Chapter 155: Wang Yong

With his back turned to the woman, Ye Cheng had not noticed her approach. However, the two mercenaries were facing the direction she came from, and their expressions immediately turned respectful as they called out, "Miss Yan!"

"Oh?" Ye Cheng asked, a look of puzzlement crossing his face as he turned around. He instantly saw a woman in her early twenties walking toward them with a smile, possessing a pure yet alluring beauty and a voluptuous figure.

"Is something the matter?" The woman known as Miss Yan walked right up to Ye Cheng and asked the two mercenaries.

"Well, it's like this, Miss Yan. This young brother here wants to sign up for our Iron Blood Mercenary Corps, but the two of us saw that he was young and his cultivation wasn't very high, so we were trying to persuade him to go back," old Wang explained, recounting the situation.

This woman was none other than Liu Yanshan, the leader of the Iron Blood Mercenary Corps, and his daughter, Liu Yan. Though she was only in her early twenties, her cultivation had already reached the peak of the Blood Qi Realm, and she would likely step into the Genesis Realm before long. Even so, she was already capable of briefly trading blows with formidable practitioners at the minor success stage of the Genesis Realm.

While Liu Yan did not possess a special physique, her talent for martial arts was exceptional. She had condensed three blood crystals within her body before exhausting the potential of the Blood Qi Realm, and her combat prowess closely rivaled that of a minor Genesis Realm expert, leaving her just a single step away from entering the realm itself.

Combined with her striking beauty and mature figure, she had no shortage of suitors in Poison Dragon Town.

Thus, the reason old Wang and his companion were so respectful to her wasn't simply because her father was the leader, but because of her own formidable strength and high status within the corps.

Upon hearing old Wang's explanation, Liu Yan merely smiled. Blinking her pretty eyes, she remarked, "Not very high in cultivation? Do the two of you happen to know that the town's Wild Wolf suffered a loss at the hands of this very young brother right in front of you? Even I wouldn't be able to beat him, oh."

"Is Miss Yan joking? We are well aware of your strength, and that Wild Wolf is an expert at the minor success stage of the Genesis Realm with quite a formidable reputation in Poison Dragon Town. I'm afraid only the leader could suppress him. This young brother looks to be only seventeen or eighteen; at such a young age, how could that be possible?" The two mercenaries wore shocked expressions, though they still found it hard to believe.

Naturally, they had heard of Wild Wolf—a notorious minor Genesis Realm expert in the town whose elder brother possessed the major success strength of the Genesis Realm. In Poison Dragon Town, very few people dared to provoke them.

Liu Yan did not answer directly. Instead, she looked at Ye Cheng with a radiant smile and asked, exhaling a sweet fragrance, "Am I right, little brother?"

Hearing this, Ye Cheng could only respond with a wry, helpless smile and a nod. Evidently, the scene of his clash with Wild Wolf had fallen into her eyes; otherwise, there was no way she could have known about it in such detail.

Since she had recognized him, there was nothing left to deny.

Seeing Ye Cheng nod, the woman smiled brightly and looked him up and down a few times before turning to the two mercenaries. "You two step aside and let this little brother sign up."

"Yes!" Naturally, they did not dare disobey her command, and they quickly cleared the path, watching as Miss Yan led Ye Cheng away.

After the two of them had walked inside, the other mercenary spoke quietly to old Wang, "Was what Miss Yan said just now true or false? Is that kid really that strong?"

"Miss Yan was probably just joking. Still, that young brother likely has some real skill, though it might not be as exaggerated as Miss Yan made it sound. After all, you know how much she loves to tease people," old Wang said after a moment of thought.

...

"Please sit, little brother," Liu Yan said, bringing Ye Cheng to the reception area. She gestured for him to sit down, extending a slender, fair hand as she smiled cordially.

Though she was well aware that his strength likely rivaled that of a minor Genesis Realm practitioner, and despite her outward smiles, she remained inwardly shocked by Ye Cheng's youth. To her, with his delicate and refined features, he felt more like a younger brother from next door.

"Come, let's make a proper introduction. My name is Liu Yan, and the leader of the Iron Blood Mercenary Corps, Liu Yanshan, is my father."

"Ye Cheng. I'm here to sign up for this mercenary mission. I heard that the destination this time is Nanyang Prefecture City. Is that true?" Ye Cheng asked.

"Yes, that's correct. Our destination this time is indeed to cross the northern desert region and reach the prefecture city," Liu Yan replied. "However, I'm curious. Why do you want to join this mercenary mission? Given your strength, surely you aren't doing it for money, are you?"

"I heard that the northern desert is filled with sand and rock on all sides, making it very easy to lose one's direction. Therefore, I wish to take advantage of your familiarity with that desert to travel to Nanyang Prefecture City," Ye Cheng answered without concealment. Since their destinations were the same, and since he would be bolstering her mercenary corps with high-level protection, she shouldn't refuse.

"Oh, I see. Very well then," Liu Yan said after a brief moment of thought, immediately agreeing. "Then I wish us a pleasant cooperation. But before that, I must remind you, little brother: if my mercenary corps encounters danger, you'll need to step in and help out, okay?" With those words, Liu Yan cast a charming, alluring glance at Ye Cheng, setting his heart aflutter and causing him to blush deeply. He awkwardly replied, "That's only natural."

He had to admit to himself that the woman before him was truly breathtaking—easily on par with Nangong Xue. It was just that the two gave off completely different impressions: the former was sexy and alluring, while the latter was cold and pure.

"Hold on a moment!" Suddenly, a robust middle-aged man walked out from the inner room and said to Ye Cheng, "Pardon me, young brother. I am Wang Yong, the second-in-command of the Iron Blood Mercenary Corps and also the tester for this recruitment drive. I must inform you that if you wish to join the Iron Blood Mercenary Corps, we need to gauge your strength first. I hope you can understand."

With that, Wang Yong glanced at Liu Yan and transmitted his voice via Genesis Qi: "Little Yan, it's not that Uncle Wang doubts your judgment, but this mission is of extraordinary importance. We must ensure nothing goes wrong."

"Uncle Wang!" Seeing Wang Yong suddenly appear, Liu Yan let out a dissatisfied, spoiled cry. Just as she was about to speak, Ye Cheng interrupted her.

"Very well, how would you like to test me?" Ye Cheng asked casually, spreading his hands.

"It's very simple. Young brother, strike me with a palm using your full strength. That will allow me to judge your strength," Wang Yong said with a smile as he looked at Ye Cheng.

Possessing the strength of a minor Genesis Realm practitioner, he was naturally confident that he could easily receive a single blow from Ye Cheng. If he had known that the teenager before him had recently forced Wild Wolf into a disadvantageous position with a single strike, he certainly wouldn't have been so presumptuous.

"Receive a full-strength palm from me?" Ye Cheng couldn't help but find it rather absurd. He thought to himself that if he were to strike this Wang Yong with full, unreserved force while the latter chose not to retaliate, Wang Yong would likely end up either dead or severely injured.

Hearing Wang Yong's words, the pretty face of Liu Yan, who was standing nearby, turned a fascinating shade of expression. She looked at her Uncle Wang with a strange gaze, completely at a loss for words for a moment.