Chapter 633: Confronting the Enemy

Forest Wolf let out a terrified cry, calling for his teammates' help. "Help me!"

However, as soon as he turned his head, despair set in.

Having been pardoned by Li Pin, his team members had already escaped the small black hole and were rushing toward the battleship at top speed.

It was at this moment that Forest Wolf understood the vast gap between himself and a true elite. They might have defeated an Astral God's combat-specialized avatar before, but that didn't change the fact that they were nothing more than a ragtag group. Against someone strong and fearless enough to challenge His Highness Ai Sa... they were nothing but cannon fodder.

***

𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

From a distance, Si Xing, Si Yue, and the others watched as Li Pin effortlessly cut down Forest Wolf. A deep shock rippled through them. Forest Wolf wasn't just any opponent. He had a Power Level of 180,000 and had once single-handedly crushed an Astral God's avatar.

Li Yunyao felt it the most. She had always heard others say that Li Pin was formidable, but because it was all hearsay, she had never been able to grasp just how powerful he truly was. Now, seeing him in action for the first time, she was utterly stunned. Li Pin was far stronger than she had ever imagined.

Every aspect of his strength made the gap between them painfully clear—that terrifying Celestial Force Field, absolute control over power, and his mastery over the battlefield. If he wished, she wouldn't stand a chance before him. She might not even realize what had happened before she was utterly defeated.

Li Yunyao was dazed.

Such power...

"From this moment on, we've officially declared to all the forces in Yin Luo Galaxy that we're competing for the Astral God's legacy."

Sensing Li Yunyao's internal turmoil, Li Pin glanced at her and smiled. He said, "Do your best. There's no turning back now. If you fail, it won't just be you. Gaia, the Gaian Civilization, and even its allies, none of them will escape the victor's purge."

Li Yunyao remained silent. But Li Pin, seeing the weight in her expression, knew she had felt the pressure.

After all these years... she has finally grown up.

***

The day after Li Pin crushed the Wolfstar Consortium, a flying vessel appeared outside Gaia.

It was Xuan Jian. He was responsible for eliminating the Demon God Clansmen outside the Candle Light Star Ring and had notified them in advance that he would come.

Upon arriving on Gaia, he immediately sought out Li Pin. At that time, Li Pin was flipping through manuals related to the Eternal Oblivion Force.

Li Pin glanced at him. "Did something happen?"

Xuan Jian hesitated briefly before replying, "The Demon God Clan's appearance at the Candle Light Stat Ring... probably isn't a coincidence."

Li Pin patiently waited for him to continue.

Xuan Jian elaborated, "I had a feeling something was off from the start, so I looked into it. Every clue pointed to the same conclusion. This was a herding operation by the Demon God Clan. Their presence at the Candle Light Star Ring wasn't just random. They were also clearing out Ai Sa's competitors along the way.

"I interrogated them and got a list of over a hundred contenders ranked below Ai Sa, all properly listed. Gaia was included because of Miss Li Yunyao, but it's nothing out of the ordinary..."

Xuan Jian paused slightly before continuing, "Until I noticed an abnormal shift in the Demon God Clans' movements. Since I was already suspicious, I followed that lead and investigated the deviation in detail. Sure enough, I found traces of manipulation."

He took a deep breath. "It's the Aristocratic Alliance's strategy. Their plan was to drive the wolf to devour the tiger."[1]

"

Hmm.

"

Li Pin remained just as composed.

Xuan Jian was briefly taken aback. Then, he caught on. "Pioneer Li, have you already suspected this too? That the one who benefits the most is the mastermind?"

"No," Li Pin answered. "It's just that... whether it's the Aristocratic Alliance or Ai Sa of the Golden Emperor Clan, they're all my enemies. So them coming after me is normal. It makes perfect sense."

Xuan Jian was at a loss for words. "

Uh...

"

"When I decided to support Li Yunyao in competing for the inheritance, I was already prepared to fight every faction behind the contenders. The only reason I haven't made a move yet is because we haven't reached the third phase."

Li Pin set the manual aside. "Since you've uncovered this, and now that I have a legitimate reason, I might as well use the Aristocratic Alliance as a warm-up before taking on Ai Sa.

"It'll also serve as a show of strength. Otherwise, I fear this so-called genius of the Golden Emperor Clan might underestimate me and not take the upcoming battle seriously."

Xuan Jian was stunned. "We're... going after the Aristocratic Alliance first?"

He thought,

They are Ai Sa's rivals too. Helping Ai Sa eliminate the Aristocratic Alliance... Wouldn't that be harming your own side while pleasing your enemies?

"That's the plan. Send a formal challenge to the Aristocratic Alliance on my behalf."

Feeling that having Xuan Jian handle this was somewhat inappropriate, Li Pin spoke again, "I'll do it myself."

"This... Pioneer Li, isn't it a bit too soon to step onto the grand stage now?"

"It makes no difference whether it's now or later," Li Pin replied.

Besides, the Candlelight Alliance Expanded Meeting is about to begin. It fits perfectly.

***

At the Candlelight Alliance Expanded Meeting.

When Li Pin arrived in Gaia to convene the meeting, registrations flooded in. Even factions that originally had no ties to the alliance scrambled to find a way in, hoping to secure a seat at the gathering. If they could gain Gaia's official recognition afterward, all the better.

But then, as Chairman of the Gaia Alliance, Li Pin issued an ultimatum to the Aristocratic Alliance, sending shockwaves through every civilization.

According to the ultimatum, he intended to go to war against the Aristocratic Alliance. And that wasn't even the most shocking part. What truly sent ripples across Yin Luo Galaxy was his recent conflict with Ai Sa of the Golden Emperor Clan. Rumors spread that he had wiped out two elite squads under Ai Sa's command.

Furious, Ai Sa would have stormed straight to Gaia and crushed its civilization to cosmic dust if not for the higher-ups of the Golden Emperor Clan urging him to act with restraint.

This was the current state of affairs within the Yin Luo Galaxy. The Golden Emperor Clan's overwhelming power had forced the aristocratic clans to unite. They planned to eliminate the strongest contender, Ai Sa, first before turning to compete among themselves for supremacy.

In other words, the Yin Luo Galaxy was now divided into two major factions: Ai Sa and the Aristocratic Alliance. Yet under Li Pin's leadership, both the Gaia Alliance and the Candle Light Alliance had managed to offend both factions.

With diplomatic maneuvering no longer an option, civilizations that had once sought every possible means to join the Candle Light Alliance now hesitated. They withdrew as far as they could. Even within the alliance, many began pulling out, eager to distance themselves from the Gaia Alliance.

It wasn't that they lacked confidence in Li Pin or the Gaia Alliance, but... their actions were practically suicidal.

A three-way balance of power, strategic alliances, and diplomatic maneuvering. Were none of these viable options? Must they truly confront both factions simultaneously?

One faction was backed by powerful aristocratic clans, boasting dozens of major families. The other belonged to the Cosmic Radiance species. And the Gaia Alliance... no matter how much potential it had, that was a matter for the future. Right now, it simply couldn't compare to the other two.

As rumors spread and uncertainty grew, the long-anticipated expanded meeting finally began. But the turnout was far lower than expected.

The grand hall, built to accommodate tens of thousands and seat representatives from two to three thousand civilizations, barely filled a fifth of its capacity. Only four to five hundred representatives sat scattered across different sections.

In the past, Li Pin's presence had always been met with admiration. This time, while trust remained in their gazes, a subtle trace of unease lingered.

After all... even he wasn't certain whether he could lead Li Yunyao to victory and secure Yin Luo's legacy. And even if she did inherit the Astral God's power, until she attained the Cosmic Radiance, or at least Eternal Solar Flare level, she would still fall short of the Aristocratic Alliance and the Golden Emperor Clan at the Eternal Solar Flare level.

Just then, a commotion broke out among the White Dove Federation's delegation.

Li Pin glanced over and was immediately aware of what was happening.

Some civilizations were urging Grand Consul Lan Chi to step forward and persuade him to retract the war declaration. Instead, they proposed an alliance with the Aristocratic Alliance to stand against Ai Sa of the Golden Emperor Clan.

Under mounting pressure, Lan Chi rose to his feet and declared, "My Lord, the White Dove Federation unconditionally supports your decisions. If war breaks out, just give the order. We will follow you, no matter the cost."

His words sent ripples through the crowd. Some representatives' expressions darkened, and even within the White Dove Federation, a few officials furrowed their brows, their faces clouded with concern.

Li Pin looked at Lan Chi, slightly surprised. After a brief pause, he let out a soft chuckle. "That's quite bold of you, wagering the entire White Dove Federation on this."

"I simply trust you," Lan Chi said firmly. "Besides, since we've committed to aiding you, we won't waver or go back on our word."

Li Pin said nothing more.

At that moment, Yuan Zhenchuan hurried into the hall. "My Lord, the Aristocratic Alliance has sent an envoy. They wish to observe the Candle Light Alliance's meeting."

1. A Chinese idiom to describe a situation where a weaker or less powerful entity (the wolf) is manipulated or forced to confront and overcome a stronger or more dominant one (the tiger). It implies strategic maneuvering, cunning, or indirect methods to achieve a goal, often by pitting two opposing forces against each other. ☜