Desert Cultivation, Chance Encounter with the Desert Iron Mercenary Group

In the desert, Xiao Yan wore only a pair of shorts, his muscular body exposed beneath the blazing sun.

Xiao Yan felt no discomfort in the high temperatures. Instead, his entire body felt remarkably at ease.

The only things that troubled him were the windblown sand striking his face and the shifting ground beneath his feet.

Xiao Yan carried the Profound Heavy Ruler on his back. Its immense weight caused his feet to sink deeply into the sand, while he also had to resist the sudden gusts of sandstorm winds.

In the desert, even walking was a form of cultivation.

Fortunately, Xiao Yan's body had reached the fourth tier. Even under such conditions, he could still move as swiftly as if he were flying.

Casually crushing a Yellow Sand Demon Scorpion that had hidden beneath the sand and intended to ambush him, Xiao Yan dug it out, removed its venomous stinger, and placed it in his Storage Ring.

With his powerful soul perception, Xiao Yan could easily detect Yellow Sand Demon Scorpions hiding beneath the sand.

After raising his head to determine his direction, Xiao Yan continued toward the eastern location marked on the parchment.

Xiao Yan had decided to search the east and north first, then head west last.

In the desert, golden sand was the only theme. Xiao Yan was beginning to feel bored from all the walking.

Medicine Elder would not allow him to enter the Portable Space, nor would he let Little Fairy come out to keep him company.

More than ten days later, Xiao Yan finally approached the area marked by the flame symbol on the eastern side of the parchment.

However, after searching for an entire day, he found no trace of a Heavenly Flame.

"Search for a few more days. If you still find nothing, change course and head north," Medicine Elder said through a voice transmission from the Portable Space.

Xiao Yan nodded. Since he was already here, he might as well search carefully.

He had no three-year agreement to worry about. He had plenty of time.

Although cultivating in the desert did very little to improve his physical body, the dense fire-element environment had slightly increased his dou qi cultivation.

Medicine Elder had also prepared a medicinal solution called Bloodburn. Applying it to the surface of the body could accelerate the absorption of energy from heaven and earth.

After more than ten days of cultivation, Xiao Yan had condensed nearly twenty more drops of purple liquid within his qi vortex. He could almost condense one drop each day.

Moreover, the dou qi liquid condensed this way was unlike that obtained through Dual Cultivation. Its foundation was extremely solid and not at all unstable.

This allowed Xiao Yan to persist through the dull desert without complaint.

Under the scorching sun, Xiao Yan walked for nearly another hour. Just as he was about to sit down and rest, his ears twitched. His gaze shifted toward a distant sand dune, where a figure appeared in an extremely bedraggled state, lost his footing, rolled down the dune, and fainted.

Xiao Yan walked over and found that it was a man. The man's leg was injured, and his lips had turned bluish-black. He had clearly been poisoned.

Shaking his head, Xiao Yan took out a bag of water from his Storage Ring and poured it over the man's face.

Stimulated by the icy water, the unconscious man slowly opened his eyes and saw the muscular body of a young man. Under the blazing sun, Xiao Yan's bronze-like skin gleamed brightly.

The man curled his tongue, drew the water from his lips into his mouth, and gulped it down. His spirits immediately lifted, and his mind cleared considerably.

"Thank you, little brother, for saving my life. I am Zhang Yuan," Zhang Yuan said hoarsely and gratefully.

Looking at Xiao Yan's muscular body, his face reddened slightly.

"Xiao Yan."

Xiao Yan chuckled. He had walked through the desert for more than ten days without seeing a single living person, which was why he had taken a little interest in saving Zhang Yuan.

"Brother Xiao Yan, our mercenary team was attacked by Snake People. Could I ask you to go to Shimo City and seek reinforcements?"

Zhang Yuan spoke with slight embarrassment.

"However, I still have matters to attend to. I don't have time to help you. Sorry."

Xiao Yan spoke coldly, tossed down antidote pills and medicine for treating injuries, then turned to leave.

Being willing to do even this much already counted as kindness from Xiao Yan.

Watching Xiao Yan gradually depart, Zhang Yuan gritted his teeth and shifted his body. Gathering all his strength, he shouted:

"Brother Xiao Yan, please help us! No matter what happens afterward, our Desert Iron Mercenary Group will certainly reward you handsomely!"

The moment Zhang Yuan finished speaking, his vision blurred. Xiao Yan, who had been more than ten meters away, suddenly appeared before him. Zhang Yuan's mouth fell open in shock, and a gust of wind blew sand straight into it.

"Cough, cough, cough! Pah, pah, pah!"

Zhang Yuan coughed repeatedly, forcefully spitting the sand from his mouth.

"Desert Iron Mercenary Group? What are your leaders called?"

Xiao Yan crouched down, stared at Zhang Yuan, and asked in surprise.

Could he have encountered the leaders' enemies?

Zhang Yuan thought nervously, feeling uneasy, but he still answered carefully:

"Xiao Ding... Xiao Li..."

"You should have said so earlier."

Xiao Yan had not expected such a coincidence. In this vast desert, he had actually encountered the mercenary group founded by his eldest and second brothers.

"Stay here and treat your injuries. I'll go save them."

Xiao Yan's gaze toward Zhang Yuan softened considerably.

He then took several steps to the top of the dune Zhang Yuan had rolled down from. With his powerful soul perception, he discovered the sounds of battle coming from the distance to his right.

Xiao Yan began sprinting across the sand, his body leaving behind streaks of afterimages.

Very soon, he arrived at the place where the sounds of battle originated.

One side consisted of ten mercenaries, dressed the same as Zhang Yuan.

The other side consisted of eight Snake People with human heads and bodies. They had no legs and moved about on snake tails.

Although there were fewer Snake People than mercenaries, three of them were Nine-Star Dou Practitioners.

As a result, the mercenaries were at a disadvantage, being suppressed by the Snake People and at risk of being wiped out at any moment.

Both sides could be said to have ties to Xiao Yan.

The Snake People were subordinates of Queen Medusa, Xiao Yan's future wife, while the mercenaries were subordinates of his two brothers.

Therefore, Xiao Yan shouted:

"Stop! All of you, stop!"

His shout startled both sides in the battle, and they unconsciously ceased attacking.

Seeing the suddenly appearing bare-chested youth, the mercenaries breathed a sigh of relief. He was human too, so surely he would not side with the Snake People.

Among the mercenaries, a voluptuously dressed woman looked at Xiao Yan's muscular body. A strange glimmer appeared in her eyes, and her fragrant tongue unconsciously licked her full red lips.

The Snake People were greatly angered as they stared at Xiao Yan, this uninvited guest.

The leading Snake Person stared coldly at Xiao Yan with triangular pupils. With a wave of his hand, two Snake People with the strength of Five-Star Dou Practitioners flicked their tails, gripped their weapons, and charged toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan sighed and muttered to himself:

"Then I'll discipline you on the Queen's behalf."

He immediately strode toward the two Snake People, throwing a right punch at the abdomen of the Snake Person before him and a left punch at the other.

Bang! Bang!

The two Snake People were sent flying more than ten meters away. Although they were not dead, they would need to lie in bed for at least ten days to half a month.

Watching Xiao Yan effortlessly knock back two Snake People, all ten mercenaries gaped in shock.

"What terrifying physical strength!" Xue Lan murmured, her red lips slightly parted, her body damp with excitement.

The triangular pupils of the leading Snake Person shrank slightly. His scarlet forked tongue flicked in and out as he said grimly:

"Human, offending our Snake People in the Tagor Desert is not a wise choice."

"If you know what's good for you, leave now."

Xiao Yan crossed his arms and smiled faintly.

"You should be thankful that you are Snake People. Otherwise, you would already be dead. Leave now."

"Courting death!"

Xiao Yan's arrogant tone thoroughly enraged the Snake Person leader. A murderous glint appeared on his face, which was covered in fine scales. With a wave of his hand, he said coldly:

"Attack together! Kill him!"

"Hiss!" Upon hearing their leader's command, the surrounding Snake People gripped their spears, flicked their tails, and surrounded Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly. It seemed that unless he displayed his strength, these Snake People would not retreat willingly.

He moved.

He transformed into streaks of afterimages and charged into the ranks of the Snake People.

Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!

Six consecutive impacts rang out, and the bodies of six Snake People were all sent flying.

That included the Snake Person leader with the strength of a Nine-Star Dou Practitioner.

Xue Lan had just been about to direct the mercenaries to help when this sight left her dumbfounded. Sand blew into her slightly parted red lips, and she hurriedly shut her mouth and spat out the yellow sand.

The other mercenaries were equally stunned. Then they closed their mouths and spat out sand.

For a moment, the sounds of spitting filled this stretch of desert.

In the desert, one could not casually open one's mouth.

The eight Snake People lay on the ground, groaning in pain.

Although Xiao Yan had not struck to kill, he had still made them suffer enough.