A resounding wave of laughter rose across the sky, eventually swelling into a thunderous roar that rolled out, echoing in the ears of countless listeners. On the fortress, Xiao Ding and the others heard this laughter—familiar in tone—first taken aback, then suddenly filled with radiant joy. "It's Xiao Yan! Finally, he's arrived!" Hai Bo Dong couldn't contain his excitement, bursting into laughter. Beside him, Jia Xing Tian quietly wiped a bead of cold sweat from his forehead. It was always the last moment he liked to make his appearance—though fortunately, he had finally made it in time. Xiao Ding slowly lay back against the chair's backrest, took a long, deep breath, and said, "This great crisis of today has finally been resolved..." The others around him nodded in relief. With Xiao Yin's full strength, he could easily hold off Yan Luotian and one of Mu Lan's three elders. Defeating him would not be difficult for the remaining elder, whose strength came from Meidusha. As long as these two Douzong-level masters were defeated, the morale of the Gamma Empire would surely soar, and the empire would then possess a solid foundation capable of truly standing against the three great sects. And as the young cloaked figure arrived at the crucial moment in the sky above the fortress, thunderous waves of excitement and cheers erupted throughout the stronghold. As a people of the Gamma Empire, no one was unfamiliar with the name Xiao Yan. Though the Empire had suffered repeated defeats during this year's war, many had not given up, for within each of them lay a quiet hope—the hope that Xiao Yan, the Lord of the Flame Alliance, would rise again. This young man who had continually achieved miracles on his journey had been the constant expectation of countless people, whose hearts had long yearned for his arrival, for his presence to rescue the Gamma Empire from the brink of destruction. Now, with the one they had been waiting for finally appearing, how could they not be filled with ecstatic, overwhelming joy, especially under the relentless pressure of impending collapse? Staring in wonder at the black-robed young man who had just appeared, Medusa finally exhaled a long, relieved breath. Finally, he had arrived. As she relaxed, her form shifted and she materialized beside Xiao Yan, glancing over him and asking, "Breakthrough?" "Heard this from Xiao Yan, the face of Yan Luotian trembled slightly, and he coldly laughed. "Young man, who are you? This level of combat—perhaps you'd better stay out of it. We've seen many young talents with lofty ambitions, but sadly, none of them have had a good outcome." The elder from Mulan Valley, now transformed into a tiger-headed figure, cast a bloodthirsty gaze over Xiao Yan. Perhaps due to the cultivation technique granting them sharper intuition than other peers of their rank, he always felt an unusual presence from this young man. Thus, despite his inner urge to strike, he restrained himself and spoke in a low,沉沉 tone. Meanwhile, upon hearing the words of this tiger-headed elder, Yan Luotian's eyes flickered with surprise. He then glanced again at Xiao Yan, furrowed his brows slightly, and said, "Is it true you are the Master of the Yan Alliance? Have you been the one who has remained absent from the Alliance for the past year?" "Xiao Yan lightly tapped his sleeve, surprised that after his one-year seclusion, he now appeared to the three sect elders as if he were fleeing in embarrassment. Clearly, today he had a duty to restore his reputation." Turning to the two behind him, Moon Mei and Zi Yan, he said, "You both go back now." "You... you're sure you can manage? The two on the other side are both close to Dou-Zong level." Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Zi Yan didn't hesitate at all—she turned and immediately soared toward the fortress. Moon Mei, however, hesitated, saying, in her view, even though Xiao Yan was strong, the opponents were truly Dou-Zong-level warriors, and the gap between Dou-Phoenician and Dou-Zong... Xiao Yan smiled and waved his hand, reassuring her, "Don't worry." Seeing his determination, Moon Mei finally nodded with a sigh, and as she stepped back, she respectfully glanced at Medusa, silently wondering why the Queen so firmly believed in this man's ability to handle a Dou-Zong-level opponent. "The Yanshu Tian will be handled by me. Hold off on these three elders of Mulan—be careful, for they are skilled in coordinated combat techniques. When combined, they can rival a true Du-Zong-level warrior." Upon seeing Zi Yan and her companion step back, Medusa turned her gaze toward Yanshu Tian and said. Though both Yanshu Tian and the three Mulan elders were capable of matching a Du-Zong's strength, Yanshu Tian's prowess was genuine, whereas the elders' strength stemmed from the intricate fusion of their techniques. Thus, the latter proved slightly more manageable, and as such, Medusa entrusted this relatively easier opponent to Xiao Yan. "Understood," Xiao Yan nodded with a smile, glancing at the three Mulan elders whose heads bore the fierce, monstrous visages of beasts. "You just need to focus on Yanshu Tian. These three will not interfere with you in the slightest." When Medusa locked her gaze upon him, the face of Yan Luo Tian visibly trembled, and he quickly offered a dry smile. "Since you'd like this young, inexperienced boy to step forward and meet his fate, we'll have to make do and accept." Turning to the three elders, his voice dark and measured, he said, "Senior Elders, defeating a single Du Phong-level youngster shouldn't be too difficult, should it?" Upon hearing this, the tiger-headed elder hesitated slightly before nodding. "Though this boy is rather unusual, we should be able to handle him within ten rounds, after which we'll come to your aid against Medusa." Although the presence of Xiao Yan gave them a sense of something different, after all, he was merely a Du Phong-level warrior. Over the years, the number of Du Phong-level champions who had fallen at their hands—counted even by both hands—was far too numerous to ignore. Thus, they hadn't truly placed much emphasis on Xiao Yan. Hearing the elder Luoyan Tian's words, the Luoyan Tian finally nodded contentedly, his gaze shifting to Medusa, where he sneered and surged forth a powerful surge of qi from within his body. With a single flap of his broad goose wings, he launched himself ahead, attacking Medusa directly. "Watch out," Medusa said, her expression tightening as she turned to Xiao Yan and gave a subtle warning. Then she darted forward, and as her body passed by Xiao Yan, she clearly felt a round, plump object being pressed into her palm. When she glanced at Xiao Yan in confusion, he smiled softly in her ear, "Take it and swallow it—this will accelerate your recovery and make you more confident during the battle." A faint, barely perceptible smile appeared on Medusa's usually composed face. After a brief pause, she quickly swallowed the pill, her eyes regaining their sharp intensity, and she shot forward, meeting Luoyan Tian's attack. As the two figures made contact, a powerful surge of energy erupted. Perhaps aiming to widen the battlefield, they moved swiftly and fluidly, drifting slightly apart, thus leaving ample room for Xiao Yan and the three elders of Mu Lan. Glancing at the intense aura swirling in the combat zone, Xiao Yan then turned to the three elders before him, his eyes flashing with a sense of curiosity. The two elders of Black and Silver from the Black Angle were twins, sharing seamless synergy and identical cultivation techniques, enabling them to compete with Douzong-level cultivators. In contrast, the three elders before him were clearly post-natural cultivators. However, the Huo功 (Huo Technique) required for their cultivation was exceptionally demanding—highly restrictive and difficult to nurture—yet once achieved, their combat prowess was truly remarkable. "Hehe, Lord of the Yan Alliance—didn't expect such a young, inexperienced lad. That explains why the Jima Empire has fallen to such a state..." The lion-headed elder scanned Xiao Yan with a cold gaze, shaking his head and chuckling dryly. "No more words—act swiftly and eliminate him. As for Medusa, even Yan Luotian will find it difficult to handle alone." The tiger-headed elder spoke firmly. The other two elders nodded, exchanged a cold glance, and then merged their powers, releasing a powerful surge that swept across the sky. "Indeed, a true Douzong-level presence..." Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, pleasantly surprised. He hadn't anticipated encountering such a formidable opponent so soon after his breakthrough—this was truly an excellent match. Everyone on the fortress held their breath, watching the two sides facing off in the sky. Xiao Yan's ability to hold off Mu Lan's three elders would be the decisive point of this entire conflict.