The Blood Battle Guild has long been a renowned mercenary company, not only in Qingshan Town but also throughout the surrounding hundred miles. Their sustained prominence—especially in the region near the Beast Mountains—speaks volumes about their strength. Yet, this status began undergoing dramatic transformations just one year ago, following the arrival of the Serpent Nest Guild in Qingshan Town. The Serpent Nest Guild is also a powerful mercenary force in the vicinity of the Beast Mountains, roughly on par with the Blood Battle Guild. Under normal circumstances, the two should have been evenly matched, neither able to decisively outperform the other. However, the Blood Battle Guild's main weakness lies in its less solid backing behind the scenes. The background of the Serpent Nest Corps is well known: it traces back to the He family of Black Rock City. This family stands among the prominent noble houses of the northeastern region of the Empire, though perhaps not on par with the three most prestigious families in the Empire, it is far from insignificant. The primary reason for this is that the current head of the He family is a four-star Duke-Class warrior—a title of immense weight within the Gamma Empire. A Duke-Class warrior is indeed a true powerhouse, commanding deep respect from many. The ranks of Duke-Class warriors represent a significant divide from those of Duke-Class cultivators. While the Gamma Empire boasts a substantial number of Duke-Class cultivators—so numerous that one could easily find several in any given handful—Duke-Class warriors are far rarer, likely numbering no more than a hundred across the entire Empire. This clearly underscores the distinction between the two ranks. The commander of the Blood Battle Guild is a master of seven-star Battle Spirit, while the commander of the Serpent Nest Guild is only an eight-star Battle Spirit—both are comparable in strength, and their direct clashes are often evenly matched. Yet over the course of this year, the two guilds have clashed on numerous occasions, and in nearly every instance, the Serpent Nest Guild has come out on top. The reason lies in the fact that the Serpent Nest Guild can draw upon several strong fighters from the He family to assist in battle. The commander of the Serpent Nest Guild is the son-in-law of the He family and is particularly favored by the family's head. Therefore, when it comes to borrowing internal family warriors to face their rivals, he simply allows it—after all, a relatively small guild like theirs can be absorbed or eliminated if necessary. The last time Xiao Yan had encountered Kagang and Ling'er was precisely during the critical battle when the Blood Battle Guild was on the brink of survival. This time, the commander of the Serpent Nest Guild had personally summoned two powerful members of the He family—both of whom were at the level of six-star Battle Spirit cultivators—thereby overwhelming the Blood Battle Guild in terms of strength. With their leader defeated, the morale of the Blood Battle Guild quickly collapsed, and they were no longer able to withstand the advancing forces of the Serpent Nest Guild. Had it not been for Xiao Yan's unexpected intervention midway, the Blood Battle Guild would have been completely wiped out in Qingshan Town. After rescuing Kagang and Ling'er, Xiao Yan did not personally step forward to assist the guild, as he personally saw little connection with them. His rescue had stemmed only from a prior acquaintance with Kagang. Thus, he gifted him five of his own crafted "Fire Lotus Bottles," which, in his estimation, were sufficient to handle most Battle Spirit-level mercenaries. Indeed, as he had anticipated, after receiving the five "Fire Lotus Bottles" gifted by Xiao Yan, Cagang saved the Blood Battle Guild from total destruction. With three of the "Fire Lotus Bottles" thrown with precision, he not only eliminated the commander of the Serpent Nest Guild but also felled two of He Family's elite warriors—two dead, one severely injured. This decisive action instantly reversed the situation, causing a widespread collapse among the Serpent Nest Guild. Yet, though they were aware of it, the Bloodfighting Guild was unwilling to easily abandon all their years of hard work. Thus, internal disagreements within the guild were significant. However, just as they were about to reach a conclusion, they suddenly grew pale to discover that the He family's elite had arrived at Qingshan Town—most devastating of all, the guild's very own He family head, a powerful warrior at the Battle King level, was among them! Under the overwhelming strength of this Battle King, the Bloodfighting Guild's entire defensive structure was systematically dismantled. Throughout the guild, under the cold gaze of the He family head, a profound sense of despair and helplessness spread. At this moment, despite holding onto a slender hope, Cagang quietly crushed the jade plaque that Xiao Yan had given him the day before. Though it was unclear whether Xiao Yan could truly stand a chance against the Her family's head, at this moment, he had already become the sole lifeline for the entire Blood Battle Guild. Thus, despite lacking much confidence, Cagang still trembled as he crushed the jade plaque between his fingers... On the steps of the plaza, a plush chair, cushioned with soft fur, stood poised. Seated upon it was an elderly man dressed in fine attire, his expression slightly gloomy. He now clutched a jade vial tightly in his hands, his gaze sweeping slowly across the plaza like a venomous snake. "Is it this very thing that has seriously wounded my son-in-law and slain two of Her family's strongest warriors?" he asked, stroking the vial thoughtfully, his eyes fixed on the flame lotus within. A ripple of commotion spread across the plaza. The man at the forefront, Kagan, moved forward slightly, his voice hoarse. "This jade vial is mine. Should you wish to act upon it, I shall follow your judgment. But I beg Her family's head to show leniency toward the women and children of the Blood Battle Company—they know nothing of what has transpired." Behind Cagang stood a middle-aged man with a pale face, dressed in attire suggesting a high standing within the group. Yet at this moment, despite his strength at the Du Ling level, he could only offer a wan smile, as he had been directly struck by a single palm from the current head of the He family, suffering serious injuries earlier. "Uncle, are you all right?" Ling'er, her eyes red with concern, supported him, her voice slightly trembling with emotion. "I'm fine," he said with a bitter tone, "though right now I am, I'll likely be spattered with blood here shortly." "It won't happen," Ling'er quickly shook her head, pressing her lips together firmly. "The one who came with the mysterious gift—the 'Fire Lotus Vial'—you mean, Mr. Xiao Yan?" He chuckled, noting that the name indeed matched that of the current strongest figure within the Imperial Capital's 'Inferno Alliance'—yet how could such a formidable being possibly be someone we could meet? The middle-aged man shook his head with a touch of self-mockery, yet he did not place much hope on this possibility. Ling'er's lips moved slightly, but she said nothing either. After all, the man seated on the stage was a Battle King whose mere presence could annihilate the Blood Battle Guild, and when she considered Xiao Yan's age, her gaze grew dim. Staring at the deep cavity, the head of the He family's eyes slightly brightened. He hadn't expected such powerful destructive force from this small jade bottle of flaming lotus flowers. If they could gather more of these, and launch a dozen at once, even a strong contender at the Battle King level would have to temporarily retreat. "Where did you acquire this item?" The head of the He family turned his gaze to Kaga, speaking coldly. "I happened to obtain it while hunting mythical beasts in the mountains," Kaga replied, his eyes briefly flickering. It seemed the elder had a strong interest in this "flaming lotus bottle," yet he didn't wish to reveal Xiao Yan. Should that happen, the latter would surely face considerable trouble. Though Kaga responded swiftly, the subtle glimmers in his eyes hadn't escaped the shrewd He family head. With a cold laugh, he casually waved his hand, and a surge of power shot forth, striking Kaga with force. "Pfft!" "Struck hard, Kaga instantly spat out a stream of blood, sliding across the ground for over ten meters before coming to a stop. As his body halted, two guards from the He family rushed forward, seized him firmly, and hurled him back. 'I'm giving you one more chance,' said the head of the He family, gently wiping his palm on his sleeve. 'I can spare you.' Kaga's face was pale, blood seeping continuously from his lips. Lying on the ground, he lifted his head and fixed his gaze steadily on the head of the He family, struggling to speak. 'I've already told you—this is what I obtained during my journey through the Beast Mountains.' The palm that had been gently wiping paused, and a growing sense of eerie stillness settled over He family's patriarch. He stepped down the stairs slowly, and after a moment, stood before Kaga, his gaze cold as the man struggled desperately to stay alive. A sneer curled at the corner of his mouth, and then he raised his foot high, bringing it down with a force that would surely crush Kaga's head like a watermelon splattering to the ground. The scene sent waves of sharp cries erupting across the plaza. Hearing the cries, the He patriarch's expression grew even more grim. Yet, as his foot hovered mere inches from Kaga's head, a calm, quiet voice rose softly across the plaza, and at that very instant, his foot froze mid-air.