Chapter 69: Instant Kill
Facing the six gleaming steel blades pointed at him, Xiao Yuan's gaze sharpened. With a flick of his wrist, he pulled out his long spear from the storage ring and began spinning it with airtight precision. Wind-attributed green Dou Qi spiraled around the tip, forming a vortex that greatly amplified its lethality.
Moments later, the six blades were shattered into a rain of steel shards, clattering to the ground.
Their weapons destroyed and hands torn at the joints, the six mercenaries had no means of defense as Xiao Yuan's spear swept across their throats, dropping them to the ground one by one—lifeless.
After a brief glance at the corpses, he continued deeper into the courtyard. Through his soul perception, he sensed two fairly strong auras coming from the main hall: one Nine-Star Dou Zhe and one Two-Star Dou Shi.
Naturally, to Xiao Yuan, such enemies were nothing.
To the Wolf Head Mercenary Group's credit, they did respond swiftly. Though only moments had passed since Xiao Yuan had taken out the patrolling mercenary and the other grunts, the remaining twenty-some men were already assembled.
Out of the original hundred-plus members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, over twenty had already died in the mountain cave at Xiao Yuan's hand. Roughly thirty were now stationed here. The remaining fifty or sixty had been sent out, led by Third Captain Hemon, an Eight-Star Dou Zhe, to search the Magical Beast Mountain Range for Xiao Yuan.
Guarding the headquarters were Second Captain Gan Mu, a Nine-Star Dou Zhe, and First Captain Mu She, a Two-Star Dou Shi.
Spear in hand, Xiao Yuan stood in the courtyard, his gaze ice-cold as the mercenaries surrounded him.
"Who dares break into the Wolf Head Mercenary Group at night and kill our brothers?!"
Mu She and Gan Mu arrived with blinding speed. Mu She, face darkened with fury, barked coldly.
At the same time, he tried to gauge Xiao Yuan's strength from his aura—to figure out who this youth was, someone capable of easily killing his men.
"Heh, didn't you offer a huge bounty for me? Now that I'm here, you don't even recognize me?"
Xiao Yuan smiled lazily.
Mu She took a closer look at the youth's handsome face and his expression twisted in shock and anger. "You—Yuan Xiao?!"
"Correct. That's me."
Xiao Yuan nodded calmly.
"You bastard! Give me back my son's life!"
Mu She roared, bursting with rage. He summoned his spear from his storage ring and charged forward.
Gan Mu, seeing this, held back. Mu She was acting out of personal vengeance—he didn't want to steal his commander's moment of glory.
Xiao Yuan, completely unfazed, lifted his spear and easily parried Mu She's blow.
Though both used spears, Xiao Yuan had the advantage in technique, having mastered advanced spear techniques.
And in Dou Qi foundation, Xiao Yuan far surpassed him. With five Qi Vortices and refined Dou Qi courtesy of the Heavenly Flame, both his quantity and quality outclassed Mu She.
So, after two exchanges, Xiao Yuan forced Mu She back with one powerful thrust.
"A Dou Shi?!"
Mu She staggered back, face darkening.
Which idiot gave him the intel that this kid was just a Two-Star Dou Zhe?!
From that single clash, Mu She was certain—Xiao Yuan was indeed a Dou Shi. And at such a young age, he had to be the scion of some great noble clan. Not someone he could afford to mess with!
His thoughts raced, and after a moment of clarity, he quickly stepped back and cupped his fists.
"Perhaps there's been some misunderstanding between us. Why don't we put down our weapons and talk it through?"
"You take one more strike from me. Then we talk."
Xiao Yuan replied indifferently.
"…Alright."
Mu She hesitated, then discreetly signaled to Gan Mu while feigning calm agreement.
"Heh."
Xiao Yuan's soul perception didn't miss the signal.
He gathered wind-attributed Dou Qi as he charged toward Mu She. A large energy lion formed at his spear tip, roaring as it charged.
High-level Xuan-rank Dou Technique: Roaring Lion's Howl!
With a deep roar in his heart, Xiao Yuan launched his spear straight forward.
ROAR!
The green lion charged at Mu She.
Everyone watching broke into a cold sweat. That momentum—this had to be a mid- or high-tier Xuan technique!
Mu She's body went cold. That attack could kill him!
He hastily gathered Dou Qi into a thin green energy veil around his body and formed a wind spiral around his spear, tearing through the air as he counterattacked.
This too was a Xuan-rank technique, though only a low-tier one. Still, among ordinary Dou Shis, it was a trump card.
His spear clashed forward with a piercing screech—
But the anticipated impact never came.
The green lion tore through the spiral like paper, sending Mu She's weapon flying, then slammed into his chest.
Puh!
Mu She spat blood as he flew back, tracing a crimson arc through the air before crashing hard to the ground.
Meanwhile, Gan Mu had already begun to sneak forward.
But as he glanced sideways, he saw Mu She's mangled form flying across the courtyard. His smirk vanished, replaced with panic. He dropped his weapon, legs buckling, and used his own momentum to slide to his knees before Xiao Yuan.
"...?"
Xiao Yuan blinked at the sudden switch, unable to suppress a chuckle.
What a smooth operator.
"My lord! I am Gan Mu, Second Captain of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group! If you'll have me, I and the group would gladly serve under you!"
Seeing the solid energy veil of Xiao Yuan's Dou Qi—denser than Mu She's—Gan Mu knew his choice was correct.
"Oh? And you can speak for all of them?"
Xiao Yuan looked at the surrounding mercenaries with amusement.
"Lord, I—uh!"
Gan Mu started to respond, but Xiao Yuan's spear pierced straight through his chest, cutting his words short.
"You dare play loyalty while clutching Bone-Searing Powder?"
Xiao Yuan sneered as he saw the hidden pouch in Gan Mu's hand, then flung his spear, sending Gan Mu's corpse crashing into Mu She's.
"Anyone else feel like dying tonight?"
Xiao Yuan swept his cold gaze over the crowd and asked in a low, chilling tone.
(END CHAPTER)
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