Xu Yang’s gaze swept across the area. There were sixty Dragon Ascending Geniuses, yet over a hundred people had stood up, intending to join Sharp Wind Hall.

"Sun Tao, what are you hesitating for?" Jiang Ping frowned. "With Cao Rong and Yun Feng as leaders, and prominent members like Gu Haoming and Lu Ren, isn’t Sharp Wind Hall worth joining?"

"Senior Brother Jiang, please give me some time to think it over," Sun Tao replied.

He then stood up and left to consult with the allies his family had arranged for him.

"Xu Yang, trying to survive alone in the Purple Sun Sect is next to impossible," Zhang Yong said. "Lu Ren and I are both here. How about the three of us stick together and support each other?"

The three of them shared a unique bond. Now that both he and Lu Ren were joining Sharp Wind Hall, he hoped Xu Yang would become a member as well.

"Let me think about it!" Xu Yang didn’t refuse directly.

’But that’s just an excuse. If I join Sharp Wind Hall now, wouldn’t I look like a complete fool for rejecting the Cao Family’s offer before?’

’So much for "progressing together" and being "brothers through life and death."’

’He only believed in one thing: no one does anything without something to gain.’

’Before you’re trapped, their words are all sweet and pretty. Once you’ve jumped into the fire pit, they can manipulate you however they please with just a word.’

"Everyone, Kong Yu and I wish to establish the Eagle Society. The society aims to unite against external threats, share information, and exchange resources. We will not force members to do anything. Those who are interested in joining, please come over now," Han Xing suddenly announced.

Instantly, another commotion broke out among the crowd.

The appeal of Han Xing, a Half-Step Marrow Cleansing master, combined with Kong Yu, who was reputed to have the best Root Bone of their batch, was immense. Some who had been planning to join Sharp Wind Hall immediately changed their minds and moved toward Han Xing.

Of course, it wasn’t just their personal appeal. The Eagle Society had a clear mission statement, especially the promise of no coercion. Not everyone wanted to be someone’s underling, ordered around at will.

Every one of these Martial Arts Ascension Dragon prodigies was proud and ambitious.

Xu Yang noticed that some people who had previously been unmoved also stood up and walked toward Han Xing and Kong Yu.

Still, there were others who wished to join neither Sharp Wind Hall nor the Eagle Society. He wasn’t the only maverick.

’These people must have planned this in private.’

Xu Yang was somewhat tempted by the Eagle Society.

Of course, he was only slightly tempted. He had a feud with Gale Hall, having killed Zhu Yang in the examination ring. It was impossible for him to join a society co-founded by Kong Yu.

’Besides, they’ve already set up leaders. I don’t believe for a second that Han Xing and Kong Yu are without ambition.’

"Xu Yang, care to come over for a talk?" Qin Ze suddenly called out from a distance.

"Alright!"

After a moment’s hesitation, Xu Yang walked over to Qin Ze.

Qin Ze had placed third in their batch. While it was due to a lucky break, his strength was undeniable—even Gu Haoming might not be his match.

A few people were already standing by Qin Ze’s side.

One was Yue Gui, who had also grasped Hidden Strength. Another was Liu Qian, the Fifth Miss of the Liu Family. The last person, Xu Yang recalled, was a disciple from He Ming Boxing Hall named Chen Jiang. He was extremely powerful, a master second only to Qin Ze and Gu Haoming, and had placed in the top ten of the Martial Arts Examination.

Moreover, He Ming Boxing Hall was one of the top three martial arts institutions in Qingyuan.

"Greetings, Brother Qin, Fifth Miss..."

Xu Yang cupped his fist, greeting each of the four in turn. The four returned the gesture.

Liu Qian smiled, her lips pursed. "Brother Xu, you are no longer a Tributor for my Liu Family. You can simply call me Miss Liu now."

"Alright!" Xu Yang said.

’It was just a habit to call her Fifth Miss. He didn’t feel like it made him her inferior or anything.’

Yue Gui spoke up. "Brother Qin, perhaps you can tell us now why you’ve gathered us here."

Qin Ze nodded. "None of us wish to join Sharp Wind Hall or the Eagle Society. And while they claim joining is voluntary, a lot of the time, you’re either a friend or an enemy."

Han Xing is relatively easygoing, and Kong Yu’s cultivation is still low, so he isn’t acting too ostentatiously yet.

"But as scions of the Four Great Clans, Yun Feng and Cao Rong have long cultivated arrogant and domineering personalities. They might act indifferent on the surface, but I’m sure they already despise anyone who has slighted them."

"So what you’re saying is...?" Chen Jiang asked.

"An alliance!"

Qin Ze’s gaze swept across the four of them. "We’ve all snubbed them. Once we’re in the Purple Sun Sect, they will likely target and suppress us. Therefore, we must form an alliance for self-preservation, to stop them from coming after us.

If any one of us is targeted, the rest of us must stand together and fight back."

’Xu Yang didn’t actually want to get involved in this sort of thing, but at this point, if he refused even Qin Ze, he would end up offending everyone.’

’Being too much of a maverick would only draw unwanted attention and make him a target.’

’An alliance with Qin Ze, on the other hand, would actually reduce his troubles. With an alliance in place, neither the Eagle Society nor Sharp Wind Hall would be likely to target him anymore.’

’There was one more thing. People like Qin Ze, who were unwilling to join either Sharp Wind Hall or the Eagle Society, were highly unlikely to include spies from the Blood Lotus Sect. Those spies would surely gravitate toward the larger, more crowded factions.’

"I agree."

Liu Qian was the first to speak. "But the Alliance should be limited to defending against suppression from the Eagle Society and Sharp Wind Hall. Other matters should not concern the group."

"The Purple Sun Sect is rife with factions. If we had to band together for every single conflict, we’d get nothing done besides fighting all day long."

Yue Gui nodded. "Liu Qian has a point. However, I think we should add two more clauses: information sharing and resource exchange. These two shouldn’t cause any extra trouble. Resource exchanges will be entirely voluntary, but all else being equal, members of the Alliance should be given priority.

As for sharing information, anything that isn’t critically important can be shared freely. If you believe a piece of information has significant value, you can request compensation for it."

Qin Ze nodded. "That’s an excellent proposal, Brother Yue. Since we’re forming an alliance, I hope we can all advance together."