The seal pressed upon Yan Luo Tian’s chest, and Xiao Yan’s face instantly grew stern. Then, a mighty surge of turbulent energy erupted violently from his palm, pouring out in overwhelming waves and completely enveloping the other’s body. “Boom!” Under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, a thunderous explosion resonated across the sky, sending out a visibly powerful ripple of energy that surged forth from where the two figures intersected, then rapidly spreading outward in all directions. As the seal made contact with his chest, Yan Luo Tian’s expression immediately darkened—he had not anticipated that Xiao Yan, despite being at the peak of a Battle Emperor-level strength, could unleash a combat technique of such formidable power. Though somewhat caught off guard, Yan Luo Tian was undeniably a genuine Douzong-level powerhouse. With exceptional energy coordination, as the powerful surge of qi erupted from Xiao Yan's palm, brilliant golden light burst from his body surface, dense golden plumes of geese emerging in a cascade and eventually forming a golden armor that tightly encased his chest area. At the very moment the golden plumes appeared, the surging power from Xiao Yan's palm reached its peak. Plush! Taking full, close-range impact from Xiao Yan's full-force strike, even though Yan Luo Tian had summoned the golden goose armor at the crucial moment, he still could not fully absorb all the force—several violent gusts of qi shattered the armor and struck his body with solid impact. As a result, Yan Luo Tian felt a sudden sweetness in his throat, and involuntarily spat out a stream of blood. The spurt of blood from Yan Luo immediately caused a wave of astonishment among the countless people below. The three imperial alliance armies stared in open amazement at the warrior, barely having exchanged a few minutes of combat—how could this Dou-Zong-level strength suddenly be coughing up blood so directly? He felt the vibrant cheers rising from the fortress, and instantly, Yan Luo Tian's face flushed with embarrassment. With a fierce curse, golden light surged forth from within his body, extending into sharp, gleaming golden spines at numerous points—his fingertips, arms, elbows, knees, feet, heels, and back—forming over a dozen such spines. As these spines emerged, Yan Luo Tian appeared as a fully armored hedgehog. "Boy! Our sect will pluck each of your fingers one by one!" Yan Luo Tian bellowed, his eyes blazing with fury, teeth clenched tightly. As he spoke, his massive goose-like wings unfolded and swept forward, charging directly toward Xiao Yan. His five golden finger-blades, forged into sharp points, surged toward vital spots across Xiao Yan's body, each one aimed with relentless force. In his rage, Yan Luo Tian had completely forgotten the instructions given to him by the white-haired woman earlier. The startled Liang Yan Tian charged close, and Xiao Yan quickly retreated, though his speed was only comparable to hers. Thus, it was quite difficult for him to completely shake her off. As a result, barely having exchanged a few rounds of combat, the fabric of his robes had already been torn to shreds by the dense golden spines on her body, leaving deep crimson streaks across his skin,纵横交错, appearing quite formidable. After once again narrowly evading Liang Yan Tian's attacks, Xiao Yan suddenly grasped the ground with his palm. The Xuan Zhong Chi, which had been forcibly taken from him by Mu Lan's three elders and then landed, instantly transformed into a streak of light and shot skyward, finally coming into his hands. "Ding! Ding!" Holding the Heavy Scroll, Xiao Yan quickly moved its massive body, deflecting Yan Luotian's nearly frenzied series of attacks. Even with the Heavy Scroll's defense, the powerful forces transmitted through the scroll left Xiao Yan's hands nearly numb. A raging Douzong-level warrior—especially one covered in long spines—was simply too formidable. The once-fragile Xiao Yan, now under relentless assault in the sky, once again sent the defenders of the fortress into a state of heightened alert. As the battle between Medusa and the Toxic Sect's master grew increasingly intense, if Xiao Yan were to be defeated by Yan Luotian, Medusa would surely be startled and exposed, opening the door for the Toxic Sect's master to strike. "Xiao Yan, hold on!" Hai Bodo and the others clutched their fists tightly, intently watching the battle above. Each time a wound appeared on Xiao Yan's body, their hearts would tremble. They all knew that although Xiao Yan could hold his own against a Douzong-level warrior when giving his full effort, it was only at the cost of sustaining significant injuries—this was truly a battle of life and death. The less favorable situation unfolding on Xiao Yan's side was promptly noticed by the two combatants observing the other battle arena. Both of them immediately frowned, then, upon glancing at each other, gritted their teeth fiercely and intensified their attacks. These two women were now known for their ruthlessness—when they fought, their combat was especially fierce. Their relentless, sharp attacks even made onlookers shiver; indeed, in this world, women could be far more formidable and terrifying than men. "Ding!" Five sharp golden spines firmly hooked the heavy ruler, and a fierce expression flashed across Yan Luo Tian's face. With a sudden twist of his arm, the ruler spun violently, dislodging Xiao Yan's palm. After pushing the ruler aside, Yan Luo Tian moved with an odd fluidity, appearing directly before Xiao Yan, then forcefully kneeing him in the abdomen. Hit hard, Xiao Yan's face paled, a streak of blood trickling from his lips. His eyes hardened with determination, and he clenched his fists tightly, delivering a fierce blow to Yan Luo Tian's waist. One punch exchanged for one knee. As Xiao Yan retreated, a surge of silver light flashed from beneath his feet, leaving behind a trailing silhouette before he shot backward. "You're going to make it?" Immediately after Xiao Yan vanished, Yan Luo Tian sensed the movement, snarling with a grin. He curved his body into an unusual arc, then shook his back feathers, vanishing once more—now appearing behind Xiao Yan. Yan Luo Tian appeared behind him, and Xiao Yan also immediately sensed something, yet he still hadn't time to unleash the "Three Thousand Thunder Strikes" to evade. Yan Luo Tian's fist struck hard against the back of Xiao Yan. "Pfft!" The blow sent Xiao Yan spitting blood, and his body began to fall toward the ground. Seeing this, Yan Luo Tian sneered fiercely, then shook his golden plume on his back, and charged downward at Xiao Yan with great force. The sight caused waves of shock to ripple across the fortress. Hai Bo Dong and the others grew pale—was it truly beyond their strength? "Hai Elder, prepare to rescue our third brother!" Xiao Ding's voice was grave and urgent. Hai Bo Dong nodded, and his snowy white ice wings swiftly emerged. Then he surged forward with a sudden burst, racing toward Xiao Yan's position. In the air, Xiao Yan plummeted downward at an astonishing speed, the wind roaring loudly around him. His eyes remained closed, as if he had fallen into a deep unconsciousness. Yet, upon close listening, one could hear a soft, steady urging from his lips: "Almost there... it will be fine soon!" The brilliant golden plumes of his crane-feather wings spread out, creating a magnificent sight. Yan Luo, gazing at Xiao Yan who was now nearly within reach, grew even more fiercely determined. This young Du Zhong had not only caused his esteemed Du Zong to bleed and sustain injuries in public, but it felt as though Yan Luo had been publicly slapped—something utterly unbearable. Therefore, no matter what, he had to seize this boy and thoroughly torment him! At mere arm's length, Yan Luo Tian flapped his wings and plunged downward, his palm fiercely reaching for Xiao Yan's head. Yet, as his palm was about to make contact, Xiao Yan suddenly twisted his head and skillfully avoided the grasp. Xiao Yan's unexpected evasion startled Yan Luo Tian—wasn't he already unconscious? The surprise lasted only a brief moment, after which a cold determination flashed in Yan Luo Tian's eyes. He then stomped a powerful kick straight into Xiao Yan's back. The foot, enveloped in golden light, sliced through the air. As it struck its mark, Xiao Yan suddenly spun around, grinned fiercely at Yan Luo Tian, and with a swift hand motion, a three-colored lotus of flame, no larger than a palm, burst forth and surged toward him. At the very moment when Xiao Yan threw out the flaming lotus, Hai Bo Dong, who had been rushing forward, also caught sight of it. His eyes widened in shock, and he immediately braked, desperately reversing his direction toward the fortress. This scene clearly revealed that Xiao Yan had been playing a trick—his true intention had been to gain precious time to gather and stabilize this terrifying flaming lotus. As the lotus was launched, Xiao Yan himself began to descend rapidly toward the ground, his gaze scornful toward Yan Luo Tian, who still appeared momentarily stunned. With a subtle hand seal, he lightly exhaled, "Explosion!" "Boom!" A thunderous, earth-shaking blast erupted instantly. A powerful, violent surge of energy surged forth like a storm, sweeping across the heavens.