In the spacious hall, Xiao Yan and his companions sat or stood at ease. The other members of Mo Tie Guild were busy clearing up the headquarters, which had been left in disarray. Occasionally, as a soldier passed by the living room, he would cast a respectful glance toward the young man seated at the table, calmly sipping his tea with a warm, serene smile. The initial apprehension some had felt toward Xiao Yan due to his firm and decisive actions had gradually faded after a brief period. These were seasoned warriors accustomed to life on the edge of danger, possessing nerves far stronger than ordinary people. Moreover, Mo Ran was an enemy of the guild—there was no reason for them to extend any special sympathy. They all knew well that if Xiao Yan had not arrived in time, Mo Ran would have shown no mercy at all in slaughtering his brothers. Holding his warm cup of tea, Xiao Yan glanced at the busy mercenaries outside. By his side, Hai Bo Dong, once the Ice Emperor, remained as composed and distant as ever—neither warmed by the close ties between Xiao Yan and the two men seated across from him. "Mr. Hai is one of my friends. Though his temper might be a bit... well, he's truly a strong one," Xiao Yan said, shaking his head in mild resignation as he smiled at Xiao Ding and Xiao Li on the other side. Xiao Ding nodded warmly, his eyes gliding over Hai Bo Dong, sensing subtly that beneath the frail, bent frame of the elderly man lay an energy nearly formidable. "Ah, strong individuals naturally have the temperament of strong ones—otherwise, how could they truly stand out?" Xiao Ding chuckled lightly, adding with a touch of humor. Xiao Yan smiled slightly, first inquiring about Xiao Li's condition, then furrowing his brows and asking, "Tell me what exactly happened. Why has the Sand Mercenary Corps suddenly produced so many strong warriors? And what about Qinglin—the young girl?" Upon hearing Xiao Yan's questions, the smile on Xiao Ding's face gradually faded, and he sighed with a wry expression, pausing to gather his thoughts as if organizing his words. After a long moment, he finally said, "About fifteen days ago, Qinglin hadn't returned after an outing, and she has not come back since. Through my investigation, I found out she was captured. At the location where she disappeared, we discovered clear signs of intense combat, along with numerous blood-stained snake scales—most likely shed by Qinglin's dual-headed Fire Spirit Snake." "Someone who can defeat the two-headed Flame Spirit Snake and capture Qinglin must at least be a Spirit Peak cultivator..." With his fingers lightly tapping the desk, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, puzzled, "But who would target Qinglin? She's merely a young girl. Which Spirit Peak cultivator would lower themselves to pursue her?" "We just aren't quite clear about this..." Xiao Ding shook his head with a wry smile, then continued, "It was exactly the day after Qinglin disappeared that the Sand Company suddenly launched a wave of absorption and elimination against the other city-based factions. The Sand Company's influence in Shishemo City—aside from our own small group of a few allied guilds—was simply too strong to be challenged by any others. As a result, within less than five days, the weaker factions were completely wiped out in a swift and decisive campaign." "Since the Mo Ti Corps has always been the most tenacious and difficult to break, they were left until last—thus, the events of today came to pass. If you had arrived later, I fear the Mo Ti Corps might have perished altogether." Xiao Ding sighed. "Do you know the origins of those who suddenly joined the Sha Corps?" Xiao Yan gently stroked the warm teacup, asking softly. "I'm not entirely sure..." Xiao Ding shook his head, his expression thoughtful. After a moment, he hesitated and said, "I have a feeling that the disappearance of Qing Lin is somehow connected to the sudden arrival of those powerful members in the Sha Corps—there's a certain coincidence in timing." "Do you know about Qing Lin's fire spirit serpent? It's not widely known, is it? Then, why would they have chosen to strike her specifically?" Xiao Yan frowned, and his fingers tapping the table paused suddenly. In his mind, he murmured, "Could it be... because of Bi She's Three-Flower Gaze?" "We don't know exactly what's going on either," Xiao Ding and Xiao Li exchanged glances, both with a look of weary smiles. "You may not know, but I'm sure Luo Bu must have some idea. Let me find out from him, and see just what courage he has," Xiao Yan straightened up slightly, smiled, and said. "Hmm... Perhaps we should gather a few people and go together? After all, they're more numerous." Xiao Ding pondered. "Fine with me," Xiao Yan nodded calmly, then stood up and walked toward the door. As he passed by Haibo Dong, he smiled, "Mr. Hai, shall we go together?" "I'm rather bored staying here, so I'll join you to see what's happening. Just don't expect me to intervene—I charge quite a fee for that," Haibo Dong replied with a composed smile. Nodding with a smile, Xiao Yan stepped out of the hall. Hai Bo Dong followed lazily behind, and then Xiao Ding and Xiao Li swiftly gathered fifty or so capable members, forming a group that marched with strong determination and fierce momentum straight toward the Sand Clan's territory. The entire procession moved with an air of unyielding resolve, radiating an aura of intense resolve. When will the Mo Tie Mercenary Corps have someone strong enough to challenge a Grand Duelist? "Ah, that young black-robed boy leading the charge—huh, wasn't that impressive? But here's the twist: the Grand Duelist named Mo Ran was actually killed right in front of everyone's eyes." A passerby who seemed to know some of the inside details gazed with deep respect at the slender young man standing before the group of sturdy mercenary men, smiling. "Come on, how's that possible? That boy must still be under twenty—how could he possibly defeat a Grand Duelist?" Around the passerby, the crowd stood wide-eyed, utterly stunned. "Hmph. Just watch. I think the Sand Mercenary Corps is in for a rough time this time—what with their arrogance these past few weeks, heh…." The passerby chuckled with a touch of envy. ... Under the steady gaze of the city, Xiao Yan and the others walked through several streets. After more than ten minutes, the Sand Corps' headquarters—secure and vigilant, as if sealed within an iron drum—came into view. Clearly having received the news of Mo Ran's death, a large number of Sand Corps soldiers were now patrolling at the entrance, their faces tense and serious. When they spotted the large group of Mo Tie Corps soldiers approaching at the end of the street, their expressions instantly turned anxious. Several soldiers scrambled to climb into the building, then rushed off to report the development. Staring at the group of sturdy men jammed at the door, their faces filled with fierce hostility, a lean soldier barked out in a strained voice. "Let Robb come out!" Xiao Yan gently tapped his fingernails, then lifted his head with a warm smile. Silence fell. All the soldiers at the entrance remained motionless, having heard from the returning members of the Mo Ti Guild that the powerful Grand Duelist had met a most tragic end at the hands of this calm, smiling youth. "Well, I'll go in myself and find him," Xiao Yan said, offering a helpless smile as he gazed at the silent soldiers, then took a slow step forward. "Hurry, hurry..." As Xiao Yan advanced, the soldiers at the door instantly looked startled, retreating one step in unison— their otherwise steady march now sounding rather comical. "Order from the commander: kill them without mercy! Whoever defeats the black-robed youth shall be rewarded with fifty thousand gold coins!" Between the silence, a sudden shout erupted inside the hall. As the shout fell, the mercenaries at the door instantly brightened, their gaze shifting toward Xiao Yan—fear now waning, replaced by growing greed. Sensing this shift clearly, Xiao Yan gave a gentle shake of his head, decided against further words, and with a wave of his hand, blocked the members of Mo Ti who had drawn their swords to intercept him, stepping forward once more. "Kill him!" One of the mercenaries, finally overcome by the high reward, gripped his sharp weapon tightly, his face contorted with fierce determination, charging directly at Xiao Yan. His bold move triggered a ripple effect—immediately, the others behind him also tightened their grips, their faces blazing with determination, charging forward as well. Watching the surge of nearly thirty mercenaries charging in, Xiao Yan exhaled slowly, then gently rotated his hands before forcefully pushing out: "Blow the Fire Palm!" As Xiao Yan pushed his palm forward, a fierce and sudden surge of power erupted, carrying with it a gust of wind powerful enough to overturn a massive boulder, and slammed directly into the chests of the dozens of mercenaries. "Pfft, pfft..." The force struck their bodies as if struck by a thousand-pound stone, causing the dozens of mercenaries, who had been brimming with determination, to instantly pale, then spew out streams of blood—like a sudden downpour of rain. "Oh, what a strange one..." Xiao Li sighed, exchanged a glance with Xiao Ding, both of them shook their heads in resignation, and then proceeded forward. ... Indeed, the Sand Company had earned its reputation as the most powerful force in Shishuo City. As soon as they stepped into the courtyard, hundreds of mercenaries armed with gleaming weapons immediately surrounded them. Though these mercenaries lacked the same air of solemnity as the members of Mo Tie, their collective presence still carried considerable weight. Gazing at the large ranks of mercenaries blocking the way ahead, Xiao Yan made no pause in his steps. With a push of his palm, a powerful and relentless surge of martial energy erupted, sweeping out in all directions with overwhelming force and dominance. Under the assault of this energy wave, any mercenaries with a rank below Five-Star Battle-Grade were forced to cough up blood and retreat. Only those with slightly higher strength managed to withstand Xiao Yan's broad-range energy attack. Even so, though they successfully blocked his assault, they had barely time to feel relieved when a ghostly figure suddenly materialized before them. Despite his slender build, each light, graceful punch delivered landed with devastating force, knocking down or rendering one mercenary severely wounded and unconscious with every strike. As he walked along, gazing at the sand legion members lying beside the path, rolling and howling in agony, Xiao Yan finally experienced firsthand the sheer strength of a pyro-level technique. In the past, his five uses of the Blowing Fire Palm technique—his primary combat skill—would have drained his internal qi to the point of exhaustion. Now, however, this pyro-level technique allowed him to freely expend his energy without limit. The difference was nothing short of celestial. With agile steps, he passed over several fallen mercenaries lying motionless, surveying the scene of chaos with a quiet sigh. This man—could he possibly single-handedly dismantle the entire Sand Company? "Several of you, I've already stated that Xiao Ding and Xiao Li from the Mo Tie Mercenary Corps have a younger brother of truly formidable strength. Yet you persist in your determination to destroy them. Now, what's happened? That brother has returned and is launching an attack—how can we possibly withstand this?" Luo Bu's voice, sharp with anger. "Luo Bu, don't worry so much. That man is indeed strong, but from the way he fought against Mo Ran, he's clearly not the formidable Battle King-level warrior you've described. Though he ultimately defeated Mo Ran, he was injured in the process. Therefore, based on my assessment, his strength likely only reaches the level of either two-star or three-star Grand Battle Master. Yet Luo Bu, you yourself are a four-star Grand Battle Master—why should you fear him? Moreover, as long as you hold out for a while, we'll send a signal, and our family's Senior Elder will arrive. With his Battle Spirit-level prowess, how could he possibly be afraid of a mere young upstart?" "A middle-aged man, ranking among the top few, smiled. "I'm not sure whether he retained his full strength during his battle with Mo Ran, but... when he suddenly appeared in my room, that speed—let me tell you, even a typical Douling couldn't match it." Luo Bu said, his face serious. "Did Luo Bu, the team leader, actually fight him at that time?" the man inquired with a smile. "No." "Ah, that makes sense. Perhaps he truly is swift, but in combat, speed isn't always the most crucial factor. Maybe he's just fast, after all." Upon hearing this, Luo Bu's expression flickered with hesitation, and his thoughts began to turn more deeply. He nodded slightly—indeed, when Xiao Yan's unexpected entrance had first stunned him, he had been momentarily disoriented. Now, reflecting on it, how could a young man barely twenty years old possibly be a Dou Wang-level powerhouse? Even if he consumed rare materials and premium pills every day, such a feat seemed utterly impossible. With this thought, the gloom on Luo Bu's face gradually faded. He clenched his fists tightly, spat out a stream of saliva, and growled, "Well then, let me see just how strong this man truly is. I really don't believe he can defeat all the more than a dozen Du Shi-level fighters here by himself!" As Luo Bu's demeanor regained its strength, the group of people who had been tense throughout the hall slowly exhaled, easing their breaths—after all, if even the leader lost his fighting spirit at this moment, it would truly be disastrous. "Boom!" As the atmosphere in the hall began to warm up, the once firmly closed door was suddenly shattered into countless fragments, shooting out in all directions. Dust and wood shavings drifted from the entrance, and gradually, a figure in a black robe came into view. "Is it really so enjoyable to hide here, everyone?" a light, teasing laugh drifted in softly.