An Inexplicable Sense of Superiority

In an instant!

A powerful aura engulfed the meeting hall.

Even though Niu Feng, sitting beside Qin Shujian, did not face the aura directly, it still shook him to his core.

As for the two leaders from Cloud River Stronghold, their legs trembled uncontrollably.

If not for the chairs supporting them, they would probably have collapsed onto the floor.

As for Xu Yuanming.

At that moment, he felt as though he were facing not a man, but a terrifying beast.

The impact of that dreadful aura shook his very mind.

Crack—

The chair beneath him suddenly split.

Xu Yuanming snapped out of his daze and rose straight from his seat.

Crash!

The moment he left it, the chair fell apart and scattered across the floor.

At that same moment, the powerful aura vanished, allowing the others in the meeting hall to draw several ragged breaths.

Xu Yuanming stood there, at a loss.

Looking at Qin Shujian, who remained seated as steady as a mountain, he did not know what to say.

For that brief instant.

He had almost felt as though he were facing something utterly terrifying.

As though the other man could crush him to death with the slightest touch of a finger.

"Chief Xu, do you think Liangshan Stronghold has enough strength to back itself up?"

Qin Shujian smiled faintly and teased him.

Only then did Xu Yuanming come to his senses. Forcing himself to remain calm, he replied, "Yes!"

Having said that.

Xu Yuanming suppressed the fear and agitation in his heart, his face full of reverence. "But there is something I do not understand. Stronghold Chief Qin, may I ask exactly what realm your strength has reached?"

The man's overwhelming strength was an undeniable fact.

But he was even more desperate to know exactly what realm Qin Shujian had reached.

That curiosity.

Was something Xu Yuanming simply could not suppress.

"Martial Entry Ninth Level!" Qin Shujian uttered the words softly.

What!

Yet those few words exploded like thunder in the hearts of Xu Yuanming, Niu Feng, and the others.

Martial Entry Ninth Level!

Neither Xu Yuanming nor Niu Feng.

Had ever imagined that Qin Shujian would be a powerhouse at the Martial Entry Ninth Level.

Within the Martial Entry realm, the fifth level was a threshold.

Crossing the fifth level and entering the sixth brought a transformation.

And beyond that.

Every advancement was a qualitative change.

Among all the experts Rubble Forest had ever produced, almost none had reached the Martial Entry Ninth Level.

Even Chaotic Gold Mountain, the strongest of them all.

Could only have experts at the Entering Martial Sixth Layer, not even the Martial Entry Seventh Level.

A powerhouse at the Martial Entry Ninth Level.

Could single-handedly wipe out forces such as Mingai Mountain and Cloud River Stronghold.

That was what made powerful experts so terrifying.

Niu Feng had only suspected that Qin Shujian was an expert at the Martial Entry Eighth Level. He had never imagined that the man was more than that, and had actually reached the ninth level.

Qin Shujian remained composed in the face of Xu Yuanming and the others' shock.

Naturally, he had his reasons for revealing his true realm so readily.

First, strength at the Martial Entry Ninth Level was virtually invincible within Rubble Forest. Even if Xu Yuanming and the others knew, it could not lead to any adverse consequences. Instead, it would only deepen their reverence and deter them from entertaining any treacherous thoughts.

As for the second reason—

Qin Shujian looked at his Life Source, which was still steadily increasing.

For him.

As long as he had enough Life Source.

The Martial Entry Ninth Level and Martial Entry Tenth Level were nothing special. Even surpassing the limits of the Martial Entry Tenth Level was not impossible.

His rising Life Source had already reached five hundred.

Qin Shujian believed it would not be long.

Before he could truly raise his realm to the very limit of Martial Entry.

When that time came.

The Martial Entry Ninth Level that Xu Yuanming and the others believed him to possess would be nothing more than their assumption.

That was why ordinary people.

Could never understand the joy of someone with cheats.

After learning that Qin Shujian was a powerhouse at the Martial Entry Ninth Level, Xu Yuanming extinguished the last lingering thought in his heart and bowed deeply.

"Xu Yuanming pays his respects to the Stronghold Chief!"

Then.

The system notifications refreshed right on cue.

"Cloud River Stronghold has merged into Liangshan Stronghold!"

"Due to Xu Yuanming's voluntary submission, Cloud River Stronghold has automatically merged with Liangshan Stronghold. As the advancement requirements have not been met, Liangshan Stronghold remains a First-Tier Power!"

"You have obtained 317 taels of silver!"

"You have obtained 300 points of Life Source!"

"Eighty-five brigands have joined Liangshan Stronghold. Their identities have automatically changed to Bandits!"

Much like Mingai Mountain.

Xu Yuanming's submission also meant that Cloud River Stronghold automatically merged into Liangshan Stronghold.

However, Qin Shujian was somewhat disappointed.

Even after absorbing Mingai Mountain and Cloud River Stronghold in succession, Liangshan Stronghold remained a first-tier power and had failed to advance to a second-tier power.

Advancing from a first-tier power to a second-tier power is considerably harder. More importantly, Mingai Mountain and Cloud River Stronghold probably aren't strong enough!

Qin Shujian speculated inwardly.

Back then, Beginner Village 10021 had even had an NPC at the Martial Entry Eighth Level.

If forces of the same tier also differed in how much experience they provided.

Then Beginner Village 10021 would absolutely eclipse Mingai Mountain and Cloud River Stronghold.

After all, the strongest members of those two brigand forces had only been at the Martial Entry Fifth Level.

Still.

There were things worth celebrating.

The three hundred-odd taels of silver were Cloud River Stronghold's assets. Qin Shujian merely glanced at them before looking away.

What truly mattered to him.

It was an additional three hundred points of Life Source.

And—

The eighty-five brigands.

No.

They should now be called Bandits.

Since this trip to Cloud River Stronghold had involved virtually no bloodshed, its strength had been preserved almost entirely intact.

Eighty-five Bandits, plus the fifty-odd Bandits from Mingai Mountain.

Together, they amounted to around a hundred and thirty or forty.

Before this, the total number of Bandits in Liangshan Stronghold had been roughly that many.

In other words.

In this short span of time.

Liangshan Stronghold's numbers had doubled once again.

And with the addition of two experts at the Martial Entry Fifth Level, along with the skilled leaders from both forces, Liangshan Stronghold's strength had increased by far more than its numbers alone suggested.

Looking at Xu Yuanming, who was bowing deeply, Qin Shujian helped him up with both hands and smiled. "From today onward, you will be an Elite Leader of Liangshan Stronghold."

"Thank you, Stronghold Chief!"

Xu Yuanming had only just straightened up before bowing again in thanks.

This time.

Qin Shujian did not help him up, but calmly accepted the gesture.

Meanwhile, Niu Feng remained expressionless.

The scene he had hoped for, where the two sides came to blows and an enraged Qin Shujian killed Xu Yuanming outright, had not occurred.

He deeply despised Xu Yuanming for being so afraid of death.

As someone who also belonged to one of Rubble Forest's forces, Niu Feng suddenly felt ashamed to be associated with him.

He, Niu Feng, had refused to bow to overwhelming power, paying for it with the lives of dozens of his brothers.

In the end, he had only been forced to submit to preserve Mingai Mountain's legacy.

One had resisted before being forced to yield for the sake of his remaining brothers' lives.

The other had not even dared to fight, bowing immediately out of fear for his own life.

With that comparison.

A hint of superiority crept into Niu Feng's gaze as he looked at Xu Yuanming.