In the Beijulu Royal City, amidst a picturesque scene shrouded in mist, a group of men soaked naked in a spirit pool's hot spring, relaxing and chatting idly.

Most leaned against the shore with closed eyes, responding occasionally, except for a man with prominent cheekbones, who intermittently opened his eyes to gauge the reactions of others.

This man was a Wind Inspection Officer from the Beijulu Royal Court, named Shi Jiao. When the idle chatter subsided a bit, he took the initiative to start a topic: "Brother Lan, why is the Battle of Great Pardon set in the Demon Realm this time?"

The so-called Demon Realm refers to the ancestral land of the Demon Court, which, since its ancient destruction, has mostly been left desolate. The reason being that the Xun Gate passage there is very unstable, and it's easy for people passing through to be distorted and lost. Who could manage such a place? One cannot expect the top Shattering Void experts to act as doormen every time someone comes and goes, so it remains abandoned.

The one called 'Brother Lan' was a tall, slender man with delicate skin, a small, stubbled face yet possessing a distinct masculinity. His name was Lan She, the Commander of the Beiju Team for this Battle of Great Pardon.

Upon hearing the question, he still closed his eyes to rest and replied, "What the five families have agreed upon is not for us to decide. The main reason is certainly that the newly forged Xun Gate has stabilized the passage."

Wind Inspection Officer Shi Jiao chuckled, "In any case, congratulations to Brother Lan on securing the Commander position, and may you rise to even greater heights after victory. Don't forget about us."

"Indeed."

"Sure to be victorious."

Others in the pool echoed, knowing well that victory would naturally lead to a promotion. The domain master position obtained from the Battle of Great Pardon is of a different caliber, directly under the Royal Court's jurisdiction unlike others which fall under various Star Lords.

"Ha." Lan She gave a self-deprecating smile, "Five families competing, it's uncertain who will win. It's too early to celebrate; if truly defeated, you wouldn't even be able to lift your head."

Someone advised, "Brother Lan has been exhausting himself preparing for this battle, so thoroughly ready that surely success is within reach. Don't lose confidence."

Wind Inspection Officer Shi Jiao agreed with a sound, then hesitated, "That's true, but Brother Lan should be wary of one particular person."

Upon talk of business, Lan She leaned back and opened his eyes, looking at him, asking, "Who?"

The others either opened their eyes or removed the hot towels from their faces, all looking at Shi Jiao.

Shi Jiao said with a weighty tone, "Shi Chun, the one taken by Life Prison from the East Victory execution ground. Everyone should have heard of him, right?"

At these words, some glanced peculiarly at a robust man with slightly blond hair and beard present, named Liang Mian, the Mutual Market Junior Supervisor of the Northern Continent, responsible for some transactional affairs among the five major forces here.

Upon hearing the name 'Shi Chun,' Liang Mian's glance at Shi Jiao carried a hint of cold detachment.

Someone chuckled awkwardly, "A mere Shi Chun, though somewhat reputed, can't be presumptuous in the Battle of Great Pardon. If he goes in, it's like a soybean being thrown into the millstone, instantly ground to powder, not worth worrying about."

Shi Jiao immediately retorted, "That's not the right way to put it. Why was he extracted from Life Prison? Isn't it because Mulan Jin's daughter signed up for the battle? It's clear Mulan Jin is doing everything to assist his daughter, even stretching his hand into Life Prison to fetch someone. What kind of person is Mulan Jin; he wouldn't act without reason. He surely weighed the pros and cons."

He glanced around at everyone, adding, "Perhaps everyone isn't aware, but twenty years ago, Shi Chun confessed on his own before being sentenced in East Victory, not captured by them. It's said a group of experts from East Victory, including several in the Heavenly Immortal Realm, couldn't capture him, and he even managed to escape."

Someone countered again, "I heard he escaped because he was assisted by Li Hongjiu, a disciple of the Yanbao Sect?"

Shi Jiao immediately questioned back, "I also heard Mulan Jin secured him a Centurion position in East Victory, so how would you explain that?"

At these words, a brief silence ensued. To be honest, everyone had heard of Shi Chun, but in their eyes, he was rather insignificant, involving only some personalities and not considered much. Had it not been for Shi Jiao's firm stance, they wouldn't have paid any heed.

At this moment, they indeed seemed to be contemplating deeply.

Afterward, Lan She slowly said, "This rogue indeed has some capabilities. I will heed Brother Shi's reminder."

Shi Jiao, however, with a mysterious demeanor, said, "Better plan ahead. I know of a woman, if she could be included in the team, might counter him."

As these words fell, everyone's gaze turned sharply to Liang Mian. Knowing his affairs, they knew he was currently romantically involved with a woman, who happened to be Shi Chun's former lover, taken when Shi Chun was imprisoned.

Privately, some found it amusing – going to such lengths for a woman from a brothel.

Liang Mian's expression darkened, "Brother Shi, we have no old grudges or recent quarrels, so why target me?"

Lan She kept his eyes lowered, feigning ignorance of the scene before him, yet he sighed inwardly. If everyone weren't concerned about their own interests, why would he struggle to assemble a powerful, invincible team? People like Liang Mian, when it affects them, refuse to budge.

Capable and useful personnel often have powerful backgrounds, and he couldn't risk losing stability by chasing after the domain master position.

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