The tranquil Wargiant Mountains were suddenly disturbed by a sudden pursuit, with continuous shouts and cries of pursuit echoing through the skies. Due to the sheer size of the chasing forces, several groups of mercenaries originally heading out to hunt wargiants paused mid-march, stunned as they watched large crowds surge past them. Driven by curiosity, other mercenaries also joined the main group, eager to discover who—or what—could command such a massive encirclement. "Seize Xiao Yan! He's carrying a Xu-Ji Technique!" As he scanned the groups of mercenaries gathered in the forest, Mu She suddenly broke into a sly smile and roared loudly. At the sound of the commander's call, the members of the Wolf-Head Mercenary Company quickly responded in unison, spreading the roar of "Xiao Yan carries a Xu-Ji Technique" throughout the mountain range. "A Xu-Ji Technique?" As soon as those four words entered their ears, nearly every mercenary squad paused their current tasks, exchanged glances, and their eyes gleamed with greed. After a brief silence, finally someone could no longer resist the allure of the Xuanyuan-stage cultivation technique, grabbed their weapon, and charged after the faint, distant figure. With the first person setting the pace, the remaining squads still hesitating gradually began to move, shouting loudly and joining the pursuit. The voices from behind reached the ears of Xiao Yan, who was desperately fleeing ahead. He glanced over his shoulder at the growing mass of pursuing mercenaries in the distance, his expression darkening slightly, and murmured, "Such a cold-blooded bastard." Moving swiftly through the dense forest, Xiao Yan scanned the surroundings and headed toward the area where the beasts were most frequently spotted. "Come on," he said with a cold smile, "let's see whether it's your numbers that matter—or the sheer number of beasts in the Mountain of Beasts." He then pressed on, focusing intently ahead. "Young man, see how well you escape today!" From afar behind, Mu She's cold command resonated with the power of his aura, echoing like a lion's roar through the dense forest. Undeterred by such futile threats, Xiao Yan paid no attention and simply kept pressing forward. Watching his voice go unheeded, Mu She drew a faint smile, narrowed his eyes at the steadily widening gap between himself and Xiao Yan, and furrowed his brows—Xiao Yan's speed was truly beyond his expectations. Taking a slow, steady breath, Mu She's body trembled slightly as a pale blue aura swiftly enveloped him. With a low, resonant roar from his throat, he declared, "Yellow-Rank Technique: Wind Soaring Step!" As soon as he uttered the command, a surge of pale blue aura erupted beneath his feet, weaving into gentle breezes that gradually took shape. With a powerful thrust of his foot against the ground, Mu She launched himself forward, his speed now nearly doubled compared to before. "By the gods!" The faint rushing sound coming from behind prompted Xiao Yan to turn around. As he saw Mu She charging swiftly toward him, he was startled, quickly flicking his finger to send a Gui Qi Dan floating into his palm, which he then swallowed swiftly. Gradually, the Qi consumed within him began to restore. "You're dead today!" Mu She's face grew fierce as the distance between them narrowed, his voice cold and resolute. "Kill your mother's big head!" Xiao Yan retorted, turning back. With a sudden motion, he swung his right hand backward, sending a powerful, intangible force erupting from his palm. "Hmph!" Though the force was invisible, Mu She felt the wind pressure it generated, and thus emitted a cold exhalation, then drove a punch straight at Xiao Yan. Instantly, a fierce gust of wind rose before him, swirling violently before colliding with the intangible force. "Boom!" The collision of the two powerful streams of energy directly scraped off a layer of grass from the dense forest, and several slender tree trunks were severed right down the middle. "Indeed, he has some solid foundation—no wonder he's so confident," Mu Snake remarked with a look of astonishment upon his first encounter with Xiao Yan, then sneered, pressing his foot firmly into the ground once more and launching himself forward another dozen meters. "Young man, this is it! The end!" With each successive step, Mu Snake closed the distance to Xiao Yan, his face darkening as he watched the boy desperately sprinting ahead. "End your old mother!" Xiao Yan's coarse remarks drove Mu Snake's face pale with irritation. Tilting his head slightly, Xiao Yan glanced back at the steadily approaching Mu Snake, whose expression was grim, and noticed the large contingent of mercenaries trailing behind him. With a sigh of resignation, Xiao Yan pressed his lips together, drew the Xu Zhong Chi from behind his back, settled his stance, and then suddenly pulled it free. He then spun the staff in his hand and stored it within his storage amulet. "You take your time, son—I'll keep you company!" With a cold laugh, Xiao Yan planted his foot firmly on the ground and surged forward, his green-veined robe swiftly transforming into a streak of green, like a leopard leaping through the dense, shadowy forest. Only just stepping into the forest, a surge of powerful qi laced with a sharp tang of blood shot forth from directly in front of him. Mu She's expression darkened as he swiftly drew a large sword from his waist, gathered his combat energy, and charged it with a furious downward strike. Just as Mu Snake was beginning to feel a headache, the large contingent of mercenaries trailing behind finally arrived. Seeing their commander blocked by a group of bloodthirsty mice, they immediately drew their weapons and intercepted the dozen or so gregarious mice. "Chase them!" Mu Snake kicked one charging mouse aside and raised his hand, bellowing orders. With his command, another endless wave of pursuit began. The once-peaceful mountain was now stirred into chaos as the fleeing and relentless pursuit unfolded. As the chief culprit, Xiao Yan had not only caused the disturbance but also drawn in the native inhabitants of the mountain range. Consequently, during the pursuit, the mercenary forces not only sustained no damage to Xiao Yan himself but suffered significant casualties from attacks by various wild beasts. After nearly a full afternoon of fruitless pursuit, some of the mercenaries finally could no longer endure the aimless chase and began to detach from the group. As these mercenaries left, the size of the pursuing force gradually diminished, until ultimately, aside from the Wolf-Head Mercenary Corps, only a few individuals—those whose minds had been clouded by the allure of the Xu-Jiayuan techniques—remained steadfast. Staring intently at the faint, indistinct silhouette ahead in the darkness, Mu She's growing increasingly anxious. If they continued chasing, they'd have to enter the heart of the Beast Mountain range. Once there, the other could simply vanish into the shadows and escape, but with so many of them, concealment would be nearly impossible. As he hesitated whether to retreat, Mu She suddenly noticed the figure ahead halt abruptly. He paused, then a surge of exhilaration flooded his face. With a powerful stride, he launched forward. When he drew near, he realized that just a short distance ahead lay a deep, seemingly bottomless chasm, and across it—spanning nearly thirty meters—lay the interior of the Beast Mountain range. "The Soul-Ending Gorge... Ha! Xiao Yan! The pursuit is over!" Standing steadily at a distance from Xiao Yan, Mu She sneered, then waved his hand, causing a large group of mercenaries who had arrived from behind to form a half-circle, encircling Xiao Yan. Gazing at the chasm before him with a somewhat strained expression, Xiao Yan shook his head in苦笑, realizing that upon entering the Beast Mountain, there were only two pathways—aside from those, every other area was surrounded by such chasms. Unintentionally, his haphazard escape had led him precisely to this spot. "Xiao Yan, hand over the items you found in the cave!" Mu She stepped forward, his voice cold. "Really? Are you serious about taking them?" Xiao Yan glanced over the lone mercenaries in the group, then smiled warmly at Mu She. The mercenaries around him immediately felt uneasy—most of them were independent contractors who had made significant efforts to pursue Xiao Yan, and they didn't want all the rewards to go to the Wolf-Head Mercenary Corps. Xiao Yan's eyes were cold and steady. Mu She, no doubt sensing the subtle undercurrents in his words, glanced around the room and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, Xiao Yan has already killed dozens of our members of the Wolf-Head Guild, including He Meng himself. This blood debt must now be settled with blood. Moreover, the items he obtained in the cave were taken directly from my son, Mu Li. Today, we are merely reclaiming what rightfully belongs to us. I kindly ask that none of you intervene. After this matter is settled, Mu She will personally reward all of you generously!" As soon as Mu She finished speaking, everyone understood his intent—he wished to claim everything alone. His sharp gaze swept over several independent mercenaries who seemed to be holding back. With a wave of his hand, the Wolf-Head Guild members swiftly drew their weapons and stood in a solemn, unwavering posture, glaring coldly at those mercenaries who were quietly calculating their own interests. The Wolf-Head Mercenary Company was numerous and strong; even though these lone mercenaries harbored a thousand objections in their hearts, they had no choice but to reluctantly step back. Only after driving these solitary warriors back did Mu She turn her cold gaze upon Xiao Yan, gripping her great sword tightly and slowly advancing toward him, who was now leaning against the abyss. "Hand over what you have—so that you may die with some dignity!" Gazing at Mu She's fierce expression, Xiao Yan shrugged slightly, exhaled softly, and with a flip of his hand, the massive black Xuanzhong Scale appeared in his grasp. Raising his palm, he carried it against his shoulder, lifting his head slightly and smiling gently at his refined features. "Then come on—take it!"