As a soft sound echoed from behind, a powerful surge of energy suddenly erupted behind Hemong. Feeling the strength of this energy, Hemong's face changed instantly. He kicked off the ground with his feet, roared in anger, and the pale hue on his bare back rapidly spread. "Eight-Extreme Collapse!" The sharp cry in his heart caused Xiao Yan's fist to snap taut. The smooth sleeve of his robe was violently shaken, rustling loudly under the force of the energy. As his fist drew back, it then surged forward, carrying a fierce power that produced a sharp, piercing wind sound over the short distance. The sharp wind sound that resonated from behind startled Hemong completely—how could this seemingly frail figure have trained his body to such a level of pure physical strength? "Clang!" The clear sound echoed gently within the tent, lingering on and on, becoming increasingly sharp and piercing. Xiao Yan remained expressionless, he heavily slammed his right fist into He Meng's back, the strong qi seeping out from his footstep directly blasting a half-foot deep crater in the ground beneath him. A surge of blood mixed with shattered internal organs gushed from Hemong's mouth as his rigid body collapsed, soft and lifeless. Gazing at the body rapidly losing its vitality, Xiao Yan calmly wiped his hands and then turned, slowly walking away. After another moment of stillness, a growing sense of unease spread through the ranks of the mercenaries. One of them stepped forward, raising his large battle axe and cleaving the tent's curtain in two. The fabric drifted gently downward, revealing the scene within to all present. "Hmm, the Wolf-Head Guild is truly in for a rough time—being outdone by a young man barely twenty years old! What a mess! Now, look at Mu She—what will he have left to boast about?" "With both hands gently smoothing her white dress, the young physician gracefully settled into her chair. Then, from within her close-fitting garments, she withdrew a scroll adorned with seven vibrant colors, gently caressing it, a slight smile playing at the corners of her lips: 'Having defeated Hemong, it means that Xiao Yan is now at least at the level of an eight-star Battle User, right? Truly astonishing progress—only a few months have passed!'" Not long after the maid had delivered the message, a man dressed in a fine robe entered the room with a warm, smiling expression, addressing the young physician with a gentle smile. Gazing at the middle-aged man with her elegant eyes, the young physician nodded slightly, stood up, and turned to bend at the table beside her, pouring two cups of tea. Seated in her chair, Dr. Yao watched the graceful curve of her physician’s posture, and finally his gaze settled firmly on her slender, willowy waist, a subtle glow of something unexpected passing through his eyes. At the very moment she turned, Dr. Yao composed himself, gently setting down his cup on the table. Holding the cup, the young physician lifted her red lips slightly and spoke softly, "Dr. Yao, is there something you wish to discuss with me?" "Ah, yes." Smiling, Mr. Yao held his teacup in both hands, the cup still carrying the lingering warmth from the beauty's delicate fingers. Gently rubbing the cup between his palms without making a sound, he took a slow sip and smiled, saying, "I'm sure you've heard of the person named Xiao Yan, haven't you?" "Yes." The young physician maintained a calm expression, showing no noticeable change. "Was he with you when you entered the cave in search of treasures?" Mr. Yao's gaze flickered slightly before he suddenly smiled. "Mr. Yao, I believe you may have mistaken something." Shaking her head gently, the young physician replied with a composed smile, "I did indeed spend some time with Xiao Yan, though it was only because I was gathering herbs and nearly fell off the cliff—he luckily managed to catch me. As for that cave expedition, I'm sorry, we never actually found any treasure. However, I did hear that, while escorting us back, the Wolf-Head Mercenary Company suddenly withdrew—seemingly having discovered something of their own." "If Mr. Yao is interested in that so-called treasure, why not also invite the chief officers of the other two mercenary companies to visit the Wolf-Head Mercenary Company and see what they've brought back?" the young physician smiled. Upon hearing this, Mr. Yao's face slightly changed, then he chuckled, "I'm just asking casually. Heh, since you know Xiao Yan, if you see him again, do let him come to our Wan Yao Zhai. Though the Wolf-Head Mercenary Company is quite powerful, we at Wan Yao Zhai are not afraid of them." "If there's an opportunity, I'll pass on the message, though our acquaintance is rather casual. Mr. Yao, don't expect too much." the young physician said casually. "Heh, very well. Then I'll leave you be and go about my business." Nodding with a smile, Mr. Yao continued chatting with the young physician for a while before rising to bid farewell. Staring at the slowly closing door, the young healer glanced at the teacup he had previously drunk from, murmuring softly, "It seems he still hasn't given up. Ah, I hope you won't let me down with all those things you do. Though my strength may not be great, I won't let you think my tea is something you can just drink at random." With a delicate touch of her jade-fingered hand, she lightly tapped the emerald tea. In her mind, the image of the black-robed youth flashed by. A slight upward curve of her red lips, she added, "You're the first man to have shared my hardships, aren't you? Don't let yourself fall for this little Qingshan town..." Staring at Hermon's body with bloodshot eyes, Musa's teeth ground together, her sharp voice choked with suppressed fury. Gazing at the cold corpse beside her, Musa's narrowed eyes flickered with a sense of shock and awe—how could it be that the young man, once chased around the mountains and nearly driven to desperation just months ago, had grown into such a formidable force? As the third strongest member of the mercenary company, Hermon's prowess was well known to Musa. Yet even she had always held him in deep respect—how could such a powerful warrior be utterly defeated by a mere twenty-year-old youth? This surreal reality stirred within Musa not only a growing fear for the young man, but an even more intense, blazing rage. Such an enemy—must be eliminated at every cost! Slowly lifting her gaze, Musa met her brother Musa's eyes on the dais. The two, sharing the same temperament, now radiated a surge of fierce determination. "Xiao Yan's ability to defeat Hemong indicates that his strength must be around eight stars. Moreover, Hemong possesses a high-level Yellow-stage Rock-based technique and is proficient in two high-level Yellow-stage combat arts—this would place him among the top-tier competitors even within his peer group. Yet, he still fell to Xiao Yan. It's clear that Hemong must have techniques and combat arts of an even higher rank than his own!" Mu She's voice carried a subtle coldness. "Starting tomorrow, all team members with strength above five-star combatants will remove their wolf-head insignias and transform into freelance mercenaries, forming groups of five, entering the Beast Mountains. Should any of them spot Xiao Yan, they will use bamboo whistles to communicate." Mu She's face remained stern as she issued the orders. "Understood!" The team members responded in unison. "I won't believe that little upstart can escape my grasp!" Mu She tightened her grip on her palm, chuckling coldly. "Young upstart, your days of arrogance are over!"