Chapter 27: Victory Brings Joy, Defeat Brings…

Chapter 27: Victory Brings Joy, Defeat Brings…

Xiao Yi Xian was quite upset about the rumors circulating around her but decided not to go out of her way to clarify them. Sometimes, the more you deny something, the guiltier you appear. Besides, the rumors were so exaggerated that most people quickly lost interest.

Qingshan Town, though vast in size, had a relatively small population. Within just a few days, everyone who needed to know had already heard the news, and even those who didn't care ended up hearing it. Other than serving as fodder for boastful tavern conversations, the rumors served no real purpose.

Just as everyone began to forget about the rumors, something new surfaced: the remains of the missing Wolf Head Mercenary Group members were discovered at the base of the cliff.

Notably, the remains of the vice leader, Gan Mu, were found clutching a small piece of fabric. The pattern on the cloth bore a striking resemblance to the clothing Xiao Yi Xian typically wore.

This discovery changed the tone in Qingshan Town. No longer were the rumors mere entertainment. Instead, everyone began to fantasize about the treasure in the three stone boxes, about the mountain of gold coins just waiting to be claimed.

For the mercenaries of Qingshan Town, who lived on the knife's edge of life and death, the thought of such wealth was intoxicating. Many of them dreamed of leaving behind their perilous lifestyles. If they had enough money, they wouldn't have to be mercenaries anymore. They could escape to the big cities, live peacefully, and enjoy a life of stability.

But life wasn't that kind to them. They had to fight for every scrap of gold, risking their lives in the Magic Beast Mountain Range. If not for dire circumstances, who would willingly sharpen their blades and face death daily?

As the rumors spread, attitudes toward Xiao Yi Xian shifted. Though no one openly accused her, many mercenaries began to hint at their willingness to protect her for the right price, of course.

Xiao Yi Xian was deeply annoyed by the situation and sought help from her employer, the manager of Wan Yao Zhai. To her surprise, the manager agreed to provide protection on the condition that she share a portion of the so called treasure.

Angered, Xiao Yi Xian stormed off. While she was kind hearted, she wasn't a fool. She knew better than to lower her guard around such opportunists.

At a nearby tavern, a group of mercenaries sat together, drinking and discussing the latest rumors.

"Hey, do you guys think Xiao Yi Xian really took that treasure?" one of them asked, his tone dripping with curiosity.

"Jie, isn't it obvious?" said a red faced mercenary, swaying slightly from the alcohol. "Why else would Gan Mu have been clutching a piece of her clothing?"

"I don't think so," said another mercenary, who was still somewhat sober. He shook his head. "We've said it before there's no way Xiao Yi Xian could've carried all that treasure on her own."

"Hmph, fool," another scoffed disdainfully. "Haven't you ever heard of storage rings?"

"Think about it Xiao Yi Xian's medicine chest. Does it look heavy to you? No! But she always spends entire mornings treating people. Doesn't that seem odd to you? Maybe she's hiding the treasure in a storage ring!"

The slightly tipsy mercenaries began nodding in agreement, their eyes lighting up as though the theory made perfect sense. Even if there wasn't any treasure, just a storage ring alone was a rare and valuable artifact.

"And another thing think about when Xiao Yi Xian started working only half days. When was it?" The drunken mercenary leaned in conspiratorially.

"Exactly! It was a year ago! And what happened a year ago? That's when the Wolf Head Mercenary Group fell apart!"

The atmosphere in the tavern became electric. The mercenaries' breathing grew heavy, and their hearts pounded in their chests. They didn't know how Xiao Yi Xian had done it, but that didn't matter. The important thing was that she might have the treasure.

Several mercenaries began licking their lips, their expressions eager. They were already imagining the riches they might claim. For people who lived by the blade, risking their lives was second nature. For the chance at gold, martial techniques, or even a storage ring, they were more than willing to gamble.

Victory meant they could indulge in every pleasure imaginable. Defeat? Well, then they'd serve in the underworld.

A life was just a life. From the moment they became mercenaries, they had stopped fearing death. If they died, it was just a scar the size of a bowl. Eighteen years later, they'd be reborn as men.

As the mercenaries prepared to steel their nerves with another round of drinks, a loud crash echoed through the tavern.

Bang!

A wine bottle smashed against the floor, its shards scattering in all directions. The sharp noise startled everyone into silence.

It felt like a divine warning, as if the main character in a novel was about to make a life changing decision, only for a system prompt to appear, asking: "Do you want to understand the meaning of life?"

The tavern's heated atmosphere instantly cooled, leaving the mercenaries frozen in place, their adrenaline suddenly replaced with dread.

"You ungrateful bastards!" A burly man with a bandaged arm pointed angrily at the group that had just been scheming.

"Tell me who among you hasn't been treated by Xiao Yi Xian? Who hasn't used her medicine? Is this how you repay your savior? Is this how you treat Xiao Yi Xian?"

The mercenaries looked away, their faces flushed with shame. Unable to meet his gaze, they fidgeted awkwardly, their lips trembling as they struggled to form a response.

Every one of them had benefited from Xiao Yi Xian's kindness at some point, yet their earlier conversations had betrayed her. Now, they were too ashamed to speak.

"Let's say the treasure is hers so what? She found it first. She deserves it!" the man bellowed. "You hypocrites disgust me!"

With that, he stormed out of the tavern. The remaining mercenaries exchanged guilty looks, unable to suppress their embarrassment. Gradually, they began to leave, their earlier bravado extinguished.

The drunken mercenary from before muttered something under his breath before quietly slipping out of the tavern. After weaving through the streets of Qingshan Town and ensuring no one was following him, he entered a secluded house in a dark corner of the town.

"Kneel," ordered Mu Li.

The mercenary dropped to one knee and reported regretfully, "Young Leader, I've failed. Xiao Yi Xian's kindness has earned her too many allies."

Mu Li rubbed his temples in frustration before waving the man away. "It's not your fault. Leave."

"Yes, Young Leader."

Once the mercenary had left, Mu Li clenched his fists, his expression dark. Xiao Yi Xian's good deeds had created a shield around her. A mere rumor wasn't enough to break through.

"In that case, we'll make the treasure real," Mu Li muttered, his eyes flashing coldly.

In her room, Xiao Yi Xian sat cross legged on her bed, her hands forming seals. Purple gray Dou Qi swirled around her, the faint smell of poison lingering in the air.

After a while, the energy condensed into a gauzy layer around her body, and her eyes slowly opened.

"Dou Practitioner…" Xiao Yi Xian murmured, her delicate brows furrowing. Her teeth bit into her lip not in joy, but in worry.

Just as the Poison Scripture had warned, she couldn't control her growing craving for poison. Nor could she slow the rapid increase in her Dou Qi.

"I knew I shouldn't have awakened this physique…" Xiao Yi Xian sighed, ruffling her hair in frustration.

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