How could this be? How is this possible? What in the world is happening? Pan Hongqing's mind was a complete jumble. He hadn't been an Outer Hall Elder for a day or two; he had seen all manner of strange things, short only of the undead rumored by the bards. But today... this was even more shocking than seeing a ghoul!

Pan Hongqing secretly pinched his thigh, and the sharp sting of pain clearly confirmed that this was no dream—this was absolute reality.

"You... you all..." Pan Hongqing slowly began to regain a sliver of sense from his shock. "You, what exactly did you encounter today? How could this—"

The three young warriors, who had just awakened the power of the Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline, simultaneously turned their gaze toward the one named Pan Yun... no! Now called Pan Mengyun.

In this generation of the Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline family, if one did not awaken their power, their name remained two characters; if they awakened it, the character 'Meng' (Dream) was added.

"Pan Yun... No! Pan Mengyun." Pan Hongqing's entire focus was fixed on Pan Mengyun, his trembling voice thick with disbelief. "Did you do this?"

Pan Mengyun repeatedly shook his head, his black hair swaying gently behind him. "Not me, and also me. Actually, it should be said that the Qian Jin from the Torrent Fortress who came to see the Family Head today helped me unlock my bloodline power. Then he asked me to find the others... so..."

Torrent Fortress? Qian Jin? The person who requested an audience with the Family Head? Pan Hongqing's facial muscles twitched uncontrollably, his lips smacking together with a dry, rapid pa-pa-pa sound.

A wave of icy coldness rapidly spread through Pan Hongqing's body. His scalp tingled, the hairs on his head stood on end, his limbs grew cold, his heart hammered faster, and his vision began to blur.

It's over! Pan Hongqing felt as if his head had been violently struck by some powerful expert! He had thought this was a complete nobody, yet this person actually caused four more out of the fifty young people who had failed to awaken the Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline power to succeed.

What did this mean? What did this imply? Pan Hongqing’s breathing grew ragged. He had just driven the person away not long ago, effectively offending him. If the Family Head found out... Pan Hongqing felt the world spinning. The current Family Head of the Nine-Headed Serpent, Pan Hongji, was a man of great talent and strategy, hailed as the most outstanding leader of the Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline family since Pan Xingfeng. His own strength rivaled that of Qian Zhanxuan of the Elven King bloodline, and his insight was highly regarded by the current Emperor.

For a Family Head who was intent on forging the Pan family into the strongest bloodline family, if he learned what happened to Pan Mengyun and the other three today... Pan Hongqing shivered violently, the dizziness and blurring in front of his eyes instantly swept away by a chilling dread. The Family Head... would execute people!

Of course, the person he'd kill wouldn't be that Qian Jin. It would be... "Where is Qian Jin?" Pan Hongqing gripped Pan Mengyun's shoulders forcefully, shaking him repeatedly. "Where is he now?"

"They once..." Pan Mengyun showed difficulty, relaying the response that Qian Jin had pre-taught him. "Appeared at the Infinite Fortress."

"Infinite Fortress? That's right!" Pan Hongqing noticed the slightly obedient expressions on the faces of the four young warriors. His old face flushed, realizing he had truly lost control. He immediately calmed his emotions, reverting to his usual lofty demeanor, and stated sternly, "Precisely. Ordinary warriors naturally go to the Warrior's Guild. Come, come, accompany me to the Infinite Fortress."

Leaving the room, Pan Hongqing dared not delay for even a moment. News of one bloodline warrior awakening could reach the Family Head quickly. Four young warriors awakening the Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline power all at once—even if they bypassed normal channels, the Family Head would soon know.

He must find Qian Jin before the Family Head found out! Ignoring the strange, appraising glances of the four young warriors, Pan Hongqing spurred his horse into a mad gallop toward the Infinite Fortress.

Pan Mengyun watched Pan Hongqing's anxious retreating figure and shook his head weakly. Why didn't he do this earlier? Not long ago, he had told them to get out! If they didn't leave, he would beat them with a stick, and if they still refused, he would kill them outright.

"Qian Jin?" Lin Amou rubbed his hazy, sleepy eyes, wiped a bit of drool from the corner of his mouth, and looked blankly at Pan Hongqing. "You mean the warrior from the Torrent Fortress?"

That greedy old dog! Pan Hongqing’s eye cornered him with a cold, disdainful smile. Playing dumb with me? Is this the first time I’ve dealt with you? You want money again, right?

Slap! A silver coin! Pan Hongqing dramatically raised his hand, crossed his arms, and looked down at Lin Amou’s bewildered gaze with a faint, cold smirk curling his lips. "You old dog, you want money, don't you? Take it! Now, can you talk? Make him come out and see me immediately!"

"What is this?" Lin Amou pushed up his reading glasses and squinted hard at the silver coin lying on the counter. If he had seen this earlier, he would certainly have worn a fawning smile. But Qian Jin had just thrown down gold coins, and even a gold brick. This mere silver coin? Sir Elder, perhaps you should take this back to buy candy for your children.

Pan Hongqing stared blankly at Lin Amou. Was this the same Lin Amou who used to bow deeply whenever he saw Pan Hongqing, quickly bending down to pick up even a copper piece off the ground? This was a silver coin!

"You don't recognize what this is?"

"I don't," Lin Amou replied, raising his head and smiling faintly. Qian Jin had given instructions: unless the Family Head specifically sent someone, or if the other party's attitude was impolite, they should be ignored.

"You must be here to make change, Elder?" Lin Amou sighed, reaching into his robe and placing a gold coin next to the silver one. "My apologies, Elder Pan. Here, the smallest denomination we handle is the gold coin."

Pan Hongqing was stunned. How could this be? What was going on today? Even this Infinite Fortress, which was on the verge of bankruptcy, dared to speak to him with such an attitude?

Pan Dianyun gently shook his head and sighed. Elder Pan Hongqing had been an Outer Hall Elder in the Pan family for too long; long enough to truly believe he was the Family Head, forgetting that people outside feared the Pan family, not Pan Hongqing himself! A silver coin? Qian Jin had just slapped down a gold brick not long ago; there was no need to analyze who was more imposing. (Support the tower, click to subscribe and vote.)

Pan Hongqing looked coldly at Lin Amou. This was not the time to squabble with this old dog. The Family Head could receive the news at any moment and summon the four young warriors who had just awakened their bloodline power. That would truly spell trouble.

Hoooo... Haaah... Pan Hongqing took two deep breaths, suppressing his dissatisfaction with Lin Amou. Today, he would spend some money to settle the matter first, and he would deal with this old dog who didn't even know his own surname later, making everyone in Infinite City understand that the prestige of a Pan family elder was not to be trifled with.

"Lin Amou, we've cooperated more than once, haven't we? Haven't we always worked together pleasantly?" Pan Hongqing, uncharacteristically, forced a smile onto his face. Perhaps because smiles were rare, his expression looked stiff. "How about this: name your price. How many gold coins will it take for you to tell me Qian Jin's whereabouts."

Lin Amou looked at Pan Hongqing with a sly smile. Was this the same Elder Pan who always carried himself with the air of an emperor when visiting the Warrior's Guild? What exactly did Qian Jin do to make an Elder like Pan Hongqing lower his stance so dramatically today?

"I don't know," Lin Amou replied again with that same senile smile.

You don't know? The smile on Pan Hongqing's face instantly froze. What was wrong with this old dog today? He offered to meet any price, and he refused?

"Lin Amou."

The stiff smile on Pan Hongqing's face melted away again as he continued smiling. "You must be unhappy that I haven't upheld my promises to you? Look, I brought four young bloodline warriors as witnesses..."

"Elder Pan..." Lin Amou smiled, shaking his head gently. "I truly do not know. Even if you bring other elders from the Pan family to witness, my answer will remain the same: I don't know."

Pan Hongqing was dumbfounded. This old dog shouldn't be unaware of Qian Jin’s location. Could it be that he is deliberately stalling for time? Yes, it must be!

Pan Hongqing snapped back to reality. It must be that this Qian Jin, having been refused an audience, held a grudge and instructed this old dog Lin to deliberately conceal his tracks.

No! A cold sweat broke out on Pan Hongqing's forehead again. He had to get Qian Jin's location as soon as possible; time was running out. If the Family Head found out... Since money wasn't working on this old dog, then!

Pan Hongqing gritted his teeth, the smile rapidly vanishing from his face, replaced by a fierce grimace. Today, even if he offended the Warrior's Guild and faced the General Warrior's Guild demanding an explanation later, he would find out Qian Jin's whereabouts. As long as he learned the location, the Family Head would deal with any issues from the General Warrior's Guild. "Lin, you old dog!" Pan Hongqing slammed his hand onto the desk again, the powerful impact making the ancient, antique desk—already grandfathered in age—shake violently, as if it couldn't withstand the brute force of the impact.

Bang! The sound of flesh hitting wood echoed through the hall, like a heavy hammer striking a person's chest. The long-held authority of Pan Hongqing, built up over years as an Outer Hall Elder, erupted, filling the air.

"Without my patronage, your Infinite Fortress would have collapsed long ago!" Pan Hongqing's fierce eyes were nearly pressed against Lin Amou's face. "Do you believe me if I say I'll tear down this Infinite Fortress of yours?"

"Tear it down?" Lin Amou's cloudy, dazed eyes vanished, replaced by eyes as cold as snow, flashing with a mocking smile. His withered, small body slowly stood up, yet he exuded an incomparably tall presence. "Elder Pan, for the sake of the Fortress, for the lives of the warriors, I could endure! But..."

Lin Amou's dry, wrinkled lips trembled rapidly, his palms pressing down on the desk, shaking his shoulders repeatedly. "Elder Pan, betraying the warriors, violating the creed of honoring their dignity and glory—I will not do it! Although I am just an ordinary old warrior, without your so-called noble bloodline power, I am still a warrior! Before the Stars, my soul, and my warrior's honor and dignity, are no less than yours!"

Pan Hongqing stared dumbly at Lin Amou. This old dog... (To be continued, support the author, support genuine reading!)