With the arrival of the young man in black robes, the atmosphere atop the mountain underwent a subtle shift. The shadows standing behind Xiao Li also turned their attention to the figure's back. At that moment, the already quiet ambiance grew utterly still, a peculiar sense of pressure enveloping the mountain, even silencing the roars of the wild beasts deep within the forest. Gazing at the smiling young man in black robes, Tie Wu, Su Mei, and Yin Gu all felt a quiet sense of awe, their smiles subtly restrained. Though this young man was significantly younger than them, their sharp, battle-tested demeanor—forged through years of experience in Black Angle Domain—made it difficult for them to remain completely composed. They all knew that even this gentle, smiling youth had been responsible for the tragic fates of a Black Angle Domain's Supreme Battle Sovereign and a warrior on the cusp of reaching Supreme Battle Sovereign rank. Thus, while they could chat and laugh with Xiao Li in his more composed and distant demeanor, before this young man who smiled so warmly, they had to summon every ounce of alertness, unable to afford the slightest lapse. "You finally made it," said Xiao Li, not overly concerned about the subtle shift in atmosphere, as he was the only one who could remain unaffected by Xiao Yan's presence. He immediately broke into a smile toward Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan nodded in reply, then pointed to Lin Yan, Zi Yan, and the others behind him, smiling, "You should know them—they're all my friends, and essentially, the support team I brought along this time." Xiao Li's expression brightened. With his keen eye, he could clearly see that Lin Yan and the others were exceptionally strong—indeed, the girl named Zi Yan, whose appearance was merely that of a delicate, youthful child, left him with a sense of profound mystery. In the realm of Duke-level combatants, Xiao Li had only encountered this kind of impression once before, and that was in Xiao Yan himself; now, he found himself struck by the same sense of depth in this charming, refined little girl. "These five are the strong contenders I've recruited from Black Corner Domain over the past period—each of them is at the Six-Star King level." Xiao Li pointed to five figures on the slope, their bodies straight as spears, radiating a sharp and commanding presence, and smiled. "Hmm, quite good..." With his gaze sweeping over the five figures, Xiao Yan nodded with satisfied approval. Each of them was at the level of Six-Star King, and even within the entire Black Corner Domain, they could be considered regional powerhouses. As Xiao Yan had anticipated, their combined strength likely matched or even surpassed that of the so-called Top Ten Strongest of the Jiaema Empire. "May I have the honor to address Master Xiao?" Upon seeing Xiao Yan's gaze directed at them, the five individuals, whose faces had been stern, managed to offer a somewhat stiff smile and collectively exclaimed: Though these five had always been difficult personalities within the Black Angular Domain, they could not afford the slightest negligence toward Xiao Yan—someone who had personally defeated both the Blood Sect's frail leader and the Pharmacological Emperor Han Feng. In the Black Angular Domain, strength always held supreme status, a principle deeply ingrained in everyone's nature. Thus, while they could treat Xiao Li with calm indifference, they had to set aside their own pride and approach Xiao Yan with caution and respect. "Ah, I shall certainly remember all of you gentlemen's support," said Xiao Yan. "Once the matter is settled, I will surely provide each of you with a reward that will meet your expectations." Xiao Yan smiled and bowed, speaking with a warm tone. He knew clearly that these individuals had come to assist him despite risking offense to the Yunlan Sect—a formidable adversary—because they naturally sought substantial rewards. Thus, words of gratitude would fall flat compared to this one, which carried far greater enthusiasm. Indeed, upon hearing Xiao Yan’s words, the several Supreme Battle Rank warriors immediately brightened with excitement. Having taken such a significant risk precisely because of Xiao Yan’s sixth-rank alchemical expertise, they were confident that as long as Xiao Yan owed them a personal favor, the rewards they would receive would be so generous that even they would find it hard to believe. "As soon as Master Xiao gives the word," one of them exclaimed, "no matter how strong that Yunlan Sect may be, we will wipe them out completely, bloodied and battered!" With excitement surging through them, the hearty, bloodthirsty expressions native to the Blackhorn Domain spilled forth from their mouths. Xiao Yan nodded with a smile, lightly pressing his palm to calm them down. Then he turned to look at Yin Gu, Su Mei, and Tie Wu. After a moment, his gaze drifted to the three powerful figures atop the trees. As he looked at them, the three elders from Yin Gu's party felt their hearts slightly quicken. While they could speak freely and confidently in front of Xiao Li, they always felt an unspoken pressure when facing Xiao Yan—this sense of weight made them feel somewhat uneasy. "Ah, Master Xiao," he cleared his throat. "This journey to the Jima Empire is truly a long one—let alone the time it will take to return, just the round trip alone requires several months. As you know, the situation in Black Angle Domain is not simple; numerous people are closely watching our resources. If we don't leave behind a strong contingent within our sect, when we return, we might find ourselves reduced to mere commanders with no support at all." "Seeming to notice the slight furrow in Xiao Yan's brow, the elderly Yin-Gu dry-coughed once, hurriedly speaking. As he spoke, he glanced discreetly at the graceful Queen Medusa standing a little distance behind Xiao Yan. Only when he saw her remain completely still did he ease his breath, truly feeling a deep sense of fear toward this genuine Dou-Zong powerhouse. Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, the three elders nodded slightly and smiled gently, saying, 'With you personally coming, we have fully fulfilled our original promise. Naturally, I won't hold any blame against you.' Hearing this, the three elders finally felt the weight of their anxiety lift—they had indeed been worried that Xiao Yan might demand additional reinforcements, which could have placed them in a difficult position. 'Nevertheless...' However, Xiao Yan's next words caused their hearts to lift once again." "The three of you should also know that this mission carries considerable risks, and it's of utmost importance to Xiao Yan. Therefore, when facing Yunlan Sect, please do not approach it with a casual, half-hearted attitude—otherwise..." Xiao Yan smiled faintly, a cold, sharp glint flashing in his dark eyes. The otherwise calm tone of his voice took on a subtle chill. Though all preparations were now in place, Xiao Yan had a deep understanding of these elders—Yin Gu—should they not be timely reminded and pressured, they might quietly stir up trouble. As he himself had pointed out, this return journey to the Jima Empire was of paramount significance to him. He would not allow any single misstep to jeopardize the entire endeavor. Anyone who interfered with his plans would certainly not receive any leniency from him. Now, Xiao Yan was no longer the naive young man he once was! They clearly heard the warning and cold tone in Xiao Yan's voice, and all three—Yin Gu, Su Mei, and Tie Wu—immediately felt their expressions shift. Clearing their throats, Yin Gu spoke first, "Xiao Master, please rest assured. As long as we've pledged to lend a hand, we're firmly on the same boat. We certainly won't be the kind of fools who'd sink the vessel together." "Indeed, that's the very best outcome," said Xiao Yan, his face brightening with a warm, gentle smile. "Once the matter is settled, we will fully and promptly fulfill every request you have—without a single delay." Watching Xiao Yan's rapid shifts in expression—like pages turning in a book—the three exchanged polite smiles, yet silently admired his maturity. This man, in his twenties, handled himself with the grace and seasoned judgment of someone who'd been navigating the waters for decades. After having thus impressed and steadied them, Xiao Yan turned his gaze to Xiao Li, and the two brothers exchanged a look of mutual understanding. "This journey to the Gamma Empire is exceptionally distant—even a King-Class warrior would struggle to maintain continuous use of his Spirit-Wing flight for extended periods.更何况, we still have numerous Spirit-Stage members accompanying us." Only after seeing Xiao Yan take full control of the situation did Xiao Li speak up. Xiao Yan nodded slightly. He himself had once traveled from the Gamma Empire to the Black Spire Region, a journey that took him a long time—thus, he fully understood the vast distance between the two regions. With his current strength, he would need to rest several times during the flight just to complete the journey. "Heh, if we were to travel by land, even six months might not be enough to reach the Gamma Empire." Xiao Li smiled and blew a sharp, clear whistle. Instantly, deep within the forest beneath the mountain, a series of low, resonant roars echoed through the trees. Then, birds of all kinds took to the sky. A dozen massive, fierce-looking beasts—resembling both tigers and eagles—flapped their broad, muscular wings, sending gusts of wind rushing upward, swiftly ascending to the peak, where they emitted low, steady growls toward Xiao Li. "These ten Tiger-Eagle Beasts are genuine four-stage beasts," Xiao Li said, pointing to the large, tiger-eagle-like creatures. "Not only are they fierce, but they're also exceptionally skilled at long-distance flight. However, they're quite wild and difficult to tame. To secure them, I've had to pay a considerable price—my efforts were finally rewarded when I obtained them from the 'Beast Taming Sect.'" "Four-stage beasts?" Xiao Yin was slightly surprised. "That means these ten Tiger-Eagle Beasts are equivalent to ten fully-qualified Spirit Realm cultivators, isn't it?" "All the necessary supplies for the journey had already been arranged and were ready to go—any moment now, they could take off for the Gamma Empire." Xiao Li smiled, yet a quiet fervor and urgency shimmered in his gaze. "Then, if that's the case..." Xiao Yan chuckled, a blazing intensity now glowing in his dark eyes, his voice rising sharply, "Why wait any longer? Everyone, immediately board the Tiger-Eagle beasts—we begin our journey to the Gamma Empire right away!" As soon as Xiao Yan finished speaking, the more than a hundred black silhouettes standing like posts on the hillside surged forward, swiftly leaping onto the broad backs of the crouching Tiger-Eagle beasts. At the same time, the elite warriors from Tian Yin Sect and the other two sects reascended onto the flying beasts circling above. Watching as all the figures settled into place, Xiao Li blew a sharp whistle. Then, the ten Tiger-Eagle beasts roared, stood upright, and spread their wide wings, slicing through the wind, rising steadily into the sky. Gales took shape across the sky. Xiao Yan raised his head to gaze at the dozen massive flying beasts soaring above, a sudden warmth surging in his chest. With a low cry, he flicked his jade-green flame wings behind him, darting like lightning onto the massive head of the foremost tiger-eagle beast. Soon after, Queen Medusa and Xiao Li, among others, swiftly joined him.