In the dense jungle, a figure suddenly darted through a thick thicket of trees, his gaze piercing through the gaps in the branches, fixed on a large tree just a hundred meters away. There, several figures were resting temporarily. Looking up at the sky, Xiao Yan paused slightly, his breathing steady and unbroken. Though his target stood right before him, he did not immediately move. Without mentioning Fan Ling—himself a powerful Dao Ling cultivator—the two elderly men beside him clearly possessed Dao Ling-level strength as well. Combined with other capable guards, even with Yao Lao's assistance, Xiao Yan would find it difficult to completely subdue them within a short timeframe. Therefore, he needed to find the optimal moment to strike. Otherwise, should he be discovered, complications would surely arise. After all, the Blood Sect's influence, even within the entire Black Angle Domain, was considered notably strong. Xiao Yan's gaze remained firmly locked on Fan Ling and the others. After resting for nearly ten minutes, they finally rose again. However, instead of following the earlier route, the group suddenly took a sharp turn and rushed directly toward the western direction of Hei Yin City. "Hmm..." Seeing this unexpected change in direction, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, then his expression grew slightly concerned. Had they detected him? The thought flashed through his mind briefly before being dismissed. Among Fan Ling's party, the strongest was a Spirit Realm master—absolutely capable of spotting his concealment. Moreover, even if they had noticed him, such a sudden change in route would be unlikely, since a surface-level Large Battle Master, like himself, wouldn't warrant such a level of apprehension. "What are they up to?" A flicker of doubt passed through his mind. Xiao Yan lightly tapped the trunk with his foot, his body drifting down like a bat in the night, then swiftly followed the leading group. The two waves of people moved swiftly toward the west of Hei Yin City, maintaining a distance of about a hundred meters between them. After nearly twenty minutes of swift progress, a deep, calm voice from Yao Lao suddenly echoed in Xiao Yan's mind: "Young one, be careful—there are several strong presences hidden in the mountain hollow ahead. One of them, in fact, is even stronger than the Dou Huang presence we saw earlier at the auction hall, and its aura is cold as ice, quite similar to Fan Ling's." At this unexpected remark, Xiao Yan, who had just been about to advance, suddenly halted. His face paled as he swiftly turned around, crouching behind a tree, his heart racing: "We've been set up!" "Not like that," the medic mused, "looking at their subtle presence, they seem to be setting up an ambush—wouldn't it be worth the effort just to deal with a single Grand Master-level fighter?" "An ambush?" Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback, slightly relieved, and furrowed his brow in confusion. "But with a Grand Pharaoh-level warrior leading a large group, stationed here in such a concealed spot—what exactly are they aiming for?" His gaze flickered slightly, then suddenly shifted toward the direction of Hei Yin City. He paused, then suddenly had it: "These people...aren't they planning to forcibly seize the auction items?" "Hmm, quite likely," the medic agreed, initially startled by Xiao Yan's observation, yet not denying it. "Whether it's a Ground-Rank Technique or the Yin-Yang Pyro-Legendary Dan, either of these items would warrant the Blood Sect's significant effort. And in the Black-Corner Domain, such acts of intercepting and seizing goods are not uncommon." "Then what shall we do?" Fang Ling had already entered the ambush zone. The still-quiet valley clearly housed members of the Blood Sect. Since Master had sensed a powerful cultivator there—stronger even than the Grand Master of the Ba Shan Sect—the fragmented map must be even harder to obtain. Xiao Yan frowned, speaking with a touch of resignation. "Wait a moment. Let's observe and see." Dong Lao said calmly. Xiao Yan nodded slightly, scanning the surroundings, then suppressed his own aura to the lowest possible level, quietly moving to a well-positioned high ground among the dense jungle. Nestled within the cluster of trees, Xiao Yan used the terrain to fully encompass the valley below in his vision. His gaze subtly swept across the forest, which was utterly silent and free of any disturbance—had it not been for Dong Lao's reminder, Xiao Yan likely would never have noticed the hidden ambushes, even after following Fang Ling deep into the small forest. To the east, a winding path stretches all the way to its end, while a glance westward reveals the faint, indistinct outline of Blackprint City. From the terrain, it appears that this small forest is a vital route along the western edge of Blackprint City—hence, it's no surprise that the Blood Sect chose to set up their ambush here. An eerie stillness lingered in this area, refusing to dissipate for a long time... Xiao Yan slightly narrowed his eyes, his entire body nearly pressed flat against the ground. At one moment, the fingers touching the earth suddenly trembled slightly, and his eyes snapped open as he lifted his gaze toward the narrow path leading to Hei Yin City—there, a faint sound of horse hooves began to rise subtly. "It's coming, then..." he murmured softly to himself, his eyes gradually sharpening. In the distance, a group of riders galloping on swift horses sped toward the other side of the path, their progress swift and purposeful, stirring up a wall of golden dust along the way. "Creak... creak..." As the horse hooves grew louder, soft sounds of bows being drawn began to echo through the quiet forest. In the distance, the figures of horsemen galloping toward them gradually came into view. As the leading woman in a green dress approached, a subtle stir stirred within Xiao Yan's heart, hidden deep in the forest. He murmured to himself, "These Blood Sect members truly seem to be eyeing the Yin-Yang Dragon Pill. But wouldn't they fear retaliation from the Sky Serpent Estate? After all, if the latter has the strength to vie for such a precious treasure, their influence across the continent must surely be considerable." "Well, decent enough," the Elder of Medicine said calmly. "That aura of Douhuang power sensed deep within the forest is likely the Blood Sect's master. Since he's personally come out, they clearly intend to keep the Sky Serpent Estate's representatives from leaving. As long as no one returns alive, the Sky Serpent Estate will only be left fuming. In Black-Angle Domain, such mid-course ambushes are practically daily occurrences." "No one to stay behind? Quite ruthless. "Heard this, Xiao Yan smiled slightly, yet wasn't all that surprised. Once the news spread, it would inevitably become a full-scale battle between the two factions. With the Yin-Yang-Xuanlong Pill—a rare treasure—involved, there would be absolutely no room for compromise. After having invested such a high price, the Tian She Mansion absolutely wouldn't allow the pill to be wasted. Within moments, several figures sped across the path, and shortly thereafter, the once-quiet forest came into view. The leading figures from the Tian She Mansion were naturally the beautiful Qing Elder seen at the auction hall. As she galloped forward, she glanced upward at the distant forest, her dark brows furrowed slightly. As a senior elder of the Tian She Mansion, her strength and experience far surpassed that of ordinary members. She well knew the principle of proceeding with caution when entering a forest. And now, carrying such a precious and rare treasure—the Yin-Yang-Xuanlong Pill—she would surely have to be even more cautious." With his palm raised, the Qing Elder gestured, gradually slowing the pace of the charge. He then lifted his slender hand, causing a slight ripple in the space before him. Instantly, a slender green energy serpent materialized beside him and swiftly slipped into the grassy thicket, moving with remarkable speed toward the forest. The energy serpent glided silently through the forest. As its emerald eyes just lifted, a sudden gust of wind erupted, and a sharp arrow plunged directly into its head. After a moment of struggle, the serpent dissolved into energy, fading gradually into nothingness. At the very instant the energy serpent was struck down, the Qing Elder, who had already advanced beyond the forest's edge, suddenly frowned, his face pale, and shouted sharply, "Be careful! There's a hidden ambush!" "Hah! Truly no surprise—how masterful the Qing Elder's technique of channeling qi to form a serpent! Truly extraordinary!" As soon as Qing Elder's voice fell, a deep, resonant laugh, like that of a night hawk, echoed through the forest. Instantly, a mighty surge of energy rose skyward, and a blood-red silhouette burst forth from the forest, settling steadily atop the tip of a towering tree. The slightly glowing, piercing eyes, cold and sharp, swept across Qing Elder and his party beyond the forest. "Fan Lao?" Seeing the tall man clad in a robe the color of fresh blood, Qing Elder's face paled. He then raised his voice with firm resolve, demanding, "What does this mean? Are you preparing to declare war on our Tian She Estate?" "Hah! I don't intend to declare war, but I am most interested in the Yin-Yang Xuanlong Pills held by Qing Elder!" The man with the crimson robe smiled, though in that smile, a cold, unyielding aura remained unmistakable. "Retreat! Everyone, disperse immediately. As long as one person escapes, report this matter promptly to the Estate's Master!" "He mentioned the Yin-Yang-Xuan-Long Pill, and at once the Qing Elder felt his heart sink—knowing there was no room for negotiation. Without further hesitation, he roared with fierce intensity, then stepped firmly onto the horse's back, his body transforming into a streak of shadow, darting swiftly toward the dense forests along the roadside. The Blood Sect warriors stood motionless, like puppets—yet in their eyes, too, there was the same eerie stillness and ferocity as Fang Ling. "Seventh Elder, surrender the Yin-Yang-Xuan-Long Pill or we shall spare your life! Otherwise, you die!" On the tree branch, the man in red robes moved with spectral grace, appearing instantly above the encircling net. His solemn voice echoed through the air above the road, lingering without fading.