Thunderous! A roar that shook the heavens, a surging wave of tri-color flames intermingled with thick, deep-sea blue qi, cascading across the sky like a mighty ocean tide, sweeping outwards in all directions. The terrifying waves surged in every direction, reaching even the distant, chaotic battlefield. Agile fighters managed to escape, while those slightly slower were directly struck by the waves, their chests crushed as if by a massive blow—spewing out a gush of crimson blood and searing heat that instantly vaporized under the intense heat. At the same time, the sunlight pouring down from the sky began to fade, gradually dissolving as the four-color waves gathered like dense, stormy clouds above Luanlan Mountain. Even the sunlight struggled to pierce through this thick veil of flame. The waves, brimming with overwhelming energy, swept across the sky, forcing all but a few warriors to desperately descend, fearing that any contact with the flames would mean a tragic end. Gur! Crimson clouds swirl across the sky, reflecting a deep red glow that casts a striking light upon the stunned faces of the crowd on the plaza. Moments later, a continuous stream of swallowing sounds emerges. Some people tremble, wiping cold sweat from their foreheads. Before this energy—so powerful it rivals nature itself—even the strongest fighters at the Battle King level feel profoundly small and fragile. This power is far beyond what they can withstand. Hai Bode smiled faintly, his gaze sweeping over the array of strong warriors on his side. Then, his brows furrowed slightly. Though the Yunlan Sect had lost several elders in the battle, his own side had also suffered the loss of at least three Battle Kings—far more than anyone had anticipated. As they counted the numbers, the three elders—Yin Gu, Su Mei, and Tie Wu—grew slightly paler, for the Battle Kings who had fallen were mostly their subordinates. Lin Yan's face was slightly pale now, yet the intensity in his eyes burned with a peculiar fervor. It seemed that though the battle had been fiercely intense, it had perfectly suited his tastes. In his view, life should be lived with constant excitement—battle after battle—while the routine sparring matches within the academy far fell short of satisfying his insatiable passion for combat. "He was caught in that wave of fire—whether he was alive or dead, he didn't know. The techniques he used were so powerful that even he couldn't escape them." Zi Yan's gem-like eyes fixed on the thick cloud of fire that enveloped the sky, her teeth clenched. Though she said this, a touch of concern was visible on her delicate face. Lin Yan and the others raised their heads, their gaze fixed on the dense cloud subtly glowing with three hues of light. Their brows furrowed, and a sense of unease settled in their hearts—after all, the opponent facing that person was a genuine Douzong-level master. When Hai Bodo and the others gathered together, the senior monks of Yunlan Sect also appeared on the platform at the square. Upon seeing their disheveled appearance—especially noticing that the number of attendees had dropped by nearly a quarter since the battle began—their expressions grew increasingly grave. Yun Yun of Xitai Pavilion, upon seeing the cloud-clad elders of Yunlan Sect appearing, felt a deep weight settle upon her heart when she noticed the sharp decline in numbers—she had not expected the losses to be so severe. Moreover, Yun Shan’s fate remained unknown, though he was still among the sky’s blazing clouds. Though all were well aware of the strength of the Douzong-level cultivators, they had clearly sensed the terrifying power contained within the three-colored fire lotus that Xiao Yan had unleashed earlier. Even with a clear understanding of Yun Shan’s capabilities, they remained deeply anxious. The senior elders likewise looked up at the sky with serious and uneasy expressions. After a moment of mutual glances, they all turned their attention to Yun Yun below. Though Yun Yun had stepped down from the position of abbot over the years, she had held that role for a long time, and thus, while her reputation in Yunlan Sect was not quite on par with Yun Shan, she was certainly solid enough to be confidently regarded as the second-in-command. Now that Yun Shan showed such stubbornness, the elders naturally instinctively saw Yun Yun as the de facto leader. The two figures who suddenly appeared immediately drew the attention of the entire audience. However, when everyone had taken a closer look, it turned out to be neither Xiao Yan nor Yun Shan, but the supposed Wu Fuzheng and Yao Lao. As they leapt out of the fire clouds, both figures descended gradually before stabilizing. Compared to their earlier appearance, they now looked entirely different. The eerie black mist that had previously enveloped Wu Fuzheng had now completely dissipated. His chest rose and fell heavily, and a steady, deep breath echoed continuously. A large, flowing black cloak now covered his entire body, and beneath the darkness of his face, a pair of faintly glowing crimson lights could be seen. Wu's protection was in a poor state; the herbal elder, originally already ethereal, now appeared even more translucent, his face noticeably aged. Clearly, the two had endured an exceptionally perilous battle, one that seemed to have ended in mutual exhaustion and injury. Hearing the unusual somber tone in Wu Hu's words, the Ye Elder's eyes subtly narrowed, and a growing sense of unease stirred within him. He knew little about the monsters of the Spirit Palace, and had no clear understanding of their ultimate plans. As the Ye Elder pondered these thoughts, the thick fire clouds above the sky suddenly began to ripple. A massive vortex then emerged, immediately starting to spin. As the vortex accelerated, the surrounding fire clouds surged and trembled like waves. When the vortex reached a certain speed, two faint puffs of air sounded, and then two figures were violently expelled—like trash—into the open. As these two figures appeared, everyone's gaze instantly turned toward them. Upon seeing them, all breathed a collective sigh of relief. Clearly, these two were the protagonists of the battlefield: Xiao Yan and Yun Shan. Expelled by the fiery cloud, both figures plummeted directly toward the ground. It seemed as though both had been knocked unconscious by the colossal energy explosion. As the crowd stood in astonishment, the figure located at the rear suddenly trembled, and his tightly closed eyes slowly opened, gradually responding to the gusts of wind whispering around his ears. "Has that person awakened? Who is it?" The figure who had suddenly regained consciousness and now controlled his descent immediately drew the attention of countless spectators on the plaza, prompting a wave of exclamations to rise. The awakened figure paid no heed to the rising cries from below. After a brief pause, he shook his shoulders, and a pair of emerald-colored fire wings emerged from his back. "Xiao Yan! It's Xiao Yan!" The familiar wings instantly revealed his identity, and across the plaza, waves of awe and delight erupted. As the emerald fire wings behind him materialized, Xiao Yan suddenly plunged downward, charging toward the cloud mountains plummeting beneath him. The dwindling Qi within him was fully drawn forth, encasing his fist and striking the mountains with tremendous force. He knew well that, though the Buddha's Wrath Lotus, fusing three distinct fires, possessed immense power, it still posed a significant challenge in one decisive blow to defeat a Douzong-level master. Thus, he had to seize the moment when the cloud mountains were most vulnerable, delivering a crushing blow—otherwise, should the mountains recover even slightly, it would be Xiao Yan who would have to close his eyes and await his fate. This bold move once again sent waves of astonishment rippling through the crowd, as everyone could clearly see that the cloud mountains were at their weakest defense—any heavy impact now would either kill or severely injure them. Under the countless stares filled with awe and exhilaration, Xiao Yan swiftly moved to Yun Shan's side. Though Yun Shan could now open his eyes and was conscious, upon seeing the grim smile and murderous intent on Xiao Yan's face, a wave of fear began to spread through him. He could feel that if Xiao Yan truly decided to strike now, his fate would be dire. As he watched the growing terror and fear on Yun Shan's face, Xiao Yan's own grim smile widened further. A faint voice reached Yun Shan's ears. "Old dog, I've said this before— you'll regret letting me escape in such a weakened state. This debt has been on my books for three years. Today, I settle it completely!" With a sudden burst of wild energy, Xiao Yan laughed loudly, then his internal qi surged rapidly through his meridians, gathering power in his fists before he slammed them hard toward Yun Shan's heart. Just as his fists were about to make contact, a sharp female cry suddenly erupted from the lower plaza. "Xiao Yan, no!" The familiar voice caused Xiao Yan's fist to tremble, and his gaze instinctively dropped, where he then saw Yun Yun's pale, pleading face.