Li Deyu exhaled softly. This young man named Qian Jin was even stronger than the rumors suggested! He wondered if the youth had held back any trump cards during the recent fight, but one thing was certain: in the near future, Qian Jin would become the most dazzling figure among all the young warriors in the entire Yongliu Province!

However… Li Deyu shook his head helplessly. The death of the Lei family patriarch was a massive incident. Even if they avoided an outright war with the Torrent Battle Fortress, and even if Fabredes became a Half-Saint, the days ahead for the Torrent Battle Fortress would likely become even harder.

Of the eight great powers of Yongliu, no faction was willing to see any one side suddenly swell in influence; rather, they preferred to watch certain powers slowly weaken!

News of Fabredes achieving Sainthood would spread quickly. Li Deyu believed no power would readily accept this fact, much less tolerate the Torrent Battle Fortress rising again due to Fabredes’ ascension.

Li Deyu was certain the Lei family would unite with other major powers to pressure the Torrent Battle Fortress. Even if they couldn't openly provoke the newly-sainted Fabredes, they would use every ounce of pressure to force the Fortress to hand over Qian Jin to satisfy the Lei family’s rage.

A rising star, perhaps not yet fully illuminated, might fall before its ascent was complete? Li Deyu glanced at his son, Hongseyuok, who was still reeling in shock beside him, and smiled faintly. Perhaps this was not entirely bad news for his son.

"In this duel, Qian Jin of the Torrent Battle Fortress is the victor," Li Deyu slowly raised his arm. "Lei Guangriyue violated the rules of the duel and was wrong to interfere uninvited."

Lei Wei slumped like a pile of mud, staring blankly at Qian Jin, who was now turning toward the Torrent Battle Fortress. This person was actually this powerful? Even stronger than the Bloodline Warriors! In the Second Battle of Fumou… his sister had died by this man’s hand.

Seeing Qian Jin approach, Mu Guwuxin quickly stood up and nodded toward Li Deyu on the judges' stand. "City Lord, thank you for your impartial judgment. It’s getting late, you know. We need to eat. The food at the Torrent Battle Fortress is a bit simple, but if you don't mind…"

Li Deyu paused, then a bitter smile flickered across his face. Mu Guwuxin wasn't inviting him to stay for a meal; he was clearly trying to usher him out.

"No, I have a few minor matters to attend to." Li Deyu descended from the judges' stand and leaned toward Fabredes, speaking softly. "Guardian of Aokland, I wonder when you might have time? I shall visit another day to speak with you properly."

Fabredes showed little surprise. Li Deyu had already condensed his Battle Soul, and his ultimate direction naturally pointed towards Sainthood—elevating the Battle Soul to the level of a Saint Soul. However, no ordinary warrior had ever crossed that final step. To see someone achieve it now, showing a bit of goodwill was not unexpected.

"Yes, another day. I will be free. I will certainly visit City Lord Yoke at the City Lord’s Mansion," Fabredes nodded, smiling.

"Very well, I shall take my leave then." Li Deyu walked towards the entrance of the martial field, suddenly stopping to look back at Qian Jin. "Mr. Fabredes, although Lei Guangriyue broke the rules of the duel, this matter likely won't end so simply. If you require my assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to ask. A warrior this young has a promising future; suffering losses is never a good thing."

"Oh?" Fabredes suddenly remembered that defeating Lei Guangriyue did not mean completely overturning the Lei family—a powerful clan that had been entrenched in Yongliu for nearly a thousand years. Moreover, Lei Guangriyue wasn't even the strongest expert in the Lei family; the retired Patriarch Lei Gang was the true powerhouse.

But so what? Fabredes shook his head dismissively. Even if he hadn't achieved Sainthood through Qian Jin’s actions, he wouldn't fear the 'Mad Lion' Lei Gang. As for the Lei family seeking help from the Blacksmiths’ Guild? Or the Alchemists’ Guild? Pressuring the Torrent Battle Fortress? Trying to seize Qian Jin? They would only end up being seized by Qian Jin!

Who was Qian Jin? A Master Blacksmith capable of forging Soul Weapons! Perhaps the youngest Master Blacksmith in the history of the Zhence Dynasty! And wasn't he also an apprentice in Inscription Crafting, and even a mysterious Alchemy apprentice? Fabredes smiled genuinely. "Thank you for the reminder and the offer of help, City Lord. I have received your kindness, and I hope you remember your words today."

Li Deyu nodded politely and turned, departing the Torrent Battle Fortress.

"Father…" Hongseyuok whispered, "Do you truly intend to support the Torrent Battle Fortress?"

"Yes." Li Deyu’s eyes shone with deep contemplation. "I have a persistent feeling that Fabredes achieving Sainthood is not as simple as it seems. I even suspect that Fabredes has encountered a Master Blacksmith capable of forging Soul Weapons. If he truly has such a master behind him—"

Hongseyuok gasped. A Blacksmith capable of forging Soul Weapons—what did that imply? In some respects, such a person could counterbalance the entire Yongliu Blacksmiths' Guild!

If such an individual pledged allegiance to any power, unless the condition was treason, even the ultimate warrior families would consider it with utmost caution. Bloodline Warriors could achieve Sainthood on their own, but if they obtained a suitable Soul Weapon for their breakthrough, they could refine their Battle Soul quality even further.

"No wonder Fabredes dared to kill Lei Guangriyue," Hongseyuok nodded repeatedly, a faint trace of regret flickering in his eyes. "It seems I have no chance of winning Luo Qingqing now."

Li Deyu turned to look at his son and nodded with satisfaction. "You have some sense! That Qian Jin seems to have a special connection with Luo Qingqing. If you had recklessly caused trouble and provoked Qian Jin into a duel, would you have accepted it or refused?"

Hongseyuok’s mind flashed back to the murderous intent in Qian Jin’s eyes when he wielded his blade. His body instinctively shivered, and he shook his head repeatedly. Accepting the duel meant death! Refusing? How could he maintain his standing in Yongliu City in the future?

"If—I mean, if," Li Deyu frowned and narrowed his eyes, "If this Qian Jin manages to survive, his future development might even surpass Fabredes! A person like that has no fundamental conflict of interest with us; there is no need to offend him."

"Surpass Fabredes?" Hongseyuok glanced back at the gate of the Torrent Battle Fortress and shook his head gently. The path of a warrior is never easy. Displaying brilliance early on doesn't guarantee surpassing someone like Fabredes in the long run.

Li Deyu was slightly startled by his son's expression. "You don't believe it?"

"Yes, Father," Hongseyuok replied respectfully. "I still remember the day I began my journey as a warrior. I had many companions who started at the same time. Many of them surpassed me significantly in the beginning, but what about later? As time wore on, those who were ahead of me were all overtaken by me."

"You also said that when you were young and in school, many classmates had much better grades than you," Hongseyuok smiled confidently. "But what happened later? You entered a more advanced War Academy than they did, and now you are the City Lord of Yongliu. And those peers who were stronger than you back then? Where are they now?" Li Deyu revealed a look of deep gratification. The most crucial thing for a warrior is an uncompromising heart. Hongseyuok, even after witnessing Qian Jin's strength, was not completely defeated and could continue to grow.

"Son, Qian Jin is different from those people I, or you, have encountered before," Li Deyu clasped his hands behind his back and walked forward slowly. "Look at him during the fight—those eyes are not merely aggressive; they hold a conviction, the unwavering certainty of someone who has fixed a target and will never waver! That is terrifying. Mu Guwuxin's Torrent Battle Fortress has truly struck gold this time. I wonder how ecstatic he must be feeling right now?"

"Ecstatic? He nearly scared me to death!" Mu Guwuxin slammed a fist hard into Fabredes' chest. "You actually achieved Sainthood? How in the world did you manage that? You are the first ordinary warrior to reach Sainthood! And you, Qian Jin, you are powerful to this degree… the Evil Moon Angel who cultivates both Battle and Demon arts…"

"How did I achieve Sainthood?" Fabredes grinned, glancing around to ensure no outsiders were present, then shifted his gaze to Qian Jin. "This kid used a Saint Moon to forge a Soul Weapon specifically for me, and then… I achieved Sainthood."

Mu Guwuxin's incoming fist froze mid-air. His already wide eyes widened even further, the corners seemingly about to split from the strain, and he stood there, frozen as if afflicted by petrification magic, staring blankly at Qian Jin.

Watching Mu Guwuxin's stunned reaction, Fabredes felt an immense surge of satisfaction. Yes! That’s the expression! That was exactly how he looked when he first witnessed Qian Jin’s capabilities. Mu Guwuxin, one of the Three Heroes of the Battle Hall, a man who had seen countless grand occasions, was behaving like a naive rookie.

Now, the leader of the Warrior Guild of the Torrent Battle Fortress, one of the eight great powers of Yongliu, a man who wouldn't flinch even facing His Majesty the Emperor, or going toe-to-toe with the current Great Demon King in the God and Demon Battlefield, was acting worse than a fledgling beginner.

Qian Jin looked at Mu Guwuxin's shock-induced stupor and sighed softly. "Luck, just luck."

Luck? Upon hearing Qian Jin’s humble words, Mu Guwuxin felt an urge to strangle him. Was there luck involved in forging a Soul Weapon? None of the blacksmiths from the Blacksmiths’ Guild, those men who spent their days intimately familiar with furnaces and hot iron, had ever managed to forge a Soul Weapon through sheer luck!

After a brief, silent grumble, a flash of inspiration struck Mu Guwuxin's mind, and he blurted out: "I've struck it rich!" (Excerpt from an update)

Fabredes shot a contemptuous look at Mu Guwuxin. Has this human-bear’s brain been evolving towards a bear these past few years? He was only just realizing the magnitude of what they had gained!