BTTH : From Humble Beginnings to Dou Di

If he could help Xiao Yixian control her physique, she would become a Dou Zun-level powerhouse to rely on.

Even if he went to Central Plains, as long as he didn't court death, almost no one would dare to trouble him.

If not for the severe side effects of Xiao Yixian's Woeful Poison Body, she might not necessarily lose to Qing Lin's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils.

After a long silence, Lin Feng looked at Xiao Yixian, who was not far away, treating the wounded mercenaries.

After some thought, he temporarily gave up on approaching her.

If he were to rashly step forward now, not only would he fail to gain her favor, but he might also be mistaken for a pervert, earning her disgust instead.

As the sky darkened, he casually found an inn, booked a room, and settled in.

After entering the room and securing the door, Lin Feng retrieved a jade box from his Storage Ring.

Then, he carefully took out the Blood Lotus Essence from his robes and placed it into the jade box.

This treasure needed to be stored properly—who knew? It might fetch something valuable in the future.

After finishing everything, he climbed onto the bed to rest.

The night passed quietly.

The next day, the warm sunlight pierced through the remnants of the night, completely dispelling the lingering cold.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Lin Feng felt the warmth of the sun and gradually withdrew from his cultivation. He leaped off the bed.

After a quick wash, he left the inn and headed toward the entrance of the Magical Beast Mountain Range on the eastern side of Qingshan Town, searching for suitable mercenaries to team up with.

The Magical Beast Mountain Range was located in the center of the Jia Ma Empire, stretching from north to south, dividing the empire into two halves.

Within the mountains lay countless precious and rare medicinal herbs, attracting many high-level alchemists who ventured inside to search for ingredients.

However, the mountain range was also home to magical beasts of various ranks, making it extremely dangerous for humans to enter.

Wandering alone in the mountains made one an easy target for magical beasts.

Thus, most mercenaries entering the mountains, aside from a few who were extremely skilled and daring, traveled in groups.

With Lin Feng's current strength at the Eight-Star Dou Zhe, he could only handle Rank One magical beasts and some weaker Rank Two ones.

If he encountered a strong Rank Two magical beast inside, his journey as a transmigrator would likely come to an abrupt end.

So, he chose the safest method—teaming up with other mercenaries before entering the mountain range.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the mountain range, he saw that many mercenaries had already gathered.

Loud shouts echoed as they called for lone mercenaries who wanted to enter the mountains.

The mercenaries in town were generally divided into three types.

The first type was the well-organized mercenary groups. There were only three such groups in Qingshan Town, each consisting of around a hundred members, most of whom were Dou Zhe or stronger.

Moreover, the leaders of these three mercenary groups were all Dou Shi, making them some of the most powerful forces in Qingshan Town.

The second type was the temporary mercenary teams, which formed just to complete a task before disbanding. These teams lacked trust and coordination compared to established mercenary groups.

The third type was lone mercenaries, individuals who typically had some life-saving trump cards.

The mercenaries shouting at the town entrance mostly belonged to the second type.

Standing in a corner, Lin Feng didn't immediately join a team. Instead, he observed the temporary teams, looking for one that seemed more disciplined.

After all, in the dangerous Magical Beast Mountain Range, even a small mistake could lead to total annihilation.

Just as Lin Feng was searching for a suitable team, a commotion suddenly erupted at the town entrance.

An excited voice rang out:

"Thousand Medicine House is heading into the Magical Beast Mountain Range to collect herbs! Xiao Yixian is going with them! There are only fifty spots available! Participants must be at least Two-Star Dou Zhe! Hurry up, everyone!"

Hearing this, Lin Feng was momentarily stunned.

He hadn't expected his timing to align perfectly with the day Xiao Yixian was heading into the mountains to collect herbs.

Snapping out of his daze, he immediately walked toward the source of the voice.

After all, with dozens of people in Xiao Yixian's gathering team, ordinary magical beasts wouldn't dare attack easily.

It would be far safer than joining a small mercenary team of just a few people.

Additionally, with so many people around, it would be easier for him to sneak away later and find a cave without attracting attention.

Meanwhile, other mercenaries who met the requirements also rushed toward the middle-aged man in Thousand Medicine House robes, eager to secure a spot.

Having reacted quickly, Lin Feng soon squeezed to the front of the middle-aged man and said, "I'd like to sign up."

"Huh?"

The middle-aged man looked at the delicate-looking youth before him, who was only seventeen or eighteen years old, and was momentarily surprised. Then, he chuckled.

"Little brother, our requirement is at least a Two-Star Dou Zhe!"

He deliberately emphasized the last four words.

Clearly, he didn't believe that such a young boy met the criteria.

"Yeah, where did this brat come from? Still wet behind the ears and already running around?"

"Kid, get lost! This spot should go to me!"

The mercenaries who had arrived late and failed to get a spot immediately cursed at Lin Feng, trying to force him away.

Ignoring their shouts, Lin Feng took two steps forward until he stood before a tree with a trunk as thick as two arms put together.

Clenching his fist tightly, he channeled his crimson Dou Qi, which coated his fist like a faint light screen.

With a fierce burst of power, he smashed his fist into the tree trunk.

"Crack—"

As a crisp sound rang out, the thick tree trunk, under the astonished gazes of the onlookers, creaked and crashed to the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.

"This should be enough, right?"

Clapping his hands, Lin Feng smiled at the middle-aged man, who was staring at him in shock.

"Tsk tsk, little brother, your talent is truly exceptional. At such a young age, you've already reached Two-Star Dou Zhe. You're practically a genius."

The middle-aged man nodded in amazement before smiling at Lin Feng and saying, "Alright then, you're the last one. The mercenary payment is 500 gold coins. Your task is to escort our Thousand Medicine House herb-gathering team safely there and back. You'll receive half the payment upfront, and the rest will be given upon our return."

"Alright."

Lin Feng nodded with a smile. He didn't really care about the 500 gold coins.

As long as this job made it easier for him to find that cave containing a flying Dou Technique, he wouldn't mind doing it for free.

Seeing that the final spot had been taken by this unknown young man, the surrounding mercenaries could only leave reluctantly.

However, as they departed, many of them couldn't help but cast strange glances at Lin Feng.

To become a Two-Star Dou Zhe at just seventeen or eighteen years old—

Such talent was quite rare in Qingshan Town!

The dense forest was eerily silent as the large group proceeded carefully, each pair of eyes scanning the shadows among the trees with vigilance.

Their hands remained tightly gripping the weapons at their waists, ready to respond to any sudden dangers.

As seasoned mercenaries who had roamed the Magical Beast Mountain Range for years, even though this was their first time working together, they maintained a natural sense of cooperation.

Through exchanged glances, they could convey warnings of danger or signs of safety.

Wiping the sweat from his face, Lin Feng turned back to look at the heavily guarded Thousand Medicine House herb-gathering team behind him.

His gaze swept casually over the group before settling on the young woman in the center, who was being protected as if she were the moon surrounded by stars—Xiao Yixian.

At that moment, Xiao Yixian straightened slightly, gently wiping the sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand.

Her slightly breathless appearance, paired with her delicate face, made her look particularly endearing.

Seeing her like this, several mercenaries couldn't help but feel the urge to carry her on their backs for the rest of the journey.

However, they all knew that even if they volunteered, Xiao Yixian would only refuse with a gentle smile.

As everyone's gaze gathered on Xiao Yixian—

A handsome young man stepped out from the escort team with a beaming smile, lowering his head as he spoke softly to the panting Xiao Yixian.

After exchanging a few words, Xiao Yixian simply shook her head with a polite smile before continuing forward.

Even after being refused, the young man showed no trace of displeasure.

Instead, he smiled faintly, waved his hand, and commanded loudly, "Wolf Head members, stay alert! We're about to enter the Magical Beast Mountain Range, so don't let your guard down!"

"Yes, Young Master!"

At his words, dozens of burly men immediately responded in unison.

Their synchronized voices attracted the attention of many, even causing Xiao Yixian to glance back briefly.

Very pleased with this reaction, the young man smiled slightly and quickly took a few steps forward, walking beside Xiao Yixian and sticking close to her protectively.

"Damn it, he's only relying on the fact that his father is the leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group. Does he really think that'll win Xiao Yixian's heart?"

Seeing the young man casually chatting with Xiao Yixian, a mercenary beside Lin Feng muttered under his breath, his tone filled with jealousy.

Lin Feng narrowed his eyes slightly, sweeping his gaze over the young man before pausing at the badge on his chest—

It bore the engraving of a one-eyed wolf head.

He then withdrew his gaze.

Although the Wolf Head Mercenary Group had a bad reputation in Qingshan Town, Lin Feng had long grown accustomed to the survival rules of the Dou Qi Continent.

As long as Mu Li and his men didn't cause trouble for him, Lin Feng had no interest in playing the hero.

Besides, he currently lacked the strength to do so.

After their brief rest, once Xiao Yixian gave the order to move out, Lin Feng continued following the group toward the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

At the same time, his eyes constantly scanned his surroundings, estimating the possible direction of the cave's location.