"Training? That's good!" Fabredis paced, watching Lucifer Liu Shui. "This girl is..."

"Are you Uncle Fabredis? Brother Jing always talks about you..." Lucifer Liu Shui's face immediately broke into the harmless smile of a little girl. "I'm Yuan Xunyu, Qian Jin's... Qian Jin's... that..."

A flicker of astonishment crossed Fabredis's pupils as he looked at Qian Jin, who was raising a hand to rub his forehead. "Kid..."

"Uncle, there isn't a single true word from this woman's mouth..." Qian Jin gently pressed his thumb against his temple. "Her words cannot be trusted..."

"You... you..." Lucifer Liu Shui's single eye shimmered with crystalline tears, her expression a mix of wronged pitifulness and anger as she stared at Qian Jin. "My body has been touched, seen, and kissed by you... You... you..."

Mu Gui Wuxin smacked Qian Jin hard on the back. "Well, well! Kid, haven't seen you in three months and you've already brought back such a pretty young thing..."

Fabredis also placed a hand on Qian Jin's shoulder. "Kid, although this girl is quite the actress and deceiver, there are some things she said that I couldn't detect any lie in. But no matter what, my Jiaying must be the primary wife..."

"Sister Jiaying..." Lucifer Liu Shui immediately stopped crying, her single eye widening in joy. "Brother Jing has mentioned her to me many times too..."

Qian Jin shivered, his lips twitching repeatedly. Brother Jing? I'll let you sour to death! Let you freeze to death!

"Since you've returned safely, I am relieved," Fabredis clapped Qian Jin on the shoulder. "I was planning to first go to the Qian family to settle the matter of looking for you, and then attend to some of my own private affairs. Now it seems I can save some time. I'll be back soon from Yongliu. We'll have a good long talk then..."

Qian Jin looked at the departing Fabredis in confusion. In his memory, this uncle had always been calm and composed; why was he in such a rush today? Leaving right after meeting?

"Kid..." Mu Gui Wuxin clamped his thick arm around Qian Jin's neck. "Everyone has their own private matters, and fools like Fabredis have a particularly large number of them—and they are all old matters. Now that he has entered the Saint realm, some things are due to be settled..."

Qian Jin nodded, vaguely understanding. Fabredis was clearly a man with a history; otherwise, it made no sense for such a powerhouse to be living as a guardian in a small town like Auckland.

Auckland? Qian Jin chuckled softly. His own strength was now enough to hold the position of Auckland's guardian. For someone like Fabredis to take that post was like using the main pillar meant for a royal palace to build a lean-to for a chicken coop.

"Isn't there still Sister Luo Qingqing..." Lucifer Liu Shui gazed at Mu Gui Wuxin with a cooing, kitten-like smile. "Uncle, where is Sister Luo Qingqing..."

Mu Gui Wuxin paused, then pointed towards the Hongliu Fortress behind him. "She's in the reception area behind us. Kid, you haven't seen your fiancée in three months, you must be anxious! I won't delay you. We'll have a serious drink tonight, and in a few days, we'll go have a wild one at the City Lord's residence! I heard the City Lord's house has a few jars of century-old wine..."

The City Lord? Qian Jin walked towards the interior of Hongliu Fortress, a deep frown on his face. What did his return have to do with the City Lord? Although the City Lord had been the notary for the duel last time, and he should pay a thank-you visit afterward, it was unlikely the man would treat him to century-old wine, right?

The status of the City Lord of Yongliu and the City Lord of Auckland, though both held the title of City Lord, had a vast gap between them. In the eyes of the City Lord of Yongliu, the City Lord of Auckland might barely qualify as a village head?

Passing through layers of rooms, the interior of Hongliu Fortress opened into a massive garden. In this garden stood a new, small building, decorated with a cute style from the outside.

This kind of cute house was obviously meant for female residents. Since nine out of ten people in Hongliu Fortress were burly men, living in such a place would invite endless ridicule.

In the garden outside the house, around a circular wooden table, Luo Qingqing, dressed in a long azure skirt, listened with a polite smile, her eyes slightly narrowed, as a tall, well-proportioned young warrior in magnificent battle attire spoke to her incessantly.

Hong Se'york? Qian Jin frowned slightly. Why did this man's shadow look so much like the City Lord Li De'york's son?

"Oh! Is this the beautiful sister the one they call Qingqing..."

Lucifer Liu Shui rushed into the garden like a gust of wind, a happy smile on her face as she looked at Luo Qingqing, who wore a smile too, but whose eyes held a hint of fatigue.

"You are..." Luo Qingqing slowly rose, her eyes hazy with confusion. Her dazed gaze suddenly flashed with light, and she gathered her skirt, taking quick, small steps towards the outside of the garden.

Qian Jin! A moist mist gathered in Luo Qingqing's bright eyes. Qian Jin Gege, whom she had waited for for so long, had finally returned!

Luo Qingqing stopped abruptly when she reached Qian Jin, her cheeks flushed crimson, her head bowed! For a moment, she didn't know whether to nod a greeting or throw herself into his arms.

"Qingqing, I'm back," Qian Jin displayed a gentle smile, opening his arms and actively pulling the youthful, beautiful woman into an embrace. He buried his nose in her fragrant hair and whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry for making you worry for so long..."

"It's nothing, nothing..." Luo Qingqing buried her burning cheeks into Qian Jin's chest, shaking her head repeatedly. "It's good that you're back, that you're back safe."

"Qingqing, who is this person?" The voice, laced with sourness but brimming with intense pride, accompanied the slow rising and turning of the young warrior, along with his gaze full of hostility, all directed towards Qian Jin.

Not Hong Se'york? Qian Jin was slightly taken aback. What was the meaning of this? This kid’s attitude was thick with jealousy! Did he have designs on Qingqing?

"Mr. Nord'york, this is Mr. Qian Jin," the elderly housekeeper who had been following Luo Qingqing for a long time quickly interjected. "He is Miss Luo Qingqing's fiancé."

The housekeeper emphasized the word fiancé heavily, imbued with a tone of cautioning everyone present.

Nord'york? Qian Jin raised his eyelids and looked directly at the man. The same surname as City Lord Li De'york? He bore a seven or eight-tenths resemblance to the City Lord's son, Hong Se'york. Could this man be Li De'york's other son?

Fiancée? What was a fiancée? It was a term used for a woman who was engaged but not yet married.

Nord'york's eyes, slightly arrogant and hostile, rolled once. He suddenly found the scene before him extremely grating. He had spent days trying every method to get close to Luo Qingqing, yet he hadn't even managed to hold her incredibly soft little hand, and this man was hugging her.

Qian Jin? A name that wasn't entirely unfamiliar! Nord'york placed his hands behind his back, paced slowly towards Qian Jin, and scrutinized him repeatedly. This was the young warrior who, three months ago, had killed the Evil Moon Angel Lei Yueyue with a single slash in Yongliu City? He didn't seem to possess any particularly outstanding features.

"Qingqing..." Nord'york stood a short distance from Qian Jin, slightly raising his tiptoes, a polite smile gracing his face. "I recall you are not yet engaged, are you?"

Qian Jin gazed at Nord'york standing before him, feeling an urge to smash his fist directly into the man's face. "We will be engaged in a few days. When that time comes, you are welcome to have a drink."

Luo Qingqing's delicate body trembled. She raised her head from Qian Jin's shoulder, her cheeks bright red, her eyes shining with shy surprise. She doubted she had heard correctly. Brother Qian Jin... Brother Qian Jin actually...

Have a drink? Nord'york's brows knitted together, resembling the stem of a wine glass. Was this a provocation? This man, compared to what her brother said, was even rougher, lacking any trace of elegance. For a beauty like Qingqing to be with him was like... like placing an infinitely valuable jewel together with a pile of mud.

Why should such a man be qualified to possess a beauty like Luo Qingqing? Nord'york lightly adjusted his collar, his gaze falling upon Lucifer Liu Shui, and his eyes immediately lit up again. This beauty’s allure was in no way inferior to Luo Qingqing’s—sexy, fiery! Such a beauty... following a warrior with no discernible background like Qian Jin, what future did she have?

"Hehe..." Nord'york's face returned to a peaceful smile. He lightly shrugged, shook his wrist, and "conjured" a red invitation card from thin air. With a polite bow, he presented it with both hands towards Luo Qingqing. "Qingqing, I've come specifically this time to invite you to the birthday banquet for my father, City Lord Li De'york."

Luo Qingqing's eyes brightened as she looked at the invitation card Nord'york had "conjured." In these past few days, she still couldn't fully grasp the technique of the City Lord's younger son; it seemed far more sophisticated than the street magicians.

"Doujie?"

Qian Jin looked at the smug Nord'york with some surprise. As his strength had increased recently, his horizons had broadened considerably, yet he found that some bloodline warriors didn't possess a Doujie even after obtaining a Doujie Fruit, indicating that the Doujie was indeed quite rare.

Nord'york, who clearly had no inherited bloodline power, being able to possess his own Doujie, clearly showed how much City Lord Li De'york doted on this son. He must have paid some unknown price to obtain it.

Li De'york tilted his chin up slightly, the pride flashing in his eyes evident to anyone. He was silently telling Qian Jin: You still have some discernment; you recognize that this is a Doujie.

"Doujie..." The flush on Luo Qingqing's cheeks had not entirely faded. Her pair of bright, spirited eyes looked at Qian Jin with confusion, making her completely forget the invitation Nord'york had offered.

Qian Jin looked at Luo Qingqing's rosy, tender cheeks and smiled. "A Doujie? A small trick. I'll tell you about it later..."

A small trick? Nord'york's smiling face suddenly dropped. He actually called the Doujie a small trick? This uncouth warrior with no background was truly astonishingly arrogant! Did he really think that after slaying the Evil Moon Angel Lei Yueyue, Yongliu City belonged to him?