Your Blood Oath Isn't Worth a Fart!

"Then it's settled! Don't come crying poor when the time comes!"

Liu Yulong rubbed his butt, baring his teeth as he glared at Jun Wushang, already plotting how to kick him back someday.

"Yeah, we can really eat."

"And have the wine ready too."

The others also chimed in with teasing remarks.

"Relax, there'll be plenty of steamed buns and pickles!" Jun Wushang raised a brow with a wicked grin, making a "help yourselves" gesture. "Unlimited refills of plain boiled water!"

"Cheapskate."

"Miser."

"Money-grubber."

Qin Shuang and the others all raised their middle fingers.

Jun Wushang simply ignored their protests.

In the faint morning light, Wei Qing set out on his journey home.

Unlike when he had arrived alone, Jun Wushang and Zhang Xue now accompanied him—this childhood sweetheart had been forcibly sent along by her parents under the noble pretext of "visiting her future mother-in-law."

Jun Wushang grinned so broadly that his eyes vanished, bustling about with the luggage like a cat that had stolen a bite of fish.

In the morning light, the figures of the three gradually disappeared into the distance.

Qin Shuang sighed softly. "When we meet again, who knows what realm Brother Wei will have reached?"

"We'll know when we see him." Liu Yulong gently fanned himself with his bone fan, sounding casual, though battle intent burned in his eyes.

Nangong Ruyan rested her delicate hand on her sword. "A troubled age is approaching. Otherwise, when the era of great chaos arrives, all that awaits us will be endless regret."

She would never forget those scarlet demonic eyes within the black mist.

"When I return to the sect, I'll apply to go out and gain experience," Qin Shuang suddenly said. "First stop—the Imperial City."

"Count me in!"

"I'm going too!"

They exchanged smiles. The rising sun blazed above the city walls, stretching their shadows long.

Wei Qing never imagined that the day of their reunion would come so soon.

Imperial City, Heavenly Realm Division.

After hearing Zhou Kai's report, Zhou Cang was stunned for a moment.

A Seventh Rank had frightened off a Fifth Rank!

A Seventh Rank had comprehended a profound meaning?

He furrowed his brows, his gaze scraping across Zhou Kai like blades—

If not for their many years of camaraderie, he would have slapped him already.

He actually dared use such absurd nonsense to entertain him?

"Heh, I knew you wouldn't believe it." Zhou Kai grinned, flashing a mouthful of white teeth. "The secret report from Qingcheng's Night Owl Guard is already on its way. When it arrives, you won't have any choice but to believe it."

As he spoke, he could not help saying enviously, "That kid is even more monstrous than Old Wei was back then... Tsk, tsk. If I had a son like that, I'd wake up laughing."

The moment he thought of his own disappointing son, who had abandoned martial arts for literature, anger surged up in him. He simply stopped thinking about it.

"By the way, any news about Old Wei?"

At the mention of Wei Yuan, Zhou Kai's tone grew heavier.

"Nothing yet. Lord Tantai hasn't returned either." Zhou Cang gently shook his head, then smiled. "That bastard's life is tougher than iron. Back then, he suffered such grievous injuries, yet didn't he still pull through?"

"When he comes back and sees how outstanding Qingzi is, his mouth will split all the way to the sky."

"He'll probably laugh all the way to the back of his head!" Zhou Kai slapped his thigh, all gloom swept away. "That kid is his greatest pride!"

The two looked at each other and smiled, as though they could once more see their old friend, who always wore a stern face, grinning foolishly from ear to ear.

"I heard that brat Wei Lin has latched onto the Third Prince?" Zhou Kai suddenly lowered his voice, tapping the table with his knuckles. "When Qingzi returns this time..."

Zhou Cang rubbed his throbbing temples. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

He lifted his teacup and took a sip. "Family matters are family matters. The imperial family cannot easily interfere either, and besides—"

The teacup landed heavily on the table, splashing tea.

"The Heavenly Realm Division has always been loyal to one person alone: His Majesty."

At the same time.

A gray-feathered night owl silently swept past the flying eaves of the Heavenly Realm Division.

The Night Owl Guard on duty removed the bamboo tube. When he glimpsed the scarlet "A" seal branded upon it, his expression changed at once.

Within the inner hall, Su Henian was reviewing secret letters with a brush in hand, vermilion ink tracing winding streaks of blood across the rice paper.

Hasty footsteps interrupted his thoughts—

"My lord, an urgent report from Qingcheng, marked Class A!"

"Present it."

The instant the bamboo tube was opened, Su Henian abruptly rose to his feet, his pupils contracting sharply beneath his black-iron mask.

He inspected the secret letter three more times before flicking his sleeve and dismissing everyone.

The candle flame on the desk suddenly swayed violently, casting his shadow upon the wall.

Su Henian clenched the secret letter and strode swiftly through the corridor.

Inside the discussion hall.

Nangong Yu had just finished making arrangements. "This matter shall be settled thus for now. If anything changes, we will discuss it again."

"Yes."

Xie Yun, Shen Hanbing, and Lin Wantang all nodded in unison.

Just as the three were about to rise and leave, Su Henian hurried in.

The three exchanged glances and sat back down in perfect tacit understanding. Any intelligence capable of making this "Cold-Faced Judge" lose his composure could not be an ordinary matter.

"Director, we have just received news from Qingcheng's Night Owl Guard."

As he spoke, Su Henian handed the intelligence in his hand to Nangong Yu.

Nangong Yu accepted the report.

He unfolded it.

Upon seeing its contents clearly, Nangong Yu was also taken aback.

He then passed the report to Xie Yun and the other two.

Every person who read the report was shocked by its contents.

A Seventh Rank had severed a Fifth Rank's arm and frightened off an early-stage Fifth Rank.

A Seventh Rank had comprehended two distinct profound meanings: attack and speed.

He had ventured into the Black Mist Wasteland and rescued disciples from numerous sects and factions of Jizhou Prefecture...

The letter recorded Wei Qing's recent experiences in detail.

"Hehehe, the Guardian Department has produced a peerless monster!" Xie Yun waved the report in his hand and laughed loudly.

"This kid suits my taste!" Shen Hanbing tapped the table with his fingertips, his eyes shifting. "Lend him to me for a few days. How about it?"

"Get lost!" Xie Yun roared, making even the roof tiles of the discussion hall seem to tremble. "Do you think he's some demon beast for experimentation? That Third Rank great demon you promised to return 'in one piece' last time—by the third day, you'd dismantled it until only a skeleton remained!"

"If you dare set your sights on him, I'll truly fight you to the death!"

"Hey, why are you getting so worked up? This time, I'll make a blood oath. I guarantee I'll return him completely unharmed."

"Your blood oath isn't worth a fart!"

Xie Yun cut him off directly, counting off his grievances on his fingers.

"What happened with that blood oath last time? Not even a corpse was left!

"The time before that..."

"Enough!"

Nangong Yu hurriedly stopped the two from "arguing."

"With this child's talent, his stage will ultimately be in 'that place.'" Ripples of memory surfaced in Lin Wantang's eyes. "Twenty years have passed. Great Zhou has finally produced someone like this again."

At the mention of "that place," all four of their expressions turned grave.

Memories of blood and fire from years past surged in like a tide—if not for the late Emperor's sudden death, they should still have been fighting there even now.

Su Henian's black-iron mask dipped slightly. "Only two years remain until the next selection. The Heavenly Realm Division's resources should be poured into this child."

"Seconded." Xie Yun's voice rang like clashing gold and iron.

"No objection." Shen Hanbing's fingertip slid across the table, leaving behind a trail of frost.

Nangong Yu swept his gaze across the crowd and slowly spoke one word:

"Approved."

Thunder suddenly boomed outside the window, and torrential rain poured down, as though heralding the arrival of a new era.