A flash of light streaked across the sky, and moments later, it appeared above the imperial capital. Several figures, their backs adorned with dual aura wings, gently settled into a half-encircling formation, surrounding Yun Du and the others with calm composure, their faces tinged with a touch of amusement. As these winged figures materialized, the city fell utterly silent once more. Countless onlookers stared in stunned disbelief at the sudden emergence of this formidable force of Duke-Class warriors—fifteen Duke-Class warriors? The sheer scale of this gathering... Many quietly inhaled, their heads spinning with astonishment. The entire Garde Empire might boast no more than a few dozen Duke-Class warriors combined, yet today, they had witnessed an entire contingent in one go! Yun Du and the others had their faces grow pale since those dozen figures appeared—eyes filled with shock and disbelief. Only now did they truly feel a deep sense of fear. Xiāo Yīn had indeed developed a power capable of shaking the Yunlan Sect. "Xiāo Yīn... are all these people under your command?" Hai Bo Dong was equally stunned by the sudden emergence of such a formidable array and quickly asked. Xiāo Yīn smiled slightly and nodded. Upon hearing Xiāo Yīn's affirmative response, Hai Bo Dong exhaled in relief, then a wave of joy surged through him. He firmly patted Xiāo Yīn on the shoulder and smiled, "Good boy—indeed, no longer the impetuous youngster he once was. He's even learned to recruit and assemble troops." Xiao Yan chuckled lightly, lifting his gaze toward Yun Du and the others across the table, a hint of cold intensity shimmering in his dark eyes: "Heh, two Sovereigns, seven Kings—quite impressive. I didn't expect such a generous gift from Yunlan Sect upon my return. Then, since you've offered it, I shall accept without hesitation." Hearing the undercurrent of frost and menace in Xiao Yan's voice, Yun Du and the others grew even more pale. It seemed their chances of making it through the day were slim. Though they often spoke of Yunlan Mountain's proximity to the Imperial Court, the actual journey between them was still considerable—enough that even at their speed, it would take at least half an hour to reach Yunlan Mountain. That time alone would be sufficient to see them completely defeated here. "Hah! Xiao Yan, are these the very people they call the Yunlan Sect?" Indeed, an outstanding display—right from the start, seven Battle Kings and two Battle Emperors. Such a lineup, even placed in Black Angle Domain, would be considered exceptionally strong. At a distance, Lin Yan watched Yun Du and the others with keen interest, then smiled warmly at Xiao Yan. "The disciples of Yunlan Sect will fight to the last! Even if it means sacrificing every last one of us, we will wear down the Mitel family until they are nothing but useless!" Hearing Yun Du's roar, the disciples of Yunlan Sect who had momentarily halted due to the commotion in the sky instantly erupted into loud cries, then raised their weapons once more and surged forward like a tidal wave, pressing relentlessly against the Mitel family's inner defenses. Under this relentless assault, the defensive lines within the manor were being rapidly torn apart. "Sea Elder, take care of those two Duophyges. The rest of the Duobyes will be handled by them." "Gazing at the crumbling defenses of the manor below, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows and turned to Hai Bo Dong, speaking softly, 'The ones appearing now are merely some Dou Wang-level warriors from Lin Yan. As for Medusa and the old Yin Gu, the Dou Huang and even stronger ones, I've deliberately kept them from showing themselves at this moment. In any situation, one must always reserve some strength. To have just returned and immediately exposed all one's reserves to Yunlan Sect's eyes—such a foolish move—this is precisely what the current Xiao Yan will not do.' 'Understood!' Hearing this, Hai Bo Dong nodded without hesitation. Recognizing the urgency, he said no more, lifted his ice wings, and swiftly dashed forward, eventually entering the chaotic sky battlefield to intercept Yun Du and Yun Sha, two Dou Huang-level warriors. With that, Xiao Yan's jade-green fire wings also stirred slightly, and his figure surged downward toward the manor. 'Chief, Yunlan Sect is about to breach our inner courtyard—we won't be able to hold them any longer!' As the battle raged across the sky, urgent cries echoed continuously throughout the chaotic manor. "Hold firm! Don't engage them directly—archers, prepare the breath-shattering arrows once more!" Observing the rapidly collapsing frontline, Yafei urgently called out, facing the nearly overwhelming tide of attacks from Yunlan Sect. "Lady Chief, we've fewer than a hundred breath-shattering arrows left!" A guard quickly reported as he responded to Yafei's command. "Use them all!" Yafei raised her brows sharply, issuing a commanding shout—yet the cry was abruptly cut short as a dark figure streaked across the sky. The black figure landed, the young man in black robes bearing a heavy measuring rule smiled gently at Ya Fei, revealing a bright, white set of teeth. "Ya Fei姐, it's been three years—you've grown even more beautiful." Staring at the young face before her, now bearing a touch more maturity than three years ago, she seemed momentarily lost in thought. At that moment, the urgent voices echoing around her seemed to fade away entirely. Her delicate nose slightly ached, her eyes glistening with a soft red hue. With a voice slightly hoarse yet especially melodious, she spoke from her flushed lips: "You stubborn boy—how could you possibly come back now?" "These three years, you've worked so hard for the Xiao family..." Looking at the faint mist in the alluring peach-blossom eyes, Xiao Yan sighed softly. He knew well the immense pressure Yafu had carried these years—without Hai Lao's steadfast support, she likely wouldn't have been able to endure it. Initially harboring a quiet sense of resentment, Yafu instantly dissolved into a serene smile, her grace and charm radiating like a vision of beauty, as if the gentle apology in his voice had swept away all lingering clouds. "Xiao Yan... finally back, huh? Well, good boy—finally didn't let your elder brother down. You're a true source of pride for the Xiao family and for your father." Gazing at Xiao Yan, who now appeared more mature than he did three years ago, Xiao Ding smiled warmly and spoke softly. The broad, rough palm gently stroked Xiao Yan's head. Xiao Ding smiled softly, his voice warm and steady. "Third brother, it's not just me who's been suffering. Over these three years, have you really been doing well, this little one?" Xiao Yan nodded with a smile, then his gaze shifted to the white-tinted tide at the periphery, a cold, cruel intensity flashing in his eyes. With a wave of his hand, a cluster of emerald flames surged to his palm. He pulled his palms apart, and the emerald flames transformed into a shade of cyan, merging with an intangible flame. With a finger snap, the cyan flame erupted from his palm, while the intangible flame suddenly swelled significantly. As the disciples of Yunlan Sect wildly seized the manor, suddenly a faint hissing sound emerged. At the forefront of the white tide, one of the Yunlan Sect disciples unexpectedly had flames surge through his body, and within the span of a blink, he turned into a pile of ashes, bursting into fragments. This sudden and strange self-combustion left everyone stunned. Yet, as they still gazed in disbelief, a series of deep, resonant explosions rang out continuously! Pff! Pff! Pff!