"How much farther?" Ling Xiao asked as he followed Gaia through a series of twists and turns. They were heading into a rather remote area. If it weren't for Gaia's simple and honest appearance, Ling Xiao might have mistaken him for a murderous robber. He didn't actually think that, but he was getting a bit disoriented.
"We're almost there." Gaia rubbed his hands together, a little embarrassed. He then said, "Two other people accepted the Vendia Snow Mountain quest, but they suddenly changed their minds while I was leading them here. You're the latest one to ask."
Ling Xiao chuckled but said no more. The two soon arrived at a very plain-looking inn. "We're here," Gaia said. "This is the place. It's pretty cheap, hehe."
'Oh…' Ling Xiao finally understood why they were staying in such a remote place. 'In my past life, I never had to use money, and the previous owner of this body was never short on it, either. So I have absolutely no concept of things like this.'
When they reached a room, Gaia knocked lightly before pushing the door open. Inside sat another tall, middle-aged man, probably in his forties. He was looking at a map on the table in front of him and had an imposing air about him, an authority that didn't need anger to be felt.
Ling Xiao needed only a single glance to sense the man's formidable presence. 'This man is not to be underestimated,' he thought.
"Gaia, you found a companion for the mission?" The middle-aged man sized up Ling Xiao, a flash of disappointment in his eyes. He was a Tier One Demon Swordsman and could naturally discern Ling Xiao's cultivation level—he probably wasn't even a Sword Master. 'A partner like this will most likely just drag us down.' Despite his thoughts, the man didn't say so aloud. He simply offered a gentle smile. "My name is Wang Chao. And what might your name be, young man?"
Ling Xiao caught the flicker of disappointment in Wang Chao's eyes but replied impassively, "Ling Xiao."
Just then, the door was pushed open again, and three people entered in single file: two men and a woman.
One of the men was strikingly handsome, with a slender face and thick, straight eyebrows that angled up toward his temples. He appeared to be around twenty-three or twenty-four, with spirited eyes that suggested a formidable cultivation level. The girl was younger, perhaps sixteen or seventeen. She had a very quiet demeanor and a delicate, fragile appearance. Ling Xiao could sense her power was limited.
The other man was also handsome and about thirty years old, but his eyes carried a gloomy cast. The way he stared at Ling Xiao was unsettling.
Wang Chao gestured to the three and began the introductions. "Tang Ming, a Tier Two Great Sword Master." The handsome young man nodded amiably at Ling Xiao. He had also discerned Ling Xiao's low cultivation level but didn't look down on him for it. 'The Adventurer's Guild is full of all sorts of strange people,' he thought. 'On a mission, a high cultivation level isn't always the biggest advantage.'
Wang Chao then introduced the girl. "Anya, a Tier Four Sword Master and a Tier Two Alchemist."
'No wonder,' Ling Xiao realized. 'Alchemists are highly respected on the continent. When you're adventuring in the wilderness, injuries are inevitable. Having an Alchemist on the team greatly increases everyone's chances of survival.'
Wang Chao turned to the gloomy-eyed man, but before he could make the introduction, the man spoke up himself. "Wu Liang, Tier Three Great Sword Master." He then turned his glare on Gaia. "Where in the world did you dredge this guy up from?"
Gaia might be honest, but he wasn't stupid. He immediately caught the potent disdain in Wu Liang's tone. Scratching his head, he said, "This is Ling Xiao. He's also heading to the Holy Mountain for a Tier Two mission..."
"Also...?" Wu Liang interrupted, drawing out the word mockingly. He curled his lip in a sneer. "Someone who's not even a Sword Master... thinks he can take on a mission to the Holy Mountain? That's the funniest thing I've ever heard!" He clicked his tongue, then shot a cold look at Ling Xiao. "Go on, get back home. Adventuring isn't a game for pampered young masters like you. You'll get yourself killed!"
A flash of anger crossed Wang Chao's face. While not a formal mercenary corps, his group had been working together for several years and knew each other well. Wu Liang was narrow-minded and incredibly arrogant, always looking down on those he deemed weaker and speaking with a caustic tongue. He often didn't even show Wang Chao, the de facto leader, much respect. Wang Chao sighed inwardly. 'If it weren't for this injury of mine...' He chose his words carefully and said, "Young man, the Holy Mountain is fraught with danger. You can find anything from a Tier One to a Tier Nine Magical Beast there. If we get unlucky and run into a Tier Four or Tier Five Magical Beast, we can't guarantee your safety..."
"Captain," Wu Liang sneered, his voice dripping with malice. "Why are you being so polite to someone who's not even a Sword Master? Just get rid of him!"
"Wu Liang..." the girl, Anya, spoke up. She first glanced at the impassive Ling Xiao before continuing, "Why don't you ask if he has some other kind of ability?"
"Other abilities?" Wu Liang scoffed. "We're not hiring a juggler!"
An awkward silence immediately descended upon the room.
Gaia scratched his head, looking from Wu Liang's frosty expression to the resigned looks on Tang Ming and Anya's faces, and finally to Wang Chao, who was frowning slightly. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. The situation was deeply awkward, especially since he was the one who had brought Ling Xiao.
Ling Xiao observed the five of them, inwardly amused. 'It's true what they say: wherever people gather, drama is sure to follow.' He raised his head and looked directly at Wang Chao. "Captain Wang, you've been plagued by an injury for the past year, haven't you? Your true strength… is at the level of a Mad Sword Master? No… you're a Demon Swordsman, aren't you?"
Ling Xiao could feel the aura around Wang Chao, which seemed to be forcefully suppressed. This aura was weaker than his own father's, but it was far, far stronger than that of the other Great Sword Masters in the room!
As soon as Ling Xiao finished speaking, the room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop. They all stared at him in shock, but Wang Chao's face showed outright astonishment. He couldn't fathom how Ling Xiao had seen his true cultivation level. It wasn't hard for a Great Sword Master to size up a Sword Attendant; by paying attention, one could sense their general strength from their gait and breathing. But for a Sword Attendant to perceive the strength of someone several tiers higher was simply unheard of.
They had never even heard of such a thing. What was even more astonishing was that Ling Xiao had also detected Wang Chao's injury! That was an even rarer feat. When Anya, a Tier Two Alchemist, first met Wang Chao, she had been so overwhelmed by his aura that she hadn't sensed any injury at all—and for her age, a Tier Two Alchemist was already considered a young prodigy!
So what did that make Ling Xiao? He looked even younger than Anya!
Wu Liang broke the silence with a cold laugh. "Don't tell me you just heard a rumor about the captain somewhere? It's not exactly a secret. Why the long faces? You're not actually falling for it, are you? HAHAHA!" After another disdainful sneer, he barked at Ling Xiao, "Kid! I don't care where you heard about the captain's situation, but I'm warning you: get lost, now! Or else… you won't like the consequences!"
Ling Xiao ignored the grating noise from Wu Liang and focused his serious gaze on Wang Chao. "If you are willing, I can heal you. Right now."
"Right now? Heal him?" Now, it wasn't just Wu Liang; even Anya was visibly displeased. She shot a look at Ling Xiao. 'This young man is unbelievably audacious,' she thought. 'What a ridiculous boast. The captain was injured fighting a Tier Five Red Flame Leopard. His meridians are supposedly blocked. Even my own master, a Tier Five Alchemist famous throughout the Lanyue Empire, couldn't do anything about it. Yet this brat claims he can heal it—instantly? It seems I was too charitable before.' The gaze from Anya's beautiful eyes now held a measure of contempt.
Wu Liang just snorted, no longer bothering to speak. He turned his head away. 'If the captain has any sense left,' he thought, 'he'll kick this little brat who dares rub salt in his wound to the curb immediately.'
To everyone's surprise, Wang Chao actually looked intrigued. He alone knew the immense pressure and debilitating effect of his damn injury. He possessed the strength of a Tier One Demon Swordsman, yet could now only display the power of a Tier Three Great Sword Master. This was precisely why Wu Liang dared to act so insolently toward him.
Although their team wasn't a formal Mercenary Corps, they had been taking on missions together for many years, always with him in the lead. Wu Liang had only started to defy his orders after the injury. 'He probably wants to take my place,' Wang Chao thought. There was an unwritten rule among such ad-hoc teams: the leader received a five percent cut of the spoils.
"Young man, are you serious?" At the mere thought of regaining the power of a Tier One Demon Swordsman, Wang Chao's breathing grew ragged. He stared at Ling Xiao, his eyes burning with intensity.
Ling Xiao gave a faint smile. "There's only one way to find out, isn't there?"