Mercenaries in Two Worlds

Hong Miao was furious. If he hadn't been so wary, he would have killed these people with a single sword stroke long ago. Now that he needed their help, he could only repeatedly admit his mistakes and suppress the anger in his chest.

Zhang Qian didn't think he was wrong. He figured that if things really got to a crisis, he would also coax the Wang family mercenary group into taking the Bursting Yuan Pill. He had a good plan, but unfortunately, Xia Yun didn't want to help him refine it.

The members of the Wang family mercenary group didn't say anything more. They were currently cooperating, so it wasn't good to make things too tense, but the atmosphere was a bit uncomfortable.

Zhang Qian said, "I'll go scout out the Three Swords Mercenary Group tonight."

"I'll go too," everyone said in unison.

After discussing for a moment, they decided that the three with the highest cultivation levels—Ye Mei, Xia Yun, and Zhang Qian—would go to investigate the situation.

Seeing that it was impossible to stop him, Hong Miaoxian could only remain silent and stop talking, his face downcast, seemingly lost in thought.

It was the beginning of the month, and with dark clouds obscuring the stars, it was perfect for nighttime travel. Unsure of the dangers ahead, the three became increasingly quiet, focusing solely on their journey.

Zhang Qian and Xia Yun were skilled in movement techniques, and their speed was barely enough to keep up with Ye Mei, who was at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. The Three Swords Mercenary Group was just outside Yu Luo City, not far away, and they arrived in about 35 minutes.

The Three Swords Mercenary Group has its own territory, with a few scattered houses. At this moment, it is pitch black, except for a strange building in the middle that has been built at some unknown time, which is still shining with an eerie blue light.

Zhang Qian asked softly, "When was this circular bunker-like thing built? I've never seen it before."

Ye Mei shook her head, indicating that she didn't know either.

This is a massive building, two-story circular in shape, with jagged metal spikes engraved with inscriptions protruding from all sides. At each of the four corners stands four unidentified statues, all with ferocious expressions and malevolent eyes staring ahead with ill intent, as if they might break free from their restraints and suddenly attack.

"The Blood Sect's Four Evil Beasts: the Bloodthirsty Bat Beast, the Four-Faced Zombie, the Witch Tomb Drought Leech, and the Yin-Yang Strange Mosquito. It's undoubtedly the Blood Refining Technique," Xia Yun said in a deep voice. The three were the youngest, but due to their special experiences, they had the broadest knowledge and immediately named the names.

Ye Mei felt a chill run down her spine. All four were blood-sucking creatures, and the thought of them made her feel cold and uncomfortable all over. She no longer dared to look directly at the four eerie statues.

Xia Yun picked up two daggers, stared at the night sky, and said briefly, "I'll go first." There was a hint of excitement in his voice. Before Zhang Qian and the other could respond, he moved slightly and disappeared without making a sound.

Zhang Qian strained to see, but couldn't find Xia Yun anywhere. "What are you standing there for? Let's go." Xia Yun's voice came from a nearby corner. He was pressed against the wall at an odd angle, making the most of the shadows to conceal himself.

Such amazing stealth skills! I wonder why Xia Yun is so good at these things at such a young age.

With his twin daggers, unpredictable movements, silent cultivation techniques, and stealth skills, Zhang Qian had already guessed some things, but he couldn't connect them with a disciple of an alchemist.

Xia Yun crouched low and led the way, checking for any potential dangers, while Zhang Qian and Ye Mei quietly followed behind. Without alerting the few guards scattered around, the three of them arrived at the building.

Inside, a bright red fire shone, accompanied by low, swirling moans, like weeping and wailing, stirring up fear in the hearts of those present. Apart from this, there was no other sound; an eerie atmosphere permeated the air.

Xia Yun raised her hand to signal them to stop, and looked inside through the ventilation hole in the corner of the wall. She saw something, and her expression changed, showing a hint of anger.

Curious about what was inside, the two waited for Xia Yun to step aside, and Zhang Qian peered through a small hole. He saw a group of about a hundred people meditating in a circle, led by three others. In the center hung a naked man, his limbs stretched out by iron chains, spread-eagled in the white air. Drops of blood seeped from his body and flowed down. Each time a drop of blood was collected in the blood troughs on the ground, the beast-shaped pattern formed by the troughs flashed a red light.

Wisps of red light appeared out of thin air on the pattern as the red light flickered, slowly spreading out and being absorbed by the hundred people. The closer to the center, the more red light they came into contact with. Presumably, the three people in the center were the three swords of the Three Swords Mercenary Group: the leader Ci Yan and his left and right protectors.

Inside the hall, a hundred people sat quietly absorbing the red light, while only the leader uttered hoarse, low incantations that sounded like both crying and chanting.

"Inhuman cruelty!" Zhang Qian thought angrily. He saw that the person hanging there was pale-faced, with his eyes closed, barely breathing and bleeding to death.

"Is this still the Divine Blood Refinement?" The ritual inside seemed to differ somewhat from Xia Yun's description of the Divine Blood Refinement, so he couldn't help but ask.

"I don't know, look at the southeast corner," Xia Yun reminded him in a deep voice.

There was a huge iron cage in the southeast corner, with four or five people lying or sitting inside. It was impossible to tell whether Wang Er was inside. One of the sitting figures did resemble Wang Er, with broad shoulders and a burly build.

Xia Yun gripped two daggers and said softly, "I'll go check it out. You guys wait for me here." Then he vanished silently into the night.

Ye Mei, who was disgusted by the cruel scene inside and whose face had turned pale, glanced at the spot where Xia Yun had disappeared and her eyes flickered, as if she had thought of something.

In just a few breaths, Xia Yun returned, shook his head, and indicated that he had not found Wang Er.

Ye Mei's heart tightened, her face turned even paler, and she grabbed Xia Yun's arm with her delicate hand, "Could it be that you've been murdered?"

Zhang Qian glanced at Xia Yun, whose face was turning red again, and almost laughed. Noticing the awkward atmosphere, he said, "It shouldn't be. Judging from the speed of the blood dripping, this person has probably been hanging for more than two hours. Wang Er has only been captured for two hours. The timing is wrong."

Zhang Qian's words calmed Ye Mei down a bit, but since the Three Swords Mercenary Group had people patrolling everywhere, she didn't know where to look. She suggested, "Should we grab someone and ask them?"

This was a last resort; the three of them were wandering around aimlessly like headless flies, and they would be in danger if they were exposed.

"This is the only way... but I'm afraid..."

"Zhang Qian, what do you want to say?" Ye Mei asked anxiously as she saw Zhang Qian hesitate to speak.

"I'm afraid Wang Er wasn't captured by the Three Swords Mercenary Group, but rather..."

"But what?"

“It was Hong Miaoxian who did it.” Zhang Qian said his guess. “Hong Miaoxian had just arrived when Wang Er was arrested. It’s too much of a coincidence. If I were a member of the Three Swords Mercenary Group, I would have chosen another time when I saw a Yuan Dan expert arrive. Besides, Hong Miaoxian, who was at the Yuan Dan level, didn’t notice anything unusual at all. Don’t you find that strange?”

The guess was somewhat far-fetched, but upon closer examination, it did make some sense. Ye Hongmei and Xia Yun exchanged a glance, both seeing the other's surprised expression, and they believed it even more. If it really was Hong Miaoxian's doing, there would probably be considerable trouble later.

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