Chapter 103: Then Let

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

!!!!!!!!!!!!??

Xiao Yan's eyes instantly widened—was this really news about a Strange Fire?!

Xiao Yan looked utterly incredulous; he had never once considered this possibility. His two brothers were merely Dou Shi, their strength utterly incompatible with a Strange Fire—how could they even have gone searching for one?!

Seeing Xiao Yan's confusion and shock, Xiao Li said: "Don't you remember? On your twelfth birthday, when your elder brother and I asked what gift you wanted, you told us you wished you had a Strange Fire."

A jolt shot through Xiao Yan's mind—now reminded, he suddenly recalled that year.

Xiao Yan was the prodigy of the family, breaking Wutan City's record at just over eleven years old to become its youngest Dou Zhe in history.

After reaching Dou Zhe, one could cultivate a Cultivation Method; because of the Bone Spirit Cold Fire, Xiao Yan chose the Burn Decree stored in his space ring.

The result was predictable—the Burn Decree was only a Yellow-Class Low-Grade Technique; it wasn't that the Burn Decree without consuming a Strange Fire could reach Yellow-Class Low, but that the lowest possible rank for any technique was Yellow-Class Low—there was no lower!

After cultivating the Burn Decree, Xiao Yan's cultivation speed crawled like a turtle. At that time, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had vowed to venture out and build a career, so before leaving, they asked Xiao Yan what he wanted.

Xiao Yan blurted out: he wanted a Strange Fire.

Xiao Yan never imagined that his offhand remark had been remembered by his two brothers all this time!

"Back then, your elder brother and I didn't even know what a Strange Fire was. We inquired and learned it was something incredibly powerful. Then we heard there was a Strange Fire in the Tago Desert, so your elder brother and I decided to establish a Mercenary Group here in Shimo City. Kid, you didn't become an Alchemist at twelve, did you? That's why you wanted a Strange Fire?" Xiao Li took a swig of strong liquor and chewed meat loudly as he recounted those past events.

Hearing his second brother's words, even Xiao Yan's two-lifetime composure made his eyes grow slightly damp and his nose ache faintly.

"Hahaha, Xiao Yanzi, what's with you? Why are your eyes red?" Xiao Li pulled Xiao Yan into a rough hug and teased him.

"No, it's just the liquor—I drank too much, my eyes are sweating from the heat!" Xiao Yan gulped down another mouthful of liquor and muttered sullenly.

"Hahaha, eyes sweating? You're definitely drunk!"

Xiao Ding interrupted their banter and smiled: "Enough. Back to the matter at hand. It wasn't us who found the Strange Fire traces—it was Qing Lin."

Xiao Yan turned to look at the girl hugging her wine flask, head bowed, looking timid. No wonder his second brother had insisted she stay.

"Qing Lin, go get a map."

"Yes, Grand Leader."

Xiao Yan stopped Qing Lin: "No need—I have a map."

Xiao Yan pulled out the several maps given to him by Hai Bodong, marked and annotated, cleared the table, and spread them out: "Is it here?"

Qing Lin nodded, timidly extending a finger toward one map, circled over the eastern part of Shimo City: "Here."

Xiao Yan's heart jolted—was Hai Bodong's intelligence true?!!

"Gu He went there. Did he fail to find it—or has it already vanished?" Xiao Yan furrowed his brow, his mind already turning over possibilities.

"Elder brother, have you investigated the place?" Xiao Yan asked.

Xiao Ding nodded: "Six months ago, Qing Lin sensed unusual disturbances in the southern part of eastern Shimo City—a sensation of intense heat. Soon after, an extremely powerful aura appeared outside Shimo City. We suspected Mei Du Sha Queen might have descended there. Later, we found the Fire Attribute Energy in that location was highly abnormal."

Qing Lin nodded, speaking timidly: "Because both leaders told us that any sign related to fire must be reported immediately."

Because of Xiao Yan's words at age twelve, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had made finding a Strange Fire their top priority. Every member of the Mo Tie Mercenary Corps kept watch for any unusual Fire Attribute Energy during hunts and missions.

Xiao Li continued: "Later, we sent several people to secretly investigate that place multiple times. We finally discovered the Fire Attribute Energy underground was extraordinarily unique—we suspect a Strange Fire may be present, so we called you here."

Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. If the Strange Fire was underground in the desert, perhaps Gu He had missed it. Gu He was a powerful Spirit Refiner, true—but in a place as peculiar as the desert, without the right methods, he might never find the correct entrance.

"The Snake Tribe are naturally cold-blooded. A Strange Fire is like poison to them—perhaps even the Mei Du Sha Queen couldn't withstand it."

Xiao Yan looked at his two elder brothers and said seriously: "Elder brother, Second brother, I won't hide it—this Strange Fire is vital to me. No matter what, I must go see it."

Xiao Ding nodded: "Don't worry—we've already prepared everything. We can enter the underground at any time. But the problem is, the place is close to Shimo City, and there's another Mercenary Group there—the Sand Mercenary Corps—whose strength rivals ours. They might interfere."

"Sand Mercenary Corps? How strong are they?" Xiao Yan asked.

Xiao Li sneered, indignant: "What strength do those bastards have? They've just been around longer than us, and their leader's a Great Dou Shi. Damn it—if they dare block you from seeking the Strange Fire, even if I have to lose face, I'll go back to the clan and bring a few Elders to wipe them out completely."

Xiao Yan smiled: "No need to trouble the clan's Elders. Funny enough, I just recently broke through to Great Dou Shi."

Puff!!!!!! Xiao Li spat his wine straight into Xiao Ding's face. Xiao Ding didn't even have time to wipe it—both stared at Xiao Yan in shock.

"Y-you—you're a Great Dou Shi, Xiao Yanzi?!!" Xiao Li's mouth could've swallowed a duck egg—he'd assumed Xiao Yan was at most a High-Level Dou Shi, maybe Nine Star Dou Shi—never a Great Dou Shi!!

Is breaking from Dou Shi to Great Dou Shi really that easy?!

"Since I'm already here, let's just unify all the Mercenary Groups in Shimo City." Xiao Yan took a sip of wine and smiled carefree, utterly unimpressed by any Mercenary Group.

Great Dou Shi? His cultivation realm was Great Dou Shi—but his true strength had already reached Dou Ling level! Unless there was a High-Level Dou Ling in Shimo City, Xiao Yan could walk through it with impunity!

After finalizing all plans, the three Xiao brothers drank for a long while longer, chatting until deep into the night about amusing events in the clan over the past three years.

"Elder brother, Second brother, I'm heading to my room. See you tomorrow." Xiao Yan, half-drunk, slurred.

"Qing Lin, help your third brother back to his room," Xiao Ding nodded.

At Xiao Ding's words, Qing Lin's cheeks flushed crimson—redder than even the drunken Xiao Yan! She grabbed his arm and draped it over her shoulder, utterly unbothered as his forearm brushed against her prematurely developed chest.

Xiao Yan jerked his arm back sharply: "Uh, Qing Lin—you've got to think for yourself. You don't have to obey my elder brother. Understand?"

Qing Lin twisted her fingers, whispering shyly: "The leader saved me. My life belongs to the leader. I should obey the leader."

Xiao Yan looked at the thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl before him—he had no such perversions! And Xun Er was still waiting for him at Jia Nan Academy—how could he do something like this outside?!

Xiao Yan blasted off in a burst of speed, fleeing back to his room like a demon chased him. Suddenly, he realized: Nalan Yanran's mindset—chasing romantic freedom even against family and ethics—was truly a thousand years ahead of the Dou Qi Continent!

(End of Chapter)