“I don’t care, I don’t care, I don’t care,” Lucifer’s proud glare floating on the water vanished instantly. She squatted beside Qian Jin, grabbing his arm with both hands, and spoke in a childlike, clinging tone, as delicate as a small bird: “I don’t care, I just want to learn, I absolutely must learn! At worst, I swear by the Great Demon Lord, any combat technique I, Lucifer, learn, I will absolutely never teach to any Demon race member, nor will I ever use it to harm a human. If I break this oath! May my bones shatter into dust!” Qian Jin stared steadily at Lucifer, noting that this female demon’s aura was truly unusual in its magnitude and mutability. Since she had sworn by the Great Demon Lord, he would teach her. If it weren't for her existence, Qian Chenguang might have already dealt with the other three. This woman had, in a way, saved all four of their lives.

“The fighting style that complements the Submerging Thunder Combat Technique, I don’t know it,” Qian Jin scratched his head. “I only know how to sequence and release Battle Qi… er…”

Lucifer’s single eye shone with joyful light, and she nodded repeatedly like a little girl. Beast Combat Techniques were extremely popular among the Demon race, humans, and the Barbarian race; they were essentially cooperative techniques used across all races. They were suited for matching large sequences of Battle Qi. Of course! The most suitable match was always one’s own specific Beast Battle Qi. However, the number of Battle Apertures trainable for such Qi was limited, which is why many people chose not to practice Beast Battle Qi.

Qian Jin smiled faintly, looking at the little white rabbit-like Lucifer beside him. No wonder she was called a 'Demoness.' Wasn't the female demon beside him exactly the Demoness the bards sang about? Adorable when she was being cute, powerful when she was being strong, and sexy when she was being seductive!

Marrying a woman like this would be like marrying several wives, wouldn't it? Qian Jin paused, sharply tapping his temples. What was he thinking? How could he have such a thought? The one beside him was a Demoness, and moreover, a Demon Princess—Lucifer—who was determined to become the Demon Empress, conquer the Zhence Dynasty, sweep across the Barbarian lands, and rule the entire continent under her feet!

In the vast, empty cave, the four young warriors watched Qian Jin drawing Battle Qi sequences with a stick.

Qian Jin tossed aside the drawing stick, stood up, stretched his arms, and let out a long sigh. Ignoring the four warriors still pondering and studying, he began recalling the various events since entering Qianzhou.

The Qian family’s arrogance was not without foundation; on the contrary! The Qian family possessed sufficient might! Qian Wutian had condensed his Battle Heart in just two months! The time he awakened his bloodline power was far later than Qian Wushuang’s. So, how strong was Qian Wushuang now, at the same age?

To bring his father out, there were two paths—or, one could say, only one path! These two paths had to be united and merged into a single road!

Strength, influence! Both were indispensable! Strength could be improved through his own battles and the endless worlds he explored. But for influence, there was no shortcut. If one had to name a shortcut, it would only be returning to the Conquest Academy.

This era was no longer a time of ceaseless warfare without established nations. War still existed, but it was no longer an era where a lone hero could overturn the world order. Everything now required following the proper channels.

The Academy! Grades! Background! The military required these things now as well, and recommendations from the Academy administration were crucial.

A recommendation from the Academy, coupled with assistance from the Torrential Fortress! Qian Jin slightly clenched his fists. If he could also exchange favors with the Pan family to gain their help, perhaps joining the army later wouldn't preclude him from rapid advancement and establishing his own influence.

“Back to Yongliu!” Qian Jin surveyed the surrounding mutated plants and let out a long breath. After recuperating a few more days in the Ancient Desolate Sand Sea, just enough time for his body to appear recovered, he would immediately leave the Ancient Desolate Sand Sea and return to the Yongliu Conquest Academy!

“Before returning to Conquest…” Qian Jin walked slowly into the water, returning to the sands of the Ancient Desolate Sand Sea. He looked up toward the deeper reaches of the endless desert, thinking of Hai Qing'er! Inscriptions, Sigils! No matter how vast and boundless this Ancient Desolate Sand Sea was, even if its end connected to the stars, he would reach that end to find her and remove that Sigil!

Forcibly dismantling the Sigil would cause his body to explode. He needed to learn even more profound Inscriptions, to become an Inscription Grandmaster, or even an Artificer!

The desert hailstorm arrived quickly and departed just as fast. In the blink of an eye, the moon hung high and the stars were sparse, yet the depths of the desert remained infinitely dark.

Qian Jin channeled the Battle Qi from his one hundred and eight active Battle Apertures and threw a punch into the empty air—eleven thousand rotations! Since stepping onto the path of the Demon Slaying War, promoted by various coincidences, his Battle Qi rotation speed alone surpassed that of ordinary Demon Slaying Nine Battle warriors. Furthermore, his Heart of Earth Fire had achieved three super bursts exceeding eleven thousand rotations.

“Quite a powerful punch…” Duanfeng Bu’er stood smiling at the cave entrance. “If you had this level of strength when fighting Qian Chenyu, you probably could have won easily, right? But your wounds…”

Duanfeng Bu’er circled Qian Jin, observing the fist that moved easily without the bandages, exuding a majestic aura, and nodded repeatedly. “This is too miraculous! It recovered completely in such a short time? You must never tell anyone about this unique constitution, or the mysterious apothecaries will pay a huge price to capture you and research you thoroughly! I believe the major clans would also be very eager to lend a hand…”

Qian Jin stared blankly at Duanfeng Bu’er—a special constitution?

“Who wouldn’t want a constitution that recovers this quickly?” Duanfeng Bu’er slapped Qian Jin’s shoulder. “Relax, I won’t reveal this secret.” This is a secret between you and me, I won’t even tell that pretty boy Chekfulet. I’ve heard about constitutions like yours; the fate awaiting them is…”

“Tsk tsk…” Duanfeng Bu’er shook his head with an expression of utter horror. “Miserable! Truly incomparably miserable…”

Such a constitution existed? Qian Jin looked doubtfully at Duanfeng Bu’er, who was lounging lazily on the sand. He had read many, many books but had never heard of such a constitution. It seemed there were still many things in this world he did not know.

“What’s your plan next?” Duanfeng Bu’er turned his head to look at Qian Jin beside him. “Continue staying here? Train until you are the strongest in the world, and then leave this place…”

“Can one become the strongest in the world just by staying here…” Qian Jin looked earnestly at Duanfeng Bu’er’s handsome face. “Without enlightenment, without opportunities, without a variety of encounters, can one still become the strongest? If that were true, the three ultimate bloodline warrior families wouldn’t send their young descendants to the Human-Demon battlefield and let them become mercenaries and adventurers.”

“That makes sense…” Duanfeng Bu’er was silent for a long moment, gazing at Qian Jin, then suddenly smiled. “Hey, comrade, take a closer look—you are quite good-looking too…”

Qian Jin rolled his eyes at Duanfeng Bu’er and turned to look at the stars in the sky, saying softly, “I plan to return to Yongliu…”

“Is that so?” Duanfeng Bu’er rested his head on his arm, looking at the sky. “I plan to stay here a while longer. I feel that within a short time in this Ancient Desolate Sand Sea, I will experience an explosion of power advancement. Once I am stronger, I will come back to find you…”

Qian Jin sat up and watched Chekfulet descending the hill, followed by Fen Tu Kuangge. “What about you two…”

“We’re staying,” Chekfulet looked around the desolate surroundings. “I will catch up to you soon…”

“Staying,” Fen Tu Kuangge sat down cross-legged. “This place is most suitable for me right now. I will also catch up to you quickly…”

“Why don’t you ask me?” Lucifer sat down in the sand, resting her head on Qian Jin’s shoulder, looking at him like a small cat. “Why don’t you ask me…”

“You?” Qian Jin spared the Demoness a glance and let out a helpless laugh. “Where else can you go? Either stay here or return to the Demon race. When we meet on the battlefield someday, let’s agree not to attack each other, alright?”

“Why should I go back to the Demon race?” Lucifer straightened her back. “I haven’t finished thoroughly studying you yet! When I follow you and study you! Once I understand you completely, I will capture you personally on the Human-Demon battlefield and make you my Empress…”

“Follow me?” Qian Jin looked at the beautiful demon beside him in surprise. This Demoness was becoming bolder and bolder. Roving across the lands of the Zhence Dynasty with just one magic artifact—wasn't she afraid of being discovered? While that thing indeed had strong concealment effects, it certainly wasn't impervious to all detection.

In this world, any item could be countered by another. If there were a magic artifact with absolutely no flaw, the Demon race would have already mass-produced it to the greatest extent and distributed it to their Demon Warriors to secretly infiltrate the Zhence Dynasty. What immense destruction that would cause!

“You’re worried about me,” Lucifer’s single eye moved close to Qian Jin’s nose, her expression full of hopeful anticipation. “Were you just worried about me? Afraid I’d be captured by the Black Dragon Guards of the Zhence Dynasty…”

“I’m worried about being implicated by you!” Qian Jin waved his arms, quickly turning away, a faint heat flushing his face as Battle Qi swept over it. “Worried about me? I was just thinking if selling you to the Zhence Dynasty would make me rich overnight…”

“Oh, I’m so scared… How about I become your slave, and then you won’t report me, okay? I’ll let you do anything you want with me…”

“Crazy woman…”

“Look at me properly… People say I’m a beautiful demoness even in the Demon race.”

“Sorry! Human aesthetics and Demon aesthetics are different. In our human world, you are the absolute ugliest type…”

“Is that so? Then maybe no one will want me? I’ll just have to follow you then… Master…”

“I said, female demon! Don't force me to knock you out…”

“Hit me then… Master, hit me…”

“Comrade! Have some self-respect, you’re being teased by a female demon…” “Hmph! Am I being teased? Lucifer, is it? Come with me, let’s go to the cave for some quality time alone, and I’ll show you what a real man is!” Under the moonlight, in the desert, a series of youthful, vibrant voices spread outwards.

P.S. After leaving the Ancient Desolate Sand Sea, Qian Jin’s path in life began to unfold its true scroll because of this major event.

Honestly, I really like writing this chapter; I feel like I achieved a high degree of satisfaction with the atmosphere I wanted to convey.

If you also like this chapter, and if you like this one-eyed beautiful demoness, please cast a monthly vote for me!