Master Shi Wu was the first to rise, beaming as he spoke to Zhang Yang.

With the Long family's Grand Perfection tier broken and no other recourse, they had no choice but to bring Zhang Yang in as their new pillar. Although they gained Zhang Yang’s protection, the price they paid was far greater.

For at least the next century, the Long family would have to follow Zhang Yang’s lead.

Zhang Pinglu, having perceived this very reality, had telepathically urged Zhang Yang to agree. Putting aside the implications for the Zhang family, this arrangement carried no downside for Zhang Yang himself.

After all, Zhang Yang was merely providing guardianship. Having witnessed his devastating offensive power, no Grand Perfection expert who hadn't lost their mind would dare cross him now. In effect, Zhang Yang had secured an easy position, while the Long family had surrendered everything.

"Master Shi Wu, what is there to congratulate? This is merely a nominal title!"

Zhang Yang shook his head in confusion. He hadn't fully grasped Long Haotian’s intentions yet, so the congratulations from Master Shi Wu felt utterly strange.

"Haha, this is no nominal title, Benefactor Zhang! You are officially the Guardian now!"

Master Shi Wu laughed heartily, and Zhang Pinglu couldn't help but smile in amusement beside him. Master Shi Wu was correct; Zhang Yang was indeed the official Guardian now, though he served the Long family, not the Zhang family. Despite this, Zhang Pinglu was overjoyed. Having one Guardian was sufficient for any clan, and while it seemed the Zhang family was at a disadvantage, Zhang Yang stood to gain much more. As long as it benefited Zhang Yang’s development, Zhang Pinglu would unconditionally support it.

A trace of a smile also touched Long Haotian's face; his objective was achieved. As long as Zhang Yang was the Long family's Guardian, the family’s future was secure. No matter the cost, if the lineage could be preserved, it was all worthwhile. With this matter settled, he could finally retire peacefully and pass the Clan Leader position to Long Feng.

Zhang Yang did not linger long. Long Haotian and Long Feng departed together, as the Long family still had numerous matters requiring their attention.

As soon as they left, two more visitors arrived seeking an audience, though they specifically requested to see Zhang Daofeng. This time, it was the Northwest Zhao family, an ally of the Long family. The Zhao family headquarters were in Xinjiang Province, the premier clan within that region. Being geographically closest, they naturally relied on the Long family’s protection, making them the oldest allies. Due to environmental constraints, the Zhao family’s numbers were always small, numbering around thirty people, with only one Fourth Layer expert in the entire clan. It was this very expert who had come to the Long Family Plains to offer aid.

The Zhao family’s Fourth Layer expert was named Zhao Lei—a perfectly ordinary name. He claimed to be visiting Zhang Daofeng, but any fool could guess his true motive. He lacked the standing to ingratiate himself with a Grand Perfection expert, so he could only use the pretext of visiting Zhang Daofeng.

Upon entering, Zhao Lei appeared extremely reserved, treating the three Grand Perfection experts, including Zhang Yang, with great deference. However, he dared not speak extensively with them. The Grand Perfection realm was the absolute pinnacle to him; merely meeting them was satisfaction enough.

After lingering for barely ten minutes, he departed, utterly exhilarated and pleased. His excitement stemmed purely from the fact that Zhang Yang had exchanged a few words with him. Having never truly interacted with a Grand Perfection expert before, he remained thrilled for the entire day.

No sooner had he left than members of the Liu family arrived at the gate. The Liu family’s influence lay in Xixia, and they were also among the Long family’s earliest allies. During the war against the Demonic Path five centuries ago, the Liu family had steadfastly followed the Long family, forging the deepest bond of alliance. This time, the Liu family sent four members: only one was a Fourth Layer expert, but the remaining three were all Third Layer masters, one of whom was suffering from severe internal injuries.

The Liu family’s deep connection to the Long family did not blind them to the shifting dynamics. If even the Long family needed to rely on the Zhang family, they naturally needed to establish connections here too, hoping to latch onto this even stronger benefactor.

After the Liu family came the final visitors, the Du family. The Du family was also a lineage specializing in Inner Force cultivation, headquartered at Mount Jigong in Zhongyuan Province—the birthplace of the Inner Force families. In Zhongyuan, aside from Shaolin, many other prestigious and powerful families thrived. Developing there was no simple task; the interplay of forces was complex, and nearly every sizable family possessed deep backing. The Du family’s patron was the Long family, which was precisely why they had been able to develop steadily in Zhongyuan.

After hosting these groups, Zhang Yang couldn't help but shake his head. The attitude of everyone who came to visit him was exceedingly respectful, something that made him quite uncomfortable. Strictly speaking, even with two lifetimes of experience, Zhang Yang’s psychological age was only in his thirties or forties; he never envisioned himself as an elder statesman.

After these three families departed, they quickly received fresh news: Zhang Yang had agreed to become the Long family’s Supreme Elder. Although the title carried the modifier "Honorary," everyone understood that Zhang Yang now held real authority within the Long family, having become their established Guardian.

For these allied families, this was unequivocally good news. They had no direct ties to the Zhang family, and any attempt to approach them might be met with indifference. But Zhang Yang becoming the Long family’s Guardian was different. Since they had provided substantial support this time, if they ever faced trouble, the Long family would undoubtedly offer full assistance, perhaps even arranging for Zhang Yang to intervene personally. They already lived under the Long family’s shelter; the stronger the Long family became, the more benefits accrued to them.

This was not all. Following this, they all received tangible rewards. The Long family sent generous gifts to each family: three Spirit Herbs apiece, bringing the total, including the Ouyang family’s portion, to twelve. Twelve Spirit Herbs—any family giving away such a bounty would feel the pinch. Beyond this, the Long family also presented several Divine Artifacts and other gifts, the richness of which far exceeded the expectations of these clans.

For a long time afterward, the faces of those who came bore smiles, everyone remarking that they had made the right choice. At that moment, they seemed to forget the initial anxiety upon arrival, and the despair they felt when the five major powers had descended upon the Long family.

These members from the upper-middle-tier families soon departed. Having secured their benefits, there was no need to remain at the Long Family Plains; the Long family needed to rebuild, and their presence offered no assistance now. It was better for them to return quickly and put their own families at ease, as their households had been filled with worry during their trip to support the Long family.

The Ouyang family was the last to leave. As they departed, Ouyang Jiankang’s jaw seemed permanently fixed in an upward curve. Zhang Daofeng had personally discussed an alliance with him, and Ouyang Jiankang had agreed to every condition set forth by the Zhang family without a second thought. If even the venerable Long family now bowed to Zhang Yang, what reason did they have to be dissatisfied or greedy about forging an alliance with the Zhang family? Moreover, their alliance agreement was far lighter than the Long family’s; the Zhang family showed no inclination to interfere in their internal family affairs, merely requiring secrecy and the provision of necessary resources—all entirely within their capacity to manage.

Three days later, Zhang Yang also took his leave, accompanied by Zhang Pinglu and Master Shi Wu. Master Shi Wu had remained there these past few days, engaging with Zhang Yang and Zhang Daofeng in discussions regarding the application of Heaven and Earth energy and the Way of Nature.

In the application of Heaven and Earth energy, Zhang Yang’s standing was second to none among the Grand Perfection experts. After exchanging insights for so many days, even Master Shi Wu had gained immensely, constantly praising Zhang Yang as a true genius. Concerning the Way of Nature, the three found their insights complementary; each person’s comprehension of this Way differed, with no perfectly identical realization. Furthermore, this comprehension was intrinsically ineffable. However, through external means, they could draw parallels and stimulate deeper understanding of the Way of Nature. It could be said that these few days profoundly aided all three in their grasp of the Way of Nature. During this period, Zhang Yang also continued his cultivation, and his strength finally reached the peak of the mid-Fourth Layer. This was purely his Inner Force cultivation; in terms of controlling Heaven and Earth energy alone, he was already equal to any other expert.

After the three departed, Zhang Daofeng remained at the Long Family Plains. The Long family palace was utterly ruined, and even their protective Grand Array had suffered significant damage from Zhang Yang’s ferocious strike, rendering it incapable of returning to its peak might. Zhang Daofeng stayed behind to help them rebuild their homeland, as the Zhang family members had lived among the mundane world for so long and possessed greater knowledge of architecture and construction.

Besides aiding reconstruction, Zhang Daofeng had another purpose: to remain there and bolster the Long family’s prestige. Zhang Daofeng belonged to the Zhang family, and Zhang Yang’s fame had now spread. Any faction considering taking advantage of the Long family’s weakness upon seeing Zhang Daofeng present would have to seriously reconsider. Offending Zhang Daofeng meant offending the entire Zhang family, a risk even a Grand Perfection expert from a major power would not dare take nowadays.

"Benefactor Zhang, you cheated! You didn't rely on your own speed; you depended on the spirit beast, the Heavenly Steed!"

On the vast grasslands of Xinjiang Province, Master Shi Wu pursued Zhang Yang from a distance, saying with considerable frustration.

"Master Shi Wu, we only agreed to compare speed; we never stipulated that borrowing a spirit beast’s help was forbidden! Master Shi Wu, you can find a spirit beast too! I promise complete fairness!" Zhang Yang grinned wickedly, and Master Shi Wu’s eyes widened.

Earlier, Zhang Yang had suddenly proposed a speed contest to Master Shi Wu, even making a wager. The stakes were significant: Zhang Yang offered three late-Fourth Layer Spirit Beast Essence Blood Pills and one Marrow Cleansing Pill. Both the Essence Blood Pills and the Marrow Cleansing Pill were rare treasures unobtainable even with immense wealth. Even Master Shi Wu was tempted by such a wager, eventually putting up one Shaolin Great Revival Pill as his stake.

The result was naturally tragic for Master Shi Wu. Zhang Yang simply leaped onto the back of Zhui Feng, and once Zhui Feng unleashed its full speed, Master Shi Wu was left trailing far behind, reduced to a mere chaser. This led to Master Shi Wu’s exasperated accusation that Zhang Yang had cheated.