"Hmph!"
Bai Fenglang bowed his head, giving Han Tiandao an out. He could only snort coldly and sit back down.
However, the shock Bai Fenglang had brought still surged within Han Tiandao's heart, refusing to subside.
"Young man Bai, what is your current realm?" he asked after a moment of contemplation, his voice deep.
Even Han Tiandao, a Martial God, could not discern Bai Fenglang's current strength. The latter was like a mist, utterly enigmatic.
His words immediately drew the attention of everyone else. They too wished to know Bai Fenglang's current cultivation, to be able to withstand the pressure of a Martial God.
Even Bai Tai felt the same.
He had been completely unable to see through his grandson for the past three years.
"Realm?"
Bai Fenglang glanced at everyone, a hint of disdain deep within his pupils.
His next sentence utterly floored them all.
"You can consider me to have reached the Martial God realm!" he said casually.
"Mar... Martial God?"
At this, everyone's minds went blank. The impact on their worldview this time was even more profound than before.
Their mouths hung open, their eyeballs nearly protruding from their sockets. Even their thoughts seemed to pause.
It was too surreal.
"No... impossible!"
Han Tiandao was the first to stand, his body even trembling. He pointed a finger at Bai Fenglang, refusing to accept this reality.
What a joke!
He had cultivated for more than half his life, consuming countless rare treasures, only to barely reach the Martial God realm.
Yet Bai Fenglang!
In less than half his time, he had reached the same height.
How could Han Tiandao accept this?
Not only him, but the others were also unwilling to believe it.
However, they seemed to have overlooked something.
Bai Fenglang's exact words were "You can consider me to have reached the Martial God realm," not that he *had* reached it.
Perhaps he merely possessed the strength of a Martial God.
Or perhaps, the cultivation system he had encountered had moved beyond the ancient martial arts path, and he was merely using a fitting analogy to describe his power.
But at this moment, Han Tiandao and the others, their worldviews shattered, could no longer dwell on such details.
They only wanted to know if Bai Fenglang's words were true.
"Impossible? What's impossible about it!"
Bai Fenglang chuckled, a natural sense of superiority stemming from their ignorance. He retorted, "You haven't forgotten the young man who crushed Gu Taiyi earlier, have you!"
The young man who crushed Gu Taiyi?
Hearing this, Han Tiandao's expression faltered. The image of a young man, famous throughout the ancient martial arts world, surfaced in his mind.
Gu Taiyi's crushing defeat!
That event had caused a major earthquake in the ancient martial arts world.
At this moment, everyone else understood what Bai Fenglang meant.
"It seems you all remember!"
Bai Fenglang sneered and continued, "That young man was even younger than me. If he could possess such terrifying strength, why can't I?"
As he spoke these words, a hint of comparison was evident in Bai Fenglang's tone. He even showed a degree of disdain for the high status the young man had been elevated to.
If he were to fight Gu Taiyi now, Bai Fenglang was absolutely confident he could crush him.
Therefore, his arrogance indeed had some basis.
"Young Master Bai, has your realm advanced so rapidly because of what you said earlier about breaking through the Martial God path?"
At this moment, the sect leader of a mid-tier ancient martial arts force asked excitedly, his eyes burning with fervor.
If what Bai Fenglang had said earlier was true, could they, after obtaining the profound method, also break through their realm limitations and increase their cultivation speed exponentially?
As soon as these words were spoken, it was like rolling stones from a mountain, instantly igniting the desires of the others, which became uncontrollable.
Even their breathing quickened.
They stared intently at Bai Fenglang, their eyes filled with a longing for power.
"You are correct!"
Bai Fenglang looked at the sect leader and smiled, "I have indeed cultivated a profound technique, which has allowed me to achieve my current strength!"
As expected, upon hearing this, the crowd erupted.
"My Sanqing Mountain is willing to follow the Bai family's lead!"
The sect leader who had spoken earlier, without a second word, stood up, clasped his fists in a salute to Bai Fenglang, his tone filled with utmost respect.
If not now, when would they declare their stance?
Having witnessed Bai Fenglang's terrifying power, no one doubted the veracity of his words anymore.
"My Gu Quan Sect is willing to follow the Bai family's lead!"
"My Liu Yun Sect is also willing to follow the Bai family's lead!"
"My Tian Feng Pavilion..."
"..."
At this point, only the three remaining forces—Dragon Gate, Qi Sect, and Tian Jian Mountain—had not declared their allegiance.
However, this time it was different from before.
Previously, it was to forge friendships and resist the future general trend.
Now, it was to submit and become vassals.
The nature of the act had completely changed.
For a major sect like Dragon Gate, this was undoubtedly a difficult decision.
Just as everyone thought the scene would fall silent again, Chi Lie, the Sect Master of Qi Sect, slowly stood up. His actions successfully captured everyone's attention.
He slightly bowed, lowered his head, clasped his fists towards Bai Fenglang in a salute, and then slowly spoke, "My Qi Sect is willing to follow Young Master Bai's lead!"
Upon these words, the entire hall fell silent.
The reason for everyone's silence was not that Qi Sect had chosen to submit, but the object of their submission.
It changed from "Bai family" to "Young Master Bai."
The difference was self-evident.
The vast majority looked at Chi Lie with disbelief, completely failing to comprehend the meaning behind his actions.
But how could they know that Bai Fenglang's gaze had already shifted to Chi Chuan behind Chi Lie, and the two exchanged a knowing smile, all understood without words.
Clearly!
Certain matters had long been planned.
Chi Lie's declaration gradually cast a heavy atmosphere over the scene. It was only now that some began to understand what was happening.
Young Master Bai did not equate to the Bai family.
This was truly unexpected.
Especially for those ancient martial arts sects that had declared their allegiance first, their expressions turned somewhat grim.
It seemed they had submitted to the wrong entity.
"This..."
These sect leaders looked at each other, unsure of what to do.
Should they re-declare their allegiance?
If they did, how would they treat Bai Tai, who sat at the head seat, with respect?
"Sect Master Chi, please be seated!"
Bai Fenglang smiled and nodded, gesturing with his hand.
He then turned his gaze to Han Tiandao and Bu Jianqiu.
Implying it was their turn.
To Bai Fenglang, the submission of other small and medium sects was not that important. What truly brought him assistance were major sects like Qi Sect.
This was what he desired.
Under Bai Fenglang's gaze, Han Tiandao's hands, hidden beneath the table, clenched tightly. His expression was somewhat grim, his eyes filled with unwillingness and reluctance.
But at this point, if other sects obtained the profound method and Dragon Gate did not, there was no need to think; Dragon Gate's status would plummet before long.
Thinking of this, Han Tiandao gritted his teeth, enduring boundless humiliation, and stood up, raising his hand slightly:
"My Dragon Gate..."
But just then, a hurried voice came from outside the door.
"Warning, Patriarch, Fang Junxue has arrived outside the main courtyard. Please issue instructions!"