As cloud mountain's cold, commanding voice settled, the atmosphere within Yunlan Sect instantly tightened. The autumn wind swept across, lifting a few leaves and carrying with it an aura of sharp, lethal intent. Throughout the sect, the Yunlan Sect elders, who had already stood poised and vigilant, now slowly unfolded their aura of battle energy from behind their backs. With a gentle hand motion, their sharp, frost-tinged weapons leapt into the air, and a series of piercing, focused gazes were directed straight toward the equally formidable group gathered in the sky. "Stung by your constant 'old dog' remarks, my mouth twitched with irritation. After a moment, Yun Shan drew a deep breath and spoke in a low, measured tone, "Little scamp—had your father not fallen into my hands, he'd have suffered a thorough beating. Otherwise, I couldn't reconcile my lingering resentment!" "Not in your hands?" At this, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed, and the fist clenched tightly within his sleeve. He smiled, saying, "Old dog, at last you admit that your father's disappearance has something to do with you." As he spoke, Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened and shifted to Yun Yun, seated beneath the stage—his first direct conversation with her since her appearance. "Now do you understand?" he asked, recalling her earlier insistence that Yunlan Sect had no connection whatsoever to his father's affairs? Yun Yun's face was pale. She could hear the anger and mockery in Xiao Yan's voice. Back then, she had firmly insisted that it was surely a misunderstanding on his part regarding Yunlan Sect. But now, the words spoken by Yun Shan seemed like a sharp slap delivered right to her face. "Really... really, you're the one who did it?" Her lips trembled as she turned her gaze to Yun Shan, and finally could no longer contain her fury, shouting at him. "Yun Yun! Remember, you're from Yunlan Sect! For a boy who's been day after day trying to eliminate us, you dare to scold me like this? Where have all my years of guidance gone?" Yun Shan whispered fiercely, his face blazing with rage. Clearly, the public scolding he had received from Yun Yun had deeply wounded his dignity. Yun Yun smiled sadly. She had always believed that Xiao Yan had acted impulsively and made the rash decision to oppose Yunlan Sect out of sudden rage. Yet now she realized—perhaps the most naive one of all was herself. Yunlan Sect had caused Xiao Yan's father to vanish, while she had consistently favored Yunlan Sect. It must have been then that he had completely lost hope in her. Her fingers tightened firmly within her sleeve, the sharp tips of her nails piercing her palm, bringing sharp pain. Now, recalling the cold gaze of the young man during the thousand-mile pursuit by Yunlan Sect, she could clearly sense his deep resentment. Though they were far apart, Xiao Yan had noticed Yun Yun's suddenly wobbly posture. He furrowed his brows, then with a determined effort turned his gaze away, addressing the mountain coldly, "My father is not at Yunlan Sect. Where exactly is he?" "At a place you'll never know—indeed, even if you do know it, there's not a single glimmer of hope to save you..." Yun Shan smiled coldly, his words already revealing what he had long kept hidden. "It must be in the hands of the 'Spirit Palace,' then..." Hearing the name, which sounded both familiar and deeply unsettling when spoken softly by Xiao Yan, Yun Shan's eyes narrowed sharply, his voice now hoarse and eerie. "You actually know of the Spirit Palace? Oh, right—probably your soul body has told you!" Yun Shan's words stirred a subtle change in Xiao Yan's expression; he had never expected the old man to be aware of Yao Lao's existence. Clearly, this old man had some connection with the Spirit Palace. Today, he would have to be especially cautious. "I'll handle my father's matter, no doubt. But before that, I must first deal with you—this old man." Calming his inner agitation, Xiao Yan's hands gradually filled with strong qi, flowing steadily as he spoke. Yun Shan smiled, yet there was a subtle coldness in his gaze. With a sweeping gesture, he said with a crisp, frosty tone, "This time, I will ensure that the Xiao family vanishes completely from the Jima Empire!" "All of Yunlan Sect's disciples, listen—attack!" As Yun Shan's final word settled, the tense atmosphere instantly shattered. The numerous Yunlan Sect elders hovering in the air flared their wings, their silhouettes slicing through the sky with a series of swift, rushing movements, gradually encircling the Ji Xingtian and others. "Do not let them form a formation—strike now!" As the Yunlan Sect elders began to move, Hai Bohdong roared sharply, then shook his ice wings. A powerful aura surged forth from within him. Having taken the Fuzi Ling Dan just a few days prior, his strength had steadily approached his former peak. Though still slightly behind Ji Xingtian, who stood at the pinnacle of the Douhuang stage, the gap was now closing rapidly. The sheer force of his aura immediately caused several onlookers to pale. At the very moment the momentum surged, Hai Bo Dong also advanced first, his cold, blade-like stream of combat energy locking onto one of the more powerful elders among the group. With the principle of "a single thread pulling the entire fabric," Hai Bo Dong's initial assault immediately triggered widespread commotion. Behind him, Jia Xingtian, Fama, Yin Gu, Zi Yan, and others swiftly followed, each unleashing their formidable combat energies that swelled throughout the sky above Yunlan Mountain. The imposing aura of these energies enveloped the entire mountain peak, pressing so heavily that even those with lesser strength found themselves struggling to breathe. Two formidable arrays collided in an instant, sending waves of thunderous energy blasts and surging qi ripples resonating and rippling across the sky. Outside the chaotic battlefield, Xiao Yan stood suspended in the air, untouched by any attack from a Cloud岚 Sect elder—each of them knew that this man must be personally dealt with by Yun Shan. His gaze first swept over the fiercely battling battlefield, then settled on the dark-robed young man standing calmly in the sky, arms folded, his expression cold. A slow, quiet smile curled on Yun Shan's lips as he took steady, determined steps forward. As he approached the edge of the platform, he paused briefly to glance down at Yun Yun, then turned to one of his sect disciples and coldly commanded, "Keep her safe!" Upon hearing Yun Shan's order, the Cloud岚 Sect disciples quickly bowed and responded respectfully. "Once we've dealt with this insignificant youngster, we'll come back to you." Coldly glanced at Yun Yun, Yun Shan then moved his body, rising into the air, and with a gentle step, as if walking up a series of staircases, advanced steadily upward. Yet these staircases were formed not of solid material, but of condensed air. As a Dou宗 (Dou Sect) master could now glide through the heavens without relying on his Dou Qi wings, such a free and unimpeded form of combat naturally enhanced both their agility and responsiveness. With each step taken through the void, within moments, Yun Shan hovered just a short distance from Xiao Yan, suspended above the ground under the steady gaze of the crowd. As the two faced off, their intense, cold, and lethal glares intertwined, sparking bursts of energy and radiating a palpable aura of hostility. "Young man," said Gu He, his face creased with a grim smile, "you escaped from here three years ago. Today, this very sect will see you fall right here!" "The remains of a Douzong-level cultivator—I precisely needed a set. Though I detest you old dog, I'll make do with it." Xiao Yan smiled. "Three years have passed, and you're still as stubborn as ever. Then let our sect personally test you. How much have you improved in these three years?" Yun Shan gave a solemn, serene smile, then swept his sleeve—beneath which a mighty, flowing streak of deep azure cultivation energy surged forth from his body. The deep azure energy emanating from Yun Shan's body was exceptionally dense, appearing almost viscous—reminiscent of the way Xiao Yan had struggled to compress the Lirui Lotus Heart Flame into a mere trace. Yet at that time, Xiao Yan had only managed a small amount; now, a thick, pervasive layer of such energy flowed throughout Yun Shan's entire surface. Gazing at the deep, viscous qi emanating from Yunshan, so powerful that it continuously caused ripples in the surrounding space, Xiang Yan's expression grew serious—indeed, a Dao Sect master was no ordinary force. Yunshan snarled, then slowly raised his palm, pointing steadily toward Xiang Yan. Within his palm, energy surged and contracted, forming a vivid, ready-to-expel energy cannon. As he felt the increasingly potent aura radiating from Yunshan's body, Xiang Yan gradually formed several hand seals and then spoke firmly. "Heavenly Fire Triple Transformation: Lapis Lazuli Form!" With the words, Xiang Yan's internal qi surged violently, and his aura soared dramatically, instantly reaching a level that rivaled true Dao Emperor strength. "A secret technique to enhance one's power?" Yunshan was slightly surprised by Xiang Yan's sudden surge in power, then grinned fiercely, and the deep green energy within his palm grew even more concentrated. "This sect will reveal the truth to you—before a Douzong-level master, all falsehoods will crumble and vanish!" "Today, no matter how many strategies you bring, you will regret returning here!"