As the largest mercenary group in Stone Desert City, the Sand Mercenary Group's compound was fairly impressive—about a fifth the size of the Xiao Family's sprawling estate, though still far short of that grandeur.
After walking down a long corridor the view suddenly opened onto a spacious courtyard.
"Whoa..."
Chen Yang marveled at the little bridges, pavilions, and water-side galleries. City folk really knew how to live. Stone Desert City sat in the middle of the desert where fresh water was scarce, yet the Sand Mercenary Group had actually built a man-made lake stocked with ornamental fish.
"This Luo Bu has quite the romantic streak!" Chen Yang clicked his tongue. The Sand Mercenary Group's leader was dead; whether his name had been Luo Bu or Sha Luo didn't matter—who cares what a corpse was called?
By now the courtyard had been cleaned up by the Amethyst Winged Lion King. Except for a faint smell of blood and roasted meat nothing remained.
"Master, I've burned all the human corpses!"
The Amethyst Winged Lion King—now roughly the size of an adult Manchurian tiger—flapped over and landed respectfully in front of Chen Yang.
"Good job—well done!"
Chen Yang reached out and patted the great lion's head in praise. He didn't suspect it of secretly eating people; in a world where the strong preyed on the weak, humans could eat Demonic Beasts, so why couldn't Demonic Beasts eat humans?
Judging by the state of the Sand Mercenary Group, though, most had probably been poisoned by Xiao Yi Xian, and the Amethyst Winged Lion King likely feared an upset stomach.
"Thank you for the praise, Master!" The lion grinned, shrank to the size of a medium dog—about that of a golden retriever—and followed behind Chen Yang.
Chen Yang picked a south-facing bedroom that had presumably belonged to Luo Bu. With a sweep of his hand he cleared most of the furnishings; Purple Flame surged and personal items turned to ash in seconds. Tables and chairs were scoured by Dou Qi, and the room ended up cleaner than an ICU.
"Husband, look..."
Just as he finished, Xiao Yi Xian brought in Qing Lin, now wearing a fresh green dress.
Clean and changed, Qing Lin looked far cuter than her earlier pitiful self. Apart from her disproportionately mature figure she was thin everywhere else, her face showing an unhealthy pallor.
"Young master!"
Nervous that her appearance might displease him, Qing Lin clutched her skirt and stole occasional glances at Chen Yang.
"Qing Lin is adorable!" Chen Yang smiled, walked over and rubbed her head, warming the girl's heart.
With a place to stay, Chen Yang, the two girls, and the two beasts went out for a meal.
Where mercenaries thrived the food couldn't be bad; otherwise those brash fellows wouldn't be polite.
After eating they returned to the Sand Mercenary Group and found a crowd gathered at the gate.
They stepped closer and saw several uniformed Sand mercenaries rushing out looking as if they'd seen a ghost.
Chen Yang kicked Little Amethyst Winged Lion King on the rump; understanding, it roared, grew to tiger size, and pounced, smashing those mercenaries dead.
"Holy— a Demonic Beast???"
"One that can grow bigger???"
"Run!"
The crowd scattered. Chen Yang released a hint of his Dou Ling aura and the fleeing people froze.
"The Sand Mercenary Group has committed countless atrocities; I've eradicated them. From today this is my territory, and I don't like being disturbed."
"As for the group's other properties in Stone Desert City, do as you please. My only demand: when I wake up tomorrow every shop must be open as usual!"
Finished, he led the two girls and two beasts inside; the gates of the Sand Mercenary Group slammed shut, leaving the crowd staring at one another.
...Night!
The night sky over Stone Desert City differed little from that of Mo City, but tonight the city found it hard to sleep.
The largest mercenary group had been wiped out silently; its properties could no longer be run by its former members.
Those with sense quickly pledged themselves to big groups like the Mo Tie Mercenary Group—only the boss changed, their lives spared.
The stubborn ones, refusing to believe Luo Bu was dead or holding out for a better offer, died in the ensuing street battles, mere sacrifices.
Yet every fight that night instinctively skirted the Sand Mercenary Group's former headquarters; even passing mercenaries trod softly.
The reason was simple: everyone knew a Dou Ling expert now lived there.
Tonight Qing Lin likewise couldn't sleep.
It was the first time in her life she'd slept somewhere so comfortable.
A room that kept out wind and rain, a warm bed, soft quilts—she feared it might all be a dream, that she'd wake to find herself back on the street with no food.
Amid these tangled thoughts she finally drifted off, still remembering her status as a maid and vowing to rise early. Two rooms away, after Chen Yang and Xiao Yi Xian finished their ride, Xiao Yi Xian asked about Qing Lin.
Her own childhood had been harsh, so she sympathized with the pitiful girl. She didn't oppose Chen Yang's decision but wanted to know his reasons.
"I kept Qing Lin for two main reasons."
"First, her talent. She isn't even a Dou Practitioner yet, but she possesses the legendary Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils—a gift rivaling your Calamity Poison Body."
"Second, of course, she's pretty. Having such a lovely girl as a maid puts me in a better mood."
Chen Yang earned an eye-roll from Xiao Yi Xian, but she understood: a girl with talent rivaling her own was worth keeping around.
The next day Qing Lin rose early. She had little idea how to be a maid but had watched others.
Clumsily carrying water and a towel, she knocked on the door just as Chen Yang was getting up.
After enjoying the girl's awkward service, Chen Yang rubbed her head and took the two of them out for breakfast.
From then on Chen Yang settled in Stone Desert City. In his free time he refined Medicinal Pills and instructed Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin in Cultivation.
Though Qing Lin possessed the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, she still needed solid foundational training.
Though Stone Desert City wasn't large, its many mercenaries and proximity to Mo City meant common medicinal herbs were available. Combined with what he'd looted in the Magical Beast Mountain Range and gathered in Blackrock City, there were enough ingredients for Qing Lin to use foundation establishment divine liquid to her heart's content.
As for Xiao Yi Xian, her Cultivation speed was even faster.
In barely a month she rose another two stars, becoming a Six-Star Great Dou Shi.
One day while Chen Yang was sparring with Xiao Yi Xian in the courtyard, the System's voice suddenly rang in his mind:
[Ding!]
[Highest talent detected in Stone Desert City: Qing Lin—Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. host gains Eye of Delusion Breaking Gold!]
"Oh... Xiao Yan has reached Stone Desert City."
(End of Chapter)
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