The Black Lotus rcenary Guild...
From the outside, the Black Lotus rcenary Guild looked like a ruin that refused to collapse—weather-worn stone, cracked sigils, and a formation barrier that flickered like it owed rent.
But inside?
It was alive.
A pungent cocktail of bloodlust, body odor, and broken dreams filled the room like incense. n with too many scars and won with not enough morals crowded the hall—rcenaries, beastkin, cursed alchemists, demon-blood hybrids, and a few cultivators who slled like they hadn't bathed since the last heavenly tribulation.
Weapons clinked.
Fists slamd.
A man with a tail was arm-wrestling a woman with tusks.
And in the corner, soone was probably being eaten.
It was beautiful.
But what caught Su Xiaobai's eye?
At the heart of the chaos, behind a reception counter carved from black obsidian—
A woman.
She had the kind of dangerously sweet smile that could either warm your soul or suck it out through your dick.
Her dimples were illegal, and her fangs peeked out when she spoke like a man-eating fox girl in custor service cosplay.
"Welco to the Black Lotus rcenary Guild," she purred, voice like wine mixed with low-grade poison.
Her eyes flicked to Su Xiaobai's aura.
They dilated.
"Oh my… you're that kind of cultivator."
Su Xiaobai tilted his head.
"You'll have to be more specific. There are… many kinds of ."
She giggled, and it was unfairly charming.
Then slamd down a registration slip with bureaucratic force.
"Ten gold coins."
Su Xiaobai blinked.
His face darkened.
Ten. Gold. Coins?
Scamd by smile?
He didn't even have a copper on him. He was a villain, not a fucking pay-to-play protagonist.
For a mont, his brain did a full reboot.
She smiled innocently.
"New face tax," she added.
He grumbled—until she thankfully clarified that they also accepted spirit stones.
He paid with a sneer, pocket lighter and pride dented.
Once registered, Su Xiaobai glanced at the ranking wall. Each rank had a plaque and a tiny spiritual light.
And yes, the nas were... sothing.
- Ironblood Fighter – Qi Condensation Realm
- Bronze Fist Warrior – Foundation Establishnt
- Silver Blade Knight – Core Formation Realm
- Golden Battle General – Earthly Rebirth Realm
- Platinum Warlord – Nascent Soul Realm
- Jade War Saint – Soul Fusion Realm
- Athyst Battle King – Spirit Severing Realm
- Obsidian Martial Emperor – Integration Realm
After that?
Nothing.
Because as the guild law stated:
"If you're in Deity Transformation Realm and joining as a rcenary, you're either insane, broke, or an author trying to sound cool."
And Su Xiaobai?
He stared at the rank on his chest.
A cheap iron badge.
Ironblood Fighter.
The literal bottom of the food chain.
His eyebrow twitched.
His soul nearly detached in protest.
"I have sword intent that could cut rivers—"
"I tad foxes, broke ghosts, and slept with death!"
"And you're telling I'm a sword intern!?"
Then he rembered.
Right.
He was hiding his cultivation aura.
Everything made sense... Unfortunately.
"Damn it…" He glared at the badge like it personally insulted his bloodline. "This thing is gonna ruin my reputation…"
Then he looked around.
Everyone else was trash-tier too... Half of them looked like they couldn't even beat a chicken in heat.
He sighed.
"Fine. Let's just find Ku Rong before I kill soone and get promoted through murder."
Then—
BANG!
A loud crash shook the hall, drawing every rcenary's greasy gaze toward the entrance as the sound of boots echoed like thunder.
A giant man had entered—seven and a half feet tall, muscles packed like spirit-forged bricks, with a greatsword the size of a corpse slung over his shoulder and enough raw testosterone to make a bull spirit back up.
His voice? Like a war drum.
"Recruiting for the Hanng Plain's Lost City mission!"
"We're gathering elite warriors! Two Platinum Warlords, one light-path priest from the Light Church, a dark Qi cultivator with Yunmu bloodline, and an elf archer who can guide us through Cloudwood Forest!"
"Only serious cultivators need apply!"
The room?
Half the crowd straight-up vanished.
Poof... Gone.
One rat-faced man muttered under his breath while slinking toward the exit:
"Only idiots would take that A-rank suicide scroll... Crimson Thunder rcs tried last ti. Whole group got erased in the plains."
Su Xiaobai's ears perked up.
He strolled over.
He flashed a few spirit crystals like they were candy, casually hooking the rat-faced man's collar.
"Brother, this Crimson Thunder group… were they strong?"
The man looked him up and down—paused at the lowest rank badge on Su Xiaobai's chest—and instantly adopted a 'talking to a newb' expression.
"You just joined, huh?"
"Yeah..."
He leaned in.
"Crimson Thunder rcs tried that three months ago. B-rank guild, Battle King in the lead, Sword Grandmaster on rear guard, twelve Nascent Souls dogs—and all of 'em got turned into fertilizer by the cursed Qi storms in Hanng Plain"
He pointed at the shouting giant.
"That fool's team? Courting death."
____
Su Xiaobai looked toward the giant again.
He was still shouting. Still hopeful, and still thinking soone would sign up.
Su Xiaobai walked over casually.
"Hello. I'd like to join."
The giant, Dong Lei, gave him a look that could fart milk.
"This is a death mission, not a young master's field trip. Go back to your brothel."
Su Xiaobai raised his hand—snapped his fingers—and a ripple of luminous sword Qi arced through the air.
SLASH!
A single strand of Dong Lei's hair drifted down, sliced cleanly mid-air.
Everyone went still.
The temperature dropped.
Dong Lei slowly reached up, touching where the hair had been cut. "Y-You're a Sword Master...?"
Su Xiaobai didn't answer, and he didn't need to.
Level 3 intent... That was enough.
In the world of swords, the rankings were sacred:
- Intent Level 1–2: Sword Disciple (intern)
- Intent Level 3: Sword Master
- Intent Level 4: Sword Grandmaster
- Intent Level 5: Sword Monarch
- Intent Level 6: Sword Ancestor
- Intent Level 7: Sword Immortal (a.k.a. Fairy)
- Intent Level 8: Sword Saint
- Intent Level 9: Sword God
Dong Lei's eyes lit up like a starving rcenary seeing free roast duck. He imdiately changed tone like a rchant sensing a platinum card.
"CO WITH !"
He waved frantically, dragging Su Xiaobai away like he'd just caught a golden fish in a dirty pond.
Su Xiaobai followed, amused. 'Hanng Plain, huh...'
That's deep corrupted wildlands core. Definitely cursed. Probably filled with sexy ghosts. Light Church priest and dark cultivator? That pairing stinks of "plot." And an elf archer? That's either a top-tier trap bait or a harem flag.
That was suspiciously close to a setup involving the Forbidden City.
He didn't know if this squad was legit.
But worst case?
He'd just walk away.
Best case?
He'd rob their map, sleep with their woman, and send their leader back to the guild in a sack.
Su Xiaobai glanced around as they moved deeper into the guild. He couldn't help but sneer at the crowd again. Everyone here wore dirty cloaks, uneven aura, and battle-worn gear.
He?
Had the strength to erase the top five squads before breakfast and still have ti to wipe his rod on a Lynx's tail.
"Maybe…" he mused to himself.
"The standards here really are too damn low."
As they descended the stone spiral staircase beneath the guild—walls flickering with soft soul lamps and the damp scent of earth pressing in—Dong Lei finally turned his head.
"Brother, this one's called Dong Lei. You don't look like a native of the green evil (Qingxie) port... what's your na?"
"Su Xiaobai."
A simple na. One that rolled off the tongue like a death threat.
Dong Lei nodded—but before he could ask more—
"Um... I don't know if I could join?"
Soft.... Almost timid. The voice echoed faintly through the stone corridor.
Both n halted mid-step, halfway down the staircase.
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
They turned.
A woman stood behind them.
Plain black hair, ordinary round face, dressed in faded traveling robes with an oversized belt pouch. She looked like the kind of girl who sold talismans by the roadside.
Except—Those eyes.
Deep blue, cold,.calculating and familiar.
Su Xiaobai blinked.
"You've got to be kidding ."
This wasn't just anyone.
It was Yu Feng.
Forr Saintess of the Dark Church.
Current half-slave, half-traitor.
And one of Su Xiaobai's biggest unresolved "I'll either fuck her or kill her" relationships. She didn't even bother to hide her voice properly.
"My na is Feng Yu," she said calmly.
"Soul cultivator."
Then—
Boom.
A wave of pressure rippled from her forehead—pure soul intent rolled across the corridor like a silent scream. Even Dong Lei staggered.
"Wha—Soul cultivator?!"
Soul cultivators were like phoenix sightings in the wild. Rare, dangerous and borderline priceless.
Dong Lei's eyes lit up like he just won the lottery.
"Sister Feng Yu! You're in!"
Su Xiaobai just clicked his tongue,'Pfft. Qingqing gives these out like candy.'
____
As they walked down the hall together, Yu Feng was pointedly avoiding eye contact—like a wife trying to pretend her husband wasn't dragging spiritual porn scrolls in public.
Su Xiaobai wasn't having it.
PAKH!
His hand smacked her tight ass with full villainous precision.
Nearly faceplanted.
"Y-You—!"
"Little bitch," Su Xiaobai whispered, grinning like a villain with three criminal charges pending. "Why'd you run off like that? Is Daddy not feeding you enough that you're out here sniffing street food?"
"!!"
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