Tian Gu's words caused some to be secretly alarmed. They recalled fragmented passages in their family's ancient texts, which spoke of ancient times, filling them with doubt yet also longing.
"Lord Heavenly Master, those are merely legends, not to be taken as truth," an elder whispered, then spoke again.
"Even if they were true, the time is too distant. It offers no help to our current situation."
Some nodded slightly at the elder's words, but most felt even more bewildered. They didn't understand.
"Lord Heavenly Master, what exactly are you talking about?" someone couldn't help but ask. His family hadn't existed for too long.
Tian Gu did not answer him but looked at everyone.
"Do you all believe me?"
"Lord Heavenly Master, in this current situation, as long as we can survive and our families can continue to prosper, we will believe whatever you say," someone immediately declared.
"Indeed, Lord Heavenly Master. We are unwilling. We are unwilling for the foundation laid by our ancestors to be ruined in our hands."
"Since you believe me, then follow me out and surrender. War Gods will have their limbs broken, but they will live! My Tian family, after all, has rendered service to Da Qin, and they should be able to spare everyone's lives," Tian Gu said, his tone laced with a hint of unwillingness.
"What?!" Everyone present was immediately shocked, staring at Tian Gu with disbelief. Surrender? War Gods with broken limbs? What was the difference between that and death?
"Lord Heavenly Master, this is not a time for jokes. Is this your solution? To make us merely exist? Rather than this, it would be better to die a glorious death!" someone said with a ferocious expression, their heart filled with unwillingness.
"Yes, if we surrender, we will surely be kept like livestock. What meaning would life have then? We are ancient martial arts families! We used to rule over those ants, and now are we to be ruled by those ants?"
"Lord Heavenly Master, at worst, we can fight our way out, escape beyond Da Qin. As long as we are alive, there is still hope!"
"You cannot escape. Do you think this small group of us can fight our way out? Li Xiaotian alone can keep all of us here!" Tian Gu said with a mocking tone. If they could escape, he wouldn't have made this choice.
Everyone's expression faltered at his words, their hearts filled with despair. Li Xiaotian! Four King-level experts, and many top War Gods working together, only to be counter-killed by him. That group was their strongest trump card.
"Everyone, surrender is only temporary. Soon, I will lead you to a comeback! Trust me. The Tian family can become the most ancient family, and I know truths you do not. Some things I cannot say. If you believe me, then listen to me. If not, you can leave now," Tian Gu spoke, his expression complex.
Everyone present had varying expressions. They didn't know how to choose. Believe Tian Gu? Or find a way to escape now?
"Hmph!" A muffled groan sounded. It was the elder who had spoken earlier, the patriarch of the Han family, an ancient martial arts family. He used his internal energy to cripple his own limbs and fell to the ground, his forehead covered in cold sweat.
"Patriarch Han!" Everyone present was greatly shocked, unable to comprehend why the Patriarch Han would believe Tian Gu's words so completely.
"The Han family believes in the Lord Heavenly Master! Cough! Cough! Han family War Gods, obey the order and cripple your own limbs!" the Patriarch Han gasped, then gritted his teeth and fell silent. The pain was too much, and his expression was extremely contorted.
"Patriarch!" Some members of the Han family cried out in shock, but their patriarch had no energy to attend to them.
"They've gone mad! They've all gone mad! Even if they survive after crippling their own limbs, what meaning does life hold?" someone roared with a frenzied expression, speaking to his own family members.
"Follow me, let's fight our way out! Rather than die kneeling, let us die fighting!"
With that, he was the first to walk out of the palace. Seeing this, some of the others followed, still not believing Tian Gu.
In the blink of an eye, only the people from six families remained.
Tian Gu glanced at them, then remained silent. After a pause, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and he too crippled his own limbs.
"The humiliation today, I will make you pay back a thousandfold!" Tian Gu struggled to speak.
"Father!" Tian Qilin exclaimed in horror, his expression filled with despair.
"Take him away!" Tian Gu said to a figure in the corner. This was the black shadow who had acted earlier, Tian Gu's third uncle, Tian Jue, a King-level expert!
Tian Jue nodded, then walked behind Tian Qilin and knocked him unconscious with a palm strike, but he did not leave immediately.
"Alas, Patriarch Ye, cripple your own limbs too!" the Patriarch of the Ye family sighed. At this point, it was a gamble they had to take.
"It's a gamble! I believe the Lord Heavenly Master will not let us down!" another family's War God declared.
Muffled groans sounded one after another. All nine War Gods present crippled their own limbs.
Outside, the many core family members who had emerged from underground were all killed shortly after coming out, having offered little resistance.
By this time, the ground battlefield had been pacified. All the War Gods of the Ancient Martial Alliance had been slain, and of the ordinary martial artists, only half remained. On Li Xiaotian's side, their casualties were less than one-fifth. It was a great victory!
"Victory! Victory! Da Qin is mighty! Dragon King is mighty!" The entire desert was in a frenzy, everyone cheering with excitement.
They had won. What was expected to be a tough battle had been decided in one engagement after Li Xiaotian arrived!
The internet was also filled with cheers. At this moment, everyone had emerged from their homes, engaging in a wild celebration.
On the battlefield, Li Xiaotian led many War Gods into the underground palace.
It had to be said that the Tian family's wealth far exceeded everyone's imagination; even the Dragon King Hall couldn't compare to the Tian family.
Underground, there were vast bronze palaces, magnificent and resplendent, filled with light everywhere.
The group advanced directly, heading towards the brightest palace in the center, encountering no obstacles along the way.
"Bang!" Li Xiaotian kicked open the door and was the first to enter.
Inside the palace, Tian Gu was slumped on the throne, his aura weak. The others were either kneeling on the ground or lying on the ground like pools of stagnant water, their faces pale, similar to Tian Gu.
Li Xiaotian's eyes widened sharply. He quickly scanned Tian Gu and the others lying on the ground, and his heart immediately felt a jolt.
These were all War God experts, but now, they were all crippled!
"We have lost. All the War Gods present have crippled their own limbs. We only ask that Da Qin spare our lives," Tian Gu said weakly, his eyes calm.
Li Xiaotian and the others were all stunned in place. Hearing Tian Gu's words, their hearts were also shocked. To cripple themselves for the sake of survival, these people were so ruthless to themselves.
But then, Li Xiaotian's gaze sharpened. Something was wrong. Everyone here was a patriarch of an ancient martial arts family, especially Tian Gu. As the patriarch of the Tian family, in the previous dynasty, he would have been akin to an emperor.
People from ancient martial arts families generally did not tolerate defeat; they would rather commit suicide than surrender. Would Tian Gu and the others, with their noble status, degrade themselves like this just to survive?
He didn't believe it!