"There are ultimate-level fighting techniques, too," Qian Jin chuckled. "Hand them all over for exchange, or I won't state the next condition." Yi felt a wave of dizziness: "There are... still conditions?

Are you... are you a merchant, or a warrior?" Qian Jin tilted his head back, his gaze fixed on the ceiling fifty meters above, as if trying to pierce the earth to gaze upon the stars. "I have a best friend who is the most formidable merchant among all merchants from the Demon Race, the True Policy Dynasty, and the Barbarian Tribes!

I spent a few years with him, so I had to learn a thing or two, otherwise, he'd look down on me. Don't you agree, Fatty?" Fatty? Yi looked down at himself, genuinely unable to find any part of him that resembled fat.

"I wasn't referring to you," Qian Jin sighed. "My friend currently has matters preventing him from being by my side, so everything falls to me." "No room for negotiation?" Yi looked at Qian Jin almost pleadingly. The dignified leader of the second largest horse bandit group in the Outlands was utterly helpless at this moment.

If this were any other matter involving such a threat, Yi wouldn't hesitate for a second, drawing his weapon to kill the person on the spot, even if they belonged to the Wusheng Horse Bandits—he would dare to act! The dignity of a horse bandit leader must never be violated! But now?

Yi felt a profound sense of powerlessness facing Qian Jin. He feared threats concerning other matters, but this specific issue... Yi sighed.

He was indeed a horse bandit, but first and foremost, he was a warrior! No warrior ever wished to become weaker! In the murderous world of the Outlands, being a horse bandit demanded even greater strength just to see the next sunrise.

Yi felt an urgent impulse to elevate his own power, coupled with a deep-seated rage. At his current strength, he would never have the chance to exact revenge—revenge for being injured and poisoned! Qian Jin looked back at Yi calmly.

"If you were in my position, would you leave me any leeway?" Despair flickered in Yi's eyes. That was right! If their positions were reversed, he wouldn't show any mercy to his opponent either.

"Fine!" Yi stared at Qian Jin, his eyes practically spitting fire. "I agree!" "Excellent!" Qian Jin kicked the door open and placed Hua Yanbujian, who was still unconscious, onto the bed. "One last condition.

This is a multiple-choice question: you can choose to become my retainer, or you can choose to be my shadow for life." A thin line of blood finally burst from the corner of Yi's eye. His pupils seemed fixed as if nailed in place, staring blankly at Qian Jin: "Retainer? Or Shadow?" Retainer!

Shadow? Yi's chest heaved violently. Whichever of these two conditions he chose, he couldn't kill Qian Jin for at least five years.

Furthermore, if Qian Jin were in danger, he would be obliged to offer genuine aid. Yi had originally planned to eliminate Qian Jin the moment he had rid himself of the poison and healed his old wounds! Now...

Retainer! Shadow? Retainer!

Any warrior in the True Policy Dynasty knew what that meant. But what a Shadow was, very few in the True Policy Dynasty truly understood; only the horse bandits of the Outlands knew the real meaning of being a 'Shadow.' It was a piece of secret jargon among the bandits. In essence, the bandits' Shadow was not much different from the True Policy Dynasty's retainer.

The difference lay in the fact that once someone became another's Shadow, that commitment had to be announced to all horse bandits in the Outlands. From then on, the Shadow could only follow that person. If they betrayed their master...

The Bandit King would personally intervene! Not for a single gold coin, not a silver, not even a copper coin—the Bandit King, Bahuang Wusheng, would personally take action to eliminate the traitor. 'Shadow' was a rule established by the very first Bandit King.

Initially, it was because some bandits had accrued too many enemies and could not survive on their own. Even as retainers, they were always at risk of death, as retainers were not protected by the retainer's faction. If someone became a Shadow, their master took responsibility for all past deeds.

Henceforth, the Shadow was completely subservient to the master. If the master died unexpectedly, it meant the Shadow had failed in protection, and the Shadow must commit suicide! If they refused, the Bandit King would personally execute them.

Of course, if the master were to capriciously kill their own Shadow, no one would ever agree to become a Shadow to them again. There were no fools in this world. Shadow?

A cold sweat broke out on Yi's back, the veins on his forehead throbbing faintly. Shadow! Qian Jin watched calmly as Yi's expression slowly transformed.

Without these offers, Yi would surely be the venomous wolf who bit the hand that healed him the moment his injuries recovered. "Young man..." Yi's teeth were nearly ground to dust, his words escaping between the gaps: "One cannot push things too far! I can agree to do three things for you.

Before those three things are done, I won't kill you. Aren't you afraid I'll kill you? How about that?" Qian Jin turned and walked out the door, sitting at the threshold and gazing faintly at the earth.

"Even if you recover, you'll only be a top-tier Soul Fighter, the limit for an ordinary warrior. I, however, can allow you to..." Qian Jin tilted his head slightly, a faint, confident smile touching his lips: "I can allow you to achieve Sainthood." Sainthood—a term infinitely distant yet passionately desired by ordinary warriors. Especially for warriors who had condensed their fighting souls, it felt as if they had reached a bottleneck deliberately designed by the Gods of the Stars.

For warriors with Level Ten Fighting Souls, it was as if they were separated from Sainthood by a sheet of glass, close enough to touch, yet eternally unable to cross. Soul Weapons were rare! Soul Weapons suitable for an ordinary warrior to reach Sainthood were even rarer!

If an ordinary warrior accidentally acquired a Soul Weapon, they would usually keep it. Even if they themselves couldn't resonate with it in their lifetime, perhaps a descendant might have the chance. "Sainthood?" Yi looked at Qian Jin with suspicion.

Had his ears deceived him? Or was this young man speaking nonsense just to make him a Shadow? Qian Jin smiled, looking at Yi.

"If you have sufficient materials, I can try." "Try?" Yi suspiciously scrutinized Qian Jin. Did he just say 'try'? Did that mean he would personally forge a Soul Weapon?

At this age? The likelihood of him being a Forgemaster was slim! As for a Forging Master or Grandmaster—how could that be possible?

"Take your time to consider," Qian Jin patted Yi's shoulder and walked to the side, taking the Ice Flame Battle Qi Secret Scroll from his Dou Realm storage. Yi fell into deep contemplation. Sainthood?

Real or fake? Whether Shadow or Retainer, once accepted, it formed an invisible contract. To renege?

Yi smiled faintly and shook his head. Even if the Bandit King didn't personally eliminate a Shadow who broke their oath, if he truly became someone's Shadow, he would never go back on his word. A man!

What was a man? Yi slowly looked up at the ground. Words spoken must be honored!

Strategy and promises were two different matters! In battle against an enemy, strategy could be employed, but if a promise was made to a person, could one later claim it was just a ploy and disregard their own word? A faint look of disdain crossed Yi's face.

If he acted, he would own it! If he spoke, he would stand by it! Right or wrong, if he did it, he would admit it!

Those who shirk responsibility were not men! "Is he deceiving me?" Yi gently shook his head, dismissing the thought. Through a few days of interaction, Yi clearly sensed that Qian Jin possessed many secrets that even Bahuang Wusheng found intriguing, and that this man carried a strong sense of accountability.

Because Hua Yanbujian had helped them in the Outlands before, Qian Jin knew what kind of opposition he would face by coming to rescue them, yet he didn't make excuses or refuse. A person with such responsibility would never lie about this matter. "Sainthood..." Yi's previously lofty gaze began to waver.

It wasn't that he didn't believe Qian Jin; it was simply too absurd that the feat of elevating an ordinary warrior to Sainthood was being proposed by such a young warrior. Hesitation! Yi had never hesitated during his murderous rampages or life-or-death battles in the Outlands, but today, he was forced to hesitate.

If everything were true, the choice became even more difficult to resist. Sainthood, Shadow... how to choose?

Yi felt a surge of unwillingness. He was the leader of the second largest horse bandit faction in the Outlands. To become Qian Jin's Shadow would be equivalent to handing over everything he had painstakingly built over the years to Qian Jin.

The second largest horse bandit group in the Outlands! What an immense power that was! Even the legions of the Ten Great Bloodline Warrior Families, and even the armies of the Three Ultimate Bloodline Warriors, eyed it with covetous desire for annexation.

A bandit group looked upon favorably by those major powers—every time Yi recalled his struggles over the years and the faction he built, he felt immense pride and arrogance. Such a colossal organization, built up over so many years of toil, suddenly becoming someone else's? Yi was reluctant to let it go; it was practically his second life!

If he didn't become the Shadow... Yi wasn't confident he could heal his old wounds and expel the strange poison within him. As for Sainthood, that was utterly impossible otherwise.

"Sainthood... Shadow... Sainthood..." Yi unconsciously traced those four words repeatedly on the ground with his finger.

His mind had never been so chaotic. A few passing bandits curiously peered toward the room of the Outlands' second-ranked bandit leader. The usual domineering air was entirely absent; he looked more like a young bride waiting for her wedding day—half eager to leave, half reluctant.

Anxiety. What could possibly make the Outlands' number two bandit leader, a man who killed without blinking, so anxious? The bandits exchanged perplexed glances.

Why was he loitering at the door of the room belonging to the newly joined, young bandit? He looked almost... like that new bandit's shadow?

Shadow? The bandits found the notion absurd. How could that be possible?

Yi was the leader of the second most powerful horse bandit force in the Outlands! How could he possibly become someone's shadow? But what was that new bandit reading?

And what book held his attention so thoroughly?