Silence returned to the room. After a while, Xiao Yan slowly exhaled, his voice low and steady. "How is Brother Li?" "We've been relentlessly pursued throughout our journey. With our current strength, it was only a matter of time before the Xiao family was completely wiped out. Fortunately, at the final moment, reinforcements arrived and saved the remaining members of the Xiao family." As he spoke, Xiao Li's pale face revealed a touch of relief. "Reinforcements? Are there any forces within the Jiaema Empire still willing to challenge Yunlan Sect?" Hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, frowning. "The reinforcements appeared in the Black Forest. Initially, we didn't know who they were. It wasn't until our pursuers were repelled that the visitors revealed themselves. You've already met him—he's the elderly man who has been accompanying you all along." "Hai Bo Dong? Hai Elder?" Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback. The image of an elder who had always been cold and composed slowly came to mind, and with a moment of clarity, he nodded gently, inwardly appreciating the gratitude. Sea Wave Dong had saved the remaining members of the Xiao family—such a debt was indeed significant, and he would surely need to repay it in good measure in the future. Although his brother had also sustained serious injuries, he had fortunately managed to survive thanks to the elder's assistance. It seemed that the elder held a very high status within the Miter family, and as a result, the surviving Xiao family members were quietly protected by them and thus escaped the extermination campaign launched by Yunlan Sect. The flying creature Xiao Yan had ridden to the Cana College was borrowed from the Miter family. Otherwise, with our current financial means, we would have had to walk all the way to Cana College. "Yet the Blackhorn Region truly does live up to its reputation as the most chaotic part of the continent, heh. I've been nearly knocked out several times during this journey—several times I thought I'd never make it back. All these injuries were sustained right here in the Blackhorn Region. Those people are truly relentless, like starving wolves." Xiao Xin bit his lower lip, having personally witnessed the bloodshed and chaos within the Blackhorn Region. It was no small feat for Xiao Li to journey all the way from there just to deliver news of his family's crisis. Xiao Li offered a wry smile. "The Mo Tie Guild now stands nearly ruined. Our family is in better shape, but we've also suffered tremendous losses—our strength has diminished greatly, and we're now merely surviving, barely holding on." Holding onto Xiao Li's hand, Xiao Xin spoke softly, his voice strained with resentment: "Brother, this blood debt—I will repay it!" "Of course I will. The Yunlan Sect has driven our family to this pass. If I don't kill that old Cloud Mountain dog, how can I repay the sacrifices made by our elders?" Xiao Li's face took on a cold, venomous expression, and he smiled grimly, "As long as our three brothers are alive, the Yunlan Sect shall be left in chaos!" Xiao Yan nodded silently, his heart slightly eased—after all, at least his elder and second brothers had escaped unharmed. It was hard to imagine what he would have done if both of them had perished under the Yunlan Sect's siege. "Uncle Xiao Li, I... I wonder if my parents are still well?" Xiao Yu suddenly spoke up beside him, her voice trembling slightly. "Heh, Yu'er... It's been several years, and you've grown even more beautiful these days." Gazing at the red-rimmed eyes of Xiao Yu, Xiao Li's cold demeanor melted away. After a moment of silence, he spoke with a touch of embarrassment, "Mother-in-law is still fine, but Father-in-law lost an arm during the battle." The eyes glistened again, though the worst outcome that Xiao Yu had feared had been avoided, so her already fragile nerves remained intact. She nodded gently and then remained silent by the side. "Brother, first take care of your injuries. The family blood feud must be avenged—though rest assured, I won't be as impetuous as before. I was merely overwhelmed by the surge of passion earlier." Xiao Li reached into his storage scroll once more, retrieved a pill, and gently placed it in Xiao Li's hands. Receiving the healing herbs, Xiao Li didn't hesitate—he shoved them straight into his mouth and fixed his gaze steadily on Xiao Yan, speaking in a firm tone: "Others may be impetuous, but you cannot. Now you are the only hope of the Xiao family. Your father's disappearance depends entirely on your strength. My own cultivation potential, as does my elder brother's, falls short of yours. Therefore, we can die, but you cannot. Should anything unforeseen happen to you, the Xiao family would be utterly ruined!" Nodding slightly, Xiao Yan smiled and gently patted Xiao Li's arm, then turned to Xiao Yu and said, "You take care of your second brother first—I have something to discuss with Xun'er." After speaking, he gave a slight nod to Xun'er, and the two of them slowly stepped out of the room. "I once stumbled upon the shadow-based attack techniques my elder brother described, and they were almost identical to those of the people I observed from the 'Spirit Palace.' I believe there must be a connection between them." Xiao Yan waved his hand, his eyes fixed on Xun'er, and spoke in a steady tone. "Tell me." Under the weight of Xiao Yan's gaze, Xun'er hesitated a moment before finally nodding with a wry smile. Gently brushing back her hair, she organized the information in her mind regarding the so-called 'Spirit Palace,' and then slowly said, "The Spirit Palace is an exceptionally mysterious and enigmatic organization across the continent. Their favorite activity is to search throughout the land for soul-bodied beings and capture them. I still don't fully understand why they need so many soul-bodied individuals. This organization has an extensive presence across the continent—yet I never expected even a conservative nation like the Jima Empire to be infiltrated and affected by them." "The Huan Temple has evidently existed for a long time, so they too are well aware of many secrets across the continent. I believe they have come to the Xiao family precisely because of the Tu She Ancient Emperor's Jade that Xiao Yan holds. The jade piece in Xiao Yan's hands is merely one part of the 'key'—there are other parts scattered across the continent. Our clan possesses some, and the Huan Temple also holds others. "Now that the 'Spirit Hall' is taking action against the Xiao family, it seems they must have obtained word of that portion of the 'keys' from somewhere—otherwise, given the Xiao family's strength, they simply wouldn't have been able to draw them into action. What's surprising, however, is how the Yunlan Sect has come to be involved with the 'Spirit Hall' at all." Xun'er spoke softly. "As for what Brother Two mentioned, the elder named Hai Bode managed to repel all the pursuing forces. This suggests that the 'Spirit Hall' hasn't dispatched their true elite warriors. Of course, our family is closely monitoring their movements, so it's clear they haven't been able to send their strongest forces out either." "Keys! Keys! Again, those cursed keys!" Xiang Yan slammed his fists hard against the wall in front of him, shouting in frustration. "Xiao Yan, brother, remember what I told you last time—about the Tu She Ancient Emperor's jade now in your hands. Don't tell anyone, not even your cousin Xiao Li. Otherwise, if it accidentally leaks out, the 'Spirit Palace's' pursuit will become an ever-present, relentless shadow, never ending." Xun'er stepped forward, her soft body pressing gently against Xiao Yan's, lowering her voice and speaking seriously. Clutching her teeth tightly, Xiao Yan gazed at the nearby refined features, inhaling the delicate fragrance drifting into his nose. With a sudden motion, he wrapped his arms tightly around her, cradling her close. Before the person he held most dear, he finally could not conceal his inner sense of regret, his voice hoarse as he said, "If I hadn't been so young and passionate, and had made that three-year agreement with Na Lan Yan Ran back then, perhaps things wouldn't have turned out this way. Perhaps my family wouldn't have fallen apart, and my relatives wouldn't have been scattered." "Never be too youthful and restless in one's youth—Xiao Yan, brother, has done nothing wrong." Gently resting her cheek against Xiao Yan's shoulder, Xun said softly, "With such treasures, one is often punished. Even if Xiao Yan and Yunlan Sect have no direct conflict, the 'Spirit Palace' will surely come knocking at some point. With their ruthless methods, they will surely wipe out everything at once—then the Xiao family won't just suffer a major blow, but be completely destroyed. One after another, gentle voices flowed like a revitalizing tonic, gradually restoring the clarity of Xiao Yan's heart, once choked with hatred and murderous intent. After a long while, Xiao Yan finally lifted his head, drew in a long, cool breath of air, and released his arms from around Xun'er's waist. The refined lines of his face lost the usual lazy smile he had carried ever since youth, and instead bore a subtle cold determination. Now, under the weight of this family upheaval, Xiao Yan had truly shed his youthful innocence.