Wanyan Tiegu’s fighting spirit plunged into a state of intense focus. His Dou Qi surged within an infinitesimal span, and he roared twice in quick succession. The instant the two battle sabers met, they erupted with the greatest shower of sparks yet witnessed. They could no longer withstand the force exerted by two Demon Suppression Ninth-Rank warriors; the sabers shattered simultaneously, two broken segments spinning through the air before embedding deep into the muddy earth, their exposed, jagged edges resembling woodworking saws more than weapons fit for a warrior.

In a flash of lightning, Wanyan Tiegu’s eyes twitched, yet he remained poised. His left hand shot out from his waist in a punch. Qian Jin bent his knees slightly, sinking down as if sitting, and simultaneously threw a punch with his left hand, his knuckles tight. A heavy collision of bone and muscle instantly sounded.

“Such swift reactions?” In that instant, Wanyan Tiegu’s legs seemed to multiply. With a swoosh, he recoiled several meters, staring at Qian Jin in utter disbelief. He could not fathom how his opponent reacted so quickly the moment the sabers broke. This wasn't mere talent; this demanded genuine combat experience! Most men would falter for a split second when their weapon fails, but this opponent showed no hesitation whatsoever.

The mercenaries and the large contingent of Black Wind bandits watched, their jaws slack, stunned by the recent, tempestuous assault. No one could believe that the notorious Tenth Commander of the Black Wind Raiders, who roamed beyond the border, was being utterly suppressed by a young, unknown boy. Had the quality of the weapons not been so poor, he might have lost his life entirely. "Is this... all of Qian Jin’s true strength?" Fen Tu Kuang Ge’s forehead beaded with cold sweat. Powerful! Terribly powerful! Not a Bloodline Warrior, yet possessing the might of a Demon Suppression Ninth-Rank!

Zeng Chuandong pulled a four-foot-long sword from the hay in the horse-drawn cart, swung onto a mercenary’s swift horse, and stared tensely at the center of the field. He spoke calmly, “What a pity he didn’t finish Wanyan Tiegu in that last exchange. If the fight had continued right then, Qian Jin would have been at a disadvantage. He has an incomparably brilliant future; he absolutely cannot die here! His future belongs to the Torrent Battle Fortress!”

Fen Tu Kuang Ge instinctively nodded, his look of astonishment deepening into profound gravity. “Indeed. Wanyan Tiegu has been a Demon Suppression Ninth-Rank for several years; at his worst, he’s at the peak of that level. In terms of both the quality and quantity of his Dou Qi, he still surpasses Qian Jin, who has not yet reached the apex of the Ninth Rank. Prolonged battle always drains stamina; Qian Jin will suffer for it…”

“More than that…” Zeng Chuandong shook his head slightly. “Bloodline Warriors possess their own special inherited powers and abilities. Even if Wanyan Tiegu hasn’t broken through further from the Ninth Rank, the rotational speed of his Dou Qi must already be astonishing.”

Fen Tu Kuang Ge nodded repeatedly, his expression growing heavier. Once Demon Suppression Warriors cannot advance further after a long time, they almost universally seek ways, by any means necessary, to enhance the rotational speed of their Dou Qi. The faster the rotation, the more explosive and deadly the released Dou Qi becomes.

“A Demon Suppression Ninth-Rank’s Dou Qi rotates between 1,280 and 2,650 cycles. Wanyan Tiegu is likely at least at the peak of 2,650 cycles. Qian Jin’s Dou Qi is not yet at its peak, so his rotation probably isn’t that fast,” Zeng Chuandong muttered quietly, leaning low over the horse’s back. “I only fear he might possess more than 2,650 cycles.”

Fen Tu Kuang Ge’s solemn face grew even more grave. The warriors of the Zhence Dynasty, through countless years of analyzing and researching Dou Qi, not only developed numerous methods for circulating Dou Qi through different latent apertures but also discovered ways for those warriors who stalled in breakthrough to boost their combat power by other means, including methods specifically designed to increase Dou Qi rotational speed alone. The Fen Tu family, revered as a War God lineage by all ordinary warriors of the Zhence Dynasty, possessed profound research in this exact area! It was highly improbable that Wanyan Tiegu lacked such specialized techniques for increasing rotational speed.

“This Wanyan Tiegu is certainly formidable,” Duan Feng Bu’er leaned against the horse’s rump, clicking his tongue. “The degree to which a Bloodline Warrior activates their inherited power signals their mastery over it. He managed to engage it substantially the moment he was attacked; it seems he has put in considerable effort over the years.”

Wanyan Tiegu’s chest rose and fell, his eyes wide with astonishment as he stared at Qian Jin. During the fierce exchange, there had been little time for deep thought. In this brief moment of eye contact, his mind filled with shock. This boy couldn’t be much older than nineteen, could he? And he wasn't a Bloodline Warrior! How could he possess the might of a Demon Suppression Ninth-Rank? Even more terrifying was his combat presence; though facing only one man, his killing intent made it feel as though he were simultaneously facing a dozen, perhaps even dozens, closing in for the kill! If not for years of constant life-or-death combat… Wanyan Tiegu swallowed dryly and let out a soft breath, otherwise, he might have already been so disrupted by the killing intent that he exposed fatal gaps and died under the blade.

Black Wind Hua Yan Bu Jian’s beautiful eyes were obscured by the metallic mask, but subtle shifts in emotion crossed them several times in the brief moment. Her fair, slender hand lightly touched the twin swords hanging at her waist. “Tenth Commander Wanyan, it appears you’ve met a tough fight. Do you require assistance?”

“No need!” Wanyan Tiegu’s face darkened. He spat hatefully onto the ground, cursing Hua Yan Bu Jian inwardly—that woman was utterly insufferable! If she truly wanted to help, she would have charged in already. Shouting from the sidelines was clearly just taunting and mockery.

“Since you need no help then~” Hua Yan Bu Jian’s voice was laced with amusement. “I shall remain here and wish Tenth Commander a triumphant return.”

Wanyan Tiegu ground his teeth in fury at Hua Yan Bu Jian, muttering under his breath, “Damn it! That foul woman! When we get back to the stronghold, I don’t care if the Third Commander is protecting you, or whoever else! And I don't care how ugly your face is beneath that iron mask! I’ll pin you down and screw you senseless! Make you kneel and lick my…!”

Beneath the black metal mask, a sudden, icy glint flashed in those beautiful eyes. Her long, slender fingers tightened instantaneously on the sword hilt, then quickly relaxed, as if nothing had happened.

Wanyan Tiegu suddenly straightened his chest. His backbone popped audibly several times. His Bloodline Power was now fully unleashed, and his Dou Qi surged once more to the true peak of the Demon Suppression Ninth-Rank. He tossed the small, jagged remnant of his saber—now more like a saw blade—onto the ground. He loosened his shoulders, spread his chest, his waist locked rigid like a drill rod. His thumb, ring, and middle fingers curled inward, leaving only his two forefingers extended straight out, held slightly up and down in a subtle, alternating sway.

Everyone present felt a momentary illusion; the figure squatting opposite Qian Jin seemed less like a man. With his arms spread wide, he resembled the two sharp blades of a praying mantis. Although there was no metallic sheen on his arms, the iron-hard look of his muscles informed everyone that being struck by his hand or arm would be far worse than a simple sting.

“He knows a Bloodline Combat Skill!” Duan Feng Bu’er’s eyes were filled with envy. “And it’s his exclusive Bloodline Combat Skill. The power amplification from this…”

Fen Tu Kuang Ge interjected with a grim expression, “Is pitiful. Little boy, I will pierce a thousand holes in your body and bleed you dry!”

Wanyan Tiegu’s lips curled into a cruel smile. The Mantis’s Blade-Splitting Severance Skill, within the Iron Arm Mantis Bloodline Skill set, was capable of shattering steel when mastered. Though he couldn't cleave metal, he could certainly chop through trees as thick as an arm, and a single thrust could penetrate half an inch into wood! If his opponent wore high-grade iron armor, it might pose a slight challenge, but ordinary leather armor was no different than wearing nothing at all.

In the prime era of the Iron Arm Mantis, their bloodline family was known to many Demon Races as the Blood God of Death. They entered the battlefield needing no weapons; simply by moving their arms—arms that could cleave metal—they left trails of severed limbs and gore. Every warrior moved like a grim reaper rising from a pool of blood.

Qian Jin’s face beamed with excitement. An Iron Arm Mantis Bloodline Skill! He had only read brief introductions in books: the lineage’s skills were divided into five tiers. The first was [Blade-Splitting Severance], the second was [Water-Severing Wave-Splitting], the third was known as [Earth-Rending], the fourth was [Sea-Slicing], and the supreme fifth stage, [Sky-Slicing], had only ever been mastered by the first generation Iron Arm Mantis warrior. He wondered which tier Wanyan Tiegu had reached? And did Wanyan Tiegu possess any notes on these techniques?

After two years of training in the Four Seasons Valley, Qian Jin realized he had learned almost no true Combat Skills. His Wind and Cloud Dou Qi offered virtually no specific techniques either. Almost all of his combat methods were raw, hard-fought tactics developed through constant life-and-death battles. If he could obtain the Iron Arm Mantis Bloodline Skills, even if he couldn’t master them fully due to lacking the native bloodline power, he could at least study them to see if he could mimic even a fraction of their style.

Wanyan Tiegu stared at Qian Jin, unable to comprehend. After releasing the peak power of a Demon Suppression Ninth-Rank and revealing his identity as a Bloodline Warrior, why was the boy showing no fear? Instead, he seemed exhilarated?

“Iron Arm Mantis?” Qian Jin chuckled, planting his solid right foot firmly on the ground, then forcefully pushing off, charging straight ahead, raising a fist to smash toward Wanyan Tiegu’s head.

A charge! Another charge! This time with even greater speed than before! Wanyan Tiegu was both enraged and bewildered. What kind of skill was this? Or was he not using a skill at all? This was utterly contemptuous! He was courting death!

His voluminous sleeve whipped out suddenly, completely enveloping and concealing Wanyan Tiegu’s right hand, obscuring what the hand was doing. The hooked index finger, guided by the wrist’s rotation, became like a copper nail aiming for Qian Jin’s fist and wrist. The air shrieked under the rapid impact: Chiu! This was [Mirroring Dewdrop Flower]!

This was the most insidious strike within the [Blade-Splitting Severance]. By concealing the fatal move within the sleeve, it was like a mantis lunging from its hidden lair with a killing blow—a move that almost never missed its target!