The quiet words lingered, undimmed, in the night. The white-robed man stared coldly at the young man, whose demeanor was full of defiance, saying nothing further. With a subtle turn of his hands, a faint silver aura began to gather in his palms—and beneath it, a deep, resonant thunderous hum seemed to pulse forth. "Thunder-type aura?" Hearing the low rumble emanating from the silver aura, Xiang Yin's eyes flashed with surprise. He hadn't expected this man to possess a rare aura—identical to that of his second brother, Xiang Li. With a gentle movement of his hands, a pale green aura surged forth from his palms. Xiang Yin watched the white-robed man, with whom he had only met briefly during the day, calmly and without any fear or hesitation. "Weaklings have no right to claim her!" the white-robed man said coldly, glancing at Xiang Yin, who had not flinched. With a sudden point of his foot on the scattered stones, his body erupted into a streak of silver light, slicing through the darkness and rushing toward Xiang Yin with the speed of lightning. In the darkness, the subtle rumbles of thunder unexpectedly echoed as the white-clad man launched his sharp assault. The silver light rapidly expanded within the black pupils, yet Xiao Yan's face remained calm. His hands slowly tightened, and the pale blue qi gently pulsed and contracted over his clenched fists, like slender serpents. A pale green figure emerged from the pavilion, flashing into view beside Xiao Yan in an instant, her willowy brows slightly furrowed, her delicate face carrying a subtle scowl toward the white-robed man on the branch. "Nothing at all—just wanted to spar with Xiao Yan, my junior," said the white-robed man, his gaze steadily fixed on the green-robed girl. He gave Xiao Yan a cold, sidelong glance before offering a calm smile. "Xun, why are you so eager? With Xiao Yan's abilities, if he can't even withstand my casual strike, how could he possibly compete in the internal academy selection?" "Master Bai, I respect you as an elder, and I've been polite to you thus far," said Xun, gently calming her rising anger. "But if you continue to behave so unreasonably, I shall not hesitate to treat you less kindly." Upon hearing this, Bai Shan's composed expression slightly tightened. Since meeting Xun'er, though their relationship hadn't been particularly close, in his own estimation, they had at least been friends. Now, hearing her speak to him in such a tone, even with his keen sense of diplomacy, he found it difficult to suppress his emotions—his face grew noticeably stern. "If you're a man, then stand beside women, not behind them," he said, drawing a deep breath to steady his anger, then coldly glanced at Xiao Yan, a faint smirk playing at his lips as he spoke with disdain. "Bai Shan! Don't go too far!" Xun'er's face darkened slightly, her delicate hands flicking as golden energy rapidly coalesced in her palm. Bai Shan's repeated provocations of Xiao Yan had now reached her limits. "Niece, go stand behind—these matters are best handled by men." Suddenly, a hand extended and grasped Xun'er's wrist. She turned to see Xiao Yan's gentle smile. Knowing Xiao Yan well, she understood that whenever such moments arose, he was always deeply serious. With a slight hesitation, she nodded and stepped back. "Are you really determined to fight?" Taking a step forward, Xiao Yan twisted his neck and glanced at the white mountain atop the branch, smiling lightly. "If you wish it, I have no objection," said Bai Shan, lightly brushing his white sleeve. Seeing Xun'er—always reserved and distant—now so obedient to Xiao Yan, a surge of irritation stirred within his usually composed heart. With his appearance, strength, and cultivation potential, how could he possibly be outmatched by this young man named Xiao Yan? Yet why—why did she always remain indifferent to him? "I have strong objections!" A cold gust suddenly blew from the pavilion, and then Master Ruolin materialized before Bai Shan, her expression slightly displeased as she gazed at him, speaking firmly, "Bai Shan, your actions have been quite unorthodox. You're not following the academy's regulations. If you wish to challenge me, simply do so during the selection finals. Coming at night like this—your conduct is not only improper, but also falls short in reputation." Seeing even Master Ruolin disturbed, Xiao Yan shook his head in resignation, knowing that tonight's confrontation would likely be impossible. He then withdrew his ki, took hold of Xun'er's hand, and slowly turned toward the pavilion. "Xiao Yan, I hope you won't be eliminated during the finals. The weak have no right to claim anything. And when the time comes, I hope you won't continue hiding behind women. Isn't a man whom Xun'er approves someone who dares to stand up?" He said this, watching their retreating backs. "Whoosh!" The sound of rushing wind suddenly erupted, a surge of power slicing through the darkness and crashing directly into Bai Shan's face. Noticing the force rushing toward him, a flash of cold light flickered in Bai Shan's eyes. With a gentle flick of his fingers, a streak of silver light shot out, colliding with the wind force and instantly shattering it into a fine powder. Upon closer inspection, Bai Shan realized the wind-blown object was merely a fragment of stone. "Stop acting like a woman—so many words and fuss. You're Bai Shan, aren't you? A celebrated figure, indeed. You're good at competing for attention, but right now, let's just keep it simple. We'll see how you fare in the selection match," Xiao Yan's calm, cold voice resonated softly. "If you lose, will you leave her?" Bai Shan sneered. "Are you really Bai Shan, or are you just plain foolish?" Xiao Yan, who had just stepped into the hall, suddenly paused. He turned, gazed sympathetically at the flushed, stubborn Bai Shan, then shook his head, pulling along Xun, who was trying to suppress a chuckle, toward the pavilion. "Oh, go on, return," the Master Rulian sighed, gazing at Bai Shan's flushed and stern face. Usually so composed, he had become so restless today in front of Xiao Yan. It seemed clear now that his feelings for Xun'er ran deep—he wouldn't have lost his composure otherwise. With that, Master Rulian turned and drifted into the pavilion, leaving Bai Shan standing alone on the branches, his face alternating between pale and ashen, exposed to the cold night breeze. "Having said that, Bai Shan's expression gradually calmed. He gave the pavilion a calm, distant glance, lightly tapped the branches with his foot, and drifted downward. With a few swift movements, he vanished into the black night. A hand slowly caressed Xun'er's smooth, waist-length silvery hair, pausing briefly before speaking in a voice slightly hoarse, recounting one by one the events that unfolded after his departure from Wutan City. Of course, certain entanglements with specific women, as well as matters involving the unique flames that required absolute confidentiality, he chose to gloss over. After a long while, Xun remained in quiet stillness, her head gently resting against her brother's shoulder. Even though she had already known most of the details, hearing them recounted once again by Xiao Yan stirred a deep sense of emotion within her. The past two years had truly been difficult for him. "Brother Xiao Yan, when you return once more to the Jima Empire, I believe Yunlan Sect will no longer be able to obstruct your path," Xun smiled softly after a while. Xiao Yan offered a gentle smile, simply lifting his gaze to the vast expanse of the starry sky. At a corner of the wall not far behind them, Master Ruolin leaned against the wall, her full chest rising and falling gently, her face filled with awe.