Chen Feng stood up with a flick of his sleeve, his face carrying a half-smile, half-sorrowful expression.
"Clan Leader Niu, is this truly your understanding of the situation? Let me be blunt—given the strength of the Spirit Hall, locating the Defending Clan would be child's play. If they intended to eliminate your clan, they would've done so long ago. Do you think they need some tournament as an excuse?"
Niu Gao's expression darkened immediately.
"We've lived by the rules, kept our heads down, and haven't violated any decrees. They have no reason to target us. But if we show ourselves at the tournament—that might just remind them of old grudges."
Chen Feng shook his head.
"You think living quietly and cautiously means you'll be left alone? Have you never heard the saying, 'The tree wants peace, but the wind won't stop'?"
Niu Gao's face turned even more sour.
"What, now you're here to lecture me? So that's how the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan teaches their juniors to behave—no manners at all!"
"Forgive me, but even if Uncle Ning made such a decision, I'd still call it out. A clan leader shouldn't be making such naive mistakes."
Chen Feng shook his head in disappointment and casually tossed out a token.
Niu Gao caught it and gave it a cursory glance, initially unimpressed.
Just a standard clan token, every inner disciple gets one...
But the next second, something caught his eye.
In addition to the signature Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the token was engraved with a finely detailed sword and a skeletal dragon.
He flipped it over, and his eyes widened.
This… this is an Elder's Token, not a disciple's!
Niu Gao quickly returned the token with both hands, his expression turning serious.
"Did the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan uncover some insider information? Is the Spirit Hall planning a move?"
Chen Feng neither confirmed nor denied. He merely nodded slightly.
"Let's just say... Pope Bibi Dong is not a woman known for staying in her place."
Niu Gao's expression flickered. After a moment of silent contemplation, he sighed heavily.
"We fled to the Star Luo Empire just to avoid them. Do they still refuse to let us go? What do they want from us?"
At this moment, Yang Dianfeng chimed in.
"Grandpa Niu, why not do what our Breaking Clan did—ally with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan? Move the clan closer to them. With our numbers combined, we'll be stronger together."
"What?" Niu Gao blinked. "You've already allied? That stubborn old goat agreed to that? And he didn't even tell me?"
Yang Dianfeng offered a wry smile.
"It only happened a few days ago. We just left the clan and came here right after."
Niu Gao's eyes widened.
"By the heavens… knowing your grandfather, what kind of promises did the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan offer to make him budge?"
From the side, Chen Feng added:
"There were no promises or benefits offered. Clan Leader Yang Wudi decided after much deliberation. And with all due respect, Clan Leader Niu, given the strength of your clan, other major sects will surely start eyeing you in the future. How will you respond then?"
That struck a nerve.
In truth, the Elephant Armored Sect had already made contact, suggesting the Defending Clan merge with them, becoming a subordinate hall under their control.
It was nothing short of annexation.
"That old goat... maybe he was the smarter one this time. Better to choose your allies than be swallowed whole."
Niu Gao muttered to himself, then turned sharply toward Chen Feng.
"If we do ally, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan won't interfere in our internal matters, right?"
"Naturally. Allies don't meddle in each other's business." Chen Feng replied.
"Then it's settled!" Niu Gao grinned and clapped Chen Feng hard on the shoulder.
Crack.
Though Chen Feng stood tall and unaffected, the floor beneath him cracked open. His boots had sunk partially into the stone tiles like nails driven into wood.
Everyone in the room stiffened—except for Chen Feng and Niu Gao.
Why did he suddenly strike him!?
Thankfully, there was no soul power behind the blow—it seemed to be just a test.
Chen Feng pulled his feet free and sighed.
"Clan Leader Niu… what was that supposed to be?"
"Haha, don't mind me. Since you're recruiting Niu Zhen into your team, I figured I'd test your strength first. Heh." Niu Gao laughed sheepishly.
But in truth, he was deeply shocked.
That strike hadn't carried soul power, true, but it had enough brute force to make an ordinary Soul Sect cough blood. Yet Chen Feng had taken it like it was nothing.
"Ahem…"
Yang Dianfeng looked awkwardly between the two.
"Grandpa Niu, maybe no more tests, okay? Before he came to our clan, Chen Feng wiped out two Soul Kings from the Spirit Hall's sub-hall in Pisno City. And they weren't just novices either…"
"Heh… you're joking, right?" Niu Gao forced a chuckle.
Yang Dianfeng scratched his head.
"That's just what I heard—but I don't think they were joking…"
He glanced toward Chen Feng and Yu Tianlong for confirmation.
From the side, Yu Tianlong muttered:
"If you're curious, Clan Leader Niu, send someone to Pisno City and check it out."
His tone was firm and confident.
Niu Gao remained skeptical. But regardless of rumors, Chen Feng had tanked that strike with ease—that much was undeniable.
"Alright, enough talk." Niu Gao waved it off. "Since we're allying with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, this is cause for celebration. You'll stay with the Defending Clan a few more days. I can't promise much—but there'll be meat and wine aplenty!"
Later, when it came time to eat, Chen Feng and Yu Tianlong finally understood what "meat and wine aplenty" meant to the Defending Clan.
An entire long table, stacked high with over thirty dishes, all meat. Not a single vegetable in sight.
As for the wine? Forget wine bowls. In the Defending Clan, they drank straight from ceramic jugs.
Chen Feng and Yu Tianlong exchanged wide-eyed glances.
This… wasn't just drinking. This was warfare.
Yang Dianfeng was used to it—interactions among the four single-attribute clans were frequent.
But Chen Feng and Yu Tianlong? They were completely out of their depth.
Worse, the hosts were so enthusiastic that declining felt rude.
Yu Tianlong looked at Chen Feng, then at the grinning Niu Gao, Niu Zhen, and Yang Wudi. Finally, he blinked twice, then stood up with a heroic flourish and pulled off his top, revealing a muscular chest.
"Forget it! Tonight, I'm going all in! Anyone wanting to drink—come at me! I'll drink on behalf of Chen Feng!"
"Good!" Niu Zhen bellowed. "That's how it should be! Drinking should be done with passion. Come, Tianlong—ditch the bowl. Take this wine jug! We'll do three rounds to start!"
Yu Tianlong's knees buckled a little.
Three… jugs!?
Just as the revelry reached its peak, a commotion sounded outside the Defending Clan compound.
Niu Gao of the Defending Clan, are you here? I am Hu Yan Ting of the Elephant Armored Sect—come to pay a visit!