"Second match, Second Leader versus Baldy!" Dongguan’s face was still alight with excitement as the betting began. Sweat beaded on my brow—when did I become the Second Leader?

"I'll put money on the Second Leader winning within ten moves," Long Qi declared without hesitation.

"Third Leader, you still owe me from the last wager," Dongguan grumbled, clearly displeased.

"Can I put it on credit for now?"

"Absolutely not. In a casino, there's no kinship, let alone brotherhood."

"Damn it, I swear I can recoup my losses this time."

"Idiot, that's exactly why I'm worried you might recoup your losses, understand?"

"You’re despicable."

"Heh heh, you're only just realizing that."

"I bet within five moves, the Third Leader wins." Jin Hong slammed her money pouch onto the table without a second's pause.

"Heh heh, I'll try my luck too," Long Xin chimed in, getting caught up in the excitement. "Let's bet on three moves." She then turned to me, "Kid, all my wealth is riding on Dongguan. If you make me lose, hmph."

That 'hmph' could be interpreted in many ways, but the result was singular: I was in for trouble.

"Whoa! Boss, you're too sinister! Aren't you driving the Second Leader straight into a dead end!" Dongguan exclaimed in shock. "I'm withdrawing my stakes. I won't take part in a trade that’s clearly a loss."

"Hmph hmph, that’s not up to you," Long Xin retorted slyly. "I’ve been eyeing this for a long time; today, you’re definitely going to bleed some profit."

"No, I won't do it," Dongguan clutched the spatial pack to his chest, clearly determined to resist to the death.

Ignoring the banter between Dongguan and Long Xin, the sinister-looking Baldy and the other mages on the other side were furious, their noses practically twitching with rage.

Shen Yi and Shen Yin stared at the commotion between Dongguan and Long Xin with disbelief.

"Heavens, this is a matter of life and death, aren't you even a little nervous?" Shen Yi asked.

"How can this be? Third Brother only has the cultivation of the early stage Red Moon. How could he possibly defeat that big Baldy?" Shen Yin was consumed with worry.

"It's over, they must be insane," Shen Yi slumped into a chair.

"Don't worry," Long Zhan assured them. "Your Third Brother is a well-known figure in Bi Qi. What big storms hasn't he weathered? These few aren't even worth him taking a couple of laps around."

In truth, Long Zhan and the others’ trust in me wasn't blind. After all, I had slain the Red Jiao, killed Hua Yu, wiped out over twenty early Red Moon experts from the Mad Dragon Gang in one go at Kunlong Stockade, and finally snatched the blue lightning that was the Zuma Icon right under the noses of the Zuma Cult Master and the five top masters.

Now, I was regarded by the entire Ranger world of the Marfa Continent—or rather, the Rangers within Bi Qi—as the strongest among the younger generation of top experts, ranked even above Long Yuan Fei Xue. While that ranking carried a bit of exaggeration, with my current strength, dispatching this group of bandits wouldn't be difficult at all. It was no wonder they were still in the mood for joking and horseplay; it was just something Shen Yin and Shen Yi couldn't comprehend.

"Fine! You reckless little things, I'll let you taste my power!" Big Baldy was truly enraged. "Die for me!" His massive Hellfire Battle Axe slashed down, unleashing a dazzling golden wave of Fiery Battle Qi directly overhead.

It was full of power, but unfortunately, its speed was utterly lacking. In an instant, I spotted at least four critical flaws in the move: the motion was too large, leaving his chest, armpit, lower abdomen, and his stance all open targets within my reach.

But in the flash of a thought, I took a sidestep.

Swish! Only an afterimage remained in the void.

Crash! With a tremendous roar, the mighty Hellfire Battle Axe, swirling with Fiery Battle Qi, slammed violently into the phantom in the empty space, unable to stop its momentum, blasting a massive pit in the ground. Debris scattered everywhere.

But in that exact moment, my Dragon Shadow Sword was already impossibly fast, resting against Big Baldy's chest.

Ah! Big Baldy stared at the slender, blue-glowing sword before him with utter disbelief.

Thud! The axe slipped from his grasp.

"So fast!" Big Baldy's rough face turned deathly pale in an instant, losing even the courage to resist. "I—I yield."

The surroundings fell silent. No one expected me to defeat Big Baldy in just one move.

"Gang Leader!" Sinister Man was greatly alarmed.

"Quickly release our Gang Leader!" A few warriors and mages grew restless, itching to charge forward.

Swish! I sheathed my sword. "If you're unconvinced, you can come again."

"No, a loss is a loss." Big Baldy was quite straightforward. "Even if I fought you a hundred times, the result would be the same." It had to be said that Big Baldy possessed some discernment. "Your sword is too fast; I can't even feel its presence. How many swordsmen in this world can block a sword like that?"

"Then how do you plan to deal with us?" I asked calmly.

"What else can I do?" Big Baldy sighed. "You haven't killed me, which is already a great fortune. So, I owe you a life. You can take it whenever you wish."

"Heh heh, I have no interest in your life," I muttered, finding the situation almost absurd—a trope from old movies actually happening to me. "I have only one demand: let us leave unharmed."

"If you want to leave now, we can't stop you," Big Baldy sighed. "With your strength, you could kill every single one of us without issue. What do you think we could do to you?"

"Haha, that is true," I could only force a dry laugh. "Then, Big Baldy, farewell for now. We shall not meet again." I called out loudly, "Boss, hurry up and lead everyone out!"

"Heh heh, I told you this kid could handle it," Long Zhan said. "Do you believe it now?"

"He! Isn't he only an early-stage Red Moon?" Shen Yi was astonished. "How could he defeat the high-stage Red Moon Baldy in a single move?"

"I never realized my little brother was this formidable," Shen Yin murmured. "Truly amazing, he didn't even need to use Battle Qi."

"This... I'll tell you later. Let's go quickly now," Long Xin hurriedly pulled Shen Yin and Shen Yi along.

"Wait a moment." Sinister Man suddenly blocked the doorway. "You cannot leave yet."

"Huh?" Everyone was greatly surprised.

"What, you still want to fight?" Long Zhan challenged. "We aren't afraid of you now."

"Rules are rules," Sinister Man insisted. "Since you defeated us, we must submit to your judgment."

"..........." This time, the few of us were completely stunned. This Sinister Man was truly stubborn, clinging to the word 'rules' even at this point. We thought he was so devious, but it turned out he was just a blockhead.

"Heh heh, interesting. We have no intention of judging you," Long Xin said. "We just want to leave this place quickly now."

"Please, make way," Dongguan requested.

"Then please accept this," Sinister Man produced a token and handed it to Long Xin. "This is the Heavenly Spider Token of our Heavenly Spider Gang. According to the rules, since you spared our Gang Leader's life, the Heavenly Spider Gang owes you a favor. If you ever need anything in the future, present this token, and I will complete one task for you."

"Interesting," Long Xin took the token with a smile. "Anything at all?"

"As long as it does not violate righteousness, even if it is beyond our capacity, we will exert our utmost effort to complete it for you," Sinister Man stated with absolute conviction.

"Good, I accept it." Not taking an advantage when it's offered isn't in Long Xin's nature.

"Esteemed Young Hero," Big Baldy said with immense reverence, "Could you tell us your name? At least let me know who I lost to."

"My name is Xing Chen." Since I was on the Cang Yue Continent now, I dropped my usual reservations and gave my name.

"Xing Chen," Big Baldy repeated, murmuring. "Never heard of it."

"With your strength, you shouldn't be unknown," Sinister Man added. "But how have we never heard your name?"

"Heh heh," Dongguan revealed a profound, mysterious smile. "Because we don't seek fame, understand?"

"I see," Sinister Man adopted an expression of sudden understanding. "The actions of true masters are indeed different from ordinary folk."

"Heh heh, you flatter us," Dongguan seized the rare chance to posture and played the part to the hilt. "In the future, you should look more carefully when judging people. True experts don't reveal themselves so easily."

"Yes, we have been taught," Sinister Man and Big Baldy still looked respectful.

They truly were a group of blessedly naive bandits, I reflected inwardly.

"Alright, it's time for us to go," Long Xin said. "Big Baldy, farewell!"

"Um," Big Baldy's face turned bright red. "My name is Fang Guangguang."

Pfft! "Fang Guangguang!" Shen Yi and Shen Yin couldn't help but burst out laughing. "It truly suits your appearance—your head is completely bald!"

"Well, my parents gave me my name," Fang Guangguang showed a rare glimpse of embarrassment. "I couldn't help it."

"We understand, we understand," Dongguan suppressed his laughter. "Then, Sinister Man, what is your name?"

"My humble name is Fang Yuan," Sinister Man announced clearly.

"Fang Yuan?" Long Xin and the others were puzzled. "That name is a bit peculiar."

"My father often taught me that all things in the world adhere to the Dao; the Dao of all things is structure and rules—without structure, there can be no square or circle (Fang Yuan). That is why my name is Fang Yuan," Sinister Man explained with utmost seriousness.

"No wonder you talk about rules and the Dao all day long," Shen Yi remarked. "It seems your father educated you well."

"My father's teachings, Fang Yuan dares not forget for a moment," Sinister Man—or rather, the blockhead Fang Yuan—said soberly.

"I'm truly impressed by you," Long Qi sighed in admiration.

"What about that big guy?" Long Zhan pointed to the still-unconscious ultimate effeminate man.

"That is my Third Brother," Fang Yuan replied. "His name is Fang Rou."

"Fang Rou!" None of us even had the energy to laugh. "That name truly has a certain mood—a huge fellow named 'Gentle'!" Long Zhan commented. "Your parents are so creative!"

"You flatter us," Fang Yuan replied.

"Alright, Fang family brothers, we bid you farewell now," Long Xin said seriously. "This time, I hope we meet again under better circumstances."

"May we meet again," Fang Guangguang and Fang Yuan bowed their fists simultaneously.

We also bowed with solemn expressions, a gesture of respect on this continent. Through the conversation, we could sense that the Fang brothers, despite being bandits, possessed their own code of conduct and weren't inherently evil. Thus, we didn't feel any particular aversion toward them, though strong affection was out of the question.

"Brothers, clear a path!" Big Baldy roared.

Whoosh! The Heavenly Spider Gang members surrounding the tavern instantly parted to create a passage.

"Xing Chen, you are too amazing!" Even though we had been out of that tavern for a long time, Shen Yin and Shen Yi were still incredibly excited. All the way, they clung to me relentlessly. "No, you absolutely have to tell us who you really are!"

"Exactly! How can an ordinary person be this strong?" Shen Yin was determined to get to the bottom of it this time. "Do you still consider me your sister? How can a sister not know her little brother's secrets? No, I won't let it go!" Shen Yin, behaving like a spoiled little girl who couldn't get the candy she wanted, grabbed my shoulders and shook me violently.

I felt like if this continued, I might just shake apart.

Sweat dropped. Heavens, how could I forget that a woman's curiosity can kill several cats? I had been thoroughly annoyed by them on this journey.

I could only say helplessly, "If you really want to know, ask the Boss." I was completely out of ideas. Through our time together, I understood that these two girls were sheltered young ladies from noble families, incredibly simple in their scheming, and perhaps there was no need to guard against them on every front. Furthermore, Shen Yin gave me a very warm feeling—a sensation I had only experienced with my mother and Chen Feng. Perhaps subconsciously, I already regarded her as a younger sister. Although outwardly I had to call her 'older sister,' my twenty-four-year-old mentality always defaulted to treating her like a sister who needed looking after. I thought if I ever had a sister, she would probably be as lovable as Shen Yin is now.

"Wow! Boss, you absolutely have to tell us!" In just a few days, Shen Yin and Shen Yi had been assimilated. Their address for Long Xin had changed from 'Gang Leader Long' to 'Boss.' It seemed they were quickly embracing the spirit of Rangers.

"Heh heh," Long Xin instinctively looked at me, meeting my smiling gaze. Long Xin knew I wasn't planning to hide anything from them anymore.

"Do you really want to hear it?" Long Xin deliberately kept them in suspense.

"Tell us, tell us quickly!" Shen Yi was already impatient.

"Heh heh, then I shall tell you," Long Xin began. "Actually, Xing Chen is a very famous figure in the Bi Qi Continent, and I'm not exaggerating!" Unexpectedly, Long Xin had the makings of a great storyteller; she embellished and exaggerated my few previous exploits to the extreme.

The result was that the way Shen Yi and Shen Yin looked at me became burning and almost frantic.

"Zuma Cult Master, Heavens, you even dared to provoke the Zuma Cult Master!" Although Shen Yin was ignorant of what the Four Great Clans or Sabak were, she had certainly heard of the fearsome reputation of the Zuma Cult Master. "My brother is truly an extraordinary figure—he's practically comparable to a Heavenly Demon Warrior!"

"My goodness, he’s already this powerful without the Heavenly Demon Armor. If he put on the armor, how terrifying would he be?" Shen Yi whispered, trembling.

"Heavenly Demon Warrior?" Now it was my turn to be shocked. "You know about Heavenly Demon Warriors?"

"Of course," Shen Yi said proudly. "We are royalty, after all. What’s so strange about seeing a few Heavenly Demon Warriors?"

"Exactly," Shen Yin added. "My sword instructor is Jidu, one of the nine Heavenly Demon Warriors of the Empire. If the war between our Empire and the Demon Sealing Empire wasn't so intense, Instructor Jidu would have accompanied us to Cang Yue."

"If we had a Heavenly Demon Warrior escorting us, we wouldn't have been chased by those wretched villains," Shen Yi ground her teeth in anger.

"But, we should thank them too, or I wouldn't have met you," Shen Yin concluded.

"Perhaps this is what they call fate," Shen Yi suddenly adopted a profound air.

Once they understood I was quite the big shot, Shen Yin and Shen Yi finally stopped pestering me, which brought me significant relief.

However, I had always been curious about the legendary Heavenly Demon Warriors. If Master Jian Li represented the absolute pinnacle of martial arts achievement that a martial artist could reach through a lifetime of effort, then the Heavenly Demon Warriors were a separate, even more transcendent and powerful existence.

I knew every royal family in every nation had Heavenly Demon Warriors. For the royal houses of the continent, Heavenly Demon Warriors were like the nuclear warheads held in their hands. No one knew exactly how powerful they were because they transcended the scope of human understanding.

In the Ranger world, peak figures like Sword God, Sword Saint, Sword Emperor, and Sword Queen were considered the apex by Rangers, but in the eyes of a Heavenly Demon Warrior, they were nothing more than children. These four combined might not even withstand a single move from a Heavenly Demon Warrior.

If one had to find a comparison, perhaps only terrifying existences like the Zuma Cult Master could contend with a Heavenly Demon Warrior. On the continent, direct confrontations between Heavenly Demon Warriors were rare; they mostly served as a powerful deterrent, much like modern atomic bombs—no one dared to deploy them lightly.

"Heavenly Demon Warriors," Long Xin breathed, awestruck. "I heard they are incredibly, incredibly powerful super-experts."

"We won't become Heavenly Demon Warriors in this lifetime, will we?" Long Zhan looked forward with yearning. "You know, only those clad in Heavenly Demon Armor can be called Heavenly Demon Warriors. But for thousands of years, only warriors with royal blood have had the chance to wear the armor and become one."

"Speaking of which," Long Xin looked at me seriously. "If you and Shen Yin truly have a blood connection, then your ancestor might be a member of the Demon Dragon Royal Family."

"Does that mean Xing Chen can also wear the Heavenly Demon Armor?" Long Zhan was astounded.

"Heh heh, dreaming too much," I retorted irritably. "Shen Yin and I just coincidentally look alike; it's not as exaggerated as you say."

"That remains to be seen," Long Qi argued. "If you ever have the chance in the future, you must try it."

"............" Shen Yin and Shen Yi, standing by, were stunned. "It would be wonderful if Xing Chen really were a descendant of our royal family! We really want to see what Xing Chen looks like wearing the Heavenly Demon Armor."

"Alright, let's keep moving and stop thinking about these unrealistic things," I said. I certainly wished I possessed the power of a Heavenly Demon Warrior; if I truly became one, challenging the Red Moon Demon might not be an impossible task. But such things could only be fantasized about. Even if I carried royal blood, it would be diluted by who knows how many generations. Would the Demon Dragon Royal Family be generous enough to let me wear the Heavenly Demon Armor?

It seems focusing on diligent cultivation is the proper path.