Qian Wushuang nodded and quickened his pace toward the courtyard, instinctively glancing back at the tightly closed door. "Qian Jin? Hmph! That idiot, being used as a pawn by the Pan family! Wonder if he's even dead yet?"

"If... I'm not dead yet." Qian Jin stood swaying before Qian Cheng, forcing a thin smile. The movement of his facial muscles immediately aggravated his injuries, transforming into a searing pain. Cold air was instinctively drawn in through his clenched teeth.

"Happy, aren't you?" Qian Cheng raised his trembling hands to cup Qian Jin’s slightly downward-tilted cheeks. "Son, you are my pride."

"En," Qian Jin responded softly, his knees slowly bending as he heavily knelt before Qian Cheng.

Facing Qian Zhanxuan's might, he had refused to kneel! No matter how grievous his injuries, he had to stand! To stand tall with his spine straight! Even in death, it would be a death of bold grandeur while moving forward! But facing his father...

Tears mixed with blood, streaming down Qian Jin’s face. Recalling all the encounters and memories from these past days, the more he reflected, the more he felt he had wronged his father, who had always chosen silence.

"Why the tears? Feel sorry for me?" Qian Cheng’s ancient, bark-like hand gently stroked Qian Jin’s unruly hair. "I am your father. I failed to give you the same good fortune as Qian Wutian; that is my fault. How could I possibly hinder your ideals and your life?"

Lucifer’s flowing, beautiful eyes shone with an unusual light. When they first met, she had only approached him because he was Qian Jin's father, not truly respecting this old man who seemed utterly devoid of power. Yet, at this moment, she felt a strange sensation: though he lacked physical strength, he possessed a vast, immense power! These few simple words carried more weight than even His Majesty, the Great Sovereign King.

"Son, your old man won't spout any grand platitudes," Qian Cheng said in a low voice, helping the kneeling Qian Jin to stand. "Remember this: once you choose, never regret it! To regret is to betray everyone who has ever sacrificed for you! And to betray yourself!"

"Shall we talk somewhere else?" Pan Hongji said, his mind whirring as he scanned the surroundings. "Qian Jin is quite injured; it's best to find a place to dress his wounds."

Qian Cheng showed a flash of difficulty. He could unconditionally support whatever Qian Jin chose, but leaving the Qian family? Qian Zhanxuan had already made his position clear last time—they absolutely could not leave. If they forced a departure, that domineering Clan Head might even kill Qian Jin, and even the Snake Emperor’s status would make it difficult to intervene and protect him.

"Brother Zhanxuan! Pan Hongji suddenly gathered his Dou Qi and let out a roaring shout that echoed through the sky. "Lend me Qian Cheng for a day, may I?"

From the vast and profound compound of the Qian family came Qian Zhanxuan’s majestic and deep voice...

Pan Hongji turned and smiled at Qian Jin. "Do you know why he would lend me your father?"

Qian Jin quietly watched Pan Hongji for a few seconds. "Strength? Influence?"

"Influence," Pan Hongji replied, smiling broadly as he watched Qian Cheng support Qian Jin toward the carriage hired from Duanfeng Buer, stepping slowly inside. "Strength is only one part; influence takes up a massive proportion. Strength alone is not enough! If you possess sufficient influence, then you can approach the Royal Clan..."

The Royal Clan? Qian Jin’s body, half-reclined on the cushion, stiffened slightly. Although the Zhence Royal Clan was not a bloodline warrior lineage, this group was inherently blessed with sharp intellect and the so-called 'King's Aura' sung of by bards. Only their mediation allowed the three ultimate awakened bloodline families to coexist peacefully.

The Zhence Royal Clan! Every citizen familiar with history held infinite gratitude for this lineage. Before their emergence, the human bloodline warrior families constantly engaged in overt friction, with skirmishes and killings being common occurrences.

With the appearance of the Zhence Royal Clan, the various human bloodline families finally achieved true peace, turning their focus outward.

"Yes, the Royal Clan..." Pan Hongji adjusted his posture to settle more comfortably into the soft cushions. "If you have enough strength and influence, you can use your connection with the Royal Clan to petition His Majesty the Emperor to issue an Imperial Edict, forcing the Qian family to release your father."

"The Royal Clan... an Edict," Qian Jin murmured. "The Qian family... influence..."

"While the Royal Clan rarely interferes in the internal affairs of the great families, for just one person, this... hehe..." Pan Hongji shrugged with a smile. "It shouldn't be too difficult to manage."

Qian Jin managed a weak smile. This Snake Emperor had likely meant the mere groom who held the reins, right? It was truly taxing for the Head of one of the Ten Great Bloodline Families to show such care for a minor figure like himself. Regardless of his motives, this help was tangible and real.

"As for influence..." Pan Hongji opened the carriage window, observing the scene passing by. "That's not just about your personal combat ability, but a massive collective. Take families, for example! Over the years, family influences across various regions have solidified. It's difficult for an individual to establish a major power base now, unless...?" Qian Jin asked quietly.

Pan Hongji's smile blossomed; the greatest advantage of chatting with an intelligent person is not having to waste too much breath. "Exactly! Military merit! Join the army, become a major figure within the military, and then establish your own legion—that is how you build a colossal family influence, just like..."

Fen Tu Kuangge wore a faint smile; this was precisely the path of rise for the Fen Tu Aristocracy, though many who tried to replicate it rarely succeeded.

Joining the military! It wasn't enough just to be personally strong! You had to understand troop deployment, tactics, strategy, how to turn warfare into an art, and how to make every soldier proud to rally around you!

"Perhaps this severe injury will slow the progress of your warrior strength," Pan Hongji sighed softly. Qian Jin was hurt too deeply this time; even with recuperation, he might suffer unforeseen residual damage, possibly preventing him from ever reaching the level of Fabredius. "But it doesn't matter. War is never a one-man affair, and a famous general is not merely a butcher who only knows how to charge blindly. Go to a higher military academy and study more about military affairs." Qian Jin nodded lightly. The reason he pursued further studies at the Conquest Academy was precisely for the various Dou Techniques available there, the resources allocated to warrior students, and the chance to learn superior military knowledge. Furthermore, excellent performance could earn him a recommendation from the school.

The Academy faction, while not the strongest power in the Zhence Dynasty, had, through years of teaching students, formed an intricate network of personal connections that almost no one could escape. With a recommendation from the academy, entering the armies of the alumni would provide far greater support and assistance than imagined.

"And also..." Pan Hongji revealed a common smile shared only by Clan Heads. "You can meet more talented people. Although, you probably lack the means to recruit them now... but making acquaintances is still beneficial."

Qian Jin managed a weary smile. At the academy, whether warrior students or mage students, those with great backing either went independent immediately, while others preferred to join as retainers to Bloodline Warriors—that was the true reality of the Zhence Dynasty.

Join the army? Qian Jin slowly tilted his head back, a wry, helpless smile touching his face. Compared to the path of 'politics,' the military seemed more suitable for him. Politics required seniority and the support of various families, whereas the army, especially during wartime, was relatively much cleaner.

Qian Cheng gazed at Qian Jin. In just a few years, his once slightly naive son had truly matured. It was time to tell him about Hai Qing'er.

"Xiao Jin, do you still remember Hai Qing'er?"

Qian Jin’s pupils lit up, snapping him out of his deep thought. The image of the girl he met in the Ancient Wasteland Sea flashed through his mind, and his heart tightened instantly. He nodded lightly. "Qing'er, how could I forget? Is she doing well?"

"Ah, this..." Qian Cheng’s old face showed a troubled sigh. "She's here..."

Here? Qian Jin’s heart tensed again. The image of the Ancient Wasteland Sea maiden became sharper in his mind; a terrible premonition wrapped around his heart, refusing to dissipate.

"You should remember," Qian Cheng spoke softly, "the Hai family tolerated your contact with Qing'er because you had the potential to awaken the Elf King bloodline power. When you failed to awaken..."

Qian Jin nodded silently. It was because of that incident that he truly experienced, for the first time, what reality meant! Those who had smiled sweetly at him in the past had, in an instant, become so cruel, so cold, so utterly unfamiliar!

All of this, simply because of the failure to awaken the Elf King bloodline power, was the difference between being cast down from the stars and being thrown onto the earth.

"Qing'er is beautiful," Qian Cheng murmured, his rough old hands rubbing together to ease his tension and anxiety, "and well-liked. You should remember that besides you, there were others who liked Qing'er? Among them, one person’s name was Qian Wuwu..."

Qian Wushuang! Qian Jin’s body trembled slightly. A genius Bloodline Warrior of the Elf King lineage, the same age as himself! Although they had never truly sparred, judging by Qian Wutian’s strength, one could infer Qian Wushuang’s power!

If Qian Wutian, of roughly similar aptitude, had already condensed his Dou Xin at this age, what level of strength had Qian Wushuang reached, being a full two years older than him?

Even without a direct fight, Qian Jin had an instinctive feeling that Qian Wushuang, who always wore a proud expression, was incredibly strong! That pride was not baseless; it was supported by genuine ability.

The greatest advantage of a Bloodline Warrior was the rapid increase in strength with every awakening, easily seen in Duanfeng Buer and Chekefulit.

Qian Wushuang was hailed as the genius among the Elf King bloodline awakeners of this generation. With the powerful machine of the Qian family as his resource backing, to what realm had he grown? (To be continued)