"Are you sure about this?"

Bai Zihan asked.

"Yeah! Young Master Bai shouldn't worry about us."

"Yes! If Young Master Bai doesn't feel up to it, then you may quit."

The group of suitors was fully prepared and didn't even think about quitting. This was their chance, or so they thought.

Some even imagined how they should act after defeating Bai Zihan.

Since Bai Zihan was Bai Xueqing's brother, they couldn't be too rude or excited about the win.

"Young Master Bai, you are powerful, but my love is stronger!"

"Sorry, Young Master Bai, no one can stand between the love of me and Lady Bai Xueqing."

Some even rehearsed bold declarations they could use to win over Bai Xueqing's heart in one fell swoop.

"If you can still stand up to me after this, then I will truly applaud you."

Bai Zihan said, his eyes narrowing.

His aura, which had been suppressed until now, was suddenly released in full.

He wasn't going to waste his time fighting each of them one by one—it was too time-consuming.

Using powerful techniques was unnecessary for these people, and he didn't want to deal with the aftermath as he was well-aware that he would injure them.

There was one simple way to make them all give up instantly:

Overwhelm them with his Qi.

At first, the suitors and guests thought Bai Zihan was merely preparing to fight. But then his Qi surged, rising swiftly until it reached the might of the Soul Formation Realm.

Many were shocked, while others now had confirmation: Bai Zihan wasn't the waste he had once been. The rumors of his strength were true.

The weaker suitors were already breathing heavily, barely able to withstand his Qi, yet they still stubbornly refused to give up.

But that was only the beginning.

Bai Zihan then unleashed his true Qi—the aura of the Spirit Severing Realm.

The pressure was overwhelming, crushing, and absolute. Almost all the suitors collapsed instantly.

"This…!"

"This is the Spirit Severing Realm! Bai Zihan is in the Spirit Severing Realm!"

"How can this be? If so… there's no chance at all!"

The truth dawned on them all.

Bai Zihan was already in the Spirit Severing Realm—stronger even than Bai Xueqing herself.

They couldn't imagine defeating her. So how could they possibly hope to defeat her brother, who stood an entire realm above her?

Except for the few Soul Formation Realm cultivators, everyone had collapsed under the crushing weight of his aura, unable even to stand.

The guests watching also felt pressure, but since Bai Zihan focused his aura only on the suitors, they were mostly spared.

"Kyah! Young Master Bai is so cool!"

"Just eighteen years old and already in the Spirit Severing Realm—no one else in the Empire has ever achieved that!"

"So handsome, so talented, and so gentlemanly! Look, his aura didn't even affect his servant."

The young maidens couldn't help but fall head over heels for the devilish Young Master, who so effortlessly subdued a group of suitors—geniuses in their own right.

Coupled with his strikingly handsome features, his allure became irresistible, leaving them instantly captivated.

And there was also his consideration.

Bai Zihan had shielded Luo Qing with a Qi barrier. Otherwise, even one percent of his aura at such close range would have been enough to kill her outright.

But Luo Qing, confused, didn't even realize what was happening.

(What's going on? Did the Young Master do something?)

She wondered, completely unaware that she had been protected and he was crushing the suitors with his aura.

It was a devastating blow to nearly everyone present. The idea that they could compete with Bai Zihan now seemed laughable.

Even the Third Prince couldn't help but sink to his knees, struggling desperately against Bai Zihan's aura—but it was futile.

(This monster! Even though I'm in Soul Formation Realm, the gap is still this vast?!)

He had thought he was catching up to Bai Zihan since their encounter in the Ancient Ruins. But once again, he was reminded of the terrifying truth.

Beside Bai Zihan, Bai Xueqing's eyes widened in shock. She had suspected it, but to see it confirmed was another matter entirely.

Bai Zihan had truly stepped into the Spirit Severing Realm.

First Bai Xinyue, and now Bai Zihan!

She clenched her fists tightly.

Though others were congratulating her, calling her once again the number one genius, she knew well that two years ago that title had belonged to her brother and even now.

(Did he gain powerful techniques from the Ancient Ruins?)

The one he had given her was already overwhelmingly strong. She suspected Bai Zihan must have obtained something equal—or even greater.

And where else could he have gotten it from?

Only one answer came to her mind: the Ancient Ruins of the Immortal Emperor.

(But wait… Bai Xinyue got the inheritance. Could it be… he took the other treasures?)

The thought crossed her mind.

Regardless, one thing was certain: Bai Zihan had become terrifyingly strong.

Yet she wasn't discouraged.

With the cultivation technique given to her by Bai Zihan, she only needed to train harder. Then one day, she would be able to catch up to him or so she hopes.

Back in the courtyard, the suitors had long forgotten about marriage. Survival was all they could think about.

Against such an opponent, fighting was unthinkable. Their very instincts screamed at them to run.

Fortunately, Bai Zihan had no intention of killing them.

He retracted his aura and glanced at the three who had managed to remain standing.

"So, you three withstood it. Impressive! But, do you still want to fight me?"

Bai Zihan asked, ready to give a good beating if they were to ask for it.

"No!"

Of course, none of them had any intention of fighting.

Not collapsing on the ground had already taken more out of them than they could handle—fighting Bai Zihan was unimaginable.

They couldn't even bring themselves to pretend to try and impress Bai Xueqing; that was how terrifying Bai Zihan appeared in their eyes.

"Well, okay then!"

Bai Zihan didn't think much of it and simply returned to his seat, where Luo Qing served him tea.

Bai Xueqing then stepped forward to address the crowd.

"I gave you all a chance, but none of you managed to pass. So now, I expect you to keep your word—and give up on marriage."

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