"Young Master Bai, Second Master Bai," Qin Zhengming, standing behind Qin Tuyi, nodded with a genial smile as he stepped forward.
"Uncle Qin," Bai Tianyi acknowledged with a nod.
The middle-aged man in plain clothes standing beside Bai Tianyi merely glanced at Qin Zhengming without a word.
Qin Zhengming was accustomed to this.
"This manor is a bit small. You can stay outside," Bai Tianyi instructed the group of black-clad bodyguards behind him, then walked towards the villa with Qin Zhengming.
"Elder Qin, besides offering my congratulations on your birthday, I believe you are already aware of the other matter I am here for."
Bai Tianyi showed little respect towards Qin Tuyi, appearing rather roguish.
The Qin family members were displeased, but Qin Tuyi did not appear angered. Instead, he smiled and nodded, "I am indeed aware of the matter, Young Master Bai."
Bai Tianyi glanced at the Qin family members behind Qin Tuyi. Not seeing Qin Luoshui, he asked, "Where has Luoshui gone?"
...
"This Bai family does possess some considerable strength," Zhang Fan remarked with a smile the moment Bai Tianyi entered the manor.
"Mm," Qin Luoshui nodded. Now a master nearing invincibility, she had a discerning eye.
She could tell that each of the black-suited bodyguards of the Bai family possessed the strength of a True Qi Master, with the weakest being at the middle stage of True Qi, and even peak True Qi experts were present.
Such strength would be considered elite within the Green Gang or Hongmen, and could even secure elder positions in some third-rate small sects.
Yet, in the Bai family, they were relegated to supporting roles, which spoke volumes about the Bai family's foundation.
What truly caught Qin Luoshui's attention, however, were Bai Tianyi and the plain-clothed middle-aged man beside him.
Bai Tianyi appeared young, not exceeding thirty, but his strength surpassed Qin Luoshui's, likely reaching the half-step Sacred Domain. He was not far behind Wei Xiaowen.
To reach such a level at his age meant he had few peers in the entire Chinese martial arts world.
As for the middle-aged man in plain clothes, both Qin Luoshui and Wei Xiaowen could not discern his strength.
His aura was contained, making him appear like an ordinary person. However, a martial artist's intuition told them this middle-aged man was an extremely dangerous individual.
"That middle-aged man is likely a Sacred Domain expert, and a formidable one at that," Wei Xiaowen stated.
As a disciple of the Great Dragon Temple, she had encountered many Sacred Domain experts and could make a rough judgment.
Although Wei Xian did not cultivate martial arts, he was well-versed in the ranking of martial artist strengths. He commented, "The Bai family has held sway in the Southwest for centuries. Their ability to endure for so long and survive countless wars without decline naturally stems from their deep foundations."
"When I was young, I heard tales of the Bai family, that they were protected by a Divine Realm expert, who once used his power to repel the Japanese encirclement. If that is true, the presence of Sacred Domain experts would not be surprising."
Zhang Fan nodded at this. While the strongest figures in many top Chinese powers, such as the Green Gang and Hongmen, were only at the Sacred Domain, he understood that those who reached the Divine Realm pursued entirely different goals. They disdained establishing factions, as such things would only become burdens on their path to cultivation. Many chose to live in seclusion, seeking to break through to higher realms.
However, in this world of scarce spiritual energy, breaking through to the Divine Realm and achieving Golden Core Earth Immortal status was incredibly arduous.
...
Hearing Bai Tianyi's words, Qin Tuyi's face showed a hint of distress, his gaze darting towards Zhang Fan's direction.
Bai Tianyi followed his gaze. The smile that had been on his face instantly turned icy, a bloodthirsty glint flashing in his eyes.
He saw a young man, who appeared to have an arm around Qin Luoshui's slender waist, leaning intimately against her, engaged in conversation.
He had only met Qin Luoshui once, but he had already determined she was his woman, Bai Tianyi's woman. Anyone who dared to touch her would be touching his untouchable.
The middle-aged man in plain clothes standing beside him sighed inwardly, understanding his nephew. He predicted that Qin Tuyi's birthday banquet today would be drenched in blood.
"To dare touch the woman I, Bai Tianyi, have set my sights on, you are truly seeking death." Bai Tianyi ignored Qin Tuyi and strode towards Zhang Fan.
At this moment, Zhang Fan was intimately leaning with Qin Luoshui. Seeing Bai Tianyi approaching with a frosty expression, the corners of his lips curved upward slightly, a faint smile on his face.
He shared the same thought as Bai Tianyi: daring to covet his woman was indeed courting death.
The guests at the manor watched this scene with a mixture of tension and anticipation, eager to see what sparks would fly between the young master of the Bai family and Saint Master Zhang.
"I'll give you three seconds: leave, or die!" Bai Tianyi stood before Zhang Fan, looking down at him with indifferent eyes, as if he were an ant.
Without further ado, Bai Tianyi's somewhat effeminate pale face merely glanced at Zhang Fan before issuing his ultimatum.
This declaration startled everyone in the manor. Having witnessed Zhang Fan's terrifying might, they had all developed a sense of awe for him. Yet, this young master of the Bai family dared to provoke Zhang Fan so brazenly, making them admire the spirit of the Bai family's descendants.
Wei Xiaowen, standing nearby, felt a flicker of admiration for this young master of the Bai family, whom she was meeting for the first time. Even a true Divine Realm expert would not dare to speak to Saint Master Zhang in such a manner.
...
To Bai Tianyi's surprise, the young man showed no anger or panic upon hearing his words.
Zhang Fan looked at Bai Tianyi indifferently, his lips curving slightly. He slowly said, "Since you've given me two options, I shall give you two as well."
"Within three seconds, kneel, or I'll make you prostrate yourself."
"Hahahaha." Bai Tianyi burst into laughter, "I, Bai Tianyi, have lived so many years, and this is the first time anyone has dared to speak to me like this..."
"Time's up!" Zhang Fan's indifferent voice rang out, cutting off Bai Tianyi mid-laugh.
The triumphant grin on Bai Tianyi's face was replaced by shock and anger.
Zhang Fan casually pressed his palm towards Bai Tianyi.
Instantly, an immense power descended upon him. Without any ability to resist, Bai Tianyi was slammed to the ground, a massive palm print forming around him, the earth sinking.
"Not good!" As Zhang Fan made his move, the middle-aged man in plain clothes, standing not far away, sensed the danger. His body transformed into a blur, rushing towards Bai Tianyi, but he was too slow.
Seeing Bai Tianyi sprawled like a puddle of mud on the ground, the middle-aged man's eyes filled with rage.