Bai Zemin had his own reasons for doing what he did.
One of these reasons was that he did not want trouble. Usually, many conflicts arise as a result of people underestimating other people. Such issues could easily be avoided if one side showed a slight part of his or her strength, not too much, but enough to warn the other side that he or she was not someone to be messed with easily or they would have to bear the consequences.
Now that the other side was looking at him with a more serious expression and any possible disdain that might exist disappeared, Bai Zemin smiled in apology mode and said with apparent honesty, "I apologize for my previous joke. I just wanted to confirm how many of you were soul evolvers and which one was the strongest."
The corner of Lu Yan's mouth twitched a couple of times as Yan Tu secretly rolled his eyes.
Who are you trying to fool, kid? That excuse is too bad! The two men thought to themselves but didn't say it out loud.
