"The Great Demon King truly lives up to his name!" Munezane Zhence spoke the highest praise he could muster for the first time upon entering the Demon territory. Lucifer Liushui found the words immensely pleasing to hear. A city without walls was not unique to the Zhence Dynasty! The Fallen City of the Lucifer clan also stood without fortifications—pride was simply the inherent nature of the Lucifer clan. The moment the Fallen City was built, the Great Demon King had commanded the demolition of all previous walls.

The patrols near the city watched the contingent behind Qian Jin with extreme vigilance.

In the span of a month and a half, the force trailing Qian Jin had swelled from an initial nine thousand demons to a staggering fifty thousand! They were almost entirely composed of Demon Warriors and Mages, their formations subtly arranged in an aggressive posture. It was clear they were in peak combat readiness; should any attack commence, they would instantly face the fury of fifty thousand demons.

"Zhifeng, remember, sometimes there is only one chance."

Atop a towering structure in the city, Lucifer Zhenshi gazed at Qian Jin in the distance, letting out a soft sigh imbued with a tone of instruction: "See that? That is the true influence of Jiliu Feijing. He issues no summons for guards, yet countless demons willingly serve as his escort. My sister… she is certainly becoming formidable…"

Lucifer Zhifeng stood respectfully behind Zhenshi, his expression maintaining the accustomed deference, though a deep, innate arrogance, inherited from the Lucifer bloodline, flickered in his pupils. A rare dual-bloodline Demon Warrior would hardly submit to being another’s subordinate.

"This is the true appeal of Jiliu Feijing…" Lucifer Saerige observed the gathering of demons near the city from another high platform.

The Guild Masters from every locale—the Blacksmith Guild, the Inscription Guild, the General Guild of Apothecaries of the Fallen City, and the General Guild of Mystic Apothecaries—along with the various regional branch masters of both apothecary guilds.

"In just a month and a half, my sister truly possesses remarkable methods! On the way to the Fallen City, she even managed all this fanfare using Jiliu Feijing…"

Lucifer Saerige let out a soft murmur of admiration. On the journey there, this Jiliu Feijing had taken time out to brew a few bottles of potions and mystic potions. He had instructed others to deliver them to the various Apothecary Guilds, Mystic Apothecary Guilds, and the General Guild of the Fallen City.

The result? The mere appearance of a few vials of standard and mystic potions instantly ignited another massive storm within the demon race. The leaders of the two rival General Guilds both hinted that if Jiliu Feijing’s ability to craft potions and mystic potions proved as potent as the samples they received, they wouldn't hesitate to yield their positions as General Guild Masters to him.

To command the power of four major guilds—the Apothecary Guild, the Mystic Apothecary Guild, the Forging Guild, and the Inscription Guild! How terrifying was that influence?

Four? Lucifer Saerige tapped his forehead lightly. It should be five! Because the Demon Warrior Guild had believed Lucifer Liushui’s words, they naturally believed the rumor that Jiliu Feijing had slain the Five Dragon Guards.

Such a young Jiliu Feijing killing the Five Dragon Guards, and he wasn't even a bloodline Demon Warrior! This news had also exploded across the common Demon Warrior circles. Every Demon Warrior spoke of Jiliu Feijing with immense excitement.

This time, the President of the General Guild of Common Demon Warriors was also present among the welcoming crowd for Jiliu Feijing’s entourage. He publicly announced that if Jiliu Feijing passed the inspection, he would immediately be granted the position of Vice President and the authority of the General Guild. When he truly possessed the strength to lead the General Guild, the Presidency itself would be ceded to him.

"The Five Great Guilds," Lucifer Saerige shrugged. "My sister must be having a headache right now, perhaps? Whose power, aside from the current top-tier bloodline families, can compare to what Jiliu Feijing commands? In just two or three months, he has become one of the true pillars of power in the Lucifer Dynasty. Would such a demon quietly obey the orders of a mere princess? The power he currently wields… hehe…"

Lucifer Saerige’s tone held a touch of bitterness. The influence this half-blood demon now possessed was vaster than that held by himself, the Crown Prince.

The Prince’s authority stemmed from His Majesty the Great Demon King, who could reclaim it at any moment. Jiliu Feijing’s power, however, was earned through his own capability. Given a little time to consolidate it, as long as Jiliu Feijing caused no trouble or rebellion, even the Great Demon King would hesitate to provoke him.

"Let's go! We should also go and welcome this Master Jiliu Feijing!"

Lucifer Saerige swept his cloak back and headed toward the stairs.

Almost simultaneously, several other princes within the Fallen City made decisions nearly identical to Saerige's, leading their retinues and escorts to move toward the city's outskirts.

"Master Jiliu Feijing, I am Richard, President of the General Apothecary Guild. Why don't we visit the Apothecary Guild first? Our guild has prepared the most comfortable accommodations for you…"

"Richard, can your shabby place possibly host the esteemed Master Jiliu Feijing? Master—I am Cleon, President of the General Mystic Apothecary Guild! Our Mystic Apothecary Guild has already—"

"Pah! You shameless dog, Cleon…"

Qian Jin had just reached the edge of the Fallen City when he saw the two General Guild Masters already arguing so fiercely that they looked ready to brawl.

Inscription Master! Merely that title was enough to bring the two General Guild Masters scrambling to curry favor.

As the practices of alchemy and mystic alchemy developed, the equipment supporting these professions had advanced to new heights, moving far beyond just the refinement of materials. Many of the configuration devices held by both professions were, in fact, inscription-enchanted magical apparatuses.

This held true even for Masters Oulala and Adams in the Endless World; their equipment was incomparably advanced, given the sheer quantity of resources Arknesh could provide them.

"Master Jiliu Feijing, long time no see! I missed you terribly, my Crown Prince!"

Lucifer Saerige pushed through the crowd, opening his strong arms wide for a hearty, enthusiastic embrace with Qian Jin. "Come, come, come, this Crown Prince has prepared a place for you."

"Brother, Jiliu Feijing slept in my chambers last night."

Lucifer Liushui stepped out, a statement that caused a slight shift in Saerige's expression. The surrounding demons watched Lucifer Liushui with suggestive glances. No wonder this Master Jiliu Feijing had become the Princess's escort—this was the reason! Such a sexy and beautiful princess… many demons swallowed hard. In a realm where intimacy was paramount, such status alone could keep a demon occupied all night long, couldn't it?

"Liushui, you must also consider the Master’s well-being,"

Lucifer Zhenshi slowly emerged from the throng. His proud, black hair, typical of a Fallen Angel, was tied high at the nape of his neck. His physique was not as robust as Saerige’s; instead, his somewhat leaner frame, enhanced by his facial structure, lent him an undeniable air of distinguished competence.

"Seventh Brother, you need not worry about that," Lucifer Liushui retorted, her single eye flashing with icy challenge. "The Master is protected within my domain; at least that shields him from a certain degree of danger from attacks…"

Lucifer Zhenshi forced a dry laugh. He had to appear today; failing to do so would suggest to the masses that something was amiss with him. Who was Jiliu Feijing? Any demon prince with ambitions for the throne should make an appearance! Not showing up would imply suspicion, a fact everyone understood. Lucifer Zhenshi was compelled to be present.

The moment Qian Jin saw Lucifer Zhenshi, his expression abruptly changed. Munezane Zhence and the others also showed subtle shifts in demeanor. Lucifer Liushui’s expression changed further when she noticed the demon behind Zhenshi—Lucifer Zhifeng! That demon should have been killed by Munezane Zhence that night, yet here he was again! Furthermore, judging by his current state, he seemed even stronger than before.

Lucifer Zhifeng smiled faintly and nodded toward Qian Jin. "Master Jiliu Feijing, greetings. My name is Lucifer Zhifeng. Might I impose upon you to honor my humble cottage with a cup of clear tea?"

Lucifer Zhenshi’s expression turned sharp. This was hardly the proper setting for Lucifer Zhifeng to speak. What did it mean for him to step forward now?

He didn’t die? Qian Jin examined Lucifer Zhifeng repeatedly. That night, he had truly felt no trace of life from Zhifeng’s charred body. Since the corpse had turned to charcoal, it held no value for his bloodline research, so he hadn't collected it.

The conversation that night… Qian Jin was certain Lucifer Zhifeng must have overheard everything. But why hadn't he exposed him?

"Fine! I find you quite agreeable! Much more so than this so-called Seventh Prince…" Duanfeng Bu’er chimed in, stepping forward. "Feijing, shall we go sample his tea?"

"No need to rush," Qian Jin gently shook his head. "Wait until I’m settled. You can come call on me then." Lucifer Zhifeng paused, surprised that this human could remain so composed! Even in this environment, he had instantly deduced that Zhifeng would not pick a fight and expose him right then and there.

"Your weapon is inadequate…" Qian Jin gestured toward the longsword at Lucifer Zhifeng's waist. "Gather the necessary materials and bring them to me."

The surrounding demons looked upon Lucifer Zhifeng with undisguised envy; to receive a combat weapon personally forged by the Master!

"Then I thank the Master in advance," Lucifer Zhifeng nodded calmly. "However, I don't merely wish for a combat weapon or set personally forged by the Master. I hope to become friends or partners with the Master…"

The surrounding demons were all taken aback. What was this declaration? Wasn't Lucifer Zhifeng supposed to be Zhenshi's subordinate? Though not a formal attendant, he was widely known as one of Zhenshi's men. Why was he stepping forward now to suggest friendship or partnership with the Master? Those words should have come from the Seventh Prince!

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