Chapter 62: Yin-Yang Dual Flame, Refining Complete
Time flowed unnoticed in cultivation. While Xiao Yuan calmly focused on devouring the Heavenly Flame, up on the cliff above, the mercenaries of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, realizing that Mu Li and the others hadn't returned for quite a while, began to feel uneasy and sent someone down to investigate.
What they found left them utterly terrified.
Of the thirty-one members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, all twenty-one who had gone down the cave were killed—only the ten left on guard had survived.
But the cave itself was empty. No one had climbed back up!
As for the passage leading to the mountain's interior, it had already reset automatically after Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yixian descended.
Unable to find anything suspicious, the remaining mercenaries could only report the situation to the leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group—Mu She.
Bang!
Early the next morning, upon seeing the twenty-one corpses brought back, Mu She slammed the table with his palm.
"Who?! Who killed my Li'er?!"
Clutching his chest in grief, Mu She roared in fury.
"It seems the young master went to block a young Dou Zhe named Yuan Xiao and the girl Xiao Yixian. Most likely, the two of them are responsible!"
A mercenary stepped forward to report.
"What exactly happened?"
Mu She asked darkly.
"Yesterday, we were hired by Wan Yao Zhai to escort their team into the Magical Beast Mountain Range. During the journey, that Yuan Xiao and Xiao Yixian left the group for a bit during a rest stop. The young master seemed to have sent scouts after them and likely discovered that cave.
Later, we were attacked by Windwolves. The young master led a charge through and headed straight for the cave to block Yuan Xiao and Xiao Yixian. But when we noticed something was wrong and sent men to check... they were already dead!"
The mercenary recounted.
"Who is this Yuan Xiao?"
Mu She asked through gritted teeth.
"We only know he looks about sixteen or seventeen. Handsome. Supposedly a Two-Star Dou Zhe…"
By the end, the mercenary clearly lacked confidence in his own words.
"Bullshit! A Two-Star Dou Zhe killed twenty-one people, all Four-Star or above?!"
Mu She slapped the mercenary flying and cursed.
"Find that cave! I'm going myself!"
Furious, Mu She stormed out.
But before he could even leave the compound, a figure stormed in through the front gate with several powerful individuals trailing behind.
"Mu She, what's the meaning of this? You took Wan Yao Zhai's money, but your people retreated halfway through! Our gathering team suffered massive losses, and Xiao Yixian is missing! You owe me an explanation today!"
The middle-aged man's voice thundered as he entered the courtyard, his anger palpable.
Mu She's face darkened. "I haven't even come to settle with you, and you're already at my door? Xiao Yixian colluded with a strong fighter and killed my son Mu Li and twenty of my men—I'm the one who deserves an explanation!"
Yao Lao froze upon hearing that. Then, his eyes swept the courtyard, landing on the numerous corpses—and the cold, lifeless body lying inside the hall.
"Colluded with a strong fighter? Where would Xiao Yixian find someone like that?"
Knowing Mu She was emotionally unstable from losing his son, Yao Lao softened his tone slightly.
"Hmph! That's your problem. I'm heading to the scene to investigate. Come with me or stay out of my way!"
Mu She barked, then turned to shout:
"All Wolf Head Mercenaries, follow me into the mountains!"
Yao Lao narrowed his eyes but didn't follow.
If he went into the mountains, Mu She's men could easily ambush him. That would be the end.
Within the city, though, Mu She wouldn't dare act rashly, not with the other two mercenary groups watching.
"Then I'll leave the investigation to you, Captain Mu. I'll await your findings."
With that, Yao Lao watched Mu She leave.
Led by a Dou Shi-level expert, the search party progressed swiftly. No low-tier magical beasts dared provoke them.
Soon, the group arrived at the cave.
They looked around—the stone chamber still retained faint medicinal aromas mixed with a hint of blood.
The blood on the ground had frozen into dark red ice.
"An Ice-type Dou Qi expert."
Mu She's expression remained grim as he investigated.
And deep within the mountain beneath his feet, Xiao Yuan was just one step away from success!
Within his meridians, Yin and Yang flames had already gathered. Though his eyes remained shut, his hand clutched the third jade bottle, ready to implant the Spirit-Infuser at any moment.
"Go!"
With that thought, Xiao Yuan erupted with Dou Qi and soul force simultaneously, pushing the Yin and Yang flames into his lower dantian.
As soon as they entered, the two flames rushed toward each other and intertwined—forming a spinning black-and-white yin-yang fish.
In that instant, Xiao Yuan flicked open the jade bottle and launched the Spirit-Infuser into his body, slamming it into the flame core. A terrifying suction emerged and instantly absorbed it.
Refinement—complete!
The moment that thought formed, Xiao Yuan's eyes snapped open, a sharp gleam flashing in their depths.
"Phew…"
He exhaled heavily. Feeling his Dou Qi surge anew, he stretched contentedly and looked over at Xiao Yixian.
As he stood to approach her, he noticed her face flushed red as she turned away, mumbling softly: "Could you at least put some clothes on?"
Xiao Yuan, having sharp senses, heard her clearly. Looking down—
Ah. His clothes had been completely burned away during the flame refinement.
"Uh… sorry!"
He quickly cloaked himself in black cold mist using Dou Qi, then pulled out a fresh set of clothes, dressed, and dispelled the mist before walking toward her.
"Let's go. We need to head up. Do you have anywhere we can rest for a while? We can't return to Qing Shan Town just yet—I need a place to train, to get used to the Heavenly Flame."
Xiao Yuan smoothly took her hand and started walking deeper into the mountain.
Xiao Yixian's face remained a little red. During the refinement, Xiao Yuan's clothes had been burned away, and his skin shifted between aged and youthful, giving him an eerie appearance. So she hadn't thought much of it.
But now that he'd stabilized, his physique was revealed—well-proportioned muscles, smooth lines, and a strikingly handsome face.
It was... oddly mesmerizing.
Wait a minute—why was he holding her hand again? And wasn't this the wrong way?!
Xiao Yixian suddenly tried to pull her hand back.
"Hey! Where are you taking me? Let me down!"
But before she could finish, Xiao Yuan turned around, hooked her knees, and carried her into a princess hold—then quickened his pace.
RUMBLE!
At the same time, the mountain's interior began to shake violently. Large mechanisms deep within creaked and groaned.
With the Heavenly Flame refined, the formation sustaining this place had lost its core. Its once-stable structure was collapsing!
(END CHAPTER)
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