Chapter 169: Brothers Reunited

"Teacher, if you hadn't absorbed my Dou Qi, I think I could have done it too!" Xiao Yan, standing to the side, said gloomily upon hearing Yao Lao's mockery.

"Ahem—" Yao Lao seemed to realize something, coughed violently, and immediately changed the subject, "Anyway, let's hurry up and go!"

On the road, Xiao Yan curiously asked Yao Lao about the Green Snake Flower Pupil; Xiao Yan had never heard of such a constitution before, so he was very curious.

"The Green Snake Flower Pupil..." Yao Lao's thoughts seemed to drift to a very distant place.

"This is an extremely special pair of eyes, which only appears with a very small probability among the descendants of mixed Human and Snake-person bloodlines.

Not only can it cause hallucinations in opponents during battle, but it is also the natural nemesis of snake-type Magic Beasts. Except for top-tier snake-type Magic Beasts like the Ancient Heaven Snake, almost all snake-type Magic Beasts will be influenced and controlled by it."

Yao Lao smacked his lips, "You can imagine how monstrous this kind of eye is now, right."

Xiao Yan nodded silently; as someone who was just an ordinary person, he expressed envy.

Immediately, Yao Lao added with a strange tone: "It's just that I find it very strange that such a bizarre pair of eyes as the Green Snake Flower Pupil would appear in such a small place, and that it would even have a cultivation method—it is simply extremely bizarre."

"And to have joined your big brother's mercenary group, it is truly unbelievable!"

"Forget it, I'll naturally find out when I ask my big brother later." Xiao Yan frowned and pondered for a while, but in the end, he could only give up helplessly, planning to ask Xiao Ding for the answer later.

During the time Xiao Yan and Yao Lao were talking, the group drew closer and closer to their destination. Finally, in front of a huge courtyard, Qing Lin stopped in her tracks, turned her head, and said to Xiao Yan: "We're here, this is the base of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group."

"Follow me, I'll take you to find Big Brother Xiao Ding."

"Eh?" Xiao Yan was surprised, "How did you know I was looking for my big brother Xiao Ding?"

"Hehe~" Qing Lin gave a disdainful smile, "As for those little things between you brothers, Big Brother Xiao Ding has told me everything clearly..."

Then she looked at Xiao Yan with contempt: "Including you, the pervert who snuck into a little girl's boudoir—Third Brother Xiao Yan!"

"Uh..."

Xiao Yan was extremely embarrassed now, feeling deeply resentful toward his big brother in his heart; why did he have to tell everyone everything? Couldn't he save some face for his younger brother?

"That's not right!" Xiao Yan instantly came back to his senses and looked at Qing Lin suspiciously, "How do you know so clearly?"

Could the dark history between brothers be talked about so casually?

Especially for someone like Xiao Ding who had a quick mind, it was impossible for anyone who wasn't extremely close to know any of his secrets. Xiao Yan couldn't help but have doubts in his heart.

What exactly was the relationship between this young girl before him and his own big brother?

"It's a secret!" Qing Lin lifted her head and turned around willfully, "Keep up!"

And the bewildered Xiao Yan followed closely behind.

Along the way, Xiao Yan finally witnessed how high a status the little girl in his eyes held within this mercenary group.

From time to time, he could hear mercenaries greeting Qing Lin, saying, "Hello, Miss Qing Lin!"

And Qing Lin would just nod slightly and walk straight past. Just like that, the two arrived in front of a room. Qing Lin knocked on the door with practiced ease and said: "Big Brother Xiao Ding, I'm coming in!"

A voice came from inside the room, "Is that you, Qing Lin? Come in!"

Qing Lin smiled slightly, pushed open the door, and walked in. Inside, a man wearing a blue robe with armor on his shoulders and wrists looked up toward the door; this person was none other than the leader of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, Xiao Yan's big brother—Xiao Ding.

Seeing the vegetable basket Qing Lin was carrying, Xiao Ding revealed a slightly doting smile again.

"Qing Lin, did you run out to buy groceries again? Are the things in the mercenary group not good enough for you?"

"That's right, of course eating one's own is the best." Qing Lin wore an expression that said it was only natural.

However, they soon got to the point. Qing Lin said mysteriously, "Big Brother Xiao Ding, I have a surprise for you this time!"

"A surprise?" Xiao Ding was stunned, then smiled gently: "Then I'll have to take a good look—where did you get a surprise for me, you little girl?"

Qing Lin called out to the door: "Come in!"

Xiao Ding looked toward the door, and suddenly a head poked out, greeting Xiao Ding with a grin: "Big Brother, long time no see!"

"Little Yan?" Xiao Ding was both surprised and happy. He walked up quickly, slapped Xiao Yan on the shoulder hard, and circled around him, "It really is you!"

"That's right." Xiao Yan laughed, "The real deal!"

"Come, let's have a good drink today. We haven't seen each other for a long time, it's just the right time to catch up!" Xiao Ding said excitedly.

Hearing the mention of catching up, Xiao Yan's face sank instantly. With a "nuclear-friendly" smile, he looked at Xiao Ding and asked "kindly": "Big Brother, can you tell me why this young lady knows about things from when I was a child?"

As he spoke, his eyes gestured toward Qing Lin, who was snickering on the side.

"When you were a child?" Xiao Ding was stunned and blurted out: "You mean that time you snuck into Cousin Xun Er's room and were caught by Mother?"

"Pfft~" Qing Lin couldn't hold it in anymore and covered her stomach, laughing.

"Big Brother, you used to be so good with words, how did you lose that skill after wandering outside?" Xiao Yan's face turned dark. This dark history had been dug up again; could they even have a proper conversation?

"Um..." Xiao Ding was also a bit embarrassed for a moment and quickly turned to say to Qing Lin: "Qing Lin, make dinner a bit more sumptuous tonight; Little Yanzi and I have a lot to talk about."

"Okay!" Qing Lin nodded in agreement and then walked out of the room.

Glancing at Qing Lin as she walked out, Xiao Yan looked at the naturally composed Xiao Ding before him with complex feelings and said with a hint of jealousy: "Big Brother, you're living a pretty good life!"

The next moment, his tone shifted, "It's just... she's so young, how could you bring yourself to do it?"

Xiao Yan looked nervous. Had his big brother awakened some special hobby? As his younger brother, should he stop him? He couldn't let him go further and further down the wrong path!

"What hobby?" Xiao Ding was confused at first, but when he realized what he meant, he angrily slapped him,

"You brat, what are you thinking about all day? No wonder you did that kind of thing when you were a child."

"Hey, Big Brother." Xiao Yan's tone immediately turned sour: "You can't just bring up that one thing, can you?"

"When we peeked at our cousin bathing back then, I didn't see you acting like such a gentleman!"

Xiao Yan had given up on self-preservation. Come on! Let's hurt each other! Let's see who is more ruthless.

"Peeked at who bathing?" At this moment, a familiar voice suddenly rang out in the room. The two looked toward the sound and saw Qing Lin's smiling face, and they both shook their heads in unison,

"No, no, Qing Lin, you heard wrong."

"Right, Miss Qing Lin, you definitely heard wrong just now."

Both of them had an exceptionally strong desire to survive.

"Xiao Yan, tell the truth!" Qing Lin's expression had completely changed by now, and she said coldly.

"You came here to look for an Exotic Fire, right?" Qing Lin asked, leaving Xiao Yan confused.

Qing Lin only let out a cold sneer:

"I might as well tell you, the Exotic Fire you are counting on still requires my help for you to find it."

She threatened as she revealed her bargaining chip. Afterwards, she smiled sweetly, "Will you speak or not!"

"Really?" Xiao Yan signaled to Xiao Ding with his eyes, and Xiao Ding looked up at the sky.

"Come, Miss Qing Lin, let me tell you..." Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan's face was full of smiles as he respectfully stepped forward to speak.