"Take them down!" At Dongfang Lin's command, the elite members of the Dongfang family, hidden among the guests, instantly made their move. Amidst the flashing star patterns, the rebels were subdued one by one.

Throughout the entire process, no one noticed the subtle changes taking place in the star map on the dome—several previously dim stars gradually lit up, like invisible eyes watching the chaos below. The light of one of the stars was particularly focused on the man in the blue robe, who was the only "traitor" who had not yet been subdued.

Seeing the situation was dire, the man in the blue robe suddenly bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood mist. Strange blue runes appeared within the blood mist, and his entire aura suddenly became cold and unfamiliar.

"The Blood Escape Technique of the Nether Crystal Clan!" Zhang Jingtian warned sharply, "Don't let him—"

Before he could finish speaking, a beam of starlight shot down from the dome, piercing precisely between the blue-robed man's eyebrows. He collapsed to the ground with a thud, his expression still one of shock, and the blue light writhing beneath his skin dissipated.

Silence returned to the hall. Everyone looked up at the same time, and saw that several stars on the star chart were slowly returning to normal, as if the fatal blow just now was just an illusion.

Suppressing his shock, Dongfang Lin cleared his throat: "As you all have seen, colluding with extraterrestrial forces will ultimately lead to disastrous consequences." He glanced meaningfully at the subdued representatives, "Now, we should discuss the matter of cooperation..."

At this moment, a figure slowly descended from above the hall; it was none other than Han Feng.

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. All eyes were fixed on the young figure slowly walking toward the center—his tall and imposing figure was outlined in a black outfit, and his eyes seemed to hold the brilliance of a starry river. Every step he took carried a composure beyond his years.

Han Feng stood beside Dongfang Lin, his gaze sweeping over every representative of the prominent families present. He clearly saw the subtle differences in their expressions of surprise, doubt, and speculation.

"Gentlemen," his voice wasn't loud, yet it strangely carried to every corner, "the traitor has been executed. Now, anyone have a question?"

A stir ran through the crowd. These representatives of ancient martial arts families, who were usually high and mighty, now looked at each other like children in a school, none daring to speak first.

Dongfang Lin stepped forward at the opportune moment: "Allow me to formally introduce you—this is Han Feng, the joint patriarch of my Dongfang family and the Zhang family, and also…" He paused meaningfully, "the inheritor of the Star Soul Lord."

\"What?!\"

"The Lord of Star Souls?!"

"Isn't that just a legend...?"

Exclamations of surprise rose and fell. Several older representatives stared wide-eyed at Han Feng, as if trying to confirm whether he had three heads and six arms.

Although Dongfang Lin previously stated that the Star Soul Lord would only bestow blessings upon the three families, when ordinary families obtained the Celestial Stone, many attempted to overthrow the status of the three families, and none of them escaped unscathed.

Later, because the primordial energy of the Dongfang, Shangguan, and Zhang families was almost all related to the power of stars, the three families were not only confirmed as top-tier forces, but also revered the Lord of Star Souls as their common deity.

Therefore, Han Feng's identity as the Star Soul Master was revealed as soon as he appeared, and everyone present remained skeptical.

Dongfang Wantang stood in the corner, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her dress. Watching Han Feng remain composed under everyone's gaze, an indescribable warmth welled up in her chest. Those star-like points of light flowed joyfully through her meridians—this wondrous connection became more pronounced with each deepening of her admiration for Han Feng.

Facing the skeptical gazes from below the stage, Han Feng didn't say much. He simply released his aura, and the oppressive feeling of the Great Dao Realm made everyone present feel as if a heavy stone was pressing on their chests, making it hard to breathe.

Everyone attending the aristocratic family gathering today is an outstanding member of their respective family. The entire hall is filled with experts at the Innate Realm, but none of them can withstand the pressure from the Great Dao Realm experts.

Seeing that many people looked pained, Han Feng gradually withdrew his oppressive aura.

The representatives of these families are now completely convinced of Han Feng's identity.

Finally, a young man in an indigo robe stepped out from the crowd. He was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, and the arrogance typical of scions of noble families had vanished from his brows. He bowed respectfully with clasped hands: "Tu Yuming of the Tu family, humbly requesting guidance from Mr... Mr. Han."

Han Feng nodded slightly. He remembered Dongfang Lin's reminder—the Tu family was a major clan in the south, though not as powerful as the three great families, they were unique in the art of weapon forging.

"We want to know," Tu Yuming stared directly at Han Feng, "why did the Shangguan family collude with foreign enemies? And why were they...?" He carefully chose his words, "...eliminated?"

This question clearly voiced everyone's thoughts. The hall fell silent again, so quiet that even breathing could be heard clearly.

A barely perceptible smile curved Han Feng's lips. He had anticipated this question and already knew how to answer it—to deter the villains without prematurely revealing the existence of the Nether Crystal Clan.

"Shangguan Ce colluded with foreign enemies, intending to overthrow the order of the ancient martial arts world." Han Feng's voice suddenly turned cold, each word like an ice pick piercing the listener's eardrums. "Even with conclusive evidence, he still stubbornly resisted, even at the cost of his entire clan's lives to activate a forbidden formation."

He raised his hand and waved it, and the power of the stars condensed into a scene in the air—a fragment of the great battle in the Shangguan family's secret realm: collapsing mountains, boiling magma, and Shangguan Ce's ferocious face.

"As for the Nangong family..." The scene shifts to Nangong Wentian, his body ablaze with blood. "Nangong Wentian not only participated in the conspiracy, but also attempted to silence witnesses after the plot was exposed. Most importantly, he was the one who brought the wolf into the house."

Han Feng deliberately omitted the part controlled by the Youjing Clan, only showing the scene of Nangong Wentian's frenzied attack. The final shot froze on the starlight falling from the sky—it pierced Nangong Wentian's head like divine punishment, pinning him to the ground.

"Traitors deserve this retribution." Han Feng withdrew his hand, and the illusion dissipated. His simple words caused the temperature in the entire hall to plummet.

Tu Yuming unconsciously took a half step back, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead. All the questions he had prepared were stuck in his throat, ultimately turning into a deep bow: "The Tu family... understands."

The other representatives dared not say a word. Several members of prominent families who were originally on good terms with the Shangguan family turned pale, fearing they would be implicated.

Dongfang Lin broke the silence at the opportune moment: "As you all have seen, the ancient martial arts world is going through a turbulent time; the era of fighting alone is over." He looked around at everyone, "I propose forming a clan alliance and jointly electing Han Feng as its leader. What do you all think?"

Zhang Jingtian was the first to stand up: "The Zhang family seconds this."

Following closely behind, representatives from several minor aristocratic families raised their hands in trembling approval. Tu Yuming hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded: "The Tu family... would like to hear the details."