Mu She's Pressure

Inside Xiao Yi Xian's dispensary, Xiao Yan was mixing a potion.

After three days of study, Xiao Yan had learned the properties of most of the medicinal ingredients. This was his first attempt at mixing a potion.

Yet he was acting furtively, his eyes darting toward the door from time to time, as though he were keeping watch for someone.

Only after confirming that Xiao Yi Xian was absent did Xiao Yan relax and take out the medicinal ingredients he had secretly stashed away.

"Hehehe, that's how the medical book said to do it. It should turn out fine, right?"

Looking at the little jade vial in his hand, Xiao Yan couldn't help laughing aloud.

He was only a young man, after all, and he did harbor a certain longing for such things.

As soon as he learned the basics of mixing medicines, he had immediately made a potion he had wanted to make for quite some time.

"What are you grinning about? Let me see what you've made."

Xiao Yi Xian suddenly entered the dispensary. Xiao Yan's face drained of color in alarm, and he hastily put away the little jade vial.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!"

Seeing how secretive Xiao Yan was being, Xiao Yi Xian laughed disdainfully. "Hmph, you think you can fool me? I can identify the ingredients in there with my nose alone."

Then Xiao Yi Xian bent down and gently sniffed the mortar Xiao Yan had just used.

"Snake saliva grass, acacia fruit, Jade Maiden..."

By the time she named the third ingredient, Xiao Yi Xian's face had flushed crimson. "You... shameless! Filthy!"

"How am I shameless and filthy?"

Xiao Yan looked helpless, though there was a hint of guilt in his voice.

"I thought you genuinely wanted to study medicine, but you only learned it from me to make... this! Who else could you possibly use this stuff on besides me?"

Xiao Yi Xian was both embarrassed and furious. She had never expected the first potion Xiao Yan made after learning to mix medicines to be that sort of potion used between men and women!

"Would you believe me if I said I really only made it for fun?"

Xiao Yan had made the stuff purely for amusement. It was nothing more than a young man's whim.

"Hmph, I don't believe you! And stay away from me from now on!"

Their relationship, which had eased over the past few days, became awkward once more because of this potion.

Xiao Yan looked helpless. Now he truly had a mouth but no way to defend himself.

"I..."

Before Xiao Yan could explain further, a young girl hurried in through the door.

"Miss Xiao Yi Xian, something terrible has happened! The Wolf Head Mercenary Group has surrounded the entire Myriad Medicine Pavilion. They said you and this gentleman must go out to meet their leader!"

The girl who spoke was thin and frail, her face filled with panic.

Given its influence, the Myriad Medicine Pavilion had little reason to fear the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. However, its headquarters were in Fengze City, more than a hundred li away. If the other side truly went berserk, the pavilion's dozen or so guards would be nowhere near enough.

"Heh, I've been so absorbed in studying these past few days that I forgot about these small fry. Let's go take a look."

Xiao Yan had long since heard that the leaders of Qingshan Town's three strongest mercenary groups were merely Dou Shi.

He hadn't given them any thought when he returned, never expecting them to actually dare come knocking.

"Xiao Yan, you can't run away and leave me here alone!"

Xiao Yi Xian, who had been utterly disgusted with Xiao Yan just a moment earlier, immediately hid behind him.

Over the past few days, the Myriad Medicine Pavilion had also seemingly realized that she had obtained something, and its attitude toward her had grown increasingly strange.

Her plan was to leave Qingshan Town once she finished mixing the potion she wanted.

Now that the Wolf Head Mercenary Group had come looking for her and Xiao Yan in such a menacing fashion, she feared the Myriad Medicine Pavilion would hand her over to avoid a conflict.

"Don't worry. With me here, no one can touch you. It looks like it's time to kill a chicken to warn the monkeys."

Xiao Yan's expression darkened, and he took the initiative to walk out of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion.

When he reached the main entrance, the pavilion's dozen or so guards were facing off against several dozen mercenaries from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

But in both cultivation and numbers, the pavilion's guards fell far short of their opponents.

Had they not been wary of the power behind the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, the Wolf Head Mercenary Group would probably have stormed inside already.

"I'll say this one last time. Hand over Xiao Yi Xian and the murderer who killed my son, or I, Mu She, will trample this Myriad Medicine Pavilion into the ground today!"

At the forefront of more than a hundred mercenaries stood a middle-aged man with a cold, stern face.

He was Mu She, the chief leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, a Two-Star Dou Shi.

Standing on either side of him were Gan Mu, the group's second leader, and He Meng, its third leader.

The former was a Nine-Star Dou Zhe, while the latter was an Eight-Star Dou Zhe.

Even across all of Qingshan Town, they could be considered experts.

Upon learning that his son had met an untimely end, Mu She had flown into a rage. Yet he was not a reckless man.

He had heard that the culprit was with Xiao Yi Xian and might well belong to the Myriad Medicine Pavilion.

The Myriad Medicine Pavilion held considerable influence in Qingshan Town. Even if he merely wanted to pressure it, he would have to send out his entire force.

Thus, Mu She had urgently recalled the second and third leaders from their missions and brought the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's remaining hundred and thirty-odd members to surround the Myriad Medicine Pavilion.

Xiao Yi Xian was merely employed by the Myriad Medicine Pavilion. Faced with such a show of force, it certainly wouldn't make an enemy of him.

Of course, if the Myriad Medicine Pavilion truly failed to recognize what was good for it, his current strength would allow him to take it by force.

As for why he had gone to such lengths and mobilized so many men, avenging his son was only a small part of the reason.

Most importantly, he had learned from his subordinates that his son had died in a struggle over a treasure.

His purpose in coming here was to obtain the treasure in Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian's possession.

If that treasure fell into his hands, the entire Wolf Head Mercenary Group would no longer be confined to a small place like Qingshan Town.

"Leader Mu She, surely we can talk this over. There's no need to make such a spectacle, is there? Bringing so many men here today-are you bullying us because you think the Myriad Medicine Pavilion has no one to defend it?"

The owner of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion forced himself to remain calm, hoping to use the influence behind him to ease tensions between the two sides.

"Enough talk! That Xiao Yi Xian joined forces with a bastard to kill my son. Today, I, Mu She, will not rest until one of us is dead! Anyone who dares stand in my way will be considered an enemy of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group!"

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

The Wolf Head Mercenary Group was already one of Qingshan Town's dominant powers. Moreover, these mercenaries had spent years licking blood from their blades, so it was only

natural that they believed strength reigned supreme.

"Owner Wan, I advise you to stay out of this. After all, our enemy isn't your Myriad Medicine Pavilion."

With that, Mu She waved his hand. "Gan Mu, He Meng, take a dozen or so brothers and drag that pair of dogs out here! Kill anyone who tries to stop you!"

Seeing how unhinged Mu She was, the owner of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion finally yielded and motioned for the guards to step aside. Though it pained him to lose Xiao Yi Xian, his star attraction, he didn't want to draw the flames onto himself at this point.

"Leave it to us, Leader."

Gan Mu and He Meng let out sinister chuckles and charged into the Myriad Medicine Pavilion with a dozen or so mercenaries.

Yet less than five seconds after they entered, two figures were hurled straight back out like dogs.

The members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group looked closely and recognized the two by their clothing. They were none other than Gan Mu and He Meng, who had just gone inside!