Ye Liuyun harnessed spatial energy, arriving instantly with the Violet Kylin in tow.

"Roar!"

The Violet Kylin let out a low growl, unleashing its bloodline pressure that forced Meng Qingyin’s Ice Bear to stagger back two steps.

Unwilling to back down, Meng Qingyin urged her Ice Bear forward again, baring its fangs menacingly at the Violet Kylin.

But the Violet Kylin shifted into human form, flaunting its superior Devil Beast status and once again putting the Ice Bear in its place.

"Keep snarling at me, little thing, and I’ll turn you into a mounted trophy!" the Violet Kylin telepathically threatened, causing the Ice Bear’s muscles to twitch in fear. It immediately clamped its jaws shut, no longer daring to act tough.

Upon arrival, Ye Liuyun’s gaze swept across the ten soldier corpses floating in the void and the surrounding Dragon Steeds, quickly inquiring about the situation from Mo Teng and the others.

"I am Ye Liuyun. Where are you from, and why do you speak of forming an alliance with me?" he asked, addressing both Meng Qingyin and Lie Du.

He had already assessed their strength earlier. Though human- demon beast alliances weren’t unheard of, seeing humans team up with both savage beasts and demons was certainly unusual.

Lie Du promptly explained their background and purpose in detail.

After listening, Ye Liuyun hesitated. He had been deeply engrossed in his cultivation and hadn’t considered allying with southern factions. Yet their proactive approach and existing coalition structure presented a valuable opportunity for engagement.

Just then, Meng Qingyin confronted Ye Liuyun about his subordinates killing her men.

Ye Liuyun responded calmly, "This was purely a misunderstanding. In the treacherous depths of space, when intentions are unclear, preemptive strikes for self-preservation are understandable when encountering powerful entities."

He continued diplomatically, "To demonstrate our willingness to cooperate, we’re prepared to offer compensation."

"Compensation?" Meng Qingyin’s voice turned icy. "Ten lives lost—do you think mere resources can make this right?"

Meng Qingyin was well aware that what had happened couldn’t be undone. Yet seeing Ye Liuyun show no intention of apologizing, her irritation flared—after all, these were her subordinates, and their loss stung her deeply.

"Qingyin, this is clearly a misunderstanding. Let’s discuss it later. Right now, we have more pressing matters to address," Lie Du quickly interjected, worried that Ye Liuyun might take offense and refuse their alliance.

Though he couldn’t yet gauge Ye Liuyun’s full strength, the sheer distance the man had traversed in that split second—from the moment he spoke to his sudden appearance—told Lie Du enough. Even if nothing else, Ye Liuyun’s mastery over spatial energy already surpassed theirs.

With him as an ally, taking down the alien invaders would be far more effective than relying on ten ordinary soldiers. And that wasn’t even accounting for the other fighters by his side.

The moment those demonic vines had coiled around him, Lie Du had felt his energy draining at an alarming rate. Just dealing with those monstrous tendrils alone would have been a struggle.

Ye Liuyun turned to Meng Qingyin, his tone measured. "I understand how you feel. But what’s done is done. Pushing me further won’t change anything. I’ve already agreed to compensate—isn’t that enough? Or do you intend to demand ten of our lives in return?"

Though he claimed to sympathize with her, her unreasonable stubbornness grated on him. They hadn’t even formed an alliance yet, and she was already jeopardizing the bigger picture. Who knew what chaos she might stir up later? His words were deliberate—he refused to let her undermine his stance before negotiations even began.

"You—!" Meng Qingyin choked on her fury, fingers tightening around her spear.

"Qingyin, Liuyun has a point. There’s no need to dwell on this. Let’s focus on the alliance first," Lie Du urged, stepping between them.

Meng Qingyin let out a cold laugh. "Even if we’re forming an alliance, shouldn’t we test his strength first? How about I be the judge of that?"

Ye Liuyun merely smirked, unimpressed by her challenge. Instead of rising to her bait, he calmly addressed Lie Du. "Fighting the alien invaders isn’t a one-man battle. No matter how strong a single warrior is, their impact will always be limited. Why don’t we discuss the enemy’s numbers and strategy first? Then we can see where I fit into the plan."

Though irritated by Meng Qingyin’s provocation, Ye Liuyun hesitated to retaliate physically, wary of causing irreparable damage to their fragile alliance.

"Quite right, quite right! Mr. Ye truly understands the bigger picture!" Lie Du chimed in eagerly.

Yet Meng Qingyin, her temper flaring with no outlet, refused to back down. "Could it be that Mr. Ye is afraid to fight?" she taunted, leveling her spear directly at him in another blatant challenge.

Even Lie Du frowned at her audacity, taken aback by her sheer lack of restraint.

With a disdainful curl of his lip, Ye Liuyun instantly summoned his spatial power, locking Meng Qingyin firmly in place.

"If Miss Meng enjoys wielding weapons so much, then by all means—hold that pose!"

Rather than engage her directly, he opted to immobilize her with spatial energy, rendering her powerless to move.

Trapped within the invisible force, Meng Qingyin’s face flushed crimson with exertion. No matter how fiercely she struggled, she couldn’t break free from Ye Liuyun’s spatial confinement.

Frustration mounting, she attempted to channel the energy of her spatial realm, hoping to shatter his restraints. But Ye Liuyun’s golden eyes saw through her efforts instantly. The moment her internal energy surged, he countered by reinforcing the spatial barrier with a fraction of his own realm’s power.

Meng Qingyin’s eyes widened in shock. Even after tapping into her spatial world, she still couldn’t break his hold—just how formidable was his control over space?

Defeated, she could only stand there, spear still raised, her face burning with humiliation.

Ignoring her now, Ye Liuyun turned his attention to the others. He instructed the Demon Vine and his companions to proceed to the next stronghold while he struck up a conversation with Lie Du.

As they spoke, he learned that the alliance was barely holding its ground. If the alien forces grew any stronger, the coalition would likely suffer devastating losses.

After some thought, Ye Liuyun decided it was best to intervene before the alliance faced irreparable damage. After all, worlds willing to unite against a common threat were rare—this was an opportunity too valuable to waste.

So he instructed his clones to rendezvous with him after wiping out the alien outposts.

As for Demon Vine and the others, Ye Liuyun had no intention of involving them in the battles following the alliance. For one, they had killed Meng Qingyin’s soldiers, and keeping them away would prevent further conflicts with the coalition. On the other hand, they could continue sweeping through the alien strongholds to secure more resources.

Next, Ye Liuyun began negotiating the terms of military support with Lie Du. The alliance policy from Lie Du’s side was straightforward—they would compensate Ye Liuyun for his losses and provide additional resources, given that he was aiding them in resisting the alien threat.

As for the resources seized by Ye Liuyun’s forces, they would remain entirely under his control.

With such clear terms, the two sides quickly reached an agreement and formalized the pact.

Without Meng Qingyin’s interference, the negotiations progressed smoothly.

However, Lie Du couldn’t help but notice Meng Qingyin standing rigidly in the same posture the entire time. Feeling it was inappropriate, he eventually spoke up to plead on her behalf.