Bai Tianheng’s declaration still echoed through the sky.
The words slammed down like a war drum, drawing gasps and murmurs from the crowd.
But instead of responding with force—
Li Jianhong chuckled.
It was a cold, sharp sound.
Not angry.
Not afraid.
Just… confident.
Dangerously confident.
He clasped his hands behind his back and stepped to the front of the Li Clan warship, letting his voice carry without shouting.
“Bai Tianheng… still so stubborn. Still so proud.”
He stared down at the Bai Clan patriarch like he was looking at a particularly foolish child.
Then his tone shifted—quieter now, but colder.
“You sure you want to do this? Refuse us… and risk your Bai Clan’s dark little secret coming to light?”
The air seemed to freeze.
Bai Tianheng’s gaze sharpened instantly.
A faint ripple of killing intent escaped him—but he held it back.
Li Jianhong continued, eyes narrowed with amusement.
“You’ve done a good job keeping it buried. But are you so certain no one else knows? What would happen… if the entire Empire learned of the scandal you’ve hidden so carefully all these years?”
His smile widened ever so slightly as he looked toward Bai Zihan, then back to Tianheng.
“I’ll ask one last time: hand over the girl, and there will be no problem between us. I can even promise to keep my mouth shut forever. Besides…”
His eyes gleamed.
“Isn’t having her grow even more dangerous for you than for us? Don’t you agree?”
He didn’t need to say what it was.
He didn’t have to.
Because from the moment those words left his mouth—Tianheng understood that Li Jianhong knew what has transpired between Bai Xinyue and Bai Zihan.
On the other hand, the onlookers were extremely excited and curious about Li Jianhong’s words.
Now they were staring at the Bai Clan, eyes filled with suspicion, curiosity, and whispered theories already forming.
“What scandal?”
“What secret?”
“Why’s he looking at Bai Zihan like that…?”
“Does it have something to do with Bai Xinyue’s exile?”
“Wasn’t she a peerless genius back then? Why was she suddenly exiled? We never got the answer!”
“Perhaps Patriarch Li knows something about this…”
The seed had been planted.
And it was already spreading like wildfire.
Zhao Wutian folded his arms, saying nothing—but there was a glint of satisfaction in his eyes.
This was part of the attack too.
You didn’t just destroy a clan with swords.
You dismantled their image first—cracked their foundation with doubt, then broke them apart with shame.
Bai Tianheng twitched.
(How did he find out?)
This was a closely guarded secret. He had spent enormous resources hiding it—ensuring only a few trusted elders knew.
He was confident only a handful were aware. Unless… unless Bai Xinyue herself had spread it.
But even then—to the Li Clan? He didn’t think that was the case either.
He glanced at his son, whose reputation had only recently begun to improve.
If this scandal came to light, it would all come crashing down—worse than before.
But more than that, what he feared… was the danger to Bai Zihan’s life.
The Dao Bone, while not as mythic as the Immortal Emperor’s Inheritance, was still a priceless treasure—one that many would kill for.
Bai Tianheng’s jaw tightened.
He said nothing.
“Hahaha…”
But beside him—Bai Zihan began to laugh.
It wasn’t loud or boisterous.
No.
It was soft.
Mocking.
He shook his head slowly, then glanced up at the warship, that familiar smirk tugging at his lips.
“That’s it? That’s the big threat?”
He exhaled, almost disappointed.
“Patriach Li, I thought you were going to pull out something big and all you can muster is something like this?”
Li Jianhong’s expression darkened.
“Watch your mouth, boy,” he said coldly. “You think this is a joke? Treat my words lightly, and I swear—you’ll regret it.”
But Bai Zihan’s smile didn’t fade.
He stepped forward slowly, hands behind his back, gaze sweeping over the cultivators gathered in the sky and afar.
“Regret? You think I’m afraid of your threats?”
He stopped, then raised his voice so all could hear.
“You want to threaten me with what I did? Fine. Let me save you the trouble and tell everyone myself.”
Bai Tianheng turned sharply.
“Zihan’er—!”
He obviously wanted to stop his son—knowing full well it was his wife’s decision that had started it all.
On the sidelines, Bai Xinyue and Bai Xueqing watched quietly, unsure what was about to happen.
(Will he really tell?)
Bai Xinyue wondered, fully aware of the implications.
Chu Ziyan, meanwhile, looked both curious and concerned.
What could his fiancée have been hiding… that even the Li Clan Patriarch would use it as leverage to get his hands on Immortal Emperor’s Inheritance?
Even other Bai Clan Members stared in confusion—they had no idea what Li Jianhong had been referring to.
And then—
Bai Zihan spoke.
His voice was steady and clear without any flinching.
“I, Bai Zihan stole the Dao Bone from my cousin, Bai Xinyue.”
Silence!
Utter silence!
The kind that could collapse the heavens.
Even the clouds above seemed to hold still.
Eyes widened.
Mouths dropped.
Shock rippled across the faces of every sect elder, clan representative, and wandering cultivator present.
First—it was a massive scandal. To steal something so vital from one’s own kin…
Second—a Dao Bone?
That was a divine treasure in the cultivation world.
The kind that elevated geniuses to legends.
It made cultivation faster, easier, and even limitless.
No wonder Bai Zihan’s talent had soared so suddenly.
Now it all made sense or so they thought.
Even Zhao Wutian narrowed his eyes, surprised by the boy’s brazenness.
Li Jianhong blinked—then let out a cruel, amused laugh.
“You admit it?” he said. “Just like that? Do you not realize what you’ve just done?”
But Bai Zihan didn’t waver.
“I know exactly what I’ve done.”
He turned toward the sea of cultivators—toward all the judging eyes.
“But unlike you, I’m not afraid to admit it. If you think this secret will break me…”
He raised his chin high.
“Then you never knew me at all.”
The crowd erupted.
Whispers turned to roars.
Accusations flew like arrows.
“He admitted it…”
“So that’s why Bai Xinyue vanished!”
“Tch! The Bai Clan really did steal from their own!”
“And here I thought Bai Zihan turned over a new leaf. But a leopard doesn’t change its spots, huh!”
“Shouldn’t he be labeled an evil cultivator? What’s the difference between him and them?”
Through it all—
Bai Zihan stood tall.
In the center of the storm.
Unmoving!
Unashamed!