The air before Bai Fenglang rippled faintly the moment the cups collided, and in the interplay of light and shadow, a figure carrying a colossal sword materialized.
The newcomer appeared to be in his early forties, with eyes sharp and cold as an eagle's. As he appeared, the very space of the room seemed to grow heavier, a distinct deviation from the outside gravitational field.
It was unclear if this peculiar phenomenon was related to the enormous sword he carried on his back.
"Not bad! To remain unfazed in my five-times gravity field, you've made considerable progress."
The middle-aged man watched Bai Fenglang, who looked as composed as ever, drained his tea in one gulp, as if it were potent spirits.
"If I had shown no progress, sir Jian, your sword would likely have already fallen upon me."
Bai Fenglang smiled and shook his head helplessly as he observed the other man's drinking style.
"Here you go! I prepared this especially for you!"
Bai Fenglang opened a drawer and took out a tightly wrapped bottle. As he slowly unwrapped it, he continued, "To acquire this fifty-year-old Leiman, I made a special trip to Fengdan. I hope it won't disappoint."
Bai Fenglang uncorked the bottle, and a wine aroma, imbued with the passage of time, instantly blended with the air. At that moment, the entire room seemed to be enveloped in a light mist, the presence of the alcohol palpable.
"Fifty years!"
Sir Jian took a deep breath, his face filled with rapture. "Excellent, excellent! It's you, my boy, who knows my preferences."
He eagerly poured himself a generous cup. This time, he didn't gulp it down but savored it slowly.
"How is it?"
Bai Fenglang poured himself a cup as well and asked before even taking a sip.
"A pity, such a pity!"
To Bai Fenglang's surprise, after sipping the wine, Sir Jian put down his cup with a look of disappointment and shook his head.
"The winemaking technique is impeccable, but as for the raw materials, compared to where we come from... alas!"
Sir Jian sighed softly.
However, upon hearing his words, Bai Fenglang, who had also felt a slight disappointment, felt his spirits lift.
He set his cup down without tasting it and said, "That is only natural. Sir Jian and we live in different worlds; your perspective is naturally beyond our comparison."
"No! You are mistaken!"
Sir Jian corrected him. "Not different worlds! You and we both inhabit this planet."
"The difference is, we are outside, and you are inside!"
Outside? Inside?
Hearing this, Bai Fenglang felt a moment of disorientation. Then, a thought struck him, and he understood the meaning: "Indeed! We are both within a world!"
"Alright! Let's discuss the main business."
Sir Jian sat down and asked, "Have you thoroughly investigated the Qianxue Group?"
The Qianxue Group?
It seemed that the force represented by this Sir Jian was the shadow behind Monk Taiwu.
He wondered why they were targeting Fang Junxue, or rather, why they intended to use Fang Junxue to restrain Ye Ming.
"We've basically got a handle on it!"
Bai Fenglang, drawing from the intelligence he had gathered, spoke with a grave tone. "Master Taiwu possesses mid-stage Origin Realm cultivation, coupled with his mental Origin Power. Yet, in the end, he was still defeated by Dulisa."
"From this, we can make a general deduction."
Upon hearing this, Sir Jian nodded slightly. "Continue."
"At the very least, we can consider Dulisa an opponent possessing the Source Heart Realm." Bai Fenglang smiled. "If that's the case, she is our greatest threat."
"Source Heart Realm?"
Sir Jian fell into a brief contemplation, then spoke, "Besides his mental Origin Power, Taiwu also mastered an extremely potent body-protection technique. To defeat him, one can indeed be considered to be in the Source Heart Realm."
He cast a look of approval at Bai Fenglang.
No underestimation, no arrogance.
This was excellent.
"However, you are mistaken on one point!" Sir Jian cautioned.
"Oh! Please enlighten me, Sir Jian!" Bai Fenglang bowed with clasped hands.
"The woman named Dulisa is not our greatest threat." Sir Jian tapped the table, his expression grave. "The greatest threat is... that young man."
"The young man?"
Bai Fenglang guessed who the other was referring to. "You mean... Ye Ming!"
"Precisely!"
Sir Jian nodded. "Based on the information we currently possess, we cannot ascertain his true strength. If we wish to make him serve us, we must clarify this."
To serve them!
He hadn't expected these people to have such intentions.
But what did they want Ye Ming to do?
"Sir Jian means that everyone around Ye Ming possesses strength no less than the Source Heart Realm, so he himself... must be even stronger!"
Bai Fenglang gradually deciphered the meaning behind his words.
"Regardless of whether it's true or not, we must consider it that way, to be fully prepared!" Sir Jian looked at Bai Fenglang and asked with a smile, "Don't you agree?"
"Sir Jian's insight is profound; I have learned much!"
Bai Fenglang wholeheartedly agreed.
"Sir Jian, from what I have gathered, Ye Ming is currently still in Gaoqiao Country. Whatever happens tomorrow, he cannot possibly return instantly. Therefore, this threat cannot obstruct us for the time being."
Bai Fenglang was quite confident about this point.
"What if Fang Junxue informed him in advance?" Sir Jian countered.
"If that were the case, we would receive news immediately," Bai Fenglang said with a smile. "From Gaoqiao Country to the capital of Hua Country, and then from the capital to our Tian'an Province, it would take at least six hours."
Within six hours, with Bai Fenglang's capabilities, he could locate Ye Ming.
"This morning, my men personally saw Ye Ming at the Hope Home restaurant in Gaoqiao Country, and he had not left."
"If they booked a flight back to Hua Country, I would receive the notification." Bai Fenglang said with a calm demeanor, "If he returns, with your strength, Sir Jian, are you still worried you cannot apprehend him?"
In Bai Fenglang's opinion, no matter how strong Ye Ming was, could he be stronger than an entire organization?
Moreover, this organization hailed from that mysterious realm beyond the mortal world.
Therefore, Bai Fenglang's expression was one of assured victory.
"Very good! As long as we know his whereabouts, then nothing will be a problem." Sir Jian also smiled. "Actually, I hope he appears with Fang Junxue tomorrow; that would save us some trouble."
Wasn't the elaborate plan to capture Fang Junxue precisely to force Ye Ming to comply?
But if he appeared directly, and they had already laid their ambushes, wouldn't that be even more convenient?
"Rest assured, Sir Jian! My people will keep a close watch on Ye Ming. If they leave Hope Home and dare to return to Hua Country, I will know immediately. At that time..."
Bai Fenglang looked at Sir Jian and a meaningful smile appeared on his face.