Above the sky, the mountain of clouds struck hard, plummeting swiftly under a cascade of astonished gazes. Yet, just as it was mere tens of meters from the ground, the young man suddenly planted his feet firmly upon the void, and his body stabilized once more—though the traces of blood still clinging to his lips and the fierce, bruised expression on his face clearly testified to the severe impact of that initial blow. Who could possibly have left a seasoned Cloud Sect cultivator in such a disheveled state? This thought flashed through the minds of the onlookers, and their attention swiftly rose, ultimately settling upon the dark-robed youth in the sky—specifically, upon the slightly ethereal figure standing beside him. "That's—?" When the crowd first saw the translucent figure hovering beside Xiao Yan, all were stunned and bewildered, clearly unfamiliar with this suddenly appearing, enigmatic cultivator. Others found the ethereal figure unfamiliar, yet when Jia Xingtian, Hai Bohdong, and the others saw him take the field, a subtle sense of joy appeared on their faces. At last, Xiao Yan's most powerful reserve had been revealed. With this enigmatic master at their side, defeating Yunshan would surely no longer be a daunting task. Taking advantage of the intervals in the battle, the group exchanged glances, each reading a deep, concealed delight in the other's eyes. It seemed clear that today's conflict was turning in their favor. As long as Xiao Yan and his master could defeat Yunshan, Yunlan Sect would inevitably crumble, and its future prospects would be severely diminished. As for the differing emotions of the two parties, Yunshan naturally had no time to attend to them. At this very moment, his gaze was firmly fixed upon the ancient figure floating beside Xiao Yan. After a moment, he slowly wiped the blood from his lips, his voice cold and sharp: "I had already sensed something unusual about this man's power back then. Now I finally realize—it was yours all along." Above, Yao Lao glanced calmly at Yunshan below, smiled gently: "My student? How could you treat him with such contempt and arrogance? A mere Douzong, after all. If only I had spoken a single word back then, your Yunlan Sect would have been erased from the Continent of Qi entirely." "Indeed, the Elder's words were not exaggerated or intimidating. Back in his day, his reputation across the continent was unparalleled—few other Du Zhun-level masters could even come close. Moreover, he was exceptionally well-liked, with a broad network of friends, many of whom were not only equally powerful but also deeply loyal allies. Though Yunlan Sect boasted a Du Zhun master, at the time, the Elder truly did not place much emphasis on them. "A mere soul-body, dare to act so arrogantly? Since you've chosen to appear, then today, you shall be left behind—along with Xiao Yan as well." Yun Shan smiled coldly. "You? Really?" Yao Lao spoke slowly, his pale flames swirling with a lifelike grace, circling his body as if alive. "Heh, you'll certainly be dealt with—indeed, he's been waiting for you quite some time..." Yun Shan chuckled, then raised his palm, and a crisp sound echoed gently through the sky. "Wu, this one is yours." As Yun Shan's words settled, a massive surge of black mist erupted suddenly from the great hall of Yunlan Sect below, swiftly rising and coalescing into a deep, substantial orb stretching a zhang in width and length. Xiao Yan and Yao Lao gazed at the rising black vapor, their expressions instantly growing serious—this stubborn old Yun Shan truly had ties to the Spirit Palace. "Master, be careful!" Xiao Yan turned his head and spoke calmly to the Herbal Elder. The Elder nodded slightly, his gaze fixed steadily on the black mist, while the dense, pale flames swirling around him gradually grew more intense. The sudden turn of events also caused a slight downturn in the expressions of Hai Bo Dong and the others, who had initially been filled with optimism. They could clearly sense the extraordinary nature of that black mist, and more importantly, the strange figure seemed clearly aligned with Yun Shan—thus, their own advantages were now completely neutralized. "Who exactly is this person?" With a single palm strike that sent the Yun Lan Sect's Dou Huang powerhouse staggering back several steps, Jia Xingtian called out firmly to Hai Bo Dong, who stood nearby. "Unknown," Hai Bo Dong shook his head, then suddenly closed the distance and launched a fierce, relentless assault against the Dou Huang cultivator who had been continuously纠缠 him. "The situation has changed—let's quickly eliminate our opponent and then join forces to attack Yun Shan!" "Heard this, Jia Xingtian, Fama, and the others also nodded firmly, unwilling to spare any effort at such a critical moment. Channeling their powerful qi to the utmost, they launched fierce, relentless attacks against their opponents. Under the combined assault of the group, the Yunlan Sect elders gradually fell behind, retreating step by step, with several less capable ones being struck down right there on the spot. Even as they died, they managed to land decisive final blows, inflicting significant damage. For a time, the battlefield became exceptionally lively and intense. Meanwhile, the black mist remained unbothered, its eerie, creaking laughter echoing like that of crows across the sky. 'Hahahaha,' the mist murmured, 'Medicine Dust—unexpectedly, you've truly come to me of your own accord. Back then, you managed to escape, though it was no small feat for my Hall to have been so careless. Should I succeed in capturing you today, I believe the Hall Master will be most delighted.' " "A group of creatures like mice—when you and your fellow disciples attacked me back when you helped that beast, Han Feng, we will now settle this debt properly!" The Elder of the Medicine Sect stared coldly at the black mist known as the Wu Protector, his voice blazing with fury and intent. "You have a physical form, and perhaps even now the Protector still fears you a little. But as for a spirit-being? Hah! The Soul Palace has many means at its disposal to deal with you." The black mist contracted and rippled, then, under the watchful eyes of all present, slowly coalesced into a figure cloaked entirely in deep, swirling smoke—glimmers of slightly crimson eyes peering out from within the darkness. "Master, just focus on that one. Yunshan, I'll handle him." Seeing the serious look on the old doctor's face, Xiao Yan knew that today's battle would truly force him to draw upon all his reserves. He nodded solemnly. "Heard Wu's words, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, his thoughts racing swiftly. In an instant, his mind stirred, and he murmured to himself, 'Could it be... the 'Dosheda Ancient Emperor Jade' is the魂殿's true target? They've captured Father precisely because of this very thing?' Only now did Xiao Yan begin to understand why such a mysterious, widely spread organization as the Soul Palace would suddenly turn its attention to his family. 'These stubborn old fellows...' With a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, Xiao Yan clenched his fists, his gaze fixed firmly on the strange black mist. Wu's guardian merely glanced at Xiao Yan's stern expression before glancing away. With a simple hand motion, a dark chain extended from his palm, rustling softly, and then gently vibrated, coiling like a venomous snake around the side of the platform. The chain trembled slightly. After a moment, Wu burst out laughing, shook his arm, and the chain instantly sliced through the sky, transforming into a black streak, then surged straight toward Yunshan." Seeing Wu Hu Falu already engaged, Yao Lao also grew pale, his hands blazing with icy white flames surging up and down, and he surged forth directly. As the instant collision between Wu Hu Falu and Yao Lao unfolded, Yun Shan's shadowy gaze slowly turned toward Xiao Yan. "Little scamp, now see who's still going to help you!" Gazing at Yun Shan's cold, murderous expression, Xiao Yan slowly exhaled, realizing that now he had no choice but to draw upon his reserves.