After approximately half an hour of quiet waiting atop the peak, a vague silhouette suddenly appeared in their sight, swiftly gliding through a few swift movements before materializing mid-air above the mountain. The arrival of this figure naturally drew the attention of the three—each of them subtly readied themselves. Only when the figure settled in the air and revealed her signature long white hair did they ease their vigilance. "I'm sorry we arrived a bit late," said Xiao Yixian, gently twisting her waist as she descended slowly, speaking softly to Xiao Lin. As she spoke, her gaze swept over Zi Yan and the woman behind her, the latter wearing a cloak. Noticing the cloak, she lightly remarked, "We've seen you before countless times—why wear a cloak? Does it really make you recognizable?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Lin silently sighed, mentally muttering, "This is unfortunate." Indeed, as soon as the young physician finished speaking, the cloak atop Medusa's head instantly transformed into a streak of black shadow, sweeping forward with a sharp gust of wind, aimed directly at the young physician. Focusing intently on the rushing cloak, the young physician remained motionless, flexed her fingers, and sent out a stream of wind that collided forcefully with the cloak, causing it to burst into fragments. "If you truly wish to conceal your presence, can you really have found me?" As the cloak shot forth, Medusa's alluring face emerged, her gaze cold and scornful toward the young physician. "In the Cloud Empire, there is no one I cannot locate." The young physician responded with unwavering composure and a sharp, mocking laugh. "Enough! Be quiet! I didn't call you both here to watch you argue!" Observing the two immediately launching into sharp exchanges upon meeting, Xiao Yan felt his headache intensify and had to raise his voice in frustration. Under Xiao Yan's commanding tone, the two exchanged another cold stare before finally turning away. "Young Physician, have you any news from the Soul Palace?" "Seeing both of them at ease, Xiao Yan finally exhaled gently and opened his mouth to ask about the most important matter of this journey. "Yes, when I returned to Chuyun Empire, the people from the Spirit Temple came to see me once again. This time, however, they seemed somewhat angry that I hadn't managed to capture you—after a few arguments, they simply left. This time, I've been more attentive and have gradually begun to track their movements." Xiao Yixian nodded slowly and spoke. "How strong is he?" Xiao Yan's eyes flashed with interest, and he asked in a steady tone. "Not weaker than me—otherwise, he wouldn't have been so bold in front of me." Xiao Yixian mused, then glanced at Medusa, adding, "If we three work together, perhaps we could hold him." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his eyes flashing with excitement. Compared to the days when he had to flee constantly with the Ye Elder, seeking safety from the Hu Dun Palace's forces, he now actively sought out members of the Hu Dun Palace to gather intelligence—this transformation was nothing short of remarkable. It clearly demonstrated the remarkable growth he had achieved over these years. Perhaps, with enough time, he would one day be truly capable of standing up to the Hu Dun Palace head-on! "Indeed, a considerable amount of cleaning has been done, yet the 'Ten Scorpions Sect' stands as an exception. Within their main hall, there's an elder who gained great renown in the Outcloud Empire many years ago. Though he's now rarely seen, he's very much alive. The last time we planned to eliminate the Ten Scorpions Sect, we stirred him from his retreat—during that encounter, I fought him directly, and he proved quite troublesome..." Xiao Yixian sighed, expressing her frustration. "Moreover, the Ten Scorpions Sect itself boasts several powerful figures beneath it. Though they remain relatively quiet and seldom intervene in imperial affairs, within the Outcloud Empire, they hold substantial influence." Xiao Yixian's eyes flashed with a subtle cold intensity, indicating that she too harbored a certain level of caution toward the Ten Scorpions Sect. Upon hearing this, Xiao Xiang's expression grew steadily more serious. If they were to capture the soul palace's envoy, wouldn't they first have to engage the Ten Scorpions Sect in battle? Yet now, even the strong members of the Flame Alliance find it difficult to provide support—the situation, if they have to intervene, proves exceedingly challenging. "Since she sent you, she must have a plan in mind. Why not listen to what she has to say?" Medusa spoke calmly, observing Xiao Yin's expression. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yin was momentarily startled and turned his gaze toward Xiao Yi. Glancing at Medusa, Xiao Yi nodded slightly and said thoughtfully, "Over the past few weeks, there have been continuous conflicts between the Ten Scorpions Sect and the Toxin Sect. Recently, we captured a member of the Ten Scorpions Sect, who revealed that this usually quiet force seems to intend to launch an attack on our Toxin Sect. Based on my assessment, this likely stems from the influence of someone from the Soul Palace—otherwise, given the old Scorpion Mountain leader's temperament, he would never have taken such initiative." "Upon receiving this information, our sect convened and decided to strike first, before the Ten Scorpions Sect could begin their actions, and eliminate them outright." A flash of fierce determination flashed in Xiao Yixian's eyes as she turned to Xiao Yan, saying, "If it were in the past, even with a full-scale battle, we wouldn't necessarily have been able to eliminate the Wan Xie Sect. But now, with your support, our chances have greatly improved." "Ah, so you've been sent here as a mere bodyguard all along," murmured Medusa, with a slight frown and a cold smile. "Medusa! Don't push me too far—don't think our sect is afraid of you!" Hearing Medusa's words, Xiao Yixian's face instantly grew cold, and she snapped, "If you believe I've sent you here merely as a foot soldier for my Toxin Sect, then by all means, go ahead and leave. I won't stop you!" Medusa narrowed her eyes, about to speak, but caught sight of Xiao Yan's gradually growing anger. She thus held her words and said, "I hope I'm not mistaken in my assumptions." "If you continue to argue, I'll go myself and seek out the officials from the Spirit Palace. As for you, do what you please," said Xiao Yan, lifting his eyes calmly—this time, Yet, these seemingly ordinary words caused both Mei Du Sha and Xiao Yi Xian to quickly silence themselves, both of whom could clearly sense the growing impatience and anger in Xiao Yan's heart. Beside them, Zi Yan watched as the two were stunned by Xiao Yan's presence, and couldn't help but chuckle happily. "Since the Toxic Sect's target is the Wan Xie Gate, my target is the spiritual palace located behind Wan Xie Gate. Therefore, we naturally have the opportunity to cooperate," said Xiao Yan, turning his gaze steadily to Xiao Yi Xian. "Rest assured—I won't think you brought me from the Gamma Empire merely as a backup. If I didn't have confidence in you, I wouldn't have come at all." As he finished speaking, he noticed Xiao Yi Xian's hesitant expression and waved his hand gently. "With that said, then let us act tomorrow. The Toxic Sect has been preparing for this very day for quite some time and is ready to move at a moment's notice." "Agreed." Xiao Yan nodded slightly and murmured, "How strong was that elder from the Ten-Thousand Scorpion Sect?" "He's probably around three-star Sovereign Rank. His poison techniques are particularly fierce. Back then, he was one of the most prominent and formidable figures in the Chuyun Empire—often called a star of doom. However, he's been in seclusion for continuous cultivation over the past few years, which has gradually caused him to fade from public view. Still, older generations still remember that sharp and formidable elder." The young physician said with a serious expression, clearly showing her own respect and caution toward him. "By the way, isn't his name Bi Yan the Scorpion?" Suddenly, Medusa, standing beside them, blinked her eyes and asked. "Do you know him?" Both Xiao Yan and the young physician were taken aback. "Yes, I've faced him before. When I first became the clan leader, he was already one of the top strongholds in Chuyun. We fought once back then—he was still only a Sovereign Rank warrior at the time. I never expected that after all these years, not only would he survive, but he'd even advanced to Sovereign Rank." "Medusa spoke slowly. "By the way, Hai Bodo also faced off against him back then, though ultimately he lost. As for the Jiaxing Royal Family's Jia Xingtian, he had clashed with him several times—each time he held the upper hand. Yet unfortunately, the current Scorpion Biyan has now reached the peak of the Battle Sovereign rank, while he still hovers at the peak of Battle Emperor. If he were to hear this news, he would likely be disheartened for a long time. Still, overall, during the fierce rivalry between the Jiaxing and Chu Yun Empires, Scorpion Biyan truly shone, outshining many of Jiaxing's top warriors." Hearing these recollections from Medusa, Xiao Yan was somewhat astonished, never having realized that Scorpion Biyan had been a long-standing rival of the elder leaders of the In Flame Alliance. "The Wàn Xiē Sect undoubtedly ranks him as their strongest. Once this old man is dealt with, the rest—aside from the Sect's Master Scorpion Shan and a few elders—will be rather straightforward. The Toxin Sect's elite warriors will be sufficient to handle them." "Little Doctor also nodded slightly, then murmured, 'If we count the strong soul殿 cultivator, Wan Xie Gate should have two Douzong cultivators. With me and her, we should be able to handle them. Moreover, you, Xiao Yan, still have reserves capable of injuring a Douzong cultivator. Our chances of victory should therefore be quite strong.' Hearing this, Xiao Yan smiled and nodded, saying, 'Then let's set out tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how the person who once subdued the elite cultivators of Jia Ma Empire can now stand up against us.' 'Of course, there's also the soul殿 cultivator. He—after all—he is our true priority this journey.' As he said this, Xiao Yan's expression grew slightly stern.