House Rowe must change its surname!
The Ma Family is reborn by borrowing House Rowe!
The former Ma Patriarch had barely finished speaking when the whole hall erupted.
Just hearing from the former Ma Patriarch that the Ancient-Martial Ma Family was wiped out was already earth-shattering.
Now, the former Ma Patriarch intends to use the people of the Ancient-Martial Rowe clan to resurrect the glory of the Ma Family!
Such outrageous words instantly set off an explosion in the hall.
The Rowe Patriarch and all the Ancient-Martial Rowe clan members' faces changed dramatically, humiliation written all over them!
"Throughout history, I've heard of borrowing a corpse to return a soul, but never borrowing an entire family's name to restore another family's reputation!"
"Former Ma Patriarch, your joke is going a bit too far."
The Rowe Patriarch spoke in a deep voice, his inner force boiling, but constrained by the other's strength, he had to forcibly suppress his anger.
"A joke?"
The former Ma Patriarch glanced at him and shook his head lightly. "I don't have the time to joke with you."
"Now that all the juniors of the Ancient-Martial Ma Family have been wiped out, I have no face to meet my ancestors."
"So today, I plan to take your Ancient-Martial Rowe clan under my Ma Family. From now on, every Rowe will bear the surname Ma—even if your blood isn't Ma, it doesn't matter!"
"I don't mind."
Every word from the former Ma Patriarch was firm and unyielding.
These words made the Rowe Patriarch's entire face flush with anger.
He looked toward the other patriarchs.
The patriarchs of House Qin and House Liu sat there listening to the former Ma Patriarch, with no intention of intervening.
It was clear that these houses tacitly agreed with the former Ma Patriarch's words.
This stance made the Rowe Patriarch's heart sink even further.
"Looks like your Ancient-Martial Rowe clan is finished today."
At this moment, Cindy Hong spoke, glancing at Lily Liang and Evan Lin standing beside her.
Over by Ethan Lu and the Lu Family Patriarch, people wanted to speak but couldn't even open their mouths.
They could only sit there, but their eyes clearly carried mockery and contempt.
Once the Ancient-Martial Rowe clan was swallowed whole by the former Ma Patriarch, the entire Rowe clan would become the biggest joke around!
"You! This is outrageous!"
The Rowe Patriarch suddenly stood up, and a nearly tangible phantom condensed behind him.
The phantom let out a wild roar, filled with terrifying inner force, and charged at the former Ma Patriarch.
Peak first-grade Pointing-to-Mystery inner force surged like a rampaging river. Its mere appearance sent chills through everyone present.
Cindy Hong, who was just making snide remarks, suddenly felt cold all over and swallowed nervously, fear rising in her heart.
The crowd erupted in shocked cries.
The phantom condensed by the Rowe Patriarch reached the former Ma Patriarch, crashing down from above.
Inner force blanketed the sky and wrapped the former Ma Patriarch's body completely.
Inner force surged toward him from all directions.
Everywhere was killing intent!
The former Ma Patriarch, sitting calmly in the eye of the storm, didn't move. He took a deep breath, and that raging torrent of inner force—along with the phantom—was swallowed into his abdomen in one go.
His belly bulged slightly. He looked indifferently at the Rowe Patriarch, whose face was now drained of color, then spat out a single breath.
A beam of inner force shot out at lightning speed.
The Rowe Patriarch leapt high, and almost at the same instant, the chair he had just been sitting in was struck by the beam and instantly reduced to dust, vanishing into thin air.
If that had hit his body...
The Rowe Patriarch landed, chilled to the bone.
Everyone in the Ancient-Martial Rowe clan felt a cold dread in their hearts.
"So this is... Heavenly Phenomenon Realm strength?"
The Rowe Patriarch staggered, utterly dazed.
"That's right. The gap between Heavenly Phenomenon and Pointing-to-Mystery is as vast as heaven and earth."
The former Ma Patriarch nodded slightly. "In front of me, you have no power to resist."
"Just now, I could have wiped out everyone from House Rowe present, but I held back."
"Rowe Patriarch, you're too weak to lead your clan. Without a true powerhouse at the helm, House Rowe can't escape extinction."
"Besides, as I understand it, your clan was once stormed by a single youth. Isn't that a disgrace to all Ancient-Martial noble houses?"
After the former Ma Patriarch finished speaking, the Rowe Patriarch's expression went from rage to defeat.
He clenched his fists, standing there under everyone's gaze, looking utterly desolate.
"Why not just agree and hand over your whole Rowe clan? All you have to do is change your surname to Ma. With me as the patriarch, House Ma will rise again, and your people will enjoy glory and honor. Isn't that the best of both worlds?"
The former Ma Patriarch sat there, commanding respect without anger.
Hearing this, the other noble houses looked at the Rowe Patriarch with pity.
But not a single person stepped forward to speak for him.
"If your Rowe Patriarch won't speak up, what about the rest of you?"
The former Ma Patriarch spoke quietly, looking toward the Ancient-Martial Rowe clan.
Over there, the Rowe clan juniors all hung their heads, faces dark with humiliation.
Forced to change their surname by someone else!
If word got out, House Rowe would lose every shred of face!
"If you don't speak, how am I supposed to know if you agree or not?"
The former Ma Patriarch spoke coldly: "My Ma Family has always had grudges with your Rowe clan."
"Today, let's settle them all at once!"
"Starting now, I announce: anyone willing to change their surname to Ma, come to my side. You'll get my protection and become a member of the Ancient-Martial Ma Family. If anyone mocks you, I'll make sure they pay!"
"If you refuse, that's fine. I'm the only one left in the Ma Family, but old scores will be settled, and I'll give my ancestors an answer!"
The latter part of the former Ma Patriarch's words was thick with killing intent.
His tone was chilling.
This made many in the Ancient-Martial Rowe clan tremble with fear.
After all, this was a Heavenly Phenomenon Realm powerhouse!
The Rowe Patriarch was helpless, looking toward the Ancient-Martial Rowe clan.
At first, no one responded.
But after a short while...
"It's just a surname! Even if we change it, we're still members of the Ancient-Martial noble houses. So what if Rowe becomes Ma? What's the big deal?"
A man stood up, deliberately speaking loudly: "I agree!"
His face pale, he immediately strode over to the former Ma Patriarch.
The former Ma Patriarch glanced at him and nodded. "Your talent may be mediocre and your strength lacking, but at least you know how to read the situation."
"You can be an elder of my Ma Family."
After speaking, the former Ma Patriarch continued, "The first to join will be the first to benefit."
"Think it over yourselves!"
Upon hearing his words, suddenly...
A group of Rowe clan juniors who had already been wavering stood up first—two at once.
Then three, five, ten!
More and more people walked over to the former Ma Patriarch, changing their surname to Ma!
The Rowe Patriarch trembled with rage, but was powerless to stop it.
Everyone present watched the Rowe Patriarch with cold indifference—only mockery remained!