C11 Lu Yi Made a Move!

The Liger Guard of Smallfrost!

Shock etched the faces of Thunder Wolf and his companions.

For mercenaries accustomed to living on the knife's edge, the city guards of most towns were distant, almost mythical figures.

And the Liger Guard, the elite personal guard, was even more so!

One mercenary looked skeptical. Lu Yi seemed too young, lacking the hardened aura of a battle-worn soldier. Could his mere words truly sway them to join the Liger Guard? It defied belief.

"I am the newly appointed commander of the Liger Guard," Lu Yi declared. "Recruiting you into our ranks would take but moments."

A mercenary snorted with laughter. "To my knowledge, the Liger Guard hasn't had a commander for years. You appear out of nowhere claiming the title. Do you have any proof?"

Doubt also clouded Thunder Wolf's face. Though they owed Lu Yi their lives, the role of the Liger Guard's commander was a matter of grave consequence.

Impersonation would incur the wrath of Smallfrost—a price they couldn't afford to pay.

Lu Yi simply smiled. Xiahou had named him commander of Smallfrost without offering any support, likely testing Lu Yi's mettle.

But he was a man who wielded the pinnacle skills of Honor of Kings. If he couldn't handle this trifling challenge, how could he ever hope to traverse the world and savor its myriad wonders?

"Your recognition isn't necessary. You just need to earn mine."

With those words, Lu Yi unleashed his Kiss of Death, vanishing on the spot as if he had split into multiple shadows, weaving through the mercenaries.

As Lu Yi moved, a deathly chill settled in the mercenaries' hearts.

Thunder Wolf, the group's leader, stood frozen, beads of sweat forming on his brow.

In a mere five breaths, Lu Yi reappeared as if he had never left.

For the mercenaries, it felt like an eternity had passed.

Soaked in cold sweat, their gazes upon Lu Yi were transformed.

Such might not only qualified him to lead the Liger Guard, but it seemed even Smallfrost's own Lord Xiahou might pale in comparison.

"Our apologies, we ask for your forgiveness! If you could aid us in reclaiming our supplies from the Ipalth Mercenary Group, we would gladly pledge our loyalty to you."

Lu Yi gave a cursory glance at his slowly replenishing Holy Spirit Power. Had he known, he would have deployed his skill earlier, sparing himself the effort of negotiation.

He had learned from Thunder Wolf that they had allied with the mercenaries to hunt soul beasts and had acquired a number of soul beast crystals.

They were preparing to retreat and trade the crystals for gold coins in Smallfrost when, unexpectedly, they were ambushed. The Ipalth Mercenary Group attacked, seizing the soul beast crystals belonging to Thunder Wolf.

"Soul Beast Crystals?" Lu Yi mused, scratching his head.

"A single soul beast crystal can fetch about ten gold coins. Ipalth's men made off with roughly three hundred of our crystals," Thunder Wolf stated bitterly.

That amounted to three thousand gold coins, sufficient for him to purchase two Blood Souls to enhance his skills.

Lu Yi did some quick math in his mind. He had slain a multitude of soul beasts outside the city, easily a thousand or more.

A thousand soul beast crystals translated to tens of thousands of gold coins!

For a prominent family like the Gong, producing ten thousand gold coins was no trivial matter.

The thought of such a fortune falling into the hands of Smallfrost made Lu Yi's heart ache.

"Never mind, I'll recoup the losses from the City Lord after this mission," he resolved.

Lu Yi stood firm, brandishing the Cold Winter Sword, and declared, "We're going to give Ipalth's mercenaries a taste of their own medicine!"

After looting the Thunder Wolf Mercenary Group's soul beast crystals, Ipalth's forces hadn't departed. Instead, they encamped, planning to hunt additional soul beasts.

For these battle-hardened mercenaries, a surge in soul beasts was a welcome event.

Otherwise, they would have to venture deep into Kensingtara Hill to gather such an abundance of Soul Beast Crystals.

And Kensingtara Hill was no place to tread lightly; one false move could spell disaster for an entire company.

The leader of the mercenaries, Ipalth, was a middle-aged man with a steely gaze. Currently, he was savoring a hunk of pork leg, contentedly musing, "Thunder Wolf has truly lost its edge over the years. They couldn't even handle one of my moves. I should have finished him off and taken his crew."

"Captain, once we wrap up this job, you're likely to make the jump to yellow level, right?" Ipalth shook his head and replied, "It's not that simple. Even though I've mastered a skill up to level 5, reaching yellow level is still a formidable challenge."

"Just think about how many yellow level masters there are among the Gong family and the various mercenary bands in Smallfrost."

"With another seven or eight Blood Souls, I'd have a one in ten shot at breaking into yellow level!"

A fierce ambition glinted in his eyes. Without yellow level status, he was confined to minor leagues. Stepping beyond Smallfrost's borders without it? He'd be dead in no time.

Ipalth had witnessed the might of a yellow level master firsthand – a man who could upheave mountains. With just one skill, he could send tremors through a peak.

Against such power, even a hundred like him would face certain death.

"Captain, Thunder Wolf and his crew are approaching!"

At the report from his man, Ipalth's brow creased instantly.

He had let Thunder Wolf off easy last time, sparing their lives in a moment of mercy. Now, they had the audacity to come knocking at his door.

This time, it seemed, he would have to ensure the Thunder Wolf Mercenary Group became history.

Gripping his saber, Ipalth led his men forward, their intent to kill palpable.

"Thunder Wolf, I gave you a chance before. Take it and scram while I'm still of the same mind!"

"Otherwise, you'll get a firsthand demonstration of my Blood Drinking Flying Slash!"

Enemies locked eyes, each burning with hostility. Thunder Wolf was itching for a clash.

Lu Yi intervened swiftly.

He needed Thunder Wolf's band to guide him to the heart of Kensingtara Hill. Besides, these were the future elites of his Liger Guard; he couldn't afford to lose them here.

"So you're Ipalth. Hand over the soul beast crystal, and we can put this behind us. Otherwise, none of you are leaving," Lu Yi said, stepping forward with a disarming smile.

Faced with the audacity of the young man before him, Ipalth's rage ignited. Brandishing his saber, he radiated a formidable presence.

"Blood Drinking Flying Slash!"

As soon as Ipalth took action, he unleashed his most formidable skill.

His battle blade glowed with a bloody hue, its oppressive might cleaving through the air.

The expressions of Thunder Wolf and the other mercenaries shifted dramatically; their breaths quickened in the face of this powerful strike.

Had Ipalth employed this technique against them earlier, they would likely be lying dead at this moment.

Lu Yi's eyes sparkled with recognition; the skill was brutally powerful, yet it was his fortune to be its challenger.

"Secret technique, Stealth Strike!"