Free from combat, Xiao Yan felt his body relax considerably, standing suspended in the sky, his face serious as he gazed at the battle arena not far away. There, two figures moved like ghosts, darting and weaving past each other, their powerful energy surges distorting the very space around them. No warrior from either side dared to step into that circle—everyone knew that the clashes between Douzong-level cultivators were so intense that even Douhuang-level warriors had little chance to intervene. "How is Cai Lin?" A petite figure approached Xiao Yan, her eyes fixed on the battlefield, sensing the intense energy waves radiating from the two combatants. Her small face grew serious as she spoke. "She is nearly on par with the Hunshe Temple's Iron Guardian in strength, and their battle has been fiercely even. In the near term, it's unlikely they'll reach a decisive outcome." Xiao Yan pondered, "Fights between Douzong-level warriors, when truly reaching a life-or-death struggle, typically last an extremely long time. However, given the natures of Mei Du Sha and the Iron Protector, they would naturally not allow this battle to stretch on for too long. Therefore, it might not take much longer before a clear winner emerges. Xiao Yan and the other stood motionless in the sky, intently observing the battlefield between Medusa and the Iron Monastic. At this moment, following Xiao Yan's decisive victories over three top-tier Emperor-level warriors, the Toxin Sect had already secured a decisive advantage and was poised to achieve victory—only a matter of time. Of course, this outcome hinged entirely on the outcomes of the two Emperor-level battles unfolding above in the sky. Should Medusa and Xiao Yi win, then the final result would be certain: the Toxin Sect would successfully absorb the Wan Xie Sect, becoming the most powerful force within the Chuyun Empire, and Xiao Yan would fulfill his ambition of capturing a senior member of the Huan Sect, thereby obtaining vital information concerning the Huan Sect. And if, in the end, the Iron Protector and Xi Bo Yan prevail, then those victories will surely be wiped out entirely, and Xiao Yan will only be able to lead his people to flee swiftly—since even with his utmost efforts, he could never stand a chance against two Daoist Conquerors. Thus, the decisive moment of this great battle will still hinge upon the two Daoist Conqueror combat zones. ... "Clang!" Forms interweaving, the long sword and chain weaving through the sky, generating powerful ripples of energy and sparking bursts of bright, crisp sounds. As one figure shifted, Medusa's face remained cold, her long sword suddenly arcing with an unusual, precise curve, slicing diagonally through the Iron Protector's ribcage and piercing straight into the swirling black mist. The long sword retreated with a single strike, and Medusa flickered slightly, stepping out of the Iron Guardian's range of attack. She glanced down at the blade, her dark brows furrowed slightly. There was not a single drop of blood on its surface. Yet, though no blood was visible, the intense ripple of black mist surging across the Iron Guardian's body clearly indicated that the strike had indeed taken effect. After so many rounds of combat, Iron Pagoda had grown accustomed to Medusa's cold, composed demeanor. Thus, at this moment, he merely sneered, glanced at Xiao Yan and the other two outside the battlefield, and said, "The members of the Ten-Thousand Scorpion Sect are truly all mere novices—such clear advantages have been completely wiped out." "Though he muttered these complaints, Iron Monastery Master knew clearly that the battle against Medusa could no longer be delayed. Otherwise, once the outcome of Xiao Yixian's clash with Xi Bo Yan was decided, significant changes would unfold on his side. If Xi Bo Yan emerged victorious, that would be manageable. But should Xiao Yixian win—well, even with his own confidence, Iron Monastery Master had to admit that facing two such formidable opponents—Xiao Yixian and Medusa—whose strengths were no less than his own—his chances of victory were slim. After all, he was well aware of Xiao Yixian's so-called厄难毒体; once fully unlocked, its power was truly formidable. Thus, if Xi Bo Yan were to fall, it would not be surprising at all. Gazing at the black mist with a touch of sorrow, the Iron Protector hesitated slightly before firmly biting his teeth and making a hand seal. The mist instantly expanded, then rapidly contracted, and from within, a translucent spirit form was forcefully ejected. As soon as the spirit form appeared, the Protector opened his mouth and expelled a stream of black mist to enclose it. The spirit, sensing something, immediately began to struggle violently, sending out waves of shock and fear that spread outward. "Hmph!" Upon seeing the spirit's struggle, the Protector coldly snorted and then opened his mouth wide, sending a strong surge of force that immediately drew the spirit into his mouth. After swallowing the spirit, the black mist swirling around the Protector became noticeably denser, and his aura grew more robust. After devouring one soul body, the Iron Monastic did not immediately cease, but instead expelled another soul body from the black mist, continuing to consume... As the number of soul bodies he consumed increased, the strange black mist began to spread, and the Iron Monastic's aura grew progressively stronger. "Color-Scaly, act now! Don't let him devour more souls!" Outside the battle circle, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned by the Iron Monastic's sudden move, then swiftly recalled the incident when the earlier Monastic had consumed Yunshan's soul, and immediately shouted. Although these soul bodies were far less powerful than Yunshan's, they were numerous in quantity; if consumed in sufficient numbers, they would undoubtedly significantly enhance the Iron Monastic's strength. As soon as Xiao Yan spoke, Meidusa also surged forward instantly, her long sword cutting through the space with a sharp, resonant wind that caused ripples of disturbance, gliding like a streak of lightning. With sudden, lightning-fast precision, she struck the black mist hovering before the Iron Protector. The force of the wind slammed into the mist, causing the Iron Protector's face to instantly pale. Before he could react, the mist exploded violently, and a cascade of ethereal soul forms burst forth, fleeing wildly in all directions—fleeing in sheer panic, as the others stared in stunned silence. "These... these are all soul forms?" Staring in disbelief at the hundred or so shimmering soul bodies, Xiao Yan found himself suddenly parched. What on earth did these Huan Palace members intend by summoning so many soul forms? "Damn it! You dare destroy my soul pouch!" Gazing at the spectral beings fleeing in every direction, the Iron Guardian's eyes instantly turned blood red, a thick surge of murderous intent radiating from within him. These spectral beings were all the harvest he had gathered over the past year. Should he fail to deliver the required quota upon his return, the consequences would be dire. The thought of the punishment awaiting him if the mission failed only intensified his rage. When his murderous intent reached its peak, he roared wildly, the dark iron chains whipping like a serpent, crashing against Medusa with a thunderous sound. "Regardless of your origin today, this protector will surely use your soul to fend off the fleeing souls!" Iron Protector's furious roar echoed across the heavens. Suddenly, five dark chains surged forth from within him, each radiating an increasingly dense and eerie black mist—more concentrated than before. As his roar settled, the five chains abruptly lowered their heads and shot toward Medusa with a sharp, piercing rush, brimming with intense killing intent. Faced with Iron Protector's suddenly frenzied assault, Medusa found herself momentarily at a disadvantage, able to only evade through swift footwork. Outside the battle circle, Xiao Yan and his companion observed Medusa's predicament and exchanged concerned glances. "I'll go help Lady Cailein," said Zǐ Yán, her expression showing clear urgency. She moved to enter the fray, only to be stopped by Xiao Yan. "With your strength, you'd merely be a burden once you go..." Xiao Yan shook his head slightly, then spoke firmly. "Guard me—don't let anyone disturb me!" As he finished speaking, he took a deep breath, raised his hand, and began slowly forming an unusual seal. The speed of his hand movements grew faster and faster over time, eventually creating shimmering streaks of residual images. By the end, cold sweat covered his forehead, and the rosy hue on his face gradually gave way to paleness.