Deep within the vibrant core of Lihua City, amidst three finished tower structures arranged in a triangle, Gu Xiechen sat comfortably nestled in a pile of soft pelts, his eyes narrowed as he observed the streams of pedestrians below the opposite tower. Several stunningly beautiful young women, whose skin possessed a faint blue tint and shimmered with a subtle inner luminescence—beings of silicon-based life—bustled around Gu Xiechen and Peng Hua, tirelessly presenting fine wines, fresh fruits, and delicacies unique to Lihua City.

Peng Hua’s lecherous eyes narrowed to slits, never leaving the scantily clad young women. Yet, every time he considered reaching out with his predatory hands, the identity of these maidens would flash through his mind. Silicon-based life forms, silicon-based life forms! Though their surface temperature matched that of normal beings, their internal temperature plummeted to over two hundred and forty degrees below zero. Peng Hua glared at them again and again, grinding his teeth, utterly unable to summon the resolve to flirt with them.

Frustrated, he turned a resentful gaze toward Zhi Duoen and the six other alpha leaders of the wolf packs who stood rigidly lined up before them. Peng Hua silently cursed the decision to use silicon-based beings as attendants. These cold, lifeless women possessed not a shred of charm. How could they compare to the vibrant, living beauties of carbon-based life?

Zhi Duoen and the other six regarded Gu Xiechen with a mixture of fear and reverence, standing perfectly still, daring not to make the slightest move.

Given Gu Xiechen’s current strength and methods, he had easily subdued the alpha wolves and brought them under absolute control using the soul-binding sorcery from the Great Wilderness Scripture. Under Gu Xiechen’s orchestration, the wolf pack had become his eyes and ears throughout Davirmus, with vast amounts of intelligence flowing in from all directions at any moment.

The three towers ahead housed the headquarters of the Star Alliance, along with its numerous functional departments. Suspended in the void directly between the three cylindrical towers floated a colossal pyramid-shaped structure. That was the location of the Star Alliance’s highest council chamber. This immense pyramidal venue, towering over three hundred meters high with a base diameter nearing a kilometer, was only opened when discussing matters of extreme importance, such as the quadrennial Divine Crystal quota conference attended by representatives from the twenty-six six-star civilizations.

A small battleship sailed gracefully overhead, descending before one of the towers. A man, slightly aged but possessing remarkably piercing eyes, emerged from the warship and walked into the tower.

“Duolusi. He is the spokesperson for the mid-tier families of the Elder Council within the Star Alliance, and currently chairs the Star Alliance Religious Affairs Management Committee,” Zhi Duoen provided Gu Xiechen with data regarding the man.

The so-called Star Alliance Religious Affairs Management Committee was responsible for overseeing the religious affairs of all civilizations under the Alliance, utilizing military force to suppress any sects that refused to comply with regulations.

In essence, while the various civilizations of the Star Alliance enjoyed freedom of religious belief, the deities they worshiped had to be registered with the Religious Affairs Management Committee. They could only propagate their faith within designated star sectors after receiving a legitimate proselytizing license. Any unregistered religion would face merciless striking from the Star Alliance—just like the Sun Worship Cult followed by the Doko Federation back in the day. Their Sun True God was an unregistered evil deity, and their doctrines were deemed heretical.

The intent behind establishing this management committee was to proclaim the authority of the Star Alliance: You believe in gods, but your gods are managed by us, therefore we stand above all!

Not long after, another battleship landed before the same tower. A middle-aged woman, exquisitely graceful and possessing eighty to ninety percent of feminine beauty, stepped down from the ship, swaying her slender waist as she entered the tower. Zhi Duoen swallowed hard and introduced her identity: “Chairwoman of the Star Alliance Interstellar Culture Management Committee, Yanlizens.”

The Ziens family was also one of the mid-tier families within the Elder Council.

The Interstellar Culture Management Committee’s purview involved interfering with and supervising the popular culture of all Star Alliance civilizations, ensuring that all cultural trends aligned with the moral standards recognized by the Alliance. This was a rather vague mandate, yet its power was immense, providing the Star Alliance with a ready excuse to directly interfere in the internal affairs of various civilizations. Whenever the Alliance needed to put pressure on a specific civilization, this committee would invariably serve as the vanguard.

As more and more battleships arrived, the heads of the Star Alliance’s various functional departments made their presence felt. The massive Star Alliance boasted over twenty-three thousand functional departments, some as baffling as the “Interstellar Toilet Standardization Management Committee”—a department whose very establishment, timing, and purpose remained unknown even to Zhi Duoen.

Following the arrival of these Star Alliance leaders came the representatives of the twenty-six—now twenty-five—six-star civilizations. The Polaris Empire had been completely annihilated by the Dark Creatures. Their embassy in Lihua City had been forcibly occupied by the wolf pack months ago, and the former embassy grounds had since been converted into an entertainment venue, reportedly generating substantial funds for the pack.

The representatives of these twenty-five six-star civilizations were their respective emperors. Gu Xiechen noted that the emperor arriving from the Viking Empire was Salvinig. It seemed that after Ashura Vinig was eliminated, Salvinig had stabilized the domestic situation and reasserted control over the Viking Empire. However, Salvinig’s expression was dreadfully grim; he nearly stumbled on the steps entering the tower, indicating the immense pressure he was under—enough to make even a powerhouse like him almost lose composure.

Had the Dark Creatures taken advantage of the situation to invade the Viking Empire? Gu Xiechen shook his head indifferently. What did that have to do with him?

Once most of the attendees for the council meeting had arrived, Gu Xiechen, guided by Zhi Duoen and the others, approached that tower. After passing through three tightly guarded defense lines, they reached the tower entrance. Just then, a small battleship silently landed, and several young men strode out. Upon spotting Zhi Duoen’s group, one of the youths immediately barked in a low voice, “What are you doing here? This isn’t a place for you troublemakers.”

Zhi Duoen froze, then turned back to cast a cold look at the youths, continuing toward the tower entrance without a word.

The young men persistently followed. The one who had spoken grabbed Zhi Duoen’s shoulder and hissed, “Damned mongrels, this isn't where you belong. Go cause trouble and afflict those poor emissaries, but don't come here to pollute the air we breathe.”

Another youth was more brutal, seizing Zhi Duoen by the neck and yanking him back as he snapped, “The smell of your base bloodline carries for miles. Just as Yaklifel said, you make the air here stink.”

Zhi Duoen’s face flushed crimson. The hand gripping his throat was strong and transmitted a strange energy that choked off his breath and prevented him from exerting any force to escape the grip. The young man smirked strangely, deliberately tightening his fingers, slowly deforming Zhi Duoen’s windpipe.

Zhi Duoen’s six companions roared and lunged at the two young men. But the youths accompanying Yaklifel rolled up their sleeves and charged forward. Neither side resorted to magic or special abilities; they engaged solely in a silent, brutal exchange of fists and raw physical power. In just two or three breaths, the alpha wolves were forced back, crushed by an overwhelming advantage, their faces bruised and swollen as they were knocked to the ground.

Several more battleships landed, disgorging a group of equally young men. They first showed surprise at the wretched state of Zhi Duoen’s group, then broke into mocking laughter, exchanging a few taunts directed at Zhi Duoen before walking past without another glance, heads held high, into the tower.

When yet another battleship landed, the people emerging caused even Gu Xiechen to start. Lingduoen and Qiaoduoen, their faces grim, followed closely behind a middle-aged man. When they saw Zhi Duoen pinned down and unable to move, and the six alpha wolves groaning on the ground, their expressions visibly shifted. Ling and Xu showed a hint of schadenfreude, while the middle-aged man spoke toward the scene with slight displeasure: “Enough, nephew Yata. Let them go.”

Yata and the others immediately released their holds. Yata bowed respectfully to the middle-aged man. “Uncle Feindris, my apologies. We were merely playing a joke on Zhi and the others.”

Feindris glanced at Zhi Duoen, who was clutching his throat and coughing incessantly, frowned slightly, and said coolly, “A joke is fine, but don't take it too far. Why are you lingering here instead of going to the venue? The centennial Divine Crystal Quota Conference—observing it will benefit your future development.” He paused, then added, “If I recall correctly, this is the first time any of you have had the opportunity to attend this conference. Watch, listen, and learn. Eventually, you will be responsible for these matters.”

Yata and the others obediently agreed, casting arrogant glances at the subdued Zhi Duoen and company before smiling and falling in behind Feindris as they walked toward the tower entrance.

Gu Xiechen narrowed his eyes and smiled, giving Peng Hua a significant look.

Peng Hua let out an exaggerated, bizarre yawn, drawing the attention of Yata’s group. He pulled down the front of his trousers, produced a thick cigar from his briefs, and stuck it in his mouth. Then, he undid the belt at his lower back and retrieved a hefty 2.5-liter, shrink-wrapped bottle of vodka from near his backside. Immediately, he hurled the bottle with vicious force straight at Yata’s face.

The bottle flew with extreme speed, producing a sharp sound as it cut the air. It struck Yata’s face almost instantly, followed by a sharp crack. The large bottle shattered into a spray of white shards. Yata’s face was instantly lacerated with countless fine streaks of blood. The high-concentration liquor splashed onto his wounds, causing Yata to shriek in agony.

Before the scream could fully escape his throat, Peng Hua delivered a vicious kick—his signature move, the groin kick—striking precisely below Yata’s waist. Everyone heard a sickening, wet thud. Yata’s mouth gaped open, his face turning instantly ashen. He looked with disbelief at Peng Hua, who was calmly puffing his cigar, then slowly cradled his lower body with both hands, rolled his eyes back, and fainted limply onto the ground.

Feindris’s expression changed. He narrowed his eyes and glared darkly at Gu Xiechen. “In my presence, you dare have someone injured?”

Gu Xiechen took two quick steps forward, smiled greetingly at the pale-faced Ling and Xu, and then drawled lazily, “Why wouldn’t I dare? Why should I fear daring?”

Feindris scanned Gu Xiechen from head to toe and demanded in a low voice, “You dare? Whose backing do you rely on?”

Gu Xiechen laughed, pointed first at the six alpha leaders lying motionless on the ground, then at the coughing Zhi Duoen, before sneering coldly at Feindris, “Whose backing do I rely on? Hmm, do I need one? They dared to beat my friend in front of me—whose backing do you rely on?”

After a few cold laughs, Gu Xiechen suddenly stared wide-eyed. Two beams of purple light shot from his pupils, falling directly onto Feindris.

Feindris cried out, “Full State Divine Eye!” and spun around to flee, glancing back at Gu Xiechen repeatedly as he did so. He nearly crashed headfirst into one of the pillars guarding the tower entrance.

Ling and Xu dared not meet Gu Xiechen’s gaze. They hastily gathered the unconscious Yata and hurried the other companions into the tower.

Gu Xiechen smiled, pulled out a few pills, and handed them to Zhi Duoen and the others. After taking the medicine, the discomfort experienced by Zhi Duoen’s group rapidly dissipated. They stood up, looked at Gu Xiechen with complex expressions, and then silently followed him into the tower. Zhi Duoen walked beside Gu Xiechen, seeming hesitant to speak, but after a long pause, he muttered softly, “The Divine Eye that can foresee one’s future destiny? You possess such a magnificent bloodline! And a Full State bloodline inheritance—you are destined for greatness.”

Gu Xiechen shook his head, merely raising an eyebrow noncommittally regarding the matter.

Following a private corridor, the group arrived at a small spatial overlap teleportation room—the sole passage leading to the completely sealed Golden Pyramid Council Hall. Sweeping his divine sense over the so-called spatial overlap teleportation device, Gu Xiechen realized its principle was derived from ancient Star Shift Arrays. However, perhaps due to an incomplete mastery of the mysteries of the Star Shift Array, the Star Alliance had replicated the system using high-tech means, allowing for precise teleportation only within a radius of one million kilometers.

After a period of charging and waiting, Gu Xiechen and his party finally entered the interior of the massive pyramid-shaped council hall.

Before he could even take in the hall's layout, Gu Xiechen noticed several gaze-like pressures settling upon him. He quickly looked toward the source and saw Feindris nearby, murmuring something next to several elders dressed in purple robes. These elders stared fixedly at Gu Xiechen, their eyes filled with astonishment and an indescribable, wild ecstasy.

Before he could figure out why these old men were so delighted, the elders—their heads completely bald, scalps covered in dense wrinkles—strode toward him.

The tallest elder projected his divine sense toward Gu Xiechen from afar, sweeping over him roughly. Gu Xiechen’s expression tightened. The intensity of this elder’s divine sense fluctuations was so strong that Gu Xiechen’s own divine sense instinctively recoiled from contact. Based on the experience and memories of the Great Yin True Monarch, Gu Xiechen judged the elder’s divine sense strength to be that of a Celestial Immortal Fifth Grade. Furthermore, the elder’s aura seemed to merge with his physical body, indicating he was a cultivator specializing in body refinement techniques.

A Celestial Immortal Fifth Grade body cultivator. A bitter feeling washed over Gu Xiechen. Compared to this elder, his current physical body was like an egg against a stone—the egg being Gu Xiechen, the stone being the elder. The Star Alliance was indeed worthy of its name; upon their very first meeting, it had presented Gu Xiechen with such an enormous challenge.

Faced with such a formidable figure, Gu Xiechen could only deploy the Haotian Pagoda to envelop himself with the Xuanhuang Qi. With the protection of the pagoda, the elder’s divine sense circled around Gu Xiechen for a full minute before he could only discern that Gu Xiechen had roughly, perhaps, attained the level of the Grand Sovereign Heaven.

“Heh heh,” the elders arrived before Gu Xiechen. The one who had forcibly probed Gu Xiechen with his divine sense nodded, speaking with authority and power: “I am Yanlong, Chairman of the Star Alliance Supreme Council. These are the Chief Steward Long, Chief Enforcer Xuanlong, and Chief Military Officer Lilong of the Star Gate Supreme Committee. We heard you possess the bloodline of the Divine Eye? Which family’s descendant are you?”

Long, Xuanlong, and Lilong simultaneously projected their divine senses toward Gu Xiechen. The sheer power of these immense psychic waves nearly pinned Gu Xiechen and the Fire Crow perched on his shoulder to the ground. Gu Xiechen cursed inwardly about the presence of so many ancient monsters. He could only offer a wry smile and reply, “I am a descendant of the Dortro Family of the Polaris Empire. My status is similar to Zhi Duoen’s. I came this time hoping to…”

Hoping to do what? Even Gu Xiechen, despite his immense resourcefulness, could not instantly conjure a suitable excuse. He certainly couldn't tell them he was actually here to rob the Divine Crystals the Star Alliance was preparing to distribute, perhaps kill a few Star Alliance officials, and, incidentally, prepare to destroy the planet Davirmus?

Yet, he didn't need a plausible excuse; Yanlong supplied one for him.

Frowning, Yanlong muttered in a low voice, “The Polaris Empire… Are you perhaps trying to restore the Polaris Empire? It is not impossible if you can make sufficient contributions to the Star Alliance.”

Yanlong clapped Gu Xiechen on the shoulder and smiled. “Given that you possess the Full State Divine Eye, I will grant you an opportunity. You may represent the Polaris Empire in this Divine Crystal Quota Allocation Conference. How much crystal you acquire will depend on your contribution.”

After laughing a few times, Yanlong and the others turned and departed.

Shortly thereafter, the lights in the council hall suddenly dimmed. A massive, complex star chart appeared above everyone’s heads.

The Divine Crystal Quota Conference had begun.