Qian Jin grinned as he approached Hua Yanbujian, who couldn't even stand. The battles of the past few days had completely drained Yanbujian’s reserves of energy. Now, seeing Qian Jin—the man who used to seem slightly naive but now inspired an overwhelming sense of security just by his presence—her body simply gave way, and she fainted.

Ba Huang Wusheng frowned, looking first at the unconscious Hua Yanbujian, then turning to Qian Jin. "She trusts you deeply, doesn't she?"

"It's your words that had an effect," Qian Jin replied, carefully lifting the collapsed Hua Yanbujian and turning back to Ba Huang Wusheng. "Only after you said I had value did she dare to pass out."

Ba Huang Wusheng offered a faint smile. He had heard countless sycophantic flatteries in his life, becoming completely immune, even disgusted by them. Yet, the sincerity in Qian Jin’s earnest declaration made it sound genuinely pleasing.

"Kid, you’ve proven your worth. I can let those two go..."

"Wait a moment!" The plain, unexpressive voice of Zhen Ce interrupted Ba Huang Wusheng.

All eyes turned to the Sixth Prince of the Zhen Ce Dynasty. Ba Huang Wusheng, however, found the interruption amusing. It had been ages since anyone in this borderland dared to defy him, let alone interrupt him mid-sentence.

Today, two ordinary fighters had managed to silence him successively.

"My Zhen Ce lineage descends from the Great Emperor Fulong Zhen Ce!" Mu Ne Zhen Ce faced Ba Huang Wusheng. "So what if one must be a bandit? I, Mu Ne Zhen Ce, can be one too! If proving my worth is the condition, then this prince will certainly prove his worth!"

The bandits stared at Mu Ne Zhen Ce in collective surprise. Wouldn't a royal heir in this situation be overjoyed for someone offering him safe passage out? Why...

Mu Ne Zhen Ce’s proud demeanor instantly melted back into his usual calm smile. The magic conduit on his person whirred, making his long hair flutter gently. If he allowed Qian Jin to trade for his freedom now, what spirit would he have left for the future? As a descendant of the Great Emperor Fulong Zhen Ce, how could the spirit of royalty be suppressed by that of a mere warrior?

Ba Huang Wusheng scrutinised Mu Ne Zhen Ce, tutting several times. "A royal disciple becoming a bandit? This is a first, I must say."

"So what? Even the legendary Undead Monarch's bloodline Soul Warriors can become Bandit Kings," Mu Ne Zhen Ce countered, looking directly at Ba Huang Wusheng. "Why can’t this prince spend a few days as a bandit? I will repay what I owe you myself!"

Ba Huang Wusheng gazed intently at Mu Ne Zhen Ce for several seconds, then slowly nodded. "Kid, I hear you are very intelligent, one of the likely successors to the throne. But you lack a certain ruthlessness. The kind of ruthless edge needed to eliminate even a brother for the throne! I could see how deeply you were pained when I mentioned the letter from your third brother."

A sharp ache pierced Mu Ne Zhen Ce’s heart. His face grew instantly cold as he stared back at Ba Huang Wusheng. One reason he didn't want to return to the Zhen Ce Dynasty was precisely because of his third brother. If the throne truly meant that much, he would willingly give it to him. Killing one's own kin? He had no interest, nor did he wish to cultivate any. The throne? Mu Ne Zhen Ce suddenly realized he didn't care about it that much anymore. He had only desired the throne because everyone around him kept insisting he should be emperor. When faced with the prospect of fratricide, what was the emperor's seat worth?

"You lack the wildness and ferocity of a wolf," Ba Huang Wusheng murmured, nodding slightly. "Since you wish to stay a bandit, then stay. If you cannot hone that wildness and hardness, even if you return to the Zhen Ce Dynasty, you’ll end up killed by your third brother. When you are fierce enough—possessing the savagery of a wolf—then you can return and contest the throne with him."

"A wolf? Hmph..." Mu Ne Zhen Ce let out a cold snort filled with disdain. "I, Mu Ne Zhen Ce, am the descendant of the Great Emperor Fulong Zhen Ce. I am a dragon among men! How could I be a wolf?"

Ba Huang Wusheng laughed dismissively, hands clasped behind his back, surveying the captured members of the Black Wind Bandit Group surrounded by his men.

"King Wusheng, these people once resisted Black Wind, refusing to serve the Demon Race as dogs..."

"And so what?" Ba Huang Wusheng waved his hand irritably. "Wolves inferior even to dogs deserve death."

"Wait a moment!"

Ba Huang Wusheng looked at Qian Jin, who had spoken up again. The admiration in his eyes was now tainted with significant annoyance and anger. How dare someone repeatedly defy the command of the Bandit King of the Outer Passes?

"There are quite a few people in there I know."

"And so what?" Ba Huang Wusheng glared at Qian Jin, displeased. "You possess the proud bone of a wolf, so why are you not ruthless enough?"

"They saved me!" Qian Jin drew a deep breath. "I know it’s foolish to repeatedly provoke the Bandit King... but if you see those who once helped you, your companions who lived alongside you, being killed without speaking up... wolves wouldn't act like that!"

Ba Huang Wusheng stared blankly at Qian Jin. This young man was smart and surprisingly agreeable in many ways, yet he possessed a stubborn rigidity that made him act against authority even when he knew it would provoke fury.

Forget it. Ba Huang Wusheng sighed. Wasn't he the same in his youth? The reason he found this kid appealing was precisely because he saw a shadow of his younger self. After all, confronting the Great Demon King and the Family Head himself had led him here, to the Outer Passes, as a Bandit King.

"I can spare their lives," Ba Huang Wusheng said, his tone suddenly sharp as he watched the tension ease from Qian Jin’s face. "But you must pay a price for it! Five years! Five years of service! In five years, you must qualify to be one of the Ten Captains under my command! If you fail... not only will you die, but all these people will die as well!"

The chilling tone seemed to freeze the very air. Ba Huang Wusheng watched Qian Jin, a flicker of renewed fondness in his eyes. The young man wasn't intimidated by his ultimatum. Interesting!

"Five years..." Qian Jin slowly nodded. "Good! Five years! I will certainly achieve it!"

"Enough! Today, anyone who resisted becoming dogs for the Demon Race will be released." Ba Huang Wusheng waved his hand. "Clean up and let’s move out."

The others quickly began to gather their belongings. Ferdinand walked closer to Qian Jin, looking with concern at the unconscious Hua Yanbujian in his arms. He finally sighed softly and whispered, "Take good care of her."

"Kid, what is your name?" Te Jiao Fei, shifting his bulky frame, now wore a cheerful grin. "Welcome to our bandit crew."

"Qian Piao."

"I mean, Qian Jin, how did you train that brute strength of yours?" Te Jiao Fei asked curiously, observing Qian Jin. "I practice brute force constantly, but I can never achieve your level of power."

Qian Jin looked at Te Jiao Fei. The bandit's eyes were remarkably bright. His corpulent figure didn't make his eyes look lewd; instead, they shone like stars in the sky, giving the impression of profound sincerity.

"It was grueling," Qian Jin replied with a smile. The training under Uncle Black was beyond mere hardship; "" (miserable) wouldn't even be strong enough a word.

"Is that so?" Te Jiao Fei chuckled, watching Qian Jin. "I see you have great physical power. You’d actually be quite suited for a strangulation martial art I know. Once we return to base, I’ll let you look at the secret manual for the Strangulation Arts. If you like it, you can learn it."

"You’ll let me see your combat technique secret manual?"

Qian Jin wondered if he had misheard. Such techniques were always highly guarded secrets. Only academies offered semi-open access, and even then, there were rigorous requirements. Private combat technique manuals were almost exclusively passed down only to the closest kin.

"Yes!" Te Jiao Fei said, watching Qian Jin search the corpse of Feng Lianzikuang. "Our King Wusheng has a sharp eye for people, and I quite like you too. Especially since you dared to confront King Wusheng for the sake of others—that really suits my temperament."

Qian Jin found the Combat Aura manual he needed on Feng Lianzikuang’s body. He turned back, staring blankly at Te Jiao Fei, suspecting he hadn't joined a bandit group at all, but perhaps some kind of specialized clique within an academy. Weren't bandits supposed to be bloodthirsty, slaying anyone on sight? Why was this Te Jiao Fei acting this way?

"Are you thinking that bandits never blink when they kill?" Te Jiao Fei patted Qian Jin’s back. "Go look at the Human-Demon Battlefield. When both sides clash blade against blade, whose eyes ever blink? They wish they could kill every last bit of life from the other side."

"Don't talk to me about wars of race or nation," Te Jiao Fei said with disdain. "That's just the ambition and excuse of the powerful leaders wanting to dominate the world. Look at our Wusheng Bandit Group—we have demons, barbarians, and humans, yet we live together quite well, don't we? Can't races coexist?"

Mu Ne Zhen Ce let out a cold sneer. "It wasn't just two nations before. Wasn't humanity once enslaved by the Demon Race? Without Emperor Fulong Zhen Ce, the demons would be thriving now, and you? You fat man might be roasted and eaten by demons."

"Fulong Zhen Ce? That was a hero of his era," Te Jiao Fei gave a thumbs-up, full of praise. "But times have changed. If Great Emperor Fulong Zhen Ce were alive today, seeing countless years of conflict, he might adopt a different approach."

Mu Ne Zhen Ce was somewhat surprised that this bandit, Te Jiao Fei, held such high regard for the Great Emperor Fulong Zhen Ce.

"A different approach?" Qian Jin shook his head slightly. "How? If you personally witnessed your family slaughtered by demons, if you saw the comrade who laughed beside you yesterday killed by the enemy—could you calmly stop fighting?"

Mu Ne Zhen Ce nodded subtly. The war on the Human-Demon Battlefield was no longer just the war of emperors. Which nation didn't have citizens killed at the hands of the other side? Hatred had been piled so high with the blood of both sides that it could form a new, vast ocean!

If an emperor from one side announced today that the fighting must stop, and suggested becoming friendly neighbors, not the next day—no! That order might not even leave the capital before the populace erupted in riots! You say stop fighting? What about our family’s revenge? You say stop fighting? Are you afraid to die? If you’re scared, then let someone else be emperor!

It was likely that many within the royal families of various nations would be secretly delighted by such news—it would be the perfect opportunity for a coup to seize the throne.