In the floating courtyard within the gathering place, the air was filled with the sound of agonized cries echoing from inside.
Looking into the courtyard, one could see thirteen people writhing on the ground, screaming in pain.
"Tsk, tsk, they sure look miserable, don't they?" Lin Qian remarked with a schadenfreude grin, turning to the four elders beside him.
"If they want to be reborn like a phoenix, they must endure the pain of being burned by fire," Wang Qiongxing responded, his voice calm as he observed the thirteen people twisting in agony. Despite his calm demeanor, a smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"Indeed, we suffered quite a bit back then too. It's good to let these brats experience the same," He Baili laughed heartily, finding the sight of their suffering rather amusing.
Hearing He Baili's words, Xu Wuwei shook his head with a sigh, his gaze softening as he watched one of the struggling figures who bore a resemblance to him—his only son, whom he naturally worried about.
As for Fu Deqing, his expression was tinged with sadness. Among those thirteen, his disciple Yue Liqun should have been there, but due to Yue Liqun's stubbornness—bordering on foolishness—he had severed his own future.
Time and fate were cruel, and there was nothing Fu Deqing could do. The fault lay with his disciple, and there was nothing more to say.
The agonizing screams lasted for several hours before gradually subsiding. The thirteen people finally began to recover, lying limp on the ground, too exhausted to move.
However, they could all clearly feel the changes within their bodies. Their dantian had expanded tremendously, and their meridians were now spacious, allowing their soul power to flow freely and vigorously. The obvious increase in their strength filled them with elation.
They could clearly sense that their power had surged, and they now possessed the true strength of the Awakening Stage. No longer would they be Awakening Stage in name only, with strength merely equivalent to the Life and Death Stage of the other three races.
Overwhelmed with gratitude, the group turned to Lin Qian, their eyes brimming with appreciation. "We are forever indebted to you, Your Majesty!"
When they had first arrived, some of them had been skeptical of Lin Qian, given how young he appeared.
They had agreed to pledge their allegiance only out of respect for the orders of the four elders. Yet, they couldn't help but harbor doubts. Was it really just about solving the power discrepancy of their people?
It wasn't until Xu Wuwei's son, Xu Mengqing, challenged Lin Qian to a duel that their views completely shifted.
When the twelve-layered soul rings of golden thunder and lightning appeared around Lin Qian, they saw him casually deliver a kick that sent Xu Mengqing flying out of the gathering place. The distant mountainside erupted with the sound of rocks shattering as Xu Mengqing crashed into it, making it clear where he had landed.
At that moment, everyone present was convinced of Lin Qian's strength. And when they learned that he was only twenty-six years old, they were utterly stunned.
It was then that they realized pledging allegiance to Lin Qian wasn't a bad decision after all.
After their strength was restored, the group excused themselves to the quarters Wang Gang had arranged for them. After washing up and tidying their attire, they returned to Lin Qian, standing in neat formation.
"Your Majesty!" The thirteen greeted Lin Qian with deep respect, their voices laced with genuine admiration and the joy of newfound strength.
These thirteen were the highest-ranking members of the Ancient Forest World's human race, aside from the four elders.
Among them were the leaders of the Eastern, Western, and Southern gathering places. As for the Northern gathering place, its leader, Yue Liqun, had already been dismissed by Lin Qian.
The remaining ten were the leaders of the other ten gathering places. They had come here after receiving messages from the four elders to meet Lin Qian.
"From now on, Lin Qian will be the leader of our people in the Ancient Forest World," Wang Qiongxing declared, addressing the thirteen. "Is there anyone who still has objections?"
The group remained silent; not a single person spoke up.
At that moment, He Baili chuckled and teased Xu Mengqing, "Hey, Xu, didn't you have some strong opinions before? Now that your strength has increased, why don't you challenge His Majesty again?"
"No, no, no, Elder He, please don't joke about that!" Xu Mengqing, who still appeared middle-aged, was scared half to death by the suggestion, shaking his head vigorously like a rattling drum.
Despite his newfound strength, Xu Mengqing still harbored a deep psychological fear of Lin Qian. He knew that even with his recent improvement, he was no match for Lin Qian.
What a joke—his soul rings only numbered eight layers, and even then, he had added an extra layer by tempering in the Nirvana Stage.
But Lin Qian? He had twelve layers! How was that even possible for a normal person?
Recalling his earlier challenge, Xu Mengqing only felt deeply embarrassed. If anyone was overestimating their abilities, it was him.
"Since you've all accepted me as your leader, there are some things we need to clarify," Lin Qian said, clearing his throat and adopting a serious tone. "I come from the surface world, as I'm sure you all know by now. There, I am the ruler of a powerful nation called the Hua Xia Empire."
"From now on, you are also citizens of the Hua Xia Empire. Address me as Your Majesty, not as 'Lord.'"
The group nodded in agreement, though their eyes were filled with curiosity.
In the past, they had always been unsure whether the surface world truly existed. But Lin Qian's presence confirmed it beyond doubt.
The Hua Xia Empire.
Their leader was the ruler of this empire, and they couldn't help but wonder what kind of nation it was that had someone as powerful and extraordinary as Lin Qian as its emperor.
Lin Qian then explained the reasons for his journey from the surface world to the underground world.
After hearing his explanation, everyone finally understood.
At that moment, Xu Mengqing glanced at Lin Qian, hesitating to speak.
"If there's something on your mind, go ahead," Lin Qian noticed Xu Mengqing's hesitation and asked.
"Your Majesty, what I have to say might be related to Yue Liqun," Xu Mengqing said, hesitating for a long while before finally mustering the courage to speak.
In the brief time they had spent with Lin Qian, his strength and the imperial aura he exuded had impressed upon them the true weight of an emperor's presence.
"Let's hear it," Lin Qian said, his brow slightly furrowed at the mention of Yue Liqun, but he gestured for Xu Mengqing to continue.
Lin Qian wasn't so narrow-minded that merely mentioning Yue Liqun would upset him.
"Yue Liqun was traumatized in the past, which is why he's so stubborn and single-minded," Xu Mengqing began, pausing before continuing, "And the source of that trauma is the fact that his wife was swallowed alive by the Blackhorn King."