148: The Anti-Union was established, and secrets were hidden.

At the top of the Yan God Tower, Xiao Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his Five-Star Dou Zun aura sweeping out like a tide, echoing the nine fiery suns in the sky above Yan Emperor City. The pale golden flame mark on his forehead glowed brilliantly, emanating an ancient majesty from Yan Zu. In the plaza below the tower, countless Yan Clan disciples looked up at the figure in blue, their eyes filled with fanaticism and reverence.

Nine layers passed, Yan Zu bestowed blood, Five-Star Dou Zun! Xiao Chen, with his undeniable strength, earned the respect of the entire Yan Clan!

His Majesty Emperor Yan's voice, like a divine decree, echoed throughout the city: "Xiao Chen, having passed the nine layers of the Yan God Tower and gaining Yan Zu's approval, is hereby granted the position of Guest Elder of the Yan Clan, enjoying royal treatment!"

"Greetings, Elder Xiao!" A thunderous cheer, like a mountain and a tsunami, erupted as countless Yan Clan disciples bowed in salute. At this moment, Xiao Chen's status within the Yan Clan was comparable to that of a core elder!

Xiao Chen slowly descended, arriving before His Majesty Emperor Yan's imperial carriage, and bowed: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your generous bestowal!"

His Majesty Emperor Yan looked at him with profound eyes and slowly said, "You have proven your strength and potential, and have even received Yan Zu's approval. Now, tell this Emperor and the elders the specifics of the 'Anti-Alliance' proposal you put forth on behalf of the Pill Tower."

At these words, the entire audience fell silent. All eyes focused on Xiao Chen. First Elder Great Elder of the Yan Clan's face was grim, while Second Elder Yan Hao's eyes showed anticipation. The future direction of the Yan Clan would be decided at this moment!

Xiao Chen took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over the high-ranking Yan Clan members, his voice steady and powerful: "Your Majesty, Elders! The ambition of the Soul Hall's 'Emperor Hunting Plan' is already clear! Its purpose is by no means merely to achieve a false emperor, but to attempt to open a passage to the Outer Realm Demonic World, bring the Sky Demons back, and subvert the continent! The calamity of the Flower Sect is just the beginning! If they succeed, the ancient catastrophe will surely repeat, and by then, even seclusion will not allow us to escape harm!"

He paused, then continued: "The Pill Tower, Starfall Pavilion, Flower Sect (remnants), and Sound Valley have resolved to unite and resist the Soul Hall! However, the Soul Hall is powerful, with pawns like the Heavenly Nether Sect and Ice River Valley, as well as the mysterious Heavenly Secret Pavilion secretly assisting them. Our strength is still insufficient! Only by uniting all like-minded individuals, especially powerful clans with ancient inheritances, can we contend with them!"

"The Yan Clan is one of the Eight Ancient Clans, with profound foundations, and its flame power is incomparably potent, making it a crucial force against the Soul Hall's death qi and the Outer Realm Demonic Qi! If the Yan Clan can join the Anti-Alliance, our strength will surely greatly increase, enough to directly confront the Soul Hall Alliance! By then, we can not only ensure the peace of the continent but also seize this opportunity to restore ancient glory, explore the mystery of Origin Qi, and open a new future for our clan!"

Xiao Chen's words were forceful and hit the mark! He both highlighted the seriousness of the crisis and presented a bright future of united resistance, further igniting the Yan Clan's inherent pride and fighting spirit!

In the plaza, many young disciples were already boiling with excitement, their eyes burning! Even some neutral elders showed thoughtful expressions.

First Elder Great Elder of the Yan Clan snorted coldly: "Easier said than done! The Soul Hall colludes with the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, its power spread across the continent, and there's even Hun Tiandi, suspected of being a Half-Emperor, in command! Rushing into battle, wouldn't that be like throwing an egg at a rock? Putting our Yan Clan's sons in danger?"

Xiao Chen looked at Great Elder of the Yan Clan, neither humble nor arrogant: "What the First Elder says is very true; the Soul Hall is indeed powerful. But precisely because of its power, we cannot sit idly by and watch it grow stronger! Now, the Soul Hall is not yet fully prepared; this is the best time for us to unite and counterattack! If we wait until its wings are fully grown and it opens the demonic realm passage, by then we will all be fish on a chopping block! When adversaries meet on a narrow path, the brave one wins! My teacher Xuan Kongzi of the Pill Tower, Venerable Feng of Starfall Pavilion, and even His Majesty the Dragon Emperor of Ancient Dragon Island, have all expressed their stance, willing to fight to the death for the common people of the continent! Is the Yan Clan willing to fall behind?"

His last sentence carried a hint of provocation, and he even brought up an existence like the Dragon Emperor, which carried immense weight!

Great Elder of the Yan Clan's face changed, and he was momentarily speechless.

Second Elder Yan Hao spoke up at the opportune moment, his voice like a great bell: "Your Majesty! What Elder Xiao says is reasonable! The Soul Hall's wolfish ambition is known throughout the continent! Our Yan Clan has lived in seclusion for many years, not out of cowardice, but waiting for the right moment! Now, the moment has arrived! With powerful allies like the Pill Tower, Starfall Pavilion, and Ancient Dragon Island, the strength of the Anti-Alliance cannot be underestimated! If our Yan Clan joins, we will surely become a pillar of strength, asserting our might across the continent! I, your subject, second the motion to join the Anti-Alliance!"

"I second the motion!"

"I second the motion!"

Many radical and neutral elders voiced their support! The young disciples in the plaza were even more impassioned!

His Majesty Emperor Yan sat on his imperial carriage, his gaze sweeping over the entire scene, finally resting on Xiao Chen, remaining silent for a long time. The entire Yan Emperor City was utterly silent, awaiting his final decision.

Finally, His Majesty Emperor Yan slowly spoke, his voice carrying an undeniable majesty: "By this Emperor's decree: The Yan Clan officially joins the 'Anti-Soul Alliance'! Effective immediately, prepare for war, and together with allies such as the Pill Tower, Starfall Pavilion, Ancient Dragon Island, Sound Valley, and Flower Sect, resist the Soul Hall!"

"Your Majesty is wise!" Led by Yan Hao, countless Yan Clan disciples knelt on the ground, their voices shaking the heavens! First Elder Great Elder of the Yan Clan's face was grim, but he dared not defy the imperial decree and could only bow in acceptance.

The Anti-Alliance gained another powerful ally! The continental landscape was shaken!

Xiao Chen let out a long sigh of relief in his heart; the first step had finally succeeded!

In the following days, Yan Emperor City was bustling. His Majesty Emperor Yan personally ordered the mobilization of resources, training of troops, crafting of weapons, and urgently contacted forces such as the Pill Tower and Starfall Pavilion through special channels to discuss alliance details and operational plans. As a representative of the Pill Tower and a Guest Elder of the Yan Clan, Xiao Chen participated in core meetings, offering many constructive suggestions, and his vision and courage once again won the approval of the Yan Clan's high-ranking members.

However, even as the Anti-Alliance matters were progressing rapidly, Xiao Chen's Heavenly Realm Soul Power consistently detected a faint, lingering shadow. He felt that the eyes of the Heavenly Secret Pavilion in the dark had not disappeared with the Yan Clan's joining; instead, they had become deeper and more dangerous.

That night, Xiao Chen was meditating in the Guest Elder's residence, consolidating his Five-Star Dou Zun realm and attempting to refine the residual power of the yan ancestor's essence blood within his body. Suddenly, his brow twitched, and in his soul perception, an extremely subtle communication fluctuation penetrated the layers of Yan Emperor City's barrier, silently entering deep within the residence—into First Elder Great Elder of the Yan Clan's secluded cultivation chamber!

"Hmm?" Xiao Chen's eyes narrowed, "First Elder Great Elder of the Yan Clan? He has secret contact with the outside world?"

He felt a surge of alarm in his heart, and his Heavenly Realm Soul Power quietly spread, attempting to intercept the content of the transmission. But the fluctuation was extremely strange, carrying the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's unique aura of concealing heavenly secrets, making it difficult for him to fully decipher with his current soul realm. He only caught a few vague word fragments:

"...plan...smooth...Xiao Chen...variable...sacrifice...timing..."

"Sacrifice? Timing?" A chill surged in Xiao Chen's heart! The Heavenly Secret Pavilion was indeed plotting in the dark! And their target was him! First Elder Great Elder of the Yan Clan was probably already infiltrated or swayed by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion!

"I must quickly warn His Majesty Emperor Yan!" Xiao Chen immediately rose, about to head to the Emperor Yan Hall.

However, just as he stepped out of the mansion gate, a sudden change occurred in the sky above the entire Yan Emperor City!

"Buzz—!"

The nine fiery suns suddenly dimmed! The defensive array's light barrier covering the entire city fluctuated violently! A monstrous aura of death and cold permeated from the void outside the city, instantly engulfing Yan Emperor City!

"Enemy attack! The Soul Hall Alliance is attacking!" A shrill alarm echoed throughout the city!

Xiao Chen's face changed drastically as he looked up! He saw countless Soul Hall, Heavenly Nether Sect, and Ice River Valley warships and powerful experts pressing down like dark clouds in the void outside Yan Emperor City! Leading them were none other than Soul Hall Vice Hall Master Soul Destruction Heaven (Five-Star Dou Zun Peak), Heavenly Nether Sect Master Ming Yuan (Five-Star Dou Zun), and Ice River Valley Master Venerable Bing (Peak Four-Star Dou Zun)! Even more terrifying, amidst the pervasive death qi, a vague, indistinct shadow, yet emanating a terrifying aura that could freeze one's soul, quietly hovered. Its oppressive power subtly surpassed the scope of Five-Star Dou Zun!

"Is that... a projected clone of Soul Hall Master Hun Tiandi?!" Xiao Chen's pupils contracted sharply! The Soul Hall actually deployed such a powerful force to directly attack Yan Emperor City?! How dare they?! Could it be... related to the "timing" transmitted by the Heavenly Secret Pavilion?!

"Emperor Yan! Hand over Xiao Chen, disband the Anti-Alliance, otherwise today will be the day the Yan Clan is annihilated!" Soul Destruction Heaven's sinister voice, like a death knell, struck the heart of every Yan Clan member!

A great battle was imminent! And Xiao Chen keenly sensed that this sudden siege must have the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's dark hand behind it! Their goal was not merely to disrupt the Anti-Alliance, but to completely eliminate him, this "variable" and "sacrifice," right here!

"It seems the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's chess piece has fallen..." Xiao Chen clenched his fist, his eyes burning with fighting spirit, "Then let me see if your chess game can trap me, this chess piece... that defies the heavens!"

His figure moved, transforming into a streak of light, rushing towards the city wall! His Five-Star Dou Zun aura erupted without reservation! Today, he would fight to the death on the city wall of Yan Emperor City, against the Soul Hall Alliance and the mastermind behind it!