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After leaving Xiao Yi Xian's courtyard, Xiao Fan hid in the shadows and watched the spies nearby. A cold gleam flashed in his eyes.

"Sorry, you'll have to endure this a little longer. After tomorrow, everything will be all right."

He turned and vanished into the night.

Beneath the pitch-black sky, a figure placed things in concealed spots around the Myriad Medicine Pavilion.

Haystacks, water vats-he even lifted floorboards to hide things beneath them.

That figure was none other than Xiao Fan.

His visit to Xiao Yi Xian had not merely been to coordinate with her and confirm that she was safe.

More importantly, the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture in Xiao Yi Xian's possession contained records of countless poisons.

That had been Xiao Fan's main objective all along.

Following the records in the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, the two had prepared several poisons.

These would be Xiao Fan's surprise for the Wolf Head Mercenary Group tomorrow.

Of course, if the Myriad Medicine Pavilion refused to see sense, Xiao Fan would not mind giving them some special attention too, teaching them a lesson and helping Xiao Yi Xian vent her anger along the way.

After arranging everything from his Storage Ring, Xiao Fan clapped his hands and surveyed his handiwork. Now, all he had to do was wait for the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

Meanwhile, the Wolf Head Mercenary Group had called an emergency meeting over tomorrow's mission.

"What's going on?"

Inside a spacious room at the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's headquarters.

Seated at the head, Mu She frowned at the disorderly crowd below him and demanded coldly.

As the leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, one of Qingshan Town's three great mercenary groups.

Mu She was deeply disappointed in his men.

A brat who still smelled of milk had killed their third commander.

An entire month had passed without them bringing the murderer to justice. Whenever he went out, he felt as though someone were slapping his face.

He was already in a foul mood, yet now, on the eve of their operation, the group could not even maintain basic order.

How could Mu She possibly be pleased?

Below Mu She, a young man stood up, grabbed a mercenary to question him, then approached Mu She to report.

"Father, I hear it concerns the Second Regiment Leader."

Who else could this be but Mu Li, the one who had previously schemed against Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Fan?

Yet Mu Li no longer possessed the bearing of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's young master. His previous failure had indirectly led to the death of their third commander, Hao Meng, and his standing within the group had plummeted again and again.

If anyone in the Wolf Head Mercenary Group hated Xiao Fan most, it was this former young commander.

Seated at the head, Mu She heard his son's words and cast a disappointed glance at the son who had failed to meet his expectations before speaking flatly.

"The Second Regiment Leader? What happened to him?"

Mu Li hunched over, hiding the hatred in his eyes as he answered in a low voice.

"A subordinate just reported that the Second Regiment Leader's nephew went out this morning and never returned. His body was just found in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Everyone accompanying him is dead too."

Bang!!

Upon hearing Mu Li's words.

Anger flashed in Mu She's eyes as he slammed his palm onto the table. The teacup rattled off and shattered on the floor, and even the table was covered in cracks from that blow.

He had achieved this through physical strength alone, without using any Dou Qi-a glimpse of just how powerful Mu She was.

"Wonderful! It seems everyone thinks they can bully our Wolf Head Mercenary Group now."

Hearing the fury in Mu She's voice, Mu Li did not dare react.

As he looked down at his son standing with his head bowed, a trace of disappointment crossed Mu She's eyes.

He had placed great hopes in this son. Who could have imagined he would prove so useless that many within the group now held grievances against Mu She himself?

A cold gleam flashed in his eyes as Mu She spoke flatly to Mu Li below him.

"Notify everyone. Assemble in the council hall in half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea!"

"Yes!"

Before long, all the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's stewards, hall masters, and other officers had arrived.

Mu She sat at the head, looking over the crowd as he spoke in a low voice.

"Another tragedy struck our mercenary group today." At this, Mu She glanced at Gan Mu, seated below.

"The Second Regiment Leader's nephew was brutally murdered in the Magical Beast Mountain Range while out buying supplies today. Over the past month, our Wolf Head Mercenary Group's reputation has fallen again and again. Everyone thinks we're a paper tiger now, daring to dig in the earth above the Lord of the Year's head!"

Mu She rose, slammed his hand onto the table in fury, and shouted.

"Have they forgotten that I, Mu She, am a full-fledged Dou Shi, one of Qingshan Town's three strongest fighters?"

With that, Mu She abruptly unleashed the power of a Two-Star Dou Shi.

Everyone present was cowed by his strength.

"I know some of you are spies for other factions, but our Wolf Head Mercenary Group isn't a meal just anyone can swallow."

"Through tomorrow's operation, I'll make everyone understand that in Qingshan Town, even a dragon must coil before me, and even a tiger must lie down!"

"Not a single thing can go wrong in tomorrow's operation. Do you understand?"

Mu She's presence was like a venomous snake as he stared coldly at everyone.

Just then, a potbellied middle-aged man in the hall tremblingly raised his hand.

"C-commander, isn't surrounding the Myriad Medicine Pavilion tomorrow a little too... How are we supposed to explain that to the other two mercenary groups?"

Mu She looked at the man who had raised his hand, thought for a moment, and spoke.

"Hmm... Your name is Wan Yichun, isn't it? You're currently the... supervisor of our external affairs department?"

Hearing Mu She's words, Wan Yichun stammered.

"I never imagined the commander would remember a subordinate like me. Yes, I'm currently... uh... aah..."

Mu She did not give him a chance to finish.

Circulating his Dou Qi, he lunged forward and closed in on Wan Yichun.

"Cloud-Crushing Palm!"

Bang!

Mu She's palm sent Wan Yichun flying into the wall.

He spat blood, his eyes bulging in fury, then fell to the floor, twitched a few times, and went still.

Mu She withdrew his palm and looked at the others, speaking coldly.

"This man was a spy for the Myriad Medicine Pavilion. He couldn't even handle such a trivial matter, so what use was there in keeping him? Wouldn't you all agree?"

"Yes, yes, absolutely!"

"The commander is right. A beast like that, biting the hand that feeds him, deserves execution."

"Killing him with one palm strike was too merciful. I say he deserved death by a thousand cuts..."

Facing Mu She, who radiated murderous hostility, the members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group were no fools. They all voiced their agreement.

"Then does anyone have any further objections regarding tomorrow?"

Mu She looked at them "gently" and asked in a soft voice.

They were no fools. Mu She was clearly killing a chicken to frighten the monkeys; why would they invite trouble upon themselves?

One after another, they declared that there were no problems.

Seeing that no one in the hall had any further objections, Mu She returned to the head seat and issued his orders.

"There must be no mishaps tomorrow. Whoever causes a problem at any stage, I'll tear him apart. Is that clear?"

"Understood."

"We'll make sure it's done properly."

Hearing their replies, Mu She lightly waved his hand and spoke flatly.

"Everyone may leave. Second Regiment Leader, stay behind."

At his words, everyone hurried out. Before long, several mercenaries even came in and cleared away the corpse in the hall.

No trace of what had happened remained.

Once only Mu She and Gan Mu remained in the hall, Mu She spoke softly to Gan Mu.

"I've heard about your nephew. Don't grieve too much."

Hearing Mu She's words, Gan Mu immediately put on a sorrowful expression and exclaimed emotionally.

"Big brother, he was my own nephew! My beloved flesh and blood!"

As he spoke, he wiped away the nonexistent tears on his face.

Watching Gan Mu's awkward performance, Mu She did not know how to respond.

He could only wave a hand to interrupt Gan Mu and say.

"Let's put his matter aside for now. Wasn't he constantly tangled up with people from the Fire Wolf Mercenary Group before? They can't be entirely unrelated to his death. Once we've finished with the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, we'll properly deal with those ragtag outfits."

After hearing Mu She's words, Gan Mu asked curiously.

"Big brother, are you saying the Fire Wolf Mercenary Group killed Shi Wan?"

"Hmph! They wouldn't dare on their own, but they certainly had something to do with it. A tiny mercenary group, and now even they dare disregard us."

Mu She snorted disdainfully, then spoke flatly.

"It seems Qingshan Town has become a place where fish and dragons mingle. Some factions are due for a cleansing..."

A shadow flashed through Gan Mu's eyes at Mu She's words, then he said.

"Rest assured, big brother. Tomorrow's operation will be absolutely foolproof!"

Mu She smiled at Gan Mu's assurance and reached out to pat his shoulder.

"Hahaha, my good brother! It's men like you our mercenary group must rely on to grow bigger and stronger!"

Aside from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, the Myriad Medicine Pavilion was also discussing the matter.

"Pavilion master, about Xiao Yi Xian..."

In a secluded room, a shifty-eyed man dressed as a servant was questioning a middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man had a square face. Though he lacked Mu She's imposing presence, he possessed a natural air of authority even without showing anger.

"Hmph! Our informant in the Wolf Head Mercenary Group sent word that they may move against Xiao Yi Xian soon."

"What?"

The servant paled in alarm.

"Is the Wolf Head Mercenary Group really going to openly break with our Myriad Medicine Pavilion?"

The master of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion sneered.

"Hmph! He wouldn't dare break with us openly. But with them pressuring Xiao Yi Xian like this, it seems the rumors that she obtained a Black Tier cultivation method aren't wind blowing from an empty cave."

The pavilion master lightly stroked his nonexistent beard and smiled darkly.

"Here's what we'll do. Tomorrow-tomorrow I'll go see Xiao Yi Xian myself. I must get to the bottom of this cultivation method."

"If it's true and she hands it over, we can still keep her alive. If she doesn't... hmph! Then she can't blame me for disregarding our past ties."

Hearing the pavilion master's words, the servant hurriedly bowed his head to the ground, nodding and scraping as he said, "A wise decision, pavilion master. Under your leadership, the Myriad Medicine Pavilion will surely rise higher with every step."

"Hahahaha..."

Standing at a high point in town, Xiao Fan gazed down at the silent streets. He knew that once dawn broke, the balance of this town, peaceful for decades, would be shattered.