Gazing indifferently at the shattered white ice, the cloaked figure slightly raised his head, his gaze passing through the black cloak and slowly sweeping across the silent hall. Though his view was obscured by the dark cloak, everyone present instinctively recoiled, their necks drawn in, eyes darting with fear, moving aimlessly without purpose—no one dared to remain fixed on the cloaked figure. Nalan Yan held her jade hands tightly, her face slightly pale, intently watching the ice on the carpet slowly melting. Her body trembled gently. Just one hour ago, the head elder of the Mo family had been confidently outlining grand plans. Now, before her very eyes, he lay lifeless—his body reduced to mere remains. The stark contrast between these two scenes was simply hard to believe. Inhaling a deep breath of cold air, Nalan Yanran gradually calmed the fluctuations within her. Regardless of how one might say it, after three years of cultivation, she had long since surpassed the timid young girl of old. The paleness on her delicate face gradually faded, and with her beautiful eyes fixed on the black-robed figure, she said, "Whether you are who you claim to be or not, you have certainly incurred grievances with Yunlan Sect. While Mo Cheng may not be qualified to provoke a conflict between Yunlan Sect and a Duke-level powerhouse, Yunlan Sect's reputation is well worth this price. Today, you have slain Mo Cheng before the leaders of numerous factions across Dongnan Province and in front of us. Should Yunlan Sect remain passive and indifferent, the other factions relying on us will surely feel chilled and disheartened." The gaze beneath the black robe, quietly fixed upon Na Lan Yanran—who managed to ignore his atmospheric pressure—remained still for a long while before he gently shook his head and murmured, "We and Yunlan Sect will inevitably be at odds, even if I do not kill Mo Cheng today. In time, I will surely go to Yunlan Sect, and then our grievances will surely intensify. Therefore, what you've just said holds no weight for me." "Who exactly are you?" Na Lan Yanran furrowed her brows, unable to contain her voice as she asked sharply. "I shall reveal myself to you eventually," the man in black replied calmly, then turned his attention away from Na Lan Yanran and slowly walked toward the pale-faced disciple of the Mo family. "Hand over the prisoners!" Stopping two meters from Mo Lan, his voice was as cold and detached as ice, carrying an undercurrent of unyielding intent that made Mo Lan's heart tremble. If their delay continued, the next to be turned to ice would likely be themselves. "Master... the guests will arrive shortly." The voice still trembled slightly as the reply, and Mo Lan took a few shaky steps backward before feeling a little more at ease. "Five minutes." The black-robed figure paid no attention to Mo Lan's retreat, his voice cold and steady as he uttered the three words, then stood motionless like a post in the hall, silent. Upon hearing those three words, Mo Lan's lips twitched several times before quickly waving down a young disciple of the Mo family, his face anxious, and urgently sending him off to urge the guests. In the spacious hall, where the towering pillars still bore festive red characters, the vibrant red now appeared only to bring a wry smile to the eyes of the gathered guests—perhaps, once today was over, the Mo family would have to prepare for mourning once again. One after another, the eyes of the gathered crowd swept across the hall. As their gaze inadvertently passed over the cloaked figure standing at the center, every single person felt a sharp tremor in their hearts—the once unyielding, dominant Master of the Mo Sect, now reduced to a soft, malleable mass, easily shaped and manipulated at the will of this even more formidable presence, with no resistance at all. Such a power clearly transcended their own level. At this moment, they could only silently wonder: what misfortunes had the young Mo Cheng endured—what setbacks, what obstacles—before he managed to attract and ultimately defeat such a towering figure at the very pinnacle of the Empire. Amidst the bustling activity, the hall remained utterly silent, an eerie stillness that hung heavy, creating a profoundly unsettling atmosphere. … Standing in place, the cloaked figure slightly turned his head, his peripheral vision passing through the black cloak, finally settling on the indistinct silhouette standing atop the beam, and gave a subtle nod, indicating everything was proceeding smoothly. Haido stood on the beam, sensing the understated gaze from below. After a moment of hesitation, he also nodded. Yet as he did, the elderly face beneath the cloak seemed to carry a touch of bewilderment and uncertainty—because earlier, he had faintly sensed a particularly subtle presence concealed within the hall below. That sensation, however, had been only vaguely perceptible, so vague in fact that even Haido himself was unsure whether it was real. Unaware of Haido’s expression of doubt, as the cloaked figure silently counted the passing seconds, the black ring on his finger suddenly trembled lightly. Though the slight tremor of the ring was subtle, it had not gone unnoticed by the cloaked figure. At once, he murmured in astonishment, "Master, what is it?" "The voice of the elder physician was aged, carrying a sense of gravity and bewilderment, resonating within Xiao Yan's mind. "Hm? What does that mean?" Xiao Yan blinked, his expression of surprise evident as he asked, "A familiar scent?" "During the moment when you previously drew upon my soul energy to surge forth, that previously perfectly concealed scent exhibited a subtle fluctuation—otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to perceive it at all," the elder said solemnly. "Moreover, this scent feels strangely familiar to me… perhaps I've encountered it before, in past encounters with my own self." "Heard the elder's words, Xiao Yan's heart suddenly jolted. A sense of astonishment spread across his face beneath the black robe. While he wasn't entirely certain about the elder's former strength, he was certain that the elder back then had been a top-tier powerhouse at the pinnacle of the Qi Continent's hierarchy. To have even met such a figure, one could only conclude that his own strength was undoubtedly formidable. 'I had infrequent interactions with the elite of the Jiaema Empire,' he mused, 'so I believe this person, who still lacks full understanding, must be one of the prominent figures roaming across the Qi Continent. Yet, I wonder—why has he come to the Jiaema Empire, and why has he chosen to remain hidden within the Mo Family?'" The elder pondered. "How strong is he?" Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, asking the most crucial question in his mind. "I'm not entirely sure. Even now, I only have a vague sense of him. I haven't yet managed to clearly identify who he is," the elder added, slightly troubled. "Regardless, be careful—once Qinglin appears, hurry and get her out of here." "Understood." Nodding slightly, Xiao Yan's face grew serious. With the black robe shielding him, he subtly scanned the hall where the figures were gathered, yet found no trace of anything noteworthy. His alertness steadily intensified. Five minutes passed swiftly. As the last moment approached, Mo Lan, who had been visibly anxious, breathed a deep sigh of relief upon seeing the figure appear at the far end of the hall. Several figures rushed in from outside, carrying with them a young girl dressed in light green robes, her eyes wide with wonder and fear, cautiously observing the unfamiliar surroundings. Everyone in the hall turned their attention to the delicate, graceful girl in green, a little taken aback. They hadn't expected that the very reason a Supreme Sovereign-level warrior had been so agitated would be such a seemingly charming young girl. Staring at Qinglin, though slightly worn but otherwise unharmed, Xiao Yan exhaled deeply, his clenched fists beneath his sleeve loosening slightly. "Sir, this is the little girl brought back by the Senior Elder from Shishemo City. We have not harmed her at all," said Mo Lan, carefully lifting Qinglin and then hesitantly approaching Xiao Yan with a faint smile. Qinglin, at this moment, did not recognize Xiao Yan. When Mo Lan carried her toward the black-robed figure, lines of anxiety appeared on her small face, and though she struggled, she could not move Mo Lan's hands. As Qinglin was handed over to Xiao Yan, he breathed a sigh of relief and reached out to take her, causing a sudden upheaval in the otherwise calm hall. "Boom!" As Xiao Yan extended his hand, a clear, crisp voice suddenly rang out beside him. Instantly, the solid floor beneath erupted, and countless broad green tree trunks surged upward from the ground, swiftly intertwining to form a wooden prison that tightly sealed Xiao Yan within. The sudden development left everyone in the hall—including Na Lan Yanran—stunned. They hadn't expected anyone to actively attack this Duke of the Realm-level powerhouse. While the crowd was still in disbelief, a pale green figure, previously standing modestly beside a pillar, suddenly surged forward with astonishing speed. In a flash, the figure reached the face of Mo Lan, whose expression was filled with shock. With a swift arm motion, the green-scaled figure caught the person in her arms. "Want to go?" A pale figure seized the green-scale one, flicked his foot against the ground, and immediately aimed to swiftly depart. Yet within the wooden prison, a surge of pale, white flames erupted, swiftly consuming the structure. With a low cry, a powerful foot strike slammed into the green-scale figure's head. Noticing the intensity of Xiao Yan's assault, the pale figure waved his hand, and suddenly, a massive wooden stake rose from the ground, shooting up amidst flying splinters, deflecting Xiao Yan's attack. Blocking Xiao Yan, the pale figure twisted oddly in midair before shooting straight toward the hall's outer entrance. "Sea Elder, hold him!" As the green-scale figure was about to step out, a sudden surge of cold air surged at the main gate, instantly solidifying into a thick, solid ice shield, sealing the entrance completely. With a light tap on the ice shield, the green-robed figure retreated gracefully, somewhat resigned, then leapt with agile grace onto the top of a nearby pillar, glancing upward toward Hai Bo Dong on the beam and chuckling softly, "Hehe, two Duohuang-level warriors—never expected the Jia Ma Empire to be so full of talent. But I'm particularly interested in this young girl; you can rest assured, I won't let go easily." In the hall, Xiao Yan swiftly ascended to the top of another pillar, coldly gazing at the green-clad woman whose face was concealed, with pale, crackling flames rapidly rising between his palms.