Chapter 592: Rapid Growth! A Hidden Problem!

“Heaven Realm soul... if it's a ninth-grade pill, its intelligence is already no different from that of an ordinary person. This is practically equivalent to creating life—creating a sentient being.”

“This being must be given spiritual essence, and also infused with the power of heaven and earth. But to do so, one must reach the Heaven Realm in soul cultivation.”

“At this level, there are likely very few people on the continent today who can achieve it.”

“As for the God Realm… that’s the stuff of legend. Even I have only ever heard of it.”

“And God-grade pills, Xiao Yan—you should know—they’re tied to that level. All I can tell you is that this realm is connected to God-grade pills, which themselves are said to relate to the legendary Dou God.”

“But who knows how long it's been since someone actually reached that realm.”

At the end of his words, Yao Lao’s voice held a trace of regret.

However, Xiao Yan didn't sense any of that. He was already stunned by everything Yao Lao had just told him.

“Xiao Yan, I didn’t expect you and the Guild Leader to be old acquaintances. With how much praise he gave you, it seems he thinks very highly of your future.”

Just then, Bai Xiuyuan’s voice reached Xiao Yan’s ears.

Hearing this, Xiao Yan stopped talking to Yao Lao and turned his head, smiling slightly as he waved his hand.

“Elder Bai, who can predict the future? One step at a time, that’s all we can do.”

“Xiao Yan, that attitude of yours is commendable.”

Even with such a modest response, Bai Xiuyuan still found a way to compliment him.

After that, Bai Xiuyuan stepped closer and asked with a smile, “Xiao Yan, how well do you know the Guild Leader?”

“Elder Bai, I’ve only met him a few times at most. That he remembers me is already surprising.”

Xiao Yan replied calmly. He had no intention of revealing any details about Liu Ling.

“I see... but for the Guild Leader to remember you after only a few meetings—that speaks volumes of your ability.”

Although his words were praise on the surface, they also revealed Bai Xiuyuan’s deep admiration for Liu Ling.

Among the few Dou Ancestor elders in the Mercenary Guild, Bai Xiuyuan was the only one who had witnessed Liu Ling's full power.

Most people in the guild believed the Vice Guild Leader was the strongest. But Bai Xiuyuan knew clearly that Liu Ling’s strength far surpassed his.

That time Liu Ling unleashed his full strength, Bai Xiuyuan couldn’t even withstand a single move.

“Haha, Elder Bai, you flatter me too much.”

Hearing his words, Xiao Yan showed a helpless smile.

After the banquet ended, Liu Ling left with Xiao Yu and the others, heading straight back to their mercenary group base.

Along the way, Xiao Yu and the other four couldn’t stop asking Xiao Yan about his past with Liu Ling.

Xiao Yan brushed off their questions with vague answers, offering very little about Liu Ling himself.

“So the Guild Leader is really only in his twenties?!”

After hearing a bit from Xiao Yan, Xiao Yu’s face was full of shock.

At first, when she saw Liu Ling in person, she thought he was some high-level expert who maintained his youthful appearance. She figured he looked twenty-three or twenty-four, but had lived for many years.

But now, from Xiao Yan’s own words, she learned Liu Ling’s appearance matched his real age.

It was truly shocking.

“If that’s true, then his cultivation talent must be terrifying… a Dou Ancestor in his twenties!”

Xiao Yu gasped.

At Jia Nan Academy’s Inner Court, there were plenty of students hailed as geniuses.

But compared to Liu Ling, they were a joke.

Take Lin Xiuyai, currently ranked first on the Inner Court’s strong list. He was only at peak eight-star Dou Spirit, and older than Xiao Yan by four or five years.

If Xiao Yan had another year or two, he could likely surpass Lin Xiuyai’s achievements at that age.

But Liu Ling? At twenty-four, he was already a Dou Ancestor.

Xiao Yan had no confidence at all in surpassing that.

If he could reach the Dou King level by twenty-four, that would already be something to celebrate.

“Come on, what good is admiring others? We need to become strong ourselves.”

Xiao Yan clenched his fist, his encounter with Liu Ling reigniting his fighting spirit.

After returning to the mercenary group, Xiao Yan didn’t rush into any missions. Instead, he took some time to rest and settle his mindset.

Time passed quickly.

It had already been nearly three months since Liu Ling last held the meeting for the top fifty mercenary groups of the Mercenary Guild.

During these three months, the number of Mercenary Guild branches had reached sixteen, covering the entire Black-Corner Region and even expanding beyond it.

New branches were continuing to spread outward, radiating from this center for over ten thousand li.

The Mercenary Guild’s name now echoed across a fifty-thousand-li radius.

Its influence hadn’t yet reached that far, but it was getting very close.

Deep inside the Mercenary Guild’s headquarters, in a secluded courtyard, Xiao Jin lay sprawled out, looking utterly exhausted.

She looked at Liu Ling and said, “Brother Liu, there’s been too much happening lately. I keep getting messages from branches saying they’re being targeted by major powers! I can’t keep up anymore!”

Hearing this, Liu Ling frowned slightly.

The Mercenary Guild had grown too quickly in recent times, and there weren’t enough strong individuals to keep everything in check.

At present, including Liu Ling and Xiao Jin, there were only ten Dou Ancestor-level experts within the guild.

Liu Ling was stationed permanently at headquarters, and two other elders were also assigned there.

Xiao Jin had to travel constantly, resolving conflicts and urgent problems at various branches.

As a result, out of sixteen branches, only six had a Dou Ancestor elder overseeing them.

The remaining ten were being guarded by elders at the Dou Emperor level.

After thinking for a moment, Liu Ling reached out and gently patted Xiao Jin on the head.

He smiled and said, “Xiao Jin, thank you for your hard work lately. For now, I’ll slow down the rate of new branch construction and focus on resolving these current issues.”

Only now did Liu Ling fully realize some of the problems caused by the guild’s rapid expansion.

He now planned to halt the outward spread of the Mercenary Guild temporarily.

Once the internal territories stabilized and a solid foundation was laid, that would be the moment for the guild to rise again.

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