By the time the first light of dawn washed over Southern Blue, the flames therein had more or less begun to die down. Leaders of mercenary corps big and small were gathered in the Frost Wolf Corps’ base, most of them with swollen faces or even carried in.

There were quite a few people around, but the place was permeated by utter silence. Everyone wore frightened expressions, not daring to even breathe loudly or glance at the demon lady.

Ji Tianqing was instructing a couple of corps commanders to set up a stage, and Frost Wolf was also among them. Before last night, he was a fairly well-respected character in Southern Blue, but now, the dejected man had no choice but to carry logs about and perform manual labor.

With so many champion-level experts working, a simple stage was very soon completed. Ji Tianqing instructed the men to place on the stage a large chair that had been carried over from somewhere else. She then waved at Qianye, saying, “Come up!”

Qianye ascended the platform with a wooden expression and was duly pressed into the seat by Ji Tianqing, facing the crowd of mercenaries.

The latter took...