Ming Qi was somewhat puzzled by the little boy's apparent escape and subsequent return, but what intrigued him even more was the fact that such a tiny boy was actually an innate cultivator—truly a rare find.
"Aren't you afraid those fleeing creatures will report you and seek revenge?"
The little boy's face was still flushed, evidently from the long journey, and his breathing was shaky.
"Revenge?"
Ming Qi smiled nonchalantly. "They're just immortal mercenaries. Since they dare to kill, I'm not afraid of them!"
The simple words earned him a roll of the eyes from the little boy.
"You know, the Blood Sword Mercenary Group holds a formidable position among all the immortal mercenary groups in Killing Star City, ranking fifth on the Killing Star City Immortal Mercenary Rankings. You'll definitely die even more miserably than I did."
The little boy pointed at Ming Qi's nose with a condescending air.
"Nonsense! I'm also a celestial mercenary, who's afraid of me?"
Ming Qi reached out and pushed the boy's arm away, his face filled with disdain.
He was now fully aware that he would be out of Killing Star City in the blink of an eye. No matter how powerful a celestial mercenary he was, he posed no threat to him.
"Alright, alright, I won't waste my time with you. I've already taken care of those guys. After all, you've done me a favor. Here's your reward."
The boy ignored Ming Qi and lightly snapped his fingers. With a ding, a round, fiery red bead flew up to Ming Qi.
Seeing the bead, Ming Qi's heart leaped. This was a Wang Jing, far more precious than a top-grade Yuan Jing.
When such a good thing was presented to him, he naturally wanted to take it. He immediately reached out and grabbed the Wang Jing, placing it directly into his ring.
Seeing Ming Qi quickly put Wang Jing away, the little boy was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Are you really a mercenary too?"
"Huh?"
"Yes."
Ming Qi quickly admitted his mercenary identity.
But it was clear that Ming Qi's simple statement wasn't enough to convince the little boy.
"Who's your leader, then? How many Xiantian masters are there in your group?"
"I'm your leader. As for Xiantian masters, probably around a dozen."
Ming Qi boasted without hesitation.
"Nonsense."
The little boy's eyes widened. How could a leader of only the third level of Xiantian gather so many Xiantian masters to fight for him? This lie was too outrageous.
"Don't believe it? Forget it. Why don't you just ask Yu Quanzhen?"
Yu Quanzhen, the Jade-Faced Star King, is well-known to everyone who has been to Kill Star City. This omnipotent Martial King-level expert in Kill Star City intimidates not only the thousands of hard-working immortal mercenaries throughout the city, but also the threats posed by various factions. He is a prominent figure in Xilan Province.
Hearing Ming Qi's words, the little boy helplessly spread his hands and said, "As for whether you're a mercenary or not, I won't argue. How about we discuss a deal?"
"Deal? What deal?"
"Take me to a place. As long as you get there safely, I'll give you twenty King Crystals as a reward," the little boy said calmly.
Twenty King Crystals, that's twenty million Yuan Crystals. With such a high reward, it's clear the journey won't be safe.
Twenty million Yuan Crystals—that couldn't help but make Ming Qi's heart flutter.
"Where are you sending it?"
Ming Qi asked. Having been out for so long, he had a good understanding of the geography of Xilan Province, knowing which areas he could and could not visit. Only if the boy specified his specific destination could Ming Qi determine whether this deal was feasible.
In his previous life, Ming Qi was a master at negotiating deals, so upon hearing about a deal, he naturally followed his familiar routine.
"There's no rush. If you want to take this deal, I'll meet you at nightfall three days from now, on Langya Mountain, fifty miles north of Killing Star City."
After a moment's silence, Ming Qi nodded.
With light steps, Ming Qi swiftly swept across the wilderness, heading towards Killing Star City, signaling Dabai at the same time.
Gazing at Ming Qi's retreating form, the boy's face suddenly took on an unprecedented solemnity. He suddenly moved, and a nearly invisible barrier of light enveloped him completely.
"If you're truly a mercenary from Killing Star City, how could I possibly negotiate business with you?"
…
Back in Killing Star City, Ming Qi inquired and learned he'd been away for five days. He was stunned, having never expected it would take so long to reach his realm twice in a row.
Killing Star City was still filled with the blood-soaked Immortal Mercenaries. The streets occasionally featured the shops of more powerful mercenary groups, including the Blood Sword Mercenary Group.
Ming Qi paid no attention and quickly led Dabai back to the restaurant.
As they arrived at the restaurant, they saw the large building thronged with people, and the spacious grounds in front were filled with mercenaries of all kinds.
Many people were pointing and talking, seemingly discussing something.
Ming Qi pushed his way through the crowd and squeezed in. The first thing he saw was a large banner hanging there. Black embroidery adorned a red cloth background, depicting a massive black figure with wings on its back, its fingers like swords, and blood dripping from its skin.
Below the embroidery, four characters fluttered in a flamboyant pattern.
"Angel of Vengeance?"
Ming Qi was stunned at the name, but then, upon seeing Mo Changli and Wei Silong standing beneath the banner, he felt relieved.
Mo Changli had reorganized his mercenary group, so he naturally couldn't use the previous title. "Angel of Vengeance" seemed to be the name of the new mercenary group.
Mo Changli, who was chatting with a few people, caught sight of Ming Qi in the crowd and immediately waved to him.
"I'm curious how you came up with such a domineering name."
Approaching Mo Changli, Ming Qi said with a smile. He could somewhat guess the meaning of the word "vengeance," but he seemed to have never heard of the word "angel" since his rebirth in this world.
"That's my idea. Awesome, isn't it!"
Mo Changli smiled sweetly and pointed at the fluttering banner behind him, looking quite pleased with himself.
"Okay, I'll count as one!"
Ming Qi laughed heartily. Seeing Mo Changli's sweet smile, he suddenly felt a surge of righteousness. He reached out and tugged at Dabai beside him, saying, "This guy counts as one, too. Do you want to take him in?"
Seeing Ming Qi's action, Mo Changli rolled his eyes at Ming Qi and said with a smile, "You're a killer god. I'm afraid Sister Silong and I can't afford to support you."
…
Ming Qi was speechless for a moment. It was still afternoon, and Ming Qi was bored, so he simply pulled up a chair and sat down next to Wei Silong, closing his eyes to rest.
Up ahead, Mo Changli and some of Wei Silong's former colleagues were constantly negotiating with the mercenaries who had come to consult him. Wei Silong would occasionally chime in. After all, he had experience in organizing mercenary groups, so everything was going smoothly.
However, one thing stood out: Wei Silong's previous punishment of his mercenary group by the City Lord had left many mercenaries with a certain prejudice against him. Consequently, this reconstruction effort didn't achieve the desired results.
The most obvious point was the lack of experts above the Innate Realm.
A mercenary group's backbone rested solely on those with Innate Realm strength, and only those with Innate Realm strength could truly kill and fight. If the entire group consisted of post-natal cultivators, it would be considered a third-rate mercenary group in Shaxing City, barring any significant business.
Many of the post-natal mercenaries who joined the Angels of Vengeance were drawn to the generous salaries promised by Wei Silong.
"Have you gotten stronger again?"
Ming Qi, resting with his eyes closed, heard Wei Silong's surprised voice.
Wei Silong was truly astonished. This guy's aura had clearly intensified in just today's absence, and it wasn't just a slight increase; it was as if he had been reborn. Sitting beside him, Wei Silong could clearly sense a faint sense of pressure lingering around him.
"Well, you've reached the Five Elements Realm without realizing it. Let me be your helper—it's truly a bargain."
Ming Qi still had his eyes closed, looking exhausted.
"And without realizing it!..."
Wei Silong was completely speechless. After all, she had experienced great things and had seen all sorts of geniuses. But this man before her had leaped directly from the first to the third level of the Innate Realm in just five days. He was truly more monstrous than a monster.
Staring at Ming Qi, who still had his eyes closed, Wei Silong was at a loss for words. Glancing up at the approaching dusk, she stood up and told a few people to pack up their stall.
"I've already bought a piece of land not far from the lower city. That will be the base of the Angels of Vengeance."
Mo Changli said during dinner.
"Are you really planning to stay in Killing Star City for the long term?"
To be honest, Ming Qi had no intention of staying in Killing Star City forever. Seeing the two women busy forming a mercenary group, he couldn't bear to dampen their enthusiasm, so he simply went along with their wishes. However, it wouldn't work for him to stay in Killing Star City forever.
"Not really. You have to know that before Killing Star City became powerful, it was just a small immortal mercenary group," Mo Changli said.
"Right now, we're weak, and we can only rely on Killing Star City's protection. Once we become stronger, we'll naturally break away from Killing Star City and form a real force."
Wei Silong had clearly told Mo Changli about his long-term plans, and naming the new mercenary group the Angels of Vengeance was clearly based on the terrifying divine punishment.
"Alright, then I'll go along with you for a little madness. I owe Changli a substantial sum anyway, so I'll at least pay it off first."
Ming Qi clapped his hands, making his decision.
After dinner, Ming Qi said goodbye to the two women and left the restaurant with Da Bai, heading towards the East District of Shaxing City.
I had promised the old man a while ago that Ming Qi's strength had broken through, and now that he was able to activate the Golden Sky Fire without much difficulty, it was time to pay the alchemist a visit.