Half a day later!
The Desert Iron Mercenary Corps test competition has concluded.
Even Xiao Li went up and played for a while, taking on five opponents single-handedly.
In this life, the development of the Desert Iron Mercenary Corps is significantly stronger than in the original story. Therefore, in addition to Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, there are several other powerful warriors in the mercenary corps.
Of course, this is also related to the fact that the two brothers do have some personal charm.
In the end, Xiao Li still emerged victorious.
He possesses lightning-attribute battle qi, making him extremely powerful. Furthermore, his strength has reached the level of an eight-star battle master, allowing him to achieve victory even when fighting five opponents alone.
Of course, in the end he didn't challenge Xiao Ding and Xiao Yan.
Let's not even talk about Xiao Yan; his strength is too abnormal.
Xiao Ding, on the other hand, had broken through to the Great Dou Master level, and he also cultivated a high-level Xuan-rank technique, so his combat power was something Xiao Li couldn't possibly match.
After the test competition ended, Xiao Ding immediately summoned the mercenary group members and issued a mission.
During this period, everyone stopped all work and tasks, sealed off the eastern area of Stone Desert City, and dug down to explore and search for any suspicious traces.
In addition, Xiao Ding personally went to various herbal medicine shops in the city and scourd the medicinal herbs according to the list given by Xiao Yan.
Their Mo Tie mercenary group had been stationed in Shimo City for many years and had accumulated some savings.
The strange behavior of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group immediately attracted the attention of various forces, especially their old rival, the Sand Mercenary Group.
The Sand Mercenary Group is stationed here!
In a spacious hall, all the high-ranking members of the Sand Mercenary Group were gathered.
At this moment, their faces all showed solemn expressions.
The appearance of the Amethyst Winged Lion King made them extremely wary of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group.
A tall, burly man sat in the head seat, looking down at a gaunt man with a gloomy face.
"Moxing, how's your investigation going? Have you found out anything about the origin of that magical beast?"
Also, what is its relationship with the Desert Iron Mercenary Corps?
Who were the two young men traveling with him?
He asked three questions in a row, speaking very quickly.
Upon hearing this, everyone looked at Mo Xing.
There was no way around it; the pressure from the Amethyst Winged Lion King was too intense. It was at least a fourth-tier magical beast. If such a being really had any connection with the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, then the Sand Mercenary Group would be in serious trouble.
In their eyes, that terrifying monster was more likely a fifth-order monster.
But they instinctively felt that the Desert Iron Mercenary Corps couldn't possibly have any connection with such a powerful entity.
After all, a fifth-tier magical beast is equivalent to a Battle King.
If the Desert Iron Mercenary Corps could be associated with such an existence, why would they be stuck in a godforsaken little town like Stone Desert City as mercenaries?
Mo Xing coughed awkwardly upon hearing this, but still stood up and replied, "Commander, I haven't found out the origin of that magical beast yet, but I have found out the origin of those two young men and women."
Rob frowned slightly when he heard that Moxing had not found out any information about the monsters. Fortunately, the latter had still managed to find out the origins of the young couple.
So he said, "Tell me about their background."
Mo Xing bowed slightly and said in a deep voice, "Commander, as far as I know, that young man is Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's younger brother, named Xiao Yan. He is said to be a genius, and his strength may be even stronger than Xiao Ding's."
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces showed shock.
In their eyes, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were already top geniuses, but they never expected that besides the two of them—
There are still experts!
Rob's face was equally grim.
The Xiao brothers, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, were already troublesome enough, but now there's an even more perverted one.
Seeing this, Mo Xing swallowed and whispered, "Captain, besides that, that woman should be Xiao Yan's woman, but she doesn't seem to have anything special about her, and she's not very strong."
After a pause, Mo Xing continued, "Oh, and also, that magical beast was brought over by Xiao Yan."
Rob's face darkened slightly, his expression shifting between light and shadow.
In fact, the Sand Mercenary Group has no choice at all, even he is only a four-star Grand Master.
Let alone that magical beast that was suspected to be a fourth- or even fifth-order beast, he might not even be able to defeat Xiao Yan, who suddenly appeared.
Having mingled for many years, how could Rob be a fool?
At this moment, causing trouble for the Desert Iron Mercenary Corps will only lead to self-destruction. If they want to preserve their foundation, they can only resort to trickery.
After thinking for a long time, he took a deep breath and looked at the people in the hall.
"Alright, the Desert Iron Mercenary Corps is powerful, so let's not provoke them."
Rob then closed his eyes and said calmly, "Pass this down. Everyone in the Sand Mercenary Group, keep a low profile these days. If any of you dare to cause trouble, I will punish you severely."
After he finished speaking, he waved his hand.
"Everyone, disperse!"
Inside the hall, the high-ranking members of the Sand Mercenary Group looked slightly puzzled.
The team leader just backed down like that?
However, it seems that there is no better way than to give in now.
If you're going to back down, then back down!
Everyone nodded in understanding and left.
To everyone's surprise, after they left, Rob suddenly opened his eyes and a cold smile appeared on his face.
After a while, Rob and Moxing reappeared in a small, secret room.
Mo Xing whispered, "Captain, did you call me here because you need something?"
He had just noticed that the group leader's attitude was a bit abnormal.
This is definitely not over yet!
Rob sneered, a shrewd and calculating look appearing on his face.
"Moxing, you are the person I value most, so I plan to entrust you with an important task."
After listening, Mo Xing's eyes darted around.
"Commander, please give your orders!"
Rob narrowed his eyes, looking like a cunning old fox.
"The reason why the Desert Iron Mercenary Group is making such a big fuss must be because there is some treasure in the eastern part of Stone Desert City."
As he spoke, Robton paused, then gave a sinister smile.
"Although our Sand Mercenary Corps is no match for the Desert Iron Mercenary Corps, we can still inform the Mo family about this matter."
A treasure that can attract fourth-tier magical beasts will likely interest them.
Mo Xing was greatly surprised upon hearing this.
"Is the commander trying to use one enemy to devour another?"
Rob nodded slightly.
Mo Xing hesitated and said, "But Captain, what if the Mo family also can't handle the Mo Tie Mercenary Corps? I heard that the Mo family's Grand Elder is only a Fighting Spirit, and may not be a match for that magical beast."
Rob turned around and muttered, "Foolish! The Mo family is backed by the Yunlan Sect, so even if the Mo Tie mercenary group blocks the Mo family, it will only bring more trouble."
Besides, this matter is known only to you and me. Even if the Mohists lose, it has nothing to do with us.
Mo Xing suddenly realized and said, "So the reason why the leader made such a big fuss about the brothers in the group keeping a low profile was actually to confuse outsiders."
That way, even if something happens to the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, no one will suspect us.
Rob smiled wisely, looking unfathomable, clearly very satisfied with his calculations.
Mo Xing gave a thumbs up in complete agreement.
"The commander's insight is brilliant!"A few days later!
Xiao Ding traveled far and wide, emptying all of the Mo Tie mercenary group's savings and exchanging them all for various medicinal herbs.
With the medicinal herbs in hand and the underground magma yet to be found, Xiao Yan decided to help Xiao Ding refine the medicine first.
With his current alchemy skills, refining low-grade pills is a piece of cake for him.
A single batch of first or second-grade pills can yield dozens of pills.
Considering that mercenaries mainly engage in combat, Xiao Yan primarily refines pills to treat injuries and restore fighting spirit.
Most of them are of the first or second grade.
In addition, Xiao Yan also specially refined some Energy Gathering Pills for Xiao Ding and Xiao Li.
Unfortunately, in a small city like Stone Desert City, it's difficult to even gather all the materials needed for the Purple Heart Breakthrough Pill, let alone refine it.
Therefore, what Xiao Yan refined for Xiao Ding and Xiao Li was the Energy Gathering Pill.
The Energy Gathering Pill contains the purest energy, and both Xiao Ding and Xiao Li can take it.
Moreover, although Stone Desert City lacks high-grade herbs, it has a considerable amount of magic cores.
In just the past two days, Xiao Ding has collected thirty to forty first-tier magic cores, seven second-tier magic cores, and one third-tier magic core.
In the end, Xiao Yan refined a total of eighteen Grade 2 Energy Gathering Pills and seven Grade 3 Energy Gathering Pills for Xiao Ding and Xiao Li.
These energy-gathering pills are of relatively low grade and will not have much effect on Xiao Yan.
But for Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, advancing several realms after taking these pills was not a problem.
The only thing to be careful about is that each breakthrough requires spending some time consolidating one's cultivation.
Otherwise, the foundation will be unstable, and it will be easy to encounter constraints in the future!
As for the remaining third-tier magic core, Xiao Yan used it to refine a fourth-grade energy-gathering pill, which he intended to consume himself.
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li naturally agreed wholeheartedly.
If Xiao Yan hadn't said that low-grade Energy Gathering Pills wouldn't be very effective for him, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li probably wouldn't have even wanted all the second and third-grade Energy Gathering Pills.
Just as Xiao Yan was about to take the Grade 4 Energy Gathering Pill, Qing Lin suddenly rushed over.
After spending a few days together, the little girl had become quite familiar with Xiao Yan.
"Qinglin, what's the matter?" Xiao Yan asked.
Because Qinglin arrived in such a hurry, she looked out of breath, her porcelain doll-like face was flushed, and she stuttered as she spoke.
"Young...Young Master, we've found it!"
Qinglin took a deep breath, and his voice returned to normal.
"In the area you had everyone explore, they unearthed the entrance to an underground passage that had been buried by sand."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes lit up.
"Let's go take a look!"
Soon, Xiao Yan and Qing Lin arrived at a flat desert in the eastern part of Stone Desert City.
Not far ahead were the members of the Desert Iron Mercenary Corps.
Little Fairy Doctor, Amethyst Winged Lion King, and others had already arrived.
"You've come!"
Upon seeing Xiao Yan arrive, Little Fairy Doctor smiled gently.
Xiao Yan rubbed Qinglin's head and said with a smile, "Qinglin sent me a message saying that it had found the entrance to an underground passage, so I rushed back."
Seeing Xiao Yan and Qing Lin's intimate behavior, Little Fairy Doctor joked, "It seems that Qing Lin really cares about you. She came to find you as soon as she got the news."
Upon hearing this, Qinglin blushed slightly and said earnestly, "Because Qinglin is now a maid responsible for serving the young master, I must always think of the young master's needs."
Little Fairy Doctor chuckled upon hearing this.
What an adorable little girl!
Xiao Yan had told her about Qing Lin's experiences and her special constitution, so she knew why Qing Lin was so attached to Xiao Yan.
That is why Little Fairy Doctor is particularly concerned about Green Scale.
Then, Little Fairy Doctor asked curiously, "Xiao Yan, what if there really is a strange fire down there? Are you still going to absorb it?"
Xiao Yan nodded.
Upon hearing this, Little Fairy Doctor looked worried.
"Ordinary people would face a near-death experience just absorbing one strange fire, yet you absorbed one and it still wasn't enough. What if…"
Seeing this, Xiao Yan gently comforted him, "Don't worry, I'm confident!"
Seeing Xiao Yan's calm and confident face, Little Fairy Doctor's worries lessened a bit, but her desire for power grew even stronger.
In recent days, the speed at which she has broken through her cultivation level has been incredibly fast.
She had even broken through to the level of a Fighter, but she still felt that it was far from enough.
After a while, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li came out of the passage.
Upon seeing Xiao Yan, he sighed and said, "Little Yan, there are many winding passages in this underground tunnel, leading in all directions. Finding the right one might not be easy!"
Xiao Yan frowned slightly upon hearing this, then looked at Qing Lin beside him.
He remembered that in the original story, it seemed that the blue scales sensed the aura left by Queen Medusa, which led them to the underground magma.
So she asked softly, "Azure Scale, did you sense anything special?"
Qinglin shook his head in confusion.
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, who were standing to the side, looked thoughtful as they watched Xiao Yan actually ask Qing Lin a question.
It seems that this little girl, who was once disliked and hated by everyone, is probably not simple.
However, neither of them investigated further.
Xiao Yan sighed softly.
That's good too. Although finding underground magma is a bit troublesome, at least we don't have to specifically look for Queen Medusa.
Everyone could only wait, as the mercenaries tried each passage one by one.
Several more days passed!
"Found it!"
In the underground passage, a wild and agile figure rushed out, shouting excitedly.
Soon, Xiao Yan and his group arrived at a huge cavern filled with intense fire energy, led by her.
A fiery red world came into view, with boiling lava flowing in front of them.
On the surface of the magma, you can occasionally see slight movements.
Everyone except Xiao Yan was startled by what they saw.
Unexpectedly, a magma world exists beneath the Stone Desert City.
If this magma world were to suddenly erupt, Stone Desert City would be doomed.
"Little Yanzi, there's no strange fire here either!" Xiao Li looked around curiously and asked in confusion.
"Second Brother, it's normal that you can't see the strange fire, because..." Xiao Yan smiled confidently, gazing into the distance, "The strange fire is under the magma!"
He had already sensed the location of the strange fire.
This is the wondrous connection between different flames.
This was also because Queen Medusa did not take away the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, so the energy of the overflowing strange fire beneath the magma was extremely concentrated, and he sensed it instantly.
"what!"
Upon hearing this, everyone looked in disbelief at the scorching, boiling lava before them.
"Below the lava?"
"Xiao Yanzi, you're not kidding, are you?"
Everyone stared in shock at the bubbling lava surface, their faces filled with disbelief.
I'm afraid even a Grand Master wouldn't be able to penetrate deep into the magma!
Xiao Yan waved his hand with a smile and said, "It's alright, this little bit of lava can't do anything to me!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a surging crimson flame suddenly rose from his body, enveloping him completely.
Upon seeing this, everyone's pupils constricted slightly, and they exclaimed in surprise: "Seriously, the Third Leader is actually a Dou Ling powerhouse!"
Even Xiao Ding and Xiao Li thought so.
They had never seen a different kind of fire, only that those who could summon real flames were powerful fighting spirits.
Xiao Yan offered no explanation and, in front of everyone, leaped into the lava.
Only one sentence remained:
"Gentlemen, you should return to the ground first!"
Devouring a strange fire is not something that can be accomplished overnight.
Knowing this, Little Fairy Doctor stepped forward and said to Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, "Let's go upstairs and keep watch. Xiao Yan knows what's going on!"
Xiao Ding nodded upon hearing this and said to the others, "Let's go back first!"
Beneath the lava, Xiao Yan was enveloped in the Myriad Beast Spirit Fire.
As the saying goes: Once a different kind of fire is unleashed, all other fires submit!
The mere flames of lava could hardly harm Xiao Yan in the slightest!
However, just as Xiao Yan was rapidly descending, a sudden disturbance came from afar.
"Little Yanzi, watch out, there's a big guy here!"
The old man's voice echoed in Xiao Yan's mind, but Xiao Yan did not show any surprise on his face.
He already knew that a fourth-tier magical beast, a two-headed fire spirit serpent, existed within this lava!
Xiao Yan originally planned to find the strange fire after he had finished devouring it, and then capture it to make Qinglin a pet.
But before he could even look for it, it had already set its sights on him.
hiss!
Although a hiss rang out, a giant snake, four or five zhang long, entirely red, with two ferocious heads, suddenly rushed towards Xiao Yan from afar at an extremely fast speed.
But Xiao Yan was prepared. A glint of light flashed in his eyes, and he threw a punch without dodging or blocking.
The Eight Extremes Collapse!
The powerful and domineering physical strength clashed with the two-headed fire serpent in an instant.
Instantly, a huge wave was stirred up in the fiery red world of magma.
The two-headed fire serpent hissed in anger and pain. Its massive body, covered in scales that resembled rubies, was shattered by Xiao Yan's violent blow, and thick, bright red blood gushed out.
In contrast, Xiao Yan was only forced back a few steps by its impact, and shook his numb fist.
Just as the two-headed fire serpent hissed, preparing to attack the human it saw again, a soft sound suddenly rang out from the underground magma.
Xiao Yan had a faint smile on his face, and his lips were slightly parted.
"burst!"
As soon as the words were spoken, a loud bang suddenly came from inside the two-headed fire spirit snake in the distance.
Its hind tail suddenly exploded from the inside, leaving a bloody mess – this was the hidden power of the Eight Extremes Collapse.
The two-headed fire serpent hissed again, seemingly realizing that it couldn't afford to mess with the human in front of it, and turned to flee as fast as it could.
They didn't hesitate at all!
The old doctor joked, "Little Yanzi, aren't you going to pursue him?"
Xiao Yan smiled calmly and said, "At the moment of collision with it just now, I planted a wisp of Myriad Beast Spirit Fire on its body. Finding it will be a piece of cake."
"We'll catch it and give it to Qinglin as a gift, since the Jade Serpent's Three-Flower Pupil can subdue snake-type magical beasts."
The old doctor smiled, his eyes narrowed.
"You little rascal, you're really cunning!"
Xiao Yanqian said modestly, "It's all thanks to the teacher's excellent teaching!"
Hahahaha!
After this brief incident, Hsiao Yen continued diving.
As you go deeper into the magma, the originally fiery red magma world gradually takes on a pale blue hue.
The surrounding temperature is also gradually rising.
Unfortunately, Xiao Yan's physical body was strong, and he was protected by the Myriad Beast Spirit Fire. How could this temperature threaten him?
Soon, he arrived at the bottom of the magma world, where the connection between the different flames became increasingly clear.
He looked up and saw a bright blue light shining from one direction at the bottom of the magma world, where a blue lotus flower could be faintly seen.
"The strange fire, it's there!"
Xiao Yan's eyes shone brightly, and his body moved like a swimming dragon as he darted through the bottom of the lava.
In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the place emitting a blue light.
Upon seeing this, the old doctor suddenly realized, "So it is the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, ranked nineteenth on the list of extraordinary flames!"
Legend has it that the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire is born deep within the earth, undergoing countless tempering, fusion, compression, and sculpting by the earth's fire. It takes ten years to become a spirit, a hundred years to take shape, and a thousand years to become a lotus. When it reaches its full potential, its color is bluish, and a cluster of blue flames grows from the heart of the lotus. This flame is called the Azure Lotus Fire, also known as the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire.
This fire isn't ranked very high, which is perfect for you to absorb right now.
Xiao Yan nodded, feeling the surrounding temperature suddenly and strangely drop significantly.
His gaze was drawn to the ten-meter-long root system beneath the lotus.
The roots and stems of this blue lotus have the ability to absorb and gather the energy of the flames. With them there, even if I take away the Blue Lotus Earth Core Flame, it will still be reborn here after several thousand years.
Xiao Yan lightly touched the ground with his toes and stepped onto the blue lotus. In the center of the blue lotus was a lotus platform that looked like a blue gemstone, about two or three feet in size.
The Green Lotus Earth Core Flame that Xiao Yanxin longed for remained quietly in the fist-sized hole at the center of the lotus platform.
However, Xiao Yan was not in a hurry to absorb the strange fire. Instead, he took out a jade ruler and carefully took out the Earth Core Fire Lotus Seeds, which were formed from the essence of fire attribute on the lotus platform, and put them into a jade bottle, totaling eleven seeds.
These Earth Core Fire Lotus Seeds contain a vast amount of fire-attribute essence, making them an excellent choice whether used directly for cultivation or for refining elixirs.
After doing all this, Xiao Yan began to devour the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame.
Having already devoured the Spirit Fire of Ten Thousand Beasts once, Xiao Yan can now absorb different flames with ease.
With a flick of his wrist, the three-piece set of aids for devouring strange flames appeared before him.
Blood Lotus Elixir, Icy Spring, Spirit Absorption!
...
At the same time, several uninvited guests also arrived outside Stone Desert City!
The leader was an old man, dressed in a luxurious black robe, with a hooked nose and a cold demeanor.
Behind him followed three middle-aged men in identical uniforms, each exuding a formidable aura.
In addition, all four wore the same badge on their chests.
Those who frequent the northeastern provinces of the Gama Empire know that this emblem belongs to the Mo family of Yancheng, one of the four great families of the northeast.
This old man in black robes was none other than Mo Yu, the second elder of the Mo family and a two-star Dou Ling.
Standing atop a high sand dune, Mo Yu gazed at the area heavily guarded by the members of the Mo Tie Mercenary Group and said in a deep voice, "It seems the person who relayed the message wasn't lying. Such a large-scale operation must mean they've truly discovered some treasure."
"Second Elder, what should we do? I heard that the Desert Iron Mercenary Corps has a fourth-tier magical beast guarding it."
Mo Yu narrowed his eyes slightly and commanded in a deep voice, "Mo Ran, you are responsible for returning to the family and reporting this matter to the Grand Elder."
"Yes, Second Elder!" Mo Ran replied solemnly.
Mo Yu nodded, then looked at another person.
"Mo Hai, under the cover of night, capture a mercenary from the Desert Iron Mercenary Group and interrogate him to find out what treasures they discovered underground."
After a pause, Mo Yu instructed again, "Remember to wait until the Mo Tie mercenary group's mercenaries are on night shift before making any arrests, so that the monster doesn't notice."
The burly man named Mo Hai laughed and said, "Second Elder, don't worry. I, Mo Hai, am at least a one-star Grand Dou Master. I'm not so bad as to not even be able to capture a mere mercenary."
Seeing his confidence, Mo Yu couldn't help but smile with satisfaction.
Make all the arrangements, and night will fall!
Mo Hai also quietly and cautiously moved towards the area that the Mo Tie mercenary group was guarding.
Just as Mo Yu was waiting, a deafening roar suddenly came from afar.
A massive figure engulfed in purple flames suddenly appeared in Mo Yu's line of sight.
Upon seeing this, Mo Yu's pupils suddenly contracted, and he cried out in surprise.
"The Amethyst Winged Lion King!"
"How could it possibly be here!"
The Mo family of Yancheng once produced an alchemist who loved studying magical beasts and was passionate about transplanting organs from magical beasts into the human body.
Therefore, the Mo family of Yancheng had a good understanding of all kinds of magical beasts.
As the second elder of the Mo family in Yancheng, Mo Yu naturally knew the Amethyst Winged Lion King.
So the moment he saw the Amethyst Winged Lion King, he knew that Mo Hai was doomed.
"Damn it, why isn't the Amethyst Winged Lion King in the Beast Mountain Range? Why is it in Stone Desert City?!"
"And there was that idiot who relayed the message, actually calling a sixth-order magical beast a fourth-order magical beast, causing my Mo family to lose a Grand Master for nothing."
Mo Yu cursed and looked at the last person behind him, who was also stunned by the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King.
"We can't stay here any longer. Let's return to the Mo family first and discuss this matter at length."
After saying that, he turned and left!
Meanwhile, the Sand Mercenary Group!
Mo Xing secretly found Rob in the same secret room.
Rob looked expectant and asked, "How is it going?"
Mo Xing chuckled and patted his chest, saying, "Commander, don't worry, everything has been taken care of."
"Has the Mohist school sent anyone to investigate?"
"That's natural. The Mo family not only sent fighting spirit experts, but also several Grand Fighting Masters."
Rob narrowed his eyes and let out a cold laugh.
"Looks like we can sit back and watch the show now!"
...
On the other side, above the underground passage, is the base of the Desert Iron Mercenary Corps.
Mo Hai collapsed to the ground like a dead dog, his limbs broken, his eyes filled with fear.
He was targeted by the Amethyst Winged Lion King the moment he was about to make a move.
If Xiao Ding hadn't spoken up in time, he would probably have been killed by the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King with a single swipe of its claw.
Of course, if he had a choice, he would rather be killed by the Amethyst Winged Lion King with a single swipe of its claw.
At this moment, with his limbs broken, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was living a life worse than death.
In order to get him to confess everything, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li used extremely cruel methods.
Don't be fooled by their image as good older brothers in front of Xiao Yan; it's no easy feat for them to establish themselves in the rugged Tagor Desert.
It's worth noting that Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were known as the cunning fox and the vicious wolf in Stone Desert City.
Xiao Ding was a strategist and adept at winning people's hearts.
Xiao Li was cruel and ruthless.
After being severely injured by the Amethyst Winged Lion King, Mo Hai had his limbs crippled by Xiao Li.
If he hadn't revealed everything he knew in time, he would likely have suffered even more inhuman torture.
Of course, even if he revealed everything, he would still face death.
At most, we'll let him die a quick death and leave him with a complete corpse.
After swiftly snapping Mo Hai's neck, Xiao Li cursed angrily, "Damn Mo Xing, does he think that just because he's hiding his real name, I won't know it's him?"
Although Mo Hai only mentioned an unfamiliar name, both Xiao Ding and Xiao Li recognized Mo Xing based on the image described by the former.
This scoundrel actually changed his name and went to the Mohist school to report the news!
Xiao Ding also had a deep gaze and a gloomy expression.
He also didn't expect that the Sand Mercenary Group, while outwardly submitting, would secretly use a borrowed knife to kill him.
"Let's note this debt for now. We can settle it with Xiao Yanzi after he finishes absorbing the strange fire!"
Xiao Ding narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a deep voice.
Right now, it's more important to take care of Xiao Yanzi.
Xiao Li could only snort coldly upon hearing this.
"Then let those two bastards, Rob and Moxing, live a few more days."
Time passed day by day!
At the bottom of the magma world, Xiao Yan sat on a blue lotus platform, his body shrouded in a hazy blue light. Beneath his seemingly calm exterior, an astonishing power seemed to be hidden.
Within the blood vessels and veins of his body, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire circulated throughout the body according to the trajectory of the Burning Technique.
With each cycle of circulation, his aura would increase by one point.
As the flames were refined, the energy of the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire also spread throughout the magma space.
The old medicine master muttered, "This kid is getting more and more terrifying!"
Absorbing a strange fire should have been an extremely painful experience, but surprisingly, he couldn't see much emotional fluctuation on Xiao Yan's face.
Meanwhile, in the main hall of the Yunlan Sect!
An elderly man dressed in fine clothes, with white hair and beard, looked respectful.
Mo Yu, the second elder of the Mo family, dressed in a luxurious black robe, stood behind the old man in fine clothes, slightly lower than him.
And directly above the main hall, on the tall and majestic throne of the sect leader.
Yunyun, dressed in a simple white dress, exuded an elegant and graceful air as she sat gracefully atop the altar.
Looking down at the two people below, a hint of displeasure flashed in his eyes.
"Mo Cheng, you've traveled a long way to Yunlan Sect. Do you have important matters to report?"
Since leaving Yunlan Sect, Mo Cheng has been sending a large sum of resources to the sect every year, thus earning the title of outer sect steward and becoming close friends with Yunlan Sect's Grand Elder, Yun Ling.
However, Yunyun did not like such a sycophant.
Mo Cheng bowed respectfully, bending his waist very low.
He then said, "Reporting to the Sect Master, the reason why I traveled thousands of miles to report this is because my Mo family has obtained an extremely important message."
As he spoke, Mo Cheng took a deep breath, his expression extremely solemn.
"The Amethyst Winged Lion King, who should have been staying in the Beast Mountain Range, suddenly appeared in a small town called Stone Desert City in the Tagor Desert, seemingly searching for some treasure."
Upon receiving this news, my subordinates dared not delay and immediately rushed over to report it.
Upon hearing the words "Amethyst Winged Lion King," Yun Yun suddenly realized what it meant.
She wondered why she hadn't encountered the Amethyst Winged Lion King when she went to the Monster Mountains last time; it turned out it had gone to the Targor Desert in the eastern part of the Empire.
After thinking for a moment, Yun Yun said, "Alright, I will handle this matter myself."
Upon hearing this, a look of joy instantly appeared on Mo Cheng's aged face.
After Mo Yu returned and reported the news, he knew that the Mo family could not possibly control the so-called treasures underground in Shimo City. So he simply sent the information to Yunlan Sect to deepen the relationship between the Mo family and Yunlan Sect in order to obtain the greatest benefit.
It seems that things are halfway to success.
Once Yun Yun has gained benefits from Stone Desert City, she will also remember the favors done for her by the Mo family.
Then, Mo Cheng and Mo Yu bowed respectfully and took their leave.
He knew in his heart that the current Sect Master Yun didn't think much of him, and that his old brother Yun Ling was much better.
After Mo Cheng and Mo Yu left, an old man in a cloud-patterned robe immediately stepped forward in the main hall.
This person was none other than Mo Cheng's good older brother, Yun Ling, the Grand Elder of the Yunlan Sect.
Yunling exclaimed excitedly, "Sect Master, this is wonderful news! For a sixth-order magical beast to be moved, it must be some kind of extraordinary treasure. In my opinion, this item is destined for our Yunlan Sect."
Upon hearing this, Yun Yun couldn't help but roll her eyes.
Although this elder was devoted to the sect, he was quite ambitious and domineering.
Since he became the Grand Elder of the Yunlan Sect, he has frequently provoked the fragile nerves of the Gama Empire's royal family, making the relationship between the two forces increasingly tense.
Yunyun also disliked it!
But there was nothing she could do; this was the "regent" left to her by her master, and she had to respect his opinions to some extent.
Moreover, she still has her eye on the Purple Spirit Crystal of the Amethyst Winged Lion King.
So, she finally decided to go to Stone Desert City.
Just then, a report came from outside the hall!
"Sect Master, Grandmaster Guhe requests an audience!"
The seventh day since Xiao Yan devoured the core fire of the Azure Lotus!
Hundreds of miles away from Shimo City, in the desert, several streaks of light streaked across the sky.
If anyone were to witness this scene, they would likely be astonished.
Because each streak of light represents a powerful warrior who can transform his fighting spirit into wings.
Of course, it could also be a Fighting Emperor!
You should know that in the entire Gama Empire, let alone a Fighting Emperor, there are very few Fighting Kings.
Soon, several streaks of light arrived above Stone Desert City and slowed their movements.
Yunyun wore a simple dress, but her demeanor was elegant and noble, placing her in the center of the group.
Beside her was a gentle and refined middle-aged man.
Apart from Yun Yun, it was clear that the others were quite obsequious to this refined middle-aged man.
The reason is simple: this refined middle-aged man, besides being a powerful Fighting King, has another identity.
That was Gu He, the only alchemist in the Gama Empire!
Gu He had always admired Yun Yun. A few days ago, he took the opportunity of delivering pills to Nalan Yanran to chat with Yun Yun, but he accidentally learned that the latter was coming to Shimo City.
As it happened, the Tagor Desert also had some of the herbs he needed, so he offered to come to Stone Desert City with him.
Incidentally, he was also very curious about what kind of treasure could tempt a sixth-order magical beast.
Yunling was worried that Yunyun's strength might not be a match for the Amethyst Winged Lion King, so he sent three elders of the Fighting King level to accompany her.
These three elders possess a combined attack technique, which, when unleashed at full power, can even put a Dou Huang (Battle Emperor) level expert to the test.
Yunlan Sect has its own intelligence network, so they know that the strength of the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King is around a five-star Dou Huang.
This lineup is more than enough to take it down.
However, just as they appeared above Stone Desert City, Gu He suddenly turned his gaze to the eastern part of Stone Desert City, a look of wild joy appearing on his face.
Noticing his unusual behavior, Yunyun asked curiously, "Guhe, what did you notice?"
The other three couldn't help but turn their curious gazes toward Guhe.
However, Guhe remained unmoved, his excitement evident on his face and his eyes burning with passion.
He laughed heartily and said, "Now I finally know what's hidden beneath this Stone Desert City!"
Yunyun and a few others were curious.
"What is it?"
Gu He said, enunciating each word clearly, "It's a strange fire!"
Just now, he vaguely sensed a faint overflow of strange fire energy in the eastern part of Stone Desert City.
As a sixth-grade alchemist, his perception would never be wrong.
"Strange fire?"
How could Yun Yun and the others, who had cultivated to the level of Dou Wang and Dou Huang, not have heard of the great name of the Strange Flame?
He immediately asked curiously, "Could it be that the Amethyst Winged Lion King came for the strange fire?"
Upon hearing this, Gu He shook his head slightly, then suppressed his excitement and his expression became serious.
"I'm afraid that someone else came for the strange fire, and the Amethyst Winged Lion King is just a guard he invited. But I don't know how this person managed to get the Amethyst Winged Lion King to come."
Yun Yun said in a deep voice, "Could it be that you are also an alchemist?"
Aside from alchemists, Yunyun couldn't think of anyone else who could persuade the Amethyst Winged Lion King.
Furthermore, alchemists are also the ones who crave different kinds of fire the most.
This can also be seen in Furukawa.
If the person absorbing the strange fire is also a sixth-grade alchemist, then their trip can be considered a waste.
Because if you make an enemy of a high-level alchemist and you don't have the confidence to kill them, it will inevitably lead to unimaginable trouble.
Furukawa knew this too, which is why he was quite nervous.
Unbeknownst to them, as they were heading towards Stone Desert City, another figure noticed them and followed them.
"It's really lively here!"
As a soft laugh suddenly rang out, a bewitching and graceful figure suddenly appeared above Stone Desert City.
The newcomer had a captivating and alluring figure, dressed in a purple brocade robe. Her stunning beauty possessed an indescribable allure and charm, seemingly capable of driving all men in the world mad.
In addition, her lower body was a section of purple snake tail.
However, this did not diminish her beauty in the slightest; on the contrary, the snake tail added a touch of wild beauty to her.
The identity of the visitor needs no further explanation; there is only one person with such beauty in the Tagor Desert.
That is Medusa, the queen of the snake people!
The air froze the moment Queen Medusa appeared.
Yun Yun and the others immediately looked at her with the vigilance of someone facing a formidable enemy. The atmosphere suddenly became tense, as if they might start fighting at any moment if they disagreed.
However, Queen Medusa did not seem to be prepared to take action.
She smiled slightly, looked at Yun Yun, who was at the head of the group, and parted her alluring red lips: "Just now I seemed to hear... there is a strange fire beneath this city?"
Although Queen Medusa did not seem to intend to make a move, Yun Yun's calm and serene face remained extremely solemn.
The woman before her was a formidable opponent, even her teacher Yunshan found her troublesome; she was far beyond what a three-star Dou Huang could compare to.
However, when asked by Queen Medusa, Yun Yun still replied, "That's right!"
As everyone knows, the bloodline of the snake people is cold and yin, and absorbing such a yang-rich wonder as a strange fire would undoubtedly lead to their death.
Therefore, neither Yunyun nor Guhe cared that Medusa knew about this.
At this moment, a bold idea even sprouted in Guhe's mind.
Unite with Queen Medusa!
Leave the Amethyst Winged Lion King and the alchemist who was absorbing and refining the strange fire here forever.
Once this idea takes hold, it's impossible to stop it.
He conveyed his thoughts to Yunyun and the others using a soul message.
The three Fighting King elders of Yunlan Sect naturally agreed.
Yun Yun hesitated for a moment, but seeing Gu He's pleading eyes, she finally nodded.
Queen Medusa narrowed her eyes slightly, her long eyelashes fluttered slightly, and a meaningful smile played on her lips.
Although Guhe was a sixth-level alchemist, how could he possibly hide the soul communication from her perception when it was right in front of her?
"Queen Medusa, the strange fire is useless against you snake people. How about we make a deal?" Gu He stepped forward and said in a deep voice.
"Oh?" Queen Medusa looked at the ancient river and smiled.
In an instant, it was as if a hundred flowers were blooming, which momentarily stunned Guhe.
A sly glint flashed in Queen Medusa's clear, autumn-water-like eyes, while her exquisitely beautiful face revealed a languid expression.
"What do you wish to trade with me?"
Gu He swallowed hard and said in a deep voice:
"If Your Majesty helps me obtain the exotic fire, I will refine a Royal Pill for Your Majesty free of charge."
Furthermore, I can also give Her Majesty a… Transformation Pill!
Transformation Pill!
Queen Medusa's pupils constricted slightly upon hearing the words "Transformation Pill," and a thoughtful expression appeared in her beautiful eyes.
Although she had already decided to forcibly absorb the strange fire, if successful, she would break through to the Dou Zong realm and defy fate.
Defeat means turning to ashes, the soul scattered and the spirit dispersed.
However, if one could obtain a Transformation Pill, then even if one failed, the clan could still select a new queen capable of shouldering the responsibilities of the Snake-People clan.
so--
She wants the strange fire!
She wants the Transformation Pill too!
Thinking of this, Queen Medusa's rosy lips suddenly curled into a captivating smile.
"Very well, I agree to this deal, however..."
After a pause, Queen Medusa narrowed her beautiful eyes slightly and slowly said:
"How can I be sure you really have the Transformation Pill? Unless you hand it over to me first."
However, Gu He was not stupid. He said in a deep voice, "The Transformation Pill is on my person and I carry it with me at all times. As long as Her Majesty the Queen helps me obtain the Strange Flame, I will offer the Transformation Pill to her with both hands."
Furukawa wasn't afraid of Queen Medusa directly seizing it. They had a large and powerful force, and unless the latter could keep them all here, they would inevitably suffer terrible consequences.
Queen Medusa narrowed her beautiful eyes upon hearing this and said in a cold voice, "You'd better not be deceiving me, otherwise..."
Gu He raised his head and smiled, "Your Majesty, you can rest assured, I, Gu He, still have that much credibility."
The cooperation between the two parties has been temporarily agreed upon!