After using cheats, I became the strongest Beast Tamer

Dong Fang agreed. After his intervention, his identity was likely exposed, especially since three high priests had escaped.

With the situation escalating to this extent, he dared not return directly to his friends in the Ice Snow Territory, lest he bring trouble upon them.

He needed to first return to Great Xia and then ask someone to contact the Ice Snow Territory to bide his time and watch how the situation unfolded.

It went without saying for Ming Junting. His Jin Ye Guards had all left, and now that Stone City had burned down, if he left directly, the remaining Jin Ye Guards would be like headless flies.

Therefore, he also needed to stay and check on the situation there.

The group of five people, led by Su Lai, hurried towards their hideout.

After crossing over a dozen large mountains, they took refuge at the junction of two peaks where several teams had already hidden.

As Chen Xing and the others approached, the patrolling guards discovered them.

Upon confirming their identities were not disguised, they reunited at this place.

Chen Xing saw Zhao Guangming and the others.

Most of the Huangshi Mercenary Group were gathered in the shaded gullies between mountains, including Zhao Guangming, Zhou San, and Ning Yi, but the numbers of the Mercenary Corps seemed off.

A noticeable portion was missing.

"Brother Chen!" Zhou San rushed over excitedly when he saw Chen Xing.

"I'm glad you're alright." Zhao Guangming came forward and patted Chen Xing's arm.

Chen Xing had told them to leave first the day before and had stayed behind alone to face the Peeling Sheep Honorable, causing them to worry. Thankfully, Chen Xing was unharmed.

Zhao Guangming then spoke of what had happened after Chen Xing had left.

They had used the scale, and once the teleportation ripples faded, they found themselves outside Stone City.

Out of caution, Zhao Guangming did not let everyone enter the city.

He was concerned that experts from Fentian Giant City might have come to Stone City through the Teleportation Array to cause trouble, so he kept the group outside to observe the situation.

However, some ex-soldiers in the Mercenary Corps, led by Shi Luoshan, were unwilling to stay outside the city. Shi Luoshan, with about a dozen mercenaries, wanted to enter the city.

Zhao Guangming said, "At that time, to stabilize the situation, I did not confront Shi Luoshan head-on. He led about thirty people into Stone City."

Chen Xing frowned, "What was he doing going into the city?"

"Sir, I think I know." Du Yu, who was standing nearby, spoke up.

Chen Xing looked at Du Yu, "Go on."

Du Yu said, "Shi Luoshan is married and has two sons. He probably wanted to enter the city to take his sons out. The other mercenaries who wanted to enter the city probably had family inside as well."

Chen Xing could understand after hearing this. "Did they make it out?"

"If they were quick enough to take people out immediately after entering the city, they probably had enough time. But if they planned to spend the night in the city, or if they lingered within it for a while, it would have been very tight on time..." Du Yu hesitated.

No one had expected that just a few hours later, Stone City would be burnt to the ground.

Chen Xing fell silent for a while, "Let's hope they're all safe."

"Chen Xing!"

A voice calling out in surprise came from behind.

Chen Xing quickly turned around, "Instructor Han!"

Seeing Han Yuning safe and sound, a smile spread across Chen Xing's face.

"I was worried about you when I heard Stone City was destroyed."

Han Yuning spoke gently, "I'm fine. Someone came to notify us to leave the city, so I followed the group out. As for you, I heard you went on a mission. I'm not clear on the details, but when your Mercenary Corps members came asking, they said you stayed behind to cover our retreat, and I was worried about you."

While Han Yuning was talking with Chen Xing, Ming Junting came over to seek Chen Xing's opinion, "Do you plan to return immediately or continue staying here?"

Chen Xing pondered, "Let me think about it. Can I get back to you later?"

"Sure, let me know when you've decided." Ming Junting nodded. Seeing Han Yuning watching him, Ming Junting was aware that she was Chen Xing's instructor and offered a friendly smile before turning to leave.

Han Yuning blinked, taken aback.

"Who was that just now?" Han Yuning asked, even though she knew the answer, but she still blurted it out in spite of herself.

"Ming Junting," Chen Xing said.

"I know it's Ming Junting, but why would he..." Han Yuning was full of confusion; the rumors suggested that Ming Junting, the Commandant of the Jin Ye Guard, was the most arrogant.

Cold... proud?

Did she just see a fake Ming Junting?

"We're all battle comrades," Chen Xing said offhandedly.

Thinking about it carefully,

Previously, at Lake of Fire, he had helped him once, so that counts as battle comrades, right?

Although during the fight against Chi Xing, Ming Junting only came to stroll around at the end, the guy was still not bad.

"Battle comrades?" Han Yuning's eyes widened. "I'm still your battle comrade!"

"Hahaha," Chen Xing couldn't help but laugh at the remark.

"He was so polite to you just now," Han Yuning, having heard people describe Ming Junting as rather aloof.

If she didn't know about Chen Xing's background, she would even suspect whether Ming Junting and Chen Xing were relatives.

"Maybe because I look relatively handsome," Chen Xing stroked his face.

"You know, sometimes when you're handsome, you tend to have this kind of trouble where, wherever you are, you're always surrounded by goodwill."

"Cut it out," Han Yuning gave Chen Xing a light shove.

However, deep down, she understood that her student really had changed from before.

He was now able to chat and laugh with someone like Ming Junting.

Their conversation earlier had been like that of ordinary friends.

The attitude between them was equal.

Although she didn't know the specifics, the fact that he was able to earn the respect of a big shot like Ming Junting could only mean that Chen Xing's current strength or potential had been fully recognized by Ming Junting.

Seeing that his teacher's attitude towards him hadn't changed, Chen Xing smiled slightly, "I'm the leader of the Huangshi Mercenary Group, he's the leader of the Ashen Fox, we're both leaders, our status is similar."

Chen Xing asked, "By the way, teacher, are you coming to the trial by fire?"

Han Yuning hurriedly waved her hand off—she'd actually planned on going.

However, because she was in Stone City at that time, she missed the first call for registration.

When she considered signing up later, she learned that her student had already become the Black-robed Executive Officer of the trial by fire...

At that moment, her feelings were quite conflicted.

She knew her own situation, that if she went now, at best she'd be a White-robed Executive Officer, which meant that after joining, she would have to work for her student. Would they encounter each other at work, him calling her teacher and her calling him boss?

The thought of such a socially dead scene made Han Yuning involuntarily drop the idea.

She suddenly felt that staying in the military wasn't so bad...

"Teacher, you're not feeling embarrassed to join because your position would be lower than mine, are you?" Chen Xing directly pierced through her little scheme.

"I! Did! Not!"

"It's okay, I might even get a promotion after I go back," Chen Xing said, "Just come over, the trial by fire really needs people."

"The way you talk makes the trial by fire sound like it's your own house or something," Han Yuning muttered under her breath.

Chen Xing thought about it; right now, he was a Black-robed Executive Officer, so after going back, the next step up would either be the Commandant or the Deputy Commandant.

In terms of strength, his was sufficient now.

According to what Ming Junting had said before, the emperor established the trial by fire in order to select someone for Ascension.

Although the Demon Eagle wasn't his own Beast Taming, in a sense, since it was subordinate to Taotie, what difference did it make compared to his own Beast Taming creatures?

It was merely a subordinate of his own Beast Taming creatures.

"I know you're highly talented, and you'll definitely become a top figure in the trial by fire in the future, but you still need to be mindful of your public image and not talk recklessly," Han Yuning earnestly advised.

She didn't want her student to attract unnecessary trouble due to pride.

"I understand, teacher," Chen Xing said earnestly.

"Hmm, there might not be much I can teach you now," Han Yuning said.

"Your strength in Beast Taming is now who knows how much higher than mine."