A not-so-simple mission—eliminating a drug lord general who possessed supply channels but wasn't overwhelmingly powerful—was the starting point from which his own life began a dramatic transformation.

"What about Du Man?" Qian Fen asked, regaining his spirit, "Where is he?"

"Is Tongji Zhenxuan Yi still at the North Pole?"

As Caesar spoke, there was an indescribable hint of emotion in his eyes, a look mirrored in the eyes of Yang Lie and the others.

Qin Fen pondered for a moment. Du Peng could indeed be called a genius, but compared to Caesar and the others, he still fell somewhat short. He worked hard—perhaps even harder than everyone else—and had absorbed all the inheritance Du Zhanman left him. However...

Du Zhanman’s death was like a knot that could not be undone. Although on the surface Du Peng seemed to have untied it, whether it was truly resolved could be known just by looking at the occasional expression that flickered across Du Peng's face while eating. This young martial artist, possessing extraordinary skills, still carried an unresolved issue in his heart.

For those who are entirely self-centered, believing whatever others do for them is deserved, while giving even a tiny fraction for others is unacceptable, the death of Du Zhanpeng would never constitute such an unbreakable knot; such a person wouldn't even experience sorrow.

But Du Peng was different. Having grown up in that environment, his memories were largely filled with hatred for Du Zhanpeng. Yet, as the full story became clear, all that hatred transformed entirely into a sense of indebted love. This inner demon constantly clung to him. His star level strength might keep pace with the group, but his martial foundation was proving extremely difficult to solidify.

Even failing to complete the Juqi Ninggang at the peak of fifteen-star level, while perhaps an impressive achievement to outsiders, was simply not enough for Qin Fen’s squad.

...of.

"Some matters..." Qin Fen mused. "Are not something others can help unravel." Morad nodded gently. Hadn't he once had his own inner demons? But after a series of events, although he still verbally claimed he wanted to kill Qin Fen, he found he could no longer bring himself to do it.

The one who was once his certain target, now he could not strike! Morad's heart frequently told him: I truly detest Qin Fen.

The sound of mechanical roaring echoed from far to near. On the massive fuselage of the helicopter was painted a striking character: [Tian] (Heaven).

Tianmen! The insignia of Saturn’s Tianmen! Qin Fen remembered that elegant [Tian] character because of his house renovation project, and he remembered it with even deeper etching because the Gun King had died by Rulai’s hand.

Landing on Saturn wasn't just about winning the title of Divine Beast Martial Artist to win Song Jia. Another matter was absolutely essential: kill Rulai! Even without needing the Divine Beast Martial Artist title, even if Saturn already had one, as long as Rulai resided on Saturn, Qin Fen had to go. The Gun King had killed Lan Caihe, giving Rulai sufficient reason, but Qin Fen had equally sufficient reason to avenge his master.

When will the cycle of revenge end? To a third party, this sounds like a profound statement. But when the situation directly involves the parties concerned, this phrase becomes nothing more than empty platitudes used by bystanders to sound wise. The Gun King was fulfilling his duty as a soldier. Shooting Rulai and accidentally killing Lan Caihe did not contradict the orders he received. It wasn't as if the sequence of one killing another simply ended the matter there.

Once certain things begin, they truly cannot end, unless one side yields or both are annihilated.

The aircraft hovered slowly not far above Qin Fen. Jiu Tian Xuan Nü wore a form-fitting thermal undergarment; the strong wind whipped her long black hair, and the biting cold reddened her two delicate cheeks.

Jiu Tian Xuan Nü peeked her head out of the cabin, staring in shock with parted cherry-red lips at the catastrophic battlefield surrounding Mount Everest.

Was this truly the roof of the world? Jiu Tian Xuan Nü stuck out her tongue. It looked less like a mountain peak and more like a place subjected to days upon days of relentless, saturation bombardment by an army’s artillery.

The former Mount Everest had collapsed during the recent battle between Qin Fen and his group. The previous height of 8848 meters was likely now just over 8000 meters; at least the remaining forty-eight meters were one hundred percent gone forever.

Puchi— Jiu Tian Xuan Nü leaped from the helicopter. Her beautiful red hiking boots trod upon the scattered, uneven snow. She struggled to steady herself, taking deep, uneven steps toward Qin Fen.

"Long time no see," Jiu Tian Xuan Nü said with a slight smile, looking at Qin Fen. "Didn't expect that, did you? You hid here, and I still found you."

Qin Fen watched her quietly. "Something you need?"

"Of course." Jiu Tian Xuan Nü tilted her head up slightly toward Qin Fen, noticing the young man before her. He now sported an unshaved beard, lending him an indescribable air—certainly not a delicate pretty boy, but undeniably carrying the rugged masculinity of a man. "I came this time to invite you to join Tianmen again."

"Tianmen?" Qin Fen glanced at the helicopter hovering overhead, suppressing the urge to turn it into scrap metal with a mere wave of his hand. His expression remained calm. "You want me to join Tianmen?" ...These subordinates of yours can also join Tianmen. To show how highly we value you, Tianmen has decided to directly promote you all to the status of the Eight Immortals of the Upper Cave within Tianmen. If spots are full, you will still be granted exceptionally high status."

"The Eight Immortals?" Qin Fen frowned. In his memory, only Lan Caihe among the Upper Cave Eight Immortals was dead. How could Tianmen be so generous? Were they undergoing internal restructuring?

"Of course! The Eight Immortals!" Jiu Tian Xuan Nü seized the chance to raise her voice, lifting a hand to brush aside her long black hair. "Qin Fen, the Eight Immortals hold very high status in Tianmen. Should you achieve further merits in the future, there will still be opportunities for promotion. You refused me last time, likely because you felt the compensation Tianmen offered wasn't enough, right? This time should suffice, shouldn't it? A spot among the Eight Immortals!"

Qin Fen watched Jiu Tian Xuan Nü's animated expression, then looked up at the helicopter in the sky and said flatly, "It's not impossible for me to join Tianmen. Kill Rulai, and I’ll join."

"What?" Jiu Tian Xuan Nü’s surprised shriek sounded slightly distorted, her finger trembling as she pointed at Qin Fen. "What did you just say?"

Qin Fen looked at her, squeezing the cold, murderously intent words out one by one between his crimson lips: "Kill, Ru, Lai."

"Qin—!"

Jiu Tian Xuan Nü’s eyebrows shot up, her almond-shaped eyes widening roundly. "You killed one of my Tianmen Martial Arts Masters last time! Tianmen forgave the past and extended this invitation to you again. Don't push things too far! You need to understand..."

"Jiu Tian Xuan Nü, listen carefully. Rulai killed two of my masters."

Qin Fen's eyelids drooped halfway, his voice even and devoid of emotion. The calmer the words, the colder they felt to Jiu Tian Xuan Nü, sending icy rivulets crawling down her spine.

This was the first time she had seen such a sinister side to Qin Fen—a calmness concealing resentment so deep it bordered on resignation.

Qin Fen slowly raised two fingers. "Two masters who had a massive impact on my life. Killed by Rulai of your Tianmen! And you still come here to recruit me?"

"Killed your masters? How is that possible?" Jiu Tian Xuan Nü stared blankly at Qin Fen. "Rulai hasn't made a move in a long time; he’s been busy tracking down the Yan Luo Heavenly Son..."

"How did Lan Caihe die?" Qin Fen fixed his gaze on her. "And who killed the person who killed Lan Caihe?"

Jiu Tian Xuan Nü parted her red lips, staring at Qin Fen in astonishment for a long moment. "Those two low-level soldiers? But they killed Lan Caihe..."

"They were two lives," Qin Fen stated, looking at Jiu Tian Xuan Nü. "Even if it was one life for one life..."

"How can their value compare to Lan Caihe's!" Jiu Tian Xuan Nü sharply interrupted, "He was one of the Upper Cave Eight Immortals! The two of them combined don't equal Lan Caihe’s..."

Boom! The helicopter in the sky erupted into a fireball. Qin Fen retracted the fist he had punched skyward and the leg he had used to kick Jiu Tian Xuan Nü away.

"I won't kill you today because Rulai spared Butcher Instructor's life back then," Qin Fen coldly watched the spitting blood from Jiu Tian Xuan Nü’s red lips. "Go back and tell the Jade Emperor of Tianmen: getting me, Qin Fen, to join Tianmen is very simple! Bring me Rulai’s head! Then I’ll go! Also, these people around me are my friends, not my subordinates. You can leave now."

Jiu Tian Xuan Nü sat on the ground staring blankly at Qin Fen, momentarily forgetting the sharp pain in her lower abdomen. She raised a hand to wipe the blood from the corner of her mouth and murmured, "You... you actually dared to hit me..."

"Human lives cannot be measured by value," Qin Fen looked down coldly at her. "In my eyes, even sacrificing the entire Tianmen is not worth as much as the life of my master. You insulted my master; it wouldn't be excessive for me to kill you. Leaving you alive is only so you can pass a message to Rulai: I will come to kill him."

"No... no..." Jiu Tian Xuan Nü shook her head repeatedly. "I mean, you, a Martial Arts Master, hit a woman?"

Qin Fen half-squatted before her. "Are you suggesting that I should just watch you desecrate my family's ancestral tomb and insult my master, and because you are a woman, I shouldn't retaliate? Gender is not an excuse. If you get hit, you asked for it. No one hits someone for no reason."

"Tianmen? Oh, right, Qin Fen," Yang Lie sneered. "I just remembered something. the Golden Triangle has an extremely close relationship with Tianmen. Rumor has it that the current honorary chairman of the Golden Triangle is actually a background figure: Tianmen’s Arhat of the Descending Dragon."

Qin Fen looked at Jiu Tian Xuan Nü’s drastically changed expression and knew he didn't need to ask further questions; her look confirmed everything. Yang Lie’s words were not lies.

"Golden Triangle? Tianmen?" Qin Fen slowly looked up toward the direction of the Golden Triangle. Whether it was the ambush by a hundred men sent by the Golden Triangle by the seaside, the previous conflicts with Tianmen in Shengjing, or the Gun King's incident, his relationship with Tianmen had clearly reached a point of irreconcilable enmity. "If that's the case, then let's head to the Golden Triangle to meet Solomon, and while we're at it, pay a visit to this Arhat of the Descending Dragon."