Laughter echoed throughout the hall, drawing everyone's gaze toward the entrance, where a young man in a black robe stood smiling. Sunlight streamed through the windows, gently enveloping him. Under the glow, his face—once familiar—had grown more mature and composed, shedding the youthful vigor and sharpness it once carried. As the young man stood at the entrance, the guests in the hall felt a subtle sense of wonder. Though three years had passed, it seemed as though the boy had undergone a profound transformation, from within outwards. By the side of Jia Xingtian, a graceful woman dressed in a sumptuous silk robe sat elegantly. Her beautiful appearance naturally matched the one that Xiao Yan had seen before—yet now, with her phoenix crown removed, she appeared less regal and more refined, radiating a softer, more feminine charm. As soon as the young man in black robes entered the scene, Tian Ye's gaze shifted toward him, a gently charming smile playing at her lips. Master Mu Chen of the Mu family gazed at the tall, distinguished black-robed youth, then glanced at Mu Zhan, now the most outstanding among the young talents of the Mu family. A soft sigh escaped him. Three years ago, the two of them had stood on roughly the same level, balanced against each other. Now, however, the gap had widened. Mu Zhan, seated beside Master Chen, felt the weight of his gaze and rolled his eyes, looking at Xiao Yan—his peer in age—feeling utterly baffled. Though he had been diligently practicing these past three years, he had only just reached the level of Seven-Star Du Ling. This achievement would indeed be commendable within the Mu family or other clans. Yet, compared to Xiao Yan standing before him, it seemed worlds apart. "How on earth does this guy manage his cultivation? His progress is simply astonishing!" Mu Zhan murmured to himself. Back at that gathering, he had already faced off against Xiao Yan—then they were still evenly matched. But now, the gap between them had grown to an astonishing extent. Seeing Xiao Yan's cheerful expression, Xiao Yan smiled gently. Although the Mu family hadn't offered as much support as the Miter family had, the matter of Mu Tie had earned Xiao Yan a certain appreciation for them. As he walked steadily into the hall, he greeted several of the guests with warm smiles. Yet, either intentionally or by mere oversight, he seemed to have left Lan Jie and Lan Su on the sidelines. Looking at Xiao Yan, who had just greeted everyone and then settled into a chair beside Hai Bo Dong, both Na Lan Jie and Na Lan Su found their smiles somewhat strained. Xiao Yan's actions clearly signaled lingering resentment toward the Na Lan family. Yet, considering the Na Lan family's past treatment of Xiao Yan, such treatment was entirely justified—therefore, the two could only remain silent, their faces stiff as they sat at the table. Now, Xiao Yan was no longer the youthful boy of old; with his current strength, he no longer needed to regard the Na Lan family as anything special. While the others in the hall observed the Na Lan family's apparent neglect, their expressions remained unchanged, as if nothing had occurred—laughter and conversation continued uninterrupted. Shortly after Xiao Yan took his seat, Fang Ma and Michiel entered from outside and joined the group. As more guests arrived, the leaders of the top several power factions in the Jia Ma Empire had largely gathered. "Having gathered everyone here, the purpose should be clear to all, so I won't waste any more time on formalities." As the guests settled into their seats, Xiao Yan lifted his gaze and smiled gently. Upon hearing Xiao Yan speak, everyone in the hall instantly paused—knowing that the main event had finally begun. "It's been three years since I last returned, and I hadn't expected Cloud岚 Sect to have expanded so significantly. That truly surprised me." Undeterred by the silence of the others, Xiao Yan said calmly, "Cloud岚 Sect's destruction of my family—this is a blood feud that cannot be ignored. Therefore, my family and Cloud岚 Sect are destined to be at odds forever. That's why I've summoned all of you today—to unite and eliminate Cloud岚 Sect, this toxic growth within the empire." "Hehe, Mr. Xiao Yan, the Yunlan Sect has indeed grown stronger and stronger these days. However, it seems this development isn't directly conflicting with us..." Hearing Mr. Xiao Yan's words, it was Lady Yao Ye—elegant and seated beside Jia Xingtian—who spoke first. Now, this beautiful future empress of the Empire, glanced at Jia Xingtian beside her, and then smiled warmly, saying, "As members of the imperial family, we naturally don't wish to see any single power grow too dominant, disrupting the balance. Therefore, if Mr. Xiao Yan is truly confident in overcoming the Yunlan Sect, the imperial family may be able to offer some assistance within our means." Looking at the woman who spoke with evident tact, Xiao Yan smiled and shook his head, then suddenly said, "A few weeks ago, when I returned to the Jima Empire and passed through the border fortress of 'Zhen Gui Guan,' I happened to meet a senior monk from Yunlan Sect who was assisting a deputy commander of Yunlan Sect in securing the position of commander. As long as that commander succeeds in becoming the highest-ranking commander of Zhen Gui Guan, the military forces stationed there will likely be renamed under Yunlan Sect's banner." Hearing this, both Jia Xingtian and Yao Ye's faces turned pale, and they exclaimed in surprise, "How could this be possible?" Seeing their astonishment, Xiao Yan smiled—clearly, the news had not yet been reported to them. "The commander of Zhen Gui Guan is named Mu Tie. I'm sure both of you have some influence with him, as he is also from the Mu family." Xiao Yan smiled, "As for the truth of the matter, it might not be clear for another day or two..." Hearing this, both Yao Ye and Jia Xingtian's expressions shifted noticeably. If this were true, wouldn't it mean that Yunlan Sect had truly begun to take action against the imperial family? "Over the years, Yunlan Sect's ambitions have been well-documented—by now, I'm sure you've all received some of that information. When the time finally comes, you'll face only two choices: either be destroyed by Yunlan Sect or surrender to them. All of you have built your families' fortunes through generations of hard work. To simply surrender now, wouldn't that feel like a betrayal to your ancestors?" Xiao Yan glanced around the room, speaking calmly. "That's why I've called all of you here—to stoke the fire. The current situation in the empire no longer allows for neutrality." "Crossing my fingers, Xiao Yan spoke softly, 'I am about to engage in a decisive battle with Yunlan Sect. This confrontation is of utmost importance to me, so I cannot afford any mishaps. Before the final battle, each of you must clearly align yourselves with me.'" With these words, Xiao Yan made it clear that if he went to war with Yunlan Sect, he would not rest easy while the powers within the Imperial Capital remained passive—should any unforeseen incident arise, or if certain factions launched a surprise attack, it could significantly disrupt the course of the battle. His tone had grown less gentle and more assertive. Yet, upon hearing these words, no one in the room felt the slightest discomfort, for all of them knew that Xiao Yan now possessed the stature and authority to speak thus. Under the weight of Xiao Yan's words, the atmosphere in the hall grew slightly tense. The eyes of Hai Bo Dong, Fa Ma, Mu Chen, Na Lan Jie, and others met and exchanged glances, all of them lost in thoughtful deliberation. This choice was no trivial matter—once made incorrectly, the consequences would be catastrophic. Even they, at this moment, found it difficult to reach a firm decision. Hearing Hai Bopo Dong's words, everyone sighed slightly. The Mi-Tel family and the Xiao family had grown so intertwined that they were nearly inseparable—naturally, one would expect him to support Xiao Jian. Yet even as they thought this, a quiet sense of regret lingered in their hearts. While it was true that not only Hai Bopo Dong had recognized Xiao Jian's exceptional talent back then, it was only he who had dared to step forward, risking offense to Yunlan Sect to offer help. As for the chances of securing a decisive victory—neither clearly achievable nor firmly established—everyone present clearly wasn't entirely satisfied. At that moment, Jianshen cleared his throat with a dry laugh and said, "Though you've brought quite a number of Dou Wang-level warriors this time, the Cloud Lake Sect still boasts many Dou Wangs. In fact, I believe there are at least two or three Dou Huang-level warriors on the mountain itself who surpass even Yun Du Yun Sha in strength. Of course, the real challenge lies with Yun Shan. Do you truly feel confident in facing him?" "Monarchs of the Battle Realm—well, I certainly have those too..." pointing to the three elderly figures who had just appeared, Xiao Yan offered a calm, gentle smile. However, as soon as he finished speaking, a ripple of disturbance surged through the space beside him, and gradually, a slightly ethereal, elderly figure emerged into the midst of everyone's stunned gazes. "Monarchs of the Battle Realm—of course I do..." As the ethereal figure appeared, a warm, resonant chuckle began to rise, followed instantly by a powerful aura so immense that it caused every person present to visibly pale, surging forth like a tidal wave!