"Hey, mister, what are they doing?" Xing Jue asked a middle-aged man beside him.
"Oh, that black-bearded fellow in the middle is the Heavenly Dragon Commander of the famous Heavenly Dragon Mercenary Group in our town. A while back, his younger brother took their entire mercenary group to escort a group of merchants into the Death Mountain Range, but they never returned. He's decided to gather a team of skilled mercenaries to go in and search for them," the middle-aged man explained, seemingly quite knowledgeable about the situation.
"I've heard that the Death Mountain Range has been very dangerous lately, so for these people to be willing to go, the reward must be something else, huh?" Xing Jue inquired again. While he wasn't particularly interested in the reward itself, he was curious what could entice such capable individuals to risk their necks.
"I hear that anyone who makes it back alive will receive a Golden Silkworm Inner Armor. It's a protective armor with incredible defensive capabilities; absolutely a life-saver for mercenaries who spend their time in the Death Mountain Range," the middle-aged man explained.
"Oh?" Xing Jue was rather impressed to hear about the resources this mercenary group had at their disposal. Even the Xing family considered Golden Silkworm Inner Armor to be a rare and valuable treasure, having only one in their possession. For this mercenary group to just casually be giving them out like this... It seemed the Heavenly Dragon Mercenary Group was no weakling organization.
"Commander, doesn't look like we'll have any other takers. How about we head out?" At that moment, one of the ten - a tall, lanky man - spoke up to the black-bearded man.
"Alright," the black-bearded Heavenly Dragon Commander replied after glancing around one more time.
"Hold on, I'm in!" Just as everyone was preparing to depart, Xing Jue's voice suddenly rang out. He then walked right into the center of the group - a seemingly unremarkable boy amidst hardened mercenaries.
"Little guy, you? You do realize what it is you're signing up for, right?" the tall, lanky man asked, looking down at Xing Jue with thinly veiled disdain and mockery in his eyes.
"I can't?" Xing Jue shot back, raising an eyebrow at the tall man.
"Oh? Hahaha, sure, sure, you can. If you can last ten rounds against me, I'll consider you passed. How about that?" The tall, lanky man offered.
"Let's make it interesting. You manage to last even a single round against me, and I'll drop out. How about it?" Xing Jue countered with a disdainful smirk.
"What? A joke, hahahaha... Did you hear that? Is this kid serious?" The tall, lanky man burst out laughing at Xing Jue's words. The rest of the onlookers joined in the laughter, as if they had just witnessed the most ridiculous spectacle. 'This kid's either crazy or stupid,' they thought to themselves. This tall, lanky man was a renowned Mid-Rank Martial Master. And with his particular set of skills, his combat strength was easily comparable to that of a High-Rank Martial Master. Yet here this scrawny boy was, claiming he could end the fight in a single round? Now that was comedy gold.
"Hahahahaha," Xing Jue suddenly burst into his own fit of laughter. However, this unexpected reaction only served to confuse the onlookers further. They exchanged bewildered glances, wondering if the kid had lost his mind.
"Very well then, consider yourself warned." Xing Jue's demeanor shifted abruptly as he spoke. It was as if a switch had been flipped. The air around him crackled with energy as a powerful wave of martial aura erupted from his body. Like a dragon exploding from the ocean depths, he shot toward the tall, lanky man with unbelievable speed. In that instant, the undeniable aura of a High-Rank Martial Master washed over the crowd.
'Oh, shit!' The blood drained from the tall man's face as he registered Xing Jue's strength - a strength that far surpassed what he'd expect from even an average High-Rank Martial Master. But it was too late. With the distance between them and with him caught completely off guard, he had no time to react to Xing Jue's all-out attack.
"Boom!" The sound of the impact echoed in the air. The force of the single punch sent the tall, lanky man flying backward. He stumbled for a good dozen paces before managing to regain his footing. And the terrifying part? Xing Jue had barely used a fraction of his power.
Lightly dusting his hands, Xing Jue looked at the stunned tall man. "So, how about it? Have I passed your little test?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Haha, well done my friend, truly impressive strength. I, Long, have never seen a High-Rank Martial Master so young," the black-bearded Heavenly Dragon Commander said with a clap of his hands, his face full of admiration for Xing Jue.
"What? A High-Rank Martial Master?" The onlookers, especially those weaker in strength, gasped and stared at Xing Jue in disbelief. A High-Rank Martial Master at his age? Even in the entirety of Gathering Town, there were only a handful of such experts. And this boy, who looked to be about sixteen at most... He'd already reached such a level? The talent he possessed was terrifying to even imagine. Unbeknownst to them, it took Xing Jue a single year to reach the High-Rank Martial Master realm. If they knew this, they'd lose their minds for sure.
"So, does that mean I'm in?" Xing Jue asked again with a faint smile, glancing sideways at the tall, lanky man.
"Hahaha, without a doubt. I never would have imagined this little brother to be so strong. You have my respect." The tall, lanky man's attitude did a complete one-eighty. Gone was the disdain; in its place was raw respect, a testament to how strength reigned supreme in this world. Strength commanded respect.
"Well then, with our new little brother here, our overall strength has just gotten a whole lot stronger. Let's move out!" Everyone else quickly scrambled to their feet. And with that, the eleven-member strong mercenary team set off at a brisk pace towards the Death Mountain Range, a looming presence that seemed to radiate a chilling aura.
Deep within the Death Mountain Range, an oppressive, dangerous air permeated the very atmosphere. Every so often, the silence would be broken by the distant roar of a beast echoing through the trees, sending shivers down their spines.
"Commander, it's getting dark. Why don't we set up camp here and continue deeper in the morning?" One of the mercenaries suggested to the Heavenly Dragon Commander.
"Yeah, good idea. Let's set up camp here. We'll continue our search at first light." The Heavenly Dragon Commander nodded in agreement, glancing up at the rapidly darkening sky.
And so, deep within the heart of the Death Mountain Range, Xing Jue and the mercenary group made camp. Some set about pitching tents; others got started on preparing their meal. Some went about setting up traps around the perimeter. Having nothing to contribute to these tasks, Xing Jue found a quiet spot a little distance away and settled in to begin his cultivation.
He'd been at it for about an hour, feeling the martial energy coursing through him, when he decided to take a break, slowly opening his eyes.
"Whoa there! What are you doing?" Xing Jue yelped as he practically jumped out of his skin. Standing right there in front of him was the Heavenly Dragon Commander, staring intently at him with a look in his eyes, a certain hunger.... It freaked Xing Jue right the heck out.
"Brother Xing Jue, that's quite the cultivation technique you've got there," the Heavenly Dragon Commander remarked with a smile. He'd been on his way over to call Xing Jue for dinner when something caught his attention: The speed and intensity with which Xing Jue was able to gather and refine his martial energy. It could only mean one thing—Xing Jue was cultivating a technique of extraordinary power.
"Hehe, is there something I can help you with, Commander?" Xing Jue chose to tactfully avoid the topic of his cultivation technique, deftly deflecting the question.
"Haha, look at me, I've got food on the brain! I was just coming over to call you for dinner, Brother Xing Jue," the Heavenly Dragon Commander replied with a chuckle, turning to head back towards the rest of the group. Xing Jue, wiping the cold sweat from his brow, got to his feet and trailed after him.
After dinner, however, instead of joining the others in the tents, Xing Jue found himself drawn to a large tree. He settled down on a sturdy branch, gazing up at the night sky, mind awhirl. Something about this entire situation rubbed him the wrong way. According to what he'd heard, the Death Mountain Range was practically crawling with magical beasts, always spoiling for a fight. Yet, despite their journey so far, despite the occasional roars echoing through the trees… Not a single beast had so much as crossed their path.
His mind went back to those who had come before them, those who had dared venture into the Death Mountain Range never to return. Something had happened to them, had to have. Either they had met their end within its depths or they were trapped. The unnatural silence of the forest... That was what bothered him the most. It was the quiet before the storm. An ominous premonition settled over him. Whatever, or whoever, was responsible for the disappearances would reveal itself tonight. He was sure of it.
"Ah, such a delightful fragrance," a sweet, feminine voice cut through the silence. It seemed to slither around them, wrapping itself around the trees, echoing through the night. Xing Jue's blood ran cold. And that was just the beginning. At the same time, an overwhelmingly powerful aura, charged with raw strength, came hurtling towards them at terrifying speed.
'What power...' Xing Jue thought, his heart pounding in his chest.