The exchange lasted no more than a few rounds, and yet she found herself completely subdued by Xiao Yan—this indeed sent a wave of shock through Lan Yan. Only now did she fully believe that Yun Shan had truly fallen to Xiao Yan's hands. Amidst her astonishment, a sense of quiet despair settled in. She had once believed that, after passing the trials of the Gate of Life and Death, with her greatly enhanced strength, she would surely surpass Xiao Yan. Yet reality had delivered a harsh verdict. "Master Xiao Yan, please spare us!" On the sky, Lan Jie and Lan Su were also so frightened that they were drenched in cold sweat. As soon as they moved, they swiftly darted downward, urgently pleading. Now that Lan Yan had reached the peak of the Battle King rank, their Lan family's strength would significantly grow. If they were to be easily eliminated by Xiao Yan, they would truly be forced to bleed out. The others, including Hai Bo Dong, watched the scene and exchanged glances, but said nothing. The Yunlan Sect had now been severely weakened—not only had Yun Shan perished, but most of the senior elders had also died. Though there remained Yun Yun, a respected Battle Emperor-level warrior, it was clear that the Sect would struggle to make a significant impact in the future. Ignoring the voices of the crowd, Xiao Yan's arms trembled slightly as he clutched Lan Yanran's jade collar tightly, a flicker of struggle visible in his eyes. He was no truly indifferent or unfeeling person—his relationship with Yun Yun had always been intricate and layered, and Lan Yanran, who had nearly become his lifelong companion, held a special place in his heart. Though he didn't harbor deep emotions for her, his feelings for Yun Yun were profound. "Kill!" As Xiao Yan's gaze flickered, a thunderous cry of battle erupted from below the mountain peak. Instantly, countless armored figures surged forth like ants, pouring over the landscape and ultimately encircling the entire sect. The sudden arrival of this army sent a wave of chaos through the Cloud岚 sect disciples on the plaza. Faced with the overwhelming surge of martial energy, their faces grew pale—were they truly determined to wipe out the entire sect, leaving not a single soul behind? A surging tide of people poured into Yunlan Sect, swiftly gathering near the plaza and encircling everyone there. The military ranks gradually halted, and a stream of pedestrians parted, revealing the figure of Princess Tianye slowly coming into view. Upon appearing, Tianye stared in astonishment at the scene—now in disarray—before lifting her gaze upward, finally settling on the young man in black robes. As she prepared to speak, a figure suddenly darted down from the sky and materialized before her. "Grandpa, Yunlan Sect's defenses have been completely dismantled. All that remains is to give the word..." As soon as she saw him, Tianye hurried forward with a warm smile, yet the words that spilled from her red lips were both bloodstained and detached. "Don't rush—just watch what Xiao Yan has in mind..." Jia Xingtian waved his hand, directing his gaze toward Xiao Yan in the sky. The fate of Yunlan Sect now lay entirely in his hands. With a single word from him, the sect would truly see blood flow like rivers, and every disciple would fall beneath the blade. Upon hearing this, Yao Ye nodded gracefully. Though born into the imperial family and holding the pulse of the entire empire, she was no ordinary woman—she knew well who held real authority here. Now that the fate of Yunlan Sect had been sealed, the mighty tiger that had ruled the Gama Empire for so long would finally collapse. Yet, a younger, rising tiger had emerged, even more formidable in strength and potential than the elder one. In essence, the imperial family has, through Xiao Yan's power, eliminated their most formidable adversary—the Yunlan Sect. However, within no time at all, a new "Yunlan Sect" will surely emerge, for Xiao Yan's influence now possesses the very qualifications to do so! Staring at Yun Yun's pale face, as white as a sheet of paper, Xiao Yan felt an inexplicable emotion rise within him. Turning his head, he spoke coldly, with determination. With a poignant smile, Yun Yun gently tightened her grip on the long sword. After a moment, she bit down hard on her silver teeth: "Then let me repay you!" As soon as she spoke, her hand moved, and the sharp sword slashed fiercely toward her neck. "Master!" The sudden action caused a ripple of excitement throughout the crowd below, and Nalan Yanran, standing behind, gasped, her face turning pale. The sword sliced through the air, and as it was about to reach Yun Yun's delicate neck, a hand suddenly appeared, gripping the sword firmly, blood flowing steadily down the blade. Seeing the long sword blocked, Yun Yun was momentarily stunned, then immediately noticed the hand, constantly bleeding from the blade's cuts. Without hesitation, she quickly set down the sword and reached out to assist, yet beneath Xiao Yan's unusually cold expression, she dared not move—feeling somewhat at a loss. She hadn't expected Xiao Yan to intervene at all. Suddenly, Xiao Yan's eyes widened in fury, roaring in outrage. Yun Yun had repeatedly challenged him, time and again, on behalf of Yunlan Sect, and now he felt as though his anger had been completely consumed. The entire plaza fell silent, save for the thunderous roar of Xiao Yan echoing through the sky. Everyone knew that the fate of Yunlan Sect now rested entirely in the hands of this emotionally volatile young man. Gazing at Xiao Yan's furious expression, Yun Yun dared not meet his eyes. Indeed, in the past three years, the man before her had grown far beyond the once-innocent, somewhat immature youth. Now, he radiated the full strength and presence of a true master. "I am not threatening you with my life to spare Yunlan Sect. I know that perhaps I no longer have the standing to do so... But as the sect's abbot, if Yunlan Sect is truly reduced to nothing—its very essence wiped out—then I shall have no dignity to live with. I shall only be able to take my own life in gratitude to my ancestors." "After a brief hesitation, Yun Yun let out a wry smile and spoke slowly. Xiao Yan clenched his fists, his eyes flickering with uncertainty—everyone could see the struggle within him. Above, Hai Bo Dong and the others watched the scene silently, knowing well that Xiao Yan and Yun Yun had a close relationship. The way they were now talking, however, seemed to hint at something more complicated. Standing nearby, Medusa hovered above, her gaze calmly fixed on the entangled figures below. As she listened to the subtle, nostalgic undertones in Xiao Yan and Yun Yun's conversation, her brows furrowed slightly, a growing sense of irritation taking hold. This irritation immediately prompted her to pull over Xiao Ziyan, who had been eagerly watching the scene, and began to roughly massage her small head, earning a series of pouts and murmurs from the latter. "Xiao Yan, everything began with me back then. As long as you spare Yunlan Sect and my master, even if I have to serve as a servant or a maid, I am willing!" Seeing Xiao Yan's fluctuating expression, Lan Yan suddenly bit her silver teeth and spoke. Hearing Nalan Yanran's words, Nalan Jie and Nalan Su exchanged glances, but remained silent. With Xiao Yan's current strength and influence, he would surely become another towering force within Yunlan Sect—indeed, if Yanran could establish any connection with him, the benefits for their Nalan family would be immense, whether that connection were one of servant or subordinate or not. Moreover, they were confident in Yanran's beauty, even though she had previously harbored significant grievances with Xiao Yan; over time, such differences would naturally evolve. Nalan Yanran clenched her red lips, though she was deeply displeased. With this young man now holding the fate of Yunlan Sect in his hands, she dared not be overly defiant—their positions had shifted dramatically since three years ago. "Stop playing games with us, master and disciple," she sighed, weary, her clear eyes no longer avoiding his gaze. "Tell us plainly what you intend. At this point, Yunlan Sect has no strength left to resist." Her voice was hoarse.