Zhao Xin and Hu Long dashed toward the bush and encircled Mu Yu Die.
Mu Yu Die, who had been hiding in the bushes for a long time, stood up ashamed. She took a quick glance at Shi Yan while blushing, and felt tremendously embarrassed.
But soon she realized she had been worrying too much, for Shi Yan didn't even pay attention to her. Instead, like a wary beast, he was glaring in the direction that Luo Hao sprinted towards.
After a speedy full circulation cycle passed through Shi Yan's body, the soreness had reduced bit by bit. Looking serious, Shi Yan tried to recover while focusing on Luo Hao.
"Go after it! The Fire Snake looks very weak now. Catch up to it! Don't let it go! "
"Fire the arrows! Quick!"
"Shoo! Shooo!"
From the woods not far away, came shouts and wrangles. Arrows flew fast in the air, chasing their target.
"Hooo!"
All of a sudden, there was a fire in the woods. The fierce fire covered the big area in no time, and heavy smoke rose quickly, lingering in the woods, making people unable to breathe.
"Kakaka! Bang, Bang, bang! Bang!"
The sound of trees exploding, arrows flying, people's running, and raging battle, all came at the same time from the woods in the distance. A fierce battle was going on over there.
"Someone's there!" An unfriendly shout came from the woods, "You want to steal our treasure?"
"Don't get me wrong. I just don't want the Fire Snake to hurt my people, so I simply stopped it from running that way." It was Luo Hao's voice. He seemed to have a dispute with someone far away.
"Humph! We, the Fangs Mercenary Corps, have kept an eye on this Fire Snake for half a month, you'd better not get involved."
"Like I said, I'm not interested in this Level-4 demon beast." Luo Hao explained.
"Uncle Luo seems to be disputing with someone, let's go and see." Mu Yu Die raised her head from the bushes and frowned. She was a little worried since she didn't know what was happening there.
"Yes, let's go!" Hu Long grunted, "I have heard of the Fangs Mercenary Corps. They have a very bad reputation. We can't let them take advantage of Uncle Luo".
"Then let's hurry." Hearing that, Mu Yu Die began to panic more.
"Ok."
Zhao Xin nodded and said to Hu Long and Di Yalan, "You still need to encircle Miss Mu when we reach there. Even during fights her safety in our top priority."
"No shit! We all know this!" Di Yalan was getting impatient.
While muttering, the four quietly rushed toward Luo Hao.
Shi Yan was not at all worried. He slowly stood up after a few minutes.
Feeling the vibrancy of his Profound Qi in the meridians, he first moved his hands and feet slowly in order to make sure that their flexibility and agility won't be affected much by the fatigue. Then he slowly and leisurely followed the four people.
"Whoa!" One man yelled in surprise, "Beautiful girls, haha, there are two beautiful girls! I have lingered here for two months and have never seen girls this beautiful!
"Captain, you had promised that you would satisfy our needs. You can't go back on your word."
"Shut up! Can't you see that they are unavailable?"
---
Shi Yan walked up slowly, and began to look around with furrowed brows.
On the ground, was an eight metre long huge snake with patterns of fire all over its body. Its tail was blazing and its body was covered with arrows. Meanwhile, a large quantity of blood was flowing out of the wound between its eyes.
Eight mercenaries, in warrior uniforms, were standing around the Fire Snake. They looked robust and rough, and each of them got a tattoo of fangs on their revealed left arms. All of them were at least in the Nascent Realm.
The captain's short brown hair stood like steel needles. There was a long scar on his left cheek which extended all the way to his neck, which made him appear extremely ferocious.
When Shi Yan arrived, he saw those mercenaries staring at Mu Yu Die and Di Yalan's bodies with gleaming lustful eyes. They looked rather infatuated.
However, the captain was not looking at the girls at all, he was only exchanging glances with Luo Hao. The captain's right hand was hidden in the sleeve, where silver light was glowing now and then. He seemed like he was prepared to have a fight.
"Go home and look at your mama!" Under those mercenaries' salacious eyes, Di Yalan couldn't help but curse them out.
"Haha! This woman has a fiery temper! She's my type!" An uncivilized mercenary with a revealed hairy chest bursted into laughter. He patted his thigh and shouted, "Captain! I want this woman!"
"Come at me then!" Di Yalan drew out the sword beside her waist and took a fighting stance, "Come on! Let me see if you are a real man!"
"Haha, here I am!" That big guy was joyful and was about to rush forward.
"Tumu!" Bernard shouted and then he lowered his voice, "Don't make a fuss! Everything is negotiable!"
"Understood, Captain." That man with hairy-chest, whose name was Tumu, smirked and humped his lower body towards Di Yalan, and laughed pervertedly, "Bitch, you will know how manly I am when we are naked and having fun."
"I will cut off your balls." Di Yalan replied back while sneering.
While disgusted, Mu Yu Die just frowned but didn't utter a word as if she had gotten used to such remarks.
"Who let you come here?" Luo Hao's heart skipped a beat, and got a little worried. He knew those mercenaries well. These mercenaries, who stayed here to kill demon beasts, were leading extremely dangerous lives. They could be killed by demon beasts at any time.
Under that stress, they didn't care much about morals or laws, and did a lot of unorthodox things.
Mu Yu Die and Di Yalan were both pretty, and beauties were the rarest resources in this area. The soft bodies of these pretty girls were the best comfort for those brutal mercenaries, so Luo Hao got a bad feeling at the sight of these men.
Shi Yan came up and stood beside Luo Hao silently, as he began to observe the Fangs Mercenary Corps.
"Tumu!" The scar-faced captain of the Fangs Mercenary Corps, Bernard, yelled out viciously, "Take the material!" At the same time, he was still gazing at Luo Hao and Shi Yan with cold eyes as silver light was glowing from his sleeve.
"Yes, Captain!" Tumu stopped teasing Di Yalan and commanded his people to move. Thus, three mercenaries walked up with daggers. They operated on the Fire Snake with blood all over their bodies. Peeling off the skin, ripping out the tendons, gouging the eyes, and pulling out the fangs. They were doing all of it very carefully and skillfully.
Bernard and the rest of the mercenaries kept staring coldly at Luo Hao and others. They were all ready to assault them once Luo Hao made any move.
With a dark expression on his face, the giant sword in Luo Hao's hand glowed as he said, "We don't have a slightest interest in the Fire Snake. Do what you want to do, we are leaving." Luo Hao knew Bernard was tough, so he don't want to ask for trouble. Bringing Mu Yu Die to a safe place was the most urgent issue at hand.
Seeing they were really leaving, Bernard was a little stunned, as he called out, "Wait."
Luo Hao's expression got serious as he turned around. He said, "Everyone, I don't want to have a dispute with you guys. But you all shouldn't go too far either."
"Yeah, well..." Bernard smirked, the muscles on his face relaxing, "My friend, you misunderstood us. I just want to make a deal with you guys. Nothing else."
"What deal?" Luo Hao was surprised.
"What about one eye of the Fire Snake, three fangs, and two meters of snake skin for the two women?" Bernard pointed at Mu Yu Die and Di Yalan, and smiled, "My brothers here haven't touched any women for a long time. They need to be satisfied. All women here have a price, and my offer is quite fair. What do you think?"
"F***!" Hu Long's eyes were almost on fire.
Zhao Xin grunted. Mu Yu Die bit her teeth as well, while Di Yalan waved her sword and shouted, "Come if you dare!"
Only Shi Yan kept silent as he kept gazing at the captain.
Luo Hao stretched out his hand to stop Di Yalan's reckless actions and shook his head to her. Then he turned around and said to Bernard, "I'm sorry, they are my friends, not my possessions. They can't be traded."
"Well, nevermind." Bernard nodded, and said casually "Until next time then."
"Until next time." Luo Hao looked deeply into his eyes and then yelled, "Let's go!"
Luo Hao glared at Di Yalan, suggesting her to keep silent, and signaled her to hurry up and leave.
Zhao Xin and Hu Long were both furious, but they could do nothing after seeing the look in Luo Hao's eyes. They had to obediently encircle Mu Yu Die and leave. Shi Yan scratched his own nose and also left without a word.
---
"Captain, the same as usual this time?" After Luo Hao and others disappeared into the woods, Tumu giggled, "We know what type of woman you like, so we won't fight you for that little girl. But that hot bitch, Captain, you have to give her for us to taste."
Bernard's eyes got colder and colder, and he nodded gently, "Collect the things on the snake first, and then do what we usually do!"
"Got it." Tumu smirked, "That woman wanted to cut my cock! I will f*** her to death later!"
"She is a beautiful flower with thorns, and though slightly weaker than you, she is still at The Third Sky of the Nascent Realm. You need to be careful. Don't fail miserably in an easy task." Bernard grunted. "Remember to kill those men first, don't merely indulge yourselves in the women. Be cautious, don't let anyone run away!"
"Yes, Captain!"