A person in the heavens, starting with a Chaos Emperor Dao Fruit

Traveling through the desert is exhausting, both physically and mentally, so finally reaching a human city naturally brings joy.

Flying to the wilderness outside the city, and then walking all the way to the city gate, looking at the city in front of him that was somewhat similar to the desert city, the erosion of time and sand made it look extremely vicissitudes.

Compared with the cities within the empire, the cities in the desert are a bit more simple and heavy. Perhaps because of the proximity to the Tagor Desert, the defenses here are much stricter than those within the empire. In the cities, everywhere Heavily armed soldiers were seen patrolling.

After entering the city and asking someone for directions to the Mo Tie Mercenary Group, they led Xian'er towards the Mo Tie Mercenary Base located in the south of the city.

After turning a few street corners, a courtyard that was almost comparable in size to the Xiao family compound in Wutan City came into view.

Above the courtyard, a flag fluttered in the wind, bearing the large characters of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, subtly revealing an aura of iron-blooded toughness.

Outside the compound, several burly men stood upright, weapons in hand, their sharp eyes scanning the passersby.

Judging from the faint smell of blood emanating from their bodies, they were true tough men who had fought on the edge of a knife, unlike those rookies who thought they were mercenaries just because they had a weapon at their waist.

"Are you here to undertake a mission?" the burly gatekeeper asked.

"I'm new here and don't know which mercenary group is the best in Stone Desert City, so I've come to ask. I have a mission that needs a mercenary group to handle," Yunhua said, half-jokingly.

"Of course, everyone knows that my Desert Iron Mercenary Group is the strongest in Stone Desert City. Both the leader and the deputy leader are nine-star Grand Dou Masters. The Sand Mercenary Group, which only has one Grand Dou Master, can't compare to us," the big man said with great pride.

"In that case, I'll post the mission on the Desert Iron Mercenary Group website. How do I do that?"

"Come with me. We'll first find the clerk to register the mission information, then determine the mission level, and finally calculate how many gold coins are needed based on the number of people we plan to hire."

Yunhua smiled and nodded, somewhat amazed. In just a few years, his elder brothers had been able to build the strongest force in this unfamiliar place, which he truly admired.

"My eldest brother has always been exceptionally intelligent, even our father speaks highly of him. My second brother is cautious yet ruthless, smooth in his dealings, and quite cunning. Together, with their outstanding talent for cultivation, they are truly a perfect team. No wonder they have achieved so much..."

Recalling Xiao Zhan's praise of his two elder brothers in the past, Yun Hua couldn't help but smile to herself.

"Xue Lan, this young man wants to post a mission. Can you process it for him?" the burly man said to a beautiful woman sitting at a desk.

"You can complete the formalities first. Once you're done, Xue Lan will arrange for people to complete the mission for you. I'll go back to my post now."

Watching the burly man walk out of the mission hall, Yunhua turned to look at Xuelan, who was watching her and Xian'er.

"Please sit down. May I ask what kind of mission you wish to issue, young brother?" Xue Lan tilted her head, propped her cheek with her hand, and looked at Yun Hua as she spoke.

"I want to find a place nearby where there might be strange fire, and also find a sand mandrake that lives in extremely hot places."

“Strange Fire! There are indeed a few unusual places around here. I should be able to take you to see them. As for the Sand Mandala, our mercenary group does know of a location where Sand Mandala grows.”

"That's good. It seems that the Mo Tie Mercenary Group truly lives up to its reputation as the largest mercenary group in Shi Mo City. They are indeed formidable."

"In that case, I'll arrange a four-person reconnaissance team to take you to the location of the strange fire and the Sand Mandala. It will cost a total of eighty gold coins."

Yunhua handed eighty gold coins to Xuelan and accepted the mission token from her.

"I'll arrange a mercenary team for you right away, please wait a moment." After saying that, Xue Lan prepared to go and gather the mercenaries.

"May I ask if I could see the leader of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group?"

"Alright, please follow me." Xue Lan led Yun Hua and Xian'er through a narrow alley, and a spacious hall appeared before them. Standing outside the hall, Yun Hua heard two familiar male voices coming from inside.

"Captain, a guest has posted a request to meet you." Xue Lan said, then turned to gather her men.

The door opened, revealing a familiar face. The young man was dressed in mercenary attire, his tall and straight figure exuding strength, his dark eyes revealing both languor and ruthlessness.

His face was beaming with smiles, but beneath that smile lay a hint of ferocity, like that of a wolf.

Obviously, although the young man seems to be kind, he is obviously the kind of ferocious type who will not offend others unless they offend him. If someone offends me, he will bite him back before he dies.

The young man opened the door, looked at the boy and girl in front of him, and was slightly taken aback, feeling that the boy looked somewhat familiar.

His body suddenly stiffened, and the fierce smile that had been hiding on his face vanished instantly, replaced by a bright and warm smile that came from the heart—a rare sight indeed.

"You're Xiaoyunzi. It's been years since I last saw you. You've become even more handsome, and you're even with a female confidante. It seems you've grown up."

"Um~ Second Brother, could you please not call me Xiaoyunzi?"

"Of course not, after all, you started it." The young man grinned foolishly a few times, then quickly stepped forward, hugged Yunhua tightly, patted his shoulder heavily, and his voice was full of excitement and joy.

As Yunhua entered the hall, her gaze fell upon the young man seated at the head of the table. The young man, dressed in a white robe, was smiling as he looked at Yunhua as she entered the room.

His eyes, brighter than most people's, revealed a hint of wisdom and an almost imperceptible cunning.

"Little Yunzi, it's been years, you've really grown up." The white-robed youth slowly stood up, staring at the boy whose height was almost comparable to Xiao Li's, a gentle look flashing in his eyes as he smiled.

"Big brother."

Yunhua laughed and said, "Big brother is getting more and more handsome and dashing."

"Is this your sister-in-law? Sure enough, you're a smooth talker when it comes to fooling people." Xiao Ding revealed a meaningful smile.

"Um, this is Yun Xian'er, my good friend," Yun Hua explained, but looking at Xian'er's blushing cheeks, Yun Hua's heart also raced a little.

"Good lad, a friend, huh? A friend would follow you to this godforsaken place," Xiao Ding joked.

"Uh, okay, I do like Xian'er." Yunhua scratched his head and had to say it.

Xian'er lowered her head, her face flushed as if about to drip blood.

"What should I do? Brother Yun said he likes me. I'm so happy! Should I tell Brother Yun I like him too?" Xian'er thought anxiously, her head down, her heart pounding as if it would jump out of her chest.

"Good, you're brave and responsible, you're good men. But you're still young, so be careful and don't cause any deaths," Xiao Li chimed in from the side.

"Um, stop teasing me. Father wrote a letter to both of you. Take a look for yourselves." Yunhua was afraid that Xian'er would faint from embarrassment, so she changed the subject and took out the letter that Xiao Zhan had asked Yunhua to bring.

Sure enough, the two were drawn to the letter, and Yunhua breathed a sigh of relief.

Before long, the two finished reading the letter, their eyes welling up with tears, their expressions deeply moved.

Chapter Seventy: First Encounter with Qinglin

Before long, the two of them recovered from their emotions. It was clear that Xiao Zhan's greetings in the letter had touched upon their memories.

"Alright, thank you for coming all this way to deliver the message. I don't believe you just came to see us and deliver a message, it's that simple." Xiao Ding knew Yun Hua too well.

"Commander, Deputy Commander, I've selected the men to carry out this young man's mission."

At this moment, Xue Lan walked over and interrupted the three of them.

"You little brat, you come here to assign tasks to my mercenaries, huh! Trying to check if my mercenary group is all talk and no action, huh?" Xiao Li punched Yun Hua in the chest and said.

"Ah, so you know the guild leader, young man. Then why did you keep the mission a secret from them?" Xue Lan looked at Yun Hua with a puzzled expression, then glanced at the guild leader.

“What little brother? This is my brother’s younger brother, Xiao Yun of the Xiao family. I’ve told you about him before. He’s the one with the strongest talent and ability.” Xiao Li said to the puzzled Xue Lan.

"I was just looking for the Strange Flame and the Sand Mandala, thinking it would be easier to find them with more people. Aren't my eldest and second eldest brothers' Desert Iron Mercenary Group the biggest mercenary group? So, this is how it turned out. Just a little joke to give you a little surprise," Yun Hua said playfully, spreading his hands.

"What a load of bull, more like a shock. Are you asking for a beating? Although my brother and I can't beat you, don't think you can get away with this so easily." Xiao Liyi said righteously, putting his arm around Yun Hua's neck, clearly intending to extort money from Yun Hua.

"Alright, I brought you and your elder brother gifts. Aren't you already nine-star Grand Dou Masters? I'll give each of you a Dou Ling Pill, so you can break through to Dou Ling tonight." Yun Hua took out two jade bottles from his storage ring and presented them to the two of them like treasures.

"You little rascal, you were prepared all along, weren't you? Your second brother and I appreciate your kindness. As for your matter, your second brother and I will mobilize the entire group to resolve it for you tomorrow." Xiao Ding accepted the pills. He knew that Yun Hua must have already planned what to give before arriving.

Xiao Ding prepared accommodations for Yunhua and Xian'er, who were preparing to break through to the Dou Ling realm, having been stuck at the Nine-Star Great Dou Master level for a long time.

The next morning, although Xiao Ding and Xiao Li hadn't drunk any alcohol the night before, Yun Hua's welcoming banquet still allowed the mercenaries and Yun Hua to drink to their hearts' content. If Yun Hua hadn't possessed a Dou Zong-level physique, he might not have been able to withstand so many people drinking at the same time.

Yunhua circulated her internal energy to expel the remaining alcohol from her body, and her mind immediately became much clearer. She pulled back the thin blanket covering her and stood up to stretch.

Not long after Yunhua got up, the door was gently pushed open, and a pretty figure quietly walked in. However, when she saw Yunhua standing by the bed, she was slightly startled and quickly bowed to him, saying timidly, "Young Master Xiao Yun, are you awake?"

The girl who entered didn't seem to be very old, even a little younger than Xian'er. She was dressed in a light green, elegant outfit. Although she was petite, she was strangely well-developed, though she looked a little immature.

A cute and delicate oval face, like a beautiful porcelain doll, and a timid appearance, like a frightened little rabbit, which makes people feel a little pity in their hearts.

When Yunhua first saw the girl in green, he was stunned for a moment, then realized that this must be Qinglin, who possessed the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Pupil.

Yunhua nodded kindly to her, somewhat surprised by Qinglin's outrageous figure; she was a perfect example of a baby face with huge breasts, but unfortunately, she wasn't a legal loli.

"Reject childish aesthetics, starting with you and him. Three years minimum, death penalty maximum." Yunhua silently recited some truths from her past life.

"Young Master Xiao Yun, let me... let me help you wash up?" The cute girl stood nervously by the bed, gently placing the basin of water on the wooden shelf outside the bed, and whispered.

"No need, I can do it myself." Smiling and shaking her head, Yunhua went to the wooden shelf, casually washed up, and glanced at the girl's nervous appearance, and couldn't help but smile and ask, "What's your name?"

"Huh?" Upon hearing this, the girl was slightly taken aback, and then stammered, "I...I am called Qinglin."

Yunhua watched as Qinglin carried the basin of water out to pour it out. She noticed that her sleeve had slipped down onto her arm, revealing a few snake scales that ruined the overall look of her fair, smooth wrist. However, this might be good news for some people who are into Fu Rui.

"Ah! I'm...I'm sorry...I...I didn't mean to scare you." The basin of water was knocked over, and the little girl squatted down, trembling, hugging her legs. Her timid voice even had a hint of anxious sobs.

"It's alright, the scales are very beautiful." He knelt down, gently stroking the little girl's head with his palm, then, seeing her fearful expression, he took her arm, carefully lifted her sleeve, and looked at the blue snake scales, suddenly speaking softly.

"Young Master Xiao Yun, aren't you afraid?" The little girl's fearful expression faltered. Since she was born, Xiao Yun was the first person to say that these scales, which even frightened her, were beautiful. A strange feeling quietly rose in her almost scarred heart, and she looked at Yun Hua with her eyes that faintly exuded a strange charm.

Yunhua noticed the Azure Serpent Three-Flower Pupil in Qinglin's eyes, which was currently emitting a pupil power that could trap people in illusions.

Yunhua's three-tomoe Sharingan automatically activated, neutralizing the power of the eye, while Qinglin watched the three tomoe in Yunhua's eyes with some curiosity.

"Sorry, I didn't scare you, did I?" Yunhua turned off his Sharingan and looked at Qinglin, who was still lost in thought.

Qinglin hurriedly shook her head, her small hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes. In her mind, Xiao Yun was the first person to apologize to her in all these years.

"No, young master's eyes are very beautiful. Young master Xiao Yun, I will be your personal maid for the time being. Please just tell me if you need anything." Qing Lin said in a low voice, bowing.

With a slight smile, Yunhua nodded gently, patted the girl's head, and asked with a smile, "Have my older brother and the others come out of seclusion?"

"The captain and vice-captain have already advanced to the Dou Ling level, but knowing that you have a hangover, they didn't want to disturb you and arranged for me to serve you instead," Qing Lin said in a soft voice.

"In that case, take me to see my eldest and second brothers." Yunhua helped Qinglin up, picked up the basin and put it away, and then said.

Walking out of the room, the sunshine outside the house is shining down, making people feel warm all over. Although the desert is hot, it is early in the morning, and the temperature of the sun is just enough not to make people feel hot.

When Yunhua arrived at the hall, he saw Xian'er there, talking to her eldest and second brothers, occasionally bursting into laughter.

"Second Brother, what are you saying? Why are you laughing so happily?" Yunhua said as he led Qinglin into the hall.

"I didn't say anything, just talked about your jokes," Xiao Ding said with a smile as he sipped his tea.

"Congratulations to my eldest and second brothers on advancing to the Dou Ling level. I won't go into my funny stories. Let's talk about Qing Lin. I discovered that she has the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Pupil." Yun Hua said, pulling Qing Lin down to sit.

"What is the Jade Serpent Three-Flower Pupil?" Xiao Li asked seriously.

"Able to control all snake-type magical beasts, including the snake-people." Yunhua's words startled the two; the matter was far too significant.

Chapter Seventy-One: The Jade Serpent's Three-Flower Pupil

"Are you sure it's true?" Xiao Ding asked again, clearly not quite believing that the poor little girl had such talent.

"Well... how should I put it... it's a rather peculiar innate pupil, seemingly only appearing in the offspring of humans and snake people. Moreover, the hallmark of the Azure Serpent Three-Flower Pupil is that three triangular dots appear in its eye, and when the ability is activated, the three dots form three small flowers." Yunhua carefully explained the characteristics of the Azure Serpent Three-Flower Pupil.

“There are indeed three small dots, but they’re not very clear,” Xian’er said after carefully observing Qinglin’s eyes.

"What should we do?" Xiao Li clearly knew that Qing Lin's matter was not easy to resolve.

"If the snake people find out about Qinglin's Azure Serpent Three-Flower Pupil, not only will Qinglin die, but we and Stone Desert City will also be destroyed," Xiao Ding said solemnly.

"It's alright. After I find the strange fire, I'll take Qinglin with me. I'll let her stay here. If we encounter the snake people one day and they try to harm Qinglin, her Azure Serpent Three-Flower Eyes will probably be exposed. At that time, Medusa will probably come."

"That's good. Your strength is great, and you can protect Qinglin. That's indeed a good method."

"Qinglin, you know everything now. Are you willing to leave with Xiao Yun?" Xiao Ding asked Qinglin.

“Yes, I am willing to go with Young Master Xiao Yun.” In Qing Lin’s heart, Xiao Yun was a very good person. He did not look down on her and respected her.

“In that case, let’s search for the location of the strange fire first. I’ve already arranged for someone to pick the sand mandrake that Xiaoyunzi wanted, and they’ll be back soon,” Xiao Ding said decisively.

“I have a map that should be able to narrow down the area,” Yunhua said, taking out the map drawn by Hai Bodong.

Pointing to a flame symbol on the map, he said softly, "This is a map I got. There's a chance of finding traces of the strange fire at this flame symbol location. However, I'm not familiar with the terrain around Stone Desert City, so... I can't find the exact location of the flame symbol. Brother, you've been around here for quite a while. Do you know if there are any unusual places around Stone Desert City?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ding pulled over the map, glanced at it briefly, and exclaimed in surprise, "What a detailed map! This is the first time I've ever seen one like this."

"Hmm, it is indeed a bit too detailed." Xiao Li nodded, frowned as he carefully examined the map, and said softly, "This place marked with a flame seems to be located in the eastern part of Stone Desert City, right?"

"I'll gather some people and search for anything unusual," Xiao Ding said immediately, standing up.

In the afternoon, several dozen kilometers east of Shimo City.

Yunhua led Qinglin and Xian'er ahead, while Xiao Ding and Xiao Li led a dozen mercenaries to search around.

These mercenaries clearly hadn't discovered anything. For them, who had lived in Stone Desert City for several years or even more than a decade, this place was utterly ordinary.

Moreover, some of them even went back and forth here several times to complete tasks, but they never felt that this place was any different from other places.

The group searched until the afternoon, covering an area of ​​several miles, but found nothing.

Yunhua's primordial spirit was operating at full power, probing dozens of meters underground, scanning the ground inch by inch.

Finally, Yunhua sensed an incredibly dense fire elemental energy, hundreds of meters underground at this location. Yunhua immediately called out to everyone.