Pan Hongji waved his hand dismissively. "That is an internal matter for the Qian family. Even His Majesty the Emperor cannot intervene. If I went, I wouldn't be able to secure anyone. If Qian Zhanxuan handed someone over to me, the outside world would assume he feared me. He knows this consequence, so he would never release anyone."

Qian Jin shrugged his shoulders; what more was there to discuss with the Qian family? There was no need for further words!

If he dared not face the formal challenge set by Qian Zhanxuan, his Warrior’s Heart might shatter, and his path as a warrior could be completely blocked off.

As time passed, Qian Jin understood the Warrior’s Heart more deeply. It was not merely a change in fighting spirit, but the very crystallization of a warrior's will. Every warrior who managed to condense a Heart was unique, and deviating from the will forged when the Heart was created could cause the Heart itself to shatter—let alone achieving a Battle Soul.

The warrior's path allows only for advance, never retreat! This was the will underpinning Qian Jin's Warrior's Heart.

"Are you absolutely certain?" Pan Hongji sighed. "Then, before the duel, you will stay at the Pan family estate. You may utilize any of the Pan family's resources to boost your strength. I personally support your stance against the Qian family."

Qian Jin chuckled and shook his head. The Pan family was indeed an excellent place, possessing vast influence and power—even powerful demons dared not assassinate here easily. However, precisely because of this security, it was too comfortable, suitable for settled life, but not for a blood-drinking warrior.

A faint surprise flickered again in Pan Hongji’s pupils. The Pan family’s reserves of Battle Crystals and Battle Stones were extraordinarily immense. For a warrior, training in seclusion here for a month would be immensely beneficial.

Even if real combat experience was needed, the Pan family could arrange sparring partners of varied strength for targeted practice.

"Thank you for your kindness, Family Head. Once matters here are settled, I have other arrangements to attend to." Qian Jin nodded lightly. Even for parties already cooperating, utilizing the Pan family's Battle Crystals and Stones incurred a debt of obligation.

A debt of obligation could sometimes become a crushing burden, potentially destabilizing the Warrior's Heart. What if Pan Hongji later asked for help persuading Duan Fengbu'er to join the Pan family?

No debts! Qian Jin lightly clenched his fist. He absolutely could not owe this favor! Moreover, the Barren Sand Sea allowed one to constantly smell the scent of death, forever remembering the need to fight for survival.

"This is difficult..." Pan Hongji’s eyes suddenly twitched. "You want to return to the Sand Sea?"

The elders, staring blankly at the potions, were astonished to see Qian Jin nod in affirmation. They spoke in unison, "The Sand Sea? The Barren Sand Sea?"

Both the Qian and Pan families sent warriors who had awakened their bloodline powers to the Sand Sea, accompanied secretly by powerful protectors. This was to teach these newly awakened warriors that awakening was not the end, and that relentless effort was still required afterward.

Qian Jin, going to the Barren Sand Sea like this? The elders stared at him dumbfounded. Clearly, there would be no secret protectors from the Qian or Pan families. Unless he went to a specific, relatively safe zone, this was virtually courting death!

Pan Hongji began to understand why Qian Jin’s fighting strength far surpassed that of ordinary warriors his age—it had been clawed back through staking his life and relying on luck!

But merely staking one's life was not enough! What warrior didn't fight desperately? Yet, to survive while fighting desperately required not only tenacious will but also a measure of luck.

However, luck would not follow one forever. Pan Hongji secretly resolved that this time, he would sneak after Qian Jin into the Barren Sand Sea to see exactly how this young man had been forged to reach such a level.

The remaining nine hundred bottles of potion were quickly distributed. Pan Hongji gently spun a bottle of clear water in his palm. Having already achieved Heaven-Tier Awakening, if this potion proved effective... he might achieve Ultimate Awakening... Each elder also retained a bottle of clear water; no one would refuse the chance for an extra awakening.

Qian Jin smiled and stood up to leave. The matter of allocating the potions among the elders was next, a situation where he, an outsider, should not linger.

"Qian Jin..." Lucifer Flow speeded up, whispering, "You can concoct potions. Can you also concoct one that repels demonic beasts?"

Repel demonic beasts? Qian Jin turned to look at the beautiful Lucifer Flow. The mysterious potions did contain some such formulas, but they only made the beasts dislike the smell and temporarily leave. If the odor lingered in a beast's territory for too long, the beasts might actually become enraged by the scent of the mysterious potion and launch fiercer attacks.

Furthermore, different demonic beasts were repelled by different smells. He wasn't sure which beast this enchantress intended to drive away.

"I..." Lucifer Flow nervously glanced around, lowering her voice and maintaining a mysterious expression. "In the Barren Sand Sea, a Battle Crystal vein was discovered once..."

Qian Jin immediately brought his hand over Lucifer Flow's mouth. Such matters should be discussed in a much more secluded place. Only the stars knew if there were any Pan family spies nearby.

Burning Path Frenzy looked around carefully while walking at the front of the group. Upon entering Sideros’s room and confirming no one was following, he immediately closed the door.

Lucifer Flow shook off Qian Jin’s hand covering her mouth and glared fiercely at him. In all her years, she had never kissed any man, and now this fellow had covered her mouth with his hand! Was that not the same as her kissing this man's hand?

"You..." Lucifer Flow fixed one eye fiercely on Qian Jin. This human ordinary warrior had taken one of her Destruction Demon Eyes, and now he had stolen half of her precious first kiss! Sooner or later, sooner or later... Qian Jin looked at her peaks rising and falling rapidly due to emotional agitation and shook his head repeatedly. "Don't get so agitated here. Tell me about that Battle Crystal vein."

Lucifer Flow glared at Qian Jin once more. "During that time in the Barren Sand Sea, when I was searching for and dispatching the demonic beasts to attack you, I unexpectedly discovered a Battle Stone and Battle Crystal vein."

Qian Jin nodded silently. Although they had been attacked once, he had also taken one of the demoness's eyes. He couldn't blame her for that day's assault. Even if he hadn't taken her eye, the war between humans and demons had never ceased; clashes between warriors were inevitable—nothing to make a fuss about, merely a matter of stance.

"There is a group of demonic beasts there," Lucifer Flow recalled diligently. "Flame Berserk Cacti."

Qian Jin looked at Lucifer Flow a few times more. This demoness was truly lucky to have encountered a pack of Flame Berserk Cacti and not been killed by them.

The world of demonic beasts contained many diverse species, some so strange it was hard to tell if they should be classified as plant or animal. The Flame Berserk Cacti were one such bizarre creature. They could run quickly across the sand, and their entire body of spines could be shot out; moreover, these spines possessed a special effect that allowed them to pierce various types of protective battle qi, classifying them as a peculiar group of mid-tier demonic beasts. However, collecting the spines of the Flame Berserk Cacti was not easy. Once detached from the main body, the spines would completely vaporize within ten seconds.

Furthermore, a large congregation of Flame Berserk Cacti could connect together to form a massive Cactus Demon, whose power could rival that of a high-tier demonic beast. The combined Flame Berserk Cacti could even unleash ten different types of fire magic, varying in intensity. Whether they could kill a Saint-level expert was debatable, but killing warriors below the level of Demon Slayers was incredibly simple.

Duan Fengbu'er showed a trace of lingering fear on his face. "Luckily, you still have some conscience and didn't summon the Flame Berserk Cacti to attack us."

Lucifer Flow rolled her eyes at Duan Fengbu'er. "Do you think I didn't want to?"

Chek’s stern face softened slightly into a smile. If Lucifer Flow had truly summoned the Flame Berserk Cacti back then, before they even reached their destination, those plants would have likely sunk their roots into her body and completely drained her dry—they were a type of beast that used the blood of living things as sustenance.

"Aren't those monsters very mobile?" Qian Jin rubbed his nose. "Their habits dictate they never stay in one place for long."

"I don't know why," Lucifer Flow pulled at the corners of her beautiful lips. "They are strange; they truly remain there constantly."

"Let's not worry about that now," Qian Jin excitedly flexed his wrists. "They detest moisture the most. I will fabricate a mysterious potion that, upon sensing it, makes them believe rain is coming."

Lucifer Flow stared blankly at Qian Jin. "That works?"

Qian Jin smiled. "The initial purpose of this mysterious potion was to gather the small amounts of water vapor and clouds in the sky, forcing it to rain for real. That attempt failed, and it resulted in this capability instead."

Lucifer Flow’s remaining eye flashed with cautious scrutiny. If this mysterious potion were used in warfare, it could easily deceive the demon race’s meteorological observers, potentially causing armies to equip themselves for rain battles and thus suffer unnecessary losses.

"I know what you are thinking," Qian Jin pushed open the door. "The first day I learned it, I was already considering it. If I ever step onto a battlefield, I would certainly do that."

Lucifer Flow watched Qian Jin’s back as he walked out of the room, then stomped her beautiful foot hard on the ground, knitting her pretty brows. "Despicable human! Evil human!"

Burning Path Frenzy observed Lucifer Flow’s expression and shook his head repeatedly. It was amusing how the demons referred to the soldiers of the True Virtue Dynasty—it sounded very much like the propaganda from the True Virtue Dynasty itself: despicable demons, evil demons. The same words, when spoken by the demons, merely swapped the nouns, and the meaning inverted entirely.

Crack... crackle... Wood logs fell into the flames, creating a crackling sound of burning.

Situ Lei sat in his own laboratory for mysterious potions, staring blankly at the burning logs, occasionally hearing the sigh of Subart beside him.

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