Of course, it was just a passing thought.

Vaan knew the real reason why the Dunean Warrior persistently followed him and repeatedly challenged him despite his unwillingness to satisfy the person's wish – the person was hopeful he would eventually give into his stubbornness.

This hope was derived from the conclusion that Vaan was only heavy-handed against those who challenged him with ill motives.

Since the Dunean Warrior purely sought self-improvement by challenging a stronger opponent, he only suffered bruises and small cuts despite getting hurled half a dozen times. His bones and muscles remained undamaged, let alone his inner organs.

Through these recurring exchanges, Vaan gradually learned the Dunean Warrior's name – Jihaad Falahan.

Jihaad Falahan was a thirty-year-old Dunean with a tanned complexion, deep crimson-red hair, and a large shredded body, containing the power of a Peak-level Rank 2 Body Refiner and Peak-stage Aura Master within.

Generally, the average warrior would have lived at least half a century by the time they reached the Aura Grandmaster rank. Although Jihaad was only a step away from achieving this rank, it was a bottleneck that halted many aura users for many years.

Without hard work, opportunities, or the backing of a wealthy family, few would be able to reach Jihaad's level and take the next step.

If Jihaad could make a breakthrough in his aura cultivation, there would not be many Aura Grandmasters as young as him. As such, he would be considered a talented genius. Alas, that was it – just a talented genius.

Such a level of strength was still far from making him a genius among geniuses.

After all, the young scions of the top powerful families in every country could all reach this level, and at a much younger age—but only if they had the full support of their families.

However, this was solely based on aura cultivation alone.

Dual practitioners of aura and body refining as accomplished as Jihaad at his age were even rarer. If he could take the next step in both aura cultivation and body refining, he would be sought out anywhere he went.

From this, it could be seen that Jihaad was either very diligent in his training, had a few fortuitous encounters, came from an influential family, or even a combination of the two or three.

"Sir, what are your plans now that we have reached Sunrock Bazaar?" Jihaad inquired politely.

Most young scions of influential families were naturally arrogant. However, Vaan had seen none of it from the start of their encounter. As such, he was more inclined to believe Jihaad had a few fortuitous encounters and was very diligent in his training.

Of course, the possibility of Jihaad coming from a powerful family wasn't completely ruled out. He might have had an excellent upbringing.

His origins remained unknown, and Vaan wasn't curious enough to find out for the time being.

"Find a bar, drink something, and gather some information," Vaan casually replied to Jihaad's question without much thought.

Jihaad ignored Vaan's indifference to him as his eyes lit up.

"In that case, might I suggest visiting Madam Morning Dew, Sir?" Jihaad suggested before briefly introducing it, "This bar is very popular around here. It has the best drinks and is always bustling with people. All kinds of rumors and information will find its way there."

"Alright," Vaan agreed before giving Jihaad a casual glance. "It seems you're quite familiar with this place."

"Eh? Not really, Sir," Jihaad scratched his head awkwardly before confessing, "I've only heard about it from others in passing. I'm not a native here."

"I see," Vaan uttered nonchalantly and made no further comment.

Although the Great Ratholos Empire was home to many Duneans, not all Duneans lived there. Just like any other ethnic group, Duneans were also spread across the continent. Not all Duneans wished to live in desert regions.

…

Madam Morning Dew was an open bar and could be found right in the heart of Sunrock Bazaar. It used a single stone pillar as the base of its establishment and had five floors. However, this single stone pillar was also at the center of eight intersecting roads.

As such, it was no surprise that it would be bustling with people – it was a high-traffic location.

Although there were a lot of spots to sit around the bar, there wasn't a single chair to be found on any floor. Instead, there were round straw mats that seemed like they had never been washed or wiped clean. Drinks were also spilled everywhere.

Evidently, the establishment was messy and unsanitary – something the locals didn't seem to mind or even care about, for that matter.

A brief glance allowed Vaan to understand how the establishment operated.

As such, after a short wait, Vaan and Jihaad immediately sat down on the two spare mats that their previous occupants had just left. This prompted a female waiter to approach them.

"What can I get you two fine warriors?" the female waiter professionally inquired as she held her empty serving tray.

Jihaad appeared mesmerized the moment he laid eyes on the female waiter, which Vaan didn't find surprising.

The female waiter was exceptionally beautiful among the Dunean ladies he had seen thus far. She had a slim yet curvy body with silky-smooth skin. Her deep black eyes appeared bright and seemed to reflect the starry sky.

Her friendly smile also carried a trace of innocence and vulnerability that would make men lower their guards.

She didn't look like an ordinary worker who had toiled with laborious work but a delicate lady who had lived a sheltered life in a wealthy family. As a result, not a single well-informed warrior dared to hit on her and make her job difficult at the establishment.

Vaan understood this was the result of Madam Morning Dew's prestige and the power behind it.

Only a fool would cause trouble at Madam Morning Dew.

"I… Um, we…"

"We would like two Madam Morning Dews, two servings of your Glazed Rockmeat, and the company of someone who can introduce us to this land's points of interest."

While Jihaad stuttered to reply, Vaan ordered with a calm, cordial smile.