Three days later, the starship penetrated the atmosphere of Silver Gray Star and finally stopped steadily at the designated berth in the military starport.Unlike using civilian channels in the past, Qin Tian now held the rank of Major General and the imperial glory medal, allowing him to apply for a special military channel.Outside the window, there was no noisy crowd on the orderly tarmac, and the environment exuded a solemn sense of order.“Puff—”After the soft hiss of the pressure valve releasing, the cabin door slowly opened to both sides.As soon as Qin Tian stepped onto the gangway, he saw two rows of soldiers in crisp military uniforms already lined up below, their black military boots on the metal ground, so neat that even their shadows formed a single line.Once his figure fully appeared, all the soldiers simultaneously raised their hands, their movements swift and uniform, their military salute impeccably standard.“General Qin!”A steady voice rang out, and a man in a Major General's uniform hurried forward to greet him. His temples were already streaked with white, his posture exceptionally tall, and a warm smile on his face as he extended his hand, “I am Teng Shaohai, Chief of Staff of the Second Military District of Silver Gray Star. I have been waiting here specifically to welcome General Qin Tian on his glorious return home.”Qin Tian stepped forward and clasped his hand, feeling the calloused knuckles of the other man’s palm, and smiled, “Chief of Staff Teng, it’s too kind of you to come personally.”Teng Shaohai held his hand, his gaze falling on Qin Tian’s unusually young face, and couldn't help but sigh with emotion once more.When he received the report from his subordinate half a day ago, he hadn't paid much attention—generals often came and went in the military district, and with his position, he didn’t need to personally greet everyone.But when he saw the name “Qin Tian” and the attached resume, he immediately changed his mind.This Major General Qin Tian had recently been promoted two ranks from Colonel, held the Empire's top imperial glory medal, and was a true combat hero in the Demon Suppression Abyss battle.Such a meritorious individual deserved the highest courtesy.What shocked him even more were the details he subsequently uncovered—this General Qin was actually a student at Xiongying Military Academy on Silver Gray Star, having only enrolled two years ago. He hadn't even graduated from the four-year program, yet he was now on the same rank as himself.Such a “rocket-like” promotion speed would be impossible without a sufficiently strong foundation and background.Thinking of this, the smile on Teng Shaohai's face became even more sincere. He turned sideways and made a guiding gesture, “General Qin, you’ve had a long journey. The military district has prepared a welcoming banquet. May I have the honor of inviting General Qin to attend?”“I would be delighted,” Qin Tian readily accepted. His roots were on Silver Gray Star, and establishing good relations with the local military district's core figures would be beneficial for both his future development and resource coordination.Just then, the sound of footsteps came from the direction of the spaceship’s hatch—Xiong walked at the very front with heavy steps, his broad shoulders almost blocking half the hatch; Terrida followed closely, his brows showing the rugged ferocity unique to Barbarian warriors; Li Qi was in a tight-fitting outfit, his eyes sharp; and Old Ghost walked at the very end, the hem of his wide robe sweeping the ground, his eyes hiding a profound stillness—the Barbarian warriors following behind him were all tall and straight, seemingly shrouded in a bloody aura.Teng Shaohai’s eyes suddenly narrowed, and he unconsciously lightened his breathing—he had been in the military for decades, and his perception of “killing intent” was far sharper than that of ordinary people.These people were clearly not just “well-trained”; that was the chilling intensity that only comes from having truly killed countless beings with real blades and climbed out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood.What a formidable team!Teng Shaohai was secretly startled, his gaze quickly sweeping over everyone—this group was clearly Qin Tian’s personal subordinates, not soldiers assigned by the military, especially those Barbarian warriors, who were clearly not native to the Empire.To command such a complex and powerful private force within the framework of Imperial law, Qin Tian’s background was likely far more profound than he had initially imagined.He quickly composed himself, the smile on his face becoming even more cordial, and he proactively nodded to everyone, “You must be General Qin’s capable subordinates. You indeed all possess extraordinary bearing.”Hearing this, Qin Tian smiled faintly and turned to his subordinates, instructing, “You all go back first. I will accompany Chief of Staff Teng to the banquet.”“Yes, Boss!” Xiong, Poison Widow, and the others responded in unison.Boss?This address made Teng Shaohai’s eyes flicker slightly, but his expression remained normal, “General Qin, please.”Qin Tian followed Teng Shaohai onto the military aircraft. Its silver-gray fuselage gleamed with a cold, hard metallic luster in the sunlight, while Xiong, Poison Widow, and their group walked out of the starport under the guidance of two soldiers.As soon as they stepped out of the automatic doors of the military starport, several aircraft bearing the “Lingfeng Trade” emblem came into view. Feng Mocheng stood at the very front, and upon seeing people emerge, he immediately went to greet them. His gaze swept through the crowd but didn't find Qin Tian, so he asked doubtfully, “You’re finally out. Where’s the Boss?”“The Boss went to a welcoming banquet with the military district leaders,” Poison Widow explained.“Oh, I see.” Feng Mocheng furrowed his brow slightly. He had many things he wanted to report to the Boss, but it seemed he would have to hold them back for now.At this moment, his gaze fell on Old Ghost, a stranger in the crowd, and his eyes showed a hint of inquiry, “And this is—”“He is a master who just joined the Boss’s command, a Sixth-Tier Soul Master, Zong Xianguan.” Poison Widow again answered, simply stating Old Ghost’s identity.A Sixth-Tier Soul Master?Feng Mocheng’s heart tightened. He quickly stepped forward and extended his hand, “Hello, Mr. Zong. I am the Boss’s subordinate, Feng Mocheng.”Old Ghost smiled, “Captain Feng, I’ve heard the Boss mention you. He said you are his capable subordinate, and all our daily necessities, cultivation resources, everything, depends on Captain Feng’s arrangements.”“Those words are too much for me,” Feng Mocheng laughed heartily, waving his hand, “Everything I have now was given by the Boss—if it weren’t for the Boss helping me, where would the current Feng Mocheng be? Besides, Lingfeng Trade is originally the Boss’s property; I’m just looking after it for him.”He stepped aside, gesturing to the aircraft behind him. The cabin door had slowly opened, revealing a soft, patterned carpet inside and warm light from the wall lamps. “Everyone, now that you’re back on Silver Gray Star, you’re home. Although the Boss isn’t here, I’ve also prepared a rich dinner. Shall we go to our lodging first and chat while we eat?”Everyone boarded the aircraft in order. Xiong, Terrida, and Old Ghost, the core members, shared one aircraft.As the aircraft slowly ascended, Feng Mocheng leaned back in his seat, looked at Li Qi opposite him, and said with a smile, “Seeing you all return safely from the Demon Suppression Abyss, the big stone in my heart has finally dropped.”“Following the Boss, we will be fine,” Li Qi said with certainty, his eyes filled with complete trust in Qin Tian.“Ah, speaking of which, I’m quite envious of you all,” Feng Mocheng’s face showed a hint of distress. “These past few months, I’ve been dealing with account books, contracts, and a bunch of merchants to entertain every day. I was originally a mercenary group leader, a rough and ready guy; how would I know all this? It’s really driving me crazy.”He wasn't complaining. Qin Tian had initially “forced him into the role,” making him the legal representative and general manager of Lingfeng Trade. Although most affairs were handled by Yang Fan, he, as the “hands-off boss,” still had to manage the overall situation and deal with partners and local officials who sought him out from time to time.He had earned a lot of money, and the brothers of the Hurricane Mercenary Group were living increasingly comfortable lives, but he always felt a void in his heart, constantly recalling the days when he led his brothers to explore and fight in the universe, and camped in the wilderness.“No choice, who told the Boss to trust you the most?” Li Qi patted his shoulder.Yang Fan was neither a Night Demon Apostle nor the Boss’s soul servant, so appropriate precautions and checks and balances were necessary. Moreover, as Lingfeng Trade grew larger, it was inevitable to encounter troubles that could not be solved by business means. At that time, Feng Mocheng’s Hurricane Mercenary Group would still be needed to hold the fort and resolve some overt and covert problems.Feng Mocheng listened, forced a bitter smile, and was about to say something more when his gaze suddenly fell on Terrida, who was staring out the porthole. Thinking of something, he said, “Oh, by the way, Terrida, another group of your Barbarian compatriots arrived on Silver Gray Star in the past two months. They are currently settled at your previous station. Do you want to go see them first?”“What?” Terrida suddenly turned his head. Qin Tian, fearing his impatience, hadn’t told him about this beforehand. Now hearing the news, his eyes widened with excitement, and he nodded repeatedly, “Go! Go now!”“Alright, then we’ll detour to the outpost first. There’s still some time before dinner anyway.” Feng Mocheng agreed with a smile, then remembered something else, his tone tinged with helplessness, “But honestly, the temperament of your Barbarian compatriots is really… I had the elders and children of your tribe try to persuade them several times, but they’re still full of caution, always feeling like we’re trying to trick them. I think, only with you, an ‘insider,’ showing up and demonstrating your strength, will they truly let down their guard.”“Hmm, I’ll do it,” Terrida nodded heavily, his eyes full of certainty. He understood the Barbarian temperament too well; no matter how strong outsiders were, they couldn't be subdued by force.When he initially agreed to follow the Boss, it was partly for his tribesmen, and partly because Qin Tian promised to “help them return to their homeland five years later.”Now, with him as their guide and his brothers demonstrating the changes they experienced after following the Boss, these new compatriots would surely understand that the Boss was different from those humans who enslaved them.Half an hour later, °• N 𝑜 v 𝑒 l i g h t •° the aircraft landed on the open ground of the Barbarian outpost.Before it even stopped, a large group of Barbarians surrounded it—burly warriors in animal hide armor, wielding crude stone axes, their eyes vigilantly fixed on the aircraft. Meanwhile, the old, weak, women, and children standing behind the warriors wore clean cotton clothes, their eyes devoid of caution, instead filled with anticipation as they peered towards the aircraft.“Puff—”The hatch opened, and Terrida was the first to leap out, followed by the other Barbarian warriors.“Udi! You’re back!”“Abba!”The old, weak, women, and children hiding behind immediately surged forward, embracing the warriors around Terrida, crying and laughing, their voices filled with excitement.As for the newly arrived Barbarian warriors, seeing Terrida and his group, their eyes instantly widened, their faces filled with confusion and shock—these fellow tribesmen not only wore strange clothes, but how could they be mixed with humans?Terrida pushed aside his encircling tribesmen and strode to the new Barbarians, shouting in the Barbarian language, “Who is your leader? Come out and speak!”The new Barbarian warriors looked at each other, and after a moment, a man even taller than Terrida by half a head stepped out—his hair was braided into thick plaits tight against his scalp, a light blue totem painted on his neck, and his voice was as steady as a rock on an ice field: “I am Muya of the Winter Tribe. Who are you? Why are you mixed with humans? Have you forgotten that humans are the culprits who invaded our homeland and turned us into slaves?”“I haven’t forgotten,” Terrida met his gaze, his tone firm, “But humans and humans are not the same. The adult I follow rescued us from slave traders and made us free people again; he treats our families well, gives us enough food and warm houses; and he bestows cultivation resources to help us grow stronger—he even promised that once we have enough strength, he will help us return to our homeland and reclaim the land that was stolen from us.”“You believe human words?” Muya sneered, his eyes full of mockery, “They are a bunch of untrustworthy beasts! In our tribe, how many of our people were deceived by their sweet words and ended up as cold corpses?”Terrida didn't argue, but slowly shook his head, “I know you don’t believe me, but this is the proof.”Before his words finished, he suddenly tensed his body, and the power of his vital energy exploded—golden vital energy spread outwards like boiling waves, the temperature in the air suddenly rose, and even the air slightly distorted.Muya and the new Barbarian warriors behind him were shaken back by this surging vital energy, their anger instantly replaced by shock, their eyes wide and round.“You—you are a tribal chief? Or a legendary warrior?” Muya asked in a lost voice—such powerful vital energy could only be possessed by tribal chiefs or legendary warriors in large tribes!“Neither,” Terrida retracted some of his vital energy, his voice still booming, “Initially, I was just a high-level warrior in the tribe, about as strong as you. But after following the Boss, he gave us potions that strengthened our bodies; not long ago, he even took us to battle demons, and we inscribed battle tattoos with demon blood—now, each of us is several times stronger than before! Brothers, let the compatriots of the Winter Tribe see our current strength!”“Yes!”The Barbarian warriors behind him responded in unison. Before their roar subsided, they simultaneously activated the vital energy within their bodies. In an instant, over a hundred vital energy pillars, condensed like a solid substance, surged skyward. Bloody halos intertwined and wrapped in mid-air, forming a scorching “vital energy canopy” above the outpost.The entire outpost seemed to be enveloped by this violent power originating from the Barbarian bloodline, and even the air became scorching hot.Muya and the new Barbarians were completely frozen in place, their faces filled with disbelief: every one of these fellow tribesmen was above the level of an intermediate warrior, and several of them had vital energy strengths that almost matched those of small tribal chiefs!Barbarian God above, what kind of army was this?Could following that human really make them so strong?Muya looked at the scene before him, and the caution in his heart began to loosen for the first time.

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