Even some people harbored ulterior motives.
Why not take advantage of this opportunity to snatch a few items from the Martial Alliance? It would take them ages to complete quests and earn points to acquire these items on their own. If they could get one or two now, it would be a huge gain!
With this thought, they began to push forward, eager to seize an opportunity and grab some items before making their escape.
"Your Martial Alliance isn't as amazing as the rumors say. Your headquarters doesn't even have an S-class, yet you dare to expose so many treasures? How naive," Mark said to Dongfang Tingyin in his awkward Mandarin.
"You'll soon find out if we're amazing or not. I advise you to leave now. You can still make it out if you go immediately," Dongfang Tingyin replied with a cold laugh in her standard London accent.
"Heh! Then I'm truly curious to see how amazing your Martial Alliance is. I recall the leader of the Martial Alliance is named Su Fan, right? Where is he?" Mark sneered, dismissing Dongfang Tingyin's words as a bluff.
"Su Fan isn't needed. A few old men like us are enough to deal with you!"
At this moment, an aged voice echoed from the stairwell.
Dongfang Tingyin breathed a sigh of relief.
"Why are you so slow!"
She complained to the old men emerging from the stairwell.
"Oh, my dear granddaughter, we rushed here as soon as we received your message, without stopping for a moment. You're wronging me," the elder said pitifully from the stairwell.
"Gentlemen, please let us through. We are the protagonists,"
These old men were blocked by the onlookers in the stairwell, unable to squeeze through. They said this to them with exasperation.
"Third Grandfather, if you had arrived any later, I might have been killed by him," Dongfang Tingyin said to the elders with displeasure.
"Oh, my poor granddaughter, you've suffered," the leading elder said, patting Dongfang Tingyin's head with a solemn expression.
"Who dares to hit my granddaughter! Come out!"
Dongfang Ao's face changed drastically, and he scanned the surroundings with a furious gaze.
Mark found these suddenly appearing old men rather perplexing.
He habitually used his eyes to scan their strength.
Data flashed before his eyes, and a red number appeared.
"What! SS!"
Mark was shocked. In his eyes, these old men were SS-class experts!
"Grandpa, it's him, and that woman!"
Dongfang Tingyin pointed at Mark and Ling, who was still struggling with the armor, like a child complaining.
"Damn it! How dare you bully my granddaughter! You're asking for death!"
Dongfang Ao, like a bandit leader, pointed at Mark and cursed him.
"Ling! Run!"
Sensing the opponent's strength, Mark didn't hesitate and immediately signaled Ling to flee.
If his eyes weren't deceiving him, these old men could crush them, beings on the same level as the Thunder God and Fire God!
Ling was still confused, not understanding what was happening, and turned back with a puzzled look.
She saw Mark running frantically towards the window.
"Trying to escape! Brother, go!"
Dongfang Ao snorted and said to an old man beside him.
The old man vanished in an instant. His legs moved like a whirlwind, sparks flying from the ground as he dashed to the window, easily catching up to Mark and blocking his escape route.
Mark was startled.
Without any hesitation, he gathered all his strength and punched the opponent.
Even though he knew he was no match for the other party, his full-power strike might push them back and open a path, giving him a sliver of hope.
The old man gently raised his hand and, with a seemingly slow movement, caught Mark's fist.
Mark felt as if he had punched cotton. All his strength vanished into the void, leaving no trace on the opponent.
Mark's fist was then firmly gripped by the old man.
No matter how Mark struggled, he couldn't break free from the restraint.
Keep in mind that Mark was an S+ level strength ability user!
"Get back and apologize to my granddaughter," the old man said to Mark with a cold face.
Mark's expression stiffened. He tried to resist, kicking towards the old man's temple.
"Hmph!"
The old man snorted, punched Mark in the chest, and Mark flew back to his original position.
Ling now understood why Mark had told her to run.
But it was too late to escape now. The old men had blocked all their retreat paths.
"Blood Butcher · Ling, Undertaker · Carter Mark, correct?" Dongfang Tingyin walked over and asked, looking at the two.
The two fell silent.
So they had known their identities all along.
"I won't ask your purpose. I can guess it. Since you're here, you're not leaving," Dongfang Tingyin said coldly.
As for how they would be dealt with, after extracting useful information, they would simply disappear.
Mark and Ling were fitted with special restraints and taken to the eighteenth floor for confinement.
Dongfang Tingyin had designed the eighteenth floor as a prison. Since the number eighteen was considered unlucky for living or working, it was converted into a sturdy cell, to be used when needed. She never expected the first occupants of this room to be two foreigners.
The martial artists who had gathered to watch the spectacle dispersed, their hopes of profiting from the situation dashed.
The Jade Balance realm was now considered invincible in China, and even among the top experts internationally.
Days passed, and Su Fan's strength steadily improved. He would soon enter the Jade Balance realm.
"Su Fan! I've broken through!"
Su Yutong ran into Su Fan's bedroom with a look of surprise and joy, eager to share her happiness.
"Broken through? To the Hidden Origin realm?"
Su Fan looked at Su Yutong in surprise. It seemed Su Yutong had exceptional talent to reach the Hidden Origin realm so quickly.
To his surprise, Su Yutong shook her head.
"No, guess again."
"Could it be the 'Unranked' realm? Is that what you call a breakthrough? 'Unranked' is the most basic realm for a martial artist, after all."
Su Fan felt bored. If she hadn't even reached the Hidden Origin realm, what was there to be happy about?
"You guessed wrong! I'm already in the Bright Clarity realm!"
Su Yutong knew Su Fan wouldn't guess correctly and said proudly.
"What?"
Su Fan was stunned.
It had only been a few days? She had already reached the Bright Clarity realm?
She was progressing faster than him even with elixirs. Did she expect others to live?
Su Fan carefully sensed Su Yutong's aura and indeed felt the presence of the Bright Clarity realm. He felt like a complete failure.
"Amazing, right?" Su Yutong asked Su Fan proudly, seeking his praise.
"Amazing, amazing," Su Fan forced a smile and replied perfunctorily.
In his heart, however, he felt immense bitterness. He had consumed so many attribute pills, to the point of developing resistance, and had only reached the peak of the Opening Yang realm. Su Yutong had only been cultivating for a few days and was already in the Bright Clarity realm. If she were given more time, wouldn't she soar?
Truly, comparing oneself to others was enough to drive one mad!