Chapter 102: My Real Brother

"By the way, second brother, what's that person's name?" Xiao Yan gazed at the slender figure leaning on her weapon, panting.

The woman appeared to be around twenty, her face delicately beautiful, yet her slightly upturned light brows faintly carried a wildness like a she-leopard of the desert.

From her demeanor, one could imagine that though this desert flower was beautiful, she was covered in thorns.

This woman dressed with bold, fiery exposure—her short garment covered only her chest and what lay beneath, leaving her tanned, sensual waist fully exposed to all eyes; beneath the equally short leather skirt, a long, alluring thigh was revealed.

Xiao Li chuckled: "Oh my, little Yanzi, you've taken a fancy to her already? Her name is Xue Lan—she's the pride of our Mercenary Group."

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Xue Lan's cheeks flushed crimson. The other mercenaries groaned in anguish but dared not speak.

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes at Xiao Li: "Second brother, stop talking nonsense. She's strong, has solid foundations, and enough ferocity—she was the only one who fought back just now."

Xiao Yan looked at Xue Lan, took a Pill Bottle from his storage ring, inside which lay only one Pill, and said: "You're Xue Lan, right? I didn't misjudge you—you're already a Nine-Star Fighter. Here's a Two-Rank High-grade Spiritual Pill, the Little Spirit Pill—it boosts the success rate of breaking through to Fighter Master by fifty percent. With your foundations and Qi level, with this Pill's aid, you'll have a hundred percent chance of breaking through."

Xiao Yan casually tossed the Pill Bottle toward Xue Lan. Seeing such a priceless Pill thrown so carelessly, not just Xue Lan but the surrounding mercenaries scrambled to catch it, plunging the Inner Court into chaos.

Xue Lan snatched the Bottle, stared at the pale blue Pill inside, and gazed at Xiao Yan in disbelief. He just gave it to me?! A Two-Rank High-grade Spiritual Pill! And one that aids breakthroughs, no less!

In all of Shimo City, no one had ever even heard of such a thing, let alone bought it!

"I—I…"

Xiao Yan waved his hand: "I never take back what I give. Just work hard for the Mercenary Group from now on."

Xue Lan knelt on one knee, her voice resolute: "Thank you, Third Leader! I, Xue Lan, will never forget your kindness in recognizing me!"

Xiao Ding shook his head, stepped behind Xiao Yan, and patted his head: "Enough, little Yanzi. We know you're an Alchemist. Let's go inside and talk."

Xiao Ding stared at the boy, nearly as tall as himself, his eyes softening with affection. Unconsciously, Xiao Yan had grown so tall.

Seeing Xiao Ding pull Xiao Yan toward the courtyard, Xiao Li quickly handed the Pills to a trusted member, instructing him to distribute one to each man for emergency use, then rushed after them.

Watching the three brothers walk away, arms slung over each other's shoulders, laughing and chatting, the mercenaries in the courtyard murmured: "That's the genius younger brother the two Leaders keep talking about."

"He's insane—alone he took on all of us. He must be at least a High-grade Fighter Master. He's even younger than Second Leader—he's only eighteen this year!"

Hearing Xiao Yan was only eighteen, every mercenary swallowed hard. Is he even human?

"My god, he's an Alchemist too—and this strong?"

"I feel Shimo City's about to turn upside down."

On the very night he arrived in Shimo City, Xiao Yan—who never drank a drop of alcohol—made an exception and got thoroughly drunk with Xiao Ding and Xiao Li.

"You kid, your strength must already surpass mine and Brother's," Xiao Li slurred, his face flushed from alcohol.

Xiao Yan drank a cup and said: "Just luck. I had some opportunities after leaving Jia Nan Academy, so my strength improved a bit—otherwise, I wouldn't match you, second brother."

"Man, everyone fights to get into Jia Nan Academy, and you went in and just walked right out?"

Xiao Ding asked gravely: "By the way, what happened to the engagement breakup Father mentioned in his letter two years ago?"

Xiao Ding and Xiao Li both looked at Xiao Yan—they had already left home to form the Mo Tie Mercenary Corps when Nalan Yanran came to break the engagement, so they hadn't witnessed it themselves.

Xiao Yan shrugged, picked up a piece of meat, and placed it in his mouth calmly: "What could happen? She wanted out—I let her."

"Didn't you two have a Three-Year Agreement?"

"Pfft, rich girls like her are just like that. I never thought she was this weak—I knocked her down with one punch. I even prepared a graceful exit for her, but she couldn't even take one punch. Sigh, if I'd known, I should've just said: 'Let's settle it with rock-paper-scissors—you win, the engagement's off.' Would've saved all this trouble. Now I've got to go to Wang Du in six months." Xiao Yan sighed helplessly.

Xiao Li burst out laughing at Xiao Yan's smugness: "Hahaha, you really are something—rock-paper-scissors? Hahaha, I'm dying! Your big brother was so worried about you after the breakup, couldn't eat or sleep, afraid you'd be emotionally shattered!"

Xiao Li clamped an arm around Xiao Yan's shoulder and lowered his voice, pointing at the girl pouring wine nearby: "Her name is Qing Lin—she's a hybrid of SnakeTribe and human. Her mother was killed in the Desert when she was twelve; my brother and I found her. Back then, Brother thought you'd be devastated by Nalan Yanran's breakup, so he planned to raise her to be your maid."

Someone had told Xiao Ding and Xiao Li that some people, after emotional trauma, suffered permanent damage—lost confidence, lost function.

And SnakeTribe women were unmatched in their ability to stir male desire—they feared Xiao Yan might become impotent.

Xiao Yan had naturally noticed Qing Lin—though only thirteen or fourteen, her petite frame, shaped by her snake-human bloodline, was perfectly curved: where it should be full, it was full; where it should be slender, it was slender. To those with certain peculiar tastes, she was a deadly temptation.

Xiao Yan had thought she was just an ordinary maid—turns out!

Xiao Ding had heard too, but he made no denial—he glanced at Xiao Yan, as if asking: "Everything still working? Need a little stimulation tonight?"

Qing Lin's face burned crimson to her ears; she stood beside them, wine jug in hand, sneaking glances at Xiao Yan. Xiao Ding had already told her this plan—he hoped she'd serve Xiao Yan once she came of age.

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes at his two brothers: "You two really are my real brothers."

The words carried both exasperation and warmth.

"My real brothers—did you two write me six months ago, telling me to come to Shimo City, just to tell me this?!"

More than half a year ago, before Jia Nan Academy had even sent recruiters, Xiao Ding had written home, asking Xiao Yan to visit Shimo City. Xiao Yan replied he'd make time to come.

Who could've guessed it was for this?!

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's expressions instantly changed. Xiao Li growled: "Qing Lin stays. Everyone else—out."

"Yes, Second Leader!"

The mercenaries guarding the gate closed it, and everyone automatically retreated three meters from the courtyard.

Seeing the solemn atmosphere, Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes—he'd misunderstood.

Xiao Ding lowered his voice, speaking with grave seriousness: "Little Yanzi, we've found traces of a mysterious flame."

(End of Chapter)