As Cloud Mountain's cold, measured voice gradually settled, Xiao Yan could feel an unusual pressure slowly seeping out from within the former's body, causing his otherwise robust and flowing qi to subtly slow down. The deep green qi flowed like a liquid, completely enveloping Cloud Mountain, and the continuously circulating qi gently emitted a faint shimmer. Under this shimmer, even the surrounding space began to tremble—merely in terms of presence, it was capable of producing such an effect. Indeed, Cloud Mountain was no ordinary Dao Sect master. The powerful pressure radiating from Cloud Mountain, like a tide spreading steadily, also drew the attention of the chaotic battlefield above and the crowd gathered on the plaza below, prompting one wave after another of astonished and puzzled glances to be cast his way. Though they were far apart, most of those present were no ordinary individuals, and their keen eyesight was undoubtedly sharp. Thus, they immediately noticed the vivid crimson palm imprint on Yun Shan's chest, and all of them were momentarily startled. Their gaze toward Xiao Yan now carried a distinct sense of curiosity—unbelievable that this single individual, relying solely on his strength, had managed to leave such a mark on Yun Shan. While the attack hadn't caused serious injury to Yun Shan in terms of energy, it was enough to leave a powerful Dao Sect cultivator in a state of shock, certainly astonishing many onlookers. "This guy—he's already told him that as long as he holds off Yunshan, we can go assist him once our team defeats the opponent. Yet somehow, he ends up provoking Yunshan!" A flicker of urgency passed over his face. As he prepared to speak, a sharp gust of wind surged toward him, forcing him to quickly focus his attention on the opponent. The other fighter was no ordinary Duohuang-level strength—this kind of confrontation demanded absolute concentration. "Ah, I hope he can hold on a bit longer..." With a sigh, Hai Bo Dong swiftly shifted his focus to the fighter before him. As for the perilous situation Xiao Yan was about to face, Ji Xingtian and the others were well aware, yet they were unable to free themselves due to the persistent pressure from their current opponent. Thus, they could only pray silently that Xiao Yan would hold on until they eliminated their adversary. As the jade lotus heart fire, a vibrant emerald hue, surged forth, that unusual sense of pressure gradually faded, and within a moment, completely dissipated. Under the combined power of these two distinct fires, Yun Shan's pressure on Xiao Yan had been reduced to its very minimum. Observing the emerald flames spreading across Xiao Yan's body, Yun Shan's eyes flickered with surprise, then he coldly remarked, "Strange fire? It seems different from what I've seen before. Is this your strength? If so, then I fear you'll be disappointed today." Despite Yun Shan's composed demeanor, Xiao Yan paid no attention, continuously channeling and strengthening his qi, allowing the abundant, surging power to ripple through every muscle fiber. Xiao Yan's indifference caused Yun Shan's composure to waver slightly; with a sharp, icy smile, he suddenly moved, his form materializing into a fleeting silhouette, and in an instant, he appeared like a ghost before Xiao Yan! The towering cloud mountain that suddenly appeared before him caused Xiao Yan's eyes to narrow slightly. The speed of a Cultivator at the Douzong level truly was astonishing—when observing the cloud mountain's swift shifts earlier, it seemed even faster than Xiao Yan's full-speed movements. As this thought passed through his mind, Xiao Yan did not hesitate. His heavy staff moved in response to his intent, slicing through the air with a sharp *shriek*, carrying a powerful force and crashing directly into the cloud mountain's head. The heavy staff, wielded like a sleeve of misty mountains, was effortlessly repelled. Xiao Yan's face slightly tightened, yet before he could retaliate, the mountain-cloud figure burst into a long, cold laugh. Curling his hands into claws, he surged forward like a thunderbolt, aiming straight for Xiao Yan's heart. The force was immense—should it connect, it would likely pierce through Xiao Yan's chest and strike his heart directly. The two collided, yet Yunshan's arm trembled, and the skin on his arm twisted strangely, effectively dissipating the pressure from Xiao Yan's fist. His hand and claws, like a venomous snake opening its mouth, clenched tightly onto Xiao Yan's fist, sharp fingernails slicing across and drawing several crimson streaks. This was only possible because Xiao Yan possessed a protective aura of qi and had strong physical resilience; if it were a common person, his entire fist would likely have been severed. The pain transmitted through Xiao Yan's fist caused his eyelids to flutter slightly, but he remained calm. He rotated his fist and spread his fingers, transforming the impact into a push, thereby fully countering Yunshan's subsequent attacks. Xiao Yan's seasoned close-quarters combat awareness made even Yun Shan pause in surprise, then emit a cold laugh as he suddenly launched his fists again. During the attack, his hands transformed into palms, then into fists, then into claws—several varied assaults flowed effortlessly from him, all supported by the vast, surging power of his ki. Even for Xiao Yan's capabilities, the relentless onslaught forced him to retreat continuously, and he occasionally emitted deep, resonant groans from the impact, clearly sustaining minor injuries. In the span of a flash, Xiao Yan and Yun Shan exchanged over a dozen lightning-fast exchanges, their attacks both sharp and fierce. A single misstep could result in significant harm. Nevertheless, overall, the intensity of the clash clearly favored Yun Shan, while Xiao Yan managed only to hold his ground. "Boom!" The two fists struck again with fierce force, and the mighty, undulating aura of qi surged in a continuous wave, finally causing Xiao Yan to recoil sharply, emitting a deep grunt as a thin trail of blood trickled down from his lips. Seeing Xiao Yan's demeanor, Yun Shan's brow lifted slightly, then with his dry, weathered hands, he gestured remotely toward Xiao Yan. Deep azure qi surged and rapidly coalesced in his palm. As the dark, heavy ruler gradually transformed into a jade ruler, Xiao Yan finally ceased the flow of energy, clenching his hands tightly around the now trembling, heavy ruler. He raised his gaze fiercely at Yun Shan, who was holding out his hands, and slowly lifted both arms overhead. Then, with a sudden force, he drove them down in a powerful strike! "Yan Fen Shi Lang Chi!" The cry rang out across the sky, and a massive, emerald-blue blade of light—ten zhang in length—burst forth from the tip of the ruler, slicing directly through the space and rushing toward Yun Shan. "Da Bi Si Feng Shou!" Watching the emerald blade rapidly expanding in his field of vision, Yun Shan's eyes narrowed slightly, then he issued a deep, resonant command. As his command fell, the light in his palm surged brightly, and suddenly, a colossal energy hand—several zhang in size—emerged, bearing a fierce gust of wind, and slammed down forcefully upon the blade of "Boom!" Under the countless sets of eyes on the plaza, two attacks each brimming with terrifying power finally collided. The sharp energy explosion resonated like thunder across the sky, momentarily deafening everyone. Waves of energy rippled outwards from the point of impact, distorting the space around. Cloud Shan, his eyes slightly narrowed, observed the warped space caused by the ripples, and was about to sense Xiāo Yīn's position when his expression suddenly changed. At that very instant, a figure surged forth from the expanding energy waves, appearing before Cloud Shan in a flash. With a powerful fist, he charged directly at Cloud Shan's face. "You're dead!" "Seeing that the other dared to launch a direct assault, Yun Shan burst out laughing, then swiftly extended his hand, effortlessly grasping the opponent's fist. Yet as his gaze met the young man's eyes, he caught a flicker of scorn. At that moment, Yun Shan momentarily lost his composure, as a sudden, cold yet strangely intense gust of wind surged forth from behind him. Feeling the strength of that wind, Yun Shan was instantly struck with alarm, attempting to turn around to defend himself—only for Xiao Yan to instantly shift from a fist to a claw, firmly securing his arm. In this brief delay, the fierce attack surged forward like thunder, reaching its peak just in time. In the final instant, Yun Shan strained to turn his head, and there, before him, he saw a slightly ethereal image of an elderly figure." "Is this the soul-body within Xiao Yan's body?" The moment the thought flashed through his mind, the fierce attack had already struck solidly against Yun Shan's back. At that instant, a gush of bright red blood erupted,喷射 out under the astonished gazes of countless onlookers below!