Summoning his Purple Cloud Wings, Xiao Yan surged forward toward the source of the beast's roar, reaching the area within less than ten minutes. As he heard the roar, he could sense several remarkably powerful aura flows—some even comparable to Lin Yan's, and possibly even stronger. Feeling these auras, Xiao Yan was quietly struck by surprise. Lin Yan had already reached the pinnacle of the Du Ling stage, surpassing him. Then, did that mean there were Du Wang-level cultivators here as well? With this thought, Xiao Yan grew slightly cautious, carefully suppressing his own Qi fluctuations, slowing his breathing, and allowing his Purple Cloud Wings to gently tremble as he quietly slipped into the dense forest. As soon as he entered the forest, Xiao Yan swiftly retracted his Zhi Yun Yi and moved nimbly through the tree canopy, like a graceful monkey. With such careful, swift movements, the view before him suddenly broadened. Especially when his gaze turned toward a small valley beyond the forest, the astonishment on his face grew increasingly intense. Beyond the forest lies a small valley nestled against the mountains, its entrance resembling a gourd. At this very mountain pass, a massive white ape, measuring three or four zhang in stature, stands upright. The white ape radiates a sharp, piercing cold aura; heavy breaths emerge from its large nostrils, forming two plumes of white mist. Its arms are long and elegant, and its hands and claws are as large as two adult human heads. Occasionally, when it swings its claws, powerful gusts of wind shoot forth, splintering nearby giant stones and sending fragments flying. Its eyes, blood-red with fury and intent, glare fiercely upon the six human figures surrounding it. "Actually, it's a Snow Demon Heaven Monkey. These guys must have quite the nerve. An adult Snow Demon Heaven Monkey possesses strength capable of shattering gold and splitting mountains. Though this particular giant seems only recently entered adulthood, he's still at least comparable to a Three-Star Battle King... " As soon as he spotted the towering monkey drawing the most attention at the valley entrance, Xiao Yan was struck with astonishment. "The others aren't bad either," said the Elder Yao in a calm, measured tone. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan quickly turned his gaze to the six students surrounding the Snow Demon Heaven Monkey. When his eyes landed on the insignia on one of their chests, his expression subtly shifted: "These guys are all students from the Inner Academy? How strong they are! Wait—wasn't Han Yue also here?" As he spoke, Xiao Yan suddenly paused, startled, upon noticing a graceful woman standing at the far left. Her elegant silver gown and radiant silver hair were unmistakably those of Han Yue, the student he had once shared a good relationship with in the Inner Academy. "How did they all end up gathering here?" He furrowed his brows slightly. Though he didn't know any of the others besides Han Yue, the insignia on their badges hinted at something significant. Among the elite top ten ranked warriors in the inner courtyard, how many could muster the courage to besiege a King-level beast? "Hey, this one's quite a handful. Han Yue, is there actually something inside as you described? Don't you worry—we'll be happy to provide free reinforcements. Even some of the inner courtyard elders can't manage the Snow Demon Sky Giraffe. If it starts ramping up its intensity, we're going to be in serious trouble, especially when it goes full rampage." As Xiao Yan pondered, a deep, resonant voice suddenly echoed. He glanced over and found the speaker to be a sturdy man with a few strands of beard across his face. Towering over average height by two heads, his imposing frame exuded a distinct sense of weight and pressure. Most striking was the massive iron sledge he gripped firmly in his right hand—the sledge, dark in hue, reflected a rich, deep glow under the sunlight. The subtle veins standing out on his arms suggested the sledge was far from light in weight. "Ha ha, Yan Hao, Han Yue knows exactly how to weigh things—there's no need for you to doubt it. If there truly is something in the valley, the benefits to us would be substantial. The grand tournament is just four months away. If we can further strengthen our capabilities during this period, the position of Elder will be well within our grasp." A clear, resonant laugh echoed, and Xiao Yan turned his gaze toward the source of the voice. His heart stirred with admiration. The speaker was a young man with an elegant appearance, dressed in a light blue robe. Around twenty-six or twenty-seven years old—typically, at this stage, young people begin to shed their youthful arrogance. This man, however, carried a warm, composed smile, radiating an especially pleasant charm. His simple blue robe, calm and unhurried, exuded a truly striking presence. "Yan Hao?" Xiao Yan murmured the name to himself, feeling a faint sense of familiarity. "Lin Xiu'ya, you're speaking with ease, but this is a beast capable of rivaling a Supreme King-level warrior. Even with our strength, a single misstep could see us severely injured—or worse, killed outright. As for Yan Hao, he merely wanted to verify something. Who would want to expend so much effort only to come away empty-handed?" A man with a slightly darker complexion rolled his eyes as he spoke. "Lin Xiu'ya? I didn't expect this to be the very Lin Xiu'ya mentioned by Lin Yan. Given his demeanor, it's no surprise that even the proud and ambitious Lin Yan speaks of him with a quiet sense of respect and caution. I've heard this name quite a few times before. Among the majority of the trainees in the inner courtyard, whenever they mention him, there's always a touch of admiration and reverence. Perhaps he's not the strongest in terms of combat prowess, but when it comes to personal charisma, I'd say no one in the entire inner courtyard can match him." "Hehe, to make it into the top ten of the 'Strong Ranks,' every one of us must have something truly special tucked away. Though our actual strength may not quite match that of this Snowy Heaven Monkey, if we actually engage in battle, I suspect it will be the monkey who ends up at a disadvantage." Lin Xiu'ya smiled lightly, his long fingers gently tapping the jade-long sword he was holding. Instantly, a crisp sound echoed, and as the sound spread, swirling gusts of wind—almost tangible—materialized beside him, rushing continuously. "Now, isn't it a bit premature to engage in these pointless debates? Since you've all come with me here, it clearly means that the thing you're after holds equal appeal for you. Therefore, our immediate priority should be to defeat this Snowy Heaven Monkey. You all know how precious that thing is. Once the news spreads, I'm certain many people throughout Black Horn Domain will come rushing to claim it. By then, regret will be too late." "Hearing the somewhat dissenting opinions from around, Han Yue slightly furrowed her brows and spoke with a calm, cool tone. As soon as she finished speaking, several of the others chuckled softly, shrugged their shoulders, neither disputing nor pressing further, and turned their attention toward the snow-magic tianyuan in the center. "When we five move in to intercept it, feel free to use whatever strategies you have—this creature isn't one to be easily contained. Han Yue's strength is still a bit weaker, so she shouldn't be involved in such a siege. Therefore, you'll just keep an eye on the surroundings." Lin Xiu'ya gently inclined his long sword, pointing slightly toward the ground, and smiled lightly. "Hm." After a brief pause, Han Yue nodded slightly, then lightly tapped her foot against the massive stone, stepping back gracefully until she stood straight and poised atop a tree branch with a broad view. "Heh, everyone, it's been a while since we've worked together—do you think we've made any progress?" Upon seeing Han Yue retreat, Lin Xiu'ya smiled faintly, his green robe slightly trembling as a powerful aura surged suddenly from within him—its intensity seemed to hint at something surpassing the peak of a Battle Spirit. "I didn't expect you to have already taken half a step into Battle King level. Truly, you live up to your reputation as the champion among our class of new recruits," remarked Yan Hao, the tall figure, marveling at the strength radiating from Lin Xiu'ya. "You've also reached that threshold, haven't you?" Lin Xiu'ya glanced at Yan Hao with a look of mild surprise. "Only very faintly—far less than you, though," Yan Hao chuckled, shaking his head. With his hands tightly gripping his black iron hammer, he slammed it hard against the ground before him, and the resulting force tore through the air, emitting a sharp, resonant sound. Following Lin Xiu'ya and Yan Hao, the other three contestants also unleashed their peak strength—these three were themselves at the pinnacle of Battle Spirit level, and their aura was no weaker than Lin Yan's. "This inner courtyard truly is a gathering place for continental prodigies—these young fellows are no older than twenty-five, yet they've already reached the threshold of the Battle King stage. Such talent would be considered a true natural genius anywhere else...” Feeling the five powerful presences radiating throughout the arena, Xiao Yan couldn't help but marvel. As if sensing the mounting battle atmosphere around them, the crimson in the snow-magic tigress's eyes deepened further. With iron-like claws, she heavily struck her white-furred chest, sending out a visible ripple of force that instantly spread outward. Where the force waves reached, the surrounding stones cracked and split open with a series of crisp sounds. "Foolish humans! Do not dare to seize the 'Earth-Core Body-Infusing Milk.' If you retreat now, I will spare your lives!" The Snow Demon Tian Yuan lifted his immense head, his blood-red gaze fixed firmly on the group. After a moment of silence, his deep, thunderous voice suddenly erupted like a roar, resonating clearly in the ears of every person around. "Hm, this Snow Demon Tian Yuan, who just reached the Battle King level, is actually capable of speaking?" Initially stunned by the creature's behavior, Xiao Yan suddenly paused, his expression brightening with astonishment. "Earth Core Body Nourishing Milk?" He repeated the name several times, and then, after a brief pause, Xiao Yan's body began to tremble violently, his face glowing with a mixture of profound surprise and exhilaration. "Is it truly possible that 'Earth Core Body Nourishing Milk'—such a divine essence of the earth—exists here?"