"That's not appropriate. Even though I am far stronger than you, it is still your effort that will help me find the Heavenly Flame. Giving you a reward is only fair," Xie Tianxiao shook his head slightly, then glanced at the mercenaries standing beside Xiao Ding. "Besides, you might not care about the money, but your men surely need it."
Xie Tianxiao saw through Xiao Ding's intentions clearly. Though he was powerful enough to forgo any compensation without facing complaints, as someone with principles, he wouldn't leave the mercenaries to work for free. After all, he wasn't a tyrant who would take advantage of others labour without proper reward.
The mercenaries, shocked by Xie Tianxiao's consideration, started murmuring in surprise.
"I can't believe such a powerful man actually cares about us poor mercenaries. Truly a noble person!"
"Don't worry, sir! Even if we have to dig up the entire desert, we will find the Heavenly Flame for you!"
"That's right! We won't let you down, sir!"
Hearing their enthusiastic responses, Xiao Ding forced a smile, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Haha… It seems I was short-sighted. Senior, you truly are a man of great virtue!"
Xiao Ding hadn't expected Xie Tianxiao to care so much about his subordinates. It wasn't typical behaviour for someone of such strength, and it left him slightly taken aback.
"Brothers, stay sharp! Since Senior Xie values us so highly, let's make sure we find the Heavenly Flame as soon as possible!" Xiao Ding shouted to his men, rallying their spirits.
"Haha, no need to tell us, Captain! We're all fired up!"
"We'll find that flame in no time!"
The mercenaries shouted excitedly, their eyes filled with passion and determination.
"Good. Go on, then," Xie Tianxiao said with a satisfied nod, waving them off.
"Yes, Senior!" Xiao Ding bowed and led the mercenaries to disperse, fanning out across the desert to begin their search.
As he watched them leave, Xie Tianxiao turned to Qinglin and gently instructed, "Qinglin, for now, you'll stay with me. Once I'm done with my business here, I'll take you somewhere more suited for you."
"Mm, I'll do whatever you say," Qinglin replied obediently.
"Heh… Let's go," Xie Tianxiao chuckled, patting her head softly before leading her away from the mercenary base to find a more suitable place to stay while they waited for results.
…
Time passed swiftly, and three months went by in the blink of an eye.
In Stone Desert City, at a luxurious inn.
"Sir, we've found something unusual in the eastern part of the desert," a mercenary reported to Xie Tianxiao.
"Oh? Have you found it?" Xie Tianxiao raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"We're not sure yet, but the temperature there is significantly higher than the surrounding areas. Captain Xiao wasn't sure, so he sent me to inform you and request your presence," the mercenary explained respectfully.
"Not certain?" Xie Tianxiao's expression became thoughtful. If his guess was right, this location was likely where the Green Lotus Core Flame was hidden.
"Yes. In addition to that, Captain asked if you could help deal with some troublemakers," the mercenary added.
"Troublemakers? Tell me more," Xie Tianxiao said.
The mercenary continued, "While we've been searching, the Sand Mercenary Group has interfered several times. When Captain Xiao mentioned that we were working under your orders, they backed off for a while, but they've recently become arrogant again. Just today, they caused trouble and might have already clashed with the Xiao brothers."
The Sand Mercenary Group was the strongest mercenary group in Stone Desert City, aside from the Iron Desert Mercenary Group.
"The Sand Mercenary Group…" Xie Tianxiao smirked. He recalled from the original story that the Sand Mercenary Group had assumed Xiao Ding's group was after some high-level battle techniques, which led them to try and exploit the situation. It wasn't until Xiao Yan appeared and demonstrated the strength of a Dou king that they were cowed.
Thinking for a moment, Xie Tianxiao said, "Go back and tell Xiao Ding that I'm coming."
"Yes, sir!" The mercenary bowed and quickly departed.
…
Meanwhile, in the eastern desert of rock Desert City, where the sands raged under a hot sun, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were engaged in a tense standoff with a middle-aged man whose body was enveloped in yellow Dou Qi, his face twisted with malice.
"Thunder Arc Triple Dance!" Xiao Li shouted, thrusting his spear forward as arcs of lightning crackled violently from the tip, surging toward the middle-aged man in a storm of energy.
"Haha! Is this all the famous Second Captain of the Iron Desert Mercenary Group can muster? What a waste of that so-called strongest offensive attribute, thunder Dou Qi!" The middle-aged man laughed contemptuously as he clenched his massive fist, yellow Dou Qi gathering around it. In an instant, the energy condensed into a gauntlet-like formation around his hand.
With a powerful swing, his fist collided with the incoming lightning arcs, obliterating them effortlessly. The force of the blow didn't stop there—it continued onward, striking Xiao Li square in the chest.
"Urgh!" Xiao Li spat blood as his body was sent flying backward.
Seeing this, Xiao Ding rushed forward to catch him. "Second brother, are you alright?"
"I'm fine, big brother," Xiao Li grunted, wiping the blood from his mouth, stubbornly trying to stand.
"lou bu, if you continue like this, aren't you afraid of offending the person who gave us this task?" Xiao Ding glared at the yellow-clad man, his voice cold.
"Haha! Offend? Xiao Ding, you're just a small-time Dou master leading a ragtag mercenary group. What kind of 'big figure' would give you a task?" lou bu laughed mockingly. "I've been watching you for months, and I've never seen this so-called 'important person' you speak of."
"Exactly! You're plou buably just trying to deceive us, hiding some high-level battle techniques you found from ancient ruins!" Another man standing nearby with a vulture-like face sneered. This was Mo Xing, the second-in-command of the Sand Mercenary Group, and second only to lou bu in strength.
"You bastards! Mo Xing, you're courting death!" Xiao Ding roared, his anger boiling over. How could he tolerate being belittled like this, especially when they dismissed Xie Tianxiao's backing?
"Captain! Captain!" A mercenary suddenly ran up, panting as he approached Xiao Ding with urgency in his voice.
As the panicked mercenary hurried over, Xiao Ding asked, "What's the situation? Did you speak to Senior?"
"Yes, Captain. The lord said he'll be here shortly," the mercenary replied.
"Hahaha, excellent!" Xiao Ding waved the mercenary off, then turned to face Lou bu with a cold smirk. "Lou bu, since you don't believe me, prepare to face Senior's wrath!"
"Humph! What 'Senior'? I advise you to hand over whatever treasures you've found, or none of your mercenaries will live to see another day!" Lou bu scoffed, showing no sign of fear.
"You're quite bold," a cold voice suddenly spoke from behind Lou bu, accompanied by a firm hand landing on his shoulder. Xie Tianxiao appeared without a sound, his expression calm yet threatening. Behind him was the petite figure of Qinglin, nervously clutching the corner of his black robes, her wide eyes cautiously scanning the surroundings.
"Greetings, Senior!" Xiao Ding and Xiao Li immediately bowed in respect upon seeing Xie Tianxiao. Xiao Ding then smiled warmly at the girl. "Qinglin, you're here too?"
"Mm, hello, Captain Xiao and Vice Captain Xiao," Qinglin greeted them sweetly, though her attention quickly shifted to the menacing figure of Lou bu in front of Xie Tianxiao.
Lou bu's body trembled as cold sweat formed on his forehead. The pressure from Xie Tianxiao's grip was immense, and the fact that he hadn't even noticed his approach sent a wave of terror through him. How powerful is this man? He must at least be a Dou king, if not stronger!
"You were just saying that you don't fear me, weren't you?" Xie Tianxiao's voice was calm, yet it sent a chill down Lou bu's spine.
"N-no, Senior, you've misunderstood me! I didn't mean any disrespect!" Lou bu stammered, trying to explain. 'Damn it, that liar Mo Xing! He said Xiao Ding had no powerful backer, and now we're doomed!'
"Is that so? Then what did you mean?" Xie Tianxiao asked, his tone slightly amused.
"It… it was all Mo Xing's doing!" Lou bu quickly pointed a finger at his second-in-command. "He convinced me that Xiao Ding had found some high-level battle techniques and wanted to keep them for himself. If not for him, I wouldn't have dared to challenge someone like you, Senior!"
Mo Xing's face turned pale with fear as Lou bu threw him under the bus. He immediately fell to his knees, trembling as he begged for mercy. "S-senior, please! Have mercy! I was wrong, I'll never do it again!"
Xie Tianxiao ignored Mo Xing's pleas, instead turning back to Lou bu. "Tell me, what do you think should be done to ants who dare offend me? Should I kill them… or let them live?"
His voice was soft, yet the terrifying aura surrounding him made Lou bu's heart pound with dread.
"I-I don't dare…" Lou bu's face turned ashen. He realized now that he wouldn't be leaving here alive.
Xie Tianxiao's expression grew cold as he said, "Originally, if you had stayed quiet and hidden for a few more days, I wouldn't have bothered with you. But since you've come seeking death today… I'll gladly oblige."
With a flick of his finger, Xie Tianxiao sent an invisible wave of energy surging into Lou bu's body. Lou bu's eyes widened in horror as the force rampaged through him, completely beyond his control.
"No! I don't want to die! I don't want to die!" Lou bu screamed, his voice full of despair.
Crack! Crack!
The sound of bones snapping echoed through the air as Lou bu's body contorted, his bones shattering one by one under the immense pressure. In mere moments, his form collapsed into a bloody heap on the ground.
Gulp.
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li both shuddered at the sight, unable to suppress their fear. To kill a Dou Shi like Lou bu in an instant… Xie Tianxiao's strength was far beyond anything they had imagined.
"Run! We have to get out of here!" Mo Xing, witnessing Lou bu's gruesome death, turned and fled in terror, scrambling across the sand as fast as he could.
"Captain's dead!"
"This man is a demon!"
"Run for your lives!"
The remaining members of the Sand Mercenary Group, overwhelmed with fear, scattered in every direction, desperate to escape.
"Tch, such an eyesore." Xie Tianxiao shook his head, then raised his hand. Black and white flames erupted from thin air, quickly spreading over the fleeing mercenaries and engulfing them in a deadly blaze.
In the blink of an eye, they were all reduced to ash.
"Such terrifying power…" Xiao Ding and Xiao Li stood frozen in place, their faces pale as they stared at the spot where the mercenaries had once been. Xie Tianxiao's strength was beyond anything they could comprehend.
Glancing at the brothers, Xie Tianxiao said calmly, "The troublemakers have been dealt with. You can take whatever valuables and battle techniques are left at the Sand Mercenary Group's base. Consider it my reward to you."
"Thank you, Senior!"
"You are too kind, Senior!"
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li bowed deeply, their hearts filled with excitement. The wealth and battle techniques from the Sand Mercenary Group would be a huge boon to their own mercenary group.
Xie Tianxiao nodded. "There's nothing more for you here. Our transaction is complete. You may leave."
"Understood. We will take our leave now," Xiao Ding replied respectfully. He and Xiao Li exchanged glances, both understanding that it was best not to overstay their welcome.
"Brothers, let's move! We're heading to the Sand Mercenary Group's base to claim our spoils!" Xiao Li called out to the remaining members of their group.
"Yes, Vice Captain!" the mercenaries responded eagerly, quickly following their leaders toward the Sand Mercenary Group's headquarters.
Once the area had cleared, Xie Tianxiao turned to Qinglin with a gentle smile. "Are you alright? Did all of that scare you?"
Qinglin, touched by his concern, shook her head and replied, "No, i know those were bad people. They deserved what they got. Thank you for protecting me, Lord Tianxiao."
She understood that Xie Tianxiao was worried she might be frightened by the violence she had witnessed. Despite feeling a little uneasy, she was more relieved than scared, knowing that he had taken the time to comfort her.
Xie Tianxiao chuckled softly. "Bad people, good people… In truth, I'm not exactly a good person either."
"But… but to me, you're a very good person, Lord Tianxiao," Qinglin said earnestly, tilting her head as she looked at him with innocent eyes.
Xie Tianxiao was momentarily stunned by her words, then smiled warmly as he gently ruffled her hair. "You're such a silly girl."