Chapter Summaries

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li confronted Luo Tai and Lin Qi over the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group abandoning the Desert Iron Mercenary Group in battle. Lin Xiao failed to secure a peaceful settlement, and Xiao Ding prepared to settle the grievance through the mercenary groups’ own methods.

• Xiao Ding accused Lin Qi of abandoning the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, while Luo Tai defended the withdrawal as necessary for Stone Desert City's interests.
• Xiao Li angrily challenged Luo Tai and Lin Qi, and Lin Xiao intervened to stop the argument.
• Lin Xiao proposed that the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group publicly apologize, but Lin Qi and Xiao Li both rejected the plan.
• Luo Tai agreed to apologize, but Xiao Ding refused and said the mercenary groups would settle the matter themselves.
• Lin Xiao left after warning both groups not to fight within Stone Desert City, and Xiao Ding reaffirmed that the Desert Iron Mercenary Group would protect its reputation.

After Xiao Ding and Xiao Li left the Mercenary Association, Luo Tai decided the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group had to strike first against the Xiao brothers. Returning to headquarters, Luo Tai realized the Desert Iron Mercenary Group’s disturbance might have concealed a plan targeting Luo Yi and rushed to find him.

• Lin Qi complained that Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had survived the ambush, while Luo Tai blamed him for leaving a dangerous loose end and resolved to act first.
• Luo Tai and Lin Qi returned to the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group headquarters and learned that the Desert Iron Mercenary Group had caused a disturbance outside the gates.
• Luo Tai questioned a guard and grew suspicious because the disturbance had demanded that the absent commanders personally apologize.
• Luo Tai recalled Xiao Ding’s remarks and realized the disturbance might be a feint aimed at another target.
• Luo Tai urgently asked where Luo Yi was and hurried toward the rear courtyard, with Lin Qi following.

Luo Tai and Lin Qi discovered that Luo Yi had vanished and concluded Xiao Ding had taken him. A blood-written letter ordered Luo Tai and Lin Qi to meet the kidnapper at Sandland Poplar Forest at dusk, leaving them to face a threatening summons.

• Luo Tai and Lin Qi found Luo Yi's room empty and ordered the guards to search the compound.
• Luo Tai concluded Xiao Ding had planned Luo Yi's abduction and suspected Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had already fled Stone Desert City.
• Luo Tai ordered Lin Qi to gather the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group's strongest men and surround the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's compound.
• A guard delivered a blood-written letter from a little beggar, and Luo Tai's killing intent erupted when he read it.
• Lin Qi read the letter's demand that he and Luo Tai come alone to Sandland Poplar Forest at dusk or Luo Yi would be killed.

After learning Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had taken Xiao Yi, Luo Tai mobilized the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group and raced toward the Poplar Grove to rescue his son and destroy the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. Luo Tai and Lin Qi reached the grove’s outskirts as sunset approached.

• Lin Qi demanded an immediate attack after reading Xiao Ding and Xiao Li’s letter, but Luo Tai ordered him to gather the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group’s captains while they went ahead to protect Xiao Yi.
• Luo Tai prepared for battle in a hidden chamber, putting on Blackrock Soft Armor and taking up the poisoned Jade Serpent Spear.
• Luo Tai and Lin Qi departed Stone Desert City with roughly twenty elite mercenaries, drawing speculation from the people in the streets.
• After leaving the city, Luo Tai and Lin Qi surged toward the Poplar Grove, while Luo Tai vowed to kill Xiao Ding and Xiao Li and wipe out the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.
• As sunset neared, Luo Tai and Lin Qi spotted a sparse stand of poplar trees on the horizon.

Luo Tai and Lin Qi reached the Poplar Forest to rescue Luo Yi, but signs of an ambush led Luo Tai deeper into the woods alone. He found Luo Yi hanging from a tree and being bitten by venomous snakes, barely alive.

• Luo Tai stopped Lin Qi from rushing into the Poplar Forest and had him recover his Dou Qi first.
• Luo Tai and Lin Qi found fresh snake tracks and an arrow pointing deeper into the woods.
• Luo Tai sent Lin Qi to wait outside and entered the forest alone despite Lin Qi's warning about the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's third commander.
• Luo Tai found Luo Yi's jade longevity lock in the sand and hurried farther into the forest.
• Luo Tai discovered Luo Yi hanging from a poplar tree as venomous snakes bit him, and cried out in anguish.

Luo Tai rescued his son Luo Yi from the venomous snakes but was caught in a series of deadly ambushes. With a second Tier-Two Magical Beast about to bite his neck, both father and son faced imminent death.

• Luo Tai charged through the venomous snakes and cut Luo Yi free, catching him in midair.
• A concealed throwing knife struck at Luo Tai from behind, grazing his throat and tearing through his Dou Qi protection.
• A Sand Sea Giant Python burst from the sand and attacked Luo Tai and Luo Yi in midair.
• Luo Tai jammed his Jade Spear between the giant python's jaws and tried to use it to escape.
• A Scarlet-Scaled Sand Python emerged from inside the Sand Sea Giant Python's mouth and lunged at Luo Tai's neck.

Qing Mo and Qing Lin defeated Luo Tai and Luo Yi using the Sand Sea Giant Python and a Spiketail Viper. After collecting Luo Tai’s Storage Ring and Blackrock Soft Armor, they prepared to return home.

• The Scarlet-Scaled Sand Python poisoned and coiled around Luo Tai, while the Sand Sea Giant Python bit him in two after he pushed Luo Yi away.
• Luo Yi regained consciousness, saw his father’s severed head, and broke down, insisting that what he saw was an illusion.
• Qing Mo ordered Qing Lin to kill Luo Yi, and a First-Rank Spiketail Viper bit through his neck.
• Qing Mo realized Qing Lin’s Jade Snake Triple-Flower Eyes had controlled the Sand Sea Giant Python and reflected on how powerful the ability might become.
• Qing Mo had Qing Lin make the Sand Sea Giant Python vomit up Luo Tai’s remains, then recovered his Storage Ring and damaged Blackrock Soft Armor.
• After confirming Luo Tai had no other valuables, Qing Mo told Qing Lin it was time to head back.

Xiao Ding fought Lin Qi while Xiao Li waited to ambush him, and together they killed him. The brothers avenged their fallen companions, though Xiao Ding was badly injured.

• Lin Qi fled the Poplar Forest after hearing Luo Tai scream, but Xiao Ding intercepted him and challenged him to settle their score.
• Xiao Ding attacked Lin Qi relentlessly, forcing Lin Qi to unleash the Flame Python Coiling Spear against his Wooden Prism Shield.
• Lin Qi used the sandstorm to flee, but Xiao Ding hurled his greatsword after him and drove him onward.
• Xiao Li struck Lin Qi with a lightning-charged spear, then pierced his heart and throat, killing him.
• Xiao Ding praised Xiao Li and said they had avenged their brothers before nearly collapsing from his injuries.

After avenging their brothers, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li returned toward Stone Desert City with Qing Mo and Qing Lin, deciding not to attack the weakened Poison Dragon Mercenary Group inside the city. When the group’s armed reinforcements appeared on the road, Qing Mo chose to wipe them out, and Qing Lin prepared to strike.

• Xiao Ding and Xiao Li confirmed that Qing Mo had killed Luo Tai, then thanked Qing Mo and Qing Lin for helping avenge their brothers.
• Xiao Li proposed wiping out the remaining Poison Dragon Mercenary Group, but Xiao Ding said their injured group could not risk another fight and predicted the gang’s enemies would attack it.
• Qing Lin spotted more than twenty mercenaries approaching, and Xiao Ding recognized them as reinforcements from the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group.
• Xiao Li stepped forward to hold off the reinforcements, but Qing Mo said they would wipe out the group and told Qing Lin to attack.
• Qing Lin nodded, her eyes flashed green, and she raised her hand toward the charging mercenaries.

The Poison Dragon Mercenary Group, led by Captain Yu, encountered a Sand Sea Giant Python and struggled to survive its attacks. After the python ambushed them again, an unseen attacker killed Captain Yu, and the beast slaughtered the remaining mercenaries.

• The Sand Sea Giant Python burst from beneath the sand and killed several mercenaries, but Captain Yu rallied the survivors into formations to fight it.
• When their attacks failed to penetrate the python’s scales, Captain Yu ordered a retreat and led the squad leaders in covering the others.
• The mercenaries reached a sand dune to rest, but the python surfaced beneath them and swallowed two men.
• Captain Yu organized another defense, but a hidden attacker cut his throat as the python attacked.
• With Captain Yu dead, the mercenaries lost their fighting spirit and the Sand Sea Giant Python wiped out the Poison Dragon Mercenary Group.