The Dog House.

That was the name given by the Shen Clan to the Heavenly Dao Pavilion due to it being a force comprised entirely of protagonists—or, as the Shen Clan preferred to call them, the dogs of heaven.

Truthfully, it was because of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion that the Shen Clan had discovered the existence of these so-called protagonists in the first place.

For millennia, these individuals had walked the lands under the guise of miraculous prodigies, destined heroes, and unbeatable prodigies of fate.

Every era bore witness to their sudden rises from obscurity, their impossible comebacks, and their bizarre ability to turn total defeat into absolute triumph.

To the common populace, they were legends blessed by the heavens.

And that was what the Shen Clan believed too.

But after they went to war with them and experience just how ridiculous their luck was, the Shen Clan began to look past the grand illusions of destiny, and found out that they were nothing more than pampered hounds unleashed by the heavenly dao to keep the mortal realm aligned with the heavens’ capricious will—which is to devour the plane’s will.

Yet, despite understanding their true nature, the Shen Clan couldn’t really do anything about them initially.

The cosmic rules favored these chosen puppets so heavily that striking them down directly often resulted in bizarre, unforeseen divine intervention—sudden lightning storms, ancient ancestors inexplicably awakening, or hidden treasures falling into their hands at the precise moment of death.

So, upon realizing the futility of engaging in mindless brute force against the favored children of destiny, the Shen Clan simply let them be, watching quietly from the depths of the shadowy sanctuary.

However, the Shen Clan was never a faction that accepted powerlessness.

They meticulously crafted a failsafe and established the Four Seals to prevent this chaotic group of people from interfering with the delicate balance of the world.

These ancient seals, forged from grand array formations and anchored to the very Ley Lines of the continent, suppressed these dogs of heaven and prevented them from stepping out of their territory to interfere with the world.

For centuries, the realm enjoyed a tense, quiet equilibrium.

Unfortunately, disaster struck when one of the four seals was ’unexpectedly’ destroyed.

The catastrophic collapse of the barrier fractured the ancient isolation array, creating a permanent rift in the dimensional boundary.

This destruction allowed the Dog House to create a breach in the seal, granting them the freedom to send out their dedicated operatives, spread their tendrils across the continent, and recruit new, fledgling "protagonists" into their ever-growing ranks.

The Shen Clan couldn’t really do anything about it. For one, they couldn’t be killed, and these operatives were equipped with various artifacts that prevents even the greatest seers of the Shen Clan from discovering them.

"What... what should we do?" asked the First Enshrined Elder, his voice raspy, breaking the heavy silence that had settled over the chamber.

His aged face was deeply lined with worry, his weathered hands clasped tightly atop his wooden staff.

"The young master is still far too weak. The Dog House must not discover him under any circumstances."

The First Elder’s concern was far from unfounded.

The Dog House could afford to be arrogant simply because of their luck—a bizarre, intangible force that not only allowed them to be virtually unkillable, but also enabled them to grow exponentially stronger through every adversity they faced.

Throw a protagonist off a cliff, and they would land on the ledge of a secret immortal cave.

Poison them, and they would awaken a rare, legendary poison-immune physique.

Beat them to the brink of death, and they would break through two realm barriers on the spot.

Shen Haoran’s existence, however, was the ultimate anomaly.

He possessed an innate, terrifying ability capable of completely neutralizing and taking away their luck.

To the Heavenly Dao Pavilion, he was not merely an enemy; he was an existential threat never seen before.

If the Dog House caught even a faint whisper of his capabilities, he would instantly become their number one target—an extreme priority that had to be eliminated before he could fully mature and strip them of their divine privilege.

Feng Yuyan frowned, crossing her arms under her chest as she stared at her sister.

"The Supreme Hall should still be hiding Haoran, right?" Feng Yuyan noted, her voice steady despite the underlying tension. "The immortal grade concealment array are second to none in this lower realm. So long as their grand formation holds, there is no need to worry about him being discovered for the time being. Not even the Heavenly Dao itself can detect him."

Hearing her rational assessment, the surrounding elders visibly relaxed as heavy sighs of relief echoed around the chamber, and the stiff postures of several ancient figures softened slightly.

The Supreme Hall contains all immortal grade items that their immortal ancestors have left behind before ascending, so if anyone could shield a person from the sweeping divine sense of the heavens, it was them.

"But..."

The sharp, icy voice of Leng Shuang cut through the fleeting moment of relief like a frost-coated blade as everyone turned their gazes towards her.

"...we need to prepare," Leng Shuang continued, her gaze cold and unblinking. "Haoran has already discovered the existence of the Dog House. Given his nature and the speed at which events are unfolding, it won’t be long before he comes into direct contact with them. Concealment is only a temporary shield, not a permanent victory."

Her words instantly chilled the room, shattering the short-lived sense of comfort as the elders looked at one another, their expressions darkening once more.

"Then... should we... ask them for help?" suggested the Second Enshrined Elder carefully, his voice dropping to a cautious whisper as he gestured faintly toward the dark southern expanse beyond the clan’s borders.

The moment the words left his mouth, the temperature in the room dropped drastically.

Everyone turned towards him simultaneously, their glares sharp enough to draw blood.

The Second Enshrined Elder couldn’t help but shiver under the collective weight of those deeply unfriendly, hostile looks.

He raised his hands in mock surrender and smiled awkwardly, "Hey, hey, it was just a suggestion. If you don’t want to, then fine."

Chu Xueyu, sitting at the head of the long table as the acting authority of the meeting, glared at him with cold disdain.

Yet, after a long, agonizing pause, she leaned back against her grand high-backed chair.

She closed her eyes, the sharp anger in her features slowly melting into a complex, brooding solemnity as she pondered the painful reality of their situation.

’Yes... should we ask them for help?’

The thought had already crossed her mind long before the Second Elder had dared to speak it aloud.

Yet, every instinct in her body rebelled against the idea as she felt an overwhelming reluctance deep in her core.

The Shen Clan had never really gotten along well with that faction.

Of course, there were really no centuries of bad blood, nor bitter disputes, it’s just a disagreement.

More specifically, she and her sisters couldn’t stand even being in the same realm as them, let alone standing shoulder-to-shoulder on a battlefield.

The mere thought of swallowing their pride to beg for an alliance left a bitter, foul taste in her mouth.

’But now... there is literally no other choice.’

The safety of Shen Haoran, her very own son, was on the line, and the fate of the entire Shen Clan hung by a thread.

Pride was a luxury they could no longer afford.

Chu Xueyu slowly opened her eyes. The hesitation that had clouded her gaze moments prior was entirely gone, replaced by a ruthless resolve.

She stared at everyone gathered in the room, her voice echoing with unmistakable command.

"Enough hesitation," Chu Xueyu declared, her voice ringing clear and authoritative across the grand hall. "If war is inevitable, then we shall strike them before they can strike us. We prepare immediately."

Without missing a beat, she began issuing a rapid series of military orders, transforming the quiet clan into a fully operational war machine.

"Leng Shuang!" Chu Xueyu called out sharp and clear.

"Here," Leng Shuang responded, stepping forward, her expressionless demeanor perfectly attuned to the command.

"You are placed in full control of logistics," Chu Xueyu ordered, her eyes fixed on her sister. "Secure the spirit stome mines, mobilize our hidden armories, and ensure that our frontline supply routes are reinforced with concealment formations. Every pill, every talisman, and every piece of heavy armor must be distributed to the vanguard regiments within three days. If a single resource convoy is delayed, I hold you accountable."

Also, Leng Shuang controls twelve realms under her, which they can squeeze out of various resources.

As for what happens to the people of those lower realms? It’s none of their business.

Leng Shuang only need to make sure that her territories there remained strong and untouched.

And also to ensure the safety of Ling Luochen’s clan.

"Consider it done," Leng Shuang replied curtly, nodding once before turning instantly on her heel to execute her duty.

"Feng Yuyan!" Chu Xueyu’s gaze shifted to the side.

"Ready," Feng Yuyan answered, her tone firm and unyielding.

"You are in charge of overall defense," Chu Xueyu commanded, leaning forward over the map. "Activate the Ancient Star-Guard Array surrounding the clan grounds. Fortify all nine main mountain passes and deploy the shadow guards. I want the border defenses so tight that not even a mosquito can pass through. If the dogs come sniffing, I want them running into a wall of absolute iron."

"They won’t step a single inch into our territory without bleeding for it," Feng Yuyan promised.

Finally, Chu Xueyu turned her sharp gaze toward the Seven Enshrined Elders, who stood in a solemn row, awaiting their directives.

"As for the seven of you," Chu Xueyu said, her voice dropping to a low, potent whisper filled with murderous intent. "Listen carefully, for your tasks shall determine the flow of this war."

"First Enshrined Elder, you shall take the First Battle Legion and personally oversee the protection of the remaining three seals. Reinforce their boundaries with your life. Under no circumstances is a second seal allowed to fall."

"Second Enshrined Elder, take the Clan’s diplomatic token and depart immediately for the...just head immediately towards those people. Put aside your pride, swallow your disgust, and negotiate the alliance. Tell them that if the Dog House takes Haoran, their faction is next on the heaven’s hit list, and we, the three sisters, will never forgive them."

"Third Enshrined Elder, mobilize the intelligence network. Track every single operative, worker, and newly recruited ’protagonist’ that the dog house has sent through the broken seal. Map their locations, their strengths, and their strange abilities."

"Fourth Enshrined Elder, take charge of the ARC Foundation that Haoran had founded. The moment the Third Elder identifies an isolated protagonist candidate, move in secret and use other dogs to sever their limbs, seal their cultivations, and drag them into the dark dungeons before their ’luck’ can trigger an escape."

"Fifth Enshrined Elder, establish the hidden transport arrays between our main stronghold and the Supreme Hall. Ensure that if Haoran’s location is ever compromised, we can extract him within a single breath."

"Sixth Enshrined Elder, unseal the forbidden Ancestral Vaults. Distribute all high grade artifacts and various pills and talismans to the core commanders. If we are to fight those favored by fate, we must prepare ourselves as much as possible."

"And lastly, you, Seventh Enshrined Elder, you shall remain at the central command center, overseeing the communication lines between the logistics, defense, and outer strike forces. Ensure seamless coordination across all fronts."

The seven elders bowed deeply, their hands clasped together in unison, their voices echoing in harmony throughout the vast stone chamber.

"We obey the your Orders!"

As the elders scattered to carry out their duties, Chu Xueyu turned back toward the dark window overlooking the distant, turbulent horizon.

Then, she took out her communication artifact and stared at it, hesitating on what message to send.

Eventually, she gritted her teeth and told him not worry about them and to just do what needed to be done.

It’s fine, she was here, even if he caused the heavens to fall, she will shoulder it for him.