Loki? Lei let out a weak groan, slowly stirring from unconsciousness. A hint of vagueness clouded his eyes, as if he were an infant newborn, gazing upon this unfamiliar world.

"What is your name?"

"Loki? Lei."

Mu Gui Wuxin listened to Loki? Lei’s almost-whispered voice, sensing a state devoid of reason and spirit.

"Who sent you to kill me?"

"Lei Zhen of the Lei family, and Lei Guangming of the Blacksmiths’ Guild."

The Lei family? A nameless surge of anger stirred in Qian Jin’s heart—the Lei family again? This was a power, a massive faction that had existed for countless years, built up over generations, founded on the plunder of others’ wealth, forged in blood and coin—one of the greatest, most enduring powers in the Flowing Current Domain!

Even if the patriarch died, even if the most promising descendant perished, even if the Flood Tide Battle Fortress had devoured much of their resources lately, they were not truly dead. They were like hungry wolves, licking their wounds in the shadows, ready to spring out and bite the moment an opportunity arose.

"The Lei family, the Lei family..." Qian Jin muttered the name repeatedly. To truly eradicate this family that constantly threatened to strike was, at present, beyond his individual strength. Confronting a great power required meeting it with equivalent power.

"Damn it! It really is those old relics from the Lei family!" Mu Gui Wuxin’s ugly face twisted, his muscles congealing into a particularly ferocious expression as he sneered, "The Lei family is really rising in prominence! Daring to hire assassins for a hit? Fine! You think my Flood Tide Battle Fortress is broke, unable to afford assassins? I'll become an assassin myself a few times! I'll hack a batch of Lei family members to pieces!"

"Hired assassins?" Qian Jin’s eyes brightened as he looked at the reviving Loki? Lei, "Who taught you your archery?"

", Sky-Shot Secret Art."

"Sky-Shot Secret Art? Where?" Qian Jin questioned rapidly, racing against the clock.

"In my Battle Realm."

"Take it out! Give it to me!"

"Yes..."

Loki? Lei flipped his palm, seemingly oblivious to the searing pain of his dislocated arm, and placed the Sky-Shot Secret Art (Volume One) into Qian Jin’s hand.

"I... this is..."

Loki? Lei’s eyes suddenly lit up, staring around in surprise, as well as at the Sky-Shot Secret Art (Volume One) in Qian Jin’s hand—a scroll seized by his ancestors from the Purple-Veined Bloodline Barbarian Warriors!

"A shooting technique secret art from the Purple-Veined Bloodline?" Qian Jin quickly flipped through the text, beginning to understand why even a Behemoth Bloodline Awakened could unleash such sharp archery.

The Sky-Shot Secret Art differed greatly from the Divine Archery of the True Policy Dynasty. All high-level Divine Archery techniques required precise sequencing of Dou Qi, coordinated with shooting methods, making it a specialized archery form usable only by those who had awakened the Divine Archery bloodline power within the Bi Yu family.

The Sky-Shot Secret Art also sought specific Dou Qi sequencing inherent to the Purple-Veined Bloodline, used in conjunction with various shooting skills. However, the very opening section of this specialized archery secret technique—a method akin to rapid-fire arrows—could be executed purely through brute force.

This meant that those possessing either the Behemoth Bloodline or the Barbarian strength could utilize the initial technique, Succession of Beacon Fires, upon obtaining the Sky-Shot Secret Art.

"Interesting." Qian Jin scanned the manual hastily, noticing that the Dou Qi sequencing and shooting techniques recorded here differed significantly from those in Divine Archery, yet achieved almost identical results. "If I could merge these two archery styles to some degree, what would the outcome be?"

Two archery styles? Loki? Lei was momentarily stunned, then a faint, cold smile touched his thick lips. Regardless of what the other archery style was, the truly profound, top-tier techniques of the Sky-Shot Secret Art required a Barbarian Warrior awakened with the Purple-Veined Bloodline to use them properly—it was essentially a specialized bloodline Dou Skill, manifested in the form of archery. Loki? Lei’s worried expression quickly vanished. Even if this human seized the Sky-Shot Secret Art, he lacked the Purple-Veined Bloodline power, meaning he couldn't sequence his Dou Qi in that specific way...

Snap! Qian Jin flicked his wrist, and a steel pellet instantly pierced the thick door panel of Mu Gui Wuxin’s room. His eyes fixed on his fingers as he quietly pondered the gains and losses from his first attempt to simulate the Sky-Shot Secret Art using his Wind and Cloud Dou Qi.

Loki? Lei stared blankly at Qian Jin's casual strike. How could that single shot resemble the Spread of Beacon Fires from the Sky-Shot Secret Art? Impossible! He was just a human! How could he execute that technique without the Purple-Veined Bloodline? Though slightly different, it possessed the essence of it!

"This technique, called Spread of Beacon Fires, seems easier to learn than May Rain Assault. I should take time to practice it properly."

Qian Jin flipped his hand and stored the Sky-Shot Secret Art (Volume One) into his Battle Realm, refocusing his attention on Loki? Lei. His own ability to concoct mysterious potions was too low; he could only manage Illusionary Realm Potions of the first level. He hadn't expected the Sky-Shot Secret Art to be split into upper and lower volumes.

Having only obtained the first half in such a short time, the other half was likely still within Loki? Lei’s Battle Realm. To acquire the rest, he would probably need to use another Illusionary Realm Potion. As for torture...

Qian Jin gently shook his head, dismissing the idea of interrogation. Assassins like this were subjected to extremely rigorous training; torture was unlikely to be effective. However, the Illusionary Realm Potion required another month before it could be used again.

"Kid, since we've found out who sent him, this fellow is useless now." Mu Gui Wuxin, wielding his massive axe with a savage expression, lumbered toward the now stern-faced Loki? Lei. "How about we just chop him up!"

"Uncle..." Qian Jin raised his hand, stopping Mu Gui Wuxin at his chest. "He only handed over the first volume of the Sky-Shot Secret Art. The other half must be in his Battle Realm."

"Sky-Shot Secret Art?" Mu Gui Wuxin looked at Qian Jin in confusion. "What is that?"

Loki? Lei endured the pain of his dislocated arms and curled his lips into a disdainful sneer. Many knew the name of the Barbarian Purple-Veined Bloodline, but few knew the actual name of the Purple-Veined Bloodline's archery secret technique.

Qian Jin flipped his hand and took out the Heavenly Time Secret Art from his Battle Realm, handing it toward Mu Gui Wuxin. "Uncle, this is the most crucial bloodline Dou Skill of the Purple-Veined Bloodline."

"The Barbarian Divine Archery family? The Purple-Veined Bloodline's bloodline archery technique?" Mu Gui Wuxin’s bear-like eyes widened, blazing with avarice, staring intently at the Sky-Shot Secret Art. His two thick eyebrows gradually furrowed, and his face soon showed disappointment and impatience. "This thing, I can't practice it! My Dou Qi simply can't sequence like this—damn bloodline archery! Qian Jin, are you planning to sell it to the Yi Yu Family? This thing is probably..." Mu Gui Wuxin gave a dry, forced laugh, implying that even the Yi Yu Family would find it useless, as specialized bloodline Dou Skills could only be mastered by those who had awakened that specific bloodline power.

"I still say we kill him," Mu Gui Wuxin glared menacingly at Loki? Lei. "This kid has a dangerous aura about him. Since you got no use out of the Sky-Shot Secret Art anyway, why not just..."

"Uncle," Qian Jin sighed softly. "That steel pellet I just flicked with my finger was executed using the methods recorded in the Sky-Shot Secret Art. It's not perfect yet, but it truly works."

"What?"

Mu Gui Wuxin shuddered, his large eyeballs nearly popping from his sockets, his face a mask of disbelief as he looked at Qian Jin. The great axe, which had felled countless demons, slipped from his grip and crashed onto the ground, shattering the solid flagstones beneath it.

"The special bloodline Dou Skill of the Purple-Veined Bloodline..." Mu Gui Wuxin dug in his coarse finger to clean his ear, terrified he had misheard the words just spoken. "You... you can use it too?"

Qian Jin nodded gently. If it weren't for the second half of the Sky-Shot Secret Art, Mu Gui Wuxin wouldn't even have the chance to suggest killing Loki? Lei; Qian Jin would have cleaved the Behemoth Bloodline Barbarian Warrior in two long ago.

Gulp... gulp...

Mu Gui Wuxin’s Adam’s apple, the size of a child's fist, bobbed up and down repeatedly as he swallowed. This was astonishing news! A million times more shocking than Qian Jin being a master blacksmith!

Ever since the appearance of Bloodline Warriors, countless bloodline Dou Skills had sprung from different warriors, yet no ordinary person had ever been able to learn a Bloodline Warrior’s Dou Skill. Even Bloodline Warriors from different systems could never master the bloodline skills of the others.

Bloodline Dou Skills were exclusively specialized techniques corresponding to their unique bloodline power. Even the ultimate awakened expert of the Elf King bloodline could not use the Wolf King bloodline Dou Skills, despite the Wolf King bloodline not being considered particularly formidable among bloodlines—the ultimate Elf King warrior could not use the Wolf King’s techniques.

Never, ever... Mu Gui Wuxin gulped mouthfuls of air. "Never has anyone been able to use the bloodline Dou Skills of another bloodline power, let alone an ordinary person..."

Loki? Lei’s throat was also bobbing constantly as he inwardly praised the knowledge of the bear-like, ugly strongman before him. That no one could use another's bloodline skill was an iron rule! Whether in the True Policy Dynasty, among the Demons, or the Barbarians, it was an absolute law.

Bloodline Warriors were not only powerful due to their activated bloodline strength; their accompanying, exclusive bloodline Dou Skills were fundamental to their standing and a primary source of envy for countless ordinary warriors.

In the current world, Saint-level Dou Skills were already scarce; the majority of powerful techniques were bloodline-specific!

"I know that," Qian Jin nodded calmly, the Dou Qi sequencing on his fingers constantly simulating the shooting techniques of the Sky-Shot Secret Art (Volume One)! His fingers snapped out into the air with a sound like firecrackers. "However, my Dou Qi can indeed simulate about eighty percent of it. If I concentrate, I might be able to simulate a higher degree."