The barbarians were different; even children barely ten years old were born warriors! When war came, they would drop their herding whips, pick up battle-axes and bows, and immediately become competent fighters!

Uniting humans, demons, and barbarians? That sentiment wasn't unique to Lucifer Yuan Xunyu; the most outstanding emperors from the Demon Race, the Zhence Dynasty, and even the Khans of the barbarian tribes had all voiced the same grand ambition throughout history.

It was as if the God of Stars deliberately teased these emperors, for whenever an exceptionally brilliant monarch arose in the Zhence Dynasty, the Lucifer Dynasty would invariably produce an equally brilliant Archdemon King, and the barbarians seemed to spontaneously produce a remarkable Khan.

Such eras were times when warriors shone brightly, but they were also the bloodiest ages of warfare, rendering unification an impossibility.

"The one to unify the Three Races will undoubtedly be our Zhence Dynasty!" Duan Feng Bu'er clenched his fist, giving it a forceful shake. "In this age, because of my existence, the Zhence Dynasty will gain a warrior who has achieved the ultimate awakening of bloodline power! Furthermore, I will suppress the three established ultimate bloodline warriors to become the strongest." Yuan Xunyu let out a cold laugh; such boasts had been uttered endlessly by warriors without ultimate bloodline awakenings ever since those powers first appeared! It was just like the Fen Tu Family always claiming they would challenge the bloodline warriors—occasionally, one or two might emerge who could defeat an ordinary bloodline warrior, but they could never overcome the Top Ten Bloodlines.

Let alone challenging the ultimate bloodlines. Yet, the Fen Tu Family’s slogan had never changed.

"Speaking of awakening bloodline power..." Qian Jin habitually slapped grains of sand from his clothes. "Bu'er, aren't you about to awaken again? Let's head to the Nine-Headed Serpent Bloodline Family first, complete your bloodline awakening, and then we can return to this Ancient Desolate Sand Sea until the day of my agreed meeting with the Qian family." "Now?" Duan Feng Bu'er showed hesitation. "The Nine-Headed Serpent Bloodline Family considers itself the foremost among the Top Ten Bloodline Warriors, second only to the families possessing the three ultimate bloodline powers. I fear..." "It doesn't matter; everything can be negotiated." Qian Jin shook the sand from his hair. "The more powerful the family, the more rigid they are, but without meeting the standard, you have no chance." Duan Feng Bu'er fell silent, looking unenthusiastic about the prospect of going. The Pan family also had extremely strict house rules; unless one changed their surname to Pan, how would the Nine-Headed Serpent Bloodline Family agree to help an outsider?

Lucifer Yuan Xunyu observed Qian Jin curiously. Did this young man truly not know? Or was he overconfident? The Nine-Headed Serpent Bloodline, hailed as the Serpent Emperor Bloodline, possessed a pride and glory akin to royalty; they had never conceded even to the ultimate bloodlines. Their stubbornness was etched into their very blood. How could that be negotiated?

"Anything can be negotiated," Qian Jin clapped Duan Feng Bu'er on the shoulder. "Trust me! Anything can be negotiated." Fen Tu Kuangge narrowed his eyes, watching Qian Jin, smiling faintly. Duan Feng Bu'er was letting worry cloud his judgment. The few sources of water in the Battle Realm capable of triggering a Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline awakening were useless to other bloodline warriors, but they were treasures that even an entire city could not buy for the Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline warriors!

No matter how strict the house rules, they were established for the sake of interest! When the benefit is great enough to break the rules, the rules become nothing more than toilet paper—used and discarded.

The words Qian Zhanxuan spoke that day still echoed in their minds. In the days to come, it wouldn't just be Qian Jin facing challenges in the Qian family; Duan Feng Bu'er’s arrogant claims had drawn attention. Now that Qian Jin was invincible at the Demon Subduing Warrior realm, the truly endangered one was Duan Feng Bu'er.

"Let's go! Target: the Pan family's territory, Infinite City in Qianzhou!" Qianzhou, to the Qian family—or at least to outsiders—was like an independent small kingdom!

Although the Qian family did not interfere with Qianzhou's economy, and tax matters still adhered to the Zhence Dynasty's laws, many people believed this was merely because the Qian family couldn't be bothered to manage such trivialities.

Of course, not everyone believed Qianzhou was the domain controlled by the Elf King Bloodline Family, the Qians. At least in Infinite City within Qianzhou, they never conceded that the Elf King Bloodline Qians controlled the entire prefecture.

The Top Ten Bloodline Warriors of the Zhence Dynasty were all granted fiefdoms by His Majesty the Emperor. The Pan family, one of the Top Ten Bloodlines, had Pan City assigned to them, which lay within the territory of the Elf King Bloodline Qian family, not too far from Qian City.

Setting off from the eastern edge of Qian City, it took just over a day’s ride on fast horses to reach the territory of the Nine-Headed Serpent Bloodline Family—a city renamed Infinite City by the current Pan family head.

The towering city walls possessed a unique, indescribable grandeur when compared to the Qian family’s city, which had none. Flying atop the battlements, besides the banner of the Zhence Dynasty, was another large flag bearing the design of a Nine-Headed Serpent, snapping loudly in the wind.

"This is Infinite City," Duan Feng Bu'er looked up at the distant city gate. "Rumor has it that when the Pan family head, Pan Xingfeng, was first granted this city, it already had walls this high. Some clan members suggested tearing them down to show they were no less than the Qians, but Pan Xingfeng forbade it."

"'How much manpower and resources were expended to build these walls? How much to tear them down? Since they exist, let them stand. Walls cannot confine the glory of the Nine-Headed Serpent!'" Duan Feng Bu'er recited Pan Xingfeng's words from back then, his eyes showing a touch of reverence. "He truly deserves the title of the most outstanding head of the Nine-Headed Serpent Bloodline Family."

Qian Jin turned to look at Duan Feng Bu'er’s wistful expression and nodded repeatedly. The Qian family's records were also filled with admiration when speaking of Pan Xingfeng—a true master among men! Both enemies, rivals, and friends would offer a fair assessment.

"Let's go! I hope we have the chance this time to witness the demeanor of the current Pan family head, Pan Hongji." Qian Jin spurred his horse first toward the gate, followed closely by Duan Feng Bu'er with a joyous whoop. Lucifer Yuan Xunyu gripped her reins with slight tension, even with the magic device concealing her identity; facing the top experts of the Zhence Dynasty brought an ineffable nervousness.

The massive city gates were carved on both sides with exquisite Nine-Headed Serpent patterns. The soldiers guarding the gates wore armor similarly engraved with discernible Nine-Headed Serpent markings. One warrior, who looked no older than fifteen, even had a golden Nine-Headed Serpent insignia inlaid on his armor.

A Pan family disciple? Duan Feng Bu'er couldn't help but scrutinize the young warrior at the gate. Awakening the Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline power at fifteen! That was the Pan family rule: any disciple who awakened their bloodline would receive a golden Nine-Headed Serpent insignia.

Back when Duan Feng Bu'er awakened his Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline power, he too had received a golden badge from the Pan family, but he had thrown it straight out of his room at the time.

"Nine-Headed Serpent Bloodline?" The fifteen-year-old youth looked at Duan Feng Bu'er with confusion in his eyes, sniffing the air forcefully, his brow furrowing with further bewilderment. He waved away a Nine-Headed Serpent soldier who was about to perform the routine inspection. "You are an awakened warrior of the Nine-Headed Serpent Bloodline! Where is your insignia?"

A flicker of surprise crossed Qian Jin's eyes. Before a bloodline warrior uses their awakened power, outsiders couldn't tell if the power was active. Yet this young guard, a Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline warrior, had seen straight through Duan Feng Bu'er at a glance today? Then perhaps... Qian Jin glanced worriedly at Yuan Xunyu behind him. She was of the Lucifer royal family of the Demon Race. If she were discovered, they might not even need Pan Hongji to act; they wouldn't expect to leave with this demoness.

"The bloodline ability you awakened is..." Duan Feng Bu'er, still astride his horse, stared at the young warrior on the ground in surprise. "Is it...?"

"Pan Mengzhi, from the Pan family," the young warrior punched his chest forcefully. "First level awakening, Seven Demon Subduing Battles, ability is..." Pan Mengzhi's cheek showed a fleeting shadow of bleakness, and his full-chested voice turned slightly weak. "I can distinguish whether a serpentine bloodline warrior has awakened their power."

Duan Feng Bu'er pursed his lips. To reach Seven Demon Subduing Battles at such a young age! When he was this age, he was a sniveling nobody looked down upon. If not for this useless special ability, perhaps he would be receiving focused cultivation from the Pan family now?

Distinguishing if a serpentine bloodline warrior has awakened? This ability, other than helping to understand one's own people or warriors of the same type, was utterly useless. No wonder he was assigned to guard duty for experience.

"Duan Feng Bu'er, Nine-Headed Serpent Bloodline, first level awakening, peak of Eighth Demon Subduing Battle..." Duan Feng Bu'er sighed. "Special ability: classified." Classified? Qian Jin suddenly realized he genuinely didn't know what special ability Duan Feng Bu'er gained during his first awakening.

"Duan Feng Bu'er?" Pan Mengzhi’s voice suddenly sharpened and rose. "You are that naturally awakened one? The Duan Feng Bu'er who threw the family insignia into the cesspit?" Qian Jin smiled at Duan Feng Bu'er; it seemed he was quite famous! Even such a young bloodline warrior knew of a warrior without the Pan surname like Duan Feng Bu'er.

Eighth Demon Subduing Battle? The few Nine-Headed Serpent soldiers guarding the gate eyed Duan Feng Bu'er with disdain. Eighth Demon Subduing Battle at this age? In a small town in the countryside, perhaps he'd be looked up to, but in Infinite City?

This was the Pan family stronghold. This level of ability, and he dared to throw away the Pan family insignia?

Seventh Demon Subduing Battle! Qian Jin looked at the young Pan Mengzhi and nodded slightly. This was the true terror of bloodline warriors! Already at Seventh Demon Subduing Battle at such a young age! The earlier one awakened, the stronger they were among their peers.

Pan Mengzhi slightly adjusted his black metal helmet, looking up at Duan Feng Bu'er’s refined face. "Why are you here this time? Are you applying to return to the Pan family?" Duan Feng Bu'er dismounted and shook his head. "No, I wish to see the Family Head." See the Family Head? Pan Mengzhi suspected his ears were deceiving him. The head of the Nine-Headed Serpent Bloodline wasn't someone one could simply request an audience with. Even a Pan family child who had awakened their bloodline power couldn't just casually meet the head.

I had a dream the night before last, where I, Mao Ni, and Skeleton Elf were in a room, and Mao Ni generously told me, 'Tonight, Skeleton Elf is mine!' Then... I woke up... If you found this dream interesting, please cast your monthly votes!