At the very instant the shadows blocked the attack of the five senior monks of Wuyi Cliff, the other toxic sect masters also regained their composure, instantly exclaiming in shock and anger, "Wuyi Cliff! What are you doing?" The sudden assault having failed, the five Wuyi Cliff monks now looked rather displeased, their eyes full of resentment as they fixed a sharp glare on Xiao Yan. Then, with a sudden turn, they swiftly darted toward the location of WanXie Gate. "Do you intend to flee?" The gray-purple eyes of Xiao Yixian flashed with cold intensity. With a swift movement of her slender finger, the space ahead instantly began to warp. As the five monks passed through, their speed noticeably slowed. Just as their bodies momentarily halted, five sharp, piercing gusts of wind surged from behind, their force so powerful that it caused subtle tremors in the very space itself—clearly, Xiao Yixian was deeply incensed by the sudden betrayal of the Wuyi Cliff monks. Feeling the fierce gusts of wind sweeping past them, the five members of Wuyi's clan exchanged startled glances, surprised at how fiercely the young physician had struck—clearly intending to end their lives right there and then. "Hmph!" As the five gusts of wind reached them simultaneously, Xi Biyan coldly exhaled, his body trembling slightly, then materialized directly behind the five. With a sharp stroke of his cane, five pungent, toxic streaks burst forth from the scorpion's mouth at the tip of the cane and shot straight toward the five gusts of wind. Sssss! Sssss! The powerful energies collided violently in the air, producing sharp crackling sounds, and a faint mist rose. Pff! As the mist spread, two deep gray streaks surged forth like lightning, cutting through the space beside Xi Biyan and finally striking the two former elders who had defected—passing straight through their backs. "Ah!" Suddenly struck hard, two piercing, agonizing cries rang out instantly. Immediately, the robes of the two elders who had been hit tore apart, and their flesh and blood began to be rapidly corroded by the intense toxin carried within the powerful gust of wind. Within less than a minute, stark white bones emerged, and the two elders, surrounded by stunned onlookers, lost all their vitality. "It's no surprise that a traitor should end up like this. If any of your Wan Xie Sect members had defected, I'd wager your methods would be ten times harsher than mine." The Little Healer spoke with a calm, detached tone, her gaze sweeping over the members of the Wú Cliffs. "Wú Cliffs, I've treated you fairly well. Within the Poison Sect, you held a position of considerable influence. Yet here you are, betraying me." Upon hearing this, Wu崖's eyes narrowed, his gaze dark and stern upon Xiao Yan, saying, "So it was you who intercepted the messenger centipede. Young man, just who are you? I strongly advise you to stay out of the affairs of Wan Xie Sect and the Toxin Sect—otherwise, you'll inevitably end up caught in the crossfire." Xiao Yan smiled, ignoring this tedious threat, and turned to the Young Healer, saying, "It seems the situation is indeed not promising. Clearly, Wan Xie Sect has long harbored intentions toward your Toxin Sect. Even if your Toxin Sect doesn't act today, Wan Xie Sect will surely come knocking." "With one mountain hosting only one tiger, Wan Xie Sect naturally aims to become the dominant force in Chuyun Empire. In the past, they remained quiet, perhaps due to the old master's prolonged seclusion. Now that he has returned, the situation has changed entirely." The Young Healer glanced at Xie Biyan with a touch of scorn, coldly remarking, "But sending those five useless ones over—what good will that do? We could easily eliminate them if we wished. Do you really expect anything different?" "Now that your Toxin Sect has fewer Dou-Huang cultivators than my Wan Xie Gate, you can rely on Elder Xie to handle the matter—how could you possibly intervene yourself? When you two engage in battle, your Toxin Sect's Dou-Huang cultivators will be sufficient to completely clear the field." Xie Mountain spoke with a low, steady laugh. "Little Doctor-Healer sneered, her inner ki surging like a flood, radiating a mighty presence that shook the very space around her. 'Last time we clashed, the result was still undecided. Today, I shall truly assess—what credentials you have to claim dominance in the Chuyun Empire!' Feeling that overwhelming aura, Xi Biyan's eyes flashed with cold resolve. With a heavy tap of his cane upon the void, the slightly hunched posture of his back straightened gradually. As his spine straightened, an aura no weaker than that of the young healer emerged, ultimately countering and containing her expansive power. The young healer's face grew pale, cutting short any further words. With a delicate gesture of her hand, her fingernails suddenly expanded by half a foot, sharp and blade-like, their surfaces tinged with a gray-purple hue—clearly harboring potent toxins." The gray-purple fingernails lightly brushed through the air, producing a faint hissing sound. The air itself seemed to crack open, revealing fine fissures beneath the pressure—testament to the nails' sharpness. "Be careful," she said, turning slightly toward the figure behind her, Xiang Yan, and speaking in a low, steady tone. With a swift motion, the young physician's form blurred into a faint streak of black, shooting directly toward Xie Biyan. At that moment, a surge of powerful qi erupted into the sky, creating an unusual pressure that caused many of the less experienced fighters to struggle for breath. Xie Biyan stared at the young physician with cold, unwavering eyes, gripping his cane tightly with his dry hands before launching himself forward. Due to the speed of his movement, phantom images flickered in the air as he passed through. Two Daoist cultivators of the Dao Sect, under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, collided like comets, their impact sending out ripples of energy that violently shook the very space around them. Gazing at the swiftly entangled Little Healer and Bi Yan of the Scorpion Clan, a flash of cold light passed through Scorpion Mountain's eyes as he fixed an unkind gaze upon the toxic sect's elite. With a wave of his hand, he commanded, "All members of the Ten-Thousand Scorpions, listen—attack!" Upon hearing Scorpion Mountain's order, the array of Ten-Thousand Scorpions instantly responded with unified cries, their qi surging forth like cascading waterfalls. Streams of light, carrying a faint tang of venom, surged forward in lightning speed, striking the toxic sect's ranks with fierce intensity. Xiao Yan casually raised his palm, shaking the attacking King-level warrior so hard that the man coughed up blood and stumbled back. Two figures suddenly darted in front of him—precisely Wu Yi and the other elder who had previously defected. Both now stared at Xiao Yan with evident resentment, clearly furious that he had intercepted their surprise assault. "Young man," Wu Yi said, his expression stern, a faintly crimson aura swirling around him, his scarred serpentine pattern on his face subtly visible, adding a more fierce and menacing presence. Xiao Yan glanced at the two calmly and smiled, "Since you've come to me willingly, it can only be said that your luck has run out." Hearing Xiao Yan's bold words, the Wuyi Cliff burst into laughter, and the other Dou Huang elder beside him also flashed a touch of scorn and disdain. Both of them could clearly see that Xiao Yan was merely a first-star Dou Huang, while they themselves—one at the peak of Dou Huang, the other a four-star Dou Huang—were vastly superior in strength. Facing two against one, the outcome was almost predictable. As for Xiao Yan's ability to withstand the combined attack of the five of them, they did not attribute it to his personal strength, but rather believed it was due to the subtle assistance of Xiao Yixian. After all, it was simply unimaginable for a first-star Dou Huang to resist the assault of five Dou Huang warriors—how could they possibly believe that this first-star Dou Huang possessed combat prowess that was nearly unmatched among his peers in the Dou Huang rank?