BTTH: DISCIPLE CASHBACK SYSTEM Chapter 608 – Encounter!

“Thank you, Vice President!”

A collective sigh of relief emanated from the three Mulan elders upon receiving Xiao Jin’s nod, as if a heavy burden had finally been lifted from their shoulders.

With the Mulan elders’ capitulation, the dispute began to wind down.

Within the fortress walls, a significant portion – nearly a quarter – of the assembled soldiers started to disband. These were the forces of the Xuanhua Empire. Their morale had been utterly shattered following the demise of Granny Xuanhua and the three One-Star Dou Ancestor experts, prompting a mass exodus from the fortress.

The remaining soldiers were predominantly from the Jinyan Empire, occupying more than half of the fortress’s grounds, with the Mulan Empire’s forces making up the rest.

On this occasion, before the eyes of hundreds of thousands of soldiers from the three major empires, the Mercenary Guild undeniably displayed its supreme power, single-handedly overwhelming the combined might of all three empires.

“People of the Jinyan Empire, open the gates and grant passage to the Vice President!”

Seizing the opportune moment, the elder with the tiger head, acutely aware of the strategic advantage, bellowed his command towards the fortress below.

“Open the gates!”

Responding swiftly to the elder’s decree, a general of the Jinyan Empire, identified as a Nine-Star Dou Emperor, issued the order without hesitation.

With a deep, resonant rumble, the colossal fortress gates, weighing many tons, began their slow ascent.

“The Vice President is supreme!”

“The Vice President is supreme!”

As the gates swung open, the hundreds of Mercenary Guild members erupted in triumphant cheers. The entire conflict had been resolved with remarkable ease by Xiao Jin in less than thirty minutes, propelling his prestige to unprecedented heights.

Shortly thereafter, the Mercenary Guild’s contingent advanced smoothly through the fortress, making their entry into the Jinyan Empire’s domain.

After dispatching Yan Luotian, Xiao Jin opted not to pursue any further confrontations with the Jinyan Sect. Instead, he directed the Mercenary Guild to establish a local branch and commence recruitment efforts.

Buoyed by the formidable reputation gained from the recent engagement, the inhabitants of the Jinyan Empire, including the Jinyan Sect, were too intimidated to challenge the Mercenary Guild. The Jinyan Sect, in particular, was gripped by fear of impending annihilation by Xiao Jin, compelling them to adopt an exceedingly cautious stance and even engage in appeasement of the guild.

The Jinyan Empire, much like the Jiama Empire, was situated adjacent to a vast demonic beast mountain range, forming a continuous chain of formidable wilderness.

The proximity of these sprawling demonic beast mountains promised an abundance of mercenary missions once the Mercenary Guild’s branch was operational, thereby facilitating a substantial intake of new recruits.

Within the depths of these mountains roamed demonic beasts, some even reaching the fifth and sixth ranks. By operating collectively and utilizing the guild’s heavy weaponry on lease, mercenary teams found their offensive capabilities significantly amplified. The guild’s strategic policies further boosted the morale and commitment of these teams towards undertaking missions.

Xiao Jin lingered in the Jinyan Empire for a duration of seven days before entrusting all ongoing and future affairs to the capable management of Mu Feng and Elder Li.

Following their return to Mulan Valley to finalize certain arrangements, the three Mulan elders conveyed their intention to await Xiao Jin’s subsequent arrival, at which point they would accompany him directly to the Mercenary Guild’s main headquarters nestled deep within the Black-Corner Region.

……

In the aftermath of the failed joint assault by the Jinyan, Mulan, and Xuanhua Empires against the Mercenary Guild, neighboring nations within a ten-thousand-mile radius swiftly declared their allegiance, extending invitations for the guild’s expansion into their territories.

Among these were the ascendant Yunlan Empire and the seasoned Jiama Empire.

The Jiama royal family, in consultation with the Yunlan Sect, officially sanctioned the guild’s presence. Concurrently, Hua An, the Left Protector of the Poison Sect, publicly declared that the Mercenary Guild was granted permission to establish branches throughout the Yunlan Empire, with the sole exception of the Poison Sect’s immediate domain.

With these two influential empires leading the way, none of the surrounding principalities dared to voice any opposition.

……

Within a modest teahouse situated near the Jiama Empire’s borderlands, a young maiden adorned in green attire leaned forward conspiratorially, whispering to the white-haired elder seated opposite her. Having just gleaned information from the surrounding conversations, she remarked, “So, the Mercenary Guild has already amassed such considerable influence… Just as Senior Brother predicted!”

“That young scamp certainly possesses capability—and a grand ambition to boot,” the white-haired elder responded, his head inclining in strong agreement with the maiden’s observation.

This pair, one youthful and one aged, were none other than Venerable Tianhuo and Qinglin, who had departed from the Yunlan Sect almost a year prior to embark on a journey across the continent.

Qinglin, maintaining a leisurely pace, had spent approximately nine months meandering and had yet to venture beyond the territorial boundaries of the Jiama Empire.

For the entirety of the first month, the Venerable Tianhuo maintained his hidden state, completely undetected by Qinglin. However, he could no longer bear to witness the girl being duped repeatedly. Despite her considerable strength, she was being swindled by individuals who hadn't even reached the level of Dou Practitioners. In a fit of righteous anger, he finally revealed himself and administered a severe lesson to the petty tricksters who had been preying on her.

After nearly a year spent traveling together, Venerable Tianhuo had come to understand that Qinglin possessed a heart of genuine purity—utterly devoid of guile, inherently kind, and prone to acts of compassion. Consequently, he had undertaken the task of teaching her to comprehend the harsh realities of the world.

Yet, on every occasion when he and Qinglin engaged in wagers concerning the inherent goodness or wickedness of human nature, he invariably found himself on the losing end. It was due to this consistent outcome that Venerable Tianhuo's own perspective began to undergo a gradual transformation over time.

Initially, Venerable Tianhuo had merely requested Gu He to make arrangements for him to safeguard Liu Ling, a young man of considerable promise, with the hope of infusing some much-needed vitality into his own existence. But now, Venerable Tianhuo discovered that the act of traveling with this young girl, Qinglin, possessed a unique kind of enchantment—the journey of life on the road was proving to be unexpectedly delightful.

“Senior Yao, why don’t we endeavor to locate Senior Brother? I have a strong feeling that the circumstances over there will prove quite entertaining!” Qinglin suddenly proposed.

“To visit Liu Ling, you mean…”

Without much deliberation, Venerable Tianhuo offered a slow, affirmative nod and responded, “Very well. Wherever your heart desires to go is acceptable.”

“Wonderful! In that case, let us depart this very instant!” Qinglin exclaimed, her features lighting up with pure delight upon hearing his consent.

“Let’s proceed! Waiter, the bill, if you please!”

Qinglin carefully placed a few coins upon the table, then rose to her feet and exited the teahouse.

The moment she stepped out onto the bustling street, Venerable Tianhuo abruptly tilted his head upwards, his gaze fixing upon the heavens while he murmured, “A Five-Star Dou Ancestor… This particular aura feels… unmistakably familiar…”

“Senior Yao, is something amiss?” Qinglin inquired, her curiosity piqued by his peculiar expression.

“Qinglin, I suspect that young fellow with the blond hair from the Yunlan Sect has made his return.”

(End of Chapter)

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