At this moment, as if sensing something, the atmosphere on the plaza once again grew utterly still, a series of eyes filled with astonishment fixed upon Xiao Yan at the edge of the plaza. "...Is it really him? The mysterious figure who had slain Mo Cheng back then?" Jia Xingtian murmured, his face, usually beaming with smiles, now growing serious for the first time. "I'm not entirely sure about that, but... during the Medicinal Artisan Assembly, Xiao Yan did indeed use a white flame. Though it lasted only a brief flash, I'm certain it was a unique kind of flame as well!" Fang Ma's voice, though soft, carried an unmistakable sense of awe—two unique flames coexisting within one being? Heaven's sake, this was absolutely extraordinary. "Ah, it seems we still have some vulnerabilities," Hai Bode sighed, his expression filled with resignation. His gaze turned toward Xiao Yan now—what would unfold next, whether a battle with Yunlan Sect or otherwise, would ultimately depend on Xiao Yan's performance. A stillness hung over the plaza. Xiao Yan remained silent for a long time, then suddenly took a decisive step forward. The mere movement of this step immediately caused all the cloud-lake sect elders to tense up, their faint aura of qi beginning to swirl and shimmer. "I'm sorry, but I don't understand what Master Ge is saying," Xiao Yan said, slowly lifting his head and glancing at the elders who were ready to act at any moment. His brows furrowed slightly, and the tension in his body eased a bit. His voice remained calm. Honestly, he didn't want to clash with the Cloud Lake Sect. This powerful force, which had stood strong in the Gamma Empire for so many years, commanded deep respect—even if Xiao Yan were bold, he could not help but feel cautious. He didn't wish to fully break relations unless absolutely necessary. "Hmph. Not understanding?" "Heard this, Yun Ling's face flashed a cold smile, and he barked, 'Xiao Yan, the rock hawk who participated in the Alchemist's Grand Assembly and later claimed the championship—wasn't that also a fabrication of yours? I can cite no fewer than ten people who can verify this. Do you think you can deny it?' Xiao Yan remained silent. Back then, to secure the championship at the Alchemist's Grand Assembly, he had exposed numerous secrets. As Yun Ling, the senior abbot of Yun Lan Sect, possessed far more extensive information channels than he had anticipated, it was entirely reasonable that he could gather sufficient evidence—so Xiao Yan didn't find it surprising at all. With Xiao Yan's quiet, implicit acceptance, Yun Ling felt a surge of satisfaction and added, 'During the Alchemist's Grand Assembly, you once employed a white flame—powerful and striking, witnessed by countless people. Isn't that genuine?' 'There are countless individuals in the world capable of wielding white flame. Does that mean all of them are the ones who killed Mo Cheng?' Xiao Yan scoffed, his tone cold. Yun Ling said coldly, "Others possessing white flame may not be particularly remarkable. However, according to Ge Ye's earlier account, you were always the prime suspect from the beginning. And now, with your flame matching that of the mysterious figure—this sequence of coincidences seems rather too extraordinary to be mere chance." Gǔhé stroked his chin, gazing steadily at Xiāo Yīn, and spoke slowly. Listening to the argument between the two, and recalling the jade-colored flame, he now had even clearer insights. If Yunling’s account were true, then the mysterious figure who had sat back and watched the events unfold in the Great Desert—reaping the benefits of the situation—was likely none other than this young man, barely twenty years old. A powerful Du Phong-level warrior under twenty? The very idea struck Gǔhé as absurd. When had Du Phong-level warriors become so easily attainable? Even if he consumed the finest pills every day, it was impossible for him to reach Du Phong status within less than twenty years. Later, Lǐ Líng shook his head with a wry smile. Only now did he realize just how vast the gap between himself and Xiāo Yīn truly was. Each time he thought he was nearing the limit of his own potential, the other would suddenly reveal a hidden depth—like a glacier’s hidden peaks—leaving Lǐ Líng eager to catch up, yet ultimately powerless to do so. The tense atmosphere between them persisted for a while. Xiao Yan lifted his eyes to Yun Ling, as if realizing that the old man had made up his mind—not to let him go. A subtle impatience stirred within him. With a sweeping gesture of his sleeve, he coldly stated, "Senior Yun, I don't particularly wish to waste more words with you. If you lack solid evidence, please refrain from making baseless accusations. Though Yunlan Sect is powerful, such a reputation once tarnished is far from favorable. And as for my departure—my own choice—this is certainly not something you can decide on!" With that, Xiao Yan turned and began walking down the stone steps. "Apologies, Master Xiao Yan will need to remain at Yunlan Sect for the time being, until we have clarified who was responsible for the death of Mo Cheng." Yun Ling raised his hand, his voice firm. "Hold him, the Enforcement Team!" As Yun Ling's voice fell, suddenly dozens of white figures surged forth from the nearly thousand Yunlan Sect disciples on the plaza. Their ki surged violently, and as they moved, they instantly encircled Xiao Yan. With no hesitation, the stern-faced enforcement officers of Yunlan Sect swiftly raised their hands, drawing out their long swords. With a single flick of their blades, a dozen sword shadows formed, tightly enclosing Xiao Yan. Staring at the unceasing waves of sword shadows pouring in from all directions, Xiao Yan's face grew cold. With a sharp command, he grasped the handle of the great scale on his shoulder with his palm, swung his arm, and the massive Xuanzhong Scale once again detached from his back. With a light tap of his foot, his body instantly spun like a top, rotating at high speed. The black giant scale surged forward, radiating a powerful gust of energy outward from the point of contact. "Ding, ding, ding..." crisp sounds of metal clashing echoed continuously as the wind roared and the figures collided. "Boom..." A slight dull thud followed, and several white figures suddenly retreated sharply from the point of impact, their feet sliding across the floor for nearly fifteen meters before gradually coming to a stop, gazing down at the broken swords. The faces of these enforcement disciples showed clear signs of astonishment—this person had indeed proven capable of defeating Lan Lan, not merely by luck. With a single strike repelling over a dozen enforcement disciples, Xiao Yan's expression grew increasingly stern. Turning coldly to Yun Ling, he asked, "What does Elder Yun Ling mean?" "Mr. Xiao Yan, until your suspicion is fully cleared, I believe you will not be able to leave Yunlan Sect. Therefore, I kindly urge you to heed my words and remain at the Sect for a while longer, until the Sect Master returns, when we will conduct a thorough investigation into this matter," said Yun Ling calmly. Xiao Yan's sudden move left Yun Ling's face pale with coldness, and he barked out a sharp command. As soon as Yun Ling spoke, Ge Ye was already the first to act—his qi surged violently from within, his feet pressing hard against the ground, and his body shot forward like an arrow released from its bow, instantly sweeping across more than half the square. With his dry hands curling and uncurling, several sharp gusts of force shot out, the wind swirling around them, subtly sealing off Xiao Yan's escape route. Such swift and vigorous maneuvers truly demonstrated the prowess of a Spirit Realm master. The sharp gusts rushing toward Xiao Yan from behind caused him to furrow his brow. He swiftly drove his Xu Zhong Chi into the ground, halting his forward momentum, then bent his knees, rising into the air with a slight tremor in his shoulders. His Purple Cloud Wings unfolded instantly, and without hesitation, he spread them wide, darting swiftly toward beyond Yunlan Mountain. "Xiao Yan! Stay right here!" Staring at the figure of Xiao Yan rising skyward, Yun Ling roared, then swept her hand. On the stone platform, the three eldest white-robed elders trembled slightly, gradually fading away—when they reappeared, they had formed a perfect triangle, completely blocking Xiao Yan's retreat. Three powerful streams of combat energy surged forth from their bodies, exerting immense pressure that firmly anchored Xiao Yan in place. "Yun Ling raised his head and coldly stared at Xiao Yan. Then, he glanced around at the group of people on the great tree, and spoke in a steady tone: "Given Xiao Yan's performance, it seems he is truly connected to the death of Mo Cheng. Therefore, until the Master returns, we cannot allow him to leave. This matter is of great importance—please understand and support us." The slightly stern tone of Yun Ling caused Fa Ma and others to furrow their brows, exchanging glances, and all chose to remain patient and watch the situation unfold. Seeing no one stepping forward to object, Yun Ling exhaled in relief and turned his gaze back to Xiao Yan, slowly raising his hand as if to issue the order to have him taken. "Grand Elder, isn't there some misunderstanding here? I previously fought against him. If he truly killed the person who killed Mo Cheng, he wouldn't have fought me so fiercely." As Yun Ling was about to issue the command, Lan Yan hesitated briefly, and finally found her voice to speak. "Yanran, just let this matter rest for now. No matter what happens, at least see that he stays until the Master returns. If he truly ends up wronged, I, Yun Ling, will personally apologize to him." Yun Ling waved her hand, her gaze coldly fixed on the figure floating in the air—Xiao Yan. With a sudden motion, she swept her palm downward. "Seize him!"