Above the sky, two streaks of light flashed across the heavens, then suddenly collided under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers! At the moment of impact, a thunderous roar erupted, resonating throughout the sky, causing several people below to instinctively cover their ears, gaping in astonishment at the site of the collision. Perhaps due to the nature of their techniques—focused on direct, intense combat—Yun Ling and the Seven-Color Devouring Python immediately engaged in a fierce, close-range assault. With his massive sword as solid as stone, Yun Ling swung it with relentless vigor, generating sharp crackling sounds as it sliced through the air. Leveraging his agility, he continuously targeted the Python’s vulnerable points—its eyes, nose, and other delicate areas—with relentless, determined attacks. Yet although Yunling was agile in movement, the seven-color devouring python did not lag behind. Its massive body not only maintained its speed but actually endowed it with immense power. With each fluid sweep of its great tail, the force generated was so powerful it seemed to shatter the void itself, producing a thunderous resonance that directly created vacuum zones in the surrounding air. In the sky, two figures of vastly different sizes radiated equally formidable and proportional strength and power. Yun Ling's face was serious as he tightly grasped the stone sword in his hands. His wings behind him vibrated continuously, and his body never stayed in one place for more than three seconds. Every time he moved, the stone sword carried a fierce surge of energy, cutting through the air in a dazzling array of blurred shadows, delivering powerful strikes upon the Tian-Shun Python's body. Yet, as he had discovered earlier in their encounters, this enigmatic seven-colored beast possessed strength, agility, and an acute sense of danger that rivaled any ordinary Dou Wang warrior. Each time Yun Ling deployed his combat technique, the Python would instantly contract his body—either retreating to evade or, when escape was impossible, absorbing the blows with the impenetrable armor of his scales. Thus, although Yunling's attacks flowed continuously, like an unbroken tide, they failed to inflict significant damage upon his opponent. What weighed most heavily on Yunling's mind was the exceptional intelligence of the seven-colored beast—its wisdom far surpassed that of typical five-tiered beasts. In its timing and judgment during combat, it exhibited the composure and experience of a seasoned veteran, its battlefield acumen seemingly no less than his own. As he rapidly weighed his options in his mind, at a sudden moment, his skin tightened abruptly, and his body shifted slightly to the left—almost as if by reflex—while the stone sword, solidified from energy, surged forward with swift precision. A sharp hiss echoed as the stone sword pierced through, meeting a surge of vibrant, multicolored liquid. Upon contact, the sword immediately began to emit a series of hissing sounds. Despite its strength—capable of withstanding a full-force strike from a Dueling Spirit-level warrior—the stone sword behaved as though it were being consumed by flames, rapidly corroding and dissolving. In an instant, it was reduced to merely half its original length. "Such a fierce toxin..." With a furrowed brow, Yun Ling watched the vibrant, multicolored liquid spreading rapidly across her palms after it had begun to corrode the energy stone sword. Without hesitation, she abandoned the sword. As the sword lost the support of her internal qi, it quickly became translucent and then slowly faded away. Even before she could react, a deep sonic boom erupted suddenly above her, and a massive shadow descended with an overwhelming sense of power. "Pyroclastic Shield!" She swiftly formed hand seals, channeling her internal qi rapidly through her body. Instantly, a similar energy to the one within her circulated throughout the surrounding space, coalescing into a massive, several-meter-thick rock shield that materialized above her head. "Thud!" The massive tail slammed down with tremendous force, striking the thick stone shield with full might. The sheer power caused cracks to spread across the shield, and upon a sudden, sharp press of the tail, the seemingly solid stone shield burst into fragments. A shower of stone dust erupted, lime particles swirling in the air. At that moment, a figure surged forth from the debris, instantly appearing atop the Sky-Heaving Python. With a sharp cry, the light on his fists surged brilliantly, and within a breath, a rock gauntlet over a foot thick enveloped Yun Ling's arms. His eyes blazing with fury, he drove the punch squarely onto the Python's head, which had failed to dodge in time. "Crash!" The force of Yun Ling's furious strike landed squarely upon the Python's head. The vibrant scales at the point of impact finally shattered, and fine streaks of blood seeped through. "Hiss—" The pain radiating from the head caused Yun Ling’s eyes to blaze red, and the latent ferocity deep within the sky-tyrant serpent finally erupted fully. With a sudden, powerful sweep of its massive tail, a shadow surged forth, crashing down with lightning speed upon Yun Ling, who had just retreated. The shadow reached him in an instant; unable to step back, Yun Ling hastily raised his arm, encased in solid rock, and crossed it in front of his chest. Instantly, an immense force surged through his arm, driving him down to the ground. With a thunderous crash, his feet plunged straight into the hard plaza like spears, spreading cracks across his legs that spread out in astonishment before the onlookers. “How powerful that force is…” murmured several disciples of Yun Lan Sect, swallowing hard, their voices trembling with awe as the cracks stretched nearly to the end of the plaza. With a sudden shake of his legs, he pushed aside the ground that had pinned his ankles. His wings vibrated, and he rose once more into the air, slightly pale now. Only at this moment did he realize how much he had underestimated this mysterious serpent-like beast. His original plan—to swiftly drive it back using his combat techniques—had now become impossible. His gaze swept over the battlefield where Hai Bo Dong had established his circle; there, three senior monks were now pressed into a tight group, barely able to defend themselves. It seemed only a matter of time before they would fall. Frowning, Hai Bo Dong turned his attention to another area in the sky, where Xiao Yan was flapping his wings, watching the battle unfold with the calm demeanor of an onlooker. "We must capture him... But right now, everyone who can summon the Qi Wings has already been drawn off by the opposing strong forces. Others may be far stronger than Xiao Yan, yet they suffer from being unable to sustain flight." Cloud Ling furrowed his brows, murmuring softly. "We'll have to try the elders who practice the Wind-based cultivation techniques. As long as we secure Xiao Yan, these battles will naturally come to a halt!" With this thought, Cloud Ling glanced down at the elders standing on the stone platform and gave them a subtle gesture. Then he turned once more, stepping forward toward the Devouring Sky Python. Upon seeing Cloud Ling's gesture, the group of about a dozen white-robed elders on the platform exchanged glances, then nodded in unison. Four elder figures rose to their feet, and a pale blue aura of Qi began to swirl within them. Suddenly, a gentle breeze emerged around them, gently lifting and swaying their robes. Carried on the gentle breeze, the four white-robed elders gradually ascended into the air, then dispersed with remarkable coordination, surrounding Xiao Yan. As soon as the elders rose into the sky, Xiao Yan became aware of their movement and immediately began vibrating his wings, carefully maintaining a safe distance from them. Though these four elders did not directly impede the formidable strength of Hai Bo Dong's three elders, their powerful aura suggested at least cultivators of the Du Ling level—Xiao Yan dared not engage them directly. Observing Xiao Yan retreating, the four elders did not rush; instead, they continued ascending steadily, forming a quadrilateral formation that subtly aimed to encircle him and seal him in the center. Floating midair, Xiao Yan fixed his gaze on the four white-robed elders surrounding him. Having nearly been trapped by those three earlier, he now kept a sharp eye on their positioning. When he noticed their formation seemed odd, he swiftly moved, stepping out from beneath them and breaking free of their encirclement. Yet, much like a mindless, frantic fly, he darted about in the air, constantly disrupting their attempts to establish a coherent, orderly arrangement. Faced with Xiao Yan's cunning maneuvers, the four elders found themselves utterly helpless. Without the advantage of their aura wings, they simply couldn't match Xiao Yan's speed in flight. Thus, they approached him cautiously, patiently waiting for any opening before launching a coordinated assault. Yet they had underestimated Xiao Yan's caution. Even as he continuously expended his qi, he made no effort to engage the three of them at all. This seemingly pointless pursuit continued for some time until the four elders grew increasingly impatient. Suddenly, a vast, unbroken stream of wind blades surged forth from the void, aimed directly at Xiao Yan, seeking to force him into a vulnerable position and ultimately capture him. Unfortunately, protected by the unique flames, Xiao Yan paid little attention to these wind blades. Once he summoned his qi armor, even those blades that pierced through the shield of Qing Fire only left behind faint white marks on the armor's surface. Continuously dodging and making use of the fleeting moments, Xiao Yan glanced around. At Haibo Dong's side, his three Supreme King-level warriors had nearly lost all ability to defend, their combined defensive barrier growing increasingly fragile under Haibo Dong's relentless attacks. It seemed they wouldn't be able to hold out much longer. On the other hand, in terms of individual strength, Yun Ling clearly surpassed those three elders. Although the Sky-Consuming Python was exceptionally powerful, defeating Yun Ling would prove challenging. Thus, the two sides were now locked in a fierce struggle, neither able to gain the upper hand. With a slight squint, Xiao Yan glanced at the weary Tian-Devouring Python and Yun Ling, tightened his grip on the heavy measuring staff, and swiftly stepped aside from another gust of wind blades, now waiting for his moment. The intense battle continued in the void for several minutes before, accompanied by a sharp burst of energy, three figures tumbled down from the sky, sliding all the way to the ground, where they landed with a resounding crash, leaving three deep impressions on the hard floor. The crowd quickly turned their attention to the three who had fallen, only to find that they were precisely the three Supreme Sovereign-level cultivators who had been blocking Hai Bo Dong. Now, their faces were pale and ashen, with a steady mist of cold vapor seeping from their heads, and their bodies trembling continuously. "My Cold Ice Technique has penetrated your inner energy pathways," he explained. "If you remain still and expel the cold for one hour, there will be no serious issue. However, if you continue to draw upon your Qi during this time, the cold will erode your meridians, and your internal injuries may take well beyond ten or fifteen days to heal." "Above, Hai Bo Dong slowly exhaled, glanced at the three of them, and spoke in a calm, gentle tone. Upon hearing this, the three senior elders of Yunlan Sect exchanged glances, their faces instantly turning stern. With a sigh of frustration, they quickly settled into meditation, channeling their qi to expel the lingering cold energy within their bodies. "Hm, Hai Elder's ice prowess still holds up well compared to back then," remarked Jia Xingtian, nodding appreciatively as he watched Hai Bo Dong, who in just under fifteen minutes had temporarily rendered three top-tier Battle Kings powerless. "Well, those three aren't exactly powerhouse Battle Kings—only two or three stars at most. Though they've managed to delay Hai Elder a bit thanks to the synergy of their combined combat techniques, it's not sustainable." Fahma nodded slightly, his gaze shifting toward the Tian-Tian Serpent, frowning. "What kind of beast is this? I've never heard of it before. Its strength is indeed impressive—it's able to hold its own against Yun Ling." "Jia Xingtian's face also bore a touch of bewilderment. His gaze fixed upon the massive serpentine form, and he murmured, 'I can't quite explain it, but there's a strange sense of familiarity with this creature... Yet, upon closer reflection, I've never seen a seven-colored serpentine beast like this before.' Fahu sighed, growing more and more puzzled by Xiao Yan's insights—these rare and powerful beasts, truly, seemed to have come from somewhere entirely unexpected. Under the relentless assault from Hai Bo Dong, the solid white energy shield was visibly growing increasingly translucent and unstable. "Hai Bo Dong, you're going too far!" Cloud Ling, his eyes blazing with fury, shouted, gazing at the wavering shield while being tightly entangled by the Devouring Python. As soon as his outburst fell, Cloud Ling's expression changed—he saw the Python, seizing the moment when he was distracted, suddenly expelling massive streams of vibrant, multicolored liquid from its massive mouth. "Damn it!" he muttered, hastily retreating. With swift movements of his hands, solid rock walls began to materialize along his retreat path. The multicolored liquid surged forward, effortlessly eroding the sturdy rock barriers, which barely fared at all. Yet, despite his slight disarray, Cloud Ling failed to notice that the distance between him and Xiao Yan was steadily closing! "Opportunity... as long as I drive back Yunling, then no one from Yunlan Sect will stand in my way!" Since the four senior elders had only slightly distracted him, he had remained fully focused on the battle above. He had noticed Yunling's hurried retreat, scrambling backward in disarray. Suddenly, clutching the jade ruler tightly in his hands, Xiao Yan spun around and, amid countless sets of eyes, charged straight toward Yunling. "He's... willingly stepping into the trap?" Everyone murmured in astonishment at his bold move. Ignoring the puzzled glances, Xiao Yan gripped the ruler firmly in both hands, raised it slowly, and took a deep breath. At that moment, his inner qi surged like boiling water, rippling violently throughout his body. As the qi flowed, the once-dark ruler suddenly flared bright red, glowing like a hot iron anvil. As the Xuan Zhong Chi changed color, Xiao Yan's face instantly flushed with a deep crimson. The rhombus-shaped "Dou Crystal" within the spiraling qi subtly trembled, releasing a vast surge of Dou Qi energy that flowed seamlessly through his meridians and fully infused into the Xuan Zhong Chi! Gazing at the stone wall, which wasn't particularly thick, Xiao Yan's lips curled into a cold smile. Qi flowed continuously into the length of the great staff, and as the qi poured in, the temperature on its surface grew increasingly intense, until the air around him began to shimmer and take on a translucent quality. At that very moment, when Yun Ling was fully focused on the Tian-Devouring Python about to breach its final defense, his face suddenly tightened, and he swiftly turned to gaze at the massive staff in Xiao Yan's hands, radiating a strong crimson glow—his eyes widened in astonishment! The energy contained within the staff far exceeded his expectations. "Master Yun Ling, try this!" With a cold gaze fixed on Yun Ling's now visibly anxious face, Xiao Yan cracked a smile, lifting the staff like a setting sun and thunderously slamming it down. "Fang Fen Shi Lang Chi!" In an instant, the stone wall shattered completely. Under the countless stunned gazes below, the crimson giant ruler surged with blazing heat waves and slammed hard onto Yun Ling's head! At that moment, the entire arena fell utterly silent. On the plaza, Nalan Yanran now stood wide-eyed and stunned—she had never expected Xiao Yan to unleash such a powerful assault. It seemed... during their earlier match, he had concealed his true strength all along! Her red lips parted slightly, and after a long pause, she finally lowered her head with a sense of defeat—she simply could not withstand Xiao Yan's fierce attack. "Such a formidable opponent," she murmured softly, her face slightly bitter. The once-ordinary, useless youth had now repeatedly amazed her with miracles before her eyes. This unconventional kind of pressure stirred a deep sense of tenderness within Nalan Yanran.