The outer reaches, where the frontier began, remained as quiet and unremarkable as they had always been. Mu Nace stood easy on his warhorse, gently fanning himself, tilting his head back to squint at the sun. "Qian Jin, my friend," he said, "perhaps we should discuss how to rescue the person you need to save? Charging in headlong seems like a poor strategy, doesn't it?"

Ye Cao nodded repeatedly. The Eldest Sister's group was surrounded; attempting a direct rescue would be incredibly difficult.

Qian Jin pulled his reins tight and turned to look at Mu Nace. Since this classmate suggested something, he must have a plan.

"I am merely offering a suggestion," Mu Nace shrugged with a smile. "I never originate ideas. Usually, others propose methods, and I decide which approach is best."

"Attack the bandits."

Qian Jin turned to Gu Yue Jiaying, who spoke beside him. "Attack the bandits?"

"Yes." Gu Yue Jiaying stared out over the vast expanse of the frontier. "We lost two shipments of goods; that serves as an excuse. We can sweep through the area, clearing out bandits, and let all the raiders know we are only interested in wealth. If Hua Yan hasn't surfaced, and is as resilient as Ye Cao suggested, he won't be easily taken down by the Black Wind. In that case, the Black Wind would likely want more people temporarily assisting them in their raids."

Qian Jin began to grasp Gu Yue Jiaying's thinking. The reason Ye Cao encountered so many unfamiliar bandits during the breakout must be that the Black Wind had recruited temporary help. If Qian Jin proved highly effective while seeking his lost goods by attacking bandits, the Black Wind would assume he was purely profit-driven and might try to hire him.

"A mercenary band posing as mercenaries?" Lucifer Flowing Eye swept his single eye over the group. "Who among us should take the role of leader?"

Ye Cao followed Lucifer Flowing Eye's gaze, realizing the choice of leader was genuinely difficult. Although Mu Nace was always smiling, he exuded an indefinable nobility. Qian Jin lacked that noble air but possessed a certain rugged tenacity. Gu Yue Jiaying carried the implicit grace of a great leader. And Hong Zheling Guan, who had slept the entire journey draped over his horse?

It had to be admitted! Even in slumber, the Sleeping Lion exuded the inherent authority of someone in command.

As for Yuan Xunyu? Ye Cao shook his head. This woman seemed docile following Gu Yue Jiaying, yet she too gave off the aura of someone seated high in power.

"Strictly speaking..." Ye Cao sighed. "The one who looks most like a mercenary is actually Qian Jin."

Mu Nace shrugged nonchalantly. His appearance certainly didn't suggest a mercenary; at most, he looked like a young master accustomed to comfort, temporarily joining a mercenary band for some excitement.

"I have no objections..." Hong Zheling Guan mumbled sleepily from his horse, as if speaking in a dream. "As long as the battle isn't commanded poorly, I'm fine with anything."

Ye Cao's gaze settled on Qian Jin. "Then..."

Screeeech...

A piercing whistle cut off Ye Cao's words. A cloud of dust rose from deeper within the frontier, accompanied by wild, shouting cries of men on horseback.

Qian Jin glanced at the eagle circling overhead. He hadn't shot it down earlier precisely because he wanted to lure some bandits here, kill them, take their gear, and pretend to join the Black Wind. But now, it seemed Gu Yue Jiaying's plan was better!

To join them would always yield a lower status than being invited.

If they joined, obtaining more intelligence would be difficult; being invited allowed them to interact with more people.

Mu Nace gently fanned himself, his gaze passing over the charging bandits toward the distant horizon, secretly wondering why there were Barbarian tribesmen this time. Behemoth-blooded Barbarian warriors never appeared in the frontier. The Barbarians understood perfectly well they lacked the capacity to contend for the entire continent and could only hold onto their isolated territories.

Interfering in the frontier? What were the Barbarians planning? A deeper thoughtfulness entered Mu Nace's smile. Since Barbarians were involved this time, whether helping Qian Jin or winning him over was no longer the primary concern. More critical was the Barbarians' intent. Were they mad?

"Captain! Among these fat sheep, there are two very nice young ladies. Tonight, brothers, we can have some fun!"

The bandit charging at the forefront roared excitedly, swapping his whip for a saber which he brandished high overhead. "Today, the Thorn Wild Bandit Group will only rob money and take women! Drop your weapons and dismount immediately!"

"Thorn Wild Bandit Group?" Ye Cao started. "The sixth-ranked bandit group in the frontier? Their territory isn't here—how did they end up here?"

"Young ladies?" A large man clad in animal hides among the dozen or so bandits tilted back his wineskin, finishing a swig of strong liquor, then prodded his leather cap with his curved saber. "Heh! There's even a one-eyed young lady just like yours truly! That one belongs to me! The other girl, you all can have. Just be gentle, don't break her for me. We can sell them to the Demon Race brothels for a good price."

Qian Jin advanced on his horse without lifting an eyelid, speaking at an unhurried pace. "Leave one living opponent for each of you; kill the rest."

Lucifer Flowing Eye, having endured the Captain's vulgarities to the limit, immediately spurred her horse forward the moment Qian Jin gave the order to kill.

Mu Nace smiled with a hint of self-mockery and urged his horse forward, muttering to himself, "I'm actually being commanded by an ordinary warrior..."

Hong Zheling Guan rolled over on his horse, shifting from prone to lying down, showing no intention of joining the fray. How could these bandits warrant the effort of a mighty Gryphon King bloodline warrior?

The one-eyed bandit captain saw Hong Zheling Guan remain still, a flicker of regret crossing his eyes. He tossed his wine pouch skyward and shouted, "Cast the net!"

Several bandits simultaneously flung black spheres into the air. As these spheres completely unfurled, they transformed into large black nets descending upon Qian Jin.

The one-eyed bandit captain laughed. Bandits operating in the frontier had good judgment; seeing these people show no fear, they must be formidable opponents. The plan was to provoke them, and once they charged, deploying the Beast Trapping Nets would yield extraordinary results.

The one-eyed bandit watched smugly as the nets fell. It wasn't the first time he'd used this move, and he had never failed. This time would be no different... Qian Jin's brow twitched as he looked up at the descending nets. He slapped his horse's back with one hand, using his feet to push off violently from the saddle. The warhorse buckled, nearly dropping to its knees. The immense recoil propelled Qian Jin high into the air. His massive Horse-Cleaving Blade reflected the cold sunlight, etching several brilliant arcs through the air. The black Beast Trapping Nets turned into shredded cloth, drifting down slowly.

What? The bandits were collectively stunned. How could this be? What kind of opponent was this? How sharp was the blade in his hand? Others had tried to slice the nets before, but those black nets, which looked like silk cloth, were actually woven from special metallic wire—incredibly sturdy!

In the moment the bandits froze, Lucifer Flowing Eye had already reached the one-eyed captain. With a flick of her wrist, she drew a longsword from the Doujie—a blade from the Torrent Stronghold—slicing off the opponent's arm. Simultaneously, she kicked the man in the chest, sending him tumbling off his horse.

Mu Nace grinned thinly. How vicious this woman was! She could have killed him instantly but chose not to take his head with the sword. It seemed she needed a live captive, whom she would presumably torture to death later?

"Ah... ah..."

The bandits' screams echoed. Mu Nace reined in his horse, halting the Iron Man beside him, and gently shook his head. "We don't even need to fight. Qian Jin, both these women are more ruthless than the last."

Amidst the melee, Gu Yue Jiaying's dual moons flashed up and down. Wherever the cold blade light passed, it wasn't merely a matter of death; no one was left whole. Three strikes minimum! Some suffered up to ten! In the blink of an eye, the war blades in Gu Yue Jiaying's hands had cleaved her opponents into mere pieces! Terrifyingly minced pieces!

"Golden Fighting Heart? It seems like more than that..." Mu Nace’s smile faded, replaced by nine parts confusion and one part gravity as he stared intently at Gu Yue Jiaying. "For an ordinary warrior, even a genius at her age should only have just condensed a Golden Fighting Heart, right? How... I sense the flavor of a Battle Soul emanating from her?"

Iron Man shook his massive head repeatedly. Battle Soul! Even though this woman wasn't actively using her Battle Soul, anyone who had condensed one would still carry a faint trace of it within their Dou Qi, even when not employing the Soul. Though extremely light, it was unmistakable!

An ordinary warrior, and a woman at that, possessing a Battle Soul? Hong Zheling Guan sat up, staring at Gu Yue Jiaying's back. Even if this woman were the pinnacle of genius among ordinary warriors, reaching the Golden Fighting Heart stage at this age would be lucky. How could she have condensed a Battle Soul?

Battle Soul! Battle Soul! Hong Zheling Guan took a deep breath, certain his senses were not mistaken. This ordinary warrior woman possessed a Battle Soul at this young age? A woman even stranger than Qian Jin!

Fighting Heart, Golden Fighting Heart, Battle Soul! For ordinary warriors, every step was incredibly arduous; many grew old without breaking through even one of these thresholds.

Hong Zheling Guan realized he had paid too little attention to ordinary warriors. This woman must possess a highly unusual background!

"Could it be..." Mu Nace subtly flicked the wrist holding his fan, and a possibility flashed through his mind.

Heart Augmentation! Or rather, Golden Heart Augmentation!

A Battle Soul could never be augmented! But the Fighting Heart and the Golden Fighting Heart could! However, the conditions for this were extremely harsh: an adult who had not yet entered decline must transfer their Fighting Heart to their closest blood relative!

This augmentation was not only risky but also carried an unbearable cost! The donor's lifespan would be reduced to just three years, and if the recipient rejected it, they would die instantly!

While the success rate for genuine close relatives donating a Fighting Heart was high, who would risk transferring their Heart to a descendant during their prime strength? Furthermore, the donor was doomed! The recipient had a ninety percent chance of success, but a ten percent chance of death.

That was it! Hong Zheling Guan's body trembled slightly as he looked at Gu Yue Jiaying. This woman had accepted an augmentation from a close relative! She likely received the Golden Fighting Heart Augmentation, and then broke through to the Battle Soul realm on her own!

Golden Fighting Heart? Mu Nace squinted, his mind rapidly scanning the lists of ordinary warriors in the True Counsel Dynasty who had possessed a Golden Fighting Heart in their prime but had suddenly died.

No, no, no, no...

Mu Nace's eyes widened, his pupils sharply contracting as he stared fixedly at Gu Yue Jiaying's back. Was it her? Gu Yue... Gu Yue... Gu Yue..."