On the plaza, seats were filled to capacity, with most of the attendees being powerful factions and individuals renowned within the Black Corner Domain. In a realm where strength reigned supreme, even seating positions were determined by one's prowess. To the left and right of Han Feng stood Mo Tianxing of the Black Emperor Sect and the elderly master from E Mountain, who had once contested with Xiao Yan for the Bodhi Body Essence. At present, both men merely glanced faintly, indifferent to the crowd around them, their composed and enigmatic demeanor making it difficult for ordinary visitors to approach them casually. Given their standing, it was natural that they occupied the foremost seats—aside from the now-defunct Earth Demon elder, these two were undoubtedly the strongest in the Black Corner Domain. Of course, the domain itself spanned widely, and it was possible that in some remote mountain forests, even older, hidden beasts remained undiscovered, as true powerhouses often preferred such seclusion. Below Mo Tianxing and the Eagle Mountain elder stood the leading figures of several prominent clans from the Black Horn Domain. Some of these individuals had good relations with Han Feng, while others maintained a neutral stance—yet due to Han Feng's growing influence and strength, they could not help but attend this so-called grand gathering. "Hehe, I've invited all of you here today. Should there be any inconvenience, I kindly ask for your understanding." After a few moments of chatting with some familiar faces, Han Feng looked up at the sky, then scanned the room with a gentle smile. Upon speaking, the previously somewhat noisy square fell into quiet, everyone's gaze now fixed on the main figure of the day—Han Feng. Under such full attention, Han Feng seemed particularly at ease, a warm smile playing on his face. After a brief pause, he slowly continued, "I've gathered all of you today because there are several matters I'd like to discuss with each of you. I'm sure you're aware that the Black Corner Region has long held a strained relationship with the Cenarian Academy—each year, numerous members from the Black Corner Region are killed by the Cenarian Academy's enforcement teams. Thus, there's an undeniable mutual resentment between both sides." "As for the recent incident, I believe most of you have heard about it—the senior Earth Mage from the Magi Valley was recently killed by the Cenarian Academy." "At this point, Han Feng's expression was notably gloomy, and several powerful figures from the Magic Flame Valley bore stern, furious faces. The Magic Flame Valley and the Galen Academy now carried deep, almost bloodied enmities—each one eager to see the other extinguished." On the plaza, everyone exchanged glances, their faces slightly altered. They had indeed heard the news, but hearing it firsthand from Han Feng still left them stunned. The Earth Demon elder—no less than a top-tier Seven-Star Combatant—was widely regarded as nearly unbeatable throughout Black Angle Domain. Who would have thought... he ultimately fell to the hands of the Canaan Academy? Even Mo Tianxing, who had always remained composed and indifferent to everything, and Elder Yingshan, whose eyes had previously been steady and unflinching, found their hands subtly trembling in their sleeves, a flicker of fear passing through their gaze. Their intelligence network was naturally more refined than that of ordinary factions, so they were well aware of what had truly transpired that day. "It's surprising that the two ancient beings—Thousand and Two Hundred Elders—had been quietly stationed within the inner courtyard. The Earth Demon elder certainly ran into a tough opponent. However, it seems that on that day, he was first severely wounded by Xiao Yan's astonishing combat technique. Otherwise, even if he couldn't defeat the Thousand and Two Hundred Elders, he would have certainly managed to escape. It appears that young man has been hiding his true strength quite well." Mo "Had it not been for Bodhi's transformed saliva, I truly wouldn't have considered targeting that young man... He's clearly a master of pretending to be weak while actually being strong." The elder from Eagle Mountain slightly furrowed his brows, murmuring softly in a voice barely audible to himself. "The strength of Ganan Academy far exceeds our expectations. They've long held a negative attitude toward the Black Horn Region. Now, with their relentless pressure, the Magic Flame Valley has been severely weakened. Should they decide to strike at any of the present factions in the future, it would be difficult to say who could possibly stand in their way. As for the so-called 'Xiao Sect'—its founder, Xiao Yan, is actually a member of the Inner Academy. Clearly, this faction is aligned with Ganan Academy. Under their strong backing, the Xiao Sect has expanded significantly. Had it not been for the steadfast resistance of the Magic Flame Valley, their influence would now be firmly established right before each of you." The solemn voice of Han Feng gradually echoed across the plaza. "Now that the Magic Flame Valley has suffered a major blow to its vitality and will find it difficult to match the Xiao Sect in the future, once the pressure from Magic Flame Valley is lifted, the Xiao Sect will inevitably expand rapidly. And then, the ones who will suffer most will be precisely those who are currently making efforts," Han Feng smiled calmly. "Of course, if any of you believe there are individuals within your sect who surpass the Earth Magic elder or who can stand up to the two ancient masters of the Inner Court, then you may disregard these concerns. Otherwise—your path will have to be one of either joining the Xiao Sect or being extinguished!" Han Feng's somewhat alarmist words successfully stirred some excitement on the plaza. The Xiao Sect, having risen only in recent years, was still seen with some skepticism by the more established powers, making it difficult to secure their allegiance. "Could the esteemed Mr. Han elaborate on his strategy?" a figure suddenly stood up and spoke as the crowd stirred. Hearing what this man had to say, everyone's gaze turned toward Han Feng. Since he had initiated the matter, there must be more to come. After all, anyone who had made a name for themselves in Black Angle Domain wasn't a fool—naturally, they understood that Han Feng had summoned them not merely to impress, but to intimidate. Mo Tianxing and the Eagle Mountain elder glanced at the figure, yet their eyes flashed a hint of mockery—Han Feng, indeed, had made this performance quite a challenge. When the collective attention once again settled upon him, Han Feng smiled, first casting a subtle, approving glance at the figure who had spoken earlier, then smoothing his robe with a composed air and said, "Given the strength of Ganaville Academy and Xiao Clan, no single power within Black Angle Domain could stand alone against the others. Therefore, to ensure their own survival, they must set aside their differences, form an alliance, and face the threats together." "An alliance?" "Upon hearing this word, most of the present attendees immediately grasped Han Feng's strategy. Everyone knew that the Magic Flame Valley and the Gan'an Academy had long-standing hostilities, and with the Magic Flame Valley now severely weakened, if the Gan'an Academy launched a large-scale attack, the Valley might have to be erased from the Black Angle Region altogether. However, if at this moment the Magic Flame Valley were to unite with numerous other powers in the Black Angle Region, it would effectively bring together nearly half of the region's forces—making it extremely difficult for either the Gan'an Academy or the Xiao Clan to take any significant action. 'The alliance proposal has been fully supported by Mo Master and the Eagle Mountain Elder,' said Han Feng, 'and this provides the strongest possible security for all of us. With the Xiao Clan constantly watching our backs, who could rest assured in the days to come?' He spoke calmly, gazing at the now more composed gathering. At this, the various eyes immediately turned toward Mo Tianxing and the Eagle Mountain Elder—both of whom were highly esteemed within the Black Angle Region and were genuine Douzong-level masters. If both of them supported this alliance, then its strength would indeed be formidable, making it no longer necessary to fear the Galen Academy or the Xiao Sect. Of course, while it may be said thus, the attendees were far from passive or complacent. It took considerable skill and strategy to reach this point—within the Black Angle Region, where chaos prevails, even these gathered here might, at any moment, turn on one another and extinguish an entire sect. Each one holds a deep sense of rivalry, so how could such an alliance form? Would it be called an "internal rivalry alliance," or perhaps even a "self-destructive alliance"? Furthermore, as an alliance, a leader must inevitably emerge—the position of overall commander is far from easy to determine, for who wouldn't wish to hold it? "Hehe, regarding the Alliance's matter, it's merely a suggestion from my part. Whether it succeeds or not will ultimately depend on everyone's willingness." Han Feng gently played with the teacup in his hands, offering a light smile. "But if, indeed, the Xiao Gate comes knocking, and if we don't wish to see anyone perish, then we'll have to settle down and surrender sooner or later." As soon as he finished speaking, several people's faces grew serious, their brows furrowed—indeed, the Xiao Gate's rapid expansion had become a growing concern for many. "A sudden, abrupt laugh sent everyone gasping, and then they swiftly turned their gaze toward the entrance of the plaza. There, a large group of figures radiating an aura of fierce intensity advanced steadily. At the forefront, a young man dressed in black robes walked slowly, a serene smile upon his face... 'Xiao Yan!' The guests in attendance instantly recognized the young man, who had become so prominent within the Black Thorns domain lately. A wave of startled exclamations, tinged with some alarm, erupted immediately.