The Twin Moons Blades revealed their frosty, cold gleam from beneath the wide sleeves of her robe.

As the Battle Qi surged, the two Battle Weapons emitted a faint, resonant hum of their own.

“You—” Kaigelari’s triangular eyes widened: “What do you think you’re doing? This is a matter concerning the Fakel family and the affiliated Luo family.” Gu Yueying’s face, stripped bare of all expression, showed not a flicker of emotion; even the faint softness that sometimes appeared in her eyes was entirely overshadowed by the sheer force emanating from Qian Jin: “I am Qian Jin’s wife.” This simple statement struck the assembled crowd like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, leaving their minds buzzing. They were stunned—such a beautiful and powerful woman was actually Qian Jin’s wife? The reason she had insisted on waiting all this time was not for Fabredis, but for Qian Jin! Gu Yueying had been enduring, knowing that one person's strength was ultimately limited; should a conflict arise, she couldn't guarantee Luo Qingqing's safety.

Now that Qian Jin had returned, bringing Bloodline Warriors as reinforcements, there was no longer any need to hold back.

“What do you people want?” Kaigelari shrieked in a high-pitched voice perfectly suited for screaming: “We have not declared war, nor have we demanded a duel. What you are doing violates the Dynasty’s laws.”

“Yes, violating the law,” Qian Jin’s smile was now utterly cold: “Am I supposed to wait until you use the law to strip the Luo family of their assets and harm the Luo people before I suddenly decide to respect your laws? I gave you the chance to leave just now, but you threw it away. Now, to ensure my family lives without your threats hanging over them, even if I end up on the executioner’s block one day because of today’s events, this old man is going to make a huge splash!” Li Juntu was swept by Qian Jin’s frost-sharp gaze, his legs immediately turned to water, and he collapsed onto the ground with a thud.

This was genuinely a killing spree.

“Buer, the three of you, guard the door. Just make sure no one escapes.” Qian Jin held his long blade inverted, locking his gaze on everyone in the courtyard: “The illegal acts. I will take sole responsibility for them!” Boom! A stone slab in the courtyard suddenly shattered, and the fierce, surging, tyrannical Fallen Angel Bloodline was unleashed! An incomplete, single black wing violently unfurled, seeming to envelop the small courtyard beneath its shadow.

Demon Subjugation Nine Battles! The Demon Race’s Fallen Angel Bloodline! Chekfulit revealed his true demonic form. The stone slabs beneath his feet exploded from the impact of his immense power, and his entire body transformed into a black phantom, tearing sharply through the air as he lunged with five outstretched fingers toward Li Zheng!

Demon Race! Demon Race! Demon Race! Li Zheng was utterly shocked—Qian Jin had brought back a Demon! And not just any Demon, but one possessing the Fallen Angel Bloodline, one of the three ultimate Demon Martial Warrior Bloodlines, yet appearing completely human! Fabredis’s body trembled slightly, the corner of his lips twitching uncontrollably as he watched Qian Jin. His eyes suddenly welled up with warmth. Kid! Why did you walk down this path too? Taking a Demon as a comrade, do you know how hard that road is?

Before Qian Jin’s words had even fully faded, Chekfulit’s fingers were inches from Li Zheng’s face, the chilling force of his Battle Qi scraping against his cheek, the stinging sensation jolting him out of his shock. The Battle Qi of Demon Subjugation Nine Battles erupted rapidly as he retreated backward.

At that very same instant, Duan Feng Buer, hefting the Buer Spear, shot toward Fabino with a speed only slightly slower than Chekfulit: “If I just stand aside and watch you kill, what kind of comrade am I?!” He flicked the thick shaft of his spear, displacing the air, carving visible currents in the air as the long spear shot out like a dragon chasing a star to shatter the sun.

Fabino’s heart hammered as he watched the spear point. He rapidly burst forth with the Battle Qi of Demon Subjugation Nine Battles, sweeping his Level Seven Iron Cudgel upwards to smash against the spear shaft. The two heavy weapons collided, sending showers of sparks scattering everywhere, the piercing metallic clang echoing outward rapidly. Duan Feng Buer stepped back half a pace, shook his shoulder to dissipate the energy, threw back his head with a long cry, and thrust his spear forward again.

In the second it took for the four to engage, Fen Tucuangge also unleashed his Battle Qi to its maximum and charged silently into the fray, slamming one palm directly into the head of a Ninth-Level Warrior, crushing it instantly. Qian Jin had revealed the Battle Realm, and Chekfulit had shown his true form—now, there was only one option: total extermination! Not one spared! Fen Tucuangge’s eyes held no emotion; the superior warrior training ingrained by his military family was now wholly converted into the efficient lethality of an assassin.

“Mage Luo Luoweili—” Kaigelari quickly scrambled backward.

“Patriarch, don't be alarmed—” Pfft! Luo Luoweili’s mouth continued to open and close, but no sound emerged. A transparent hole had been torn through his throat, and blood surged out like a spring from a fountain. A fish-scale throwing knife, lodged lightly in the wall behind him, swayed slightly. If the blade hadn't been slick with blood, this almost invisible throwing knife might never have been seen.

Qian Jin, his face ice-cold, stood holding his Zhanmadao and watched the mage beside Vivi Nuota, whose throat was also gushing blood, as he slowly strode forward. The mage, knowing he was in a fight to the death, had foolishly failed to activate a scroll to form a magic shield first!

“Y-you—” Vivi Nuota watched Qian Jin, his body trembling uncontrollably: “Qian, Qian Jin—” “We can discuss anything. Kaigelari approached me, saying we should split the assets of this affiliated family that our own family had long forgotten.”

“It wasn’t me!” Kaigelari shrieked, shaking his head repeatedly, pointing a trembling finger at Li Juntu, who had long since slumped to the ground: “It was him! He didn’t want Li Qingqing to become the Vice President of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, it was all him—”

“Discuss? Now?” Qian Jin raised his arm and swung. The Zhanmadao left a thin streak of light in the air; Vivi Nuota’s body was cleanly bisected, falling to the ground: “If I weren't strong enough, would you even be talking to me? Wasn't it obvious just now that you intended to plunder everything?” Thud. Kaigelari was also cleaved in two by the Zhanmadao, his body dropping heavily to the ground, the sound like a heavy hammer striking the heart of Li Juntu.

Qian Jin held the dripping Zhanmadao and looked at Li Juntu: “Do you want to live, or do you want to die?”

“I want to live, I want to live—” Li Juntu looked at the scene before him and knew that Qian Jin, undertaking an act bordering on open rebellion, truly meant what he said and could carry it out. He nodded his head incessantly.

“There is paper and a brush in the main hall. Write a document relinquishing the presidency of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce to Qingqing.”

“I’ll write it, I’ll write it—” The path to the hall was barely a dozen steps, but Li Juntu tripped himself three times before crawling to the desk and scribbling furiously. Writing it down offered only a slim chance of survival, but not writing it guaranteed death! Li Juntu fought to keep his wrist steady as he wrote, all the while calculating: if he offered an enormous benefit after finishing, would Qian Jin truly let him go? A mere document to secure his life? Li Juntu didn’t believe it, but this document could buy a chance for negotiation. For a merchant, having a chance to negotiate meant there was still hope.

“Finished?” Qian Jin took the document and skimmed it: “Nicely written.” Thump. Li Juntu’s body collapsed heavily onto the ground, his head rolling in disbelief. His eyes were wide with the realization that this young man, having secured the document, hadn't even given him a chance to plead his case or negotiate before moving in for the kill.

“What do you want to say? That I’m untrustworthy?” Qian Jin looked into Li Juntu’s eyes: “If I were to keep my word with people like you, it would be irresponsible to my family. If staining my hands with blood can secure my family’s safety, I’d rather keep my hands submerged in a river of blood forever.”

“Classmate—” Qian Jin tilted his head back, gazing at the clear blue sky: “Watch from the pure Star River, I will keep the promise I made to you. I will become the greatest warrior, and I will make the Luo family the wealthiest merchant house!”

“You—” Fabino let out a horrified roar, looking down at the spear lodged in his heart, then at the cudgel snapped into pieces in his hand: “Battle Weapon—”

“Yes, Battle Weapon.” Duan Feng Buer rotated his wrist, drawing the Buer Spear, and walked up to Fabino, raising a hand to press against his face and pushing forward: “Now, can you rest in peace?”

“I was faster,” Chekfulit walked past Duan Feng Buer. His very soft words held a hint of faint pride.

“Hmph! I was just trying to absorb a bit more combat experience,” Duan Feng Buer wiped the blood from his spear: “Otherwise, I would have skewered him with one thrust.”

Fen Tucuangge dragged corpse after corpse and stacked them together. Without looking up, he said: “While you argue about who’s faster, why not start cleaning up the bodies? I’ve already gathered three.”

“Yours are easier to deal with. If we swapped, I would have finished cleaning up all the bodies already,” Duan Feng Buer retorted without yielding to Fen Tucuangge, who was also trying to prove his speed, as he hauled a corpse by the leg toward the center of the courtyard.

The elite forces of the two aggressive families were utterly wiped out in a short span of time. The entire courtyard was saturated with the pungent stench of gore.

Fabredis closed the courtyard gate: “Quite the fierce method, huh?”

“I had no choice,” Qian Jin replied while dragging bodies toward the center of the courtyard: “I don't believe that if I let them go this time, these people wouldn't return. I’m not one of those great heroes sung by the bards who spare their enemies just to fight them again later because they miss the challenge. I don't possess the Aura of Kings or the Aura of Hegemony to force submission. I am an ordinary man; I only know that I would be heartbroken if I lost my family.”

“What do you plan to do with these corpses?” Fabredis nudged a body on the ground with his foot.

Qian Jin looked at Fabredis: “Haven’t figured that out yet.”

“Leave it to me,” Fabredis smiled: “Dealing with corpses is also a skill that requires experience.” Qian Jin stared blankly at Fabredis. It seemed this City Guardian had experience with similar illegal activities, and perhaps not just once or twice—he had a very practiced air about him.

“Tsk, you found a half-Demon hybrid, didn’t you?” Fabredis nodded to himself with a sigh: “Yes! He must be a hybrid. It’s the first time I’ve seen a hybrid possess Bloodline power, and the Fallen Angel Bloodline at that. You’ve taken a Demon as a partner; you’ll certainly need to become very good at this skill of body disposal in the future. Moreover, with him as your comrade, your path ahead might become very difficult.”

“Difficult, but I will walk it,” Qian Jin met Fabredis’s gaze and said plainly: “Those two fellows think the same, don’t they?”

“Agreed!” Fabredis clapped Qian Jin on the shoulder and walked toward Chekfulit: “Kid, you’re coming with me later to learn how to dispose of bodies. You’ll likely face similar situations requiring disposal down the road; someone needs to master this trade.”

“Uncle, I can do it too,” Duan Feng Buer chimed in, grinning: “I’m smarter than this guy, and I talk more, so I’m easier to communicate with.”

“You are wicked enough and ruthless enough, but—” Fabredis shook his head: “You aren’t decisive enough yet, at least not right now. Not cold-blooded enough. In that aspect, you still fall short of this kid.” Chekfulit silently raised an eyebrow at Duan Feng Buer, a rare expression on his face... Duan Feng Buer showed a smug look over his minor victory. Fen Tucuangge, carrying two wooden buckets, tossed them to Duan Feng Buer: “Let’s go wash the blood residue here.”

“Hey! Alright, let’s wash,” Duan Feng Buer took the buckets and approached the middle-aged woman who was already frozen stiff with terror. He deliberately lowered his voice with a dark expression: “Auntie, these people are all ruthless killers who wouldn’t blink while taking a life. If you breathe a word of what you saw today, even if I wanted to save you, I probably couldn’t. They might kill your entire family.”

“I won’t tell! I won’t, no, no, no! I didn’t see anything, I saw nothing at all,” the Auntie shook her head repeatedly.

“That’s right.” Duan Feng Buer pulled two gold coins from his pocket and pressed them into the woman’s hand: “You saw nothing.” Fabredis turned to look at Duan Feng Buer and chuckled lightly: “That’s why I say you aren’t cold and resolute enough. If you hadn't done that just now, this kid, to protect the secret of Qian Jin’s killing, would have disposed of her afterward.” Duan Feng Buer shivered as he looked at Chekfulit’s expression. Indeed, their methods differed greatly; this kid was truly ruthless. Plop. The Auntie stared at Chekfulit’s look and sank onto the ground; completely unaware, she had just danced on the razor’s edge of life and death.

“Qingqing, you first take my son inside. Once all this is settled, I’ll accompany you to claim the Chamber of Commerce presidency.” Qian Jin stripped off his shirt, revealing his solid muscles, grabbed a mop and bucket, and began cleaning the bloodstains in the courtyard. Qian Jin washed the vast courtyard more than ten times, thoroughly scouring away the stench of blood. Chekfulit loaded the corpses one by one into sacks and placed them all into Fabredis’s carriage, following the City Guardian out of the city. The prominent City Guardian insignia ensured that, unless a major crisis struck the city or the Lord commanded a full lockdown, even the city gate guards would not stop them. The carriage passed smoothly out of Auckland.

“Sisters-in-law, I’ve worked so hard, can I get a cigarette as a reward?” Duan Feng Buer, having changed into fresh warrior garb, cheerfully headed straight for the main hall.

“He still has a few packs,” Qian Jin’s voice drifted into the hall. Luo Qingqing took a pack of cigarettes from a drawer, then slowly put it back. Duan Feng Buer stared intently at the drawer, planted himself firmly in a chair in the hall, and refused to leave.

Biluo quietly approached Qian Jin’s side, her voice as timid as ever: “Teacher was very worried about you. She thought you had died and cried all day.”

“Is that so?” Qian Jin scratched his head awkwardly, looking at Biluo: “This time, Teacher really hoped we could make a splash at the Academy Assessment, but I couldn't rush back in time. Did we come in last again?” Biluo’s large mage hat bobbed up and down as she nodded: “The Warrior stream came in last again.”

“Oh? You mean the Magic stream didn’t come in last?” Qian Jin instantly perked up, his eyes darting as he looked at Biluo, secretly wondering if this woman’s older sister, Huangquan, had suddenly appeared during the assessment and swept the Magic stream clean?” Biluo’s voice dropped to a mosquito’s buzz: “I don’t know why it happened. I heard that when my assessment opponent knocked me unconscious and the match was about to be declared a loss, I suddenly stood up and froze my opponent solid. And I used a large-area Earth Thorn Technique; every part of the arena, except for where my opponent and my feet stood, was covered in meter-long earth spikes. All the other assessed students who saw it, and everyone I dueled against, collectively forfeited.” Qian Jin rubbed his forehead with a wry smile. Huangquan truly was a fiercely protective sister; seeing her little sister knocked out, she came out in full force. Her power as a Grand Mage meant a complete and utter rout in the assessment.

“The Royal War Academy of the Divine Capital Holy City also sent me an invitation.” Qian Jin wasn't the least bit surprised. When Huangquan took control of Biluo’s body, even without unleashing her full magical strength, she was enough to make veteran mages who had studied for a lifetime drop their eyeballs in terror. The Royal War Academy wasn't blind or deaf; they absolutely had to invite Biluo, and even if Biluo possessed no Bloodline power, she would be treated as a treasure and pampered.

“I—I don’t want to go,” Biluo mustered her courage and raised her voice slightly: “I want to go to Yongliu’s Conquest.”

“Conquest?” Qian Jin was genuinely surprised this time. The Royal War Academy was notoriously arrogant. Usually, regardless of which region a genius student came from, joining the Royal War Academy required passing their assessment. Except for the Warriors who awakened one of the three ultimate bloodlines, even Warriors from the Ten Great Bloodline Families, if they had awakened their bloodline power, still had to go through the motions of taking the exam. Because of this stipulation, many younger-generation Warriors from the Ten Great Bloodline Families preferred to attend the second or third-ranked academies nationally rather than the Royal War Academy. For such a proud institution to actively invite Biluo was a monumental honor. Furthermore, this invitation must have come with countless generous conditions—likely tuition waivers, and perhaps the Royal War Academy would even pay Biluo a monthly stipend.

(Regarding this chapter, I am quite satisfied with what I wrote. Last year, during the New Year, I was in such a poor state that I had to halt updates. This year, I am proud; I didn’t stop updating. If you are also satisfied with this chapter, please cast your monthly votes for me! (To be continued))