The atmosphere among the neighboring countries was thick with tension and fear as word spread of Tang's meteoric rise to power. The fall of the Thunder Kingdom had only solidified their unease, for it was clear that Tang was no longer a mere kingdom; it had become an empire with the force to reshape the world.
"I can't believe it. A small kingdom has turned into such a massive empire so quickly," one of the diplomats muttered. "And they didn't stop there—Tang annexed Thunder, killed its king, and even absorbed all its land and people. Their population now exceeds tens of billions."
A murmur of disbelief spread through the crowd. How could such a small power grow so fast? No one had expected this level of expansion, especially from a kingdom that had once seemed so inconspicuous.
"Even though we all noticed Tang's power after the fall of Chen, no one could have imagined it would grow so quickly, and this swiftly swallow Thunder. Now, it's one of the most powerful forces on the continent."
Another voice chimed in, dark with foreboding. "This is the problem—Tang is a force that does not stay within its borders. It's a nation of expansion, and if they continue to grow unchecked, they will pose a massive threat to everyone else."
Many could feel the danger, the growing unease that Tang's expansion would not stop at Thunder. This was a kingdom that already coveted more, and with such a massive population and vast territory, it could easily overwhelm any smaller neighboring nations.
"Exactly," said a concerned minister. "If Tang's power continues to rise, no one around them will be safe. They'll expand into Xin and beyond, and we'll be nothing but obstacles to them."
The room was filled with uneasy glances as they debated their next move. There were whispers of war, of attacking Tang before it became too powerful, but many were wary.
"Perhaps now is the time to act. Tang's hold over Thunder is still fresh, and its power may not be fully stable. If we strike now, we can carve up its territory before it solidifies its grip," suggested one of the more aggressive leaders.
But the reaction was swift, and much less optimistic.
"You're out of your mind," one person snapped. "You think attacking Tang is a viable option? When the kingdom of Thunder fell, Tang's army barely suffered any losses. They have strength beyond what we understand."
"Not only that," another added, "There are rumors that Tang is supported by an ancient god. If that's true, we'd be signing our own death warrants by attacking them."
The idea of fighting Tang was quickly dismissed, not just for its formidable military, but for the terrifying notion that there were forces behind the throne—forces that no one could fully comprehend.
"The so-called ancient god rumors are likely exaggerated," one skeptic muttered. "Tang is using some kind of world prop, some ancient artifact, to amplify its power. The 'god' is just a tale they've spun to keep us afraid. Don't fall for this nonsense."
"Even if it's not an ancient god, it is certain that the power of this world item is extraordinary. Have you not seen the Lord of the Thunder Kingdom? Holding Thor's hammer, his combat strength was as powerful as that of a thunder god, but so what? It was still easy for Tang Guo to wipe him out, ending his life with a single strike. Do you think you're stronger than the Lord of the Thunder Kingdom?"
The discussion buzzed, and everyone agreed that Tang Guo posed a massive threat. Yet, they were still in the dark about Tang's true nature. To attack recklessly now would surely lead to their downfall.
"Then what should we do now?"
One of them asked, a sense of urgency in their voice.
"We must form an alliance to oppose Tang Guo. At the same time, we need to send scouts to uncover the nature of the world props supporting Tang. Once we understand the power behind Tang, we will have a much better chance of dealing with them."
Someone answered solemnly.
"It seems that's all we can do. Until we learn more, it's best to remain cautious."
Everyone nodded in agreement, the weight of the situation settling on their shoulders.
Thus, around Tang Guo, the surrounding territories began to stir, and numerous nations began uniting to form the Anti-Tang Alliance.
Meanwhile, on Xuan Huangxing, inside the closed villa area of Lihai Peninsula in the city.
"The power of faith has skyrocketed."
Xia Chuan felt the surge of energy within him.
He sensed that, immediately following the miracle he had performed, everyone who witnessed it had become devout believers, and even the skeptics had been converted.
It's crucial to note that the faith contributed by devout believers is incomparable to that of shallow ones. The former provides at least ten to twenty times the power of the latter.
A devout believer equals the faith of twenty shallow believers.
As the number of believers increases, it's only natural that the more devout they are, the better.
And this was just the beginning—news of the miracle hadn't even fully spread yet.
Once it does, those who witnessed the miracle would continue to spread the word, and soon, the entire Tang state would be awash in faith, causing a massive surge in devout followers.
Boom~~~
Suddenly, the overwhelming power of faith surged in, flooding Xia Chuan's body like a river, rushing into every part of him.
"Comfortable…"
Xia Chuan was overwhelmed with excitement. His body felt as though it was immersed in a warm spring, with waves of heat washing over him. Under the immense power of faith, all his injuries, defects, and ailments were healed, and his body began to evolve toward perfection.
At the same time, his internal energy grew rapidly, his inner strength surged through every acupuncture point, as if he had gained sixty years of cultivation in an instant.
His Qi circulated day by day, strengthening his muscles and bones, while the density of his body steadily increased.
"It seems there's just one step left before I can reach the gold-ranked warrior level."
Xia Chuan squeezed his fist, feeling the power coursing through him.
Truth be told, with his current foundation, he could break through to the gold rank at any time. But his body had not yet been tempered to its most perfect state.
So, he suppressed the breakthrough, choosing instead to refine his body further. After all, the foundation of martial arts is vital to one's future growth.