After Xiao Yan awoke, life once again settled into its usual calm. Though each time he appeared in the inner courtyard drew a wave of gasps and various glances, habit eventually enabled him to ignore them altogether. Although the grand tournament had now concluded, perhaps because the organizers wished to grant the contestants sufficient recovery time, the event of entering the lower levels of the Tianfen Qi Tower was postponed considerably. As a result, Xiao Yan, who had been eagerly anticipating it, began to find the days increasingly tedious. Since he had just recently advanced two star levels consecutively, Xiao Yan had not entered the tower to train for some time, instead choosing to quietly refine the suddenly surging ki within his body. While such a rapid surge in strength was undoubtedly exhilarating, the abrupt nature of this growth was less solid than steady, step-by-step progress—something that was considered a fundamental flaw in the path to advancement. Therefore, for the sake of his future development, Xiao Yan had to ensure that his internal ki remained truly abundant and grounded, rather than merely floating and unstable. The young blood branch deputy chief he had defeated in Black Angle Domain served as the perfect example: though he had attained the rank of Battle Spirit at a young age, his actual combat strength was significantly weaker than that of ordinary Battle Spirit cultivators—precisely because his ki was unstable and fluctuated within him, limiting the effectiveness of his battlefield performance. During the daily tranquil and leisurely practices, the qi within Xiao Yan's body—originally somewhat floating—was gradually becoming more solid and concentrated. With the aid of the Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire, which effectively refines qi, the energy and time Xiao Yan needed to refine his qi were significantly reduced and felt much more effortless than for ordinary people. In this renewed, relaxed lifestyle, Xun'er seemed to have developed a particular fondness for drawing Xiao Yan and himself alone into the deep mountains, lying on the lush grass, resting close to one another, basking in the warm, golden sunlight. Their days were full and happy. Yet, amidst this serene and fulfilling life in the forest, Xiao Yan sensed that something significant was about to unfold... Xiao Yan and Xun'er lay quietly diagonally on the grass, the soft sunlight gently covering their bodies, creating a warm, drowsy sensation. Tilting her head slightly, Xun'er gazed at the black-robed young man beside her, his eyes closed and relaxed. A subtle curve formed at the corner of her lips. After a moment, her expression softened slightly, and her eyes dimmed as if remembering something. She whispered softly, "Xiao Yan, brother, the scroll I gave you—when you reach the Battle King level, please make sure to study it thoroughly." A slight pause, Xun'er glanced away, her eyes flickering, and whispered softly, "No, I don't think there's been any difference at all from before." "Really?" Xiong Yan smiled, just as he was about to speak, when the serious voice of Yao Lao suddenly resonated within his mind: "A large number of powerful energies are approaching you—these energies are strong, and it seems they're specifically targeting you two!" Hearing Yao Lao's words, Xiong Yan was first startled, then his expression grew serious. He didn't have time to ponder why so many unfamiliar, powerful presences had suddenly appeared deep within the mountain range of the inner courtyard. Without hesitation, he rose and pulled Xun'er, intending to leave immediately. As Xiong Yan lifted Xun'er, she seemed to sense something subtly as well—her face instantly changed, and she quickly pushed him into the forest, urgently saying, "Xiong Yan, hurry and hide inside! Don't come out!" "What's wrong? Are they coming after you?" Xiong Yan grasped Xun'er's delicate hand firmly, his expression growing stern. Xun's gaze swept toward the distant northern horizon, sensing the swift approach. She quickly pressed her hands against Xiao Yan's chest, expelling a gentle stream of qi that pushed him into the forest, then instructed, "Brother Xiao Yan, hold your breath and don't let them notice!" As Xiao Yan was pushed into the forest, his face changed constantly. He didn't understand why Xun had suddenly become so anxious. "Who could it be?" Following Xun's gaze toward the northern horizon, Xiao Yan gradually clenched his fists, a growing sense of unusual anger stirring within him. Not long after Xiao Yan was ushered into the forest, a sudden rush of rushing winds echoed from the sky, and eventually, several dozen small black dots appeared along the northern horizon, their paths clearly defined, heading directly toward Xun's location. With the sharp cracking sound growing increasingly intense, shortly thereafter, the black spots rapidly expanded and finally came into clear view within the line of sight. Gazing through the gaps in the tree leaves at the dozen or so black forms visible, Xiao Yan's face instantly flushed with astonishment. These were not human figures, but rather a group of creatures each entirely black, each bearing a single long silver horn extending several feet from their heads—on the horn, intricate patterns shimmered, and faint rumblings of wind and thunder seemed to emanate from them. Broad, expansive wings covered their backs, and as the wings vibrated, a powerful gust of wind roared from the sky, pressing the forest slightly downward. Though Xiao Yan had never seen nor heard of these creatures before, their presence did not diminish his sense of awe—rather, he sensed an unmistakable ferocity radiating from them, clearly indicating that these were not ordinary transport beasts, but rather formidable aerial combatants. Flight beasts were already rare, and those used in battle were even more uncommon—except for powerful factions of exceptional strength, few could afford to raise and train them. Shifting his gaze from these four-winged unicorns, he finally settled on their broad backs, where he was struck once again: standing atop each of the four-winged unicorns were figures of human form. These figures wore flowing robes of deep purple and black, their faces expressionless, and as their eyes subtly shifted, they emitted a sharp, cutting intensity, sending a chill through every part of the observer. To his astonishment, the aura of each of these ten figures was as deep and still as a profound lake—unfathomable, like the deep waters of a reservoir. Such a presence he had only sensed among the elders in the inner courtyard. The ten massive four-winged unicorns gently vibrated their wings, finally settling above the mountain stream, their eyes sweeping across the grassy plain where the young woman in green robes stood. "Ah, Miss Xun," he smiled, "at last, I've found you." A leading four-winged unicorne descended gracefully, and a man on its back smiled warmly at Xu. The man was not particularly old, appearing in his early to mid- twenties, with an exceptionally elegant appearance, quite comparable to Lin Xiu'ya. Dressed in a robe of deep purple and black, he exuded a sense of steady composure that surpassed Lin Xiu'ya. Most importantly, he seemed to be the leader of the group, as the positioning of the other nine clearly placed them behind him—a subtle detail that best illustrated the hierarchy. "I am Lin Quan, the newly appointed deputy commander of the He Yan Army, dispatched by the clan's chief elder to escort Miss Xu back!" The man, standing atop the four-winged unicorne, bowed respectfully to Xu, his voice courteous and formal. "I've already said I would return. Why then have you come all the way over from afar?" Xu's expression grew cold upon the sudden arrival of Lin Quan and his companions, and her tone carried a clear sense of reserve. "The chief elder has instructed us, and so we have only been able to follow orders." Lin Quan smiled slightly, about to speak, when suddenly his gaze sharpened and his eyes fixed on the forest ahead, his voice deepening as he said, "Who has been listening?" As soon as Lin Quan's voice fell, the nine figures standing motionless upon the four-winged unicorns, like sculptures, also turned pale, their bodies trembling slightly as they all moved into the forest at once, followed by a low, resonant clatter. "Stop!" Xun'er's face changed instantly, and she shouted sharply. As soon as Xun'er's command rang out, a figure suddenly emerged from the forest, spread her wings, and hovered in midair before gently descending to land beside Xun'er—Xiao Yan, his clothes slightly disheveled. "Xiao... are you all right?" Seeing Xiao Yan breathing heavily, Xun'er's face grew concerned, and though she had just about to call out his name, she immediately stiffened, instead asking calmly. Xun'er's sudden shift caused Xiao Yan's brow to furrow slightly. "What's going on?" After Xiao Yan emerged from the trees, the nine figures also surged forth as one, landing behind Ling Quan and fixing Xiao Yan with eyes sharp as blades. "You..." Xin'er's expression changed, but Ling Quan noticed it without missing a beat. She turned to gaze at Xiao Yan as he stepped into view. Upon seeing his face, she paused slightly, lightly tapping her forehead, then smiled faintly, as if amused. "If my memory serves me right, this must be Xiao Yan—the once-considered waste from the Xiao family. I've seen your portrait." "Who are you?" Xiao Yan asked, his tone calm and composed. "Ling Quan, Deputy Commander of the He Yan Army. But that won't matter—neither you nor the Xiao family have the standing to reach this level." "Lin Quan smiled, his voice carrying a clear, decisive disdain. He had long heard the news of the Xiao family's near extinction—now, the Xiao family had truly declined, no longer boasting the splendor of yesteryears. Hearing Lin Quan's contempt for the Xiao family, Xiao Yan's expression grew steadily colder, and his hand gradually tightened around the hilt of the Xuan Zhong Chi.