The next day, as the warm sunlight gradually enveloped the entire capital, the grand gates of the Xiao family estate, situated at the heart of the city, welcomed one after another of the empire's most powerful factions. Many observers, gazing at the banners of these arriving forces stationed before the gates, felt a strong sense that a significant event was imminent in the land of Jamma. In the hall, the young man in black robes sat at the head, smiling occasionally and engaging in soft conversations with Hai Bo Dong by his side. To his left, the composed Medusa sat with the ever-attentive, fidgeting Xiao Zhiyan, while some of the hall's eyes occasionally passed subtly between the two—filled with cautious scrutiny. After a brief exchange with Hai Bo Dong and with most of the guests gathered, Xiao Yan settled his conversation, slowly scanning the room before pausing on an elder and a woman at the round table, smiling warmly, "I didn't expect Ji La and Tian Ye Princess to have come as well—truly distinguished guests." At this, Ji Xingtian chuckled, saying, "For such a momentous occasion, our royal family naturally wishes to be present, to witness the rise of the second generation of Yunlan Sect in the Jia Ma Empire." As he spoke, his gaze swept over Medusa Queen and Xiao Zhiyan beside Xiao Yan, a deep sense of apprehension flickering in his eyes. Xiao Yan smiled and slowly stood up, gazing steadily at the gathering. Under the weight of his gaze, the murmurs throughout the hall gradually faded, and one after another, people's attention turned toward him. "Since everyone has arrived, let us now proceed to the matter at hand." Hearing this, all present quickly focused their attention. Xiao Yan took a deep breath, said little, and began directly: "The Yunlan Sect has vanished from the Gamma Empire, and with it, Yunshan's ambitions have crumbled. However, I am sure all of you are aware that the Gamma Empire's standing in the northwest region of the continent is not particularly strong. Even in the past, with the presence of a powerful sect like Yunlan, we were not considered particularly significant in that region. Now that Yunlan has fallen, although it removes a major obstacle, the Gamma Empire's status in the northwest will undoubtedly suffer a serious decline. As people of the Gamma Empire, I am certain none of you would welcome such a development." "Heard this, everyone nodded slightly, yet their gaze remained fixed upon Xiao Yan. This situation had existed for a long time—since the time when the Kamah Empire first established itself in this northwest region. Their status had always been relatively low, and even those who hailed from the empire often faced unfair treatment. As a result, the major families' enterprises had remained confined within the empire's borders, unable to expand beyond it. Within the empire, they maintained strength and prestige, but outside, several neighboring empires showed little regard. 'I believe you all have already learned of my plans,' Xiao Yan continued. 'With strong internal forces, the nation's standing will naturally rise. Now that Yunlan Sect has dissolved, I intend to establish an even more powerful force than before!' Xiao Yan's gaze suddenly sharpened, and he spoke in a steady tone: "Today, I have summoned all of you precisely to express my hope that you too will join this alliance—your status and the rewards you will receive in the future will far surpass what you have today!" As soon as Xiao Yan finished speaking, a quiet stillness settled in the hall. It wasn't until a few moments later that Mu Chen lightly cleared his throat and spoke first: "So, Mr. Xiao Yan is suggesting that we consolidate our several major families into a single, unified power?" "As Wood Chen finished speaking, everyone from the other major families nodded slightly—though Xiao Yan's aspirations were indeed grand, it seemed he was essentially inviting these several families to join his fold. This, after all, didn't differ much from what Cloud岚 Sect had done back then. 'Let me take up this point,' I said. Brother Xiao's intention is to invite each of you to join and form a coalition—one where the strength of each member is fully protected, where one's prosperity brings prosperity to all, and one's decline brings decline to all. To be frank, the three most powerful families in the Empire hold considerable influence within the realm, yet in this western region, they have virtually no voice at all. Once this coalition is established, your three families will undoubtedly be stronger than at any time before. Brother Xiao's proposal is not merely beneficial to himself—each of you will also gain access to advantages that have previously been out of reach.'" Xiao Ding smiled gently and spoke softly. Hearing Xiao Ding's words, everyone's expressions eased slightly and they nodded gently. If indeed the case, joining this so-called alliance would not seem to be a disadvantage at all. Xiao Yin and Xiao Ding exchanged glances, and the latter smiled lightly, "After the alliance is established, a dedicated hall for cultivating strong members of the alliance will be founded. This will become the most important institution of the alliance in the future, continuously supplying fresh talent. As members of the alliance, you will be able to recommend your most talented young members to join. There, they will receive the most comprehensive training and development. The techniques and combat arts available there will far surpass what your respective families can offer. Their future achievements will undoubtedly exceed your initial expectations." "Any family joining the Alliance will no longer be able to claim autonomy; instead, they must regard the Alliance as their own family and safeguard all its interests," Xiao Ding said calmly. Though his words sounded simple, achieving this required immense dedication. Listening to Xiao Ding's understated remarks, Nalan Jie and the others were momentarily taken aback, then hesitated—clearly sensing the implication. If they joined the Alliance, their traditional family structure would dissolve, and they would henceforth have to treat the Alliance as their family, dedicating themselves fully to its welfare. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Alliance is not exclusive to any one family. It will establish a Council of Elders as its highest decision-making body, to which even the Grand Marshal must yield. At this founding stage, as the pioneers, each of your families will hold a seat in this Council. However, in the future, such ease of access will no longer be guaranteed," Xiao Ding smiled. Hearing this, the expressions of Nalan Jie and the others grew slightly less hesitant, yet they still struggled to make a decision at once—after all, the stakes involved were the entire family. "Ah, well," said Haibo Dong, laughing warmly in the hall, "the first elder of the Council of Elders shall be mine—my family, the Mitel clan, have no objections." Upon hearing this, the others rolled their eyes. After all, the Mitel clan and the Xiao family were now closely aligned, sharing the same interests; how could they possibly suffer losses by joining the alliance? As the group remained indecisive, a sudden, cold gaze swept across them. Nalan Jie and the others sensed a certain sharpness in that gaze, feeling a chill run through them. They lifted their heads to find Medusa, seated beside Xiao Yan, now directly staring at them. The throat rolled slightly, and Lan Jie and the others' faces turned slightly pale. Only now did they fully grasp the truth: with Xiao Yan's current influence, he could have forcibly demanded their joining the alliance. Yet instead, he had approached them gently, offering incentives—this might well be the difference between him and Yun Shan. Nevertheless, no matter how distinct their approaches, both shared one common point: each possessed a powerful force capable of easily dismantling several prominent families. In such negotiations, they always held the initiative. Seeing that two of the three major families have chosen to join, Lan Jiang could only offer a wry smile. At this point, if he were to oppose, his future prospects would likely not be very promising. Originally, Xiao Yan had not been particularly warm toward them; should they now offend him as well, things might not go well at all. "Then, I shall also agree to join," said Lan Jiang. With all three major families now in agreement, Xiao Ding and Xiao Yan both quietly breathed a sigh of relief, as they generally preferred not to resort to force unless absolutely necessary. Xiao Yan shifted his gaze from Lan Jiang and the others to the chairman, Fang Ma, who had remained silent since the beginning of the discussions, and smiled gently. "Chairman Fang, may I ask what your thoughts are?" "Heard Xiao Yan's words, Fama sighed deeply—finally, it was his turn again. Indeed, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't escape it." "Xiao Yan, our Pharmacy Guild is different from our family. The Guild does not impose strict limitations. Many pharmacists are independent professionals. The Guild does not necessarily represent their choices, therefore..." Fama sighed. Xiao Yan's eyes slightly narrowed, his gaze steady and fixed on Fama. Though he knew Fama's words were true, he had no intention of abandoning the Pharmacy Guild, for this power was precisely what he valued most. No matter what, he must bring the Pharmacy Guild into the alliance. With these pharmacists, the alliance's strength would grow rapidly. Pharmacists, no matter how one might argue, remain the most vital and rare profession on the Continent of Qi. Therefore, the Pharmacy Guild must not be overlooked. This is of utmost importance."