A martial fanatic.
A person of extremes.
In Chu Fan's view, such individuals, if utilized properly, would become sharp blades.
While browsing countless secret manuals in the Eternal Hall, he had encountered the insights left behind by those who, like Qin Zhan, had walked a desperate path for strength, even resorting to unscrupulous means.
Although the path Qin Zhan trod appeared to be a dead end, seemingly impossible to reach its conclusion, Chu Fan, having studied the experiences of many others, knew that the phrase "finding life amidst peril" was the perfect description for this path.
Hope wasn't absent, merely exceedingly faint, so minuscule that it was utterly invisible.
Its invisibility stemmed from not yet reaching the corresponding realm, but it did not signify its non-existence.
Qin Zhan still had an opportunity to adjust. If he utilized it well, he could emerge from his predicament and step into a different realm entirely.
To offer him hope, to give him the chance to ascend to a different height, naturally required his loyalty.
However, loyalty was not something to be declared with mere words; it necessitated further observation and testing.
For the sake of his future, Qin Zhan left with Chu Fan without any hesitation.
As fellow Grandmasters, he had a clear understanding of Chu Fan's strength and had no doubt whether Chu Fan was trying to deceive him.
As the group returned to the Treasure Pavilion,
In the Qin family, Qin Hu's father also received the news of his son's death.
"What?"
"What did you say? Xiao Hu is gone?"
Qin Tianming's entire body trembled. Unable to withstand the shock, his body began to shake.
Beside him, Qin Hu's mother, Zhan Xiyu, also changed expression. She leaned closer to her husband and anxiously asked, "Tianming, what happened to Xiao Hu? What do you mean 'gone'?"
Everyone understood what "gone" implied.
Yet, as parents, even with a general understanding of the situation, it was difficult to believe at first. They clung to a sliver of hope, thinking they were merely overthinking things.
Qin Tianming did not immediately respond to his wife, who was on the verge of tears. Instead, he listened as the person on the other end of the phone recounted the general details of the event.
Upon hearing that Qin Hu had been slapped to death by Qin Zhan, all the strength seemed to drain from his body.
He could not fathom how his own cousin could have killed his son with a single slap.
Qin Hu was unrestrained, indulging in debauchery and bullying others daily. Qin Tianming, as his father, was aware of this but, relying on the Qin family's vast wealth, was too lazy to intervene much.
His mindset was peculiar.
If not for the desire to allow his descendants to live a more carefree life, why would he have strived so hard to make the Qin family the most prominent family in Nanyun City?
There had been instances in the past where Qin Zhan had dealt with members of the Qin family. The Qin family elders had said nothing about it. One reason was Qin Zhan's superior strength, which made him difficult to suppress.
Secondly, as a collateral branch, they hoped for a peerless Grandmaster to emerge from their own lineage, thereby enabling them to contend with the main branch rather than living under its constant oppression. Thus, they did not restrict Qin Zhan's development.
Finally, the Qin family disciples, emboldened by their backing, were arrogant and unrestrained. This behavior could not go unchecked.
Qin Zhan was like a sword hanging over these disciples' heads, keeping them clear-headed when they caused trouble outside, preventing them from believing they were the greatest beings in existence just because they bore the Qin surname.
However, in the past, the most severe consequence had been being crippled by Qin Zhan.
This time, Qin Tianming was unaware of how grave Qin Hu's transgression was to warrant Qin Zhan killing him with a single blow.
"Investigate for me!"
"Within half an hour, I want to know exactly what happened!"
Qin Tianming's voice trembled as he struggled to suppress his inner rage.
At that moment, he had already decided that if Qin Hu had indeed committed a heinous act that provoked Qin Zhan, then his son's death was acceptable, as he was at fault.
However, if Qin Hu's actions were not severe and he was killed by Qin Zhan, then even knowing the family's high regard for Qin Zhan, he would still confront Qin Zhan.
"Tianming, what's going on? What happened to Xiao Hu?"
Seeing her husband hang up the phone, Zhan Xiyu anxiously asked.
"He's dead!"
"Slapped to death by Qin Zhan!"
"Ah..."
Zhan Xiyu shrieked, her eyes rolled back, and she fainted.
Before long, the specific details of the incident were delivered to Qin Tianming.
Upon seeing that his son, having taken a liking to two women, had attracted people from behind them, Qin Zhan, who had intended to provide support, not only failed to do so but, influenced by the instigation of the other party, slapped his own son to death.
Qin Tianming's anger erupted.
"Qin Zhan, you are too much!"
Could their own kin be considered less important than an outsider?
Enraged, Qin Tianming immediately set out to find the current head of the Qin family, intending to inform him of the matter and have him mediate the situation.
Inside the Treasure Pavilion.
After sitting opposite each other, Qin Zhan suddenly asked, "Why are you helping me?"
This was a question that had been on his mind throughout their journey.
This was their first meeting, and they had initially been on opposing sides. Qin Zhan could not understand why Chu Fan would suddenly be so kind as to help him escape his desperate situation.
After all, this was no simple matter of eating and drinking.
Chu Fan calmly said while sipping his tea, "I need a sword, a sword that obeys only me!"
Originally, he had intended to say, "I need a dog, a dog that will obey," but as the words reached his lips, he considered that the other party was, after all, a Grandmaster. Calling him a dog would be somewhat insulting, so he changed it to "sword."
As for helping, it wasn't because Chu Fan had nothing better to do.
There were two reasons. The first was that he happened to possess the relevant resources to allow Qin Zhan to turn his situation around, transforming a desperate predicament into a new starting point; it wasn't as difficult as Qin Zhan imagined.
Secondly, the other party was, after all, a third-tier Grandmaster. Having him by his side would allow him to serve a purpose when Chu Fan was absent.
Before leaving the Eternal Hall, Chu Fan's formidable strength had filled him with an overflowing self-confidence, believing there was nothing in the world he couldn't solve.
However, upon entering the Dragon God Kingdom, it was akin to a passionate university student suddenly stepping into society and discovering that reality was not as simple as imagined.
His own strength was indeed considerable, but ultimately, he still had only two hands and two legs. He could only handle matters one by one, and there would still be areas he couldn't attend to.
Having two loyal powerhouses by his side could play a crucial role at critical junctures.
Upon hearing Chu Fan's words, Qin Zhan's brow furrowed, and he asked, "You want me to serve you? To obey your commands?"
Chu Fan nodded, "You can understand it that way!"
"However, to put it simply, it's a case of mutual benefit. If you are unwilling, you can leave now and continue on your path!"
Forced melons are not sweet. If Qin Zhan was unwilling to become a sword, Chu Fan would not force him.
However, based on his understanding of people like Qin Zhan, Chu Fan believed the probability of him leaving was not high.
"Regarding my situation, what are your chances of resolving it?"
Qin Zhan continued his probing.
"If not ten, then eight or nine out of ten!"
Having received the desired answer, Qin Zhan's breathing visibly quickened.
His eyes firm, he declared, "Very well, from now on, I am your sword, wielded only by you."