Chek walked across the courtyard, carrying one warrior in each hand. Compared to the men held by Duan Feng Bu Er with his Great Spear, the two captured by Chek were significantly more unfortunate; each had suffered a broken leg.

"You..." Duan Feng Bu Er shook his head lightly. "You're too harsh; they were just trying to make a living."

Chek remained silent as he carried the two men past Duan Feng Bu Er, tossing them directly out of the courtyard gate. Before the gate, he promptly hammered in a sign: Those who trespass by climbing the wall into this courtyard will have one leg broken for the first offense! One hand broken for the second! Life taken for the third!

The characters carved onto the wooden plaque were vigorous and powerful; merely looking at the script conveyed the icy, rigid nature of the carver's heart. Duan Feng Bu Er began to believe Fabredis's assessment: Chek, true to his demonic origins, infused everything he did with ruthless efficiency, choosing toxic, decisive actions to ensure effectiveness.

"Ganjin..." Duan Feng Bu Er leaned against the corner of the wall, shaking his head repeatedly. A mere mysterious potion had managed to cause chaos for seven of the eight major powers of Yongliu, sending people to this rural city of Oakland day after day to gather information.

Fen Tu Kuang Ge gazed silently at the sky. Since his last meal with Ganjin, nearly ten days had passed. It should be about time to leave for the Yongliu Auction. If they delayed further, they might miss it entirely.

The slightly ajar courtyard gate slowly swung open. A streak of silver light, sharp with the aura of breaking through the air, erupted in the courtyard like a bolt of lightning appearing from nowhere.

The silver light flashed before Duan Feng Bu Er and struck the ground with a booming crash. Dust surged several meters into the sky, and the air hummed with a sound like thousands of mosquitoes buzzing overhead.

Fen Tu Kuang Ge stared dumbfounded at the silver metallic pillar emerging from the disturbed earth, wobbling slightly. It bore an almost perfect resemblance to the Bu Er Spear in Duan Feng Bu Er’s hand.

"This is..." Duan Feng Bu Er drew his long spear and raised it high above his head, Dou Qi surging through the weapon. It vibrated again, emitting a buzzing sound similar to the fluttering of wings.

"Good stuff!"

Duan Feng Bu Er danced the spear, enveloped in flowing Dou Qi. The new spear in his hand moved like a nimble viper, slicing through the air with a hissing sound that suggested venomous snakes were lurking nearby.

"A spear consecrated without a blood sacrifice; use this for now," Ganjin said with a smile. "I had too few other types of metal, so I added them all to my new Zhanmadao. Yours is forged purely from Iron Essence, a Dou Bing."

"Pure Iron Essence," Duan Feng Bu Er murmured, stroking the shaft repeatedly in admiration. "The Dou Qi conduction is twice as smooth as before, and the spear shaft's elasticity is much better. I can achieve angles I couldn't manage previously."

Ganjin beckoned, retrieving the first Zhanmadao from his Dou Realm and handing it to Fen Tu Kuang Ge. "Time is tight. In these ten days, besides eating, sleeping, and resting, I put all my effort into forging only this Zhanmadao and the Bu Er Spear."

"Ten days for two," Fen Tu Kuang Ge accepted the Zhanmadao and laughed. "I heard many blacksmiths take a full month to forge a single Dou Bing."

"Two in ten days—it's enough to make other blacksmiths descend into self-loathing and jump into the furnace."

"Are we done talking?" Fabredis walked into the yard, urging them on. "Can't this discussion wait until we're on the road? Don't delay the auction."

Ganjin signaled the others to depart. They began moving their carefully packed luggage onto the carriages. Their trip to Yongliu City would also handle the enrollment process. They likely wouldn't be returning to Oakland anytime soon; for Luo Qingqing's safety, the entire Luo family had to move.

The long caravan moved majestically out of Oakland.

Sabonis stood high on the balcony of the City Lord's castle, watching the slowly departing convoy. He let out a long, deep breath towards the sky. "Finally, I've lured away that reckless brute who disregards consequences. I won't have nightmares tonight."

Finishing the red wine in his goblet, Sabonis turned back into the room, feeling refreshed. Ever since Zhang Mubai was killed in a manner close to outright murder, he had worried that without the Luo family's backing, Ganjin would come looking for trouble. Back then, everyone thought Ganjin was dead; who could have predicted he would return alive, and with several young warriors who looked formidable by his side?

As the Luo family convoy cleared Oakland, the merchants of the guild also breathed sighs of relief. Although they had handed the position of Guild Master to Luo Qingqing, they still feared Ganjin returning for trouble someday. Now that Ganjin had taken the Luo family away, while the family’s commercial influence remained in the area, at least the murderous blade was gone. As long as they didn't encroach upon the Luo family’s local business interests, things were theoretically safe.

Travel is often tedious, but Ganjin found this journey anything but dull. The large group in the carriages laughed and chatted incessantly.

Duan Feng Bu Er continuously praised Luo Qingqing's sales strategy for the Mental Impact Potion, noting her excellent business acumen. Delighted, Luo Qingqing gifted him a pack of cigarettes. Upon receiving the cigarettes, Duan Feng Bu Er launched into even more saccharine flattery, which Ganjin ultimately found unbearable and promptly kicked him off the carriage.

Fen Tu Kuang Ge silently recalled Ganjin's discussion about the Earth Cleaving Slash. He struggled to wield his Dou Qi fluidly enough to unleash it, frequently stopping to ask Ganjin for guidance and making minor corrections.

Ganjin observed that Fen Tu Kuang Ge’s comprehension was truly excellent, but his cultivated Dou Qi seemed ill-suited for the Earth Cleaving Slash.

The Earth Cleaving Slash demanded an impact of extreme rigidity and ferocity, requiring the Dou Qi to be condensed and *squeezed—squeezed—*to erupt with a tearing technique akin to a blade. The Wind and Cloud Dou Qi could even mimic the Blood Numb technique of the Iron Arm Mantis; the compression required for the Earth Cleaving Slash was hardly a challenge for it.

The Seventy-Nine Secret Arts of the Fen Tu Family were indeed brilliant, but pushing a Saint-grade Dou Technique forward was troublesome for Fen Tu Kuang Ge at his current strength. Higher-grade Dou Qi naturally possessed a quality superior to others at the same level, and it also accelerated cultivation speed. High-quality Dou Qi made propelling high-quality Dou Techniques easier.

"What should I do? Should I tell him? That his nearly Demon-Subduing Fourth Battle-level Dou Qi is wasted, and he should cultivate something else?" Ganjin hesitated internally. The Fen Tu Family was renowned as a powerful War God family among ordinary warriors, possessing inherent advantages. Any rash advice could potentially harm rather than help.

Ding! A small, gently vibrating throwing knife suddenly appeared embedded in the carriage door. Biluo, having completed her meditation, was diligently practicing her throwing technique as usual. After the duel with Luo Family and Kai Jing, and the initial bouts during the examinations, Biluo increasingly realized how vital throwing skills were as a supplement for a mage. She practiced throwing knives every moment outside of meditation. Beneath her voluminous magic robe, besides the magic scrolls Luo Qingqing gave her, were twenty small throwing knives.

Chek watched the growing collection of knives embedded in the door panel thoughtfully. Ganjin’s shocking feat of slicing through the throats of two mages with throwing knives in the courtyard suddenly struck him as a mage’s nightmare in certain situations! He decided he needed to ask Ganjin for instruction on throwing knife techniques sometime.

Yongliu City, the central hub of the entire province, its economic and political nexus, was where all the major powers of the Yongliu Province converged. Just from the tall, thick, sturdy city walls and the heavy magical weaponry displayed atop the battlements, one could gauge the city's standing within the province.

If Oakland City were placed next to Yongliu City, it would immediately feel like a chicken coop built next to a palace. The city guards, thirty men per row, their pristine leather armor and long spears and blades exuded an indescribable spirit.

The ceaseless flow of people and merchants at the city gate further highlighted the city’s prosperity, a world away from a backwater like Oakland.

The Luo family caravan slowly halted before the gate. Several city guards, gripping their weapons, approached and began slowly circling the carriages.

Entry inspection was mandated by clear regulations in every city. First, to prevent wanted criminals from entering; second, to thwart demonic spies; and third, to check for illegal merchandise.

The city guards circled the caravan, their initial smiles quickly replaced by grim expressions. Strictly enforcing entry checks had become a source of petty income for the gate guards through extorting the caravans.

Merchants valued harmony for profit and dared not offend the gate soldiers. Otherwise, the guards could claim a thorough inspection would take three days, or ten days, providing any excuse necessary for delays. If they tried to leave before the inspection finished, it implied guilt, suggesting cargo issues, leading to even greater trouble.

Over time, merchants grew accustomed to it, offering a small bribe upon seeing the gate guards to swiftly dismiss them. They even coined a saying: The Great Demon King is easier to handle than the Petty Undead.

The "Petty Undead" referred to these gate guards; perhaps they lacked fighting prowess on the battlefield, but they were experts at blackmail and extortion.

"You people in the carriages! Get out!" The squad leader, leading the gate guards, drew his saber with an ill tone and repeatedly struck Fabredis's carriage. Several fresh slash marks immediately appeared on the exterior of the reasonably well-decorated carriage: "I suspect you have contraband in there..."

The arrogant, provocative shouting abruptly ceased. A sound of flesh impacting flesh echoed from the leader's lower abdomen. The man was sent flying backward nearly five meters, rolling on the dusty ground, writhing in agony, curled into a ball.

"Hateful Yongliu City, one of my most despised places," Fabredis retracted his kicking foot as the surrounding gate guards rushed forward, drawing their blades and raising their spears. He frowned, looking up at the city plaque above the gate. "Just arrived, and already encountering such scoundrel business!"

Attacking a city guard was no minor offense anywhere! People near the gate quickly gathered, and soon a path opened in the crowd. Several soldiers quickly dropped to one knee, greeting a middle-aged man emerging from the throng.

His simple long robe was ordinary, but the pendant hanging from his waist was quite plain. However, the magic crest on his chest and the long sword at his hip all indicated that this man, appearing to be in his early fifties with an air of innate superiority, was no commoner.

Dual cultivator of Magic and Martial Arts! Ganjin was inwardly startled, then his gaze shifted to the three figures behind the middle-aged man. One looked barely twenty-something, radiating an untamed aura. A long sword hung at his waist, and even judging only by the hilt through the scabbard, it was clearly a Dou Bing! Furthermore, it was not a simple Rank One Dou Bing; only drawing it fully would reveal if its quality surpassed Duan Feng Bu Er's spear.

Another wore the official attire of the Zhence Dynasty, showing almost no discernible power but radiating shrewd intelligence in his eyes.

The last figure was stooped and hunched, clad in a dark blue magic robe. His staff was intricately carved with dense magic formations, and an egg-sized, fiery red magic crystal was embedded at the tip.

No need for spiritual probing or physical testing; the sheer expense of the staff indicated that this mage, with his ruddy nose and ill-defined eyebrows, appearing to be in his early sixties, possessed formidable magical strength. Otherwise, his staff would have long since been stolen and sold for money.

"What matter has caused the Guardian of Oakland, Lord Fabredis, such fury?" The middle-aged man, recognizable by the symbols of a dual Magic/Martial cultivator, glanced at the gate soldier on the ground. "Blind idiot, extorting someone without checking their identity! Lord Fabredis is one of the former Three Heroes of the War Hall, once the Vice President of the Torrent Fortress. Even if you violated Imperial Law, killing you on the spot wouldn't bring anyone to your defense."

Ganjin sensed that Fabredis's demeanor had softened considerably since the middle-aged man appeared. On that day, while showing outward respect to City Lord Sabonis, Fabredis inwardly made it clear he held Sabonis in contempt. Here, at the city gate, although Fabredis looked at the dual cultivator with disdain, Ganjin, through instinct, sensed Fabredis maintaining a cautious stance toward the man.

Since meeting Fabredis, this was the first time Ganjin had seen such an attitude from him, making Ganjin curious about the man's background.

"Li Deyoke, I am the Guardian of Oakland. Today I am escorting the Luo family of Oakland on a visit to Yongliu. If someone draws a blade against my people from Oakland, naturally I will offer protection."

Fabredis walked slowly back toward the carriage and whispered to Ganjin inside, "This man is the City Lord of Yongliu. He looks young, doesn't he? He's actually seventy, one of the few in Yongliu City to manifest a Dou Soul, and he's also skilled in magic. He's over twenty years my senior, considered a genius of his generation."

Ganjin nodded subtly. If they truly entered the Conquest War Academy, they would reside in Yongliu for a significant period, so knowing who the City Lord was seemed necessary.

"That old mage beside him, don't let his sixty-something appearance fool you; he's nearly ninety," Fabredis murmured. "Before I left here previously, I heard he had broken through to Archmage and entered the realm of Magus."

The young warrior standing next to Li Deyoke’s eyes lit up upon hearing the words "Luo Family." His gaze swept past Fabredis, landing directly on the carriage, his eagle-like eyes seeming to bore through the door panel to glimpse the situation inside.

"Luo Qingqing?" Li Deyoke's provocative expression instantly changed, replaced by a warm smile. "Is this the Luo Family that previously sold the Mental Impact Mysterious Potion? Guards, seize this traitor who is disrupting the market and violating Imperial law!"

The soldier curled on the ground, whose eyes had previously shone with excitement, now had his expression completely frozen. He never imagined the City Lord would change his attitude faster than turning a page.

Several burly personal guards rushed out from behind Li Deyoke. Ignoring the broken ribs Fabredis had inflicted, they roughly bound the soldier with ropes as if slaughtering a pig, paying no mind to his groans and wails, and dragged him almost bodily toward the inner city.

Impressive! Ganjin watched Li Deyoke with deep admiration. When he first appeared, he was clearly intending to defend his subordinate. Yet, upon hearing it was the Luo Family who sold the Mental Impact Mysterious Potion, his attitude shifted entirely, and he immediately apprehended his own man.

Seeing the City Lord of Yongliu at such a small city gate? Ganjin smiled through a gap in the door. It was highly probable that this City Lord's timely appearance was orchestrated—perhaps he was waiting for the Luo Family to arrive. Perhaps those soldiers who came to extort them were pre-arranged signals. First, the soldiers cause trouble, then the City Lord steps in to resolve it, perhaps earning goodwill. Ganjin became more convinced this was the case. However, Li Deyoke hadn't anticipated Fabredis's presence, which ruined his plan, causing him some frustration, yet he still had to show himself.

But... Ganjin lightly tapped the edge of the carriage window with his finger. This City Lord was clearly a dual cultivator, powerful in both paths, and didn't require the help of a Rank One Mental Impact Mysterious Potion. What was his enthusiasm for them?

Li Deyoke stopped beside the carriage door and neatly adjusted his plain long robe with both hands. "I am Li Deyoke, City Lord of Yongliu. May I ask if the head of the Luo Family would consent to an audience?"

His elegant voice carried the imposing air and demeanor of one in authority, giving the impression that everything was firmly under his control.

Luo Qingqing tightly gripped the folds of her skirt, took a deep, steadying breath, pushed the carriage door open, and stepped out. She had anticipated a situation like this before their arrival, though she had expected the other major powers, such as the Magic Guild, to be involved, not the City Lord himself.

When the carriage door opened, the people standing outside collectively gasped upon seeing Luo Qingqing emerge in her light blue floral dress. Almost no one had expected the head of the Luo Family to be a woman, let alone such a young one. Even Li Deyoke, who knew Luo Qingqing's gender beforehand, couldn't help but brighten, his arrogance receding slightly, replaced by a measure of refined gentlemanly courtesy. "I truly did not expect the head of the Luo Family to be so young and beautiful."