The next day marked the sixth day of Yang Yi's medical leave, and a day when the situation in the North grew increasingly fraught.

Ye Han's forces steadily encircled the capital, sowing widespread panic, while Yang Yi's faction secretly watched for an opening, ready to strike back—an event that was clearly the fuse for the impending battle within the Forbidden City.

Ye Han’s ambition was evident: to crush Yang Yi, utilize the capital’s strategic position to dominate all northern factions, and then march directly on the heart of power. To eliminate the head of state would mean that not just the underworld, but the entirety of Huaxia would fall under Ye Han's dominion.

However, such audacious ambition, by all conventional logic, was almost impossible to realize, even for Yang Yi, should he harbor it. Moreover, Yang Yi held a deep conviction: where there is the legal world (Baidão), there must be the underworld (Heidào). An inviolable channel existed between the two, making the total eradication of one by the other an impossibility.

Yang Yi’s own ambition was simpler: to stand at the apex of the underworld, with the national organizations unified and the global syndicates submitting to him. Yet, after rectifying his previous shortcomings, Yang Yi realized his true ambition and ultimate purpose lay elsewhere. It wasn't national or global domination of the underworld he craved, but rather establishing his organization so that it could exist lawfully, orderly, and honorably within the light of day.

No longer would they operate like the old gangs, constantly fearing being bitten by dogs in front or swallowed by snakes behind. More crucially, he understood that a nation could not thrive without outstanding politicians in its legal sector; without them, the entire country would plunge into chaos and suffering. Therefore, he knew that once his struggle with Ye Han concluded, the Black God Syndicate (Hēishén Bāng) could only exist as a pinnacle presence, but it would inevitably become a thorn in the side of the state.

How this situation would ultimately unfold, Yang Yi did not know; neither did anyone else, not even the officials in the legal sector. But everyone understood clearly that the conflict demanded a rational, transparent, and definitive resolution.

“Dragon Lord, Ling Tian and the two others request an audience!” Long Yi reported as he entered Yang Yi’s office.

“Oh? Show them in!”

“Yes!” Long Yi acknowledged and departed.

A hint of a wicked smile played on Yang Yi's lips. He glanced at Xiu'er, who was stifling a giggle nearby, feeling a profound sense of helplessness. Truly, nothing escaped the notice of this woman from the Zhuge family. Still, it was partly because of her presence that Yang Yi felt he had reached such a clear decision.

Xiu'er had always been by his side. Though she never offered direct solutions, she provided crucial input, sometimes feigning ignorance to point out the crux of a problem in an indirect manner, reminding him through inversion. He knew her actions were designed to protect his pride.

Yet, Xiu'er still didn't quite grasp Yang Yi. He never considered himself smarter, more capable, or more powerful than anyone else. He firmly believed that his deficiencies could be supplemented by others, and his shortcomings could be remedied by studying the strengths of others. This process not only ensured his own progress but also allowed him to gauge whether the people he employed possessed absolute talent—this was the essence of Yang Yi’s philosophy on leadership.

As the saying goes: Follow what is good and correct what is not. Employ those who are capable and reform the mediocre, utilizing the able judiciously. Can it be said that even a master strategist cannot compensate for his own deficiencies through diligence? To fail to do so would render one an utter failure... Unquestionably, this principle guided Yang Yi, and it was why he refused to trouble himself unnecessarily!

A moment later, Long Yi ushered in Ling Tian and his two companions. They bowed in unison, calling out, “Dragon Lord!”

“Ah, you’ve arrived? Come, please sit!” Yang Yi gestured toward the sofa beside him and walked over.

“Yes~~~!” The three men sat down, their faces grave, as if they carried matters of extreme urgency requiring Yang Yi’s intervention, perhaps stemming from a previous…

Of course, Yang Yi perceived their intentions immediately. He had anticipated their arrival and knew precisely why they had come. A faint, calm smile touched his lips. “I am aware, and I understand perfectly, the reason for your visit today!”

“Dragon Lord!” Ling Tian and the others stared at Yang Yi in astonishment.

Yang Yi waved a hand, signaling them to remain silent. “Since you are here today, I trust you have reached a decision. And since you have decided, I, Yang Yi, certainly will not let down my brothers. Rest assured, the situation will turn around quickly, and as for you all…!”

Hearing this, Ling Tian and the others were overjoyed and felt a surge of gratitude. But as Yang Yi trailed off, they quickly responded with understanding: “Dragon Lord, do not worry. Our presence here declares our allegiance. From this day forward, nationally and globally, there is only the Black God Syndicate; the title of the Crown Prince Party (Tàizǐ Dǎng) shall be no more!”

“No, no, you have misunderstood,” Yang Yi smiled faintly. “The Crown Prince Party will still exist, but it will be directly subordinate to my Black God Syndicate!”

“Dragon Lord…?” Ling Tian called out quizzically.

“Hehe, what I did before wasn’t truly meant to exploit you; it was entirely a test. After all, you haven’t directly surrendered to Ye Han, have you?”

Indeed, in Yang Yi’s estimation, the Crown Prince Party currently faced only two paths: either firmly committing to subordination under the Black God Syndicate, or surrendering to Ye Han to oppose Yang Yi. Unquestionably, Ling Tian and his group had chosen Yang Yi, which was precisely what he had sought to test.

“Dragon Lord…!”

“En,” Yang Yi looked at Ling Tian and the others, nodding with a gentle smile.

The three felt incredibly moved, though they couldn’t quite say why. Ling Tian had been confident he could pass this trial, yet in the end, Yang Yi had offered him leniency. Perhaps this was the mark of someone qualified to lead the national underworld. After a moment of introspection, Ling Tian said, “Very well, Dragon Lord, rest assured. I, Ling Tian, know what must be done.”

“Excellent. I trust you all.”

Hardly had Yang Yi finished speaking when a man entered from the doorway, his face wreathed in smiles. “Boss, the men are ready.”

“Oh? Very good!”

“Since the Dragon Lord is busy, we shall take our leave now.”

“Ah, no need to rush.” Yang Yi moved to the newcomer, Xu Ming. “This is my brother, Xu Ming; I believe you know him. From now on, we are all family; there’s no need for formality between you!”

The men exchanged glances and couldn't help but smile. With the introductions settled, Yang Yi said, “Third Brother, lead the way so we can inspect them!”

“Right!”

“If the three of you have no pressing matters, you may accompany us to see them.”

“Since the Dragon Lord insists with such warmth, we respectfully accept!” Ling Tian and the others replied.

As Yang Yi left with Xu Ming to review the hidden army, elsewhere, on the northwestern border—the domain of the Sky Dragon (Tiānlóng) lineage and the Sky Ghost (Tiānguǐ) lineage—a scene of war unfolded amidst the lush forests and beautiful mountains.

The Sky Ghost clansmen, led by the Tenth Elder of the Sky Ghosts, had thoroughly surrounded the Sky Dragon Villa (Tiānlóng Shānzhuāng). Several previous assaults had proven futile because the villa was enclosed by immensely high walls, flanked by sheer cliffs and imposing mountains, and the gates were locked tight, making a direct breach nearly impossible.

However, an old adage held true: sheer numbers provided a substantial advantage, as mere attrition could exhaust the defenders. The Sky Dragon lineage currently possessed only about eighty percent of the Sky Ghost lineage’s manpower. If the Sky Ghosts maintained the siege for a few more days, they would likely break through.

“I hadn’t expected the Sky Ghost lineage to have grown so numerous!” Yang Xuan stood atop the ramparts, gazing at the makeshift encampments in the distance, his mind heavy with caution. He understood the Tenth Elder’s strategy perfectly.

In a contest of attrition, their numbers were insufficient, and even rotating shifts offered no respite compared to the enemy’s rest cycles. If they didn't devise a new strategy soon, they would be in deep trouble.

“The Sky Dragon lineage is indeed outnumbered against the Sky Ghost lineage, and if the enemy intends a war of attrition, we will only suffer losses. Therefore, we must now devise a plan to turn defeat into victory!” Yang Yitian scanned the front lines, a cold light flickering in his eyes. It seemed that after years of inactivity, he was genuinely growing restless.

“Grandfather, Maternal Grandfather. Rong’er has a plan, but it requires the help of you both, I wonder…!” Yang Rong stared ahead, her expression icy, pained by the suffering she witnessed among the Sky Dragon clansmen behind her.

“Oh? Tell us, Rong’er!” The two elders exchanged a look and smiled.

“Why don’t we utilize our intrinsic advantages?” Yang Rong pointed to the left. “To the left is an abyss, bottomless. To the right is a peak; though not excessively high, scaling it requires considerable time, and the surrounding rock face is steep.”

The two elders pondered this for a moment, then a sharp glint appeared in their eyes. “An excellent idea!”

“Leaderless, they will become mere scattered sand. Their sect master is currently absent. As long as we manage to capture the Tenth Elder of the Sky Ghosts secretly, those Sky Ghost clansmen will not dare to act recklessly!” Yang Rong smiled, turning back to the elders.

“Hahaha! Rong’er, that maneuver is brilliant, not the least bit inferior to that rascal’s schemes!” Yang Yitian burst into laughter.

“Tch, Old Yang, do you really think only the Xiao Yi you trained is impressive? The Rong’er I cultivated is just as formidable,” Yang Xuan retorted, giving Yang Yitian a sharp glare.

“Men!” Yang Rong called out.

“What are the’s (Sovereign’s) orders?” A Sky Dragon clansman appeared before Yang Rong, kneeling slightly.

“Immediately issue my order: summon the Ten Elders of the Sky Dragon lineage to the council hall for urgent discussion!”

“Yes!”

“Grandfather, Maternal Grandfather, shall we move immediately?” Yang Rong asked.

“Good, good, good. Hahahaha, hahahaha!” The two elders laughed heartily, as if they could already see their descendants surpassing them.