Wolf Head Mercenary Group, Mu She

After searching the Blue Flame Serpent's corpse, they found no Magic Core. However, this was a common occurrence, so there was not much disappointment.

The group did not linger and continued onward.

As they ventured deeper, they began encountering Magic Beasts more frequently. Xiao Yan and the Lineage's elites wiped them out several times.

Given Xiao Yan's age, the talent displayed by his cultivation speed had already been enough to astonish people. Now that he demonstrated such formidable practical combat ability, he earned even greater admiration.

Moreover, as the number of Magic Beasts they slew steadily rose, Magic Cores began to appear. Xiao Yan traded his refined medicines for them, winning everyone's heartfelt respect.

This time, Xiao Yan and the others did not travel at full speed. They entered the mountains with several physicians like an ordinary herb-gathering party, only reaching the turning point from their previous visit at dusk.

Continuing forward from here led to the herb-gathering region, while heading through the dense growth to the side led to the cliff where that treasure-filled cave was located.

In half a year, the Xiao Family had grown from one of the three great Lineages into Wutan City's foremost Lineage. Xiao Zhan felt as though a lifetime had passed. Looking at the weary physicians, he said in a deep voice, "We're about to reach the herb-gathering area. Rest for a while first."

More than a dozen people were assigned to stand guard around the perimeter, while the rest found places to rest and recover from the exhaustion of travel and battle.

Among the group, Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor, who were close in age, gathered together to chat. When the subject turned to medicinal herbs, Xiao Yan answered with effortless fluency, and his insights ran remarkably deep. Little Fairy Doctor had often heard others praise her medical skills, but only now, speaking with someone her own age, did she realize there was always someone greater beyond the mountains.

As Xiao Yan spoke, a trace of puzzlement rose within him.

Logically, this place was close to that valley filled with medicinal herbs. There should have been a medicinal fragrance in the air. Why could he smell the scent of Purple Luo Flower juice instead?

It was an exceedingly cheap poison with corrosive properties. Its scent was extremely faint; unless it appeared in large quantities, it would have been impossible to detect so easily.

Just as Xiao Yan was pondering this, he suddenly heard wolf howls, along with furious curses and the sounds of fighting.

"Is there another herb-gathering party here?" Xiao Zhan asked doubtfully as he rose.

Xiao Yan did not recall anyone else being able to gather herbs there. He felt that the scent of Purple Luo Flower juice might be connected to these people, so he strode to the front, sprang up onto a large tree, and looked into the distance.

There, a red wolf-like Magic Beast with fur like fire was fighting several mercenaries. Though it was alone, it moved as swiftly as the wind. Every mercenary carried a large quantity of medicinal herbs on his back, yet despite their numbers, they could not subdue it for the moment. They had only left a few nonfatal wounds upon its body.

Xiao Yan recognized this Magic Beast. When it ran, it resembled a mass of fiery clouds, hence its name: the Fire Cloud Wolf. And from the conspicuous wolf-head emblems on the mercenaries' chests, it was not hard to tell that they belonged to the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

Xiao Yan turned and gave his father a meaningful look, then was the first to leap onto a nearby tree and race ahead.

Seeing the Fire Cloud Wolf bleeding without end yet still retaining strength, the mercenaries cursed loudly, "What a stubborn beast!"

Knowing it was no match for so many people, the Fire Cloud Wolf fought as it retreated. Every so often, it suddenly accelerated without warning, and even while at a disadvantage, it managed to wound the mercenaries.

However, this also consumed much of its strength. With blood continuing to flow from its body, it gradually began to weaken.

From the tree, Xiao Yan saw that several mercenaries were about to succeed. The Fire Cloud Wolf was not far from him, so he suddenly exerted force and descended as though falling from the sky. With one palm strike to the Fire Cloud Wolf's head, he slammed it into the ground with tremendous force, stunning it unconscious.

Seeing the Fire Cloud Wolf subdued in one blow—and by a young boy at that—the mercenaries were greatly shocked. They demanded, "Kid, where did you come from?"

Xiao Yan snorted coldly. "I haven't even questioned you, yet you're questioning me first!" Though young, there was an innate majesty in his tone, and none of the mercenaries dared act rashly.

At that moment, another group of mercenaries appeared behind them. One of them hurriedly reported the situation to their leader.

Seeing that the newcomer possessed an extraordinary bearing, Mu She immediately recognized him as the young master of a great Lineage. A flash of fear passed through his eyes as he angrily said, "Why are you wasting words? Just kill him! Do you think anyone in the Magic Beast Mountain Range will come seeking revenge for you?"

The mercenary thought his leader's words made sense and was about to turn around and attack when a furious shout rang out: "Who dares harm the Xiao Family's young master!"

Amid the shout, a group of people charged out from the forest. Some wore thin veils of energy over their robes—the signature technique of Dou Practitioners, the Dou Qi Veil.

Seeing that the other side had considerable numbers and several Dou Practitioners, every member of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group was horrified. They had no idea what great power this was.

Hearing that they were members of the Xiao Family, Mu She's heart pounded violently. When he saw that one of the newcomers had actually condensed Dou Qi Armor around his body, cold sweat poured down his back.

A Great Dou Master! Even if this man was not the Xiao Family's patriarch, he had to be at least an elder.

Without waiting for the other side to act first, Mu She charged straight at that young master. If he could seize him as a hostage, perhaps there would still be a sliver of hope for survival today.

He's coming for me? Xiao Yan was somewhat surprised. Their encounter had indeed been unpleasant, but no real fight had taken place. The matter was not beyond reconciliation. Yet Mu She wanted to take him hostage, which meant abandoning the entire mercenary group—and even then, he might not save his own life.

Mu She had no choice either. He had once believed that cooperating with the Jialie Family meant leaning against a towering tree, that the Wolf Head Mercenary Group would enjoy tremendous growth. Yet the outcome had been far beyond his expectations...

Gan Mu and his men had been delayed for a long time while transporting medicinal herbs and had not returned. At first, Mu She thought the Jialie Family had other arrangements, or that Gan Mu and the others had lost control of themselves after entering the city. But as the days passed, Mu She sensed that something was wrong.

He sent people to Wutan City to inquire, but they could not find any news of Gan Mu and the others. Instead, they learned of the Jialie Family's circumstances: in its competition with the Xiao Family, it had been declining with every passing day.

Mu She did not know whether Gan Mu and his men had been punished by the Jialie Family for failing their task, or whether they had been intercepted and killed by the Xiao Family.

He only keenly realized that the Jialie Family tree could no longer be relied upon, while the Xiao Family might have killed his men. He could not possibly seek refuge with them.

In the grip of fear and unease, Mu She finally made the painful decision to leave Qingshan Town.

Had he developed on his own, he would have been able to dominate Qingshan Town in a few years. Yet now he had to travel far from home. Before leaving, Mu She planned to harvest a great quantity of medicinal herbs for future development, while also destroying the herb-gathering area to take revenge on the power that had forced him away.

He simply had not expected the Jialie Family to be so useless, to collapse so swiftly. The Xiao Family placed enormous importance on Thousand Medicine Hall's business and had directly sent a large number of people, blocking him here.

Now, if the Xiao Family discovered the state of the herb-gathering area, he would undoubtedly be unable to escape death. Only by capturing that young master could he gain a chance to preserve his life.

"A mere mercenary dares to be so outrageously arrogant!" Xiao Zhan had not expected anyone to still attack under such circumstances. He flew into a rage. Green Dou Qi circulated around him, and an illusory lion's head faintly appeared on his cheeks. His voice was like the furious roar of a wild lion.

Though Xiao Yan did not understand what was going on, he swiftly realized this was an opportunity to subdue the remaining members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. Smiling, he said, "Father, uncles, there's no need for you to act. I'll handle this mercenary leader myself."

Xiao Zhan had always known his son was clever. He glanced at the trembling mercenaries and immediately guessed his intention. Thinking that nothing could go wrong with himself nearby, he said, "Everyone, stand down. Let this madman witness the skills of the Xiao Family's Third Young Master."