Great Yong had been founded for over a hundred and thirty years. The Nine Surnames and Thirteen Families had always stood, beyond dispute, at the very pinnacle of the Divine Continent, wielding immense power.
Every surname clan and every Sacred Land of martial arts represented the concentrated nourishment of the imperial dynasty's century-plus legacy.
Thus, no one dared underestimate these Thirteen Families, including the people gathered in Lingwu City at this moment.
They began to consider whether Kui Gang was acting on his own initiative, or whether the Lingxu Cult had made some move and was sending a signal to the outside world.
It was precisely because of Kui Gang's appearance that, although nearly two hundred forces were gathered in the great hall and the overwhelming majority opposed Beitang Ang's proposal to establish prefectural troops, they still could not directly make this decision.
In the end, everyone's eyes fell on Meng Zhao and the people gathered around him.
Zhai Hao of Xindeng Martial Hall, Li Li of Tianhuo Martial Hall, Master Pukong, abbot of Qianhuan Temple, and Fu Yangzi, master of Xuanxin Temple.
Of these four, their martial arts might not be the highest in the hall, nor were their status and power the greatest. Yet, apart from Kui Gang, they possessed something that everyone else could only gaze upon from afar: powerful patrons behind them.
All four were subordinate forces of the Thirteen Families, sheltered beneath towering backers.
Behind Xindeng Martial Hall stood White Head Mountain; behind Tianhuo Martial Hall was Fire Dragon Cave; Qianhuan Temple could be regarded as a branch of Mountaintop Temple; and Xuanxin Temple was likewise a subordinate force of True Martial Temple.
They themselves did not have many people, but their influence was enormous. Kui Gang alone could make everyone in the hall wary.