Though slightly awkward and irritating, that whole scene with Seth had certainly knocked down much of the prior stiffness and distance between us!
"Please forgive my inadequate hosting earlier; I apologize for any offense caused," Sui Yun said.
"The Great Chief is too kind," I quickly replied.
After a round of pleasantries, Sui Yun got straight to the point: "To be frank, I invited you to Azure Orchid City for matters of importance that require discussion."
In truth, after Seth exposed our identities, I had a good idea of what the Snow Plain Tribe intended.
"..." Yin Shuang instinctively glanced toward me.
"Great Chief, please speak plainly."
"The Snow Plain Tribe and your Demon Dragon Empire share a common enemy," Sui Yun stated seriously. "I believe we can become allies, don't you think?"
"The Great Chief means cooperation."
"Precisely," Sui Yun confirmed. "May I ask Prince Qin's opinion on this."
"More friends mean more paths!" I declared. "Especially since Brother Sui Feng and I instantly felt a kinship; perhaps our meeting was arranged by the heavens."
"Well said! This is the hand of fate," Sui Yun beamed. "The Snow Plain Tribe formally establishes an alliance with the Demon Dragon Empire, starting today."
"I, Jiuyao Shenzhen, on behalf of the Demon Dragon Empire, hereby forge an alliance with the Snow Plain Tribe to jointly resist a powerful foe."
The arrival of this unexpected ally truly invigorated both Yin Shuang and me immensely.
Yan Luo's condition was critical, yet I wasn't entirely confident in my ability to defeat Yue Che.
Now, with the help of the Snow Plain Tribe, I felt my chances of victory had grown significantly!
Sui Yun was the Great Chief of the Snow Plain Tribe, and I was the Prince Qin of the Demon Dragon Empire, possessing the requisite status and authority to seal this agreement for our respective factions.
Although it was currently just a verbal agreement between the two of us, the alliance was born!
Subsequently, to show the importance placed upon this alliance!
Sui Yun immediately issued an order, summoning the tribal elders scattered across the Snow Plain to gather in Azure Orchid City and formally announce the momentous occasion of this alliance.
The elders from all regions convened in Azure Orchid City!
What followed were the tedious affairs of diplomacy!
All of this fell upon Yin Shuang's shoulders.
Yin Shuang was far more familiar with the internal workings of the Demon Dragon Empire than I was.
Moreover, she was a master of diplomatic negotiations. Even though she was handling everything alone, she managed all the frameworks and protocols with flawless order.
Within the small confined space, every kind of official document was readily available!
"Good heavens, they even have diplomatic documents," I exclaimed, greatly surprised.
"Of course. Before we even left, the Divine Shaman had prepared these, saying we'd surely need them someday. Even the draft articles of the treaty were prepared in advance," Yin Shuang said with a hint of pride, clearly having come fully prepared. "Look, these are ready-made; all you need to do is sign."
"Incredible, so capable! Even the Divine Shaman calculated this," I was completely stunned!
"It's really nothing much," Yin Shuang said, looking at me strangely. "After all, you have a track record. Don't forget how you established the Black Flag Army back then."
Sweat broke out. A 'track record'!
"So," Yin Shuang continued, "to handle similar situations from reoccurring, being prepared early is essential. Therefore, even the organizational structure of the legions, the forms, and even personnel assignments have already been laid out."
Truly worthy of the Divine Shaman; I was utterly convinced.
In just a short while, Yin Shuang drafted the alliance agreement! Adding in those supplementary articles completed all the necessary content for tomorrow's negotiations!
The Alliance Convention was held as scheduled!
What felt awkward to me was that the representatives for the Demon Dragon Empire were just the two of us, lone figures. Even our remaining two subordinates, Mo Hui and Mo Cha, were concealed in the forest outside Azure Orchid City to look after Lei Ying.
As for Long Xin, she couldn't spare the time because she was caring for Yan Luo.
Yin Shuang, however, maintained a composed, calm, and collected demeanor that offered me considerable reassurance!
Perhaps Yin Shuang and I constituted the smallest diplomatic envoy in the history of the Mafa World.
But it was precisely because of this that I truly witnessed Yin Shuang's all-encompassing, omnipotent diplomatic capabilities. It seemed that managing the Black Flag Army for twenty-five years and holding crucial posts in both civil and military affairs for the Demon Dragon Empire had forged her into a talent capable of shouldering immense responsibility independently.
In contrast, I seemed utterly devoid of significant achievements; apart from fighting and killing, I honestly knew nothing else!
In the past, in the Demon Sealing Empire, I had countless elite soldiers and powerful generals, allowing me to put on airs and maintain a cool, imposing front. But now, without a single subordinate, there was no room for posturing!
To be honest, my most palpable feeling now was that I had become a redundant person, easily dispensable.
The Snow Plain Tribe’s retinue, however, was grand! The Nine Elders were all exceptionally sharp-witted, coupled with Seth, that cunning rascal. The scene at the negotiation table was certainly lively!
It practically turned into a battlefield!
However, the main commander on their side remained Seth!
Countless treaties were signed, covering the new alliance's personnel structure, troop distribution, and so on.
They even addressed the future direction of the alliance after defeating the Frostbound Tribe.
But before that, the old issue remained: the naming of the alliance.
The methods I had used with the Black Flag Army were naturally useless here.
And the name of the alliance was quite simple, as there were only two parties involved. Thus, Yin Shuang and Seth simply took one character each from the Demon Dragon Empire and the Snow Plain Tribe.
The new alliance was thus named the Snow Dragon Alliance—'Snow' naturally representing the Snow Plain Tribe, and 'Dragon' representing the Demon Dragon Empire!
Neither side raised the slightest objection to this rather rustic name!
Next up were the alliance covenants!
In summary, they were quite straightforward!
First, the Snow Plain Tribe and we would join forces to first destroy the Frostbound Tribe. This was the most crucial point, as Yan Luo's condition brooked no delay! Of course, during this period, the Snow Plain Tribe would bear the primary burden of the fight! As for the Demon Dragon side, the only asset we could truly put forward was myself! It could even be said that what they truly valued was my combat strength!
Second, after defeating the Frostbound Tribe, my Demon Dragon Empire would provide the Snow Plain Tribe with advanced magical technological support.
Third, upon forming the alliance, the Demon Dragon Empire would dispatch a large contingent of outstanding generals to the mainland of the Snow Domain to integrate into the newly formed alliance army, helping the Snow Domain sweep away other tribes. In plain terms, it meant helping the Snow Plain Tribe conquer territory and unify the Snow Domain Continent. This was hard labor, but not entirely without recompense.
Fourth, the Snow Plain Tribe and the Demon Dragon Empire would jointly seize the Heroes and collectively destroy the Two Great Churches. After all, since we were helping them eliminate other tribes, it was only right they help us eliminate the Churches.
Fifth, the Night Luminous Pearls already known totaled four (though the Snow Plain Tribe was unaware that I had hidden one myself). This meant there were four Heroes available for contention. The Snow Plain Tribe and the Demon Dragon Empire would each take two. This point was extremely significant.
Sixth, the unified Snow Domain Continent and the unified Mafa Continent would forever maintain neighborly relations and progress together. This clause was entirely tacked on just to fill space.
Heavens knew how many years it would take for the Snow Domain Continent and the Mafa Continent to unify!
And even after unification, who could guarantee that peace would remain between the two continents!
Certainly, our current generation would likely never see it!
There were countless more articles following this, perhaps two hundred in total! The domains involved were varied and numerous, covering every industry, almost entirely copying the alliance regulations between nations.
I truly wondered how the Snow Plain Tribe managed to collect such tedious frameworks, arraying them formally as official proposals for a diplomatic alliance.
It showed the Snow Plain Tribe's unusual urgency and anticipation regarding establishing a nation; they were already considering what to do after founding their state before they had even done so!
However, in my view, these were merely beautiful projections of the future, essentially empty promises, for both us and the Snow Plain Tribe!
I couldn't fathom why Yin Shuang and Seth's group were arguing so heatedly over treaties that might take hundreds of years to materialize!
Nevertheless, over fifty articles were signed within a single day. The rest would only be discussed specifically once the follow-up forces from the Demon Dragon Empire arrived.
Of course, the fact that Yin Shuang produced so many pre-written documents at once!
And that she could meticulously fight for the maximum benefit of our side, responding and reacting swiftly to discussions on numerous treaties—she was simply a super-machine for diplomatic negotiations!
Seth and the others were completely dumbfounded; their eyes nearly popped out! This woman was profoundly formidable!
Two days later, the alliance negotiations finally concluded.
Yin Shuang's astonishing, breathtaking ability had thoroughly opened the eyes of these tribal wise men!
What remained was discussing the strategy for attacking the Frostbound Tribe!
When it came to military strategy, Seth and Yin Shuang were absolute geniuses among geniuses.
Now that two super-geniuses were gathered together, coupled with the other old stalwarts of the Snow Plain Tribe, none of whom were simpletons, heaven knew what kind of battle plan they devised!
One thing was certain: the Frostbound Tribe was in deep trouble! Yue Che was about to have problems.
As for Sui Yun, she seemed just like me, never interfering with military strategy, internal affairs, or other routine matters.
The most she did was shake her head or nod!
The most she said was only one phrase: "Let it be done this way."
Beyond that, she simply sat beside me at the head seat with a long face, listening to the debates and discussions between Seth, Yin Shuang, and the others!
It made me wonder if this woman had secretly learned my true teachings!
But watching her look so confident, completely in control, and utterly composed made me feel somewhat insecure.
A day later, the operational plan was finally settled!
Yin Shuang and I both breathed a sigh of relief! If it had dragged on any longer, I probably would have lost my patience!
The moonlight was hazy!
The courtyard was deserted! Inside the room, Yin Shuang was already asleep!
These past few days had truly worn her out; all diplomatic affairs had been dumped onto her, and on top of that, she participated in planning the attack against the Frostbound Tribe!
And this plan was set to launch tomorrow!
Because of this, I found myself unable to sleep!
Reflecting on it, although I hadn't been in the Snow Domain Continent long, so much had happened!
First saving Long Xin, then saving Yan Luo! Now, in order to save Yan Luo, an alliance had been forged with the Snow Plain Tribe!
And tomorrow, we march to war!
I just don't know if this attempt will turn out as wished! Can Yan Luo wait for our triumphant return!
Even if the Frostbound Tribe is defeated, can we force Yue Che to lift the Ice Gu on Yan Luo? Everything was filled with too many unknowns!
I didn't know the exact combat strength of the Snow Plain Tribe versus the Frostbound Tribe; the only information I possessed came from what Long Xin had learned previously.
In fact, in the past, facing the powerful Frostbound Tribe, the Snow Plain Tribe struggled just to defend, let alone attack actively! This meant that in long-term conflict, the Snow Plain Tribe had always been at a disadvantage defensively!
However, after the recent fierce assault by Xing Ye and Xing Zhan, the Frostbound Tribe’s mage power suffered a devastating blow. Only then did the Snow Plain Tribe see an opportunity!
The Frostbound Tribe was truly unlucky; when Xing Ye and Xing Zhan broke through the siege, they dispatched their mage teams to pursue them relentlessly. Facing these self-delivered lambs, the two little ones naturally didn't let the chance slip by.
It must be said that Xing Ye and Xing Zhan were ruthless; they nearly annihilated the entire group of pursuers chasing them.
After that battle, the Frostbound Tribe’s strength was severely diminished, with their overall power reduced by at least thirty percent!
This was the most catastrophic loss the Frostbound Tribe had suffered in a thousand years!
It was a pity they couldn't figure out how two siblings, once defeated by Bing Chi alone, could wipe out so many super-mages in one go!
This included five Saint-level Heavenly Tier Archmages.
Upon learning this, the Snow Plain Tribe naturally would not miss this golden opportunity!
Take advantage of your sickness to slay you; if they didn't eliminate the Frostbound Tribe now, they might never have such a perfect chance again!
Furthermore, with my and Yin Shuang’s arrival boosting the Snow Plain Tribe's strength, they faced the best opportunity in centuries!
Perhaps this was the real reason Sui Yun decided to launch the attack!
Of course, the success or failure of a war largely depends on the strength of both sides!
And this operation, apart from the clash between the regular troop types of both sides, critically hinged on the high-level duels between the super-generals.
The Frostbound Tribe’s Ninth Divine General, Bing Chi, had his right hand crippled by me! Furthermore, I instantly killed two Taoists with one strike. The Nine Divine Generals were reduced to six!
Their combat strength suffered considerable losses! The Snow Plain Tribe’s nine Saint-level Warriors were sufficient to contend with them!
As for the strongest remaining, Yue Che, my combined efforts with Sui Yun would be directed against him to contain the Frostbound Tribe’s strongest power!
If Sui Yun and I could tie down Yue Che, our chances of victory in this battle would increase dramatically.
But Sui Yun once mentioned that Yue Che was extremely, extremely strong! Even experts like Bing Chi couldn't survive two moves in his hands!
I had personally experienced just how strong Bing Chi was!
It could be said that without activating Instant Invincibility, even defeating Bing Chi would have taken over thirty moves!
This meant that Yue Che's strength was at least equivalent to mine when I am in Instant Invincibility mode!
Just how powerful was this opponent! How should I face such a formidable foe!
And what about Sui Yun! Her true strength, the depth of which I couldn't fathom, remained a complete mystery! Could I truly coordinate with her using my current abilities!
Just thinking about this made sleep impossible.
It seemed it was time to break through my martial cultivation! But how should I begin!
After sleeping for twenty-five years, this was the first time since waking that I analyzed myself so calmly!
As I pondered, I subconsciously controlled my breathing and felt that strange fluctuation of battle energy within my body.
The Tyrant's Blade in my hand was swung, thrust, and slashed, releasing torrents of powerful sword energy as my consciousness flowed—the unique shape of the Tyrant's Blade made it unsuitable for light and agile sword techniques!
Even at maximum speed, the fierce blade energy was overwhelmingly potent and utterly ferocious!
Recalling every single fight I had experienced during this recent period!
The sword forms in my hand naturally manifested with the flow of memory! Chop! Diagonal Slash! Sweep! Upward Thrust!
It was a review, an enlightenment!
And a whole new experience and accumulation!
The air whistled with fierce piercing sounds, hissing constantly!
Every move, every stance seemed to bring a different feeling and experience than before!
Fiercely powerful, the aura was immense, sometimes agile and strangely unpredictable!
With the progression of each move and stance, my entire aura grew stronger and stronger!
Until finally, I activated Instant Invincibility!
Space solidified!
Time stopped!
I attempted to make my sword forms a fraction faster!
But no matter how hard I tried! The Tyrant's Blade in my hand remained as heavy as a mountain! Not only could I not accelerate, but even swinging it felt labored! My whole body seemed bound by an invisible pressure, unable to break free, unable to escape!
No matter how my sword forms changed, no matter how my battle energy erupted, I simply couldn't break through this stifling oppression!
What was going on!
Why was this happening!
Could the barrier of Instant Invincibility truly be unbreakable!