Wandering slowly through the dense forest, gazing at the gradually thinning trees around him, Xiao Yan exhaled in relief. Now, he had reached the outer reaches of the Beast Mountain Range. With a little more distance ahead, he was certain to encounter some mercenary squads hunting beasts within the mountains. Raising his head, Xiao Yan glanced at the slightly overcast sky, his brow furrowing slightly. It seemed tonight would have to be spent camping once more within the range. Shaking his head, he gently tapped the Xu Zhong Chi—his unusually large, heavy measuring rod—wrapped completely in black cloth strips. As this peculiar, oversized rod had become a distinctive mark, Xiao Yan had to find ways to conceal it to avoid unnecessary complications. After passing through a small grove once more, the sky finally turned completely dark. Shrugging helplessly, Xiao Yan was just about to settle for a place to rest when his gaze suddenly paused. There, in the distance within the forest, a campfire was slowly rising, like a guiding beacon in the darkness. "Huh—someone's actually here?" Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback, paused thoughtfully, then stepped forward toward the spot where the fire burned. As he drew closer, he could now make out five figures seated by the fire. Three men and two women, each equipped with personal weapons, all bearing identical insignias on their chests—clearly part of the same team of mercenaries. Just as Xiao Yan was approaching slowly, a middle-aged man seated by the fire suddenly turned sharply around, his eyes fixed directly on Xiao Yan, and barked, "Who is it?" Hearing his shout, the three figures beside him gasped, drawing their weapons from their sides, then turned their gaze toward where the middle-aged man was looking—specifically at a younger girl who, after drawing her sword twice with a series of quick pulls, finally managed to free it. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "Heh, don't worry, everyone—I'm just a passerby. I came over because I saw the campfire," said a young man stepping out from behind a shady tree, smiling as if to prove his good intentions. He deliberately waved his empty hands. Upon seeing Xiao Yan's youthful demeanor, the five of them visibly relaxed. Just as the middle-aged man was about to smile and speak, a bright, clear voice—soft and crisp—spoke out from the very girl who had just struggled to draw her sword at all, as though she had unexpectedly transferred all her earlier embarrassment onto Xiao Yan: "Do you even know the rules? To quietly enter another squad's territory without making a sound and eavesdrop on our conversation—was that your intention?" "Unexpectedly accused of such a serious charge, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows and turned his gaze toward the girl. By appearance, she seemed a bit younger than himself, perhaps by a couple of years, with a rosy complexion from the campfire—quite attractive in her own right. Yet there seemed to always be a touch of pout on her cheeks, carrying over into her tone of voice, which wasn't particularly pleasing. "Ling'er, don't speak so hastily," the middle-aged man replied, turning back to Xiao Yan with a gentle reprimand before smiling warmly at Xiao Yan. "Are you also a member of the mercenary guild? How come you're single, entering the Monster Mountains alone?" "Ah, yes. I'm a physician. Due to the dwindling supply of medicinal herbs, I've come here on my own to seek out new sources. I hadn't expected to take so long." Xiao Yan pulled out a few herbs from his coat and smiled warmly at the man, who had clearly remained cautious. "Oh." Listening to Xiao Yan's explanation and carefully examining the herbs in his hands, the middle-aged man finally felt a bit reassured. He pointed toward the fire beside him and laughed warmly, "Young fellow, come and sit down. Nighttime is when the beasts are most active—being out alone can indeed be quite dangerous." Nodding gratefully, Xiao Yan moved to the fire under the watchful eyes of the others, settled himself cross-legged, and gave a slightly shy smile to the group. "My name is Kagan. As you can see, I'm a five-star warrior." He gestured to the five golden stars beneath the mercenary team's emblem on his chest. "Yao Yan—I'm a physician by training, and my strength is only about eight segments of battle energy." Xiao Yan blinked, smiling. "You're quite brave—only eight segments, yet you've dared to enter the beast mountains. If it hadn't been for meeting us tonight, you'd probably have ended up as dinner for one of the beasts." "Heard Xiao Yan's reported strength, the young girl known as Ling'er immediately smiled, her voice laced with a touch of condescension. Xiao Yan, with his keen intellect, naturally didn't pay her any mind, instead turning his gaze to the other two women and one man, and smiled, 'Yao Yan, Eight Segments of Combat Qi.' 'Qingxin, Four-Star Combat Specialist.' The woman in a green dress politely smiled at Xiao Yan. 'Mo Shi, Four-Star Combat Specialist. Heh, just call me 'Lion,' young sir,' said the sturdy man, warmly smiling at Xiao Yan. When it came time for the final white-clad man, he had just opened his mouth when the girl previously overlooked by Xiao Yan suddenly stepped in, 'This is my brother, Mu Lan. He's a Five-Star Combat Specialist—our team captain even says he has exceptional talent. Compared to you, he's truly a star above the sky, and you, a star on the ground.'" Smiling and giving a nod to the other, Xiao Yan glanced at the proud young woman and suddenly noticed that she seemed to deeply admire this handsome white-robed man, even with a hint of youthful affection woven into her admiration. It was no surprise, as girls like her typically favored figures such as Mu Lan—strong in ability and striking in appearance—like a noble, charming prince. After a brief exchange of introductions, the atmosphere warmed up. During the conversation, the middle-aged man named Kagan, once again, subtly inquired of Xiao Yan several questions related to medicine, each of which was thoroughly answered by Xiao Yan. With these responses, Kagan finally put aside his last doubts, and the three began to chat freely and comfortably. During the conversation, Xiao Yan was somewhat astonished to discover that these individuals were actually members of the Blood Battle Guild, one of the three major guilds in Qingshan Town. Moreover, it was said that the young woman named Ling'er was the daughter of a senior official within the guild—thus explaining her somewhat demanding demeanor. With the Blood Battle Guild's strong influence in Qingshan Town, it truly made sense that she could command her own way. After getting to know each other better, Xiao Yan didn't forget his original purpose, occasionally asking casually about the current situation of the Wolf-Head Guild and the overall political climate in Qingshan Town. For questions that weren't particularly confidential, Kaga didn't hesitate to share, openly describing the recent developments and status of the Wolf-Head Guild. Hearing the information relayed by Kaga, Xiao Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief—after all, the scenario he had imagined, where all three major guilds united to pursue him, hadn't materialized. With his current strength, he felt confident that even a single Wolf-Head Guild posed no significant threat. After receiving the information he needed, Xiao Yan originally intended to leave right away. However, he couldn't resist the enthusiastic invitation from Cagang, so he agreed to stay overnight at the campsite. Of course, during his rest, the young woman—who had been embarrassed due to Xiao Yan—was treated to a steady stream of cold remarks and sarcastic comments. But Xiao Yan paid no attention to them; once he entered the tent, he simply settled down to sleep, leaving the girl frustrated and stomping her feet in annoyance. Xiao Yan didn't even glance at the girl leaning on one hip; he simply went about helping Kaga pack up the tent. If it weren't for the high-tier beast manure he had scattered around the camp, wouldn't she have thought the night had truly passed in such peaceful silence? Seeing Xiao Yan's apparent disregard, the girl grew increasingly irritated, her brows furrowed—hadn't Wood Lan held her back, she would have launched into some sharp remark. After tidying up the camp, as a matter of course, Xiao Yan walked a little further with the group. As he gazed at the vast road ahead, a gentle smile played on his lips. Wasn't it from here that their escape had begun last time? Shaking his head slightly, Xiao Yan bowed to Kaga and said, "Uncle Kaga, let's part ways here. Thank you for your kind hospitality throughout the journey." "Yao Yan, you're heading to Qingshan Town, aren't you? Well, we're just passing through—perfect timing!" Kaga asked, surprised to see Xiao Yan preparing to leave. Xiao Yan smiled and shook his head. Though he could choose to ignore the impetuous young girl named Ling'er, her constant noise was truly irritating. He didn't want to subject himself to constant discomfort, so it was better to go alone. "Heh, I suddenly remember I still have some matters to attend to. I'll probably have to stay here for another half hour. You go ahead." "Go on, go on, Old Master Kaga! Does it really entertain you to carry around such a slow-witted companion? Eight segments of combat energy? Hmph, even I can't match that!" Seeing Kaga about to speak, the impetuous girl quickly urged him. With a sigh of resignation, Kaga offered a polite smile of apology and then turned to go—only to pause slightly, frowning. "Indeed unfortunate—meeting someone so bothersome." Originally intending to leave, Xiao Yan found himself turning his gaze toward the main road. There, several groups of riders on single-horned horses surged forward, galloping swiftly, while every passerby hurried to flee, dreading being accidentally struck. "Who is he?"望着那位骑着独角马的瘦削男子，萧炎不禁好奇地问道. "Second in command of the Wolf's Head Guild, Gan Mu," said Kagan with a wry smile. "He's completely out of our league—every time we meet him, things go south, and he's a nine-star combatant; we simply can't match him." "Second in command of the Wolf's Head Guild?" Hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily taken aback, then a smile spread across his face. "It's him again, Kagan uncle! We should move quickly—move quickly!" As the mounted man approached, the impetuous young woman suddenly turned pale, her face flushing with alarm and hurriedly said. Seeing her startled expression, Xiao Yan gently shook his head—indeed, evil has its own evil. While they were speaking, the lean man had already galloped up, his gaze sweeping over Kagan and the others, and he grinned. "Hey, isn't this Kagan from the Blood Battle Guild? How's it going this time in the魔兽 Mountains?" Frowning, Kaga paid no attention to him. Seeing Kaga remain silent, the thin man didn't mind, and continued speaking, shifting his gaze to the shy Ling'er, who flushed with embarrassment. With a lewd stroke of his tongue, he smiled warmly, saying, "Ling'er is getting more delicate every day. I particularly love little girls like you—ah, what a delight! The sensation is absolutely wonderful. From now on, don't ever go alone, hehe..." Hearing the man's lewd chuckles, Ling'er trembled and quickly tucked herself behind Kaga, too shy to speak. "Hehe, Grandpa has urgent matters today, so I'll have to leave now. Hah! Next time we meet, you'll certainly face a different fate!" Teasing the young girl a bit, the thin man chuckled and gave a firm crack of his whip against the horse's rump before turning to go. Seeing him about to depart, Kaga and the others all breathed a sigh of relief. Yet, as the lean man was hurled forward on his horse, a sudden explosion erupted violently along the roadside. At the same time, a dark figure shot out like lightning, aiming directly at him. The figure leapt onto the horse's head, spun around, and forcefully kicked the lean man beneath the jaw. Instantly, the latter arced through the air in a parabolic path, crashing to the ground. "Pfft!" A gush of blood erupted from the lean man's mouth as he still struggled to recover. Before he could react, a foot pressed firmly onto his chest. The young man's quiet laughter rose gently: "Then you'll stay. I don't feel like hunting you down." All this had unfolded in the span of a flash. Kagan and the others, gazing at Gan Mu—who had suddenly become mere footfall beneath someone else—were left utterly stunned. Their astonishment deepened into complete stillness as their eyes slowly traced upward along the foot now resting on Gan Mu's body.