Chapter 26: An Unexpected Guest
Compared to Yao Yan, who relied on his invincible physical strength to kill the leading boss with a single punch, the brawl between the similarly-ranked mercenaries was far more brutal. Gorgeous and varied Dou Techniques burst out every now and then, with visual effects as impressive as a 3D movie in the cinema.
It was a pity Shennong City didn't sell sunflower seeds. Otherwise, holding a handful and cracking them while watching this scene would be immensely satisfying.
Yao Yan watched the battle leisurely, occasionally letting out a few sighs of admiration. These mercenaries, who had long roamed the Shennong Mountain Range, weren't weak in strength or skill. Especially in real combat—each one of them was a battle-hardened veteran. If they lived in a place like the Black-Corner Region, they would probably do quite well.
Unfortunately, Shennong Mountain Range wasn't a place you could just leave at will. The two regions were separated by a spatial wormhole.
Those of low strength didn't even qualify to ride a spatial ship.
It wasn't that resource-rich areas were easy to survive in. On the contrary, the richer the resources, the more the strong would monopolize them, making it harder for those at the bottom—especially for those with no talent. They could only rely on luck and desperation.
...
"Blazing Inferno!"
The burly one-armed man erupted. He roared, and his Dou Qi surged recklessly around him. Like a war god wreathed in flames, he leapt into the air and smashed down heavily on the ground.
"Boom!"
With the central ground cracking open, multiple powerful waves of fire transformed into rings of energy that swept outward, forcing several attackers to retreat.
Taking advantage of this opening—
The feminine-looking man, holding a long sword and with a pale face, unleashed his ultimate skill: "Mysterious Tier Mid-Grade Dou Technique – Poison Dragon Drill." The long sword in his hand stabbed forward like a phantom, enveloped in potent Dou Qi. In the moment of attack, it transformed into several tangible purple serpents that lunged to bite a two-star Dou Ling.
Unable to match his opponent, the two-star Dou Ling was forced back by a single blow, creating a tear in the encirclement.
Seizing the moment, the feminine man dashed out without a second glance.
As for his teammates—there was no time to care.
After all, they were only cooperating for profit. They weren't partners who entrusted each other with their lives or family. There was no such thing as psychological burden.
"Go back!"
The vulture-like man flashed forward, blocking the feminine man's path and punching him back without hesitation. He had been on guard all along—he wouldn't let a single one of these people escape. Opportunities like this didn't come often, so if he was going to eat, he would eat his fill. Judging by the state of these people, they wouldn't last much longer.
The burly one-armed man caught the feminine one and glared at their pursuer, growling, "Vulture, don't go too far!"
"I am going too far,"
Vulture sneered, clearly unmoved by their dying resistance.
"Then I'll drag a few of you down with me before I die!"
The burly man seemed thoroughly enraged. His eyes turned bloodshot as he took out a dark red pill from his storage ring and swallowed it without hesitation. His Dou Qi surged, fire-attributed Dou Qi taking on a blood-red hue, and there were even signs of Dou Qi forming wings behind him. His aura surged.
"A fourth-grade Bloodburn Pill?!"
Vulture's expression changed slightly at the sight. He gritted his teeth and circulated his Dou Qi to its peak, growling coldly, "Trying to break through with a pill? I'd like to see how much blood you can burn!"
The fourth-grade Bloodburn Pill could burn the user's own blood to boost Dou Qi, causing a massive surge in strength for a short time. But the side effects were enormous—either death or permanent disability. Even if one was lucky enough to survive, their strength would regress a level, and their body would suffer from incurable internal injuries.
It was clearly a suicidal move.
The two clashed instantly. Relying on his peak nine-star Dou Ling power and uninjured state, Vulture forcefully blocked the burly man.
"Rock Burst!"
Vulture suddenly stomped, causing two sharp rocks to erupt from the ground and shoot at the man's waist, trying to force him back.
But—
The burly one-armed man didn't care. He allowed the sharp rocks to pierce into his body, grabbing Vulture's arm with one hand and showing a cruel, frenzied smile. "Die!"
"You?!"
Vulture sensed danger and tried to pull away, but it was already too late.
The burly man's entire body of Dou Qi turned into blood-colored flames that ignited Vulture's body through his arm. In an instant, both were engulfed. Vulture let out a blood-curdling scream that echoed through the sky. But he was no weakling—he quickly activated his Dou Qi to shield his body, trying to resist the blood flames.
However, in just a few seconds, large patches of his skin were already severely burned, and he looked utterly miserable.
Clearly, the blood flames were a domineering Dou Technique.
"Damn bastard!"
Vulture cursed bitterly. Then he used his Mysterious Tier Dou Technique—Rock Collapse—again, manipulating the rocks inside his opponent's body to expand, instantly impaling him. He then soared into the sky with the mangled corpse, finally shaking off the clinging foe.
Looking at the now-dead burly man, his gaze turned vicious as he glared at the remaining fighters and roared, "Be careful! Drag them to death!"
With the burly man dead, the outcome of the battle was already decided.
...
Yao Yan watched this and muttered to himself, "Looks like it's ending. Not many in Shennong City dare to ambush my people."
In a city with nearly a million people, fewer than twenty dared to act against him. He had thought the Yao Clan's name had lost its power. But it seemed the Yao Clan still held enough deterrent force—at least the Dou Wang-level and above powerhouses were still sensible. Only mercenaries dared to take reckless risks.
The more one knew, the more cautious one became. Those who didn't know the truth about the Yao Clan were the ones who acted boldly.
Yao Yan was sure these mercenaries had no idea what the Yao Clan truly represented.
Just as he was about to clean up the aftermath, a sudden change occurred. A figure darted out from the distant forest with incredible speed, almost like teleportation. Each move was ruthless and lethal. In just a few seconds, all the remaining people were slaughtered cleanly.
As the figure landed, Yao Yan finally got a good look.
The person seemed worried about being recognized and had deliberately donned a cloak to hide their figure and face.
Staring at them—
Yao Yan narrowed his eyes, pondered for a moment, and said, "Yao Nong, what's his strength?"
He was confident Yao Nong was nearby.
Almost immediately after he spoke, a familiar voice whispered in his ear, "Three-star Dou Huang."
"Ying?!"
Ling'er also noticed Yao Nong's presence. She immediately raised her head, her big ears perking up, and her lively eyes scanned the surroundings curiously, eager to discover where Yao Nong was hiding.
Yao Yan patted Ling'er's little head, took out a bottle of plant essence from his storage ring, and tucked it into her arms to calm her. "Don't be afraid. Wait here for me."
Then he placed Ling'er on a tree branch, gently leapt to the ground, and vanished.
The next moment—
"Boom!"
The ground caved in suddenly, and a shockwave spread out like an earthquake.
Ling'er blinked in amazement. From her perspective, Yao Yan had already charged at the intruder, and within a few breaths, the two figures collided.
(END CHAPTER)
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