Several rays of light streaked across the sky like shooting stars. Within these streaks of light, people such as Tang Jing, Tang Qianchi, and the others from the Tang were staring at Bai Yunfei and measuring him up.
Finally, it was Tang Jing that decided to speak up. “Bai Yunfei, you…used some kind of technique to power yourself up, right? I know they have tremendous backlashes when canceled, but the battle is over, shouldn’t you cancel your technique? Or is it a technique that requires a certain amount of time before canceling it?”
Bai Yunfei was showing the strength of an Early-stage Soul King right now, but Tang Jing thought that it was because of some sort of technique Bai Yunfei had used for the sake of battle. But the battle was over now, and Bai Yunfei was still moving as if nothing was wrong. He didn’t look like he was ready to undo any technique either, so everyone was confused and worried about his well being.
“Technique?” Bai Yunfei repeated, confused by what they were asking. “There’s a misunderstanding here, brother Jing. I’ve already undone all the techniques I used before.”
Tang Jing was taken aback, “Already?”
The implications of what Bai Yunfei was saying soon struck him with startling force, “Then…this is your actual strength?! But how—you were a Soul Exalt the last time I saw you!”
He wasn’t the only surprised one. Tang Qianchi and the other two elders were equally stunned to hear that.
It was Tang Wei that supplied the answer. “Bai Yunfei entered the realm of Soul Kings right before he started fighting everyone. I was shocked too, I’ve never seen someone breakthrough so fast. He even killed two Soul Kings before the King’s Phenomena disappeared….but if I had to guess, you probably used something to make the breakthrough go a lot easier than it’d normally be before the fight to catch your opponents off guard, correct?”
Bai Yunfei smiled. “As expected from your sharp eyes, brother Wei. I’ve actually been capable of breaking through for a while now, but I’ve managed to forcibly keep myself at the level of a Soul Exalt so I can breakthrough whenever I want with better success. That’s why I was able to do so so quickly.
“There existed a technique like that?!” Tang Qianchi cried out. The fact that Bai Yunfei was a Soul King now meant he was now a part of the higher echelons of the soul cultivator world. Before, he could have regarded Bai Yunfei as someone of the younger generation, but that was no longer possible. He’d have to treat Bai Yunfei as an equal now.
This shock was compounded even more due to the fact he knew a few things about Bai Yunfei than others. When he first met Bai Yunfei a few years ago, the boy had only just become a Soul Exalt! And how much time had passed since then? Not much.
The speed in which Bai Yunfei became a Soul King was shockingly fast. Had he not seen this change himself, Tang Qianchi would have never believed it.
The most important aspect in this situation was Bai Yunfei’s age. To become a Soul King at his age was definitely rare beyond belief. Combined with his status as a core student of the Crafting School, Bai Yunfei as a person was now valuable beyond belief, and Tang Qianchi was definitely happy to know that. The Tang could certainly stand to gain a lot with a relationship with him.
He glanced over to Bai Yunfei and saw how tenderly he was looking at Tang Xinyun. A rare flash of concern crossed over into his eyes. “We said before that we would allow it, but there’s no stopping it now. How will the matter with the Qin be made…brother was called out halfway through that meeting, he will have to renegotiate the matter now…”
……
Soon, the outline of Mo City could be seen off in the horizon, spurring the group to travel even faster to return to Tang manor.
Though Bai Yunfei hadn’t been willing to have Tang Xinyun leave his side as they traveled back to Mo City, it’d be inappropriate for him to bring her back to his own room, obviously. Handing her over to the servants of the Tang, Bai Yunfei hoped that she’d wake up soon and be well taken care of.
With her off his hands, Bai Yunfei strode into the main halls of the Tang manor with the other male figures. Plenty of people were gathered here, and Bai Yunfei only recognized a few of them such as Tang Xinyun’s third uncle Tang Qianshan. The rest he couldn’t recognize, but their auras revealed themselves to be extremely strong. Seven of them were Soul Kings, and three additional figures were Mid-stage Soul Kings.
Then there was the most dignified-looking elder sitting at the centermost seat. Bai Yunfei could tell that this person was a Late-stage Soul King.
News of Tang Xinyun’s kidnapping had definitely been a huge event for the entire family, and the strongest of the family had mobilized. No outsider would have possibly known just how many experts the Tang had now.
It was only when he saw Tang Wei and the others bowed to the Late-stage Soul King elder that Bai Yunfei knew this person was Tang Xinyun’s great-grandfather and the previous generation head of the Tang. He had originally been training behind-closed-doors since he retired, but when Tang Xinyun was kidnapped, Tang Qianlei went to him for help.
The return of Tang Wei was a secondary source of noise within the household. They were all excited to see him back, and even more shocked to see him as a Soul King with a class seven soulbeast as a partner. The addition of two more Soul Kings into their family was without a doubt a good thing.
The shock soon came to a lull after a while. Most of the members of the Tang were focusing on Bai Yunfei’s strength now. Like Tang Qianchi when he met Bai Yunfei earlier, everyone else was beyond shocked that Bai Yunfei was a Soul King. Most of the people there were incredulous, and Tang Xinyun’s second brother Tang Zhi—the one most unfriendly to Bai Yunfei in the past—was one of those said people. He was utterly gobsmacked at Bai Yunfei’s new strength and couldn’t even find the words to say anything for a good amount of time.
Now that everyone was quiet and ready for the discussions to begin, Tang Wei began to tell his story of how he found out Tang Xinyun was in danger and how he managed to save her from her captors. He mentioned how he came across Bai Yunfei on his way back and then about the battle he witnessed between Bai Yunfei and the captors. Everyone hung onto Tang Wei’s every word as he narrated the account. The Soul Kings in attendance were most shocked to hear it, and most of them were having a hard time believing their ears.
Bai Yunfei fighting and killing three Early-stage Soul Kings and two Mid-stage Soul Kings by himself and winning? Even Tang Xinyun’s great-grandfather had a bewildered expression on his face.
The biggest shock revealed itself to the entire audience when Tang Wei mentioned that the enemy was the Soul Refining School. The junior headmaster of the Soul Refining School to be more exact.
Tang Xinyun’s great-grandfather, Tang Zhan, had a solemn look on his face. “Are you certain they are from the Soul Refining School?” He asked Bai Yunfei.