Looks Ordinary

It Looked Ordinary

After resting at the Desert Iron Mercenary Group for several days and waiting until everyone had returned to peak condition, Xiao Yan's group set off under Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's lead, heading in force toward the anomalous location marked on the map.

After half a day's journey, they arrived.

Yet the sight before them left everyone deeply disappointed.

This was nothing more than an ordinary stretch of sand. Aside from the temperature being slightly higher than elsewhere, there was nothing unusual about it. As far as the eye could see, there was only yellow sand and scattered rocks. Forget the legendary Heavenly Flame—there was not even a single rare medicinal herb in sight.

"Third Brother, are you sure... this is the place?"

Xiao Li kicked at the scorching sand beneath his feet, his face full of confusion. The Desert Iron Mercenary Group's elites also exchanged bewildered looks, unable to understand why their two leaders had brought them to such a godforsaken place.

"This is where the map marks it." Xiao Yan's brow furrowed slightly as well. He swept his gaze across the surroundings, doubts rising in his heart.

Could the map Hai Dongbo had given him really have been nothing more than a casual brush-off?

Just as doubts filled his mind, the ancient black ring on his left hand suddenly radiated searing heat!

Immediately afterward, a wisp of pale white flame, visible only to him, drifted out of the ring. Its flame flickered violently!

Medicine Elder's voice rang out in Xiao Yan's mind. "Heavenly Flames can sense one another. There can be no mistake. The Green Lotus Core Flame is beneath this place."

Xiao Yan's heart gave a violent jolt!

He forcibly suppressed the wild joy in his heart, keeping his expression calm as he crouched down, grabbed a handful of scorching sand, and carefully sensed the fire-attributed energy within it.

"The trace of the Heavenly Flame is hidden underground." He slowly rose to his feet and reached his conclusion. "But the entrance below is likely well concealed. It will be difficult to find using ordinary methods."

Hearing this, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li exchanged a glance, both their expressions darkening.

"If it's underground, then this will be troublesome." Xiao Ding spoke in a low voice. "This stretch of sand is not small. To find the entrance, we'll have to conduct excavation and surveys over a wide area. Such a huge disturbance can't possibly be hidden from Stone Desert City's spies."

"Big Brother is right." Xiao Li's face did not look any better. He spat on the ground. "Those people in the city are like flies drawn to blood. Especially those bastards from the Sand Mercenary Group. If they find out there's treasure here, they'll probably bring people to seize it immediately!"

The Sand Mercenary Group was the only force in Stone Desert City capable of standing against the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. Its leader, Sha Luo, had already reached the level of a One-Star Great Dou Master. Greedy and tyrannical by nature, he had long been at odds with the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, and he had coveted the opportunities in the surrounding area for far more than a day or two.

"Big Brother, Second Brother, there's no need to worry."

Seeing his two brothers troubled, Xiao Yan smiled confidently instead.

"Go ahead and send people to search. If anyone blind enough comes to cause trouble, I have a way to handle it."

His tone was calm, yet it carried an unquestionable force.

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li looked at their third brother, whose bearing had changed so greatly, then recalled his Dou Master cultivation and the equally unfathomable companions by his side. The worries in their hearts truly eased considerably.

They said no more and immediately made their decision.

"Xue Lan!" Xiao Ding instructed a valiant-looking female mercenary behind him. "Return to the base immediately and bring every expert in the group skilled in terrain surveying here! Hurry!"

"Yes, Commander!"

As large numbers of surveyors arrived, a bustling excavation operation began across the flat expanse of sand.

The Desert Iron Mercenary Group's members swiftly sealed off the entire area and drove away every unrelated person.

Yet such a major commotion was like casting a boulder into a tranquil lake. Before long, it drew the attention of countless wandering mercenaries and spies.

"What are the Desert Iron people doing? With such a huge operation, could they have discovered some extraordinary mineral vein?"

"I don't think so. It looks more like they're hunting for treasure. Look, even Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, those two fiends, are guarding the place personally."

"Heh, who cares what it is? There's going to be a good show! The Sand Mercenary Group's people are probably already on their way!"

Xiao Ding only claimed publicly that they had come here to hunt a rare third-tier magical beast, but that explanation clearly could not dispel everyone's suspicions. Rumors spread like wildfire, and everyone knew a storm was about to arrive.

Sure enough.

As the blazing sun at the horizon slowly sank westward and the last rays of dusk were about to be swallowed by darkness.

A burst of chaotic, heavy footsteps approached from afar.

More than forty mercenaries dressed in matching yellow outfits and radiating fierce auras shoved aside the outer crowd of onlookers and swaggered over. The man at their head was powerfully built, with a savage scar running across his face. He was Mo Xing, the Sand Mercenary Group's second-in-command.

The two groups stopped several dozen meters apart and faced one another from afar. The atmosphere instantly tightened to the breaking point.

"Mo Xing, what are you planning by bringing so many people here?" Xiao Ding stepped out from the crowd, his voice icy.

"Commander Xiao Ding, you jest." Mo Xing cupped his hands with a smile that did not reach his eyes. "I merely heard that the Desert Iron brothers found some treasure here, so I brought people over... to broaden our horizons."

"Broaden your mother's horizons!"

Before Xiao Ding could say another word, Xiao Li could no longer hold back. He stepped forward, pointed at Mo Xing's nose, and cursed, "You defeated mutt! Last time, I beat you so badly you ran home like a dog. Have you forgotten the pain already? You dare bring people onto Desert Iron territory and cause trouble?"

With his old wound exposed in public, Mo Xing's face instantly turned liver-red. He glanced fearfully at Xiao Li, but when he thought of the people behind him, his courage rose again. He shouted fiercely despite his inward weakness, "Xiao Li, stop acting so damn arrogant! Our leader said he's taken a liking to this patch of sand! If you know what's good for you, hand this place over obediently. Otherwise, don't blame the Sand Mercenary Group for showing no mercy!"

"Show no mercy? I'd like to see exactly how you intend to do that!" Xiao Li laughed in rage as Dou Qi began to surge wildly within him.

A violent clash was on the verge of erupting.

Just then, a calm, somewhat lazy laugh suddenly came from behind the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.

"What a trivial matter. Is it worth getting so worked up over?"

Everyone followed the sound and saw the black-robed youth who had remained beside Xiao Ding, seemingly without much presence, slowly walking forward.

He had watched the confrontation with cold eyes the entire time, and there was even a faint, elusive smile on his face.

He walked to the very front of the group. His gaze passed over his two brothers, who were ready to draw swords, and settled on the arrogant Mo Xing across from him.

He did not get angry, nor did he rebuke him. He merely spoke calmly in a tone as if stating a fact.

"I'll give you three breaths to take your people and disappear from before my eyes."

"Otherwise..."

He paused. The smile at the corner of his lips looked somewhat chilling beneath the dim twilight.

"You can stay here forever."