"Kid, you're just giving up on the Wolftooth Blade like that?" the voice of the Serpent Venerable echoed in Li Yi's mind.
Li Yi, nonchalantly brushing off a panic-stricken maid following him, replied in a low tone, "Who said I'm giving up?"
"What do you mean then...?"
"I never intended to spend so much to get that Wolftooth Blade in the first place. Since someone else has saved me the expense, why should I be polite? Besides, I'm also quite interested in his Qingyun Hand."
"Kid, you mean..." The Serpent Venerable's voice carried a hint of mischief, followed by a burst of laughter. "You really are amusing, planning a robbery? Hahaha..."
Li Yi just snorted, not responding.
After a pause, the Serpent Venerable continued, "You do realize, kid, that guy is not some minor character like the girls you've dealt with before. He may not be very capable, but he's still a seven-crystal Fighter. With your current level of four-crystal Yuanqi, you're not even close to his league. And I've sensed that among his guards, at least three are Fighters. Plus, he's here to buy the Mid-Tier Zhuque Dou Technique; I doubt that's his only backup."
"Old ghost, you think there will be Dou Masters guarding him?" Li Yi chuckled coldly, his voice growing colder. "But what does it matter? I don't believe I'm the only one interested in that Mid-Tier Zhuque Dou Technique in the auction hall..."
Outside Wan Chao City, on the wide road shrouded in dust and under the scorching sun, the jungle alongside was usually frequented by low-level magical beasts. Suddenly, sensing something, the beasts hastily retreated into the bushes, some even starting to tremble.
Moments later, a group of seven or eight riders appeared, led by Yin Xu. Despite being called the vice-captain, Yin Xu was certainly not over thirty. He rode his horse, fondly caressing the Wolftooth Blade in his hand. The blade's edge emitted intermittent cold gleams, chilling even in the summer heat.
His guards chuckled as they watched him, with one loudly saying, "Vice-captain, only such a high-grade weapon is worthy of your status!"
Yin Xu's mood seemed excellent, his scarred face breaking into a smile. "Naturally. After all, whose former weapon is this?"
"The Blade Emperor Barin's former weapon, no ordinary item indeed! Vice-captain, you should examine it closely; maybe it holds secrets that could propel you into the realm of a Dou Emperor!" remarked the guard.
The prospect of becoming a Dou Emperor was alluring.
Even Yin Xu's heart fluttered at the thought. If the Wolftooth Blade indeed held secrets, then the 60,000 gold coins spent would be well worth it.
"Hehe..." A light laugh sounded from ahead, followed by a lazy voice, "Vice-Captain Yin, aiming high as always! Not even a Dou Master yet, but dreaming of becoming a Dou Emperor? What do you think a Dou Emperor is?"
With that voice, about a dozen figures swiftly appeared, blocking Yin Xu's path. Armed with weapons and heavy crossbows typically used by the Tianfeng Empire's army, these men presented a formidable threat. The crossbows, especially when combined with Dou Qi, were extremely lethal. This sudden ambush gave them a significant advantage.
Yin Xu's expression turned sinister as he sheathed the Wolftooth Blade and gestured for his guards to step back. His gaze then settled on the newly arrived group.
"So, it's Young Master Long!" Yin Xu sneered. "What's the meaning of this, Long Aotian? The Blood Wolf Mercenary Group has no quarrel with your Wan Chao Dragon family. Are you looking for a fight?"
Long Aotian, as lazy as ever, seemed uninterested in anything but had a sharp glint in his eyes. He nonchalantly greeted, "Well said. Today, I'm just here to retrieve something that belongs to my family from you, Vice-Captain Yin. Hand it over, and we can talk. Otherwise..."
"And what if I don't?" Yin Xu scoffed in response.
"Otherwise, there might no longer be a Blood Wolf Mercenary Group near Wan Chao City!" Long Aotian threatened.
"By your hand?!" Yin Xu laughed heartily. "Long Aotian, Long Aotian, others may fear your Dragon family, but we, the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group, do not. Do you really think you can take on our group? You're not qualified enough!"
Long Aotian sighed, "Whether I'm qualified or not, Vice-Captain Yin, isn't something you can decide. We'll only know after a fight... Although it's unlikely, I'll still ask – Yin Xu, how about you hand over that Qingyun Hand nicely?"
Yin Xu smirked, "Sure! As long as you, Young Master Long, are willing to exchange it with your life, I'll gladly give you the Mid-Tier Zhuque Dou Technique."
"So it's like that, huh?" Long Aotian appeared somewhat resigned. "I didn't want to kill, but since it's come to this, don't blame me, Vice-Captain Yin. Do you really think you can get away with just a few Fighters against the Dragon family?"
Yin Xu sneered, "Why don't you try and see!"
Long Aotian shook his head slightly and slowly drew the sword at his waist, pointing it towards Yin Xu. "Then, Vice-Captain Yin, your journey ends here. Attack!"
At his command, Long Aotian's men raised their heavy crossbows and fired towards Yin Xu's direction. The wind whistled as the bolts flew, targeting vital spots. The Blood Wolf Mercenaries, already on high alert, quickly dodged.
In an instant, the Dragon family guards discarded their crossbows and charged with their weapons. The mercenaries, caught off-guard by the initial assault, were soon overwhelmed, and several fell. The remaining few formed a tight circle around Yin Xu.
Yin Xu's expression remained unchanged as he unsheathed the newly acquired Wolftooth Blade, splitting a Dragon guard in half with a single swing. The bloodshed emboldened the mercenaries, who began to fight back fiercely.
After a clash, several Dragon guards lay defeated, while the mercenaries, though injured, refused to retreat.
Long Aotian observed for a moment and then ordered, "Two of you, join the fight!" Two men, previously standing behind Long Aotian, nodded and rushed into the fray, significantly tipping the scales in the Dragon family's favor.
As the melee continued, Li Yi, shrouded in a large black robe, crouched on a tree branch nearby, hidden from view. Playing with a leaf, he mused, "Old ghost, didn't you say Yin Xu wouldn't have such a small entourage? Now it seems he's about to be finished. Isn't it time we stepped in? If we wait until Long Aotian gets his hands on the loot, it won't be as easy to retrieve."
"You're quite confident for someone who's not even a Fighter," the Serpent Venerable's voice carried an ambiguous tone. "But who said things would be harder if Long Aotian gets them? Maybe after killing, he won't even want the Wolftooth Blade. Wouldn't you then pick up an easy bargain?"
Li Yi rolled his eyes and replied, "If only it were that easy. But Long Aotian is definitely tougher to deal with than Yin Xu. Just look at how the Li and Mo families didn't make a move, and he came for an open robbery. This alone shows his absolute confidence. Under these circumstances, unless he wipes out the Blood Wolf Mercenary Group, if their leader finds out, the Dragon family won't have a single peaceful day ahead."