The three elders of Mulan floated in the heavens, their powerful qi filling the realm, causing subtle tremors in the very space. Feeling the immense strength of their internal qi resonating with the natural energies of the cosmos, a profound confidence surged within them, swiftly overcoming the hesitations stirred by Xiao Yan's unusual actions. "Hah! Master of the Yan Alliance, today you shall see that you've merely been a joke. If it were the old Yunlan Sect in the past, perhaps we'd have to hold you in some regard. But this newly established Yan Alliance? It still hasn't earned that respect yet!" The lion-headed elder flashed a bloodthirsty gaze and laughed heartily. Gazing calmly at the lion-headed elder who was now roaring with laughter, Xiao Yan shook his head slightly, moved his hand seal gently, and smiled, "I, Xiao Yan, have already defeated a sect that once made you all wary—so naturally, I can also bring you down." "The Three Great Transformations of Heavenly Fire!" As soon as the words fell, Xiao Yan suddenly altered his hand seal, then murmured a low chant in his mind. With the chant, the Lapis Luminous Lotus Heart Flame within him began to rotate unusually along his meridians, surging forth in waves of powerful energy that swiftly filled every corner of his body. Currently, Xiao Yan's true strength was around one-star Emperor level, but thanks to the refined techniques of the Burned Technique and his exceptionally robust physical constitution—significantly stronger than that of ordinary Emperors—his combat power was on par with even three- or four-star Emperor-level强者. Combined with the amplifying effect of the Three Transformations of Heavenly Fire, he could stand a match against seven- or eight-star Emperor-level opponents. With the addition of his formidable techniques and the unique effects of the异fires, he could even rival the peak of Emperor-level warriors. Of course, to truly compete with Emperor-level cultivators, even with all these advantages, he still fell slightly short. Yet Xiao Yan possessed solid reserves capable of not only wounding but even defeating such cultivators. Staring at Xiao Yan, whose aura had suddenly surged dramatically, the three elders of Mu Lan were first taken aback, then shook their heads with quiet disdain—was this truly the foundation upon which he had built his pride? "If this is indeed your trump card, then I must inform you, Master of the Inflame Alliance, that before the end of today, you will lose nearly all your influence in front of so many people from the Jamara Empire." The elder with the tiger-like head chuckled, his voice carrying a subtle roar. With bloodshot eyes fixed on the charging Xiao Yan, the tiger-headed elder's gaze flared with crimson light. He clenched his fists suddenly, channeling the light into a solid surge, then delivered a straightforward, unadorned punch toward Xiao Yan. Though not particularly precise or vicious, the punch carried an immense weight—so powerful that it caused the surrounding space to warp, and the dense air around it bowed into a subtle, wavering arc. An invisible air cannon formed atop the fist, emitting a piercing, high-pitched roar that echoed across the heavens. At the very moment of impact, a loud clashing sound of metal and steel erupted, resonating loudly throughout the crowd below, causing a wave of buzzing in their ears. Some of the less powerful individuals even felt a sharp pain in their eardrums. In the sky, at the point of contact, powerful ripples of energy spread out like ripples in water. The two figures, upon touching, instantly recoiled. The powerful force transmitted through the heavy staff shook Xiao Yan's hand, making it slightly numb. He had not expected the strength of the elder with the broad, tiger-like head, though he sensed that the elder had overestimated his own power. After retreating a few steps, the elder stabilized his stance, his eyes darkening as he stared at the red, scorched patch on the palm of his fist, where the intense heat had caused burns. He murmured, growling, "Unusual fire? You actually possess unusual fire?" "Earlier, Xiao Yan had observed the emerald flames rising from the scale, a sight the elderly tiger-headed elder had also witnessed before—but he hadn't given it much thought, since rare as such flames were. However, upon first contact, he suddenly realized that the blood-red energy generated by his trio merging had begun to fade and lose solidity under the emerald flames, which startled him profoundly. With his experience, he knew well that a flame capable of making even such blood-red energy translucent was anything but ordinary. On the Dragon Continent, only the most formidable hetero-flames could achieve this. Seeing that the tiger-headed elder had unexpectedly been outmaneuvered, the other two elders also grew serious—clearly, they had underestimated this young man. "Enough playing around! Strike together and eliminate him!" the lion-headed elder said, his gaze sharp with blood, fixed firmly on Xiao Yan. With a wave of his hand, he spoke firmly. Hearing this, the other two elders also nodded. As seasoned and shrewd as they were, they well understood the concept of a sudden collapse—like a shipwreck in the middle of the stream. The elder from the Tiger-Headed Clan had already suffered a setback due to his overconfidence, and it was far from certain whether this young man still held any hidden strengths. Thus, it was best to act swiftly and secure him now. With their minds made up, the three elders showed no further hesitation. In a single breath, three figures leapt forward, closing in on Xiao Yan, then instantly spread out to form a triangular formation that completely encircled him. Observing this maneuver, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows slightly. He could clearly feel that all his escape routes had been sealed off by the three elders, and within this formation, he had no choice but to face their attacks head-on. "Indeed, the Mulu Valley has some depth. Its strength must be comparable, if not equal, to Yunlan Sect." A flicker of surprise flashed through his mind, and the hairs on the back of Xiao Yan's neck stood rigid. Without hesitation, he slammed his heavy jade staff forcefully against the space behind him. "Crack!" As the staff landed, a figure materialized—none other than the bear-headed elder. At that moment, his palms were wrapped in blood-colored energy, gradually taking the form of two massive bear paws. When Xiao Yan's staff struck, the elder had simply extended his bear paws and managed to grasp the staff firmly. The staff remained motionless despite the elder's efforts. Xiao Yan's expression darkened slightly. With a mental focus, a surge of vibrant emerald flames erupted from his body. Under the intense heat of the crystal lotus flame, the large blood-colored energy bear paws emitted hissing sounds and released plumes of white steam. Yet the elder did not loosen his grip. Suddenly, he roared with thunderous fury, veins on his arms bulging, and then unleashed a powerful surge of force—so strong that he managed to forcibly wrest the heavy jade staff from the elder's grasp. The Xuan Zhong Chi was forcibly taken away, yet Xiao Yan didn't even lift his eyelid. Under his feet, silver light flashed violently, and his figure surged forward, leaving a series of faint, shimmering afterimages in his wake. At this speed, the distance between them was nearly covered in the span of an eyeblink. With a sudden grip of his fist, the joint of his middle finger protruded unusually, and then he struck hard against the chest of the bear-headed elder. "Eight-Direction Collapse!" As the punch closed in to just half a foot from the elder's chest, a powerful surge of force erupted, slicing through the air with a faint, visible trace and producing a sharp, piercing sound that resonated clearly in his ears. "Boom!" Even at that close range, the bear-headed elder couldn't evade the blow and absorbed the full impact of Xiao Yan's strike. A terrifying force surged forth from the bear-headed elder's chest, causing a distinct concave depression to form there. His steps staggered, retreating in a series of firm, resonant steps before his shoulders shook violently, allowing him to steady himself. With that single strike, he was repelled. As the bear-headed elder retreated, Xiao Yan's brow slightly furrowed. Thanks to his exceptional spiritual perception, he noticed that the elder's aura had noticeably weakened at that moment. While pondering this observation, a fresh gust of pressuring wind surged toward him from behind—this time, the one launching the attack had also reached the peak of the Douzong stage. Thoughts racing through his mind, Xiao Yan responded swiftly. With a low cry, a vibrant emerald flame erupted from within him, surging outward like a volcanic eruption, and solidified almost instantly into a shimmering emerald flame armor covering his body. The fiery armor solidified, and with it, a powerful gust of wind surged forth, crashing directly against the thick layer of armor, releasing a surge of potent energy that even caused subtle tremors in the space itself. Hit by such a powerful blow, Xiao Yan emitted a deep grunt, his feet flashing with silver light as his body darted fluidly like a fish. The lion-headed elder, having delivered a solid punch to Xiao Yan, only scoffed, then stepped back without pursuing further. As he retreated, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly—he noticed that the elder's aura suddenly dropped from the Diviner King stage to the Diviner Emperor level. With a slight furrow in his brow, Xiao Yan glanced down at the cracks spreading across his chest armor. With a simple gesture, he brushed the flames away, and the armor swiftly restored itself. Just as he completed this motion, a second attack of Diviner King caliber arrived behind him—this time, he didn't need to think; it was clearly the tiger-headed elder who had yet to engage. Thoughts raced through his mind, and Xiao Yan suddenly turned, his right fist crashing into the tiger-headed elder's with a surge of emerald flames. Hmph! The impact sent Xiao Yan another low groan, forcing him to step back swiftly—his defense clearly not strong enough against a true Battle Sect master. With a firm stomp on the void, he steadied himself, wiped a streak of blood from his lip, and looked up at the tiger-headed elder who had now retreated after delivering his strike. Not only that, but as he stepped back, the elder's aura had noticeably dropped to the level of a Battle Emperor. Surveying the three figures watching him with unwavering vigilance, Xiao Yan's lips slowly curled into a cold smile.