Lin He's outer clothing was soaked with sweat. After scattering the hallucinogenic powder given to him by Lin Hao to the few people of the Bai family, he hid at the top of a large tree, not daring to breathe heavily, praying that Lin Hao's plan would go smoothly.
Bai Zhanchen feigned calmness, turned to look at the few people of the Bai family, and said, "My master is about to arrive in person, you all should behave!"
At this moment, Old Ou and the middle-aged man, among others, had not even noticed anything unusual, let alone that they had been affected by the 'Fairy Drifting Powder' personally concocted by Lin Hao.
"Why is the pressure getting heavier... It feels like a mountain is pressing down on my body..." The heads of the branch family were sweating coldly on their foreheads.
Not only the heads of the branch family, but even the old woman and the middle-aged man, two powerful figures, felt the same.
The 'Gravity Array' was just a small array, and they would realize the existence of the array stone in at most five breaths. Moreover, for these third and fourth gate openers, the effect of the 'Gravity Array' was negligible.
However, the few people had just been affected by the 'Fairy Drifting Powder' concocted by Lin Hao, and their mental state was caught between dream and reality, with the pressure being infinitely magnified.
If the pressure from the 'Gravity Array' on the old woman and the middle-aged man was one, then with the interference of the 'Fairy Drifting Powder' on the mental level, their pressure became ten, or even a hundred!
For example, it was like a dream with 100% autonomy. In this dream, the affected individuals could not detect anything, and everything they saw was an illusion, but the information transmitted at the mental level was real. Unless they realized they were under a hallucination and used their martial will to break it, they would have to wait for the drug to wear off to return to reality.
Logically, the strong figures of the Bai family headquarters, like the old woman and the middle-aged man, were not ordinary people and should easily distinguish between illusion and reality. Unfortunately, the 'Fairy Drifting Powder' was concocted by Lin Hao, who naturally considered this point. Therefore, he reduced the drug's effect, not completely trapping them in an illusion, but rather intertwining reality with the illusion, a profound technique where reality is the illusion, and the illusion is reality.
Moreover, Lin Hao's secret technique, the 'Thousand Sounds Technique,' made the few people even more convinced that there was a powerful figure present.
Old Ou and the others were completely at a disadvantage because they knew nothing and could not even imagine the existence of an anomaly like Lin Hao.
Suddenly, the middle-aged man's expression changed, and a thunderous sound echoed from the sky, reverberating through the clouds and the forest.
Not only the middle-aged man, but even the old woman and the others had strange expressions, with a sense of fear rising in their hearts.
"You young ones dare to bully my disciple, do you not want to be captured alive!" The thunderous sound, which was initially vague, became tangible. Everyone looked up into the sky, and within a dozen miles, the blue sky had turned black, with visible purple lightning snakes coiling around the dark clouds, creating a formidable scene.
Seeing the expressions of the strong figures of the old woman and the others change, Lin He and Bai Zhanchen also subconsciously looked up into the sky.
However, above their heads, there was no difference from before; it was still a clear blue sky with no clouds.
They and the few people of the Bai family seemed to be in two different worlds, with vastly different perceptions.
Lin He and Bai Zhanchen, who were not affected by the 'Fairy Drifting Powder,' naturally saw things differently from the few people of the Bai family.
A moment later, the old woman and the middle-aged man's pupils suddenly contracted, and the three heads of the branch family behind them trembled violently, their faces pale, almost kneeling to the ground.
Above the thunderclouds, a golden evil bird spirit beast was flying, and above the spirit beast, a man stood with his hands behind his back, his hair as white as snow, floating in the air. The man's body emitted a terrifying flame light, shocking to the core.
Suddenly, a burst of firelight shot into the sky, completely enveloping the forest. The scorching heat seemed capable of melting the void, and if ordinary third and fourth gate openers approached, they would likely be instantly burned to ashes!
"It... It's a 'Heavenly Spirit' expert!" The heads of the branch family of the Bai family were terrified to the extreme. Such a powerful expert was truly terrifying!
The title 'Heavenly Spirit' was only given to those who had successfully opened the Heavenly Gate after leaving the Earth Gates, with martial power that could reach the heavens and the earth, capable of severing mountains and seas and shattering the void with a single thought!
Only those with great fortune and destiny had the chance to step into the flow of the Heavenly Gate, and once they did, they were absolutely invincible!
Even the head of the Bai family, after leaving the Earth Gates and opening the Heavenly Gate, made even the sect forces wary. The branches of the Bai family were spread across the country, numbering in the dozens, and they once rivaled the sect forces, becoming an absolute giant in this land. Every year, large and small families within a thousand miles had to pay tribute to ensure their safety.
The will of the Bai family was once like that of a king looking down on his subjects, with no one daring to defy it!
Although the head of the Bai family was now in his seventies and nearing the end of his life, a dead camel is still bigger than a horse, and no family force dared to openly defy the Bai family, not even the sect forces, which shows the unparalleled power of Heavenly Gate experts.
Now, after the head of the Bai family, another invincible expert who had opened the Heavenly Gate appeared in the forest, earning the supreme title of 'Heavenly Spirit' expert!
Moreover, the appearance of this person caused a change in the heavens, with raging flames and thunderclouds spreading everywhere, seemingly even more powerful than the head of the Bai family in his prime!
The old woman forced herself to remain calm, even in the face of the mysterious expert in the sky, and looked up with a hint of reverence, saying, "I am Bai Mo, and I greet the 'Heavenly Spirit' senior."
Opening the Heavenly Gate and earning the title of a great martial expert was absolutely not something they could compare to. Below the Heavenly Gate, they were absolutely invincible, and the ability to control a spirit beast and both lightning and fire suggested that this person might have a special bloodline. Even the head of the Bai family in his prime might not have been able to defeat the mysterious expert in the sky.
At that moment, Lin He and Bai Zhanchen only saw Lin Hao riding a tree stump on a mountain, not some 'Heavenly Spirit' expert.
"This Lin Hao's hallucination is truly terrifying, even affecting third and fourth gate openers..." Bai Zhanchen was shocked.
...
"Dust, as the young master of the Bai family, how dare you commit violence, what crime should you bear!" Lin Hao stood on a mountain, looking down at the Bai family members, his voice not loud but like a thunderous sound to the old woman and the middle-aged man, shaking their hearts.
Hearing this, the middle-aged man's face became even more grim. He quickly clasped his hands and said respectfully, "In response to the 'Heavenly Spirit' senior, there must be some misunderstanding. How could we dare to harm the third young master? The people who attacked Young Master Bai yesterday must have been framing us..."
The situation was now clear; this mysterious Heavenly Spirit expert was Bai Zhanchen's master, and they dared not act recklessly even if they had the courage of a lion.
"Rubbish!" Lin Hao coldly shouted, "You still dare to argue, today I will make you all vanish!"
As he spoke, thunder exploded in the sky, like a fierce beast roaring.
Seeing this, the old woman and the middle-aged man, among others, were all terrified. If the Heavenly Spirit expert acted, they would be annihilated in an instant.
"Senior 'Heavenly Spirit,' please show mercy! We are all members of the Bai family, and there is indeed a great misunderstanding. Please spare us for the sake of the head of the Bai family!" The old woman quickly said.
No matter what, the Bai family was once renowned and had intimidated the land. She specifically mentioned the head of the Bai family, hoping the expert in the sky would spare them for his sake.
"Hmph! Do you think the head of the Bai family can intimidate me?!" Lin Hao coldly snorted, "Not to mention he is already old and frail, even in his prime, he was not my match!"
Hearing this, the Bai family members were shocked. The head of the Bai family was like a god to them, and although they had guessed that he might not be a match for the mysterious expert in his prime, hearing it from his mouth was still incredibly shocking.
"Third young master, please plead for us!" The heads of the branch family, both frightened and grateful, could only see Bai Zhanchen as their last hope.
Bai Zhanchen's eyes glinted with a cunning light. After a moment's thought, he nodded and clasped his hands toward Lin Hao on the distant mountain, saying, "Master, although they are at fault, they were misled by my elder brother. It would be better to spare their lives, and I believe they will change in the future."
The old woman and the middle-aged man did not dare to say more, as the Heavenly Spirit expert was present, and a wrong word could mean instant death.
All their hopes were on Bai Zhanchen. If the third young master intervened, they might have a chance at survival.
At that moment, Lin Hao's expression was indifferent, and he played his role convincingly, "Dust, these people have evil hearts. It would be better for me to eliminate them all for you, wouldn't it? Then you would have no worries in the future."
"Master, my father is now over seventy, and the family's prestige has fallen a hundredfold. These people are strong figures of the Bai family. If they all perish, the Bai family will face a great crisis..." Bai Zhanchen seemed to appeal to reason and emotion, pleading earnestly.
The heads of the branch family nodded in agreement, filled with gratitude toward Bai Zhanchen. They did not expect him to plead for them, and if it were someone else with such a powerful backer, they would likely have been killed immediately.
The old woman's expression was somewhat strange. She could not understand why Bai Zhanchen would plead for them. Was it just for the sake of the Bai family? Over the years, Bai Zhanchen had been so patient, showing a remarkable character. According to his nature, he should have had the Heavenly Spirit expert kill Bai Zhen, eliminating all threats and ascending to the head of the Bai family...
Although the old woman was puzzled, she did not dare to speak more, as the Heavenly Spirit expert in the sky was real, and she could feel her blood boiling, a sense of inexplicable fear.
After Bai Zhanchen's repeated 'pleading,' the 'Heavenly Spirit expert' in the sky finally relented, agreeing to spare the Bai family members but warning that if it happened again, they would be annihilated.
"Scram!" Lin Hao shouted angrily, and the old woman and the middle-aged man, among others, fled quickly, disappearing in a flash.
After confirming that the Bai family members had left, Bai Zhanchen signaled to Lin He on the tree, and the two turned into a blur, vanishing instantly.