Qian Niancheng grinned, thumbing a compliment: "Smart! This man is Hui, the head of the Fierce Tiger Hall. Brother’s luck is truly good today; we’ve met the leaders of two Halls in one go."

"Brother Wudao, we're taking this job, right!" Meng Hu stood at the junction between the passage and the main hall: "One million gold coins! If we land this deal, I expect the Lei family will cooperate with us even more in the future. Then..."

"Damn it! Qian Jin is my benefactor!" Kuang Long suddenly sprang up, roaring at Meng Hu: "If you want to kill Qian Jin, you’ll have to go through me first."

"Kuang Long, do you think I’m scared of you?" Meng Hu glared at Kuang Long. "Don't think that just because you’re a year older than me, I’m truly inferior to you in a fight."

Qian Jin noticed that amid this chaos, his Uncle Jun Wudao showed no intention of interfering, instead crossing his arms and adopting the posture of an amused spectator.

Qian Jin felt somewhat restless. If he hadn't seen this, fine. Or if the argument had been between the two about someone completely unrelated to him, that would also be fine. But the crux of their dispute was him.

"Ahem..." Qian Jin cleared his throat, an abrupt sound in the otherwise calm hall, immediately drawing the attention of the two men whose anger was clearly escalating. "Gentlemen, my apologies. Actually, I really didn't mean to interrupt, but..."

Qian Jin shrugged. "Mr. Kuang Long, since Mr. Meng Hu is so eager to kill Qian Jin, why not just let him have his way."

"Who the hell do you think you are?" Kuang Long stiffened his neck. "Believe it or not, I could kill you right now?"

"Heh heh, Uncle Kuang Long," Qian Niancheng chirped happily, clapping his small hands. "If you kill my brother, wouldn't you be killing your own benefactor?"

"Your brother?"

Both Kuang Long and Meng Hu stared at Qian Jin curiously; neither had ever heard that Niancheng had a brother.

"Benefactor?" Kuang Long felt his mind struggling to keep up. "I only have two benefactors: Brother Wudao, and Qian..."

Kuang Long's eyes widened abruptly as he looked at Qian Jin. "Y-You... you are Qian Jin?"

Qian Jin dryly spread his hands in a smile. "If you are looking for the Qian Jin who chopped up Lei Yueyue, then I suppose I am the one."

"Benefactor!" Kuang Long strode towards Qian Jin. "Are you truly my benefactor?"

Qian Jin grimaced, speaking with a trace of difficulty. "I wouldn't exactly call myself a benefactor. I happened to have a feud with Lei Wei, and his sister Lei Yueyue happened to want me dead. So, I cut her down. I certainly wasn't aiming to avenge you."

Kuang Long turned his head toward Jun Wudao. "Brother Wudao! You didn't trick me, did you? You didn't arrange a fake benefactor for me, did you?"

Meng Hu wore a look of profound confusion, his dark eyebrows knitted tightly, the short black hair on his forehead swaying slightly like a tiger's stripes. "Brother Wudao, what exactly is going on here?"

Jun Wudao shrugged, pointing at Qian Jin. "This is my nephew, Qian Jin. You two should get acquainted."

Meng Hu froze, closely scrutinizing Qian Jin. His tiger-like eyes revealed intense hostility mixed with doubt. Finally, he sighed. "It seems our Wudao Hall won't get a chance to earn that million gold coins."

"Who says we won't?" Jun Wudao stood up casually and began pacing. "I've already pulled a double-cross; I swallowed the Lei family's gold."

"What?" Meng Hu suspected his hearing had failed him. Jun Wudao dared to swallow the Lei family's gold? Having done that, future cooperation with the Lei family would be incredibly difficult—it might even lead to hostility!

"If there's nothing else, let's chat," Jun Wudao gestured toward the floor. "You might be seeing each other often in the future, so you might as well get friendly now..."

"Sounds good!" Kuang Long was the first to sit on the floor. "Qian Jin, you sit down too."

Meng Hu hesitated for a moment, then shook his head slightly. "Brother Wudao, I think I should head back first. Just now, after learning the Lei family wanted Qian Jin's life, I gathered the brothers. Now I have to go tell them the plan is canceled."

Jun Wudao made a simple gesture. Meng Hu walked out of the room quickly without looking back, his mind ceaselessly churning over Jun Wudao's words. What did he mean by seeing each other often? Was this man about to join the Wudao Society? Did Brother Wudao want him to take over?

Take over? Fine! No problem! Meng Hu stepped out of the hall, looking up at the sky. His tiger eyes flashed with chilling coldness. "Brother Wudao built this power with great difficulty. If Qian Jin dares to join the Wudao Society, he must show me an ability I can respect! If he lacks that capability but still aims for the top seat, he'll have to answer to my fists."

"Meng Hu, why are you so angry about something?"

Beneath the moon, a figure descended from a carriage parked outside the Wudao Society headquarters. Dressed in a cyan long robe, he held a folding fan, his nose sharply hooked, and his two slender eyes resembled narrow slits—he looked like a frail scholar.

A flicker of caution crossed Meng Hu’s eyes. "Vice-Chairman, why are you here?"

"Just passing by. I finished my tasks for the day and happened to be in the vicinity." The Vice-Chairman gently fanned himself. "Hall Master Meng Hu, who is this...?"

"Nothing, just dropping by." Meng Hu jerked his chin and swung onto his horse. "I'm leaving now!"

"I won't see you out." The Vice-Chairman fanned himself, letting out a cold sneer. "What you intend to do, do you really think Kui Richeng doesn't know? The seat of the next Chairman is naturally mine!"

"Vice-Chairman, the Chairman is meeting a guest today and has ordered not to see anyone."

Kui Richeng’s advancing steps halted. He looked curiously at the gate guard. "Do you know who it is?"

"No."

"Oh." Kui Richeng replied meaningfully, turning and leaving with a sway of his fan. As he mounted his carriage, he glanced back at the Wudao Society one last time. "Who in the world could it be?"

"Who? Who hit my wife!"

Li Deyork stared at Situ Yixiao lying on the bed, his eye corners so wide they looked ready to burst. In Yongliu City, his wife had been beaten in public, suffering seven broken ribs!

His four warrior escorts were completely disabled, and one mage escort had been forced into self-mutilation!

If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, Li Deyork would have thought the messenger was still half-asleep. As the City Lord of Yongliu City, his wife had been assaulted.

"Qian Jin! It was Qian Jin!" Situ Yixiao lay on the bed, tears staining her cheeks. "Qian Jin brought people to beat me..."

Qian Jin? Li Deyork’s rage subsided slightly. Qian Jin again? Had this kid gone mad? He didn't seem like it! He should have been perfectly lucid.

"Father," Hong Seyork paced into the room. Upon seeing him, Situ Yixiao’s forehead veins jumped wildly as she shrieked, "Are you here to badmouth me again?"

Hong Seyork smiled and gave Situ Yixiao a gentle nod. "Mother, I am only stating facts. I would never say anything deceitful to Father."

Li Deyork frowned, raising a finger to point at Hong Seyork. "Tell me, what happened?"

Hong Seyork secretly glanced at the throbbing veins on Li Deyork’s arm. His father was clearly on the verge of a furious explosion, barely managing to suppress his rage now. If it weren't for the Hongliu Battle Fortress and Fabredis, he likely wouldn't even bother asking for details before ordering Qian Jin captured and killed.

"Mother was at the shop..." Hong Seyork recounted everything exactly as it happened, secretly watching Li Deyork, waiting for his father to issue the order to seize Qian Jin in his ensuing rage.

"Even so..." Li Deyork’s chest heaved violently, his face ashen as he looked at Situ Yixiao in bed. "Shouldn't he have considered the Madam's status? Does he truly believe that just because the Hongliu Battle Fortress and Fabredis support him, this City Lord can’t touch him?"

Hong Seyork offered a bitter smile. "I’m afraid, Father... that is exactly what he thinks..."

"Good... good! Good!" Li Deyork lightly clapped the table next to him. "He hits people and refuses to offer an apology. He truly takes me for a nobody. Fine, I'll let him know what the City Lord's..."

"Lord City Lord, I have returned."

Li Deyork looked at the travel-worn escort standing at the door and waved a hand dismissively. "You step aside. I'll send men to capture Qian Jin and—"

The escort, who was about to leave, suddenly turned around and knelt back on the ground. "Lord City Lord, please hold your command for a moment. I have an urgent report."

Li Deyork looked at the kneeling subordinate. This man had followed him since the Conquest War Academy; he was one of his most trusted confidants, always acting with perfect discretion. Today, he was defying an order?

"Deyork, you get up," Li Deyork said to the subordinate he had granted his own surname to. "Come with me for a moment."

Under the hateful and furious gaze of Hong Seyork, Deyork followed Li Deyork into the main hall, where Li Deyork poured him a cup of tea. "Lord City Lord, I went to Qizhou this time and gathered some intelligence regarding Qian Jin. I believe you will find it quite interesting."

Li Deyork sipped the slightly hot, clear tea and motioned. "Speak."

"Qian Jin beat two people twice in front of the Qian family gate," Deyork reported, watching the subtle shift in Li Deyork's expression. "He severely wounded several warriors of the Elf King bloodline, including the veteran Elf King bloodline warrior, Qian Chenyu. He defeated the genius warrior, Qian Wutian..."

What? Li Deyork sprayed the second mouthful of tea he had just taken. He looked at Deyork in astonishment. Had Qian Jin become this terrifyingly powerful? Even Qian Chenyu, a warrior from the Nine Demon Slayers, had lost to Qian Jin? No wonder he was so arrogant! Daring to act so violently in the city, knowing she was my wife, and wounding her severely.

"Good! Very good!" Li Deyork nodded repeatedly with a cold smile. "I understand. You can..."

"Master, I haven't finished," Deyork interrupted before Li Deyork could stop him again. "While in Qizhou, Qian Jin stayed at the temporary residence of the Nine Serpent bloodline family head. Afterward, he went out sightseeing with the Serpent Emperor, Pan Hongji, dining at the same table every time."

"What?"

Li Deyork nearly dropped his teacup. To ordinary people, this name and event might mean nothing, but that was because they couldn't grasp the terror that was the Serpent Emperor Pan Hongji!

Pan Hongji was a figure who dared to disrespect even Qian Zhanxuan of the Elf King bloodline families. Furthermore, he possessed immense strategic talent, and under his leadership, the Nine Serpent bloodline family had seen a clear rise in overall strength.

A person who wouldn't show face to Qian Zhanxuan was now traveling and sightseeing with Qian Jin? And eating at the same table every single time?

One shared meal could be interpreted as a reward bestowed upon Qian Jin by the Serpent Emperor. But eating together repeatedly?

That could only mean one thing: the Serpent Emperor Pan Hongji truly, deeply favored Qian Jin!