<h4>Chapter 2126 (Raw 2231): Leaving Deste City</h4>


    What was there to ask about the Heavenly Alliance?


    Be it Xiao Chen or Yun Fei, they both felt rather curious about the Heavenly Alliance.


    However, when suddenly told to ask their questions, they did not know where to start.


    Yun Fei thought in silence for a long time before asking, “Master, what kind of organization is the Heavenly Alliance?”


    What kind of organization was the Heavenly Alliance? It was said to consist of merchant associations. In that case, how did it operate? How did it manage the interests of the various merchant associations? What did joining the Heavenly Alliance mean? Could it be that those merchant associations were not part of the Heavenly Alliance?


    This seemed like a simple question. However, there were many mysterious principles behind it.


    When this topic was brought up, the Peach Blossom Sovereign Emperor showed a somewhatplicated expression. He exined softly, “The Heavenly Alliance has weaker umtions. It was formed after thest great war between the righteous factions and the demonic factions. The variousrge merchant associations had suffered immense losses during the great war between the righteous factions and the demonic factions, due to not only the plundering and killing of the various Demonic Dao factions but also the extortion of the Righteous Dao factions. Without peak martial prowess, wealth is pointless, no matter how much.


    “After that, the top ten merchant associations of the Martial Epoch allied to form the Heavenly Alliance. Its purpose was to gather everyone’s strength and forge a peak fighting force that belonged to the merchant associations. They would nurture people without sparing expenses. Facts proved that one could nurture absolute experts with sufficient resources. Furthermore, when it was established, they used various Soul Tools to attract some neutral Faux Gods. Finally, the Heavenly Alliance managed to be a super faction, gaining the qualifications to resist the other super factions and not get extorted or plundered.”


    Yun Fei said doubtfully, “The Righteous Dao factions would extort merchant associations?”


    The Peach Blossom Sovereign Emperor replied indifferently, “If there were benefits, of course, they would. Furthermore, the sects and empires were not as good at doing businesspared to the merchant associations. Also, some of the merchant associations were overly materialistic, inciting the hatred of the sects. Since the sects could notpete with the merchant associations, they just snatched what they wanted by force. Otherwise, if all the resources got taken away by the merchant associations, the sects could not survive.


    “There is no right and wrong here. This was just a conflict of interest. Even now, the Heavenly Alliance still has to give up some of their interests to some of the more difficult factions.”


    At this point, the Peach Blossom Sovereign Emperor paused before continuing, “Back to what I was saying, after the Heavenly Alliance became a super faction, an interesting twist happened.”


    “What interesting twist?”


    “Those merchant associations discovered that they could no longer control the Heavenly Alliance. This was reallyughable, but the facts are as such. Actually, the Heavenly Alliance is no longer a faction made of merchant associations allying together. The positions switched. Now, the variousrge merchant associations are subordinate to the Heavenly Alliance.”


    The Peach Blossom Sovereign Emperor said seriously, “So, Yun Fei, as to your question of what kind of organization the Heavenly Alliance is, the right answer is that the Heavenly Alliance is a super faction that controls all the merchant associations in the world. The positions between master and subordinate have long swapped.”


    Xiao Chen felt slightly surprised but not overly so. Strength reigned supreme—the strong fed on the weak.


    This was the rule that the Martial Epoch always operated by. Since the Heavenly Alliance possessed the strength to destroy the merchant associations, why would it listen to these merchant associations’ orders?


    “Master, I understand.”


    Yun Fei nodded to indicate his understanding. In the end, the Heavenly Alliance was a major faction that ruled over countless merchant associations, one with subordinate factions spread across the Great Thousand Realms.


    However, the ones truly in control of this major faction were just a small group of people. These were the formal members of the Heavenly Alliance.


    By entering the Heavenly Alliance, Xiao Chen and Yun Fei became like the masters of these subordinate factions.


    No matter how much authority those famous merchant associations had or how much resources they possessed, their status was lower than Xiao Chen and Yun Fei’s.


    Yun Fei went on to raise many questions regarding the finer details of the Heavenly Alliance. The Peach Blossom Sovereign Emperor answered all of them, one by one.


    “Xiao Chen, don’t you have any questions?” the Peach Blossom Sovereign Emperor asked, noticing that Xiao Chen just listened.


    Xiao Chen pondered before saying, “Actually, there is nothing much to ask. I’m only concerned about what benefits I can obtain after entering the Heavenly Alliance and what price I will have to pay for them.”


    The Peach Blossom Sovereign Emperor smiled. Xiao Chen’s question was straightforward, but he did not know how to answer it.


    “Compared to the other super factions, you might have to pay a higher price. Due to its limited umtions, the Heavenly Alliance is quite utilitarian. Unlike the other super factions, it makes full use of every member.”


    Upon mentioning this, the Peach Blossom Sovereign Emperor appeared somewhat helpless. Although the Heavenly Alliance had reversed the roles and be the master controlling all the merchant associations in the world, the merchant associations were its foundations. It could not avoid being more utilitarian than the other super factions.


    “That suits me; this is good.”


    Xiao Chen thought for a while and did not mind that the Heavenly Alliance was utilitarian. It was a matter of making use of each other; there was no need to feel bothered.


    After exining a while more, the Peach Blossom Sovereign Emperor said, “As for the other things, I cannot exin them to you clearly. Just remember: never change your heart and character. Go back, then. The Heavenly Alliance’s people will probably arrive tomorrow.”


    After the two left, Yun Fei appeared quite excited. In contrast, Xiao Chen seemed calm.


    Yun Fei had been in the peaceful Peach Blossom City for more than one hundred years. Now, he finally could enter the Heavenly Alliance. He felt a sense of lofty aspiration as if his time to rise had arrived. He wished that he could immediately put his skills to use and fulfill his ambitions in the Martial Dao.


    “Xiao Chen, what are your ns after entering the Heavenly Alliance?” Yun Fei asked.


    “Me? I don’t seem to have any ns. I just hope to gain the strength of a Sovereign Emperor as soon as I can.”


    Xiao Chen no longer set his sights within the Sovereign Stage. For now, he set a temporary goal of bing strong enough to rival Sovereign Emperors in as short a time as possible.


    Yun Fei smiled and said, “After entering the Heavenly Alliance, bing a Sovereign Emperor is just a matter of time. You should set your sights higher.”


    —


    Early the next morning, the zing sun rose from the east of the Overflowing Sea.


    The Overflowing Sea’s surface shimmered, creating a pleasant sight for anyone watching this sight from Deste City. Every sunrise here made a deep impression, leaving one awestruck.


    Xiao Chen, Yun Fei, and Lei Hao got up early and practiced in the courtyard.


    After a while, the Peach Blossom Sovereign Emperor appeared together with a gray-robed old man. Then, he pointed to Xiao Chen and Yun Fei. The gray-robed old man nodded slightly and sized up the two.


    Xiao Chen knew that this old man should be the person who would bring them to the Heavenly Alliance.


    “Come with me,” the gray-robed old man said directly after taking a look at Xiao Chen and Yun Fei and walking over.


    The gray-robed old man was very straightforward, somewhat surprising Xiao Chen and Yun Fei. The stunned two took a while to react before saying their goodbyes to Lei Hao and the Peach Blossom Sovereign Emperor.


    As Lei Hao sent out Xiao Chen and Yun Fei with his eyes, he had mixed emotions. He knew that he would not have much interaction with Xiao Chen or Yun Fei after this parting.


    Lei Hao felt disappointed. Since the end of the Heavenly Alliance’s test, only now did he finally taste true disappointment.


    “Master, do I still have a chance of entering the Heavenly Alliance?” Lei Hao asked, feeling somewhat unresigned.


    The Peach Blossom Sovereign Emperor felt a heartache. After patting Lei Hao’s shoulder, he sighed, “Those that enter the Heavenly Alliance don’t necessarily be powerful experts. There is always a chance.”


    However, Lei Hao smiled bitterly in his heart. This answer meant that entering the Heavenly Alliance was now impossible for him.


    If Lei Hao were as young as Xiao Chen, there would be a chance. However, he was already almost four hundred years old. The Heavenly Alliance’s next test might be toote.


    —


    After leaving the residence, the gray-robed old man called out Nangong Feng. Then, he led the three to Deste City’s City Lord, Shangguan Yun.


    The gray-robed old man and Shangguan Yun each took out a broken piece of a jade pendant. The two pieces perfectly fit each other. Then, Shangguan Yun activated an extremely hidden Dao tform within the City Lord’s Residence.


    “Do your best. Entering the Heavenly Alliance is not the end; it is just the beginning. You have a long path before you. Don’t disappoint me,” the purple-haired old man advised gravely, watching Xiao Chen, Yun Fei, and Nangong Feng as they stepped onto the Dao tform.


    “We will solemnly heed Lord Shangguan’s lesson.”


    After Shangguan Yun withdrew, Yun Fei looked at the secret Dao tform underfoot. Feeling curious, he asked, “Where are we going? Are we going straight to the Heavenly Alliance’s headquarters?”


    “No. We are gathering with the people from the other test zones first. With your authority, you cannot be sent straight to the Heavenly Alliance’s headquarters using a Dao tform,” the gray-robed old man exined casually as he worked on activating the Dao tform.


    We are finally going to meet the experts from the other test zones. Anticipation stirred in Xiao Chen’s heart.