The towering, imposing, and solid city walls had stood unchanged for centuries around Yongliu City, projecting a distinct aura of majesty as they protected the administrative center of the province.

Guards, lined up thirty deep in gleaming leather armor and armed with long spears and broadswords, stood before the massive city gate, scrutinizing everyone entering or leaving the city.

Qian Jin sat atop his horse, gazing at the gate not far ahead, and took a deep breath. Nearly three months had passed since he left this place, three months filled with an overwhelming amount of life-and-death experiences.

Three months ago, he had eagerly gone to the Qian family estate, intending to bring his father out and take Hai Qing'er away. The result was having killed several of the Qian family’s Bloodline Warriors—a testament that even peers from a supreme Bloodline Warrior family could be defeated! Yet, he had failed to retrieve his father or take Hai Qing'er with him.

“The Qian family…” Qian Jin let out a long breath, looking at Lucifer Flowing Water, the female demon who, thankfully, had been bold enough to follow him. “I will return! Next time I go, it won't be like this time…”

“Halt! Produce your… It’s you!” A guard rushed out from the ranks, his eyes widening almost to the point of bursting, terror flickering in his pupils. His previously arrogant demeanor vanished instantly, and the step he had taken forward turned into a retreat.

Qian Jin frowned slightly, thinking hard. Wasn't this one of the guards who had deliberately given Luo Qingqing a hard time when he entered the city last time? He hadn't expected to see this same guard again three months later. However, he hadn't really shown himself last time, had he? It seemed Fabredis had handled things then.

Heh… Qian Jin shook his head with a faint smile. He hadn't expected these people to have such good memories; he had only slightly lifted the carriage curtain that day, yet this man remembered.

The other guards looked confusedly at their retreating comrade, then moved to step forward, only to be stopped as the soldier who retreated now stood in front of them, nodding and bowing slightly: “No need to check, please, please come in…”

“Thank you…” Qian Jin inclined his head lightly on horseback. “This is my friend…”

“Then no check is needed either…” the guard replied loudly, spreading his arms to block the others while muttering harshly: “Are you all trying to die! He entered the city with Fabredis last time! I have a relative who heard he even joined the Torrent Fortress.”

The eyes of several eager guards lit up momentarily before instantly wilting like frostbitten eggplant. Three months ago, the name Torrent Fortress was synonymous with the lowest rung among Yongliu’s Eight Great Powers; even ordinary people would privately joke about the Fortress, saying someone going downhill was becoming more like the Torrent Fortress.

However, on one sudden day three months prior, the head of the Lei family abruptly died! And the head’s daughter, Lei Yueyue, known as the Evil Moon Angel, also died!

The death of a family head among Yongliu’s Eight Great Powers was undoubtedly a monumental event. The cause of death was never a secret. But the people of Yongliu discovered that this time, no one knew the cause of the Lei family head’s demise; even those who came to offer condolences never saw the body.

Following the Lei family head’s death, the Torrent Fortress rapidly expanded its business dealings, all of which involved seizing assets from the Lei family. When people expected the Lei family to immediately strike back furiously, they unexpectedly chose silence, tacitly accepting the Torrent Fortress’s actions.

Soon, a rumor spread throughout Yongliu City: the Lei family head had been beaten to death by Fabredis!

Many scoffed at this rumor. If the Lei family head had been killed by Fabredis, why would the Lei family remain completely silent? Why wouldn't Fabredis do something more? After all, Fabredis was just an ordinary warrior, not some Bloodline Warrior.

If Fabredis could so easily kill the Lei family head, why not seize the opportunity, along with the Torrent Fortress, to completely annihilate the Lei family? Although this would violate the Empire’s laws, when two sides truly reached a breaking point, laws often became irrelevant.

No one knew the truth of the matter, but the other major powers completely acquiesced to the Torrent Fortress’s expansion. The City Lord, who never visited the Torrent Fortress, had been there no less than ten times in just three short months.

Currently, no one knew which power was the strongest in Yongliu City, but the most ascendant power for the time being was undoubtedly the Torrent Fortress, once the lowest among the city’s Eight Great Powers.

“I didn’t realize…” Lucifer Flowing Water said with a smile, looking at Qian Jin. “You’re quite famous here…”

Qian Jin ignored the demonic woman. After their days together, he understood her well: if he engaged in conversation, whether affirming or denying, the demoness always managed to steer the dialogue into ambiguity, leaving him feeling teased? Annoying! Feeling teased by a demon was even more annoying! He couldn’t just find a secluded spot and… do that to her, could he?

“You should keep a lower profile…” Qian Jin rode his horse along the not-so-familiar streets. “Be careful you aren't discovered and arrested…”

“Will you save me…”

“Here we go again!” Qian Jin snapped his whip, slightly increasing his horse’s pace to a trot toward the Torrent Fortress.

In Yongliu City, there were eight places that were the easiest to locate; one of them was the Torrent Fortress. Currently, it was the easiest place to find in Yongliu City, even easier than the City Lord’s manor.

Qian Jin stood outside the gate of the Torrent Fortress, shaking his head repeatedly as he looked at the freshly painted exterior walls. This Uncle Mu Gui Wuxin was really quite flashy. Didn't the Torrent Fortress earn that much money? How could he afford to repaint the entire exterior? Did he plan to stop operating?

“Qian… Qian Jin…”

The burly Zeng Chuandong stared at Qian Jin in shock, a flush of excitement rising on his face. He strode forward, grabbed Qian Jin’s hand, and dragged him towards the Fortress. “Come in with me, quickly, come in! It’s been three months! Where have you been? We tried hard to inquire and only heard you had gone to Qian City and even clashed with the Qian family…”

Qian Jin leaned forward, accelerating his steps slightly, his body stiffening. Had the Qian family blocked the news? While the Torrent Fortress wasn't comparable to the Qian family, gathering some news shouldn't be that difficult, right? And Uncle Zeng Chuandong’s tone was filled with questioning doubt.

Sensing the shift in Qian Jin’s posture, Zeng Chuandong stopped and turned back, staring at Qian Jin in astonishment. “You… you’re not going to tell me that you really…”

“Yes… it’s true…” Qian Jin nodded. “I clashed with people from the Qian family…”

“Thank goodness you’re alright…” Zeng Chuandong let out a long sigh. “The reports said you were gravely wounded and near death. Lord Fabredis was ready to march on the Qian family with his sword, and even Lord Mu Gui Wuxin, who was irritable, wanted to go to the Qian family…”

“What…” Qian Jin immediately felt a headache coming on. Fabredis had become bolder since entering the Saint Realm; he actually wanted to confront the Qian family! “He didn't actually go, did he? If a Saint-level expert showed up, that scene would be massive…”

Zeng Chuandong shook his head repeatedly, his face showing lingering fear. “He almost went, but the messenger said the news might be false. Because the rumor claimed you had beaten Qian Chenyu, that guy from the Nine Slayers of Execution, nearly to death, it made the two Lords wait for more confirmed news. But it's a good thing you returned; otherwise, even if the news hadn't arrived, they would have set off for the Qian family…”

“All of you get out of my way! Damn it! Am I no longer the Fortress Lord of Torrent Fortress? How dare you block my path…”

Crash… Whoosh…

A series of sounds of human bodies colliding with wooden tables and chairs echoed from deep within the Torrent Fortress, accompanied by the clamor of dozens of people trying to dissuade them in a chorus of voices.

“Lord Fabredis, sir, let’s wait a bit longer! We still aren’t sure if the news is true…”

“Fortress Lord, Fortress Lord! That’s the Qian family, the Qian family… It’s not worth it for one Qian Jin…”

“Not worth it? He is your future Fortress Lord! Do you still think he’s not worth it?…”

Qian Jin’s eyes widened as he watched Fabredis and Mu Gui Wuxin push aside the obstructing crowd, striding forward forcefully. When did he become the future Fortress Lord of the Torrent Fortress? Why didn't he know about this himself?

Qian Jin watched as Mu Gui Wuxin effortlessly flung another person aside, a warmth he couldn't quite articulate welling up in his chest. Knowing they might be facing the Qian family of the True Chronicle Dynasty, yet they were willing to risk it for him…

“Two Uncles, where are you rushing off to in such a hurry…”

The boisterous main hall instantly fell into a deathly silence. Everyone stared blankly at Qian Jin standing at the doorway, then collectively let out a long, tense breath.

“Hahahaha! Qian Jin…” Mu Gui Wuxin swung his thick arm, pushing aside the people blocking him, and strode over, grabbing Qian Jin in a huge embrace. “Kid! Three months! You made me worry sick…”

His enormous hand and thick arm pounded against Qian Jin’s back with a dull thud.

Qian Jin used all the strength in his arms to hug the bear-like Fortress Lord back.

“Ouch! Your strength has increased so much again? My waist, my legs… Kid, I’m an old man now, hug me gently, gently…”

Mu Gui Wuxin’s bear-like face broke into a beaming smile, his large hands patting Qian Jin’s shoulders as he examined him. “Heh heh… Good! Very good! You’re sturdier, heh heh… Wonderful,” Fabredis lightly punched Qian Jin’s shoulder, his face displaying the gentle affection of an elder. “Sturdy, you brat! Why didn’t you hire a mercenary to send a letter back? Look, you made my hair go white…”

“Uncle, you already have white hair, haven’t you…” Qian Jin’s smile faded, and he opened his arms to embrace Fabredis, whispering softly, “I worried you…”

“Good that you know! This can’t happen again! Even if you go to the Human-Demon Battlefield, you must send me a letter every week…” Fabredis released his embrace and looked him over, his questioning eyes lingering on Lucifer Flowing Water for a couple of seconds before scanning the room again. “Where are those other brats…”