In the secluded valley behind the Yuan family estate, Yuan Supreme stood in front of his wooden hut, staring at the enormous portal that the craftsmen of the Huaxia Empire's Fireworks Division had constructed. He was speechless.
The massive portal before him could easily accommodate tens of thousands of people passing through simultaneously. Yuan Supreme couldn't fathom what Lin Qian was planning.
Standing alongside Yuan Supreme were not only Yuan Wudi, the current head of the Yuan family, but also the elders of the family, including the ten senior elders of the Yuan family. They had already been briefed by Yuan Supreme about the mysterious directive from their ancestor, Yuan Xiang, to pledge allegiance to Lin Qian.
The elders were perplexed. Why would their ancestor make such an unusual command? Even more baffling was the fact that Yuan Supreme seemed to obey Lin Qian's every word.
"Bringing the army of the Huaxia Empire to attack the Yun family and punish rebels?" Yuan Wudi sighed, looking at the massive portal. "Grandfather, isn't this a bit reckless? After all, the Huaxia Empire is merely a power in the Southern Region, right? Even if it was once a great empire, time erodes all things. And Lin Qian, isn't he merely an inheritor of a name?"
Yuan Wudi couldn't shake the feeling that the entire situation was absurd. The other elders standing nearby seemed to share his sentiment.
"You should address him as 'Young Master.' This is a direct order from our ancestor," Yuan Supreme corrected, turning to his grandson. "And just to remind you, if the Young Master dies because of anything the Yuan family does, the ancestor himself will return and bury the entire Yuan family with him."
The gravity of Yuan Supreme's words hit everyone like a hammer, and they swallowed nervously. Yuan Supreme wasn't the type to exaggerate, and they knew that their ancestor's threats were never idle.
"Who is this Lin Qian, and why does the ancestor hold him in such high regard?" Yuan Wudi looked toward the portal with a mix of confusion and unease. Just then, ripples began to form across its surface.
Seeing this, Yuan Supreme's expression grew solemn. "When I first met the Young Master, he was only at Awakening Realm, fourth stage. Not long ago, when I saw him again, he had already reached the first stage of Transcendence Realm. Wudi, do you know what that means?"
"... Impossible!" Yuan Wudi blurted out instinctively.
The other elders were equally stunned. Yuan Supreme's words implied that Lin Qian had ascended from Awakening Realm to Transcendence Realm in just a matter of days. Such rapid progression was beyond belief.
What they didn't know was that Lin Qian's progress hadn't just taken days—it was even more incredible than they could imagine.
Hum!
A deep, resonant sound echoed from the portal, drawing everyone's attention. The ripples across the portal intensified, signaling the arrival of their unexpected guest.
From the swirling white vortex of the enormous portal, a figure in white robes slowly emerged. A faint aura of dominance surrounded him, subtle but unmistakable. Without a doubt, he was at the first stage of Transcendence Realm.
"So young, and not even thirty, yet he's already in Transcendence Realm?" The veteran elders of the Yuan family, seasoned experts themselves, could tell Lin Qian's age from his blood energy alone. The revelation left them astounded.
Clang! Clang!
The sound of metal clashing echoed as another figure stepped out from the portal behind Lin Qian, clad in armor. This female warrior, with a lithe and graceful figure, stretched under the sunlight and glanced curiously at the group before her.
"Huh? Your Majesty, we have a welcoming party?" she asked with a playful tone.
"The Emperor did mention this was someone else's territory, so it's only natural that they'd come to take a look," a short-haired man beside her said, patting her on the shoulder with a chuckle.
"Well, you can handle it, Brother," the female warrior replied dismissively. She glanced at the elders before them, her eyes filled with disdain. "But really, they're so weak."
"They're just a bunch of old bones. Emperor, why not just wipe out this force while we're at it?" boomed a towering figure who followed closely behind them. His voice was loud and brimming with excitement.
As more and more figures emerged from the portal, each one casting curious glances at the Yuan family's members, a sense of unease crept up among the elders. Many of the figures seemed eager for battle, their eyes flashing with anticipation.
"Some of the Yuan family might join the Empire one day," Lin Qian's voice rang out with authority, silencing the murmurs. "This family's ancestor was once closely connected to me, and their current elder has shown proper respect. Don't act rashly."
"Understood, Your Majesty!" the group responded in unison.
"By the Emperor's decree, no reckless actions!" one of the warriors barked to the others.
On the opposite side, the Yuan family's members watched in growing fear. Their earlier astonishment quickly transformed into dread. Many of them began trembling as more figures continued to step through the portal, each exuding a terrifying aura.
"You've got to be kidding," Yuan Wudi muttered with a strained laugh as he watched the spectacle.
One by one, men and women in armor emerged from the portal, followed by others who appeared half-human, half-beast. For instance, there were individuals with wolf-like ears and fangs, women with fox tails, and even a burly tiger-headed man. These strange beings mingled freely with their human comrades, chatting as if they were lifelong friends.
As their numbers swelled, the group following the white-robed young man grew to a staggering eight hundred warriors!
Every single one of them, whether human or beast-like, exuded an aura of supreme strength. Without exception, they were all Transcendence Realm, ninth stage warriors!
And after just one glance, the elders of the Yuan family knew—these warriors were far beyond their ability to defeat.
Even the Yuan family's elite forces, who had honed their skills on the borders, would struggle to face off against these formidable fighters.
Eight hundred ninth-stage Transcendence Realm warriors! Even the Yuan family, known as the mightiest force in the human realm, would be hard-pressed to muster such a terrifying force. Was the Huaxia Empire truly this powerful?
The thought of a casual suggestion from one of the warriors to annihilate the Yuan family sent shivers down their spines.
These approaching warriors felt like an unmovable mountain, and the pressure they exerted was suffocating.
Yuan Supreme stood speechless as Lin Qian approached, stopping right in front of him.
"I am not one to repay loyalty with bloodshed. I won't force the Yuan family to submit with violence," Lin Qian said, gently patting Yuan Supreme on the shoulder as he walked past him.