“For instance…” Fabredis paused for a moment, pieced together a few points, and said, “For instance, Qian Jin. He just beat up Lei Wei, the third son of the Lei family.”

“What?” Mu Guiwuxin turned his head, staring at Qian Jin in shock. Didn’t this young man just arrive in Yongliu City today? How could he have already beaten someone up?

“It’s nothing serious,” Fabredis said dismissively. “I estimate he probably just broke three or four ribs and suffered some internal bleeding injuries.”

“Seven,” Qian Jin interjected, correcting the count. When it came to kicking someone and breaking ribs, he was absolutely certain; if he said seven, there wouldn't be only six.

Truly a young man who attracts trouble, Mu Guiwuxin silently praised, this kid is fierce! He just entered the city and struck a descendant of the Lei family, one of the Eight Great Factions. The Lei family, known for their protectiveness and quickness to capitalize on any advantage, certainly wouldn't let this go easily. They would undoubtedly use this incident as an opportunity to cause trouble and demand increased benefits.

“And…”

At the mention of another issue, Mu Guiwuxin’s eyelid twitched. Things usually mentioned earlier were the less critical ones; the later they were mentioned, the more important they were. Beating up Lei Wei was severe enough—what else could there be?

“Just now, Xiu Sidake brought people over,” Fabredis said, gesturing toward Luo Qingqing. “The result was that he demanded a hug as a greeting from this girl, but the problem is, this girl is Qian Jin’s fiancée…”

Mu Guiwuxin’s eyes brightened upon seeing Luo Qingqing. As the Guild Master of the Raging Torrent Stronghold, he had seen many beauties, but one as stunning as Luo Qingqing was rare indeed. Xiu Sidake was an old lecher who frequented the pleasure quarters; it would be strange if he didn't get any improper ideas upon seeing such a beautiful girl.

“So…” Fabredis clapped Qian Jin on the shoulder. “This kid directly blocked Xiu Sidake and chewed him out, sending him away in a rage.”

Mu Guiwuxin couldn't help but reassess Qian Jin. To be involved in both the Demon-Subduing Battle and the Blacksmith Master incident was already impressive, but to dare confront someone like Xiu Sidake, the head of the Mages’ Guild, showed true courage.

Offending two of the Eight Great Factions of Yongliu City in a single day—this young man was truly formidable.

“Since it’s done, then it’s done,” Mu Guiwuxin waved his hand nonchalantly. “We warriors are straightforward folk; we do something, and we dare to own up to it. Forget whether you’re a Blacksmith Master or not—once you join my Raging Torrent Stronghold, you are one of us. Outsiders can try to squeeze our wages, but if they try to lay a hand on someone from the Stronghold, they’ll have to answer to the blades in our hands!”

Qian Jin realized that this leader of the Raging Torrent Stronghold was entirely to his liking.

“Is that so?” A voice laden with concealed anger drifted from outside the lively courtyard.

Mu Guiwuxin’s thick, long, dense eyebrows arched as his eyes fixed on the doorway with an equally defiant glint: “The Patriarch of the Lei family, Lei Guangri Yue.”

“Indeed!”

Lei Guangri Yue, slightly lean, stepped slowly through the doorway, wearing a green samurai uniform with a long, cold-edged sword hanging at his waist. A powerful aura began to emanate from him, expanding, and expanding, and expanding. Qian Jin immediately felt the oppressive might from a distance.

“Qian Jin, is it? The First Guardian of the Luo Family?” Lei Guangri Yue scrutinized Qian Jin with his grayish-brown eyes, nodding slightly to maintain the etiquette and bearing of a Patriarch. Suddenly, his expression shifted as if the sky were collapsing and the earth splitting, murderous intent flickering frequently in his eyes: “My son did wrong, you could have protested to me. I, Lei Guangri Yue, never play favorites and would certainly have given you an explanation. But you attacked directly? I’m not dead yet; I don’t need others to teach my son lessons.”

As Lei Guangri Yue spoke, surging Battle Qi erupted directly from his body, climbing and twisting continuously, faintly coalescing into a giant, indistinct shadow—a Battle Soul! Qian Jin felt an immense pressure, as tangible as solid matter, bearing down on him. His brow furrowed slightly, but he released no Battle Qi, enduring the crushing momentum of the aura.

Lei Guangri Yue’s Battle Qi continued to climb and climb, like the collapse and impact of a substantial mountain. A faint surprise and confusion flickered in his eyes. How old is this child? He isn’t some Bloodline Warrior; at best, he’s only reached the level of a Demon-Subduing Warrior. Yet, he stands firm against my aura without retreating an inch?

“I’m not dead either,” Qian Jin replied, his expression unchanged as he faced Lei Guangri Yue. The mindset forged by years of relentless fighting was already harder than steel; how could he be subdued by Lei Guangri Yue’s aura? “Someone insulted my parents right in front of me. If I hadn't killed him on the spot, he’d consider himself lucky…”

“Is that so?” Lei Guangri Yue took another step forward, and the pressure of his aura instantly intensified. Qian Jin’s internal Battle Qi instinctively prepared to surge for defense.

Clang! A sword cry suddenly echoed throughout the courtyard. In the already tense space, a giant red Battle Qi monster instantly soared upward—a burning, scarlet Battle Qi taking the form of a wolf’s head on a man’s body. The heat caused the courtyard air temperature to soar, instantly suppressing Lei Guangri Yue’s aura completely.

“Lei Guangri Yue, do you think I’m dead?” The giant, solid Battle Soul behind Fabredis roared toward the heavens, and the Tianlu Talisman in his hand rang out under the impact of the Battle Soul’s power, with red Battle Qi dancing and enveloping the blade.

Qian Jin felt the pressure before him vanish instantly, and Lei Guangri Yue’s expression darkened further.

“Fabredis…” Lei Guangri Yue sucked in a cold breath through his teeth, his eyes, once filled with naked killing intent, now held a measure of anger and caution. During his years in Yongliu City, this member of the Battle Hall’s former Three Heroes had lived with extreme impunity. Many contemporary warriors and mages had been beaten by his own hand, and even the older generation of warrior-mages had generally avoided provoking him back then.

Fabredis—an unstable magical element, a failure of magic ready to explode at any moment.

Although this evaluation hadn't been used often in Yongliu City these past years, it didn't mean the current Patriarch of the Lei family, Lei Guangri Yue, would forget it.

Lei Guangri Yue desperately wanted to rush home and hang Lei Wei up for a thrashing. Wasn't he supposed to be just a Bloodline Warrior retainer at the sixth or seventh level of Demon Subjugation? Why hadn't anyone mentioned that Fabredis would also be here beforehand?

“Fabredis, this matter does not concern you. I didn’t see you just now and failed to greet you in time; I will apologize later,” Lei Guangri Yue lowered his posture significantly when addressing Fabredis. “However, the matter of my son being beaten today must be resolved! Otherwise, people will think my Lei family is easily bullied, and how will my Lei family survive in Yongliu City in the future?”

Mu Guiwuxin could deeply understand Lei Guangri Yue’s feelings. If this happened to him, and a warrior from the Raging Torrent Stronghold was carried back beaten, he would likely erupt in similar rage and charge out with his battle-axe to find the assailant.

What talk of family demeanor, what talk of a powerhouse’s bearing? Those were merely things conjured by bards in their imaginations.

Bearing? If one truly acted according to the high standards poets describe—smiling faintly when one’s child is beaten, citing senior status as an unsuitable reason to fight—then by tomorrow, some audacious soul might just come and slay his son outright.

Genuine power struggles are always cruel and bloody! Only when your fist is big enough, only when your influence is strong enough, can you inspire fear and caution! How do you make people afraid? If you have strength, people fear you? No, no! Unless you possess the kingly aura of the True Dragon Subjugation Emperor, making even Ultimate Bloodline Warriors pledge loyalty.

Otherwise! There is only one path: fight and kill! Ensure that anyone who acts must first consider the repercussions from the opposing side’s backing faction.

This is the simplest, yet most realistic rule! If Lei Guangri Yue didn't come today, if he didn't react to this incident at all, others would come knocking tomorrow.

Why did the Fakel Family decline? Because the Patriarch at the time was not sufficiently resolute. Every time an incident occurred, they only allowed the family spokesperson to issue statements: the family expresses serious protest, the family expresses strong protest, the family will conduct solemn negotiations.

When this happens too often, who takes a family that only knows how to use its mouth seriously? The final outcome is naturally decline.

“What kind of account do you expect the Raging Torrent Stronghold to give you?” Mu Guiwuxin moved his massive, bear-like body to stand directly in front of Qian Jin. Never mind that Qian Jin was now the hope for the Raging Torrent Stronghold’s rise; even if he were just an ordinary warrior in the Stronghold, the Guild Master could only do one thing: take the blow! If the Guild Master refused to stand firm today, tomorrow the warriors would lose faith in the Guild, quit, or join other factions.

Most warriors are straightforward people; they know they will only suffer more losses by joining other factions. Mu Guiwuxin had witnessed too many such incidents and didn't want other warriors to suffer; whether this was idealism or a foolish adherence, maintaining the Raging Torrent Stronghold for so many years was for this very reason.

“The Raging Torrent Stronghold?” Lei Guangri Yue paused slightly. How had this matter gotten entangled with the Raging Torrent Stronghold? Although the Stronghold hadn't been as fierce in recent years due to Fabredis’s absence, it was still one of the Eight Great Factions, and a real fight would be troublesome.

“That’s right!” Mu Guiwuxin looked down at Lei Guangri Yue, his absolute physical advantage creating a unique imposing presence. “This kid Qian Jin has already signed the application to join the Raging Torrent Stronghold, and I, the Guild Master, personally approved it. He is now an official member of our Raging Torrent Stronghold. Your son was beaten, and the Lei family can’t survive in Yongliu? Does that mean the warriors of my Raging Torrent Stronghold can be slaughtered by you casually? If that’s the case, I might as well submit an application to the General Guild to dissolve us!”