Amid the dense forest, lush branches stretch out widely, forming a vast web that envelops the entire woodland. Under the shade of these towering trees, even the sunlight from above struggles to filter through, making the forest's illumination appear somewhat dim. A beam of light, about half a foot wide, pierces through the gaps in the dense canopy and falls directly onto a group of figures seated cross-legged in the forest floor. The group numbers approximately fifteen to sixteen, each breathing steadily and deeply—clearly no weaklings. Among them, a few at the center emit a more subtle and elusive aura, making it difficult to gauge their precise strength. Yet, judging by the respectful expressions on the faces of those around them, these central figures clearly hold the highest status. "Boom!" Far in the quiet forest, several deep, resonant sounds suddenly echoed, followed by the sounds of bodies hitting the ground. After approximately a few minutes, several figures darted through the dense foliage and materialized on the open ground, bowing respectfully before the black-robed young man standing at the center: "Master, the ones closer to us have already been eliminated by our hidden forces," they said. As the words reached him, the black-robed youth slowly opened his eyes, revealing dark, ink-black pupils, and nodded slightly with a cold smile. "These people truly know no sense of fate," he remarked. "Master, how long until we reach the Ganan Academy?" "Under normal circumstances, we should arrive by noon tomorrow," replied the elderly man with white hair standing beside the youth, smiling. "Good thing we have a solid number of people with us; otherwise, we'd truly be plagued by these persistent, bothersome flies." The young man in the black robe smiled slightly, slightly lifting his head, revealing a familiar young face under the warm sunlight—none other than Xiao Yan. These people, naturally, were those who had departed from Black Emperor City, members of the Xiao Sect and the Cangnan Academy. It had been nearly two days since the fierce battle that day, and during this period, Xiao Yan and his companions had pushed themselves to the utmost, hurrying toward the Cangnan Academy. Even at this swift pace, there were still an endless number of greedy pursuers trailing behind them, like starving wolves, maintaining a steady distance and ready to strike at the right moment. Though several of these rivals had been eliminated by the strong forces of the Xiao family and the Cangnan Academy, many others continued to arrive, as if drawn by the scent of blood—like vampire bats constantly seeking fresh prey. Regardless of the routes Xiao Yan and his group chose, these pursuers consistently managed to locate them and follow closely. As this pattern repeated itself, Xiao Yan and his companions began to realize that someone behind the scenes was actively driving this momentum, and only a few individuals possessed such influence. Though constantly watched by so many eyes, fortunately, there were still a number of strong contenders from Xiao Men and Gan'an Academy accompanying them. Thus, several matters did not require Xiao's team to personally intervene—otherwise, despite no significant losses, the constant stream of visitors would have left them mentally drained. "Among those who have been following, although some are capable, none have reached the level of Han Feng. Therefore, while it has been somewhat troublesome, it is still manageable," said the young physician beside. "That old man won't give up easily. As for Bodhi's essence, he's also determined to secure it. So..." Xiao Yan shook his head, lightly running his fingers over Na Ji, a strange expression briefly passing through his eyes before fading away. He then turned his gaze to the large man standing by, intently watching the forest's outer movements, and said firmly, "Alright, keep moving. Yao Da, you lead several top fighters from the Xiao Sect to secure the rear. If anyone approaches closely, engage them directly. Should you encounter a truly formidable opponent, retreat first." "Yes, Master!" Hearing Xiao Yan's instructions, Yao Da nodded firmly. After giving his instructions, Xiao Yan exchanged glances with Su Qian and the others, then quickly rose to his feet. With a wave of his hand, a series of figures moved like leopards in a forest, swiftly leaping and darting through the air, heading toward the forest's edge. Behind them, Yao Da led several strong members of the Xiao Sect, advancing steadily with cautious eyes constantly scanning the surroundings. As the journey progressed, the distance between them and the pursuing black-angled domain warriors steadily shortened. The black-angled domain fighters, sensing that the gap between them and the Canaan Academy was closing, grew increasingly restless. If Xiao Yan and his companions reached the Canaan Academy, their chances of securing the prize would be completely lost. Consequently, more and more of them, driven by greed, launched attacks on Xiao Yan's group. Yet, each such assault ended in heavy casualties. In one particularly fierce assault, three Immortal Realm warriors fought together, but despite their efforts, they were forced to leave one behind—two others fled wounded and in disarray. To succeed in capturing anything from the hands of two Immortal Realm cultivators was no easy feat. And after those three Supreme Sovereign-level warriors had been decisively defeated, many greedy individuals finally began to regain their composure. Now, they suddenly realized that among the team they had long coveted, there were actually two genuine Supreme Conqueror-level warriors. Reflecting on the formidable strength and terrifying power of Supreme Conquerors, many felt a wave of cold dread, and began to quietly withdraw. Though somewhat disheveled, many of them still radiated vibrant energy. As long as they endured tonight, they would reach the Canaan Academy tomorrow, and then everything would settle down. Sitting beside the fire, Xiao Yan glanced around at the somewhat weary group, smiled gently, and with a flick of his fingers, several dozen round pills drifted into the air, finally settling before each of them in the midst of everyone's astonishment. "These past few days have been demanding for all of you. Take these pills—they'll be of some benefit," Xiao Yan said lightly. Upon hearing this, the group's eyes brightened with delight, and they quickly reached for the pills, bowing respectfully to Xiao Yan. Knowing his status as a master alchemist, they were certain that whatever he offered would surely be no ordinary thing. Watching as those who had taken the pills immediately settled into meditation and began to practice, Xiao Yan and Su Qian, the Young Healer exchanged a glance, both of them smiling. "Tomorrow, we'll be returning to the Gan'an Academy..." Xiao Yan gently stroked his Naiji, murmuring softly. "These past few days have truly been taxing. My old bones are starting to feel the strain..." Su Qian stretched, smiling. "I've been quite indebted to the Senior Elder these past few days." Xiao Yan bowed slightly to Su Qian, who merely waved his robe indifferently, his eyes half-closed, drifting into a light doze. "You take care of them for now. I'll find a quiet spot to refine the new scale technique I've recently acquired." After a while, Xiao Yan suddenly turned to the Young Healer and gave her a brief instruction before rising and heading toward the forest's edge. After walking a distance through the dim forest, a clear, flowing stream appeared before them. Xiao Yan moved swiftly and landed on a large boulder beside the stream, scanning the surroundings before slowly settling into a meditative posture. With a gentle gesture, the scroll of the Liù Hé Yóu Shēn Chǐ he had acquired at the auction materialized in his hands. Taking a deep breath of the cool air, Xiao Yan slowly unfurled the scroll, and his spirit gradually stabilized. Beside the stream, aside from the soft murmur of the flowing water, there was no other sound. The cool moonlight poured down from the sky, fully enveloping the black-robed young man on the boulder. Xiao Yan's spirit seemed to have completely immersed itself within the scroll, automatically filtering out all external sounds and movements. As the night wore on, after maintaining this posture for nearly an hour, a strange glow suddenly flashed from his fingers' jade talisman. Then, without warning, a jade box burst forth from within! The jade box, once freed, was enveloped in a slightly ethereal energy. As it emerged, this energy subtly pulsed and writhed, and within just one breath, it solidified into an elderly figure. "Ha ha, Master Xiao, thank you for your kind escort. I shall now be off!" The slightly translucent elderly figure immediately chuckled at Xiao Yan, who was seated upon the massive stone, then moved without pause—vanishing in a flash, grasping the jade box and shooting swiftly into the dark forest. The elderly figure moved with extraordinary speed, his fleeting form mere steps from the forest in a few swift glances. Yet, as he was about to surge into the woods, a faint, eerie laugh suddenly rose from behind him. "Old Master of Eagle Mountain, you've finally given in, haven't you?" Hearing those words, the elderly figure instantly stiffened!