Yan Lan's domineering attitude made Lin Heng chuckle.
"If reasoning fails, you're resorting to fists?"
Facing Yan Lan's aggressive gaze, Lin Heng met her eyes without flinching.
Yan Lan proudly raised his head, ready to take the hit immediately.
At this moment, Liuyun Lan, the representative of the Ninefold Heaven Firmament Hall who had been quietly watching from the crowd, spoke up.
" Yan Lan, let's keep things separate. I think we should clarify things regarding your Fire Clan first. If the Fire Clan hadn't used its power to intimidate others, why would Lin Heng have attacked your Fire Clan members?"
Liuyun Lan's voice rang out, drawing Yan Lan's attention.
Yan Lan had already guessed that the Firmament Hall would intervene.
He merely snorted in response, "Whatever mistakes my Fire Clan members may have made, it's none of Lin Heng's place to lecture them."
Upon hearing this, Liuyun Lan's expression turned slightly displeased; he hadn't expected Yan Lan to be so shameless.
After all, the Thirteen Factions usually maintain a facade of respectability, but this guy is now abandoning even that?
" Yan Lan, if that's the case, then I'll make my point clear: if your Fire Clan doesn't explain things clearly before taking action against Lin Heng, do you really think we Ascenders Ones are easy to bully? My Firmament Hall will not allow it."
Liuyun Lan retorted domineeringly.
Following Liuyun Lan, Chen Yulin also laughed and said, " Yan Lan, I think it would be better to clarify things first. It's not right to attack Lin Heng without knowing the facts."
Following the two, the representatives of the other three major forces on the Ascenders side, though silent, all stepped forward, their attitudes quite clear.
Seeing this, Yan Lan couldn't help but turn his head and glance at the Eight Great Imperial Clans.
Apart from two groups that have historically maintained good relations with the Fire Clan and moved slightly forward, the other five groups chose to stand aside and observe.
It's not that the Eight Great Imperial Clans are not united.
If the Five Great Ascender Factions were to attack, and any one of the Eight Great Imperial Clans were to be attacked, the other seven families would immediately unite to launch a counterattack.
However, as natives of the Longevity Realm, the Eight Great Imperial Clans who control the eight Power of Origin of the universe have always regarded themselves as having an extremely high status.
If the Fire Clan is in the right, they will naturally not stand idly by.
But now everyone can see that Yan Lan is simply shameless.
If the Fire Clan is willing to abandon its pride to do such a thing, the other factions that consider themselves royalty will naturally not side with them.
What is royalty?
That is an existence that stands proudly at the pinnacle of all living beings.
How could someone in such a position do something so shameless?
Now Yan Lan had a bit of a headache.
Things haven't gone as planned, and now they're completely out of control.
Seeing the Five Great Ascender Factions eyeing them covetously, it was naturally unlikely that they could use the Fire Clan's prestige to intimidate them.
After a moment's hesitation, Yan Lan had no choice but to back down and said, " Lin Heng, if you really want that ten million li of territory, my Fire Clan can give it to you, but it depends on whether you can really handle it."
Lin Heng noticed the cunning in Yan Lan's eyes as she spoke, sensing that there was something more to Yan Lan's words.
Before Lin Heng could think further, Sun Yuan had already agreed.
"As long as you give it to us, what can't we eat?"
Sun Yuan sneered.
Yan Lan's lips curled up slightly, a hint of smug satisfaction in his expression.
"Okay, I remember you guys started your sect ten years later, right?"
After Yan Lan asked the question, Sun Yuan nodded, and then continued, "Ten years from now, if you truly have the ability, I will gladly offer you a territory spanning thousands of miles."
Sun Yuan objected. "Why must we wait ten years?"
Yan Lan didn't explain, but glanced at the Five Great Ascender Factions, then fixed his gaze on Liuyun Lan: "Is there anything wrong with what I did?"
Liuyun Lan's expression was somewhat complicated at this moment. She seemed to have guessed what Yan Lan was going to do, but was restrained by something, and looked helpless.
Faced with Yan Lan's question and the puzzled looks from Lin Heng and Sun Yuan, Liuyun Lan could only nod in agreement.
Yan Lan then looked at Lin Heng again and spoke, "I'll give you 20,000 Source Crystal now. As for the tens of millions of miles of territory and Origin Vein, I will prepare them in ten years. Whether you have the strength to take them then will depend on your own fortune."
After Yan Lan finished speaking, she actually took out a storage ring containing 20,000 Source Crystal and handed it to Lin Heng.
After giving the Source Crystal, Yan Lan turned around and led the Fire Clan back to their sect.
Strangely, despite such an embarrassing solution, not a single person from the Fire Clan showed any displeasure.
On the contrary, as the Fire Clan members left, they all looked at Lin Heng with smiles, as if they were expecting something.
After the Fire Clan members disappeared, the other sects who had come to watch the spectacle also left one after another.
Liuyun Lan then walked up to Lin Heng, who looked puzzled, and said, " Lin Heng, for the next ten years, try your best to improve your cultivation. If you need anything, come to me. The Sect Master has ordered that I will do my best to help you."
Liuyun Lan's words carried a sense of powerlessness, prompting Lin Heng to ask curiously, "Is there something wrong with Non-Self founding my own sect?"
Liuyun Lan sighed and began to explain to Lin Heng.
There was nothing wrong with Lin Heng establishing his own sect.
The key issue lies in the size of Lin Heng's territory.
There is an unwritten rule in the Ninefold Heaven: nine is the ultimate number, and breaking ten means destruction.
The number one power in the Ninefold Heaven can possess a territory spanning ninety million miles, but that is its limit.
Further up, across billions of miles, only Thirteen Factions can possess it.
But they are reasonable too.
If you also want to own such a large territory, I'll give you the opportunity.
If you can accept the challenge from any of the Thirteen Factions and defeat them, then your sect will automatically be granted territory spanning hundreds of millions of miles.
When Liuyun Lan was in the Soul-Burying Mountain Range, all she knew was that Yan Lin had promised to give Lin Heng five million miles of territory from the Fire Clan.
Afterwards, Lin Heng won first place in the martial arts competition and was granted a territory of 90 million li. Adding the Fire Clan's 5 million li, the total was only 95 million li, which did not reach the limit. Therefore, Liuyun Lan did not stop him.
But only today did Liuyun Lan learn from Yan Lan that although Yan Lin had promised to give 20,000 Source Crystal, it was just an excuse to deceive the Fire Clan. In reality, he had promised to give Lin Heng a total of 10 million miles of territory.
This is where the problem arises: if the limit is exceeded, Lin Heng will have to accept the challenge.
As for why Liuyun Lan didn't stop it earlier...
The problem is, there's no chance!
Yan Lan had just set the trap, and Liuyun Lan hadn't even recovered from it when Sun Yuan had already agreed.
Having already agreed, there's no room for backing out.
Even if Liuyun Lan had explained the matter clearly, Yan Lan would not have given Lin Heng a chance to go back on his word.
At that time, Lin Heng will be the one who loses his ground, and the other four Ascenders forces will definitely not side with Lin Heng on this matter.
After explaining, Liuyun Lan didn't want to discourage Lin Heng further, so she could only offer a comforting word. "With your current strength, you can already contend with Seventh-Turn Samsara. If you work harder for the next ten years, you might be able to defeat Yan Lan."