A surging wave of fire surged from the horizon, eventually engulfing the entire sky within a hundred paces. A terrifying tri-color cloud of flame enveloped the heavens, so dense that even the sunlight struggled to penetrate. After spreading out in rippling waves, the fire surged suddenly, as if propelled by an immense force—crashing forth with a powerful roar, racing swiftly toward the endless sky with thunderous intensity. The fierce gusts carried by the advancing fire waves reached the ground, instantly knocking down the dark ranks of troops stationed outside the fortress. Like a series of dominoes toppled in unison, the soldiers were all thrown to the ground, creating a chaotic uproar that rose straight into the sky. It took several moments before they could regain their formations, lifting their heads in stunned silence, gazing at the thick, oppressive fire cloud above. Their throats rolled heavily as they struggled to find words—under such a devastating wave of fire, even the strongest Dou-Zong cultivators would surely find themselves overwhelmed. The three strong cultivators floating in the air were also shaken by the previous terrifying ripple of fiery waves, their faces slightly pale as they recovered. Even after the wave passed, traces of lingering astonishment remained in their eyes—such an explosion was truly formidable. At this moment, the two elders of Mulan exchanged glances, their eyes filled with both awe and relief. Fortunately, during their battle against Xiao Yan, he had not yet deployed this kind of overwhelming technique; otherwise, even with their "Three-Beast Wildness Technique," they would have found it difficult to withstand such a devastating blow. "This young man truly deserves to be the leader of the Flame Alliance—his capabilities are no mere pretense," the two elders murmured, wiping the cold sweat from their foreheads with a mixture of relief and admiration. "But I wonder how Yun Luotian fared. Though he is a Cultivator of the Third Rank, such a powerful energy explosion must have taken a heavy toll on him, no matter how strong he is." On the battlefield, countless pairs of eyes lingered upon the thick, pressing cloud of fire in the sky, then suddenly turned toward the figure descending steadily from the heavens—the one who had unleashed such a terrifying attack. When Hai Bo Dong had just retreated to the edge of the city wall, he turned back and saw Xiao Yan falling downward. He was momentarily startled, then offered an awkward smile to Xiao Ding and the others, before quickly turning around again and rushing toward Xiao Yan. However, as he approached a distance from Xiao Yan, the latter suddenly shifted his stance, his fiery wings behind him reemerging, struggling slightly before managing to stand once more in the air. "Are you all right?" Seeing that Xiao Yan still had the strength to rise, Hai Bo Dong breathed a sigh of relief and hurried to join him. Yet upon noticing the numerous wounds scattered across Xiao Yan's body, he immediately asked. "Cough—" Xiao Yan coughed violently, his face pale, yet his breath remained steady—no longer wavering as it had during his earlier encounter at Yunlan Sect, when his consciousness had begun to blur. "Good, I'm just a bit drained. The energy required is simply enormous." With a wave of his hand, he pulled at the wounds on his body, drawing a deep breath of cool air. From his storage ring, he retrieved several jade vials and, with a flick of his fingers, poured the medicinal liquid over the injured areas. Afterward, he produced a few pills to restore his qi, swallowed them whole, and then exhaled deeply. "You really are taking risks," remarked Haibo Dong, smiling wryly as he watched Xiao Yan complete these actions. "Of course, to face a Dou-Zong-level master, one must pay a price—but compared to last time, this is already quite manageable." Xiao Yan shrugged off the remark with a casual smile. Hearing this, Hai Bo Dong could only sigh again, though he had to admit in his heart that this was far better than the previous time. Back then, the injuries Xiao Yan had sustained had been truly terrifying—had it not been for his exceptionally strong constitution and his own status as a medicinal alchemist who knew precisely how to treat the condition, recovery would have been uncertain for anyone else. Even if recovery had been achieved, it would certainly have left lasting complications. In fact, it was possible that his future accomplishments might have been permanently capped at the Battle King level. Hearing what he had said, Haibo Dong smiled as well, just about to speak, when the thick, pressing fire clouds above suddenly surged with intense tremors. Amidst the countless sets of eyes watching, the clouds burst open, revealing a dim golden figure who emerged with a clumsy, staggered motion—accompanied even by several gasps of blood. Gazing at the disheveled Yan Luo Tian, the entire arena fell silent. Then, from the fortress above, a thunderous wave of cheers erupted, resonating across the sky—once again, they had witnessed the young man create miracles! In a single day, defeating both the three senior Masters of Mulu and the two Douzong-level warriors Yan Luo Tian, this magnificent achievement would ensure that Xiao Yan's name would now be renowned throughout the western region. Consequently, the status of the Yin Alliance and the Gamma Empire would also rise significantly in this region. All of this had been won by the young black-robed figure, whose pale face bore the weight of his sacrifice—he had saved the Gamma Empire from near collapse, rescuing countless of its people from displacement and hardship. From today forward, Xiao Yan would become the most revered hero of the Gamma Empire, a stature never before achieved by any emperor in history nor by any of the past leaders of Yunlan Sect. That young man, once a mere waste of potential within his family, had steadily risen to achieve his current stature. Perhaps many years from now, the city of Wutan will proudly tell every visitor that it once produced a hero who saved the Gamma Empire—whose name was Xiao Yan! Hearing the thunderous cheers rising from the fortress, Xiao Yan and Hai Boheng exchanged gentle smiles and looked upward at the once-lamentable Yan Luo Tian. Now, after making his appearance, Yan Luo Tian first cast a look of fear toward Xiao Yan below, then quickly directed the frail, shattered body, desperately fleeing across the ranks of the alliance army. Seeing Yan Luo Tian retreat, Xiao Yan also chose not to pursue. After unleashing the Three-Colored Fire Lotus, a significant portion of his ki had dispersed, making it difficult for him to intercept Yan Luo Tian even if he did follow. Considering the injuries sustained within him, Xiao Yan anticipated that full recovery would take at least six months—thus, he had no cause for concern. Shifting his gaze from Yan Luo Tian's retreating figure, his eyes finally settled on the intense combat between the two—now engaged in a fierce struggle. Even during the peak of the Fire Lotus' eruption, they had remained fully focused, showing no signs of distraction. This was not due to any lack of awareness or sensing, but rather because they could not afford even the slightest lapse. Facing such formidable opponents, any minor misstep would prove disastrous. With his fire wings vibrating, Xiao Yan halted at a distance from the battle circle, and in a steady voice commanded, "Master of the Toxic Sect, both of your allied sects' Dou宗强者 have been completely defeated today. Xiao Yan urges you to withdraw promptly now." The two combatants still engaged in the fierce battle paid no heed to his words—clearly, both were now fully charged with anger and determination. When his command fell on deaf ears, Xiao Yan could only shake his head in resignation. At this moment, his own condition prevented him from joining the fray, so he was left merely observing from the sidelines. Perhaps by standing here, Xiao Yan had disrupted someone's concentration, for the otherwise intense battle suddenly took a turn—what had been a swift exchange of blows now faltered. The Toxic Sect's master, whose movements had been fluid, suddenly slowed, and Medusa, with her sharp precision, seized this opening. With her slender fingers extending like a venomous serpent, she struck suddenly and unexpectedly, pressing them firmly against the latter's chest. "Pfft!" A blow struck, and a fountain of blood erupted directly from the mouth of the Poison Sect's master. Those blood droplets transformed into an eerie arrow, shooting straight toward Medusa's face. The sudden surge of blood arrows left Medusa momentarily stunned; at the crucial moment, she had to extend her palm to grasp them firmly. Yet, as soon as she caught the arrow, it suddenly melted and then mysteriously seeped into the crevices of her palm. All these changes occurred in the span of a breath. When Xiao Yan recovered from the shock, he found both of them had taken several steps back, their cheeks pale. The Poison Sect's master stood still, a cold smile forming on her lips as she observed the blood seeping into Medusa's body. However, just as that smile appeared, she seemed to realize something important, quickly reaching up to touch her face—only to find that the veil had been knocked off during the impact of the blood arrows. At the very moment she touched her cheek, Xiao Yan's gaze suddenly sharpened, and soon, the familiar delicate face came into clear view within his line of sight. Gazing at the cheek, slightly familiar though it was, Xiao Yan blinked several times, his eyes wide with disbelief. Finally, he could contain himself no longer and roared out, "Little Healer?!"