For anyone ranked in the Hundred Battles List, if they found themselves hovering around the fortieth position, they would almost certainly rather challenge the person ranked thirty-ninth than the one sitting at fortieth. Such a person—brutal to himself and savage toward others—had just been felled with a single punch. What kind of profound combat technique had he employed?

{Subterranean Thunder Skill!} From within the crowd, a voice laced with faint surprise, but far more with deep-seated hatred, echoed throughout the ballroom! Every gaze from the Titan Iron Curtain immediately locked onto Qian Jin. Was this the legendary Subterranean Thunder Skill, a Saint-Grade combat art lost for ages, one countless people had sought to rediscover but never managed?

The gaze of the Titan Iron Curtain lifted from Qian Jin, shifting toward the source of the voice in the crowd—Qian Wuqing? Qian Jin looked toward Qian Wuqing, standing in the throng, his eyes burning with the fierce hatred of an awakened Elf King bloodline warrior. He hadn't expected him to show up here at all.

The academy members standing near and in front of Qian Wuqing instinctively cleared a path leading toward Qian Jin, their expressions shifting to curious speculation about the newcomer’s identity. {The Qian family has finally sent someone to the Conquest Academy.} Tian Lianlingguan’s imposing figure slowly rotated again, and in the shadows cast by his frame, people could glimpse his eyes, filled with immense authority. A single glance was enough to instill fear in countless onlookers, a feeling as if they were physically dwarfed by this man.

It was like watching a magnificent king of lions surveying his territory, his subjects. {A pity.} Tian Lianlingguan’s eyes swept over Qian Wuqing briefly before returning to the wine goblet in his hand, as if nothing in the world carried the weight of that single cup. “This Qian family warrior who arrived fails to stir my interest.

I hear there’s a young man in the Qian family named Qian Wushuang who might be somewhat decent. Perhaps he could elicit a sliver of my interest?” Most of the students in the ballroom cast looks of pure adoration toward Tian Lianlingguan; this was the very definition of a king’s bearing and spirit! {Boy, you know the Subterranean Thunder Skill, don’t you?} Tian Lianlingguan leaned back on the sofa, gesturing to an attendant who refilled his red wine.

“Find me when you have time. We can discuss the Subterranean Thunder Skill. It’s been a while since I took on a retainer.” In that instant!

Nearly everyone’s gaze in the ballroom—filled with envy, shock, and even jealousy—flew toward Qian Jin. Tian Lianlingguan! The Griffin King bloodline warrior, one of the top ten bloodline warriors of the True Strategy Dynasty!

Hailed as the strongest Griffin King bloodline warrior among the new generation, the reigning hegemon of the Conquest Academy, and destined to be a major figure in the future dynasty! He hadn't recruited a single retainer in over half a year! And today...

he was actually extending an offer of retainership to a young warrior who had only recently entered the academy from a minor province? This kid was impossibly lucky! It was known that a fighter ranked thirty on the Hundred Battles List had once petitioned to become Tian Lianlingguan’s retainer, only to be rejected.

The reason given was one no one could have predicted: "You have no further potential. I do not take on waste." A retainer to the Thunderous Lion King! Many envious students’ eyes nearly bulged from their sockets.

Becoming Tian Lianlingguan’s retainer guaranteed a smooth path forward in life—not only generous compensation but also high social status. Even if they died on the Demon-Slaying Battlefield, they would receive special bereavement pay from the Griffin King family, separate from the Dynasty’s provisions. Luck!

Truly astronomical luck! Dozens of students nervously watched Qian Jin, wishing they could speak up and accept before him, just to have the experience. Qian Jin instinctively scratched his ear, wondering if he had misheard.

Was this Griffin King bloodline warrior offering the price of becoming his retainer just to acquire the long-lost Subterranean Thunder Skill, a technique no one had recreated in ages? Tian Lianlingguan sat with his back to them on the sofa, his fingers idly turning a crystal wine glass, radiating an air of leisurely composure. Heh heh.

For the first time, Qian Jin found something truly absurd in this world: willingly handing over the Subterranean Thunder Skill for the mere qualification of being a Griffin King bloodline warrior’s retainer. If he truly wanted to become a retainer, securing a position under the Elf King bloodline family wouldn't be difficult at all. Even more, the smile of the Serpent Emperor Pan Hongji flashed in Qian Jin’s mind.

He imagined that if he approached the Serpent Emperor and expressed a desire to pledge allegiance, the powerhouse of the Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline family would likely be delighted. The Griffin King bloodline? Qian Jin felt the surrounding gazes of envy, jealousy, and even hatred, and shook his head with a helpless, bitter smile.

He couldn’t fathom what they envied: a lost Saint-Grade skill, the Subterranean Thunder Skill capable of fighting above one’s rank, traded only for the status of a retainer to Tian Lianlingguan? And it sounded like it was being offered with immense condescension thrown in! What was there to envy?

{My apologies,} Qian Jin raised an eyebrow slightly. {My legs aren’t very nimble; I can’t kneel. I must decline your retainer offer.} The wine glass Tian Lianlingguan was turning paused slightly, and a faint, surprised cold snort escaped his nostrils.

At the Conquest Academy, besides that mage student named Biluo—hailed as a genius yet never exhibiting any discernible talent—this was the first time someone not relying on bloodline power had refused him. {Boy, what did you say?} A warrior standing next to Tian Lianlingguan suddenly stood up. His imposing physique matched his wildly disheveled, golden hair that resembled a lion’s mane, and his eyes, strikingly similar to Tian Lianlingguan’s lion eyes, glared fiercely at Qian Jin, an immense pressure slowly radiating from him.

Many students quickly lowered their heads, avoiding eye contact with this irritable "Raging Lion King" and Ling Fenglingguan, lest they be caught in the crossfire of his fury—that would be truly unfortunate luck. {My legs aren’t very nimble.} Qian Jin stared calmly at the "Raging Lion King," Ling Fenglingguan. {I can’t kneel, so I cannot be a retainer.} {You brat...} Ling Fenglingguan took a step forward, his two lion eyes fixed on Qian Jin, just as a wave of almost manic, gloating laughter erupted in the silent ballroom.

Qian Wuqing laughed loudly. He had chased Qian Jin all the way to the Conquest Academy, and before he could avenge his father, he was subjected to insults by this arrogant Griffin King bloodline warrior. A mere Griffin King bloodline warrior, one of the top ten bloodline families, dared to be so presumptuous?

Compared to the Three Ultimate Bloodline Warrior Families, the top ten bloodline families meant nothing! Qian Wuqing focused more of his attention on Qian Jin, noting that the power of that single punch had increased significantly since the fight outside the Qian family gates. This Qian brat...

Qian Wuqing clenched his fists, restraining the urge to immediately step forward and issue a challenge. Now was not the time. Qian Jin’s strength had clearly advanced to this degree; his chances of winning now were less than thirty percent.

Hold on, just a little longer. {The inheritance of the Battle Heart—even for an adult at their peak, the success rate of inheritance is only ten percent. When I unexpectedly obtained the Subterranean Thunder Skill, I also acquired a special method for a one-hundred-percent inheritance.

Today, I will bestow all of it upon you.} The Golden Battle Heart! He was so close to possessing the Golden Battle Heart! Qian Wuqing sighed deeply, slowly unclenching his tightly held fists.

Once he refined his Battle Heart to the level of the Golden Battle Heart, he could absolutely overwhelm Qian Jin in terms of Battle Heart quality! Just hold on a little longer! The moment he achieved the Golden Battle Heart, he would defeat—and crush—Qian Jin!

Qian Wuqing flashed forward, blocking the path Ling Fenglingguan was taking toward Qian Jin. {Elf King bloodline warrior.} Ling Fenglingguan’s towering frame looked down at Qian Wuqing, his two golden eyebrows twitching slightly. “Are you issuing me a challenge?” {A challenge?} Qian Wuqing curled his lips into a sneer full of disdain.

“Does an Elf King bloodline warrior, noble and ranked above the so-called Top Ten Bloodline Warriors in the True Strategy Dynasty—a warrior from one of the Three Ultimate Bloodline Warrior Families—need to challenge a lower-ranking warrior from the Top Ten?” Ling Fenglingguan’s proud face contorted with rage, the flesh around his eyes bunching up as if twisted by whips. The veins in his thick arms, larger than a common man’s calves, pulsed visibly. {What did you say?} {I said what every warrior in the True Strategy Dynasty knows to be fact.} Qian Wuqing suddenly turned, raising his hand to point at Qian Jin.

{My enrollment into the Conquest Academy was not for the new combat skills or magic developed here! My goal is singular: to defeat him! To reclaim the glory that belongs to my father, the radiance that belongs to the Elf King bloodline warriors!

Qian Jin, this time, I will not lose to you again!} His roar, filled with self-assured fury, reverberated through the entire ballroom, reaching every single person attending the gathering. The Titan Iron Curtain’s eyes widened in surprise. From Qian Wuqing’s words, it seemed he had been defeated by Qian Jin?

Even Qian Wuqing’s father, Qian Chenyu, a seasoned Elf King bloodline warrior, had lost to Qian Jin? Legend had it that although Qian Chenyu was only at the level of the Nine Demon Slayers, his combat experience from countless life-and-death struggles was immense. How could Qian Jin, who wasn't even a bloodline warrior, possibly defeat Qian Chenyu?

Ling Fenglingguan looked up at Qian Jin, surprise etched on his face. Could this person be a bloodline warrior from some rare lineage? Otherwise, even possessing the Subterranean Thunder Skill shouldn’t allow him to defeat Qian Chenyu.

Among the common warrior families, the only ones with a slight qualification to challenge the bloodline families were those of the Burning Path lineage. This was due to a secret art possessed by the Burning Path lineage: when their members were children, they were subjected to this secret art to enhance their physical constitution, granting them an innate, deep foundation that allowed for rapid power bursts later in adulthood. {Boy...

I’ll fight you to the death...}