“How did he survive?”

“Is his body truly indestructible?”

Onlookers watched with shock on their faces.

Bai Zihan had deliberately taken the attack head-on, and yet it hadn’t done anything to him.

If that was the case, then wasn’t it impossible for anyone to win if Bai Zihan refused to go easy on them?

At least, people below the Spirit Severing Realm had no chance at all.

However, if they brought out Void Refinement Cultviator, most of whom are over 100 years old, even if they won, it would be a humiliation.

A battle of forty against eighteen was already unfair-but if someone over a hundred years old were brought to fight an eighteen-year-old, it would be nothing but humiliation.

Victory would bring disgrace, and defeat would only magnify that humiliation even further.

“Your Majesty,” Bai Zihan said. “It seems I have won. Tell me-are there any other opponents you wish me to face?”

The Emperor’s jaw clenched. For a heartbeat, everything remained deathly quiet.

Finally, the Emperor’s voice rumbled, low and heavy.

“No! There are no more.”

Not to mention, after this fight, there couldn’t possibly be someone who had the will to go against Bai Zihan-and even if they did, they would obviously lose as well, since their greatest genius Sun Yaoqing had lost so easily.

His plan had failed, and the only result was Bai Zihan’s dominance and the realization of the gap between the Falling Star Empire and the Desolate Heaven Empire.

In the future, perhaps if they were ever to go to war with the Desolate Heaven Empire, these so-called geniuses might think twice before having the courage

to do so.

Bai Zihan inclined his head ever so slightly. His lips curved into a faint smile that did not reach his eyes.

“Good!”

This had taken him longer than he wanted. Now, finally, he could go and teach those bastards of that Mysterious Organization a lesson.

He only hoped they had what he was looking for-otherwise, who knew what he might do, given the trouble he had gone through just to reach them.

The Emperor’s fingers drummed once against the jade armrest before he rose to his feet.

His face was calm, yet beneath that mask lurked the simmering frustration of humiliation.

“Young Master Bai, his voice carried across the hall, measured, deliberate. “You may go. I am a little exhausted. I will retire and rest for the day.”

He turned, the golden hems of his imperial robe swaying as he prepared to leave the training arena.

Of course, it wasn’t because of exhaustion, but because of the embarrassment and humiliation that had been brought upon him by his Empire’s geniuses.

But before he could take more than a few steps-

“Wait!”

Bai Zihan’s interrupted before he left.

“There is one thing I would request of Your Majesty,” Bai Zihan said.

The Emperor’s brow furrowed ever so slightly.

“Speak!”

“May I take her with me?”

By her, he meant Princess Sun Yaoqing. The words dropped into the court like a thunderclap.

Murmurs broke out instantly among the gathered ministers. Everyone is discussing just what Bai Zihan is planning.

The Emperor froze mid-step, his eyes narrowed. He also thought about what Bai Zihan was scheming.

“And what reason do you have for making such a request?”

Bai Zihan’s faint smile returned. His eyes, calm and unreadable, swept once across the silent crowd before returning to the Emperor.

“In truth, Your Majesty, I am a guest in your empire,” he said. “There are places I must go, matters I must attend to. For such things, I require both a guide and someone whose presence guarantees my identity. Princess Sun Yaoqing, as your empire’s brightest pearl, would serve both roles perfectly. With her at my side, there will be none who dare question me.”

His words were courteous, logical-difficult to refute.

In reality, however, Bai Zihan’s crimson eyes lingered briefly on Sun Yaoqing, narrowing ever so slightly.

(She has a Heavenly Body or something similar.)

He was just curious and wanted to know about Sun Yaoqing’s power.

The Emperor’s lips pressed into a thin line. His silence stretched long, heavy with unspoken refusal.

Before he could speak, Sun Yaoqing’s voice cut across the hall.

“Father Emperor, let me go with Young Master Bai!”

Sun Yaoqing also thought of this as a perfect opportunity to observe Bai Zihan.

“He is a guest of our empire, and as princess, it is my duty to extend hospitality. Besides…”

Her ruby eyes flicked to Bai Zihan’s.

“I would like to show Young Master Bai the Falling Star Empire myself.”

The Emperor thought for a while and nodded.

“Mmm. Very well,” the Emperor said at last. “Since the princess herself is willing, i will not stop her.”

His eyes locked with Bai Zihan’s for a long, unreadable moment-it was for sure that the Emperor had now become wary of Bai Zihan, not because of who was behind him but because of his power itself.

Bai Zihan merely inclined his head, crimson eyes flashing faintly with amusement.

“Good,” he said softly.

The grand flying ship of the Bai Clan was quietly stationed at the Royal Dock. Within, Bai Clan members stood waiting-their faces filled with ease. There was no need to worry about anything in the Falling Star Empire with their strength.

They didn’t follow Bai Zihan because he was the only one invited, and following him might displease the Emperor and others.

As for safety, with Grand Elder Bai Ren on board, there was no need to worry. At the moment Bai Zihan was in danger, he could immediately go and protect him.

“Young Master Bai, wouldn’t he be fighting with the Emperor?”

“Phew! Haha, who knows? It is Young Master Bai after all!”

“Well, the Emperor shouldn’t be stupid enough to pick a fight with Young Master Bai.”

They discussed and knew that Bai Zihan, despite whatever new reputation he had gained, was very keen on making trouble.

The prospect of making trouble with the Emperor of the Falling Star Empire didn’t seem impossible if it was Bai Zihan.

Just then, the massive gates of the Palace opened and a figure emerged.

Bai Zihan!

He strode forward with his usual calm elegance, robes unstained, his bearing untouchable.

But this time, walking beside him was the radiant Princess Sun Yaoqing, her crimson hair catching the sunlight like flowing fire.

Two attendants followed behind her, their wary gazes scanning the Bai Clan ship with silent caution.

Mingzhu had seen many flying ships of the Falling Star Empire, but nothing could compare to the size of Bai Zihan’s.

(How can the Bai Clan allow their Young Master to just take such a massive flying ship?)

She considered that something like this should be considered a treasure, to be protected and used only in an emergency.

At least, that was the understanding and common sense-yet Bai Zihan had brought it into another Empire.

Meilin also looked around in awe.

The Bai Clan’s flying ship loomed like a floating fortress above the Royal Dock, its jade-and-gold hull gleaming faintly with protective runes, every inch of it radiating quiet dominance.

The gangway unfurled, and Bai Zihan stepped aboard.

Princess Sun Yaoqing followed, her crimson hair spilling behind her like a silken flame, her two attendants trailing close at her side.

Both girls cast sharp, curious glances at the interior, their delicate brows faintly furrowed.

The interior of the flying ship was no less majestic than its exterior-polished spiritwood floors, glowing lanterns lit with steady blue flame, and corridors etched with flowing array lines that pulsed with soft light, channeling qi throughout the vessel.

Awaiting them at the threshold was a slender figure.

Luo Qing!

The girl bowed gracefully, her braid sliding over one shoulder as her misty brown eyes lifted toward her young master.

Her movements were simple yet practiced, her bearing unassuming yet dignified-one could see she was accustomed to standing quietly at Bai Zihan’s side.

“Young Master,” Luo Qing said softly, her voice like clear water, “would you like me to prepare tea?”

Bai Zihan nodded, his gaze calm as always.

“Mn. Prepare some for me, and also for our guests.”

His crimson eyes flicked briefly toward Sun Yaoqing before returning to Luo Qing.

“Make it the spirit tea from the Misty Jade Garden”

“As you command.”

Luo Qing inclined her head, her expression as tranquil as moonlight upon still water.

With a single step, she turned and departed deeper into the ship to fulfill his order.

The exchange lasted no more than a few breaths. To Bai Zihan, it was ordinary.

To his clan members, it was familiar.

But to Sun Yaoqing and her attendants-

It was odd.

They could clearly see that Luo Qing was just a mortal with no shred of cultivation at all.

In the Falling Star Empire, such people were treated worse than animals.

For such people, becoming a personal servant of someone as esteemed as Bai Zihan would be a pipe dream that would never come true. Yet, here it was-a mortal who was the personal servant of Bai Zihan. Not only that, they also noticed that other Bai Clan members treated Luo Qing with quite a bit of respect despite her being just a servant-and a mortal at that. In Falling Star Empire, such a scene would almost be impossible.