Big Brother, Second Brother, Come at Me Together

Ever since Xiao Yan acknowledged Qing Lin as his sworn little sister, the Desert Iron Mercenary Group members wore strange expressions.

Most of them remained expressionless. They could not be said to dislike Qing Lin, but neither would they grow close to her.

A small number still looked disgusted and whispered among themselves.

Some of their words even carried considerable criticism toward Xiao Yan, the leaders' younger brother.

Although their voices were low, Xiao Yan's powerful soul perception still allowed him to hear every word clearly.

"Haha, Xiao Yan, come up and spar with me. Let your second brother see how far you've grown."

At that moment, Xiao Li leaped down from the platform and landed on the sparring arena, a long spear in hand as he laughed.

His voice carried Dou Qi and spread throughout the entire square.

The square, which had fallen somewhat quiet because Xiao Yan had taken Qing Lin as his sworn little sister, became lively again.

"Second Commander! Second Commander!"

The crowd immediately erupted in excited cheers at the chance to witness the Second Commander fight again.

"Since Second Brother is interested, your little brother will naturally oblige."

Xiao Yan had already intended to display his strength and let those mercenaries who had criticized him see it.

Since he could not win them over with virtue, he would win them over with strength.

Before anyone could react, Xiao Yan had already appeared atop the arena.

Such speed made everyone's eyes narrow slightly, shock flashing through their pupils.

"Good kid, giving me a show of force right from the start."

Xiao Li had also been startled by his younger brother's speed, yet there was no fear on his face.

A silver Dou Qi gauze robe emerged over his body.

Xiao Li was a four-star Dou Master. His Dou Qi possessed the silver lightning attribute, with formidable attack power and a paralyzing effect.

Xiao Yan said to his eldest brother Xiao Ding on the platform:

"Big Brother, come up too. I boldly challenge both of my brothers."

Since he intended to win people over through strength, he might as well do it thoroughly.

"Haha, fine! Since my little brother has such ability, then Big Brother will grant you your wish."

Xiao Ding laughed heartily from the platform.

If anyone else had challenged the two brothers, he would have taken it as provocation and an insult to them.

But the challenger was Xiao Yan, their blood brother, so naturally he felt no such way.

Instead, he felt immensely proud.

Xiao Ding stomped off the platform and leaped onto the arena. A jade-green, wood-attributed Dou Qi gauze robe formed over his body.

Xiao Ding, the eldest brother, was a five-star Dou Master.

Dou Qi surged rapidly within Xiao Yan's body. Soon afterward, a purple Dou Qi gauze robe emerged over his body, purple flames rising from its surface.

"What formidable Dou Qi gauze robe!"

Seeing the purple-flame Dou Qi gauze robe Xiao Yan had summoned, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li exchanged a glance, both revealing shocked expressions.

From the solidity of Xiao Yan's Dou Qi gauze robe, they could tell that his Dou Qi cultivation was far above theirs.

"Big Brother, it seems Xiao Yan is going to beat us up."

Xiao Li gave a bitter laugh.

"It's fine. Losing to our own little brother isn't embarrassing."

Xiao Ding laughed heartily, his tone filled with pride.

"Begin!"

Xiao Li shouted, gripping his spear tightly. With a stomp of his foot, he charged toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan drew the Profound Heavy Ruler and likewise charged toward Xiao Li.

Silver lightning arcs flickered around Xiao Li's spear. A cold gleam flashed at its tip as it stabbed at Xiao Yan from a tricky angle like a silver dragon.

Xiao Yan could have crushed his eldest and second brothers through sheer strength, but that would not achieve his aim of winning people over with force, and it would also damage his brothers' pride.

He smiled faintly and held the Profound Heavy Ruler horizontally before him, blocking the spear thrust.

Clang!

The spear tip struck the ruler. Tremendous force traveled into Xiao Yan's body, but he did not budge in the slightest.

Xiao Li's spear was bent into a semicircle by the force of its own thrust.

The lightning arc on the spear tip passed through the Profound Heavy Ruler and entered Xiao Yan's body, giving him a numb, tingling sensation. Yet with his powerful physical defense, Xiao Yan found the sensation rather comfortable instead.

At that moment, Dou Qi surged beneath Xiao Yan's feet. Thick vines burst from the ground and rapidly wrapped around his ankles.

"Xiao Yan, be careful."

Xiao Ding rapidly formed hand seals. Dozens of wood spikes as thick as arms appeared from thin air, and with a wave of his hand, they shot toward Xiao Yan, whose legs had been bound.

Three-Stage Lightning Arc Dance!

Xiao Li also shouted lowly as three snake-like lightning arcs appeared over his spear. The arcs crisscrossed and flashed, electrifying the air with sizzling sounds. The terrifying energy within them was enough to inspire dread.

The lightning-wreathed spear stabbed forward at high speed.

"Fire!"

The purple flames of Xiao Yan's Dou Qi gauze robe flared into tangible fire. Under the burning blaze, the vines around his legs snapped apart inch by inch and turned to ash.

Then he opened his mouth and spat out a purple fire dragon, sending it to meet the incoming wood spikes.

The fire dragon was incredibly hot. The instant it collided with the wood spikes, they ignited. After flying another four or five meters through the air, they turned to ash, and when a light breeze blew past, the ashes scattered into dust across the sky.

Yet the fire dragon did not stop. It howled toward Xiao Ding.

Clang!

Xiao Li's spear tip struck the Profound Heavy Ruler again. A lightning arc burst from the spear tip, and the instant it touched the ruler, it created a fierce explosive shockwave.

Even stronger electric energy rushed into Xiao Yan's body, slightly numbing the hand holding the Profound Heavy Ruler. The ruler was violently knocked backward, nearly flying from his grasp.

Clang! Clang!

Xiao Li pressed his advantage, thrusting twice in rapid succession. Both strikes landed on the Profound Heavy Ruler, each accompanied by a lightning arc exploding across its surface.

Each time, Xiao Yan's body was numbed by electricity, and each time, the Profound Heavy Ruler nearly flew from his hand.

But nearly was separated from actually by an insurmountable gulf.

After Xiao Li completed his three thrusts and exhausted his killing move, he could only retreat rapidly.

"Enough. It's time to end this."

Xiao Yan smiled faintly. Purple wings emerged behind his back, and his body rose into the sky.

Everyone had already been utterly shocked. They had never expected the younger brother of the two commanders to possess such strength, capable of fighting one against two without falling behind.

When they saw Xiao Yan's purple wings, their jaws dropped.

"Dou Qi Wings? Could the commanders' younger brother be a Dou King?"

"A Dou King under twenty? How is that possible?"

How could ordinary Dou Practitioners know about such a rare flying Dou Technique?

Seeing Xiao Yan's wings and his ability to fly—the hallmark of a Dou King expert—they naturally assumed he was a Dou King.

But Xiao Yan was so young. How could he have cultivated to the Dou King realm? It was simply unbelievable.

Even Xiao Ding and Xiao Li knew nothing of flying Dou Techniques. Seeing the wings behind Xiao Yan, they too believed he was a Dou King.

Flame Splitting Tsunami Ruler!

In the air, Xiao Yan raised the Profound Heavy Ruler high. Dou Qi surged rapidly through his body and flowed through his arms into the ruler.

The strange patterns on the ruler lit up instantly, while fire-attributed energy in the air rapidly converged upon the Profound Heavy Ruler.

Surging purple flames erupted from the Profound Heavy Ruler, rising more than two feet high.

Across the broad arena, all the surrounding energy converged toward Xiao Yan. The fierce wind generated in its wake blew everything nearby in Xiao Yan's direction.

"Xiao Yan, stop! Your second brother admits defeat."

Xiao Li sank his legs to steady himself, then shouted at Xiao Yan with a bitter smile.

Gripping the ruler with both hands, Xiao Yan slowly swung it toward Xiao Li.

The people standing on the arena behind Xiao Li immediately felt a terrifying pressure descend upon them and hurriedly scattered in all directions.

"Don't!"

Xiao Ding shouted urgently, trying to stop Xiao Yan.

The Profound Heavy Ruler in Xiao Yan's hand swung down.

A terrifying wave of fire energy shot forth and struck the ground two zhang to Xiao Li's right.

That horrifying energy was like a tornado, destroying everything in its path.

After the explosion subsided and a breeze swept past, everyone saw a ravine a zhang wide stretching from the arena into the square. It was dozens of meters long.

"Xiao Yan, were you trying to kill your second brother?"

Xiao Li, who had been sent flying by the explosion's energy, sprang up from the ground and spoke with a dust-covered face.

Yet there was little blame in his tone.

Xiao Yan had clearly not used his full strength in that attack, and he had not aimed it at him.

Xiao Yan also descended from the air and slung the Profound Heavy Ruler onto his back.

"Big Brother, Second Brother, sorry for turning your arena into this."

Xiao Yan said somewhat awkwardly.

"Good kid! Big Brother is proud that you possess such strength."

Seeing that no one had been injured, Xiao Ding let out a breath of relief. He strode over to Xiao Yan's side, patted him on the shoulder, and laughed heartily.

As for that ravine, they only needed to spend some time repairing it. A few days was no great matter.

The surrounding crowd was still left with their heads buzzing from the explosive force. Once they regained some clarity, the eyes they turned toward Xiao Yan were filled with deep shock and awe.