After obtaining a large amount of resources from Gu Xun'er, Hun Changqing left Wutan City. Staying in this small city any longer held no meaning for him.
... Above
the Snake-Man Desert
, a black shadow shrouded in black mist swept across the sky, eerie and malevolent, emanating a strong aura of death.
This person was none other than Hun Changqing, who had been traveling at full speed after leaving Wutan City.
After an unknown amount of time, Hun Changqing finally landed not far from a yellow earthen city standing amidst a golden desert.
Hun Changqing concealed his aura, all the black mist returning to his body. He narrowed his eyes, looking up at the huge yellow city in the distance.
Perhaps due to its proximity to the desert, the weather here was quite dry and hot. The scorching sun poured down from the sky, baking the earth and constantly emitting sweltering heat. That heat slowly rose, even causing a slight distortion and blurring of vision.
Hun Changqing walked towards the massive city gate before the imposing earthen city wall, above which were carved two large red characters: "Mo City."
Dozens of fully armored soldiers stood at the gate, brandishing spears and shouting at travelers to pay the city's entrance tax.
Hun Changqing was completely devoid of any aura; his deep black attire enveloped him, making him stand out starkly against the surrounding merchants and travelers.
Many noticed his strange clothing, and several passersby secretly glanced at the seemingly unapproachable Hun Changqing.
At the city gate, a burly man in armor, his muscles bulging menacingly, was bowing and scraping before a handsome young man in an exquisitely crafted alchemist's robe and a beautiful woman in a purple dress with fair skin beside him.
Suddenly, the burly man spotted Hun Changqing walking towards the city gate. Seeing Hun Changqing's strange attire and lack of any imposing aura, he stepped forward and blocked Hun Changqing's path.
"Playing tricks, kid, you're all bundled up, are you a wanted criminal? If you want to enter the city, take off that hat!"
the burly man said to Hun Changqing. The sweltering heat and the need to fawn over the alchemists had made him extremely annoyed.
Seeing Hun Changqing's unusual appearance and sensing no aura of strength, the burly man decided to vent his frustration on this seemingly mysterious fellow.
The burly man's rough voice instantly attracted the attention of the surrounding passersby, including the two alchemists who had originally intended to enter the city.
"Senior brother, that person looks like he's going to be in trouble,"
the girl in the purple dress said to the handsome young man beside her with amusement.
"Heh, lacking strength, you try to act like those powerful figures, only to get burned. You can't blame anyone else."
The young man looked at Hun Changqing with disdain and mockery, then spoke to the girl in the purple dress.
"Hehe, Senior Brother, why don't we rescue him when he's about to be beaten by that soldier and make him our medicine slave?"
The girl in the purple dress appeared innocent and romantic, but her words were malicious.
"Hehe, Junior Sister, not a bad idea. This guy is really lucky. To be chosen by you to be his medicine slave is the greatest honor of his life." The handsome young man responded calmly to the girl's words, as if it were the truth.
Hun Changqing wasn't angry; instead, he found it somewhat amusing. Indeed, the world was never short of people courting death.
Hun Changqing completely ignored the burly man blocking his path and walked right past him.
Seeing Hun Changqing's actions, everyone's eyes gleamed with mockery. They knew this man in black was in trouble.
However, the burly man didn't attack Hun Changqing as he passed by; instead, he remained motionless, frozen in place.
Everyone looked puzzled, wondering what had happened to this usually fierce city guard. Had he perhaps changed his nature?
Before they could speculate further, the man's massive, mountain-like body suddenly began to visibly emaciate. His skin rapidly changed from dark to bluish-purple, his eye sockets sunken, all his body hair fell out, his teeth fell out, and his head began to melt, quickly spreading throughout his body until it turned into a pool of black, lifeless fluid.
Everyone who witnessed this scene turned pale, a chill rising from their feet. Even the soldiers who had sensed the anomaly were too terrified to approach, staring in fear at the eerie, black-clad Hun Changqing.
They weren't unfamiliar with death; most of those present were mercenaries, living lives of constant danger, but they had never seen such a horrific, grotesque death.
Moreover, they hadn't seen the man in black robes make a single move; he simply passed by the burly man, leaving him a lifeless corpse.
At this moment, no one dared to breathe, trembling as they watched Hun Changqing
's retreating figure walk towards the city gate. The young alchemists were also filled with terror and fear. Accustomed to a life of luxury and flattery, they had never witnessed such a horrific scene.
They only snapped out of their daze after Hun Changqing walked past them. The young man, upon regaining his senses, recalled his identity as a second-grade genius alchemist and the fearful expression he had just displayed, and a deep sense of humiliation welled up within him.
Gritting his teeth, his eyes were filled with resentment, hating Hun Changqing for making him look foolish in front of his junior sister. He secretly vowed to make this man pay the price. He believed that with his status, he could easily gather all those mercenary groups, and then…
Watching Hun Changqing's retreating figure, the young man's eyes were filled with malice.
…
Meanwhile, Hun Changqing entered the city, walking along the bustling streets.
The streets were teeming with people, the men mostly shirtless, their skin dark and wiry, exuding a rather bold and forthright air. The women who occasionally passed by also had slightly dark skin, albeit a sexy bronze hue. The women here were unlike the shy and reserved women of Wutan City.
A tight-fitting leather outfit barely covered her chest and a little below, boldly exposing her slender waist. Her long, taut thighs were similarly encased in a short skirt and shorts. As she walked, her serpentine waist swayed, captivating the viewer