A brief moment of eye contact only deepened Qian Zhanxuan's curiosity regarding Qian Jin. If the movement had been surprising, then the sheer force of will displayed was even more astonishing. Although he hadn't unleashed his full pressure, the fact that the young man could withstand it was utterly inexplicable! The Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline warriors in the distance were merely brushed by the lingering shockwave, yet their bodies trembled far more violently than his own; they had to manifest their Nine-Headed Serpent combat forms just to keep from collapsing onto the ground.

"Young man, release the Qian family disciple."

Qian Zhanxuan’s tone was level, devoid of any sharp command, yet it carried the weight of an unyielding, condescending directive.

There was no negotiation, no inquiry into the reason, no mention of consequences for release or refusal. He simply stated: "Release the Qian family disciple."

"Patriarch, release Qian Wuqing, and may I take my father and friend with me?" Qian Jin's arm trembled slightly, forcing his grip to tighten on the hand that had nearly slipped upon hearing the command. He forced his head up to meet Qian Zhanxuan’s gaze. The Qian family would not pretend nothing had happened just because Duan Fengbuer and the others hadn't intervened.

, Fisherman. Qian Jin, having been born into the Qian family, understood this principle far too well.

"Qian Wuqing?" Qian Zhanxuan’s gaze shifted to Qian Wuqing. "Your name is Qian Wuqing? Your defeat this time has tarnished the glory of the Qian family. Go to the Elder of Enforcement later to receive your punishment."

At this life-or-death moment, Qian Wuqing’s awakening process had been violently interrupted. He glared hatefully at Qian Jin and quickly answered, "Yes, Patriarch."

"Father?" Qian Zhanxuan then turned his attention back to Qian Jin. "Which of the elders is your father?"

"Pa... Patri... Patriarch..."

Qian Cheng shakily raised his head to look at Qian Zhanxuan, then abruptly spat out a mouthful of blood. Just a simple glance, and a man without any cultivation spat blood.

"You?" Qian Zhanxuan looked at the attire on Qian Cheng, which bore the Qian family emblem. "A member of the Qian family?"

"Yes... yes..." Qian Cheng lowered his head, his knees buckling toward the ground. Duan Fengbuer quickly reached out and caught him, preventing him from kneeling under Qian Zhanxuan’s pressure. "Qian Cheng, the Qian family's stable hand..."

"You are Qian Cheng?" Qian Zhanxuan’s eyebrows twitched slightly, and his gaze moved to Qian Jin. "Then you are Qian Jin?"

Qian Jin nodded silently, somewhat surprised that the Patriarch knew his name.

Qian Wuchen’s eyes showed a hint of schadenfreude. In the last thousand years of the Qian family, only two people had left after failing their Spirit King bloodline awakening. Under such circumstances, even the Patriarch would remember the names of such individuals.

Qian Zhanxuan’s eyes widened with further surprise. When he first heard that someone had chosen to leave the family because of a failed bloodline awakening under his leadership as Patriarch, he had noted down Qian Jin’s name. He hadn't expected that three years later, this very young man who failed the Spirit King bloodline awakening would return to the Qian family and actually defeat the Spirit King bloodline warrior, Qian Wuqing.

"Qian Jin, Qian Cheng..." Qian Zhanxuan's gaze returned to Qian Cheng, carrying a faint, almost weary sigh. "What is going on with this family? Many years ago, a young man named Qian Zheng left the Qian family after failing his bloodline awakening. Who would have thought that years later, this Qian Jin would make the same choice?"

"And yet... and yet, Qian Zheng's older brother was named Qian Cheng—Qian Jin's actual uncle!" Qian Zhanxuan’s lips curled into a strange smile. Was there a lineage of defiance in Qian Cheng's bloodline?

"Patriarch, that's right! He is that Qian Jin who presumptuously left the Qian family three years ago!" Qian Wuji suddenly shouted excitedly. "It’s this Qian Jin! His uncle also left our Qian family many years ago! This entire branch seems to be growing rebellious roots..."

Uncle? Qian Jin paused, turning his head to look at his father.

"Shut up." Qian Zhanxuan frowned suddenly, a look of disgust crossing his face. He flicked his finger out casually, and Qian Wuji’s sternum instantly caved in, as if struck by a heavy hammer. The sound of fracturing bone echoed simultaneously as he spat blood and was sent flying backward.

At that precise moment, Qian Jin felt an incomparably strong, razor-sharp Dou Qi strike toward him! With almost no time for consideration, he could no longer hold onto Qian Wuqing’s head with his gripping hand. Instead, he slapped his hands together, unleashing the Earth-Shattering Slash to collide head-on with the invisible Dou Qi!

A sharp, crisp explosion roared out in the air. Qian Jin’s feet were rooted to the ground, but the force of the Dou Qi propelled him skidding backward over ten meters, carving two deep grooves into the earth before he finally stopped retreating. The fabric on his arms had been torn to shreds by the friction of the collision and fluttered away in tatters.

Qian Jin's chest heaved violently, and his hands trembled uncontrollably. A layer of crystal-clear sweat coated his arms.

Terrifying, a truly formidable expert! More terrifying than Fabridis! Qian Jin felt as if his shoulders were about to give out completely. This was the gulf between heaven and earth!

After a brief pause, Qian Jin's chest seemed to collapse inward, and he uncontrollably spewed out a mouthful of scalding, bright red blood. His legs shook ceaselessly, and with a thud, he collapsed onto his knees. The bones in his arms let out several sharp cracking sounds.

A casual strike from a distance—this was the tangible demonstration of the disparity in power!

"Wild for three years, and you've forgotten the Qian family rules? You dare negotiate terms with the Patriarch without even kneeling?"

Qian Zhanxuan stood with his hands behind his back, looking down calmly at Qian Jin, though a wave of surprise rippled through him internally.

This strike had been meticulously calculated to kill the target! Yet, it only managed to force the man to his knees, break both his arms, and make him vomit blood? What had this person learned to make him slightly stronger than predicted? Perhaps Qian Wuqing’s loss wasn't entirely undeserved.

Qian Zhanxuan slightly raised his eyelids, finally giving Qian Jin a proper look. "Since you have returned, do not leave again. Enter the Qian Family's Combat Arts Hall and serve as a low-ranking First-Level Deacon. Speak with the Elder of the Combat Arts Hall regarding your experiences and knowledge gained during these past years."

First-Level Deacon? The Combat Arts Hall? Qian Wuchen suspected he had misheard. This fellow who ran back to the Qian family gates and beat someone up was actually being assigned to the Combat Arts Hall? While only a First-Level Deacon, it was still an official position!

Even the Great Elder of the Outer Court of the Qian family would have to bow to someone holding this post! It was a position of true Inner Court status, and historically, only bloodline warriors who had awakened their lineage power were eligible to hold it.

"Thump, thump, thump..."

Duan Fengbuer was momentarily careless, and Qian Cheng wrenched himself free, kneeling on the ground. His forehead struck the stone repeatedly with dull thuds, drawing blood. "Thank you, Patriarch, thank you, Patriarch. I thank you for your grace on behalf of my son..."

Qian Zhanxuan nodded slightly, a faint smile touching his lips.

"But..." Qian Cheng’s tone suddenly shifted. "Patriarch, according to family rules, when Qian Jin left the Qian family that day, he ceased to be a disciple of the family and is therefore ineligible to enter the Combat Arts Hall. I request the Patriarch withdraw this order. My son is unworthy; he cannot bear such a great honor."

Qian Zhanxuan’s smiling face froze slightly. He looked in astonishment at Qian Cheng, who was repeatedly kowtowing on the ground. Such a stable hand actually dared to...

"My son is unworthy, my son is unworthy..." Qian Cheng kowtowed like pounding garlic, refusing to look up at Qian Zhanxuan, repeating only the phrase "My son is unworthy." The pirated website is advertising for me again.

"Dad..."

Qian Jin struggled to steady his trembling, weak legs and walked toward Qian Cheng.

Qian Cheng only continued to kowtow. No matter what, he had to refuse Qian Zhanxuan's "gift." Such a "gift" must never be accepted. His son had finally carved out a small world of his own outside; if he were trapped in the Qian family, which only valued bloodline warriors, he would be ruined!

This "gift" was nothing more than an attempt to siphon off his son's secret methods for becoming stronger! Qian Cheng kowtowed repeatedly.

Every year, the Qian family sent disciples who had awakened their power to major war academies for further study. This wasn't merely to have them find their own retainers and expand the Qian family's influence.

Besides retainers, the Qian family disciples who awakened their bloodline power were also sent out to see if the teachers at the various academies had researched any new Dou Qi secret techniques. Even incomplete, exploratory Dou Qi techniques were noted down to be brought back to the family for refinement, to see if they could improve the family’s bloodline cultivation methods.

There were many clever people in the world; only by gathering the insights of the clever from all regions could one progress. This wasn't just the Qian family's philosophy; it was the common understanding among other bloodline warriors and families.

The teachers at higher academies might not possess the absolute strongest cultivation, but they often held surprisingly unique insights into Dou Qi. Such research-oriented talents mostly emerged from the academies rather than the major bloodline noble houses.

Having developed their own unique pride, they rarely pledged allegiance to any specific family, preferring to pursue their ideals within the academies.

A mere initial-level Inner Court Deacon in exchange for a secret technique that allowed a common person to defeat a bloodline warrior over a certain period—this was too profitable a transaction! Qian Cheng suddenly felt a hand grasp his shoulder, realizing Qian Jin was gritting his teeth, sweat beading on his forehead, using his two broken arms to prop up his shoulders, stopping himself from kowtowing further.

Qian Zhanxuan’s expression shifted repeatedly. Allowing a person who had left the family, and moreover one of common warrior status, to enter the Inner Court as a deacon was a grace equivalent to an imperial decree; yet, they still dared to refuse? If that was the case...

"What? Heh heh..." Duan Fengbuer trembled as he spoke, his words laced with icy mockery. "It was merely a dispute between juniors. Your Qian family juniors were beaten because they were inadequate, so now the elders must step in? Are adults bullying children? Is this the Spirit King bloodline, one of the Three Ultimate Awakening bloodlines?"

Qian Zhanxuan’s face suddenly darkened. The thumb of his right hand, already moving to strike, paused mid-air.

End of Chapter.