The sweep of 900076076 four-eight reached 687, five thousand nine hundred characters, an hour late. Borrowing a line from Miss 338, I am very satisfied with this chapter!

The heads of various departments in the Holy Martial Hall scrambled to take on apprentices. Qin Fen followed behind Ferrero and Di Shitian, his mind still reeling from the news given by the two leaders not long ago; it was truly astonishing.

Any martial artist who joined the Holy Martial Hall knew that finding a master here was no easy feat. To apprentice under a Martial Arts Grandmaster was a matter of luck so profound it suggested smoke rising from one's ancestral graves, and as for becoming the disciple of a Department Head—even if one's ancestral graves were on fire, it still might not be enough to enter their lineage.

The Department Heads of the Holy Martial Hall were an elite, special cohort of powerhouses who had fought their way up through sheer lethal combat, almost representing the Hall's first-rate fighting force.

In the Federation's urban areas, while a Martial Arts Grandmaster might open a school, the number of direct disciples they accepted was exceedingly small. This wasn't just because finding disciples with good aptitude was difficult; it was also a symbol of status.

Normally, the Department Heads of the Holy Martial Hall held their heads so high their necks looked ready to snap, utterly uninterested in anyone's background.

Fighting over an apprentice? In the entire history of the Holy Martial Hall, aside from the Martial Maniac and Qin Fen, no one had ever enjoyed such treatment.

Qin Fen, while surprised, was also genuinely happy for those who had such fortune. The martial artists who could become Department Heads were absolute experts with true substance beneath their surface.

Qin Fen had interacted with three Department Heads of the Holy Martial Hall: Ferrero, Di Shitian, and Asura! Any one of them possessed profound martial foundations. Though he hadn't met the others at the same rank, he presumed they each had their unique special skills.

The Holy Martial Hall was vast. Following the not-so-swift pace of the two Department Heads, Qin Fen walked for about twenty minutes before stopping in front of a building.

It was an exceptionally peculiar structure. From the outside, it looked like a sphere split in half, resembling a deep bowl inverted and set upon the ground.

The strange architectural style exuded an ineffable sense of age, yet the exterior was entirely shadowed by high technology. Above the entrance, the two massive characters, "Intelligence," floated in the air.

The Intelligence Department—one of the three subordinate departments beneath the Outer Holy Martial Hall—was a specialized unit tasked solely with gathering various intelligence and supplying it to the Invitation Department.

Qin Fen had heard the name of the Intelligence Department Head before. Assigned according to the titles of the Eightfold Pantheon, the Head of the Intelligence Department was known as the Dragon King, Ba Baiying, who had firmly occupied that position for...

Before Qin Fen could even step forward to knock, the door of the Intelligence Department suddenly lifted upward, opening with a rush, like a massive dam sluice gate being thrown open.

The instant the door flew open, Qin Fen’s skin was struck by a chilling killing intent. The murderous aura was like a physical blade, piercing through the spatial distance to strike directly at the center of Qin Fen's chest.

Bang! With a muffled thud in the air, Qin Fen instinctively took half a step back, staring cautiously at the man emerging from the room.

His long robe was white as snow! Black hair trailed past his waist! His eyes were colder than the deep frosts of the ninth month, an aura of ice essence enveloping his entire body. His long black hair moved without wind, swaying side to side with his advancing steps.

The Head of the Holy Martial Hall's Intelligence Department! The Dragon King, Ba Baiying!

A shrill, ghostly roar broke the silence, tearing through the space behind Ba Baiying as he exited the room. It sounded like...

The door snapped open and then instantly shut! Completely severing that piercing shriek from the outside world.

"Dragon King, what is the meaning of this?"

Ferrero flashed forward, placing himself in front of Qin Fen. Di Shitian also moved silently to stand between Qin Fen and Ba Baiying, his face grimly alert as he stared down the Dragon King of the Intelligence Department. They looked ready to turn hostile and fight immediately if a reasonable explanation wasn't provided.

If there was no satisfactory explanation, Ferrero and Di Shitian wouldn't mind using the excuse of "ganging up on the minority" to confront the Dragon King, Ba Baiying.

As teachers, allowing their disciple to be bullied right to their faces was absolutely intolerable! Especially since Qin Fen hadn't come here to deliver a challenge.

"What is my meaning?" The Dragon King’s ice-cold eyes blazed with scorching fury, creating an inexplicable sense of contradiction. He raised his arm, his index finger becoming a sword as it sliced past the two Department Heads, pointing directly at Qin Fen: "I want to kill him!"

The chilling words roared from the Dragon King’s mouth, and the air seemed to instantly freeze solid! No one doubted that the Head of the Intelligence Department was serious.

The Dragon King truly intended to kill!

Qin Fen remained silent, watching the enraged Dragon King without moving. In that fleeting moment the door opened and closed, he had distinctly recognized that sharp, inhuman scream. Even after many days, he knew that piercing cry, so unlike a human's, belonged to the Little Dragon King, Yang Lie!

Qin Fen knew his people well. Yang Lie was livelier than most, but his endurance was in no way inferior to the quiet Solomon and the others. During the countless days of extreme training under Asura, they had all endured inhuman torment; they had screamed and groaned, but Qin Fen had never heard Little Dragon King Yang Lie’s roar sound so utterly tragic!

Yes, tragic! Even separated by walls, without seeing Yang Lie's face, just hearing his voice, one could tell that the Little Dragon King was in an extremely abnormal state.

That piercing roar! It managed to pass through the room, whose soundproofing was second to none. The Dragon King's ears twitched slightly, his expression instantly hardening like ice. The corners of his lips and eyes flickered incessantly, a glimmer of heart-wrenching pain swirling in his eyes, like deep ocean waves suddenly churning into a violent storm.

Gulp, gulp...

The Dragon King Ba Baiying’s throat moved several times. Murderous intent flashed in his eyes as he took a step toward Qin Fen. He ignored the two Department Heads: "Move aside, or I’ll kill you too."

Ferrero and Di Shitian were stunned. Normally, although Ba Baiying cultivated his unique 'Ultimate Deep Cold' technique, he was a very benevolent person with good relationships with the other Department Heads, even being pleasant to younger martial artists. Why did he immediately seek to kill Qin Fen upon sight today?

"Dragon King—"

"Masters, please stand aside. I have something I need to ask of Head Dragon King."

Qin Fen's voice broke the tension. The two masters exchanged a look, showing three parts hesitation, and then retreated behind Qin Fen protectively. If the Dragon King truly intended to kill, they would certainly intervene!

Qin Fen was powerful, possessing overwhelming strength among the younger generation, but when facing a Department Head—Ferrero and Di Shitian were not optimistic about his chances.

Whether in strength or experience, reaching the position of a Department Head meant one was no ordinary person. As for Bio-Beasts or combat-enhancing drugs, whatever Qin Fen possessed, a formidable martial artist like a Holy Martial Hall Department Head certainly had too.

Qin Fen was only at the peak of the Stellar Level, whereas the Holy Martial Hall Department Heads...

"Inquire?" Ba Baiying's eyes radiated sharp, growing coldness. His ankles shifted, executing a Dragon-Form movement technique. The thirty-meter distance between them seemed to vanish, and the air behind him roared as it rushed to fill the vacuum. A 'Fire-Refining Golden Elixir' technique blasted down from above, accompanied by sizzling dragon roars that tore at the air, seemingly determined to rip a thousand fissures in it.

Ba Baiying attacked with murderous intent from the start, his Eighteen-Star martial force enveloping Qin Fen like a sky full of falling stars!

Eighteen Stars? Qin Fen’s scalp prickled, and the black hair on his head violently surged up, defensively bristling like a hedgehog! His Body-Infused True Qi surged; it hardened his skin into a material trending towards glass-like jade, faintly glowing all over. He crossed his arms, his hands winding in a wrapping, lingering motion toward Ba Baiying's Fire-Refining Golden Elixir.

Bang!

The instant his palms connected with the Dragon King’s arm, the wrapping motion, which should have been silent, exploded with a loud crash. Qin Fen's arms wrapped around the attack like vines, drastically reducing the sharp radiance of the murderous Golden Elixir.

Ba Baiying released the tension in his ankles! The ground within a one-meter radius pulverized into dust. He twisted his waist and back in one smooth motion, his bones cracking with a rapid succession of pops like firecrackers during the New Year. Qin Fen’s feet could no longer hold firm. Overwhelmed by the Elixir’s force, his arms broke free from Ba Baiying's grip, and his body shot backward like a cannonball.

Three hundred meters away, Qin Fen’s feet slammed onto the ground, dragging another fifty meters before his retreat finally stopped. The marks left by his rooted feet resembled an old ox plowing a field, deeply etched half a foot into the earth over a length of fifty meters.

Hmm? A trace of surprise flickered in Ba Baiying's murderous eyes. His Fire-Refining Golden Elixir had actually been entangled; he had been forced to use the Golden Dragon Spitting Elixir to assault his opponent. He hadn't expected his continuous attacks to fail to kill his target, and when he moved again, someone had already blocked his path.

Two vast, heaven-shaking waves of killing intent completely enveloped Ba Baiying.

Qin Fen’s blood churned, his arms numb. He gasped for air, staring at the distant Dragon King Ba Baiying.

This was the power of a Holy Martial Hall Department Head! No need to gather energy; every strike was this ferocious. His wrapping technique had only managed to absorb half of the attack's power.

Taking a deep breath, Qin Fen's body returned to its optimal state. His Body-Infused True Qi had shattered completely upon contact—something he had never experienced before.

Di Shitian, A'qia, stared coldly at the Dragon King Ba Baiying. A grim, murderous aura rose from his violet-red face, accompanied by crackling purple-blue electrical energy that constantly erupted around him, like ten thousand lightning whips tasting the air with their flickering red tips.

"Step forward again, and I kill you!"

As A'qia finished speaking, a pillar of purple lightning shot toward the heavens, appearing to pierce the cloud cover, bathing an area of several li in its violet glow.

Di Shitian, the legendary Thunder Emperor! The God who controls lightning! When the master of lightning is enraged, heaven and earth must change color.

A'qia was furious. The disciple he had managed to accept, Ba Baiying—who by seniority was Qin Fen’s Martial Uncle—was attempting murder? If this were an enemy force, it would be Qin Fen's own entanglement to clean up. But for one of their own to attempt murder, right in front of him, was too much!

"A'... Qia'... Ya..."

As the Dragon King Ba Baiying spoke Di Shitian's name word by word, the cold air he expelled was visible to the naked eye!

Qin Fen darted past Di Shitian, positioning himself between the two Department Heads, facing the heaven-piercing killing intent of the Dragon King. He clasped his hands in a salute: "Head Dragon King—"

"Die!"

Seeing Qin Fen, Ba Baiying didn't waste words. He thrust out his hand, fingers splayed like dragon claws, delivering a shattering palm strike that instantly froze a large swath of air!

Qin Fen shut his mouth, instantly activating his electric footwork, vanishing from his spot like smoke. Ba Baiying’s strike only managed to freeze the afterimage Qin Fen had left behind.

"What happened to Yang Lie?"

Qin Fen, now a hundred meters away, quickly called out. He wasn't afraid of fighting Ba Baiying! Even with the vast gap in their Stellar strength and a near-zero chance of winning, he wasn't scared of the fight itself.

But Yang Lie—the moment Qin Fen heard that tragic roar, his heart had been filled with worry.

"Yang Lie?" For the first time, a trace of tenderness flickered in Ba Baiying’s eyes, which were filled with chilling murder. This was immediately followed by deeper emotions of heartache. He clenched his fists, trembling, his entire body shaking uncontrollably.

Separated by Di Shitian and Ferrero, it was impossible for Ba Baiying to instantly pounce on and kill Qin Fen. The trembling in his arms soon spread throughout his entire frame.

"Qin Fen!" Ba Baiying mustered his internal energy and let out a long howl that scattered the clouds above, turning them into nothingness: "You, you..."

Ba Baiying's chest rose and fell violently. The way he looked at Qin Fen was filled with the hatred of having his father killed, his wife stolen, and his clan wiped out: "It's all your fault... all yours..." If it weren't for you, my beloved disciple wouldn't have to suffer such pain!

Ba Baiying was handsome; in fact, even in this extreme state of fury, he still exuded an incomparably dashing presence. His face, beloved by women, was now contorted with rage.

"Help..."

Qin Fen froze in place, his face etched with confusion.

"See for yourself!"

Ba Baiying waved his arm through the air, and a massive projection screen materialized above Qin Fen’s head. It showed an image of Yang Lie.

In a simple, spacious stone chamber, Yang Lie was dressed in a tight-fitting martial artist uniform. His golden hair, split to either side, fell past his nose. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he was engaged in a video call.

On the screen was a middle-aged man with short black hair and a high, straight nose, possessing an Eastern aesthetic. He bore a noticeable resemblance to Yang Lie.

"Father."

Yang Lie gently bowed to the middle-aged man on the screen, his demeanor respectful and humble.

"I have an order for you. If Qin Fen comes looking to recruit you into his team, refuse immediately!"

The deep, somewhat rough voice carried an absolute tone of non-negotiable authority as it emerged from the middle-aged man.

Yang Lie’s body trembled slightly. He looked up at the man on the screen and asked, "Why?"

"Why? Yang Lie, you never ask me why."

The stern gaze felt like a massive mountain. Even through the screen, Qin Fen could sense the middle-aged man's authority—an authority not born of martial force, but cultivated subtly over years of presiding as the head of a major family.

Yang Lie lifted his head, his body trembling slightly: "Father, this time I need to know."

"Very well. You will inherit the Yang family eventually, so I will tell you this time." The middle-aged man's eyes instantly sharpened: "Profit! The Zuo family has ceded sufficient benefits to us, regarding Saturn's interests..."

Yang Lie listened quietly as his father explained the entire situation.

The matter wasn't complicated. Yang Lie quickly understood everything. After a few seconds of quiet contemplation, he slowly straightened his back, his fists unconsciously clenching: "Father, regarding this order, please allow me to refuse."

"What did you say?" The middle-aged man's sharp, knife-like eyes flashed with a hint of surprised disbelief: "Yang Lie, do you know what you are saying?"

Qin Fen's eyelids twitched as he watched the Yang Lie in the image slowly nod: "Yes, Father. I know what I am saying. I refuse to obey this order."

"Yang Lie!"

The sharp reprimand thundered like lightning. The pressure exerted by one accustomed to superior command instantly took effect.

Yang Lie's body convulsed as if electrocuted. As an American who grew up under Confucian education and military discipline, Yang Lie had always followed his father’s arrangements in everything.

"Father." Yang Lie’s body trembled violently, his neck becoming even stiffer: "Please allow me to state my reason."

"Speak!"

The middle-aged man's words remained terse, but the light shooting from his eyes already indicated that no matter what Yang Lie said, he would not be moved. Family interests were paramount!

"Father, from your perspective, Qin Fen is the one who can bring you the greatest benefit."

"Him? What does he have now? A Fifteen-Star Martial Arts Master? Son, you have already undergone Marrow Cleansing and Nirvana, and you will soon reach the Fifteen-Star level. He is just a lone martial artist, whereas the Zuo family is a massive power! Qin Fen cannot secure the leadership of Saturn, and even if he did, he couldn't control it."

Yang Lie lifted his head even higher: "He has a future, an infinite future!"

"Future?" The middle-aged man’s laughter was filled with icy coldness: "The future might also amount to nothing. Yang Lie, answer me now. If Qin Fen comes to you, what should your answer be?"

"Father." Yang Lie took several deep breaths and slowly said: "Since I can remember, you have taught me that family interests are greater than heaven. I have always followed your teachings. I always believed you were right. Perhaps you truly are right. Over these years, I have had no friends; you told me friends are merely commodities for exchanging interests. But I must tell you, there is a friendship in this world that cannot be exchanged for anything! I always thought such friendship didn't exist, but now I know it truly does! Qin Fen is my friend. Abandoning a friend is abandoning oneself. If you want to know my answer, then I can tell you: if Qin Fen comes looking for me, I will definitely go with him."

Yang Lie shook his head forcefully, waving his fists in the air as he roared: "If Qin Fen doesn't come looking for me, I will go find him! I'll beat him soundly! And tell him he shouldn't treat a friend like that!"

"You..."

"Respected Father, please allow me this one indulgence. No matter how great the profit, it cannot compare to my friendship. This is the first time I have made a friend, the first time I have made a group of friends. I am happy when I am with them. So... goodbye."

Yang Lie’s voice stopped, and he crushed the projection phone in his hand with five fingers.

"Master, please prepare a Level Three Zhurong Space with infinite time for me. I need to strengthen my power. Yes! Before Qin Fen arrives, I need to strengthen my power."

Yang Lie's voice was slow but firm. The body of the Dragon King Ba Baiying trembled violently, the muscles around his eyes twitching uncontrollably as he cried out in shock: "What did you say? Level Three Zhurong Space? Infinite time? Yang Lie, do you know what you are saying? You can only stay in the Level Three Zhurong Space for two hours right now; if you exceed that time, you..."

"Master, remember the condition you promised when you accepted me as your disciple?" Yang Lie was very handsome, and his smile at this moment was exceptionally dazzling: "I know I can only endure two hours, but there is no time left. Qin Fen is coming soon. I am only at the peak of the Fourteen Star level now. Going out with him like this will only hold him back. I don't want to, and I cannot, hold him back. Others have probably received this news too. I don't want to lose to those guys."

"Perhaps Qin Fen won't come..." Ba Baiying still tried to persuade him, but Yang Lie raised his index finger to his lips in a silencing gesture: "Master, Qin Mu will come looking for me. I can hear the sound of his plane landing. Yes, he will come, won't he? We are friends, aren't we? If he doesn't come, I will go kill him. He knows I will wait for him, so he will come!"

"Master!" Yang Lie smiled again, even brighter and more handsome than before: "Level Three Zhurong Space—please allow your disciple this one indulgence. For my friend, please allow me this one indulgence!"

The door opened. A fiery furnace appeared before Yang Lie. With a joyful smile on his face, he slowly stepped into the Zhurong Space.

Qin Fen’s fists clenched without him realizing it, his fingernails piercing skin that even knives couldn't cut. Though he didn't know what the Zhurong Space was, seeing that intense heat, he understood why Yang Lie had let out such a tragic roar.

The Little Dragon King Yang Lie, who cultivates the Extreme Cold internal art, was entering an extremely scorching space to cultivate his inner power?

The image ended there. Ba Baiying glared resentfully at Qin Fen: "Don't you know? Yang Lie has extraordinary talent! He has a huge family waiting for him to inherit, and boundless prospects! You truly don't regard Yang Lie as a friend. Seeing him break through for your sake, you just stood there, not moving, not rushing in to drag him out."

"He has been inside for nearly twenty hours! He will die!"

"He will not die! And I will not drag him out."

Qin Fen gritted his teeth, blood slowly dripping from the cracks in his clenched fists onto the ground. He straightened his back and raised his head, saying, "I will wait for him here. I know! His demand on me is that I stand here and wait for him! Since he wants me to stand here, then I will stand here! Yang Lie will definitely walk out!"

Regarding this chapter, borrowing Miss Song Jia’s words, I am very satisfied! I want monthly tickets! Not just because I updated ten thousand characters today, but because of this chapter—I want monthly tickets!