"Xiao Men? Xiao Yan?" Hearing the calm, quiet tone that reached his ears, Xie Zhen's face instantly turned pale. While others might find the name unfamiliar, he knew it well—Xiao Men's founder, the young powerhouse who had earned a renowned reputation in Black Corner Domain! Even after two years had passed, many people in Black Corner Domain still remembered the name, and within their own Mag-Flame Valley, numerous former strongholds had been rescued by this black-robed young man, who had once pursued them to the brink of defeat. Thus, Xie Zhen held a particularly vivid memory of him. "Didn't he reportedly leave Black Corner Domain years ago? How has he ended up here?" Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Xie Zhen's heart was stirred with waves of profound surprise. With Xiao Yan's return to Black Thorn Domain, the news would undoubtedly send ripples through the Magic Flame Valley. After all, back then, Xiao Yan had even defeated Han Feng—a strong contender who had already made significant strides toward the Douzong rank. Now, with his return, the Magic Flame Valley would surely face considerable pressure. As these thoughts surged through him, a growing sense of hesitation began to take root. Xiao Yan had once defeated Han Feng; now, after two years, his strength had undoubtedly grown even more formidable. With just his own power, Xie Zhen felt he would struggle to hold his ground. As this realization formed, his battle spirit swiftly waned. With a cold, steady gaze, he subtly scanned the surroundings, then firmly planted his foot against the rock behind him, his body transforming into a streak of jade-green light, rushing directly toward the group of students where Xiao Yu and the others stood. Shè Zhèn’s actions immediately sent shockwaves through the Canaan Academy. With their current strength, they were nothing but a chicken facing an eagle—utterly outmatched. Amidst the crowd’s panic, Shè Zhèn swiftly moved toward them. Yet, just as he was about to plunge into the group of students, a faint silhouette materialized suddenly a short distance ahead of him—like a ghost—holding a massive black ruler that sliced through the air with a blazing gust and a sharp, piercing wind. The ruler struck him squarely on the forehead. “Damn… that speed… that’s incredible!” Seeing the ghostly figure materialize, Shè Zhèn’s heart sank. He spun sharply, turned around, and burst toward the valley entrance. As he fled, he shouted fiercely at the group of Magi-Inn Valley members gathered at the entrance: “Attack! Kill them all!” "Hearing Xie Zhenli's roar, the two Dou Wang-level warriors stiffened, exchanged a glance, and then gritted their teeth, drawing their weapons. With a low cry, they charged forward, their ranks of black-clad figures surging toward Xiao Yan and the others. 'Step back,' Xiao Yan said calmly, turning to his companions behind him. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yu moved without hesitation, waving her hand and swiftly leading her team to retreat. As Xiao Yu and the others retreated, brilliant silver light surged from the soles of Xiao Yan's feet. His form trembled, and a series of shimmering silhouettes suddenly materialized within the valley. His own figure then blurred into a faint black line, and in the blink of an eye, he appeared directly before one of the Dou Wang warriors. The sudden appearance of Xiao Yan startled the warrior, though he reacted swiftly—without hesitation, he swung his sharp long sword, sending a crisp, piercing gust of wind straight toward Xiao Yan's throat. 'Clang!' Staring at the斗王-level powerhouse who dared to launch an offensive, Xiao Yan's lips curled into a cold smile. He then swung his staff with force, delivering a solid blow that met the long sword—cracking with a clear, resonant sound. The sword snapped like a fragile branch, its powerful force cascading down and fully transferring into the斗王's body. "Pfft!" Blood erupted in a gush, accompanied by the sharp crack of breaking bones. The Magi-Inferno Valley's斗王-level warrior was then launched backward, crashing into the mountain wall with a loud thud, his head bursting open like a watermelon. One move! With just one move, a斗王-level warrior fell. This dramatic scene sent a wave of cold dread rushing up the remaining斗王's spine from his heels to his forehead. Without hesitation, he swiftly raised his back wings of aura, surging upward and then turning to flee. However, as the figure's body had just begun to turn, the temperature around him suddenly surged, and then a streak of emerald flame flashed past, eventually solidifying into a roaring blaze that completely enveloped him. "Ah!" The fleeing Supreme King-level warrior on the sky instantly caught fire, his piercing, desperate cries echoing throughout the valley, sending chills down the spines of the black-robed warriors. The cries lasted only a brief moment before abruptly cutting off, and then a dark, charcoal-like object descended from the heavens, still faintly emitting a smell of burnt residue. As the object landed before the group of several dozen black-robed warriors—warriors renowned for their ruthless precision in combat—each of them involuntarily swallowed hard, their eyes filled with fear as they glanced toward Xiao Yan. Then, without a word, they all turned and fled simultaneously, recognizing that facing such a formidable presence, any attempt to advance would merely result in being sacrificed as expendable foot soldiers. Staring indifferently at the black-robed figures retreating swiftly, an intangible flame emerged before Xiao Yan and then rapidly spread out in invisible ripples. "Boom! Boom!" As the ripples expanded, Xiao Yu and the others were left speechless, watching the black-robed figures suddenly and mysteriously burst into ash, their deep, resonant thuds making their hair stand on end. This strange method of killing—unheard of before—left them utterly astonished. One after another, explosive sounds echoed through the valley. After roughly half a minute, those dozens of fleeing black-robed figures were transformed into dark, ash-like heaps on the ground. As the final black-robed figure burst apart, the intangible fire before Xiao Yan gradually faded, and that strange, invisible ripple dissolved into nothingness. Gazing briefly at the scattered black ashes, Xiao Yan lightly clapped his hands, then flicked his finger to seal the Xuanzhong Chi into his storage relic, before turning to smile gently at Wu Hao and the others, who were wide-eyed in astonishment. With the warm smile on that familiar face, the chill that had enveloped Xiao Yu began to fade. The once silent valley now came alive once more. The lively young women who had narrowly escaped gathered together, exchanging greetings and casting frequent glances toward Xiao Yan, their voices interlaced with soft, tinkling laughter and expressions of curiosity. Clearly, the rising fame of Xiao Yan—the sudden emergence of a great hero—and the many accolades he has earned at the Gan Nan Academy have piqued the interest of these young girls, like flowers in full bloom. "That one has already fled," Lü Hao shook his head, sighing at the bustling chatter around him, then turned to Xiao Yan. When Xiao Yan was blocked by the members of the Mo Yan Valley, Xie Zhen had managed to escape during the commotion. "He won't make it," Xiao Yan smiled, turning to Lü Hao. "Are you all right?" "Thanks to your elixirs, I should recover within a few days," Lü Hao replied with a smile. "Lü Senior, are you all well?" Three figures descended from the sky—Zi Yan had brought Mai Di and Mo Ling down from the valley on a swift flight. Lü Hao shook his head, then turned his gaze to Zi Yan, smiling. "I didn't expect you'd also brought her back—Senior Grand Elder often speaks of her." "Hmph. What's the point of the old man always talking about me?" "They must surely want me to do all the grunt work—hunting herbs all over the mountains for them..." said Zi Yan, rolling her eyes. Hearing this, Wu Hao could only offer a somewhat awkward smile. He naturally knew Zi Yan's standing—he was well aware that she was even a senior of his senior's senior, so he couldn't very well complain about her disapproving glance. "Your current strength... I'd say you've already surpassed the Duke of Battle level, haven't you?" Wu Hao glanced at Xiao Yan, hesitated a moment, then went on. Upon hearing Wu Hao's words, a wave of eyes turned toward Xiao Yan. When Xiao Yan nodded with a smile, several people breathed out in quiet astonishment. Duke of Battle—that was the level they had strived for their entire lives. Yet here was Xiao Yan, at a similar age to them, now achieving it. It was truly impressive and earned them great admiration. Nan Lei and several of her friends gathered together, her water-clear eyes occasionally glancing at Xiao Yan, whose face bore a gentle smile. Undeniably, Xiao Yan now held a considerable charm among the young women, outshining the renowned figures within the academy—there seemed to be no comparison between them at all. As the group conversed softly, a streak of light suddenly flashed from beyond the valley, materializing in the sky. With a delicate gesture, a figure descended and landed heavily before the group, not far from where they stood. The suddenly fallen figure startled many. Upon looking closer, they were astonished to discover that the figure on the ground was none other than Xie Zhen, who had just fled earlier. Yet now, Xie Zhen appeared completely lifeless, his face tinged with an eerie gray-purple hue, as though he had died from poisoning. "Sorry, I originally intended to capture a live specimen, but this fellow has such low toxin resistance—he simply succumbed to the toxic gas overwhelming his heart and lungs..." Gazing at the beautiful, serene face of Xiao Yin, who was smiling gently, Wu Hao wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, then muttered under his breath: Why, every time I meet him, the woman accompanying him is always so strong, and her methods—so decisive and ruthless? Xiao Yin nodded slightly, glanced at the body lying on the ground, then furrowed his brows, turning to Wu Hao and the others, murmuring thoughtfully. "So, what faction or force controls the Magic Flame Valley?"