Inside a villa in the capital city, Yang Yi allowed Feng Shi and Xiu'er to attend to him at a leisurely pace. No matter what clothes he wore, it hardly mattered, as his mind wasn't on his attire; instead, he eagerly anticipated the meeting with the three Princes of the Crown Alliance.
This event was undeniably crucial for the Black God Gang, yet it was a fifty-fifty proposition in terms of importance. If the Northern underworld chose to confront Yang Yi, then tonight’s banquet would be unnecessary, and he could annihilate the Northern underworld in one swift move.
However, such an action would undoubtedly deplete his vitality significantly and leave an opening for Ye Han to exploit. Therefore, tonight’s gathering was, in essence, the banquet for the Black God Gang’s unification of the national underworld. Just as Qin Shi Huang faced hidden rivals after unifying the six states, Yang Yi was no exception; his primary formidable adversary was none other than Ye Han.
"Dragon Lord!" Long Yi's voice called from outside the door.
"Come in!"
Long Yi opened the door and entered. Seeing Yang Yi mostly dressed, with Xiu'er and Feng Shi standing by, watching him with the satisfied eyes of artists observing their creation, he reported, "Dragon Lord, the three Princes of the Crown Alliance have arrived."
"Oh? Has the time come?"
"Yes. They are waiting for you downstairs now!"
"Good. Go and entertain them first. I will be down shortly!" Yang Yi said with a sly smile.
"Yes!" Long Yi responded before leaving.
Yang Yi then turned back to look at Feng Shi. The task ahead was indeed worrying, but as long as they followed his instructions, there shouldn't be any major issues. With that in mind, he said, "Yanran, I leave the next steps to you. Success or failure hinges on this moment."
"Yes, Young Master, I know what to do!" Feng Shi nodded.
"Be careful. You must evade Ye Han's spies. Still, it's fortunate that Lianxue will accompany you; it should resolve things quickly."
"Understood!"
Yang Yi nodded and called out, "Lianxue!"
Hearing Yang Yi call her, Murong Lianxue, who had been hidden in the air, suddenly appeared. "Brother Yi!"
"Remember to protect Yanran well and ensure she safely leaves the North, understand?"
"Yes, Brother Yi!"
Murong Lianxue’s small face was filled with seriousness. Seeing this, Yang Yi couldn't help but feel a pang of tenderness. He bent down, pressing his forehead against hers, and said dotingly, "You must be careful too. After all, Ye Han has dispatched some people from his 'Heavenly Ghost' lineage!"
"Mmm!" Murong Lianxue gave a sweet little smile.
"I'll head down first then!" Yang Yi waved his hand and walked toward the doorway with Xiu'er.
Feng Shi and Murong Lianxue exchanged a look, nodded to each other, and headed toward a different doorway. It seemed they were being dispatched by Yang Yi to handle something momentous. Yet, perhaps that wasn't an overstatement, as what they were about to do was the critical initial event that would determine the preliminary outcome of the struggle between Yang Yi and Ye Han.
"Please wait a moment, gentlemen. Our Dragon Lord will be down shortly." Long Yi rarely smiled, but the forced grin he managed was reasonably effective; after all, the three Princes currently had no cause for complaint and merely nodded before taking seats on the sofa.
A moment later, Yang Yi descended the stairs with Xiu'er. As he walked, he said, "I apologize for keeping you all waiting."
Upon hearing this, Ling Tian and the others looked towards the staircase. When they saw Yang Yi descending with a woman as beautiful as a celestial being, they all gasped involuntarily. It wasn't because Yang Yi was dressed elegantly, nor solely because he was accompanied by such beauty, but because they couldn't detect the slightest sign of illness on his person. This confirmed the suspicion that had taken root in their minds: 'Feigning illness!'
"Not at all, the timing is perfect. It is we who arrived early and disturbed the Dragon Lord!" Ling Tian said, cupping his fist in greeting.
"Haha, please, don't be so formal," Yang Yi waved his hand after coming down. "Come, come, everyone, take a seat. Don't just stand there!"
"Yes!" the three responded and sat down.
Fang Kai seemed the most eager and was about to speak when Yang Yi interrupted him, calling out, "Long Yi!"
"Dragon Lord!"
"Bring out the dishes. Fetch a bottle of the '65 vintage. I want to share a drink with the three renowned Princes of the Northern Crown Alliance!"
"Yes!" Long Yi acknowledged, clapped his hands, and then numerous servants began bringing in the food, while he went elsewhere to retrieve the wine Yang Yi had requested.
It was a potent spirit, a type of foreign liquor. It tasted sweet upon entry but possessed considerable strength, followed by a sharp, exhilarating burn down the throat that was intoxicating. Especially the older the vintage, the purer the liquor. Yang Yi's sudden display of such grandeur and his lavish spending truly caused Ling Tian and the others to sigh inwardly. They already understood that in the first battle of this meeting, Yang Yi had seized the advantage, meaning the second battle would likely result in Ling Tian’s side conceding without a fight.
"Come, don't hold back. Those who travel far are guests, and you, esteemed guests, must eat first!" Yang Yi said with a warm smile, waving his hand.
The three said nothing, as Yang Yi had put it this way, and they slowly began to eat. Silence reigned over the dining table as they ate. However, the three of them felt the meal was far from harmonious, as they constantly sensed that some crucial undertaking was being conducted behind their backs.
"Young Master, the three Princes of the Crown Alliance are currently dining at Yang Yi's villa. It seems they are discussing the integration of the Northern underworld into the Black God Gang!" Tian Si reported upon appearing before Ye Han.
Ye Han frowned upon hearing this, musing for a moment before a smile suddenly touched his lips. "It seems he intends to unify the entire nation's underworld?"
"Young Master, perhaps we should make our move now?" Tian Si asked.
"No, there's no rush. First, go and have men monitor the every move of all Black God Gang factions, and pay extra close attention to whether anyone from the Black God Gang has left the North recently," Ye Han instructed.
"Yes!" Tian Si turned and vanished.
As Ye Han was lost in thought, a figure suddenly appeared. Tian San knelt before him and reported, "Young Master, the Sect Masters of the Three Great Sects have arrived."
"Oh?" Ye Han suddenly chuckled. "Haha, excellent. Bring them to see me at once!"
"Yes!" Tian San acknowledged and went out.
In less than a moment, Tian San returned with the three middle-aged men: Sect Master Xiao Yao Qing of the Carefree Sect, Sect Master Mo Ling of the Demonic Sect, and Sect Master Long Hua of the Dragon Gate, who all knelt before Ye Han, crying out, "We greet the Young Master!"
"Good, good, good! You have all arrived at the perfect time. Rise quickly!" Ye Han waved his hand.
"Thank you, Young Master!"
Xiao Yao Qing was the elder of Xiao Yao Wuqing. He was somewhat handsome, but carried an air of distasteful greed and sycophancy towards his master. Mo Ling was a woman with an overtly seductive appearance, her brows hinting at a venomous nature that made her entire presence feel intensely sinister. Long Hua was likely the oldest among the current Four Great Sects. He had white hair but the appearance of a middle-aged man, suggesting his hair turned white prematurely. His eyes held an extremely repugnant shade of baseness.
"Gentlemen, what are your thoughts on the current situation in the North?" Ye Han asked with a slight, knowing smile.
Upon hearing the question, the three exchanged glances. Xiao Yao Qing spoke first, "Young Master, your subordinate believes that now is the time for us to act."
"Indeed, Young Master. The Black God Gang's Dragon Lord and his main cadre are currently concentrated in the Northern territory, which is already saturated with our people. If we strike and take their lives, the Black God Gang will swiftly belong to you, Young Master," Mo Ling added, concurring with the sentiment.
Ye Han turned his head to look at Long Hua and asked with a smile, "Sect Master Long, what is your view?"
"Young Master, your subordinate believes that in the current climate, a probing action is necessary first!" Long Hua stated.
"Oh? How would you probe?"
"On my way here, I overheard that the three Princes of the Northern underworld have already sought out Yang Yi. It seems the period of the Black God Gang unifying the national underworld is fast approaching. This situation will indeed be troublesome for us, as their influence has grown too rapidly. In this Northern region, besides the Crown Alliance’s forces, only we and a small contingent of the Black God Gang remain."
"If we gather a significant force and strike at the Crown Alliance’s key strongholds in the capital right when the Black God Gang achieves national unification, we might be able to test whether the Black God Gang will make a move," Long Hua said. As the base individual he was, he managed to frame such a despicable tactic as a 'probing method,' which was thoroughly repulsive.
However, Ye Han greatly admired it, as the strategy was indeed excellent. To first consolidate a large portion of power and eliminate the Crown Alliance's vital points would place all Northern forces under Ye Han's banner. Should the Black God Gang move then, he would have justification to annihilate Yang Yi and his followers—a perfectly righteous and advantageous cause.
The alternative, however, was that inaction would allow the struggle between Ye Han and Yang Yi to devolve into a protracted war. Unfortunately, Ye Han had underestimated Yang Yi, as Yang Yi was precisely hosting this banquet for the three Princes to deal with this very matter, while simultaneously deploying numerous clandestine countermeasures.
"Very good!" Ye Han waved his hand towards the group. "If you hear news that the Crown Alliance has submitted to the Black God Gang, commence action immediately!"
"Yes!" everyone responded in unison.