"Principal, what a coincidence." Hong Zheliguan gave a start, sitting bolt upright, his eyes still clouded with sleepiness.

"Indeed, quite a coincidence. I was just out for a stroll," Isabella said with a weary smile. This Hong Zheliguan was truly an anomaly; possessing talent no less impressive than Tianlianguan's, yet lacking the drive that pushed the Thunder Lion King to constantly absorb knowledge, seek followers, and strive for greater power. "I need you to handle something for me." Isabella nudged Hong Zheliguan’s backside with her foot. "Qianjin is heading outside the fortress. You follow right behind him."

"A bodyguard?" Hong Zheliguan looked at Isabella with confusion. The Principal had never shown such concern for anyone before, not even Tianlianguan, who was set to represent the Conquest Academy in the Rookie King competition.

"Don't let him die, and don't let him be crippled. Also, keep an eye on him for me. I'm growing more and more curious about what he’s actually capable of. And right now, I can't leave..."

Hong Zheliguan rubbed his backside where he'd been kicked out of the tree, looking up at Isabella still perched in the branches and shaking his head repeatedly. If Tianlianguan knew how much attention this woman was paying to Qianjin, that fellow would probably feel his territory was being invaded and might even challenge Qianjin to a spar in the arena. What a sight that would be! It had been a long time since he’d seen Tianlianguan truly strike.

"Hey, lazy cat."

Isabella sat on the tree branch, swinging her legs. "If you lose sight of him, you know the consequences."

Hong Zheliguan shrugged, looking up with a sly grin. "Tower Master, allow me to offer a kindly reminder. With you sitting like that, it allows those of us below to see clothing we shouldn't be seeing."

Isabella slammed a burst of battle energy into the ground in front of Hong Zheliguan. "You still haven't fully grown your fur, and you dare try to tease me? Didn't you notice? I always wear trousers!"

Hong Zheliguan turned, stretched languidly, and strode towards the school gate. "Qianjin? I heard he even danced with the Principal? And now I have to secretly tail him? Tianlianguan's blood vessels are probably ready to burst! He usually appears so composed, but anyone who tries to touch Isabella makes him lose all sense of reason."

As the deep autumn night gradually settled in, the day's lingering warmth was gone, and the chill of the wilderness was far colder than the stone walls outside.

Amidst the crackling sounds of the bonfire, Ye Cao lay resting against a large rock, fresh bandages wrapped around his body, allowing the cool medicated ointment to rapidly heal his wounds.

Qianjin turned the iron fork in his hand, making the roasting chicken sizzle appealingly.

"Come out," Qianjin said softly to the surrounding air, not looking up from the chicken over the flames. "It's getting cold tonight. You must be hungry after following all day. Hiding out there with cold biscuits and cold water—it can't be comfortable, can it?"

Ye Cao opened his eyes and searched his surroundings, looking confusedly at Qianjin. Why would he suddenly say such a thing? There was no one around.

"Heh heh, since Fellow Student Qianjin has invited us, I suppose I should contribute some fine wine." Mu Niu Tiance lightly fanned himself with his folding fan, looking as if he wasn't standing in the chilly night but rather enjoying the scorching midday heat. "Why so many roasted chickens? Does Fellow Student Qianjin know that I, your guard Tieniu, can eat a lot? However..."

Tieniu also stared blankly at the whole roasted wild boar suspended directly over the fire. No matter how much he could eat, devouring an entire roasted boar in one sitting seemed wildly excessive.

"Still not coming out?" Qianjin took the fragrant wine from Mu Niu Tiance, still muttering without looking up. "If you don't show yourselves soon, I'm heading back to the Torrent War Fortress."

In the darkness, Gu Yuejiaying walked with lighter, smaller steps than usual, her head slightly bowed toward the ground. She approached the firelight with Lucifer Flow.

"Wow..." Mu Niu Tiance raised an eyebrow, smiling as he looked at Gu Yuejiaying. "Impressive stealth. Neither Tieniu nor I detected you."

Gu Yuejiaying tucked away the imperious demeanor she usually maintained at home, sitting quietly next to Qianjin like a chastised young wife, gazing into the burning fire.

Qianjin handed Gu Yuejiaying a perfectly roasted chicken. "Sneaking along and following is not the right way to do things. Wouldn't you agree?"

Gu Yuejiaying accepted the chicken, tore off a small piece of meat, placed it in her mouth, and nodded silently. She didn't speak, or perhaps she didn't know how to answer Qianjin—it felt exactly like a child caught red-handed doing something naughty by a teacher.

Lucifer Flow used his sword to slice a piece of meat from the roasted boar and chewed it without reserve. "The taste is acceptable, but it still can't compare to meals prepared by a top chef."

Qianjin glared at Lucifer Flow. He was just roasting meat to fill stomachs; did this fellow think this was the Demon Clan's royal palace, complete with dedicated chefs? If he could cook to the level of a top chef, he'd head to the Demon Clan first and poison the current Great Demon King to death—that would secure his own glorious name in history.

"Fellow Student Qianjin, I mentioned treating you to drinks last time, so consider this fulfilled." Mu Niu Tiance, with oil smeared around his mouth, raised his wine flask. "I heard Fellow Student Qianjin has a few other friends? When might they be returning to the Academy?"

"I don't know." Qianjin took a sip of the strong liquor and looked up at the stars, wondering how his friends, like Duanfeng Buer, were faring in the Ancient Barren Sand Sea.

Tieniu gnawed vigorously on a wild boar's hind leg, looking curiously at Mu Niu Tiance. What was this Sixth Prince thinking? He clearly stated that Qianjin would make a fine retainer, yet now he seemed unwilling to give up, even choosing to follow him out into the cold wilderness.

"No! I can't take it anymore!"

A voice grumbled irritably from the darkness. Hong Zheliguan strode toward the bonfire, sitting next to Tieniu and bumping him with his body. "Move over! You're all eating meat and drinking wine, and I'm left alone in the dark drinking cold air? That's unacceptable."

Mu Niu Tiance's smile remained unchanged, but a hint of caution flickered in his eyes. How could the Sleeping Lion King, ranked second on the Hundred Battles List, appear here? Was he also vying to make Qianjin his retainer?

Qianjin smiled, retrieved a box of cigarettes from his Dou Realm, and gestured as if offering one, asking the Sleeping Lion King if he smoked.

"Good stuff! Hurry up and pass it here." Hong Zheliguan snatched a cigarette, lit it in the flame, inhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and savored the smoke for a long moment before saying, "Kid, you're dishonest. You knew I was hiding in the dark and deliberately didn't mention it."

Mu Niu Tiance observed Qianjin carefully. When the Sleeping Lion King grumbled in the darkness, everyone present showed surprise and shock, except for Qianjin, whose expression remained utterly calm. He must have genuinely known the Sleeping Lion King was present. But how?

Qianjin stretched languidly. The Sleeping Lion King had excellent concealment skills, but compared to the monstrous beasts in the Endless World that survived purely on stealth and ambush, his skill level was far too low! If he couldn't even detect Hong Zheliguan, he would have been killed countless times in West Mountain.

"Listen here, kid," Hong Zheliguan said while tearing at a piece of roast meat. "If you don't want to be Tianlianguan's retainer, are you interested in becoming a guest elder for our Zheliguan family? I can help you apply for that."

Mu Niu Tiance's smile twitched with surprise. Although Hong Zheliguan was only ranked second on the Hundred Battles List, and many said he was inferior to the first-ranked Tianlianguan—and he was mostly seen sleeping—it seemed now that this man's decisiveness and courage might actually surpass Tianlianguan's!

Bloodline warriors were always a proud group, especially the families among the Ten Great Bloodline Warriors. The Griffin King bloodline and the Nine-Headed Serpent bloodline were renowned as the proudest among them.

Today, this young warrior of the Griffin King bloodline, ranked second in the Conquest Academy, clearly held some authority representing his family. To immediately extend an invitation for a first-year ordinary warrior student to become a guest elder of the Zheliguan family showed remarkable boldness.

Qianjin added a few damp pieces of wood to the fire; the flames immediately responded with sharper crackling sounds.

"I apologize," Qianjin looked up at Hong Zheliguan. "I am the First Guardian of the Luo Family."

Hong Zheliguan laughed and shrugged. A Guardian was, in some respects, a type of guest elder, though guest elders could serve multiple families. Clearly, Qianjin was using this title as a polite refusal.

"Not even a guest elder?" Hong Zheliguan took a wineskin from Mu Niu Tiance. "Don't tell me you intend to become an ally of our Zheliguan family?"

Ally? Mu Niu Tiance raised his eyebrows and looked toward Qianjin. If he truly intended to form an alliance with a warrior of the Griffin King bloodline, then he clearly overestimated his own standing or abilities. Even the Guild Master of the Blacksmiths' Union in Eternal Flow City wouldn't be qualified to form an alliance of equal standing with the Griffin King bloodline family.

Qianjin poked the burning wood in the fire with the twig he held and smiled faintly. "No rush. Perhaps there will be an opportunity."

An opportunity to become an ally? Mu Niu Tiance's eyebrows furrowed in a rare display of confusion. He had initially thought this young student possessed some strength and ability, but now it seemed those very capabilities had made him lose sight of reality, genuinely believing he was worthy of an alliance with a Griffin King bloodline warrior.

"Some things are hard to predict," Qianjin said, lying back down, using his hands clasped behind his head as a pillow while watching the twinkling stars. Just a few years ago, he and Luolin had been roaring about their dreams under these very stars on the street, drunk. He had always expected Luolin to achieve his dreams first. Who could have guessed the situation now?

"I promised a friend I would make the entire Zhence Dynasty, the entire Demon Race know my name! I want every minstrel to sing tales of me! He's watching me under the stars, so no matter how hard it is, I have to do it—do it for him, too! That's why anyone who robs the Luo Family's caravans gets their bandits cut down! So they learn to stay far away whenever they see a flag bearing the Luo Family's banner!"

"A friend?"

A look of complete, puzzled contemplation spread across Mu Niu Tiance's smiling face. After a moment, the corner of his lips curled into a faint smile. A friend? That was truly interesting. Was that the way ordinary people thought? The entire Conquest Academy was merely a massive network of connections. A friend? Emperors needed no friends! If Qianjin hadn't brought up the word 'friend,' he might have forgotten he'd learned that term in his early childhood.

"Ye Cao, you've eaten your fill and recovered quite a bit of strength from resting," Qianjin turned to Ye Cao. "Tell me, exactly what happened?"