"Refuse?"

The two Grandmasters were taken aback. The representative of the Sacred Land of Hongyu couldn't believe it and said, "Elder, maybe you should consult with Master Li..."

"That's right. If you think the resources are too little, we can renegotiate."

Hearing Bai Ye's refusal, both of them became anxious. Yan Shengjing and Zhou Tianyi had given strict orders to ensure that they invited the Qingling Sect to join the alliance, promising even more resources if necessary.

Many of the surrounding forces were equally shocked, unable to understand why the Qingling Sect would refuse.

The scene became somewhat chaotic, with constant murmurs and whispers.

Qingyi and Yue Ling exchanged glances, having their own suspicions.

The incident where Bai Ye caused a scene at the Duke Rong's mansion and killed the Duke's wife had already spread among the upper echelons of various factions. Her past identity had also been unearthed by some. The Baibao Pavilion had conducted its own investigation but found nothing concrete. Still, the loose ends seemed to point back to the royal family, which might explain Bai Ye's refusal.

At that moment, a powerful aura surged through the hall, followed by a clear voice.

"No need to consult me. My junior sister's decision is mine as well."

As the words fell, a tall figure appeared above the main hall.

With Li Sheng's arrival, the whispers instantly ceased, and all eyes were fixed on him.

The two Grandmasters exchanged glances, each seeing the shock in the other's eyes.

This overwhelming aura was no less than that of their ancestors, clearly indicating Li Sheng had reached the pinnacle of Grandmaster strength.

Seeing Li Sheng appear, a smile appeared on Bai Ye's face. She rose from the main seat and stood aside.

Once Li Sheng took his seat, the oppressive aura gradually faded away.

The people present, like fish out of water, began to breathe heavily again, their gazes toward Li Sheng filled with awe.

Now, standing tall and handsome, Li Sheng resembled an elegant nobleman, his terrifying talent and strength causing many of the women present to blush and gaze at him with admiration.

"Greetings to Master Li!"

Someone started the salute, and soon everyone rose to pay their respects.

Li Sheng nodded slightly, a faint smile on his face, signaling for everyone to sit down.

"It has been a while, Miss Qingyi. You seem to be even more charming than before," Li Sheng greeted with a smile toward the lady seated on his left.

Qingyi's delicate face showed a slight smile. This man's nature remained so casual, with no sense of the gravity of his high position.

"Master Li flatters me."

She felt deep gratitude toward Li Sheng. During the recent election for the position of Pavilion Master at the Baibao Pavilion, her Yue family faced considerable challenges.

But with Li Sheng's fame spreading across the land, and thanks to her aunt Yue Ling's loose tongue, news of her close relationship with the Qingling Sect's leader had spread far and wide.

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Upon learning this, the elders of the council, after verifying the information, began showing goodwill toward her family, eventually supporting them.

What had originally seemed like a losing battle for the Yue family quickly turned in their favor, allowing her father to be appointed as the Pavilion Master.

This time, her father had sent her with five times the resources of her last visit to express their gratitude to the Qingling Sect.

"Master Li, if you're unwilling to join the Seven-Star Alliance, that's fine, but we still hope you'll accept these resources as a token of goodwill."

The two Grandmasters, now respectful, handed over the gifts.

Li Sheng remained silent, his expression giving nothing away. He had little fondness for these two factions, not only because of the things they had done but also because they didn't align with his principles.

Previously, a royal Grandmaster had pursued his senior sister, and Yan Chen had even ordered the poisoning of his junior sister's mother. There was bound to be conflict between them.

However, if he accepted these resources, it would be difficult to act against them in the future due to the obligation of receiving gifts.

Yet if he refused outright, the hostility would be too overt, which wouldn't benefit their current growth.

While he was contemplating how to tactfully decline, Bai Ye spoke coldly from the side:

"The resources from the Sacred Land of Hongyu can be kept, but the royal family's should be taken back. And when you return, tell Yan Chen I said so. He will understand."

The representative from the Sacred Land of Hongyu was overjoyed and bowed respectfully. "That's wonderful!"

The royal representative's face darkened. Seeing Li Sheng's indifferent expression, the words he wanted to say were swallowed, and he bowed before leaving.

Li Sheng was quite satisfied with his junior sister's decision. He then invited the other factions to enjoy the banquet.

During the meal, many of the leaders subtly tried to suggest sending their younger generation to the Qingling Sect.

Li Sheng was quite open to this idea, giving them assurance.

After the New Year, the Qingling Sect would open its gates to recruit disciples. Any youth under the age of eighteen with exceptional talent would be allowed to participate in the selection process, which would take place on the seventh day of the first month.

Many leaders were delighted, deciding to send their prodigies to the Qingling Sect to secure a strong alliance.

A middle-aged Grandmaster from the Sacred Land of Hongyu stood up and respectfully offered a toast to Li Sheng. His attitude was humble, and his words hinted at probing the future direction of the Qingling Sect.

Seeing the man's cautious demeanor, Li Sheng smiled. "I have no ambition to dominate the world. There's no need to worry."

The middle-aged man seemed unsatisfied with this answer and was about to press further when he noticed Bai Ye's icy gaze. His heart tightened, and he quickly lowered his head and sat back down.

At that moment, Bai Ye whispered, "Brother, are you really not planning to compete for dominance?"

"What's the point of domination? I'm a peaceful person who dislikes conflict. I just want to tend to my little corner of the world and develop steadily," Li Sheng replied, sounding surprised that Bai Ye didn't already know his nature and aspirations.

"A peaceful person... who dislikes conflict..." Bai Ye gave her senior brother a strange look.

Li Sheng shrugged and added:

"As the saying goes, 'Two tigers cannot share one mountain.' If the sect truly grows to the level of a top sacred land or becomes the strongest under heaven, neighboring factions will naturally understand the situation. They will either submit or move away. So, whether to fight for dominance is irrelevant. Instead of constantly worrying about other forces, we should focus on our own development."

"Uh..."

Bai Ye rolled her eyes, her expression a bit adorable. So this is what you mean by having no ambition for domination?

It's clear that you just look down on the nearby factions, only aiming to become the top sacred land or ruler of the world, waiting for others to either bow down or leave on their own.

The banquet lasted for an hour, and by the time it ended, night had fallen.

All the visiting factions, except for the group from the Baibao Pavilion, left without lingering.

In the council hall, Qingyi stood up and smiled. "Congratulations to Master Li on your tremendous power growth and your ranking among the top six on the Heavenly Pride List, shaking the world."

"Let's keep a low profile. I'm not fond of conflict, and these titles are meaningless."

Li Sheng waved dismissively.

"Uh... Master Li has a unique sense of humor."

Qingyi was momentarily stunned, then covered her mouth and chuckled, thinking Li Sheng was joking.

She knew well that when many factions had besieged the Qingling Sect, thousands of warriors had been left dead, with only a handful escaping.

Afterward, Li Sheng had even threatened other forces, ordering them to disband or face annihilation.

"Miss Qingyi, what is the value of a superior-grade Spirit-Nourishing Pill? I'd like to settle the payment for the previous resources with this pill."