Within the stream of sunlight seeping through the doorway, the slender young man moved slowly, passing through the group of heavily armed men as if unnoticed, and finally made his way past Galib and Obapaton, who stood motionless and expressionless. The hall fell into a profound silence, broken only by the slightly hurried breaths of those present. Under the collective gaze of everyone present, the young man approached the group of Xiao family members, bowed slightly, and looked down at the elderly man, whose eyes were glistening with emotion. "Xiao... Xiao Yan," the senior elder said, his voice trembling slightly as he gazed at the young man's face—now less youthful, more refined and firm than it had been two years ago—supported by his clan kin. "It really is you?" "He raised his head, gazing at the face that had once made him want to stamp his foot just by looking at it two years ago. A gentle smile played on Xiao Yan's lips as he nodded, his heart filled with a quiet sense of reflection. After two years of cultivation and growth, he truly had matured—those lingering resentments from the past had softened and faded with time. No matter how one looked at it, he still carried an unbreakable blood bond with this family. 'Indeed, it's Xiao Yan, the young lord!' 'Xiao Yan has returned! Our Xiao family is saved!' The Xiao family member who had been supporting the Senior Elder spoke with overwhelming joy, nearly losing control of his words in excitement. As they gazed upon the face—now bearing traces of the familiar features from two years prior—the members of the Xiao family, who had been under immense strain these past few days, finally exhaled in relief. The atmosphere shifted from despair to one of joyful anticipation. Some with less composure even couldn't help but erupt into cheers." The second and third elders exchanged a glance, quietly exhaling a sigh of relief. They fixed their eyes on the serene, composed face, nodding with satisfaction. After two years of cultivation, this once-energetic young family member—formerly so sharp and sometimes piercing in his demeanor—had finally learned to temper his sharpness. Too rigid and overly prominent in his brilliance is not always beneficial. A fine sword kept in its sheath, with its aura quietly contained, is indeed the true path. Compared to the cheers of the Xiao family members, the group from Galibis, who had initially been booming with intensity, suddenly fell silent. They stared at one another, their hands tightly gripping their weapons, now trembling slightly. Over the past few days, nearly every resident of Wutan City had heard at least ten different versions of the thrilling event involving Xiao Yan's epic battle against Yunlan Sect. For this figure, long considered legendary, everyone held deep reverence. Now, seeing the very legend standing before them, it was no surprise that these warriors, brimming with martial spirit, felt a wave of fear. "By the gods, Galibis! You said Xiao Yan had been secretly killed by Yunlan Sect—how come he's still alive?" Staring at the slender back of the figure facing them, Obapaton's eyes flashed with unmistakable shock. He turned sharply, his face pale, and grabbed Galibis by the collar, shouting angrily, his voice trembling slightly. The gaze remained fixed on that silhouette. Gallebi's lips kept trembling, and his feet felt slightly weak at that moment. With difficulty, he managed to swallow a lump in his throat. The stern expression on his face now softened into one of sorrow: "How could I possibly know? He himself said that Xiao Yan had been killed. With his strength, wouldn't it have been unnecessary to deceive me, a mere clan leader?" "Could this person really be Xiao Yan who had crawled out of the underworld?" "O'Bapton gritted his teeth in anger, declaring his firm commitment to Galibee's persuasion, jointly confronting the severely weakened Xiao family. While it was true that the Xiao family had exerted heavy pressure on them over the past two years, the greater reason stemmed from Galibee's revelation—that Xiao Yan had actually been secretly eliminated by the powerful forces of Yunlan Sect. Only then did O'Bapton dare to fully commit himself. To be honest, when he first heard that the young Xiao had not only engaged in a fierce battle against the massive Yunlan Sect but had emerged unscathed, he was utterly stunned. It was only after Galibee made an especially bitter, solemn oath that O'Bapton finally began to believe and agreed." After agreeing, the fact that Xiao Yan, who had been迟迟 not returning, now appeared alive further strengthened Obapaton's belief in Galibis's words. Yet... just as Obapaton thought he was about to secure what he needed, the Xiao Yan who, according to Galibis, should have already been slain, stood before him alive. The shock and the sheer terror this presence evoked plunged Obapaton into rage and panic. The Senior Elder struggled to stand upright, shook his head, and then bowed solemnly toward Xiao Yan. However, as his body bent halfway, one arm supported him. He looked up and saw a young face glowing with a gentle smile—his old eyes grew a little watery. "Senior Elder, you're an elder, so treating Xiao Yan this way is inappropriate. Otherwise, Father will surely scold me again," Xiao Yan said softly with a smile. "In the past... we elders were too strict. From now on, I promise, as Senior Elder, I'll ensure those old matters won't repeat." The Elder turned his head, gently wiping the moist corner of his eye, and sighed to Xiao Yan. "Heh, I used to be rather unpopular when I was young. And now that the matter is settled, I'm quite forgetful." Xiao Yan smiled and shrugged. When he stepped back into the family, he knew right away that no matter what, his bloodline belonged to this clan—at least, before he became a waste, this clan had given him a perfect childhood. His gaze swept over the familiar faces behind the three elders, and he smiled, saying, "But now, I think it would be better to first settle the troubles here before we catch up on old times." "Child, be careful—Jalebi and Obapaton are both five-star grand combatants, and that old man was once Li Ling's teacher; he's a third-rank alchemist and a six-star grand combatant." The senior elder nodded and quietly added. Xiao Yan smiled and nodded in return, then slowly turned around. As his smile turned toward Jalebi and the others, it gradually grew colder. "It's been two years, and Jalebi still shows the same vigor as ever," Xiao Yan said, his gaze slowly sweeping across the group before settling on Jalebi, who smiled. Staring intently at the face that still bore the faint outline of a young boy from two years ago, his body involuntarily shivered as he swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly. "Heh, Xiao Yan, nephew, I didn't expect to see you again..." Xiao Yan smiled gently, then casually pulled a chair from behind him and sat down squarely in front of everyone. Grasping the handle of the ruler firmly, he pulled it sharply, driving the heavy ruler with powerful momentum into the solid stone slab. Instantly, fine cracks spread out from where the ruler landed. "Oh, Elder Obawa, it's a pleasure to see you here too," Xiao Yan said, turning his gaze toward Obawa Patun, whose expression had been shifting constantly. "Ah? Oh, heh-heh... It's been two years, and Xiao Yan has grown more refined than ever. Truly, a true son of a lion—Elder Obawa would surely be delighted to hear this." Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Obawa Patun's body trembled, and he quickly offered a polite smile and apology. "Just swallow your words." She glanced at him coolly, her hand slowly brushing the handle of the Xu Zhong Chi beside her, her voice growing steadily colder and more piercing. "I only want to know—what exactly have the two of you come to do today, bringing your people to my family?" Xiao Yan bowed his head and smiled lightly, then suddenly lifted his gaze, his dark eyes sharp as blade edges, coldly fixing upon Obapadon and Galibis. A subtle, muffled sound broke the stillness, followed instantly by a surge of vibrant, intense cyan flame erupting unexpectedly from within Xiao Yan’s body. The temperature in the hall instantly rose, and the members of the Xiao family close to him hurriedly stepped back. “If you two have come to make moves against my family, then today, you’ll stay—don’t think of leaving,” Xiao Yan said, his voice as cold as ice, while the cyan flame swirled around him. Staring in dryness and discomfort at the cyan flame rising from within Xiao Yan, Obapadon, Galibis, and the third-rank alchemist all retreated two steps, their faces filled with growing fear. “Xiao Yan, please don’t misunderstand—my intentions toward the Xiao family are nothing but sincere. This entire matter is merely a misunderstanding. I shall immediately arrange for my people to depart!” Obapaton swallowed hard, his voice trembling slightly with fear, becoming almost sharp. After speaking, he quickly raised his hand, and several armed men hurried to gather around him. Then, the group carefully stepped back toward the entrance of the hall. "Junior Clan Leader? We can't let him go! Over the past few days, many of our clan members have been injured by them—some even..." The third elder, impatient, spoke out as he watched Obapaton retreating. However, his words were cut off midway by a wave of Xiao Yan's hand. With that, the elder silently swallowed his words and stepped back. The way he now looked clearly indicated that he had finally come to regard Xiao Yan as the true pillar of the clan. "You...!" At the sight of Obapaton seemingly about to withdraw, Galib was momentarily stunned, his face twitching slightly and his body stiffening before he quickly turned around, offering a polite, humble smile to Xiao Yan seated calmly in his chair. "Xiao Yan, nephew, this entire matter is indeed a misunderstanding. I shall personally come to apologize in person at the earliest opportunity. For now, however, I must attend to some urgent affairs within the clan—goodbye." With that, he swiftly waved his hand, gathering his subordinates and hastening to leave. Heard the pharmacist's shout, Jalebi and Obapaton both paused momentarily. Yet, just as their thoughts hesitated, a piercing, agonizing cry erupted throughout the hall. Turning to see what had happened, they were stunned to find the third-rank pharmacist now encased within a shimmering, seven-colored energy membrane. Even more astonishing, liquid of the same seven hues was continuously dripping from the top of the membrane, as if highly corrosive. Each drop that landed on the pharmacist's body sent forth a sharp, wailing cry. Amidst the growing waves of astonishment in the hall, the pharmacist's body was visibly being eroded at an alarming pace. Within just a few seconds, the seven-colored liquid had filled half the membrane, and by then, the pharmacist's flesh and bones—entirely—had been completely dissolved. "Gurrr..." The profoundly tragic death of the third-rank alchemist left the guests in the hall involuntarily rolling their throats. "Peng..." The energy membrane suddenly burst, spilling out a cascade of vibrant liquids that, under all eyes, gradually merged into a graceful, elegant form. A moment later, a stunningly beautiful woman emerged in the hall as if transformed—her eyes, strangely otherworldly, lifted slightly, and the chill that radiated from them sent shivers through everyone who came into contact with her. "Shaking slightly, Xiao Yan bowed slightly toward the one who sat motionless like a post in his chair. Gallebi and Obapaton, finally overcome with fear, hurriedly rushed out, their retinues trailing behind them in disarray. They had already decided—once they stepped out of this place, they would immediately pack up and leave Utan City!