"Xiao Yan! You're finally here!"
"Xiao Yan, my young friend, it's been far too long."
"Tsk, tsk. In just a few short years, your strength has soared to such heights. The next generation is formidable indeed—a hero has emerged while still young!"
"I said it before: even if we wanted an alliance, something would be missing until Xiao Yan arrived."
When Xiao Yan reached Starfall Pavilion, he received an extraordinarily warm welcome, though he himself was its young pavilion master.
Facing these figures who could stir storms across the continent, these Dou Sheng seniors, Xiao Yan could now remain neither servile nor arrogant. Every gesture carried the bearing of a grandmaster.
With the Xiao Clan behind him and, more importantly, the strength he now possessed, not one of them dared look down on him.
After greeting everyone, Xiao Yan took the initiative. "It is Starfall Pavilion's honor to welcome friends and seniors who have traveled so far. But leaving you standing outside the hall is hardly our way of receiving guests. Please, come inside with me so we can talk!"
With the alliance about to be formed, Xiao Yi Xian had chosen Starfall Pavilion as the site of its first gathering and had naturally made preparations long ago.
Under the guidance of Starfall Pavilion's disciples, the many experts took their seats in the order arranged beforehand.
The alliance was only just taking shape, so ranking everyone would have been awkward. But Xiao Yi Xian was clever as snow and ice; she would never let any expert feel slighted by their seat. After all, each of these people could stamp a foot in the Central Plains and set off no small upheaval.
They therefore sat around a huge round table, arranged by faction. Everyone seated there was a Dou Sheng Expert;