The Black Horn Tribe, who had been difficult to deal with, was effortlessly destroyed by Lin Qian with a mere step forward and a burst of soul power. This display of strength was far beyond what the others could comprehend.
Crack!
Suddenly, the sound of a breaking tree echoed behind Lin Qian. When he turned around, he saw a massive soul beast charging at him. The beast had six limbs, and its heavy footsteps made the ground tremble. Its head was rounded, but its forehead was covered by a hard, metallic bone plate.
"A Steelhead Beast!"
Upon seeing the sudden appearance of the soul beast, everyone gasped in shock. It was clear that the commotion from the battle had drawn the beast to this location. In their eyes, encountering a Steelhead Beast meant certain death. They watched with bated breath as the beast charged toward Lin Qian, curious to see how he would handle it and whether he could emerge victorious.
"So this thing is called a Steelhead Beast?" Lin Qian mused, intrigued by the shouts from behind him. He eyed the beast's seemingly indestructible head with interest.
But Lin Qian felt no fear of the Steelhead Beast. Although the soul beast had the power of the Breaking Void Realm, it was no threat to him.
With his aura retracted into his body, the beast had no idea what kind of being it was about to face. As the beast's supposedly invincible head neared him, Lin Qian moved.
Lin Qian merely sidestepped slightly and casually raised his right arm, delivering a simple punch.
Without any soul power enhancing the punch, Lin Qian's fist collided with the beast's skull, causing cracks to spread across the metallic bone plate. In an instant, the force of his punch rippled through the entire beast, shattering its body.
Splatter!
Everyone watched in disbelief as the once-feared Steelhead Beast exploded into a shower of blood and gore, splattering the surrounding trees and turning them red.
The beast, which had once been known for its indestructibility and ferocity, had just been obliterated by a single punch from this young human man—and he had done it bare-handed, without using any weapons.
The leader of the mixed-race rescue team, a member of the Red Horn Tribe, stared at Lin Qian, wondering if he was dreaming.
In the past, humans were known for their large numbers and resilience, but their strength was often ridiculed. However, their tenacity and ability to endure hardships had earned them respect, which led to their alliance. Yet, the human standing before him shattered all preconceived notions.
Lin Qian had effortlessly slain the Black Horn Tribe members. They hadn't even been able to resist him.
And the Steelhead Beast, which usually brought despair, had been obliterated by his bare hands.
The Red Horn Tribe leader couldn't help but wonder if Lin Qian was truly human.
Lin Qian glanced at the blood-stained trees and turned to walk toward the mixed-race group, carefully retracting his aura so as not to overwhelm them. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to bear his presence.
However, as Lin Qian approached, everyone looked at him with a mixture of fear and awe, nervously swallowing.
In their eyes, Lin Qian's strength was unfathomable.
To them, standing before Lin Qian was like being a lamb before the butcher, with their lives completely in his hands. If he wished to end their lives, it would take nothing more than a flick of his wrist.
Moreover, they still couldn't determine whether Lin Qian was friend or foe.
Compared to the other races, the humans seemed slightly more at ease with Lin Qian. After all, he was also human, but they still felt a deep sense of unease.
"To be honest, with your current strength, you would only be walking toward your deaths by confronting these enemies. That's why I stepped in," Lin Qian said with a hint of amusement as he noticed their anxious expressions. "Since I saved your lives, there's no need to be so afraid, right?"
Whoosh!
Hearing Lin Qian's words, everyone exhaled in relief and relaxed.
From what he had said, it was clear that he wasn't their enemy.
The most excited among them were undoubtedly the humans. After all, this terrifyingly powerful Lin Qian was one of their own!
For so long, humans had been ridiculed for their lack of strength.
But now, they had finally encountered a powerful human—and such a young one at that.
The strongest among the humans, a middle-aged man called Liu Fang, stepped forward and said, "My name is Liu Fang. Thank you for saving our lives, senior."
Given that Lin Qian was also human, Liu Fang figured it was best for him to make the first introduction.
"I'm only twenty-six, so calling me 'senior' makes me feel old," Lin Qian quickly corrected with a smile.
His words left Liu Fang speechless, and the others were equally stunned.
They hadn't expected Lin Qian to be so young.
Soul warriors had good control over their bodies, and it was often said that one's appearance reflected their heart. Many powerful cultivators, even after living for hundreds of years, could still maintain a youthful appearance.
So, they had assumed that Lin Qian was one such senior. But to their shock, he was genuinely this young.
As Liu Fang struggled to find the right words, the Red Horn Tribe leader stepped forward, bowing to Lin Qian. "Benefactor, may I ask if you are truly the ruler of a nation?"
"Yes, I am the ruler of the Huaxia Empire, the emperor of my people," Lin Qian nodded, not bothering to hide anything.
He had no reason to conceal the truth.
Lin Qian's words left everyone puzzled and confused. They had never heard of the Huaxia Empire before, and both the title he used and the term "emperor" were unfamiliar to them.
"If that's the case, given your immense strength and noble status, it is only fitting that we address you as 'Your Excellency,'" the Red Horn Tribe leader said respectfully.
Liu Fang quickly nodded in agreement, "Baraitu, you're right."
"Your Excellency, we thank you for saving our lives!" The three hundred or so former captives also expressed their gratitude, bowing to Lin Qian.
Lin Qian accepted their thanks without reservation, knowing that it would ease their minds.
However, he suddenly retrieved a golden token, its surface glowing with radiant light.
When Lin Qian injected his soul energy into the token, his expression changed dramatically as he learned what had happened.
The three elders were in trouble!