Just at this time, Elara ran over from a distance, saying anxiously. "Saint Lord, why are you here? I have been looking for you for ages!"

"Hurry, the Heaven Sacrifice Ceremony is about to begin!"

"Alright, I know, I will go now." Alex nodded slightly and smiled faintly.

"Senior Nerin, I still have some matters to attend to, so I will take my leave first. It is rare for you to make a trip to the Hale family, so you must eat and drink well. Do not hold back."

"Uh... alright." Nerin’s expression was somewhat bizarre. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

What nonsense was this brat spouting? Looking at his tone, it was as if he were a member of the Hale family.

Also, why did that little girl just call him Saint Lord? Could it be that this Taryn, because his talent was formidable enough, had already become the Saint Lord of the Lark family?

However, the next second, watching the direction Alex walked away, Nerin’s expression instantly stiffened.

Alex followed Elara, heading straight for the speaking platform at the very front of the venue.

After walking three or five steps, a faint black mist drifted and permeated his body.

The originally simple white dress transformed into a pitch-black python robe. His young appearance became somewhat more mature and weathered.

A pair of clear, innocent eyes became filled with chilling sharpness and teasing mockery.

The aura on his body shockingly changed into that of a completely different person.

"He... he..." Nerin was completely dumbfounded, not knowing what was going on.

The next second, Alex was seen directly and grandly appearing on the stage, facing the crowd below, he cupped his fists and said loudly.

"Everyone, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to attend my Hale family’s Heaven Sacrifice Ceremony! I am here, thanking you all for your friendship and righteousness!"

The crowd, who were talking and laughing cheerfully just a second ago, instantly sat up straight the moment Alex appeared.

They stood up with great solemnity and, with equal respect and reverence, cupped their fists and bowed their heads.

"Greetings, Saint Lord Alex!"

"Willing to serve and devote our loyalty to Saint Lord Alex, dying without regrets!"

Listening to the tsunami-like sounds of worship echoing in his ears, Nerin was completely dumbfounded.

Alex... Saint Lord? Was this brat not Taryn, the chief disciple of their Broken Sword Peak? How was this possible?

In an instant, Nerin felt as if his entire understanding of reality had been overturned. His mind became somewhat frantic.

All this time, all their major Peak Masters had single-mindedly wanted to curry favor with Aya, who possessed the Vault of Divine Sword Heart.

And they merely treated Taryn as a method and tool to curry favor with her.

But today, Nerin discovered in disbelief that Taryn, whom they had practically ignored, his true identity was shockingly the number one person in the Heavenly Flame Dynasty, one of the top powerhouses of the current world: the Hale family Saint Lord, Alex.

At this moment, Nerin wished he could rush back to the Divine Blade Sect at top speed and tell everyone this news. However, completely before he could figure out a way to flee, Alex smiled faintly and spoke.

"Everyone, before the Heaven Sacrifice Ceremony begins today, I would like to invite someone to come on stage and say a few words first."

"This person is an elder of the Divine Blade Sect from the Southwestern region, Nerin."

Hearing this, the crowd’s expressions instantly became somewhat bizarre.

They did not expect that before the ceremony began, Alex would let an outsider come on stage and steal the host’s thunder. Even less did they expect that among the tens of thousands of heroic figures present, the only one chosen was shockingly a nameless nobody.

For a moment, everyone’s gazes focused on Nerin. Within their eyes, there was envy, jealousy, suspicion, and an eagerness to curry favor.

Nerin gulped down saliva, so nervous his heart was beating like a drum.

Alex smiled faintly. "Senior Nerin, do not be nervous."

"Come on up."

"Senior?!" When this title was spoken, the entire venue exploded in an uproar once again.

Who was Saint Lord Alex? The ultimate powerhouse among the Saint Lineage families of the current era.

Whether discussing strength or seniority, no one could surpass him.

The matter of Alex annihilating the Tiger, Crane, and Wolf ancestors outside the Azure Phoenix Hall was universally known.

Someone possessing such terrifying strength actually addressed a nameless nobody as Senior? The crowd could not help but become curious about what kind of background this person had.

Facing the scrutinizing gazes of tens of thousands of experts, Nerin’s heart was about to collapse.

He had no choice but to tremblingly walk onto the stage. Forcing out a smile uglier than crying, he cupped his fists and said with a trembling voice.

"Saint Lord Alex, what virtue and ability does this subordinate have to dare claim the title of Senior? You can just call me whatever you want!"

"Tsk, how could that do?" Alex patted Nerin’s shoulder with interest.

"As the saying goes, a teacher for a day, a father for a lifetime. Although I have not formally acknowledged you as a master, I am at least still a figure of your disciple’s generation."

"What is wrong with calling you Senior Nerin?"

"Also, Senior Nerin... I still prefer your rebellious and unyielding look from just now. How about you restore it?"

Nerin’s face was full of misery, looking like he was about to cry. He said bitterly. "Saint Lord Alex, this subordinate just now had eyes but no pupils, failing to recognize Mount Tai. I offended you in many ways. Please absolutely do not stoop to my level."

"Within the Divine Blade Sect, in order to play along with the act, when you called me Senior, I accepted it."

"But here in the Hale family, even if I had ten heads, I still would not dare claim the title of Senior!"

"Mhm, as long as you know it was just playing along with the act." Alex smiled and nodded. Resting his hand on Nerin’s shoulder, he used a mental transmission technique to speak to him.

"Senior Nerin, the reason I am hiding within the Divine Blade Sect under the identity of Taryn Lark is naturally because I have important matters to handle."