After the desert, once the night's chill is gone, the rising sun becomes scorching.
Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo left a very shallow trail of footprints in the desert, which were quickly covered by the sand blown by the wind.
Xiao Huohuo was shirtless, with the huge, thick Heavy Xuan Ruler on his back.
His bare upper body was smeared with the bright Blazing Fire Flood Dragon Python, which had been mixed with several precious medicinal herbs by the Yao Lao. This mixture was designed to effectively refine his body and also to increase Xiao Huohuo's cultivation speed.
"According to Hai Bodong's map, Stone Desert City is thirty miles to the east."
Xiao Yan unfolded the parchment in his hand, his fingertip tracing a curved path, glanced at Xiao Huohuo suffering under the scorching sun, and said:
"This is no longer the core area of the desert, so we shouldn't be unlucky enough to encounter Snake-People Tribe patrol again."
Two days ago, the two had only left Fire Lizard Valley when they encountered a patrol of the Snake-People Tribe. The Snake-People in charge was only Dou Shi, while the dozen or so Snake-People under his command were all Dou Zhe.
However, the two seemed to be unlucky, as their opponent was a Snake-People harbored deep hatred for humans.
Without a word, he tried to attack the two of them, but in order to protect themselves, they could only send him off with tears in their eyes.
However, this very incident caused even more Snake-People to gather at the scene of the accident, and it took the two of them a great deal of effort to finally escape.
Xiao Huohuo nodded, sweat dripping from his forehead.
"Something's approaching." Before Xiao Huohuo could respond, Xiao Yan suddenly whispered again, turning his gaze to the southwest.
After consuming the Fire Spirit Fruit, he could feel an increase in his Soul Power perception.
The area he explored was much farther, and he could detect even the slightest rustling of wind or grass.
"It's not Magical Beast... it's a person, and there's a strong smell of blood."
Xiao Yan spoke slowly, Xiao Huohuo tilted her head to think for a moment before saying:
"Let's go check out the situation."
The two concealed their presence, moving silently like lizards in the desert. After rounding two sand dunes, the scene before them suddenly appeared.
Seven or eight people dressed as mercenaries were being attacked by more than twenty desert scorpions!
The smallest of these scorpions was no bigger than the palm of a hand, while the largest scorpion king was two meters long, and its dark blue tail hooks stirred up a foul stench with every swing.
Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo could sense that the strongest human was only a middle-aged man with the strength of a Seven-Star Dou Zhe, but even he was now seriously injured.
They were no match for that second-tier demonic scorpion.
The mercenaries clung to a rock wall, desperately holding on, but the defensive line was already on the verge of collapse.
The two mercenaries lay on the ground, their wounds blackened, clearly poisoned by scorpion venom.
A girl of about eleven or twelve years old, along with several other mercenaries who were already seriously injured, were protected in the very center.
The girl's small, thin body kept busy, taking out the prepared antidotes and bandaging them.
Her pale green hair lay disheveled on her pale face, making her look sickly and frail.
Just as Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo were watching the battlefield, the situation suddenly changed. A scorpion broke through the defenses and its stinger pierced the girl in green!
A young mercenary lunged forward, shielding the attacker with his body. The azure venom instantly soaked through his leather armor, and he screamed as he collapsed to the ground, convulsing.
"You guys run first!"
The mercenary captain was a burly man with a scar on his face. He wielded his heavy sword to repel two poisonous scorpions, but more scorpions swarmed in and he was completely unable to resist.
The girl named Qing Lin trembled, her eyes filled with tears and fear, but she did not run away. Instead, she continued to bandage the wounds of the others with trembling hands.
"Help!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo rushed towards the mercenary group's location.
Xiao Yan moved even faster.
Before anyone even got close, a series of whooshing sounds filled the air.
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"
Xiao Yan's figure swept across the sand like Gui Mei, his Bone Spirit Cold Flame condensing into pale ice spikes, which flew out precisely under Xiao Yan's control, piercing into the heads of the poisonous scorpions.
"Reinforcements have arrived?" The mercenaries were both surprised and delighted, turning to look in the direction of the two, but seeing Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo's youthful appearance...
The burly man leading the group felt a chill run down his spine and said:
"Please, gentlemen, these scorpions are difficult to deal with. Thank you for your help, but please don't make unnecessary sacrifices. Could you please help us deliver a message to the Desert Iron Mercenary Group in Stone Desert City? The group will reward you handsomely!"
Xiao Huohuo, who was already rushing towards the mercenary group, was stunned when he heard the big man's voice. Then, a look of joy flashed across his face, and the Purple Cloud Wings appeared from his back, increasing his speed even further.
As for Xiao Yan, he did not answer. Three more pale ice spikes flew out, and the cold air burst forth. The three poisonous scorpions were instantly covered with frost, and their movements slowed down.
Xiao Huohuo arrived at this moment, and his Heavy Xuan Ruler, wreathed in cold white flames, slashed down, directly attacking the largest scorpion king.
With the help of Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo, these mercenaries were finally able to escape their predicament.
"Step back and heal your wounds!"
Xiao Huohuo spoke to the burly man who was leading the mercenaries.
At this moment, the burly man finally realized what was happening. After hastily thanking Xiao Yan and the other man, he immediately arranged for a group of mercenaries to bandage and remove the poison.
Faced with Xiao Huohuo's attack, the Scorpion King seemed to sense the threat and let out a sharp hiss. All the poisonous scorpions immediately abandoned the mercenaries and pounced on Xiao Huohuo!
"Not good!"
The burly man leading the group paled upon seeing this and was about to step forward when Xiao Yan grabbed his shoulder and said:
"Please sit down."
Xiao Yan's gaze swept over the several hideous wounds on the burly man's body, and he spoke:
"If you don't clean up your wounds soon, I don't know if you'll make it back to Stone Desert City alive."
Faced with an attack from a group of venomous scorpions, Xiao Huohuo's eyes revealed a hint of excitement.
His eyes turned cold, and he swung the Heavy Xuan Ruler, which was covered in Heavenly Flames, continuously. With each strike, a poisonous scorpion died at his hands.
Xiao Yan remained calm. With Xiao Huohuo's current Peak Nine-Star Dou Shi strength, dealing with a second-tier poisonous scorpion was no problem at all.
Xiao Huohuo's Heavy Xuan Ruler clashed fiercely with the scorpion's tail hook, which emitted a ghostly blue light, sparks flying everywhere!
Not long after, the scorpion king's tail hook was completely shattered by the Heavy Xuan Ruler. Then, Xiao Huohuo turned around and struck hard, and the scorpion king's head was smashed to pieces by the Heavy Xuan Ruler!
With their leader dead, the remaining scorpions scattered and fled into the sand for their lives.
The battle lasted less than thirty breaths from start to finish.
The mercenaries stared in disbelief at the scene.
The scarred captain was the first to react. After quickly bandaging his wounds, he stared at the two men in disbelief and said:
"Thank you both for saving my life! I am Lei Le, the captain of the third squad of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. May I ask your names...?"
" Xiao Huohuo." Xiao Huohuo put away the Heavy Xuan Ruler and glanced at the badges on the chests of the mercenaries, a faint smile appearing in his eyes.
Back then, his eldest brother Xiao Ding and second brother Xiao Li had sent letters back to the Xiao Clan. They had created the Desert Iron Mercenary Group in the location of Stone Desert City. He never expected that he would encounter them before he even arrived in Desert Iron City.
Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan waved his hand and walked over to the poisoned young mercenary.
The mercenary was unconscious, his face was dark, and his breathing was weak.
Xiao Yan ignited the Bone Spirit Cold Flame in his palm and pressed it onto the wound. The azure poison was forced out by the cold air and condensed into ice crystals that fell down.
"His life has been saved for now, but he needs an antidote."
Lei Le quickly took out a small bottle from his pocket. "We brought a special antidote from the mercenary group; it should help."
After the young mercenary was given the medicine, his breathing became more stable.
At this moment, the girl in green timidly approached and handed the package she was carrying to Lei Le:
"Captain, the herbs and supplies... were not lost."
Her voice was barely audible, and trembled noticeably.
Xiao Huohuo noticed that when she approached, the other mercenaries subconsciously took a half step back, their eyes filled with complex emotions—concern, but more so with alienation and even disgust.
"Thank you for your hard work, Qing Lin."
Lei Le took the package, his tone somewhat complicated.
Qing Lin lowered her head, her long, pale green hair obscuring her face.
"Let's go back to the city first," said Lei Le. "Thank you both for saving my life. Once we return to Stone Desert City, I will certainly do my best to be a good host. Please don't find it inappropriate."
Lei Le's gaze swept over the two boys, a hint of doubt in his eyes. He felt a sense of familiarity with these two teenagers.
However, he recruited the two for two reasons: firstly, Xiao Yan and his companions had saved his life, and secondly, he recognized their immense potential.
With such talent, if they could join the Desert Iron Mercenary Group Desert Iron Mercenary Group, the Stone Desert City would surely become their territory.
The group headed towards Stone Desert City. On the way, after learning that it was the first time Xiao Yan and his companion had visited Stone Desert City, Lei Le enthusiastically introduced the Stone Desert City to them.
Of course, he would always inadvertently mention the benefits of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group in his conversation.
The two naturally understood the implied meaning, and Xiao Huohuo found it somewhat amusing.
Judging from Lei Le's expression, the other party didn't seem to recognize him, nor did he seem to have any intention of revealing his identity immediately.
The Desert Iron Mercenary Group currently has over a hundred members, with the leader Xiao Ding Four-Star Dou Shi and the deputy leader Xiao Li Three-Star Dou Shi.
There is another vice-captain at the Dou Shi level, and in addition, there are more than ten captains at the Late-Stage Dou Zhe level.
In Stone Desert City, their strength was not the strongest, but it was still considered first-rate, controlling 30% of the trade routes within the Stone Desert City.
As they were talking, they finally arrived at Stone Desert City.
From a distance, Stone Desert City appears somewhat dilapidated.
The city wall showed signs of repair in many places, and most of the buildings on both sides of the street were low and simple. There were not many pedestrians, and they all seemed to be in a hurry.
The air was filled with the smell of sand and a faint stench of blood.
At Lei Le's warm invitation, Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo went together to the base of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.
The headquarters of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group is located in the west of the city, in a large courtyard surrounded by stone walls.