Chapter 634: Clean Up

Li Pin smiled. "Has the envoy arrived?"

There was no need to guess the reason for the Aristocratic Alliance's envoy visiting at this moment.

Li Pin swept his gaze around.

Five or six hundred civilizations.... It's still too many,

thought Li Pin.

These forces remained within the Candle Light Alliance out of trust. They didn't just believe in the alliance; they believed in him as well. That trust, in turn, placed a certain responsibility on his shoulders.

Though he believed every civilization had to bear the consequences of its own choices, that didn't mean their trust in him would have no effect.

The Yin Luo Galaxy was small, and with an undisputed overlord in place, there was little room left for more factions. In that sense, the envoy's arrival wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

"Bring them in," Li Pin said.

Xiang Tianxing nodded and quickly relayed the message.

In truth, the message was unnecessary. Led by the yet-to-arrive envoy of the Immortal Wood Empire, a group of people entered the conference room, accompanied by an entourage of dozens.

One was Ling Feng, a member of the Immortal Wood Empire's royalty and ambassador.

The other was Shuo Chi, the patriarch of the Shuo Clan, whom he had briefly met during the formalities of joining the Yin Luo Council.

If even these two were merely accompanying figures, then those at the center could only be the representatives of the major aristocratic clans.

In the Yuan Yang Star Domain, only six clans were truly recognized as aristocratic.

At its core, the Yuan, Shang, and Ji Clans stood as the three dominant powers. Together, they were called the Yuan Yang Radiance.

The remaining three dominated different regions, with the Zi Clan of the Nine Luo Star Cluster being one of them.

The Aristocratic Alliance was led by these six great clans, but beyond them, there were also dozens of other mid-to-large-scale families of similar standings as the Yu and Si Clans.

Judging by the situation, the Shuo, Lin, and Ying Clans had joined as well.

Noticing Li Pin's gaze, one of the central figures, a middle-aged man in his forties with a commanding presence, waved a hand and smiled. He said, "Chairman Li, I hope we're not interrupting. Please, carry on. We're just here to observe and enjoy the excitement."

Yuan Zhenchuan quickly sent a voice transmission. "This is Yuan Xinghai, an envoy of the Yuan Clan. He may not be the clan patriarch, but he's the strongest beneath their Astral God.

"Like Yu Jianglong, he has refined a vast number of Astral World Fragments, giving him immense energy reserves. However, unlike Yu Jianglong, who ended up on this path by accident, Yuan Xinghai was deliberately cultivated as a top-tier combatant outside the Astral God Realm."

After a brief pause, he added, "For major aristocratic clans, sending out an Astral God's avatar signifies an escalation of conflict. To gain an edge in localized battles, nurturing one or two Divine Beings with overwhelming strength is a necessity."

Li Pin nodded.

What set aristocratic clans apart was their deep foundation. He couldn't speak for families like the Yu and Si Clans, but for powerhouses like the Yuan, Shang, Ji, and Zi Clans, raising Divine Beings as vessels for Astral Gods' descents was nothing unusual.

"Yuan Xinghai, is it?" Li Pin eyed him with a smile. "I've already issued a challenge to the Aristocratic Alliance over the Demon God Clan. And yet, you dare step onto my territory now?"

Yuan Xinghai was momentarily taken aback.

They had received Li Pin's challenge. Though they didn't see him as an immediate threat, they still took it seriously.

Had they not later discovered that he had killed Forest Wolf, the elite squad leader of the Wolfstar Consortium under Ai Sa's command, they might have even suspected that he had pledged allegiance to Ai Sa and become his blade.

However, it was precisely because of this that Yuan Xinghai had come to the Candle Light Alliance's Expanded Meeting. He couldn't let Ai Sa's power grow unchecked.

His plan was simple. First, showcase the Aristocratic Alliance's influence, making Li Pin realize that standing against them would only lead to isolation. Then, persuade him with reason, pulling him back into their ranks.

Yuan Xinghai thought,

Yet this man.... Is he truly so ignorant of the situation? Bluntly throwing such sharp words the moment we met?

Taking into account the decision reached by the patriarchs, Yuan Xinghai suppressed his displeasure and offered a smile. "Chairman Li, I believe there must be some misunderstandings between the Candle Light Alliance and our Aristocratic Alliance.

𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"It's precisely because of these misunderstandings that compelled you to act drastically and issue a challenge. My visit today is to help clear up those misunderstandings."

Ling Feng, standing nearby, chimed in with a smile. "Chairman Li, conflicts are best resolved, not deepened. More allies mean more opportunities, and there's no real conflict between us and the Aristocratic Alliance."

"No real conflict?" Li Pin chuckled. "Our Gaia Civilization is nominating a candidate to compete for Astral God Yin Luo's inheritance. Is the Aristocratic Alliance willing to withdraw from the Yin Luo Galaxy and hand over this opportunity?"

Yuan Xinghai frowned. Still, mindful of his mission, he replied calmly, "Chairman Li, if your candidate can truly prove their talent and superiority, why wouldn't we support them?"

He let out a hearty laugh. "How about this? I recall that the Candle Light Alliance recently procured a set of Divine Transformation Peak facilities. Coincidentally, our Aristocratic Alliance has similar equipment, only with higher precision."

Yuan Xinghai proposed, "Let your Gaia candidate take the test. If they rank at the top, the Aristocratic Alliance will fully support them."

"Well said," Li Pin replied. "However, I don't trust you."

"Chairman Li, aren't you being unreasonable?" A trace of anger surfaced on Yuan Xinghai's face. "We came with sincerity, hoping to resolve misunderstandings and ease conflicts. But with this attitude... are you set on making an enemy of the Aristocratic Alliance?"

His words resonated not only with the surrounding civilizations but also with many representatives within the Candle Light Alliance, who nodded silently in agreement.

Their leader's approach did seem overly aggressive. After all... the other party had come in person.

Li Pin replied, "The Aristocratic Alliance schemed against me once, and now you claim to be here in good faith to clear up misunderstandings?

"Then, how about this: I'll beat up the avatars of Yuan Xiangguang, Shang Jinzhao, Ji Fenglei, and Zi Zhongtian, then tell you it was all a misunderstanding and that I want to cooperate. Would you accept that?"

Before Yuan Xinghai got to speak, the two figures beside him had already snapped, "Outrageous!"

"How dare you! Li Pin, do you even know your place!? You dare to call our Grand Patriarchs by name!?"

Yuan Xinghai, who had been about to say something, darkened his expression at the right moment. Among them, some had to play the good cop, while others played the bad cop.

Li Pin glanced at the two. "And you are?"

Yuan Zhenchuan quickly introduced through spiritual transmission, "They are Shang Tiange and Ji Wanfa. Like Yuan Xinghai, they were both Divine Beings cultivated by the Shang and Ji families specifically for battle, though their reputations aren't as prominent."

Li Pin's interest was piqued. "Three Divine Beings trained solely for combat?"

He looked at the three with interest. "Judging by your stance, if words fail, you're prepared to use force?"

Li Pin shook his head. "No, even if all of you match Yu Jianglong's level... or even surpass him, reaching the eighth tier in strength, that still wouldn't be enough. If you want to intimidate me, your Grand Patriarchs' combat-specialized avatars need to make an appearance."

He swept his gaze across them. "Where are your Grand Patriarchs? Call them out. I'd like to see them."

Shang Tiange's voice turned sharp, "Li Pin, we acknowledge your strength in defeating the Astral God's combat-specialized avatars. But if you think that alone is enough to challenge the Aristocratic Alliance, you're gravely mistaken."

Ji Wanfa let out a cold laugh. "Astral God's combat-specialized avatar? If necessary, any one of our families can summon ten or more in a short time. You might defeat one or two, but can you take on ten? Twenty? Given enough time, we could even gather over a hundred of them with ease!"

Li Pin looked at them and said seriously, "Then go ahead. I'll give you time. If you can summon a hundred, bring a hundred. If not, then at least bring eighty. That way, when I step onto the Aristocratic Alliance's turf, you won't claim I caught you off guard or that your forces weren't ready."

Ji Wanfa roared in fury, "Li Pin! You arrogant fool!"

The look on Ji Wanfa's face made it clear that he wanted nothing more than to pounce on Li Pin. The only thing holding him back from acting was his own certainty of his defeat if he attacked.

At that moment, Shuo Chi quickly stepped forward to mediate. "Let's all take a step back. Ambassadors, please, there's no need for hostility. I've met with Councilor Li several times and understand his temperament. He responds better to sincerity than threats.

"You've come with goodwill. As long as he sees that, he'll be more than willing to stand with you against the oppression of the Golden Emperor Clan. Let me have a word with him."

Ji Wanfa harrumphed coldly and fell silent.

Yuan Xinghai and Shang Tiange also remained quiet, seemingly agreeing to let Shuo Chi persuade Li Pin.

Shuo Chi quickly said, "Councilor Li, whether or not you intend to push for a Gaian candidate to compete for Astral God Yin Luo's legacy, there is one fact you cannot deny: we share a common enemy: Ai Sa."

His tone grew solemn. "He's not only from the Golden Emperor Clan of the Cosmic Radiance race but also commands countless subordinate forces. With Astral God Yin Luo's power enhancing him, his talent is said to rival that of a human prodigy.

"In just a few dozen stellar years, he has accumulated unparalleled strength. Against such a formidable opponent, if we don't unite, wouldn't that be the same as fighting over war spoils before the battle is even won?"

He turned to the other envoys of the Candle Light Alliance. "Don't you all agree?"

For years, the Shuo Clan had ruled as the overlord of the Yin Luo Galaxy, and now, with the Aristocratic Alliance backing them, his words carried weight. And truthfully, there was logic to them. His questions drew immediate responses.

"He's right! Now isn't the time to turn against the Aristocratic Alliance."

"If I recall correctly, the Golden Emperor Clan's headquarters isn't even in our Yuan Yang Star Domain. In a sense, this is our internal matter. Why should they be allowed to take what rightfully belongs to us?"

"My lord... perhaps we should cooperate with the Aristocratic Alliance for now?"

Under Shuo Clan's encouragement, and with backing from civilizations that had long aligned with them in secret, representatives from various civilizations spoke up one after another.

Li Pin glanced at the dissenting civilizations in the hall.

Not enough. I need to push further.

"What if... I insist?"