The Headmaster said—"Bìluò lowered her head timidly..."—"The formation of two opposing factions will more easily enhance mutual understanding. In this world, the people who understand you best, besides your kin, are your enemies. Only through mutual understanding, knowing each other's strengths and weaknesses, can we coordinate better on the battlefield in the future..."

Qián Jìn nodded in agreement, sensing the growing number of strange gazes around him. No matter the group, their attention would invariably settle upon him and Bìluò, almost every pair of eyes filled with deep apprehension. "This academy..." Qián Jìn frowned heavily, a surge of dissatisfaction rising in his heart. Applying pressure on Bìluò was fine; favoring her with generous resources was also acceptable, but couldn't a better method have been chosen? Must she be isolated to this extent?

"Besides the Conquest Academy, there is still some distance to travel to reach the Torrent Battle Fortress once we leave the city." Qián Jìn stood on the road outside the school gate, glancing around. "I'll find us a carriage. You wait here for a moment..."

"Qián Jìn!" Ài Bìjiā, having changed into clean, beautiful clothes and styled her hair in the most current fashion of the True Policy Dynasty, gripped her immensely expensive magic staff, glaring venomously at Qián Jìn and the staff clutched in Bìluò's hand beside him.

Qián Jìn had always felt the staff was familiar, yet he couldn't quite recall where he had seen the exquisite, clearly extravagant magic staff Bìluò held. In that instant of seeing Ài Bìjiā's furious expression, a scene and a person, vaguely familiar yet not forgotten, flashed through his mind.

Xiū Sīdákè! That was it! Several months ago, at the auction house in Yǒngliú, Xiū Sīdákè had once pawned a magic staff called the Amber Scepter while trying to acquire potions. At the time, it was claimed to be worth a staggering two million gold coins, but it was eventually purchased by Jūn Wúdào, the biggest gang leader in Yǒngliú City.

Now, that Amber Scepter, valued at two million gold coins, was grasped in Bìluò's hands! Qián Jìn took a deep breath and looked closely; he hadn't misremembered. It was indeed the same Amber Scepter that Jūn Wúdào had spent five hundred thousand gold coins to acquire at the auction.

In a flash, Qián Jìn understood why Ài Bìjiā was looking at Bìluò with eyes full of hatred. Xiū Sīdákè was Ài Bìjiā's father. This Amber Scepter might not have been Xiū Sīdákè's absolute best staff, but it must have been one he was quite fond of. Seeing his father's possession in another person's hands...

Qián Jìn nodded slightly. Such anger and unhappiness were understandable, but the issue was that her father willingly sold it, and sold it to Jūn Wúdào. What did Bìluò have to do with it? Furthermore, how did this staff end up in Bìluò's possession?

"What? You again? Still planning to take a dip in the pond?" Qián Jìn surveyed Ài Bìjiā from head to toe. This young mage was perhaps excessively vain. The wide robes traditional to mages, though unsightly, concealed many secrets. Her current modified attire was quite beautiful, but the function of a mage's robe was drastically diminished.

Ài Bìjiā's face flushed as she stared at Qián Jìn. Being thrown into the water today was the most humiliating event for her in months—indeed, the most humiliating event of her recent years, and every one of them involved an encounter with this man! Especially his attitude! In Yǒngliú City, even the City Lord would greet her with a beaming smile and words of praise.

What right did a mere Warrior have to speak to me like that? Ài Bìjiā's pale fingers clenched the magic staff with excessive force, her expression growing slightly contorted. Not only does he refuse to flatter me! He actively works against me at every turn!

"Insolence!" A cold snort sounded from behind Ài Bìjiā, and a middle-aged Warrior strode forward, naked fury and killing intent blazing in the corners of his eyes.

"What right do you have to speak to the Little Princess of our Crystal Mage Guild in such a manner!"

Ài Bìjiā proudly lifted her chin, looking at the Warrior retainer who had stepped in front of her. Only as a retainer to the daughter of the Vice President of the Crystal Magic Tower would one have the chance to wear such a magnificent set of Level Six armor!

Qián Jìn merely shook his head at the spoiled child. "Princess? Is 'Princess' a title one can throw around casually? Throughout the entire True Policy Dynasty, only the daughters of the Emperor are entitled to be called Princess. You, the daughter of a Crystal Magic Tower Vice President, dare to claim the title? Aren't you afraid of losing your head?"

"And what right do you have!" The middle-aged Warrior gripped an iron rod in his hand like a wide, thick wall facing Qián Jìn. Although he was Ài Bìjiā's retainer, she had paid him an extra sum for this matter, so he naturally had to exert himself fully.

Ài Bìjiā secretly signaled the four mage retainers behind her. The four mages gripped their staffs tightly, stealthily channeling their spiritual power into the magic scrolls already prepared beneath their mage robes.

"Thinking of making a move..." Qián Jìn slightly twitched an eyebrow. "You should be well aware, right? Even outside the academy, engaging me in combat here... that still violates school regulations and will result in..."

"Expulsion, is it?" Ài Bìjiā let out a series of triumphant giggles, lightly covering her mouth with a small hand. "It matters not! I have already promised them that even if they cannot continue their studies at the Conquest Academy, I will find better tutors for them! Guaranteeing their lives will be incredibly comfortable..."

Qián Jìn spread his hands, looking around. "I see! You are very clever. You won't strike yourself, so any passing students can testify that you weren't involved in the fight. If I kill you, the law demands a life for a life, and I believe your father has the means to enforce that. But remember this: while it might be inconvenient for me to kill you this time, I will ensure you receive a lesson you will never forget..."

"Attack!" Ài Bìjiā shouted first, pointing her staff at Qián Jìn. "Lú Wàng, attack him! Let him know that on the Talent Rankings..." Boom! Boom! Boom!

Suddenly, the ground beneath Qián Jìn began to churn violently. Several thick, savage purple vines, studded with various barbs, snaked out towards Qián Jìn’s wrists, ankles, and torso.

Vine Entanglement Art! The four mages simultaneously activated the magic scrolls gifted by Ài Bìjiā. The vicious green vines coiled like hundreds of long snakes, wrapping around every corner of Qián Jìn's body.

The middle-aged Warrior, Lú Wàng, was already prepared. He let out a fierce roar, and the Fiend-Subduing Battle Qi surged out from within him! His arrogant, beast-like eyes stared down at Qián Jìn; since this young man was not a bloodline Warrior, against such binding restraints at his age, defeat was inevitable!

The iron rod struck instantly, enveloping both of Qián Jìn's legs at the knees!

Fiend-Subduing Five Battles? Qián Jìn’s eyes darted. You are both Warriors, yet you take employment from the Crystal Magic Tower to fight a fellow Warrior student with whom you have no feud? If this is how you practice the way of the Warrior, you might as well stop!

Bang...

The iron rod slammed brutally into Qián Jìn's body, producing the sound of metal colliding with bone. All trace of savagery vanished from Ài Bìjiā's face, replaced by delight. "Move aside, let me..."

"Is this all you have? You dare call yourselves hired muscle?" Qián Jìn's icy words slowly seeped out from within the mass of purple vines. A sudden chill shot through Lú Wàng. What was happening? Why didn't he hear the sound of bones breaking? What kind of protective battle skill was this? So powerful?

A massive hand suddenly tore apart the thickly wrapped, impenetrable purple vines, grasping towards Lú Wàng's head. Lú Wàng's vision instantly blackened, as if what reached out was not a hand, but a vast black net. The vines surrounding the arm simultaneously burst into fragments, as if countless blades and swords had shot out from within the purple tangle.

For a moment, Qián Jìn seemed to emerge slowly from a green downpour. Each ordinary step he took felt like it landed heavily on the hearts of the onlookers; at this moment, it was as if everything in the heavens and earth moved according to his stride.

Lú Wàng tried to retreat, his body flicking back with the swift agility of a leopard. As soon as his body lifted, a sharp pain shot through his head—Qián Jìn's palm had clamped onto his skull. "It is normal for a Warrior to act as muscle for others. But the thought of you trying to smash my knees, crippling my future for a lifetime, and forcing me to live in humiliation—that is too vicious!"

"You... what are you going to do...?" Lú Wàng gripped Qián Jìn's hand with both hands, struggling to pry apart the five fingers tightening and exerting increasing pressure on his forehead. "I am also from the Warrior Guild! I am a Warrior of the Mù Kuáng Huā Warrior Guild..." He struggled to say...

Qián Jìn stamped his left foot behind him and, holding Lú Wàng's head in his right hand, instantly lunged in front of Ài Bìjiā. His five fingers were aligned with the technique of Separating Gold Slashes concentrated in his palm, which he suddenly clenched inward!

CRACK! Lú Wàng's head exploded like an overripe green melon! Red and white matter sprayed everywhere, accompanied by a pungent, metallic smell of blood. Ài Bìjiā’s pale, beautiful face was instantly coated in streaks of red and white foam.

"Ah! Ah! Ah...!" Ài Bìjiā had never encountered anything like this. Smelling the pungent stench of blood rushing into her nostrils, seeing the head suddenly explode before her, and the spraying foam, she quickly squeezed her eyes shut and let out continuous screams, trembling all over as she curled up on the ground, refusing to look at the Qián Jìn standing before her.

The four mages attempted to intervene, but upon meeting the fierce glare sweeping towards them from Qián Jìn, they promptly closed their eyes, knelt on the ground, and huddled into tight balls.

It was too terrifying! In the instant the red and white foam splattered, Ài Bìjiā glimpsed through the mist—a pair of eyes hidden behind it! Qián Jìn's eyes!

Ài Bìjiā had never seen eyes so terrifying, like staring directly into the face of the Grim Reaper in the deepest part of the night!

Death, gore, slaughter!

Qián Jìn squatted down in front of Ài Bìjiā, gently patting her tender cheek with his blood-stained hand. Streaks of blood smeared her face, which otherwise made one want to kiss it.

"This time, your retainer died. Next time, it will be you," Qián Jìn said with a smiling gaze towards Ài Bìjiā. The surrounding Warrior students who witnessed the scene shivered involuntarily. A person who had just killed someone speaking with such a smile was terrifyingly frightening!

"Believe me, you must believe me..." Qián Jìn slowly stood up and walked towards Bìluò, glancing back one last time at the trembling, curled-up Ài Bìjiā, and smiled again. "I am a man who does not like to lie."