"Master, it's time to get up..." In the early morning, Qinglin crossed her slender waist, her delicate face expressing a touch of resignation as she gazed at Xiao Yan, still snuggled deep in his blanket, sleeping soundly. Upon hearing her voice, Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes, blinking lazily, and with a mixture of amusement and exasperation, looked at Qinglin, who was pouting beside him. After a long sigh, he gave up on his lazy morning routine and, under Qinglin's gentle hands, dressed himself neatly. “Hm…” In the early morning, when a man’s desires are at their peak, though the young Qinglin was only just thirteen or fourteen, her petite yet well-proportioned frame—her curves accentuated here and there, her fullness and delicacy perfectly balanced—proved to be an irresistible allure for those with peculiar tastes. While Xiao Yan himself didn’t have such specific preferences, he often found himself stirred by an inner impulse during these moments. Fortunately, he managed to quickly suppress it, or else he’d surely be mortified. Qinglin, with her delicate hands, served him with great care. Stretching lazily, she playfully remarked, “This lifestyle is truly what a lord would enjoy. Should such a thoughtful companion ever leave my side, I’d have to return to the life I once knew.” "Heard this, Qinglin felt a gentle sweetness in her heart. Over these few days, her relationship with Xiao Yan had grown increasingly close, and thanks to Xiao Yan's warm and considerate nature, Qinglin had grown very willing to serve him. 'If your lordship agrees, I can stay by your side as your attendant for the rest of your stay,' she said softly, smoothing out a crease on Xiao Yan's sleeve. 'Haha, I'd truly like that, but I'll only be here for ten days at most. After that, I must continue into the desert to pursue my cultivation. The environment there—how would you manage, a young girl like you, to keep up with me? Rest assured, before I leave, I'll make sure my brothers and sisters take good care of you,' Xiao Yan said, gently patting Qinglin's head with a warm smile. Nodding with a smile, Xiao Yan adjusted the Xuanzhong Chi on his back and stepped out of the room. The quick-witted Qinglin, meanwhile, pushed open the door first and then turned back to give Xiao Yan a graceful, charming smile. Regarding this beneficial competition, Xiao Yan also expressed strong approval. To his surprise, the proposal for such competition had been put forward by his elder brother, Xiao Ding—known for his exceptionally sharp mind. Gradually, what had initially carried certain flaws has been refined and improved, yielding increasingly remarkable results. Xiao Yan had no intention of testing, so he didn't need to rush like this. He simply chatted with Qinglin, moving slowly toward the back courtyard. When they arrived at the large training ground, intense combat had already begun—hundreds of fighters were engaged in chaotic, fierce battles. The spectators below were all animated, shouting excitedly, and in some places, even placing bets on who among the five final survivors would be. A slight pause, Xiao Yan raised his eyes and indeed saw Xiao Ding and Xiao Li seated on the dais. Around them were several men dressed in Mo Tie mercenaries' uniforms—likely the senior officers of the group, whom Xiao Yan had already met over the past few days and thus recognized vaguely. As Xiao Yan observed them, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li also turned their gaze toward him. The three exchanged glances and smiled warmly, then waved at each other. Just as Xiao Yan was about to shift his attention, he suddenly noticed Xiao Li's gesture—his finger pointing toward the arena, then gesturing toward himself. Seeing this, Xiao Li laughed heartily, nodded, and then, with a look of resignation, stepped down from the dais, landing firmly in the center of the arena. Watching Xiao Li's actions, Xiao Yan sighed and rolled his eyes, then spoke to Qing Lin beside him. With a sudden thrust of his foot onto the massive stone, a loud roar echoed, and his body surged forward into the arena, his feet landing inside mid-air. Inspired by the vibrant atmosphere around him, Xiao Yan grasped the handle of the Xuanzhong Scale firmly and suddenly pulled it back with a sharp "crack," holding it diagonally. He looked up, smiled proudly and expansively. "Haha, excellent!" Seeing this, Xiao Li burst into loud laughter, flipped his hand, and a long, straight steel spear appeared in his palm. He clenched it tightly, and at once, silver Qi surged from his body, forming a flowing layer of silver Qi robe on his surface. "I didn't expect that in these years, second brother's lightning-type Qi has grown even more refined." As he glanced at the silver Qi robe covering Xiao Li's body, Xiao Yan shook his head in admiration. Xiao Li's Qi was quite rare—specifically a lightning-type Qi that not only possessed strong offensive power but also carried a paralyzing effect, making combat against him particularly troublesome. Exhaling slowly, the purple qi within Xiao Yan surged rapidly, and after a brief moment, the purple qi robe shimmering with dancing purple flames fully enveloped him. "Goodness!" Xiao Li remarked in admiration as he watched the purple flame robe Xiao Yan summoned, then gripped his lance tightly and roared, "Let's go!" As soon as Xiao Li's voice rang out, both Xiao Yan and he moved in unison, their feet striking the ground with force, propelling them forward in a swift burst. Watching the two figures tear through the chaos, carving a clear path through the battlefield, the surrounding mercenaries erupted once again in excitement. A battle between two Du Shu-level warriors was already a rare sight in daily life—how could they not be thrilled to witness it today? "Master, go on!" Standing atop the massive stone, Qing Lin's face flushed slightly, her voice bright and eager. "Hmm, Commander," Xiao Yan smiled, "between the second commander and Xiao Yan, who do you think has the better chance of winning?" "From the elevated platform, Xue Lan glanced over the arena, smiling lightly and asked. As she posed her question, the other senior officers on stage also turned their attention toward her, fixing their gaze on Xiao Ding, the one who usually made key decisions regarding the team's daily affairs. Under the collective gaze of everyone, Xiao Ding remained composed, lifted his teacup, took a gentle sip, and then smiled, his eyes sweeping across the arena as he said, 'My second brother has now reached the level of four-star combatant. With his speed, he's surely going to reach five-star status soon. As for Xiao Yan, he's just beginning his journey as a combatant. Moreover, you've all experienced my second brother's lightning-based combat energy. Though I still find Xiao Yan's purple flame energy somewhat elusive, I wonder—what do you think, who holds the greater advantage?' Xiao Ding's eyes flashed with a hint of cunning as he spoke. 'So, does it seem that the second commander is already on his way to victory?' After all, there's quite a gap in their strength levels... Hearing this, Xue Lan couldn't help but purse her lips, slightly disappointed—she had really hoped to see Xiao Li make a fool of himself. "Heh...," smiled gently, Xiao Ding lightly tapped the table with his fingers, his gaze fixed on the young boy enveloped in violet flame aura. "For others, it's true they might have little to no chance. But for my youngest brother, we can't judge by ordinary standards. That boy has always known how to conceal his true abilities. I don't think his strength is merely what's on the surface." "Therefore... the odds in Xiao Yan's favor might actually be stronger than expected!