Word Count: 3,507 Words
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"Taking over the Misty Cloud Sect?!!!" Xiao Ding was so shocked that his jaw nearly dropped.
Rock Desert City was not too far from the Misty Cloud Sect, just the distance of a few cities apart. It was not as remote as from the Black-Corner Region to Jia Ma Sacred City, but even a Dou King would need to fly for a day and a night to reach it.
Therefore, the latest news Xiao Ding and Xiao Li had heard was that Yun Shan had broken through to the Dou Ancestor realm. In Xiao Ding and Xiao Li's minds, the Misty Cloud Sect was still the strongest sect in the Jia Ma Empire, at the peak of its power.
Now, they suddenly received a letter from their third brother, asking them to bring their father, the clan elders, high-ranking mbers, and promising disciples of the Xiao Clan to the Misty Cloud Sect.
Xiao Ding snatched the letter from Xiao Li's hand and quickly read through it.
The letter was simple. It ntioned that the Xiao Clan was forming an alliance with the Misty Cloud Sect, with the Xiao Clan taking the lead. The Xiao Clan was officially entering the Misty Cloud Sect!
He wanted the two brothers to go to Wu Tan City to bring their father to the Misty Cloud Sect.
Xiao Ding and Xiao Li exchanged glances, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.
"What is Third Brother planning?"
"I don't know, but it definitely isn't sothing simple."
...
At this mont, Princess Yao Ye had set up a banquet in the imperial palace of the Jia Ma Empire, and invited Xiao Yan, Yun Yun, and Nalan Yanran to the palace.
"Elder Jia, Princess Yao Ye, long ti no see. May I ask the purpose of today's invitation?" Xiao Yan smiled and asked after finishing his al and wiping his mouth.
Xiao Yan was feigning ignorance.
Jia Xing Tian chuckled and said, "Naturally, it's to congratulate you."
"Oh? Elder Jia, why do you say that? Congratulate on what?" Xiao Yan blinked, putting on an innocent face.
Princess Yao Ye rolled her eyes at Xiao Yan. This guy just loved to play dumb and act innocent. She said, "Grandmaster Xiao Yan, I won't beat around the bush. As a representative of the Jia Ma Empire's imperial family, I wish to know the future developnt plans of the 'Yan Alliance' ford by your Xiao Clan and the Misty Cloud Sect."
After all, Xiao Yan had significant ties with dusa. They were afraid of another Misty Cloud Sect arising!
Xiao Yan smiled and said, "Princess Yao Ye has misunderstood. Although the Yan Alliance is nad after , the relationship among its mbers is equal. No one is above anyone else. We are not a nation or an organization, and there is no so-called future developnt plan." "Not an organization? What do you an, Grandmaster Xiao Yan?" Yao Ye asked, puzzled. Xiao Yan smiled, cleared his throat, and stood up slowly, gazing around the room. He said, "Our Yan Alliance is a free alliance based on mutual treaties. In a manner that does not harm peace, security, and justice, we aim to peacefully resolve any disputes that may involve the Yan Alliance, so that alliance mbers can avoid threats among the various organizations and nations in the North-Western Region."
"Our Yan Alliance follows a model of collective defense."
"If any organization or individual launches an attack on any one mber of our Yan Alliance, it will be considered an attack on all mbers. If such an attack occurs, all alliance mbers will collectively defend and take severe and forceful retaliatory actions and other necessary asures against the attacker."
ovo???
Hearing Xiao Yan's impassioned speech and the specific terms of the Yan Alliance, not only were Princess Yao Ye and Jia Xing Tian left stunned with their mouths agape, but even Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran tilted their heads in confusion, question marks all over their faces.
You didn't ntion any of this before?!?
"Uh... so, in other words..." Jia Xing Tian's mind was a bit muddled.
"In other words," Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened as he said, "the Yan Alliance is different from other alliances. We do not interfere in each other's internal affairs, nor will we have any political or economic ties among our respective factions. Everything remains as it is. However, if any alliance mber is attacked by an external faction, all alliance mbers have the responsibility to step in to protect and collectively retaliate."
Princess Yao Ye frowned. She had initially thought that Xiao Yan intended to take over the Misty Cloud Sect for himself, but now it seed that was not the case.
A glint flashed in her eyes as she asked, "Grandmaster Xiao Yan, are you saying that your Yan Alliance truly will not interfere in the internal affairs of its mbers?"
Xiao Yan revealed a smile and said, "Our Yan Alliance is simply a free alliance of a collective defense nature, established solely to resist external hostile factions."
"Princess Yao Ye, you also know that the Misty Cloud Sect suffered a catastrophic calamity due to a mysterious faction, bringing it to the brink of destruction. This is to prevent such an event from happening again."
"However, once joined, one cannot withdraw at will. After all, if everyone scatters like monkeys when a tree falls upon encountering a strong enemy, then this alliance would be
aningless."
Princess Yao Ye couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
There was a hidden ssage in his words!
Seeing that he had said enough, Xiao Yan picked up the napkin from the table, wiped his mouth, and smiled, "Thank you, Princess Yao Ye, for the splendid banquet. I won't disturb you any longer. Sect Leader Yun Yun and I still have matters to handle regarding the Yan Alliance, so we'll return to the Misty Cloud Sect."
Princess Yao Ye gazed deeply at Xiao Yan's departing figure. Only after he and Yun Yun left did she speak, "I can say with certainty that although Yun Yun is still the Sect Leader, the internal decisions of the Misty Cloud Sect are now primarily made by Xiao Yan."
"I think so too. Just now, the surprised expression on Yun Yun's face said it all. She didn't utter a word during the al," Jia Xing Tian agreed. Although he knew Yun Yun was naturally reserved and not fond of talking, the scene just now seed more like Xiao Yan was in charge.
"Great-grandfather, what do you think of this Yan Alliance?" Princess Yao Ye's eyes sharpened as she asked in a deep voice.
Jia Xing Tian sighed bitterly and shook his head, "No matter what, it's impossible to completely disband the Misty Cloud Sect now."
Due to Yun Shan's death and most of the elders dying in battle, even the 6th-tier alchemist Gu He had left. With the news of the Misty Cloud Sect sacrificing ordinary people spreading, most of their disciples had run away, and their reputation had plumted.
This had given the Jia Ma Empire an opportunity to deploy troops to disband the Misty Cloud
Sect.
But now, Xiao Yan's intervention had caused the situation within the empire to beco sowhat strange.
In the past, the undisputed hegemon of the Jia Ma Empire was the Misty Cloud Sect. Now that
it had fallen, the Qi thods, Dou Techniques, and resources it possessed, and even the Misty Cloud Mountain itself, which was a treasured land for cultivation, had attracted the greed and covetous desire of many factions.
Among them, the Jia Ma Imperial Family was naturally the most eager. They had long
regarded the Misty Cloud Sect as a thorn in their side. The empire's iron cavalry had even
vaguely shown signs of surrounding Misty Cloud Mountain.
Princess Yao Ye had even heard that so sects in the North-Western Region were planning to join forces to rob the Misty Cloud Sect.
Yet! Shortly after Yun Shan's death, the Little Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan, Xiao Yan, publicly announced that the Xiao Clan was forming an alliance with the Misty Cloud Sect!
This directly stunned the Jia Ma Imperial Family and the factions that wanted to make a move on the Misty Cloud Sect. For a mont, they didn't know what Xiao Yan was planning.
Therefore, Princess Yao Ye had urgently invited Xiao Yan and Yun Yun to a banquet to investigate the situation.
"Moreover, if I'm not mistaken, Xiao Yan explained so much to us not only to make us stop all actions against the Misty Cloud Sect but also to have our Jia Ma Imperial Family join this Yan Alliance." Yao Ye rubbed her forehead. She had been closely monitoring the every move of the Misty Cloud Sect these days. For this behemoth located near the imperial capital, the imperial family had been worried and apprehensive for who knew how many years. Now that there was an opportunity to topple it, naturally, they wouldn't give it any chance to reverse the
situation.
"Xiao Yan is giving us a guarantee that we don't have to worry about his Xiao Clan rising and overthrowing the rule of the Jia Ma Imperial Family."
Xiao Yan's rise was inevitable, which also posed a threat to the Jia Ma Imperial Family. Now
that Xiao Yan had proposed this Yan Alliance treaty, it ant that as long as the Jia Ma Imperial Family was also a mber, whether it was the Misty Cloud Sect or the Xiao Clan, they would always acknowledge the Jia Ma Imperial Family as the ruler of the Jia Ma Empire and not interfere with each other.
This was extrely important for the Jia Ma Imperial Family.
"You an, we should join this Yan Alliance of his?" Jia Xing Tian was taken aback.
"Other than that, there's no other way. Xiao Yan is not just about his strong potential as an alchemist anymore. His thods are equally brilliant, and most terrifyingly, his cultivation talent is in no way inferior to his alchemy talent."
"The help our Jia Ma Imperial Family has given Xiao Yan is more like a transaction. Unlike the Miteer Clan. we haven't bestowed any significant favors upon him. If Xiao Yan truly becos powerful enough, even if he doesn't intend to overthrow our rule, his clan might not think the sa way." Yao Ye nodded helplessly. Although there was so trickery back then, the fact remained that Xiao Yan had confronted the Misty Cloud Sect even when Yun Shan was present. He had no shortage of powerful people around him. If they were to anger him and he directly dispatched dusa, how many elite experts in this imperial city could contend with her?
Since force wasn't an option, aside from adopting a conciliatory approach, what else could
they do?
Jia Xing Tian frowned, lightly tapping his finger on the table. After a mont, he sighed and said, "Alright, let's try it your way. I hope this kid truly ans it, that this is just a collective defense alliance to resist other factions."
Yao Ye smiled faintly when she saw Jia Xing Tian nod. After pondering for a while, she suddenly said, "Actually, the decline of the Misty Cloud Sect is a significant drawback for our Jia Ma Empire. Without the Misty Cloud Sect, our Jia Ma Empire won't even have the qualifications to participate in the future North-Western Region's Great eting of Factions. In that case, the Chu Yun Empire might launch a full-scale attack on us." Internal troubles and external threats-losing the Misty Cloud Sect wasn't entirely a good
thing. Sects and empires stood like a forest throughout the North-Western Region. Every five years, a Great eting of Factions was held by so of the strongest factions in the region. Their purpose wasn't anything good; it was just so ambitious fellows wanting to unify all
the factions in the North-Western Region and beco an existence that could rival the top factions on the continent.
"Originally, with Yun Shan becoming a Dou Ancestor, the Misty Cloud Sect should have been able to rank among the first-rate factions at the Great eting of Factions, standing on equal footing with the Chu Yun Empire. Now, we can only hope that Xiao Yan's reputation can deter the Chu Yun Empire. Otherwise, I'm afraid war will break out." Yao Ye massaged her temples. Running an empire was too difficult; there were so many things to consider.
Jia Xing Tian frowned and said, "Recently, those two Dou Emperors who appeared in Yan City were found to be from the Sky Serpent Mansion. The Sky Serpent Nation is located in the center of the North-Western Region. Back then, the Mansion Leader of the Sky Serpent Mansion nearly defeated all the sect leaders at the Great eting of Factions and beca the overlord of the region, but was intercepted by the Thunderbolt Sect. Plus, there's the current rising power called the Sky Heart Empire. Joining this Yan Alliance might not be a bad
decision after all."
"Mm, if our Jia Ma Empire cannot produce a strong faction and powerful experts to make a good showing, I'm afraid our position in the North-Western Region will beco increasingly insignificant. If we attract the attention of other empires, then it will be troubleso," Yao
Ye sighed.
Jia Xing Tian nodded slightly, his eyes flickering for a mont before he said in a deep voice, "Looks like we'll have to rely on Xiao Yan. Alright, let's trust this kid this ti!"
"Great-grandfather won't be disappointed," Yao Ye smiled.
"Oh, you have such confidence in him?" Jia Xing Tian looked at Yao Ye with a strange
expression. Scanning over her pretty face, he suddenly laughed, "Yao Ye, could it be that you've taken a liking to that kid?"
"Great-grandfather, what nonsense are you talking!" Yao Ye's face imdiately turned flushed red upon hearing Jia Xing Tian's words as she spoke in a pampered manner. "That kid's talent is the most terrifying I've seen in all these years. His looks aren't bad
either, and his cold but resolute personality makes him an excellent choice. If you really like him, Great-grandfather can help you propose. If our two families can form a marriage alliance, I can also be completely at ease." Jia Xing Tian stroked his beard and said with a smile, as if he hadn't noticed Yao Ye's blushing cheeks.
"Don't even think about it. That guy already has beauties like dusa by his side-won
who can bring down nations with their looks. Even if you want to marry Yao Ye off, he might not necessarily want ." Yao Ye rolled her eyes at Jia Xing Tian and shook her head helplessly.
Jia Xing Tian furrowed his brow upon hearing this. Xiao Yan's luck with won was indeed a
bit exaggerated. He casually counted on his fingers and almost couldn't keep track.
...
At this mont, back at the Misty Cloud Sect, Xiao Yan was unaware of Yao Ye and Jia Xing
Tian's musings. He was currently trying to persuade dusa.
"You want my Snake-People Tribe to join your Yan Alliance?" dusa's enchanting snake-
like eyes glanced sideways at Xiao Yan not far away, the corners of her mouth curling up into a
cold smile.
This man was becoming more and more fanciful.
Xiao Yan chuckled, rubbed his nose, and nodded, "Our Yan Alliance won't interfere with the
internal operations of the Snake-People Tribe."
dusa stood up slowly, her figure as alluring as ever. She revealed a tempting smile and said, "If the Misty Cloud Sect were still the Misty Cloud Sect of old, then I might have considered it. But now, your so-called collective defense of the Yan Alliance, to put it bluntly, isn't it just relying on alone?"
Xiao Yan was not embarrassed to have his sche exposed by Queen dusa in a single sentence. He continued, "You can't say it like that. Think about it; I'm at least a high-grade 5th-tier alchemist now and bound to beco a Dou Ancestor or Dou Venerate in the future. Forming an alliance now is a guaranteed profit with no loss. Besides, even a broken ship still has three pounds of nails. Yun Yun is a 4-star Dou Emperor, and there's Nalan Yanran who received Yun Po Tian's inheritance. Moreover, Old Hai's Miteer Clan has close ties with ." "Although it's not confird yet, I believe the Jia Ma Imperial Family will be willing to join
the Yan Alliance."
"In that case, no one will dare to attack your Snake-People Tribe anymore, and it can bring
about peace." Queen dusa glanced at Xiao Yan and thought for a mont before saying, "Heh, my Snake-People Tribe has been at war with you humans for generations, and an indelible blood feud has long been imprinted. Even if I agree, the other snake tribes won't be willing." Seeing that dusa was starting to waver, Xiao Yan took out a map without another word,
pointed to the Snake-People Tribe's territory, and said, "As far as I know, there are four empires bordering the Snake-People Tribe. Besides the Jia Ma Empire, there are the Chu Yun Empire, the Mu Lan Empire, and the Luo Yan Empire. These three empires are the ones that most frequently attack your Snake-People Tribe, aren't they?"
The reason was very simple. Among the four empires, the weakest was the Jia Ma Empire.
Back then, the Jia Ma Empire didn't even have a Dou Ancestor. If it weren't for the Snake-
People Tribe in between, these three empires would have swallowed the Jia Ma Empire long
ago.
"What are you trying to say?"
"By joining the Yan Alliance, your Snake-People Tribe will not only have one less enemy but
also gain three allies. If these three empires attack your Snake-People Tribe again, we would have the responsibility to assist you and could even help you counterattack them. At that ti, you can settle the scores however you want." Xiao Yan dropped a heavy bombshell.
dusa's brows furrowed. It was undeniable that Xiao Yan's words were very tempting. She naturally knew the enormous predicant the Snake-People Tribe was currently facing as their queen. Otherwise, she wouldn't have taken the risk to evolve.
Xiao Yan saw that Queen dusa was sowhat moved. He pointed to the location of the Misty Cloud Sect, drew a circle with his finger, and said, "To show our sincerity, I've discussed with Sect Leader Yun Yun. If you, Queen dusa, are willing to have your Snake - People Tribe
join the Yan Alliance, then this area within the Misty Cloud Mountain Range can be given to
you."
!!! ? ? ?
dusa's beautiful eyes contracted as she looked at the vast mountain range outlined by Xiao Yan's finger.
"I know your Snake - People only live in the desert out of necessity. Although this mountain range isn't very large, it can still accommodate nearly half a tribe of Snake - People. As the queen, there's no reason you wouldn't know the value of this treasured land of the Misty Cloud Sect." Xiao Yan's smile was like that of a devil.
For a mont, it was hard to tell who was truly the natural charr. Xiao Yan's words made
dusa's breathing quicken, her heart pounding.
Snake - People were cold-blooded. They preferred dark, damp, secluded places with lush vegetation. Although there were so snake species that liked dry deserts, they were very
few.
The Snake-People were forced to establish their tribe in the desert. Back when Xiao Yan went
to the Snake People Palace, it was an oasis, and dusa's bedchamber was filled with plants.
When dusa saw the grandeur of the Misty Cloud Sect, the envy in her eyes was unmistakable, and Xiao Yan had keenly noticed it.
He guessed that dusa greatly desired a forested wetland.
And now, he just happened to have such a condition in his hands. "Are you truly willing to give this mountain forest and let my people live here?" dusa's
beautiful eyes looked seriously at Xiao Yan as she asked solemnly.
These words had a second layer of aning. There were, after all, inherent issues between the Snake-People and humans. Allowing the Snake-People to enter was akin to inviting a wolf into the house. While the wolf might not necessarily be bad, there was a chance it could be.
Xiao Yan said calmly, "As long as you, Queen dusa, can manage your people well, this mountain forest is yours."
The Misty Cloud Sect was a big piece of fat at. This wasn't just about the Dou Techniques,
Qi thods, and resources accumulated by the Misty Cloud Sect; the land itself was equally valuable.
And now that the Misty Cloud Sect was emptied of people, it gave Xiao Yan an opportunity to maneuver.
There was no way he would let go of this fat piece of at that was the Misty Cloud Sect. If the
Xiao Clan wanted to rise, the Misty Cloud Sect was perfectly suited for that purpose.
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