As expected, when Xue Lan was truly enraged, her combat prowess was terrifyingly impressive.
She unleashed various special techniques that Gu Changqing had never seen or even heard of, all in a desperate attempt to defeat him completely.
Gu Changqing was delighted, thoroughly enjoying himself, but he kept provoking Xue Lan, belittling her with insults and mockery. His taunts only fueled her fury and refusal to concede, driving her to fight even harder.
In the end, Xue Lan passed out.
"That's all you've got?"
Though Gu Changqing was thoroughly satisfied, he couldn't resist one last jab, lamenting that Xue Lan couldn't hear him now that she had fainted.
The battle had lasted from the previous day until the next, even startling Liu Mei.
Liu Mei, who had some sympathy for Xue Lan's fierce nature, joined in to help.
Of course, members of the Iron Desert Mercenary Group had no clue what was happening. They couldn't see anything.
When Xue Lan had knocked Gu Changqing down, he cast an illusion that concealed their battle, taking both her and the Stone Willow far out into the desert for their clash.
It wasn't until three days later that Gu Changqing finally returned to Stone Desert City, accompanied by a somewhat recovered Xue Lan and the Stone Willow.
"Master, up ahead is Stone Desert City. Our Iron Desert Mercenary Group is based within," Xue Lan reported, her voice cold and emotionless. She looked at Gu Changqing without any hint of warmth, but after his 'discipline,' she obediently addressed him as 'Master.' Still, her voice was hoarse, and her legs trembled slightly.
"Your mercenary group... do you have a girl named Qing Lin there?"
Gu Changqing pulled Xue Lan closer, his hand squeezing her firm waist as he inquired.
"How... how do you know about her?" Xue Lan, uncomfortable, shifted her hips and asked in astonishment.
"I came specifically for her," Gu Changqing replied casually, giving her a firm squeeze.
"Hiss, gentle!" Xue Lan protested, slapping his hand away in annoyance.
"You were pretty wild earlier..." Gu Changqing leaned in, whispering in her ear with a chuckle.
"Bastard!" Xue Lan cursed under her breath, her face flushed red.
Reflecting on the past few days, she wondered if she had indeed lost her mind. If not for Gu Changqing's medical expertise, she doubted she would even be able to sit upright after all the provocations he had put her through.
"Ah! What are you doing now?" Xue Lan yelped in pain, once again.
"Humph. Insulting your master—this time I'll let it slide, but next time, you'll regret it," Gu Changqing warned coldly, casting her a brief glance.
Xue Lan shuddered, not daring to retort. She had already experienced the kind of punishment Gu Changqing could dish out, and she wanted no part of it.
"Master, why are you looking for Qing Lin? She's still very young, and you…" Xue Lan hesitated, biting her lip anxiously.
She feared Gu Changqing might have set his sights on Qing Lin, intending to take her under his wing—or worse. But Qing Lin was just a young girl, and the thought of her being taken advantage of was unbearable to Xue Lan.
"Oh? You have a problem with that?" Gu Changqing shot her a frosty glance.
"I..." Xue Lan's voice faltered, her courage shrinking under his intimidating gaze. She feared this 'Master' more than she wanted to admit.
After a moment of hesitation, she finally gathered her resolve and softly pleaded, "Master, I'm willing to serve you well, but please, spare Qing Lin."
The thought of Qing Lin being harmed by Gu Changqing was too much for Xue Lan to bear.
"Is that so?" Gu Changqing gave her a long look, his eyes unreadable.
"Well then, show me how well you serve. If I'm satisfied, I might consider it."
Of course, Gu Changqing wasn't a complete beast. Qing Lin was far too young, and he had no intention of touching her. However, letting Xue Lan believe otherwise worked in his favor, motivating her to try harder to please him.
"Yes, Master. I will serve you well," Xue Lan replied quickly, pushing her hips toward him as she grabbed his hand and placed it on her.
"What? You still haven't found them? What do I even keep you for?!"
Inside the Iron Desert Mercenary Group's headquarters, a young man dressed in white robes, exuding the air of a scholarly gentleman, was fuming. This man was Xiao Ding, the eldest brother of Xiao Yan.
Despite his refined appearance, Xiao Ding was a man whose smile concealed a sharp edge.
No wonder he was so furious—he had taken a liking to Xue Lan, intending to groom her into his trusted lieutenant and, when the time was right, make her his woman. But now, someone else had gotten to her first, reducing her to the status of a mere concubine. Naturally, Xiao Ding felt utterly humiliated.
"Big brother, it's likely that Xue Lan was taken by that mysterious boy. There's no point in scolding them now. Besides, having Xue Lan with that boy might not be entirely bad for us," a shadowy figure spoke from the other side of the hall, his words calm yet calculating.
This man was Xiao Li, Xiao Yan's second brother—a ruthless youth who never hesitated to use underhanded tactics to achieve his goals. He was a master of intrigue, with no qualms about playing dirty.
"Oh? What do you mean by that, second brother?" Xiao Ding's eyes lit up as he looked toward Xiao Li, intrigued.
"Brother, you're forgetting that the mysterious boy managed to casually produce an antidote pill and even has a Tier 2, or possibly even Tier 3, magical beast as a mount. Such a person is either an alchemist or comes from a powerful family!"
"Either way, if Xue Lan hasn't completely severed ties with our Iron Desert Mercenary Group, she might eventually return here with him. If we can befriend him... well..." Xiao Li's eyes gleamed as he spoke.
"Big brother, you surely realize the benefits of aligning ourselves with either an alchemist or a noble family scion, right?"
"As for Xue Lan? Brother, there are plenty of other women out there. Why get hung up on just her?" Xiao Li added, a sly smile tugging at his lips.
Xiao Ding's eyes brightened, as though a veil had lifted, suddenly revealing the clear sky.
"Haha! Second brother, as always, you see things most clearly. Of the three of us, you're definitely the shrewdest," Xiao Ding praised, laughing heartily before continuing, "It's true, I was fond of Xue Lan, but she's not irreplaceable. If she really does bring that boy to Stone Desert City, we can offer him whatever he wants, ingratiating ourselves in the process."
"Those spoiled young masters from noble families always have an appetite for something new. We could capture a few snake-women for him or present him with some exotic beauties."
"Oh, speaking of which, doesn't our Iron Desert Mercenary Group have a maid named Qing Lin? A half-snake, half-human girl? I bet a young master like him would be fascinated by someone like her."
"If we can please him, the benefits to our mercenary group could be endless!" Xiao Ding's eyes gleamed with ambition as he laid out his plan.