Ye Jingyu chuckled, nodding slightly. The motto of the Dark Alliance was truly damn interesting. Without wasting any more pleasantries, he followed the large man inside the weapon shop.

Before heading to the Demon Palace, Xie Zuomiao, the steward of the Young City Lord's estate in Tianman City, finally managed to find an opportunity to meet with Ye Jingyu. He subtly revealed some information about the existence of the Dark Alliance, which immediately piqued Ye Jingyu's interest.

The Dark Alliance needed a powerhouse to anchor it, and as a newcomer, Ye Jingyu also required the aid of established forces. His connection with the Dark Alliance was like a duck taking to water—an immediate fit.

Although Xie Zuomiao was not overwhelmingly powerful, he was one of the five major deacons of the Dark Alliance, holding a lofty position within it. He relayed crucial details about the Dark Alliance to Ye Jingyu and arranged to introduce him to the other members in Tianling City.

This very weapon shop was a secret outpost of the Dark Alliance, and the strange, casual phrase had been the code. The large man, named Yuan Qingcong, was also a key member of the Alliance. He had already been informed of Ye Jingyu’s existence by Xie Zuomiao. Upon learning that Ye Jingyu was the man currently causing such a stir in the Earth Alliance, his demeanor instantly turned respectful.

This was absolutely a Chou-level expert! If he truly agreed to join the Earth Alliance, this scattered collection of individuals would finally have a backbone.

Under Yuan Qingcong’s guidance, the group traversed a long corridor that seemed disproportionate to the size of the weapon shop, finally emerging into a garden. Ye Jingyu speculated that the structure must contain an enchantment compressing space to account for such a lengthy passage within the shop’s apparent dimensions.

Beyond the garden lay a rather large hall already filled with people—all exclusively human. Ye Jingyu couldn't sense the aura of any other race among them. Seeing the sea of human faces, he suddenly felt as if he had returned home.

Xie Zuomiao was seated at the foremost position, accompanied by four other individuals. Upon Ye Jingyu’s arrival, all of them rose at Xie Zuomiao’s silent cue.

"Brother Ye, you have finally arrived!" Xie Zuomiao beamed, feeling immensely honored to have secured the allegiance of a powerhouse like Ye Jingyu for the Dark Alliance.

While most others offered warm welcomes, one man dressed in white, seated alongside Xie Zuomiao, appeared to hold a distinct hostility toward Ye Jingyu.

"Heh heh, I was delayed on the road. My apologies for keeping everyone waiting!" Ye Jingyu naturally paid no mind to the man's expression. He casually cupped his hands towards Xie Zuomiao and the others in greeting, then, under Xie Zuomiao’s introduction, met everyone present one by one.

"Brother Ye, please sit..." After the introductions were complete, Xie Zuomiao made a gesture of polite invitation toward Ye Jingyu, gesturing him toward the seat at the very front—the position that had remained empty within the Dark Alliance: the seat of the Alliance Master.

When Xie Zuomiao had initially invited Ye Jingyu to join the Dark Alliance, his goal had been for Ye Jingyu to immediately assume the role of Master. After all, the current Dark Alliance was a mess precisely because it lacked an overwhelmingly strong figure. With Ye Jingyu’s established strength, accepting this leadership role was an unquestionable fit. Xie Zuomiao had consulted the other high-ranking members beforehand, and the vast majority agreed. In the Earth Alliance, strength was paramount. Their strongest members barely reached the Hong level; how could they expect an expert who was Chou-level, possibly at the peak of Chou-level, to join and then serve as their subordinate?

The current situation demanded a powerful leader for the Dark Alliance.

The concept of the strong being respected was deeply ingrained in the Dark Alliance. Most members felt it was perfectly reasonable for a newly joined Chou-level expert to become the Master. However, in any gathering, there are always those with more active—or ambitious—minds.

"Wait..." At that moment, the man in white suddenly spoke up.

His name was Wang Yuxin. He held a status equal to Xie Zuomiao’s as one of the five major deacons. In the absence of an Alliance Master, he was effectively the highest authority below the Sun and Moon Envoys, who rarely involved themselves in the Alliance’s affairs. Among the five deacons, Wang Yuxin possessed the highest cultivation, meaning that in practice, orders often flowed from him. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he subtly controlled the Dark Alliance. Although the Alliance was fractured, it still represented a gathering of many humans, and controlling such a force was beneficial. But Ye Jingyu arriving and immediately taking the Master position would significantly diminish his own power.

When Wang Yuxin suddenly stood, the others present were momentarily stunned. Most members present desired a true powerhouse to lead the Dark Alliance, and they saw no issue with Ye Jingyu joining. For years, they had searched for a human expert to lead them. Now that they had finally found and persuaded one, the fragmented Dark Alliance could unite—did Wang Yuxin truly have an objection?

"Brother Xin, do you have something further to say?" Xie Zuomiao frowned slightly at Wang Yuxin’s interruption. He had gone to great lengths to bring Ye Jingyu here; what if this disruption caused Ye Jingyu to leave? He quickly glanced at Ye Jingyu, noted his calm expression, and felt a slight easing of his tension.

"Brother Ye’s strength is evident to all. His joining our Dark Alliance is a blessing for every member. However, Brother Ye is joining us on his very first day. If he takes the Master position immediately, many of the brothers below might not submit!" Wang Yuxin stated calmly, a seemingly cordial smile on his face.

This declaration made Ye Jingyu’s brow twitch, though a cold laugh echoed in his mind. In any ordinary organization, no matter how strong a newcomer was, becoming the leader on the first day would naturally be inappropriate, if not impossible. But Ye Jingyu had some understanding of the Earth Alliance's situation. Calling it an alliance was generous; it was essentially an empty shell.

While they had many members, those who truly qualified as experts numbered barely a hundred. And these individuals joined the Dark Alliance primarily seeking psychological comfort—after all, they had found their own kind here. Most of them were nominal members; if any real trouble arose, they would simply wash their hands of the matter.

Aside from Xie Zuomiao and a few others, the vast majority of members didn't take the Dark Alliance seriously. Calling it scattered was an overstatement; it was practically mud.