"You..." Lei Wei puffed out his chest, his hands clenched into fists, veins visibly throbbing on the back of them. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes before two soldiers quickly grabbed his arms, tugging hard and subtly several times.

Lei Wei’s chest rose and fell sharply twice; the harshness in his eyes receded swiftly. Acting impulsively toward a Bloodline Warrior was irrational, especially against the three who had fought on the battlefield just now—none of them were easy opponents. If a real fight broke out, even with his two bodyguards, he probably wouldn't gain any advantage.

Though the Dynasty had laws stating that no person was inherently nobler than another before the law, the Bloodline Warriors possessed inherent privileges. This was a truth tacitly acknowledged by the common populace and even the Demon Race. If a confrontation occurred, even if a Bloodline Warrior killed someone, the consequence would likely be merely conscription to the perilous Man-Demon battlefield. What would happen if a Bloodline Warrior, who hadn't blinked when taking a life moments ago, suddenly erupted?

A cold smirk played on Lei Wei’s lips as he crossed his arms, looking down at Duan Fengbuer, who was kneeling before Song Xinghe’s wound. He simply didn't believe any decent medicine could be contained in such a dilapidated bottle.

Qian Jin shook his head and chuckled softly. While making medicine a few days ago, he had casually prepared some wound salve; a warrior could never predict when injury might strike, so it was best to have extra on hand. Of course, the bandits in the ruins wouldn't care about the quality of the bottle; to them, it was only a matter of whether something was useful or useless. The monetary value of the container was never a consideration, meaning there were certainly no expensive bottles around—if there had been any, they would have already sold them off.

Fen Tu Kuangge glanced at Lei Wei, also shaking his head like Qian Jin, and sneered dismissively, "Brainless fool."

"Fool?" Lei Wei glared at Fen Tu Kuangge. He had heard his father call him a fool countless times growing up, but no one other than his father had ever dared to say it to his face. This mere Demon Quelling Warrior dared to speak to him like that? He was courting death!

The two bodyguards sensed the chilling aura emanating from Qie Keli Fu'te. Despite only possessing the strength of the second level of Demon Quelling, he exuded an incredibly dangerous aura. The guards even had the unsettling feeling that if a real fight broke out, the Bloodline Warrior wouldn't even need to act; this man, possessing only the strength of the second level of Demon Quelling, could single-handedly determine the final outcome.

Second level of Demon Quelling? The two guards exchanged confused glances. Why were they so fearful of someone at the second level of Demon Quelling? They themselves were at the fourth level!

Lei Wei felt his arms being gently tugged again and shot his subordinates a fierce glare, cursing silently: Useless things! My father sent you to protect me and back me up when trouble starts! Not to act like cowards!

"Heh heh, let me see what sort of miraculous wound medicine this is," Lei Wei sneered, walking up to Duan Fengbuer, his eyes fixed on the wooden stopper being slowly drawn out.

A pungent, bitter smell surged from the bottle. The cold smile on Lei Wei's face morphed into a mocking, booming laugh. Everyone knew that the more precious the medicinal substance, the more fragrant its aroma.

Song Yun and Song He, the two girls, looked toward Lei Wei hesitantly. They all understood what the arrogant young master intended to do. If they could, they would have gladly run him through with their swords, but for their father’s sake...

"Hiss!" Song Xinghe sucked in a sharp breath through clenched teeth, the embarrassment in his eyes turning to utter astonishment. He stared blankly at the spot where the strange, brownish salve had been applied to the wound after his clothes were torn open.

Coolness! The intense throbbing pain at the injury site immediately subsided by more than half! Regardless of its effectiveness in healing the cut, at the very least, in terms of pain relief, it possessed an outstanding quality.

"What's wrong, Dad?" The two girls looked at Song Xinghe with concern, unsure how to help, their eyes filled with unshed tears as they watched him.

"Comfortable... truly comfortable," Song Xinghe blinked his bewildered eyes at Duan Fengbuer. "Respected Bloodline Warrior, this is...?"

"Oh, nothing much," Duan Fengbuer replied cheerfully, placing the salve in Song Ah's palm. "Just a Grade Five wound medicine. The overall effect isn't the best, but I hear it excels at pain relief."

Grade Five? Song Ah’s hand trembled slightly, and Lei Wei’s eyes widened, staring intensely at the medicine bottle in Song He's hand. He couldn't believe such a low-grade porcelain container, holding a foul-smelling paste, could actually be Grade Five medicine!

"How is that possible?" Lei Wei subconsciously whispered, his voice cracking. Grade Five medicine! That wasn't the kind of common cabbage you could buy for a few copper coins in the marketplace.

"Do I have any reason to lie to you?" Duan Fengbuer cast a sidelong glance at Lei Wei. "If you don't believe it, why don't you take out your medicine and apply some to another one of Uncle Song's wounds? Then ask which one works better."

"You..."

"What about me? Don't tell me your Grade Four wound salve is fake and you're afraid to show it?" Duan Fengbuer scratched his head, his eyes full of provocation as he looked at Lei Wei.

Qian Jin watched, shaking his head repeatedly. Due to the limited herbs available near the ruins, and coupled with Granny Yao’s existing stock, they could only manage to produce Grade Five wound salves, and even those weren't the absolute top-tier Grade Five. He never expected Duan Fengbuer to bring this lower batch here to boast. He wondered what scene Duan Fengbuer would cause if he ever managed to produce some Grade Seven salves for him.

Lei Wei’s face darkened. He took out his Grade Four wound salve and applied it to a cut on Song Xinghe’s shoulder, eagerly watching Song Xinghe for a reaction. After a brief silence, Song Xinghe felt the treatment from both salves and finally looked at Lei Wei. "Young Master Lei, your salve is indeed less effective than this Bloodline Warrior's medicine."

What? The guards, who had initially paid little mind to the matter, both had their eyebrows twitch simultaneously. Lei Wei's Grade Four wound salve was considered one of the absolute best within the Grade Four tier! It was a product from the most prestigious apothecary in the entire Yongliu Province—the Blazing Life Pharmacy. Lei Wei’s second uncle was an alchemist there, and this very salve had been personally crafted by Lei Kaote, Lei Wei’s second uncle! The notoriously frugal Lei Kaote had never been stingy when it came to his nephew.

Seeing their father’s expression, Song Yun and Song He, the two young female warriors, immediately executed a perfect ninety-degree bow toward Duan Fengbuer, showing not an ounce of reservation.

"No need, no need, beautiful ladies," Duan Fengbuer said cheerfully, looking at Song Xinghe. "Are you heading back to the Zhence Dynasty? If so, perhaps you’d like to travel together?"

Qian Jin, standing nearby, smiled faintly, inwardly commending Duan Fengbuer for maneuvering around the topic until finally revealing his true purpose: inviting this small group to join forces! The wanted poster from the Dark Division was very clear: four people! Although they had destroyed the scene when they left, the Dark Division personnel had still managed to determine that there were four individuals fighting on one side.

Out here in the desolate borderlands, four people traveling together would easily bring to mind the Dark Division's wanted notice. The bandit gangs held no national allegiance; robbing a Demon was the same as robbing a Barbarian, which was the same as robbing the Zhence Dynasty—as long as there was profit and sufficient gain, they would commit the act! The bounty offered by the Dark Division was substantial, including not just gold coins and high-grade magic metals, but even items as valuable as Battle Weapons. Such rewards were enough to drive a bandit gang into a frenzy. Qian Jin sometimes even wished he could turn himself in, as the reward was truly immense.

"Return to the Zhence Dynasty?" Song Xinghe looked toward Lei Wei with difficulty, quietly answering Duan Fengbuer, "The mission I accepted this time was to escort Young Master Lei to the Mu Clan to explore business opportunities."

"Escort?" Duan Fengbuer chuckled. "Uncle, please don't take this the wrong way, but honestly, with your current injuries, how can you possibly escort anyone? Right now, your best contribution is being a liability, isn't it?"

Song Xinghe smiled bitterly and sighed softly. "There's nothing I can do. When I accepted the mission, the terms were very clear: if I fail to complete the task, I owe Young Master Lei one thousand gold coins."

Lei Wei watched Song Xinghe silently. His entire purpose for this trip was tied to the twin sisters; he couldn't possibly turn back now! Owe money? Song Xinghe couldn't possibly produce a thousand gold coins!

"One thousand gold coins?" Duan Fengbuer shrugged with a smile and looked at Qian Jin. "Comrade, lend me ten gold bars."

Lending gold bars? Lei Wei’s heart skipped a beat. Ten gold bars equaled one thousand gold coins! In this world, who would casually fork over a thousand gold coins for someone they had just met? That amount was nearly equal to the annual allowance his family provided him! Yet, this man was demanding ten gold bars upfront.

Qian Jin walked to the side of the horses and retrieved ten gold bars from his Battle Realm container. Out here in the borderlands, spending ten gold bars for peace and safety was cheap—certainly better than being discovered by bandits or even the Dark Division. Even the regular army rarely patrolled the borderlands to suppress bandits, partly to guard against surprise attacks from the Demon Race, and partly because they genuinely respected the power of the bandit organizations. Four people were simply too few; facing a large bandit siege, they would all perish. Moreover, the bandit leaders were no pushovers; rumors suggested some possessed strength comparable to a general in the regular army.

Ten gold bars! Song Xinghe stared blankly at the ten bars glinting under the sun, gently touching them, feeling their tangible weight. Song Yun and Song He widened their beautiful eyes, staring mutely at the ten gold bars. Ten gold bars!

"With sincerity, I truly can’t compare to that group who, when pursued by bandits, only worried about their own escape and abandoned their comrades."

A shade of green spread over Lei Wei’s fair face as he glared hatefully at Qian Jin. He was merely the retinue of a Bloodline Warrior, yet he dared to speak to him like this! While he couldn't easily strike the Bloodline Warrior, attacking Qian Jin should be feasible!

Song Xinghe gave his daughters a look. Song He walked up to Lei Wei, carrying the cloth pouch containing the ten gold bars, and said softly, "Mr. Lei, my father is injured and can no longer continue. According to the agreement, we should compensate you with these gold bars."

Lei Wei’s eye twitched furiously as he looked at the ten gold bars in the bag. But if he accepted them, wouldn't he be completely overshadowed by the Bloodline Warrior? Absolutely not! If he took the money, he would lose any chance with the twin sisters.

"Heh heh," Lei Wei gently waved his hands in front of his chest. "No need. Keep this money for your father's medical treatment. The contract from that day was merely to prevent you from backing out halfway. Since he is already injured, I, Lei Wei, am not someone who lacks human decency; I won't force you into a dangerous situation."

Qian Jin felt Lei Wei's hostility and let out a cold laugh, shaking his head. The one you provoked was Duan Fengbuer, why take it out on me? Sorry! I have no intention of feeling wronged. If you intend to provoke me, you best be prepared to end up in the hospital!

"You really should take them. Contracts must be honored; otherwise, it shows disrespect to us warriors."

Lei Wei’s mouth twitched several times as he glared resentfully at Qian Jin, who had spoken again. He’s just a subordinate of a Bloodline Warrior—has he truly become so rebellious?

Qian Jin beckoned, and Fen Tu Kuangge led over the captured warhorses. "I hear the borderlands have been quite chaotic lately. It would be best if we rode out of here quickly. The scent of blood not only attracts wolves but also bandits."

Song Xinghe nodded, and with his daughters helping him, he managed to mount his horse.

Lei Wei let out a muffled sound of frustration. Grabbing his shield and grasping the saddle horn, he attempted to mount, but the tip of a gleaming spear, flashing with cold light, pressed close to his throat.

"You..." Lei Wei tilted his head back to look at Duan Fengbuer, who was holding the spear atop the horse. "What is the meaning of this?"

"No particular meaning," Duan Fengbuer nudged his chin toward Qian Jin. "I owe my comrade a thousand gold coins. The warhorses I captured naturally belong to Qian Jin. If he doesn't invite you up, you'll have to walk."

"A thousand gold coins?" Lei Wei looked from Qian Jin to Duan Fengbuer, his beautiful eyebrows locking together. Has he not yet managed to secure this financial backer? If that were the case...

Lei Wei smiled, his tightly furrowed brow relaxing rapidly. He happened to have one thousand gold coins on him. Paying off the debt now would be a perfect way to build rapport with the Bloodline Warrior. With the Lei family’s influence, perhaps he could even assimilate this Bloodline Warrior as a subordinate in the future.

To recruit a Bloodline Warrior as a subordinate! A victorious smile involuntarily curved the corner of Lei Wei's lips. "As it happens, I have one thousand gold coins right here. Why don't I..."

The New Year is slowly, slowly, slowly approaching. To prevent monthly tickets from turning into yearly tickets, comrades! Cast your votes!