. The Northwest Continent was vastly inferior to the Central Plains in both cultivation environment and overall strength. However, this didn't mean the region wasn't well-informed.
After four or five days of ferment, rumors of the Lion Nether Sect's demise had spread to all the major factions, and countless prominent figures were suddenly filled with anxiety.
After all, the Lion Nether Sect boasted several Dou Zun masters; otherwise, given their style of conduct, they would have been annihilated long ago.
Throughout the Northwest, those with the ability and motivation to act could only imagine the recent return of the leader to the Heavenly Alliance.
While there was no evidence, this didn't stop them from imagining things.
The Heavenly Alliance's expansion signaled ambition, and in its quest to unify the Northwest, the Lion Nether Sect was a hurdle they couldn't avoid.
Conveniently, destroying the Lion Nether Sect would intimidate these weaker factions, forcing them to voluntarily accede to its fold. This was a tacit consensus shared by most factions.
While few sympathized with the Lion Nether Sect's destruction, the applause was followed by a surge of deep concern.
"Ah, I'm afraid that without the lion, we'll usher in an even more formidable tiger!"
"I heard that Queen Medusa, Vice Leader of the Heavenly Alliance and wife of Alliance Leader Chen Guan, is about to give birth. Prepare a generous gift. I'll go there in person."
From the Tianxing Empire's palace, the emperor, rarely seen wielding real power, gazed into the night and gave orders to the shadows.
Similar scenes unfolded before and after many factions.
Congratulations were undoubtedly just a pretext; their real purpose was to test the waters.
...
Chen Guan anticipated some of the outside world's suspicions, but he paid no heed.
As the saying goes, when you gaze into the abyss, the abyss also gazes back. It's a matter of attitude, a mutual one.
It's just that this time, the initiative rested with him.
Consequently, Chen Guan showed no sign of anxiety, as if completely relaxed. Every day, he traveled between the Jiama Empire and the Demonic Beast Mountain Range, either chatting with Yao Ye and Xing Tian in the palace or discussing alchemy with Fama at the Alchemist Guild.
It was just a discussion, but who knew what was going on?
After two or three days of discussion, Fama, feeling profoundly enlightened, announced a retreat to digest the insights. He anticipated that by the time he emerged, he would have a sixth-grade high-level elixir within his grasp.
Without Fama, Chen Guan no longer cared about going to the Alchemist Guild. Once again, he was driven out by Queen Medusa and Little Medical Fairy, whose connections skyrocketed, practically lining up with each other. He left with a grumble. On
a routine trip to the Imperial Capital, at the Tianmeng headquarters, Chen Guan saw the Tang siblings receiving personal instruction from Jia Xingtian. Yao Ye, Yao Yue, Qing Lin, and Zi Yan were chatting in the pavilion, all appearing harmonious. Without interrupting them, he smiled and headed for the Yunlan Sect.
Since that day's gathering, Yun Yun had returned with Yun Shan and Nalan Yan Ran. She held numerous ties to the Yunlan Sect, and the opportunity to return was one she wouldn't miss.
Under the moonlight, Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran sat side by side on the hilltop, seemingly endlessly discussing their conversation. Their silvery laughter
was a welcome relief. This master-disciple pair truly shared a sweet bond!
Chen Guan glanced at them from afar, waved and greeted them, but shamelessly avoided approaching.
This time, he'd come specifically to show his concern for the elderly living alone! He
'd been back for a few days, already visited the Imperial Palace and the Alchemist Guild, and privately provided resources to Jia Xingtian and Fama. Yun Shan, a father-in-law, was naturally not to be left out.
Everything in the current Tianmeng Alliance was structured, and openly giving too much resources was a bad idea, as it would easily upset the others.
After a quick tour, Chen Guan soon found Yun Shan in a secret room in the back mountains.
The desolate back mountains, the empty room, and the little old man—wasn't that the epitome of an empty-nest elderly?
With a faint smile, Chen Guan took out a pot of wine, then replaced it with a pot of medicinal tea, before approaching and pushing the door open.
I swear to heaven, Chen Guan didn't even use any force, just a light touch, and the half-closed stone door collapsed with a loud bang.
Yunshan's mouth twitched slightly, as if recalling some unpleasant memory.
"This..."
"Never mind, don't worry about it. I don't live here anymore, so I didn't have anyone reinstall it when it broke. I just happened to remember something today, so I came over to check."
Seeing Chen Guan about to reach down, Yunshan spoke casually.
In public, he showed all due respect, but in private, he was very casual.
A mother can be honored by her son, and a teacher can be honored by his disciple!
Secondly, he was quite familiar with Chen Guan's personality.
Nothing unpleasant had happened between them before, and now they were sitting together, reminiscing and chatting, the atmosphere was quite pleasant.
They chatted until the early hours of the morning, and after three rounds of tea, Chen Guan finally took his leave.
Releasing his mental energy slightly, he saw that Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran had already moved back to their rooms. Chen Guan sighed helplessly.
He clearly had three wives, but why did he still feel like he had no idea where to start?
He sighed as he left the Yunlan Sect. The imperial capital was still ablaze with lights, like a city that never sleeps, infinitely more prosperous than when he was a teenager.
Suddenly, a gaze shot up from below.
Chen Guan followed his gaze and immediately met Hai Bodong's eyes.
With a slight smile, Chen Guan vanished into thin air, and the next moment, Hai Bodong was stunned to find him standing beside him.
A Dou Zun expert, so terrifying!
"Haha, the Alliance Leader's current strength has already surpassed my imagination. I still remember the first time I met him. Back then, I could even fight him. I'll be able to brag about it later,
saying that I once fought a fierce battle with Chen Guan, the leader of the Heavenly Alliance, and it was a close match!" Hai Bodong's voice echoed with laughter, sounding incredibly bold.
Chen Guan smiled freely. He and Hai Bodong had indeed fought before,
though it was more accurately described as a sparring match. Back
then, his realm was low, his strength was weak, and he had to give almost his all to barely draw. Hai Bodong's strength was significantly suppressed, and he hadn't yet unleashed his true fighting skills.
Anyone with a discerning eye could see the water in this.
But now that Hai Bodong mentioned it, Chen Guan didn't hesitate to expose it.
Truthfully, this little flattery was quite pleasant to hear.
"Old Hai, you can try fighting me now. We'll tell you later. At worst, I'll just say Chen Guan was slightly better."
"Hahaha, no, after all, a one-move difference in chess is not as good as a draw. You'll never break this achievement again in your lifetime. I'm the opponent you can never defeat."
Younger than the other three members of the Gamma F4, Hai Bodong was also more prone to joking.
While closing the distance, he always maintained a balance that didn't cause offence. The old man was quite the expert at this!
The two chatted and laughed as they went inside and drank some fine wine.
During this time, Chen Guan also gifted him some resources, even more generous than those given to Jia Xingtian and Yunshan.
With the aid of the Tianhan Crystal, Hai Bodong's goal of crossing the Dou Zong barrier would be much easier than taking the Po Zong Dan. After breaking through, his advancement would be even faster than Jia Xingtian and Yunshan's.
Chen Guan even felt that with these Tianhan crystals he brought back from the Sound Valley, Hai Bodong would become the strongest person besides their group of young people, and it wouldn't take long for him to surpass Jia Xingtian and Yunshan! After
receiving such a great gift, Hai Bodong didn't say a word of thanks, but just bowed solemnly, just like a subordinate performing a ceremony in front of others.
Smart people know that verbal gratitude has no practical significance.
Unknowingly, it was late at night, and Hai Bodong was in a state of restlessness after obtaining the Tianhan crystals. He couldn't wait to "try something new".
Therefore, Chen Guan didn't talk to him much, and asked him to arrange a room before leaving.
This was originally an ordinary little thing, but in the middle of the night, when Chen Guan closed his eyes to practice, there was a knock on the door.
With a sweep of his mental power, Chen Guan was surprised.
"Ya Fei?"
He had never thought that this woman would be here, and would come to see him at this time.
(End of this chapter)