked at Rob, his voice freezing to the bone. "You dared lay hands on my nephew. All of you will die today."

"Uncle!" When Xiao Ding saw Xiao Yun appear, he knew the Desert Iron Mercenary Group would be safe today.

He said, "Uncle, Little Doctor Fairy and Qing Lin were taken away by these people."

Xiao Yun turned back and nodded at Xiao Ding. "Leave the rest to me."

The Great Dou Master beside Rob was a middle-aged man. He looked at Xiao Yun, and a trace of grave concern flashed through his eyes.

He realized that he could not see through the man before him at all.

"Who might you be, sir? I am Mo Ran of the Mo Clan." Unable to gauge Xiao Yun's strength, Mo Ran revealed his Mo Clan background.

"The Mo Clan?" Xiao Yun looked at Mo Ran, recalling the Mo Clan of Salt City—the family from the original story that had abducted Qing Lin and wanted to gouge out her eyes.

"The Mo Clan of Salt City?" Xiao Yun asked coldly.

"That's right." Seeing that the other party knew of his clan, Mo Ran relaxed.

The Mo Clan of Salt City was extremely influential, and the Misty Cloud Sect stood behind them. Upon hearing their name, most people would wisely retreat.

But Xiao Yun's next words made Mo Ran freeze.

"Good. Since the Mo Clan dared provoke me, then wait for your destruction."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yun vanished from where he stood. When he reappeared, he was already in front of Mo Ran and Rob.

"What?!" Mo Ran and Rob were startled. They were shocked by Xiao Yun's speed. Before they could even react, he had already arrived before them.

Slap! Slap!

Xiao Yun struck with two slaps, landing on Mo Ran's and Rob's faces. In an instant, the two flew in opposite directions like kites with severed strings, smashing into the walls.

Rage surged in Mo Ran's heart. In all his life, Xiao Yun was the first person who had dared slap him across the face.

His expression gradually twisted, and Mo Ran's heart filled with viciousness. He raised his fist, no longer caring about anything as he charged straight at Xiao Yun.

"I'll kill you!"

Just before his fist could hit Xiao Yun, fierce Dou Qi began to gather wildly around it. Moments later, it formed a vortex as Mo Ran drove his fist straight ahead with savage force.

"Die!" A ferocious expression appeared on Mo Ran's face as he threw his arm forward with all his strength.

The scene Mo Ran had expected did not occur. Facing his all-out punch, Xiao Yun casually threw a light punch of his own.

In an instant, an attack carrying a powerful gust of fist wind erupted.

Bang!

"Aah!!!"

A piercing pain shot through his hand. Mo Ran discovered that his hand was broken!

Not only that, the remaining force from Xiao Yun's attack traveled through Mo Ran's hand and spread throughout his body. Mo Ran was blasted away once again, crashing violently into a distant wall before passing out.

"Pathetic." Xiao Yun's indifferent voice rang out.

With a flash, Xiao Yun appeared before Rob, who had just gotten back to his feet.

When Rob saw Xiao Yun, he shuddered and trembled. "My lord, spare me!"

Ignoring Rob's pleas, Xiao Yun's eyes remained cold as he drove a fist straight into Rob's chest.

Pfft.

Rob's face suddenly went pale. He spat out a mouthful of blood and flew backward, finally smashing into a huge boulder and losing all strength.

"Xiao Ding, I've crippled these two. I'll leave this place to you."

After dealing with the two strongest Great Dou Masters, Xiao Yun stomped off the ground and leaped into the air. Looking beyond Stone Desert City, he began searching for the people who had taken Little Doctor Fairy and Qing Lin.