Chapter 3514: Proactive Assault

However, the mercenary group led by Cheng Huofeng has a fairly large number, up to over a hundred people; among mercenary groups, it is already a major force. Ordinary mercenary groups are only five or six people, so no one dares to provoke them.

"So the Huo Hu mercenary group is actually a major local force! What a pity, you have run into me!"

Ye Liuyun does not tolerate Martial Cultivators who hide behind the mercenary banner to do evil; he treats them directly as bandits. He left none of those mercenaries; their Souls were all thrown into the Soul Refining Cauldron.

He didn't waste the corpses either; he collected them into the Space World to feed the monster beasts, and then released Chen Yueying and Luo Yu from the Space World.

"It's over? How did you handle it? Where are we going?" Luo Yu noticed that the direction they were heading was not the road back to the city, and asked Ye Liuyun.

Ye Liuyun, while walking, relayed some information he obtained through Soul Search: "They intend to capture both of you, have hidden a bewildering drug in a fan, plan to pretend to have mistaken you, come over to greet, and then quietly release the drug.

They killed everyone, leaving none alive. However, those mercenaries know each other; they intend to strike at us, and many mercenaries in the restaurant where we ate have already learned of it.

Now that the man is dead, the Huo Hu mercenary group they belong to will certainly come looking for trouble. I don't want to wait for them to come after us; better to strike their door first. This mercenary group has plenty of resources at hand!

Ye Liuyun finished speaking with a smile, and also released Lei Ming and the other monster beasts, letting them go out to move around.

"A fight? Great! I'm suffocating! Young brother, could you let Long Nv sister and I stay outside a few more days? We're bored of cultivation!"

After Lei Ming emerged and heard about a fight, he immediately became excited and asked Ye Liuyun to let him stay outside a few more days.

"Fine! The Martial Cultivators here aren't very strong; your coming out fits, so stay outside to move around; the crowd makes it lively." Ye Liuyun agreed.

Although the monster beasts are now all at the second‑tier realm, their strength and equipment can fight across levels, so Ye Liuyun isn't too worried about them.

Lei Ming and Shadow, and Demon Lion and Xuanwu, the two groups of monster beasts, were immediately dispatched by Ye Liuyun to scout, sending them to first use Black and White Light to eliminate

some sentries around the Huo Hu mercenary group's stronghold.

Lei Ming donned eighth‑tier invisibility armor, Demon Lion vanished into the void, the two Xuanwu also silently became invisible; the four of them were tasked with clearing the sentries—a perfect fit.

Moreover, they all possess Golden Pupil, Black and White Light, and Red Eye; paired two by two, they swiftly eliminated every one of the more than ten sentries near the mercenary group's stronghold without missing any, and without alerting any bandits.

Lei Ming also used Golden Pupil to thoroughly scout the bandits' stronghold, then returned to report to Ye Liuyun:

"The Cave has two entrances; the other is likely a backup escape for these bandits, concealed by a large stone. Inside the cave are nearly a hundred bandits; the leader's realm is Taixu Fifth Tier, while the others range from Taixu Second to Fourth Tier. Most are cultivating.

Within the Cave there is a Treasure Vault, but it contains no high‑end resources; the valuable assets are probably in the bandit leader's Storage Ring.

The information Lei Ming uncovered made Chen Yueying even more embarrassed. She hadn't expected such detailed scouting in such a short time, and the silent elimination of all sentries, making her feel even more useless.

"Fine!"

Ye Liuyun gave a brief assent and began assigning tasks to the monster beasts. Lei Ming, formerly a scout for the Death Legion, was no stranger to gathering intelligence, so Ye Liuyun was already accustomed to it.

"Qiong Qi, go to their hidden entrance and set up a Formation to prevent their escape. Nine‑Head Demon Dragon and Shadow follow, one bright and one dark, to keep watch so they aren't ambushed.

Zhu Que, Demon Lion, Chi Lian, and Xiao Lan Bing, the four of you use Red Eye and Spiritual Soul Attack to silently eliminate as many mercenaries as possible. If discovered, Zhu Que will use flames, Demon Lion will wield the Wind‑Thunder Fan to cut off, and then all retreat immediately.

I will have the princess, Lei Ming, Bai Hu, and Xuanwu follow behind you; the others stay at the rear. Xiong Tianchuan and Ao Quan will guard outside the Cave, and if anyone approaches the Cave they will send a Transmission Voice to warn me.

Before the battle begins, no one should make a sound. Split up and act!

At Ye Liuyun's command, the monster beasts all sprang into action.

They all knew this was Ye Liuyun giving them a chance to participate, so he didn't release other Martial Cultivators to fight, but instead assigned the tasks

all to the monster beasts.

Xiao Lan Bing and Chi Lian manifested their true forms, becoming small snakes coiling around Zhu Que's two arms. Zhu Que entered the Cave in humanoid form. Demon Lion vanished into the void, trailing behind them.

Zhu Que, Demon Lion, and Chi Lian all possess Red Pupil Illusion Technique, while Xiao Lan Bing holds a Soul‑Stabilizing Pearl, and in the Sea of Consciousness there is a golden war chariot, making her adept at Spiritual Soul Attack.

Thus they coordinated to lead the charge: when encountering mercenaries, they first used Red Pupil Illusion Technique to control them, then Chi Lian absorbed Bloodline Power, after which Xiao Lan Bing used the golden war chariot to annihilate the Soul, or Zhu Que used Soul Fire to burn the Soul away.

However, the Cave's space is limited, and someone released Divine Sense to scout, easily detecting them. Upon being discovered, they remained calm and followed Ye Liuyun's orders: Zhu Que spewed flames, and Demon Lion used the Wind‑Thunder Fan in coordination.

The wind fed the fire, turning the initially charging mercenaries into ash, accompanied by a chorus of screams. The group immediately fell back behind Ye Liuyun and the others.

Chi Lian and Xiao Lan Bing instantly coiled onto Ye Liuyun's arms, then assisted him. Demon Lion and Zhu Que also prepared to use Red Eye to help control the opponents.

Just as Zhu Que's flames faded, Ye Liuyun and the others surged forward again. Inside the Cave, a hollow Grand Hall stood, with many bandits gathering there; the space was ample enough for a full‑scale battle.

Ye Liuyun never defended; at most he used his hands to directly block the opponents' weapons, wholly using his Physical Body to stop the mercenaries' attacks. Chi Lian and Xiao Lan Bing seized the chance to cooperate with Ye Liuyun, absorbing the opponents' Bloodline Power and annihilating their Souls.

Lei Ming and Bai Hu, aided by Zhu Que and Demon Lion's Red Eye, eliminated opponents one by one. Even those that slipped through were instantly eradicated with Golden Pupil White Light.

Xuanwu, when facing Martial Cultivators of the same tier, would directly stab to kill; against higher‑tier opponents, he would use Black Light to erase them.

Chen Yueying, having held her breath in advance, protected herself with True Essence, brandishing a long sword to cut down foes. Her realm is high, and she dispatches one per sword swing.

Subsequently, Long Nv, Shi Yuan, and Luo Yu entered the Grand Hall and immediately joined the battle. Long Nv's coiling dragon staff and Shi Yuan's three heads and six arms left the bandits powerless to retaliate.