As the night quietly settled upon the group, who remained still and patient, subtle movements were soon heard within the small valley hidden deep in the forest. "Should the assassination go smoothly, you needn't appear at all," said Xiao Yan, turning to Haibo Dong after finishing preparations. "But if any unforeseen events arise, then your support will be essential." "Understood," Haibo Dong nodded, his expression serious. "Stay alert—I'll keep a close watch on the city's condition." Xiao Yan smiled slightly and nodded, then turned to Medusa, whispering softly, "Let's go." At once, Medusa, now dressed in black, nodded in response and launched into the air, gazing far out at the city, still firmly defended, now bathed in the night's quiet glow. Concerned about making too much noise, Xiao Yan did not employ his Qi-powered wings but instead summoned his long-unused Purple Cloud Wings. While the single Purple Cloud Wing was not as swift as the dual Qi wings, it had the advantage of being less conspicuous in the night. This mission was an assassination, not a direct assault on the city's defenses. With the Purple Cloud Wings vibrating beneath him, Xiao Yan rose swiftly into the air. His gaze briefly met that of Medusa, and with a subtle nod, the two became a silhouette, swiftly sweeping through the night toward the city. At their speed, they reached a point near the city walls within just a few breaths. Upon surveying the scene, both of them exhaled in relief—most of the patrolling Dao Wang-level warriors had been withdrawn, and although the remaining regular soldiers were numerous, they posed no real threat to Xiao Yan and Medusa. The two stood silently in the darkness, motionless, until a brief gap appeared as the two powerful Duwang-level warriors passed each other. At that moment, their forms suddenly condensed into a streak of black, rushing swiftly into the city like a flash of lightning. Finally, with a subtle movement, they vanished into the shadow of a building. "Upon hearing Xiao Yan speak thus, Medusa nodded slightly, then murmured softly. "Hm." Medusa nodded again, with no further hesitation, her gaze flickering in the air before her form shifted into a blurred silhouette, darting swiftly toward the city center. Watching as Medusa's figure vanished into the darkness, Xiao Yan exhaled gently, settled his direction, and moved off in the opposite direction from Medusa. In a spacious pavilion at the heart of the city, the Small Healer seated atop the roof, her gray-purple eyes, previously closed, slowly opened. She glanced toward the direction where Medusa and Xiao Yan were, then lowered her eyelids, murmuring quietly, "I have done everything I can. Whether or not this succeeds now rests entirely with you." … The camp of Mulan Valley is situated slightly northwest within the city, and even at night, it remains brightly lit compared to the other darker areas of the city. Fully armed soldiers patrol continuously, while powerful warriors of the Battle King rank glide past overhead. At the tall arrow towers within the camp, keen-eyed warriors remain on guard, their sharp and piercing gaze constantly sweeping across the surrounding darkness, their bows and crossbows ready to fire at a moment's notice. The rigorous defenses clearly indicate that the camp is well-prepared and vigilant. Suddenly, within the darkness beyond the camp, a blurred figure flickers into view, and then the lofty wooden fence, composed of sturdy posts, gradually dissolves into a sizable opening. The darkness stirs, and a figure emerges, moving with an eerie, almost ghostly grace. Though the defenses here were stringent, the absence of true Douzong-level warriors on the ground offered little tangible advantage to Xiao Yan. Though Xiao Yan himself was only at the Douhuang stage, his keen spiritual perception enabled him to anticipate developments and minimize his exposure. Within the brightly lit camp, the soldiers patrolling on foot and the figures darting through the air failed to notice a dark figure swiftly approaching the central area of the camp. Gazing through the cracks in the tiles, Medusa scanned indifferently, hearing the阵阵 moans of women and a familiar man's lustful laughter. The coldness in her eyes deepened steadily. It was well known that the abbot of Jinyan Sect was particularly charming, but it was unexpected that he was still seeking physical pleasure at this very moment. With a slight flick of her finger, a slender yet remarkably dense streak of seven-colored energy slowly coalesced at her fingertip... As the energy gathered, Medusa remained motionless, her eyes slightly closed, as if entering a state of meditation. Her body stayed perfectly still, yet the energy at her fingertip grew increasingly solid. The true decisive strike required only one blow—so too did the assassination. Thus, she needed to seize the perfect moment. ... At the heart of Mulan Valley's camp stood a tent larger than ordinary ones. In the shade of this tent, a figure in black gradually emerged. His gaze fixed upon the tent, and then a subtle warmth began to rise in the air. Suddenly, a small opening appeared in the broad tent fabric, through which the scene within was clearly visible. Inside, the brightly lit tent housed only three elderly figures seated together—clearly the three elders of Mulan Valley. At this moment, they formed a triangular arrangement, their eyes closed, each exhaling a vibrant red energy that circulated among them before fully entering the body of the eldest, whose vitality seemed the most diminished. Clearly, this elder—once severely wounded by Xiao Yan—was the tiger-headed elder who had been injured that day. The three elders appeared to be working in unison to heal him. Xiao Yan, gazing at the figures within the tent, felt a surge of astonishment, and now regarded the Three-Beast Wild Decision with even greater admiration. If the Inflame Alliance had warriors mastering this technique, their strength growth would surely be nothing short of remarkable. Taking a deep, steady breath, Xiao Yan gradually calmed his mind, allowing his battle energy to flow smoothly. The healing process within the tent lasted about ten minutes before gradually subsided, and the three figures slowly opened their eyes. "How is it going?" As the blood-like energy entered the body of the elder with the tiger's head, the other two members sighed in relief and asked. "We've recovered somewhat, though the injuries remain serious. To fully heal, we'll likely need to wait until someone brings the sixth-rank pill from the valley," the elder with the tiger's head said, his expression grave. "I didn't expect that young man to possess such capabilities. I truly underestimated him," remarked one of the Mulan elders, frowning. "This was merely due to their lack of preparation; moreover, the Fiery Lotus technique he employed against Yan Luo Tian must have consumed considerable energy, and it will take some time before he can recover." The tiger-headed elder's eyes flashed with resentment. "Once the valley's elite warriors arrive, and we unite with Jin Yan Sect, even if the Toxin Sect withdraws, we will surely drive the Inflame Alliance into a bloodbath!" The other two elders nodded solemnly. This joint offensive against the Gama Empire—if it fails—what face will they have in the western region? Even when attending the sect's grand assemblies in the future, they will surely face constant ridicule. "Woo!" Just as the two elders had nodded, a sharp, piercing cry suddenly echoed sharply throughout the camp. Upon hearing this cry, the three elders of Mulan instantly grew pale, barely pausing, and immediately moved to shield the severely wounded tiger-headed elder behind them. And just as their bodies began to move, a sudden rupture occurred on one side of the tent. Then, a figure completely enveloped in silver light burst forth, surging forward with a fierce, blinding gust of energy. "Xiao Yan?! You've truly arrived!" Gazing at the streak of silver light rushing in, the three elders of Mu Lan's eyes narrowed slightly, then roared loudly. With a surge of powerful aura, they unleashed a torrent of combat energy, and together, they delivered a resounding punch straight into the light form. The two punches, charged with fierce force and swift as lightning, struck the light figure with tremendous impact within a single blink. "Poof!" Under the heavy blow, the light figure trembled violently, then slowly faded away before the elders' eyes, stunned. "A mere afterimage?!" "Having already fought against Xiao Yan, the two elders exchanged a flash of lightning in their minds, then suddenly turned pale, seeing a figure like a ghost standing beside the tiger-headed elder, his eagle-like hands firmly gripping the latter's neck. When the elder looked at him, the young man in black robes smiled warmly at them both; under the light, the gleaming whites of his teeth sent a chill down their spines. "Having suffered the same technique twice, should I call you both foolish, or is it merely good fortune on my part?"