The otherwise relaxed hall instantly grew tense following a single sentence from Xiao Li. Everyone present was well-acquainted with the Black Angle Domain, and thus clearly understood just how formidable the ancient earth demon elder was. "Honestly, we underestimated Han Feng quite a bit. If only we had kept him back back then..." Xiao Yan's eyes darkened slightly as he spoke, his tone steady. "Even if Han Feng doesn't personally report it, the matter will inevitably reach the earth demon elder's ears. He's always fiercely protective of his own. With all three senior elders of the Magic Flame Valley now fallen at your hands, he'll surely be furious upon learning the news." Su Qian shook his head, his expression also showing a touch of seriousness—clearly, the ancient earth demon elder had exerted considerable pressure on him. "Senior Elder, what should we do now? Given the elder's notoriously vindictive nature, he's certain to turn his anger toward Canaan Academy. Once that happens, we're likely to face yet another significant challenge," said one of the internal hall elders, his voice grave. "The Magi Valley and our Gan Shan Academy have long been at odds. As the founder of the Magi Valley, the old earth-mage must certainly be aware of the friction between us, yet he has never stepped in to mediate—clearly, he has been deliberately allowing things to unfold. Moreover, with the recent deaths of the three members of the Fang family, it seems he may now truly intend to make a serious move..." Another elder solemnly analyzed. Su Qian nodded, a cold smile playing on his weathered face, saying, "This old man truly thinks that as long as the headmaster isn't here, he can look down upon our Gan Shan Academy. If he truly intends to take action, then so be it—our Gan Shan Academy will stand by. I simply don't believe he dares to completely destroy us." "Hmph. Under the headmaster's leadership, this old fellow used to act like a turtle—always timid and never daring to challenge us. Now, he's taking advantage of this very moment to show off his strength. What a base fellow!" one elder disdainfully remarked. "From this moment on, the Canaan Academy goes on high alert. Xiao Li, dispatch additional spies to monitor the Magic Flame Valley. As soon as anything happens, report immediately. Since the Earth Demon old man won't rest content, I'll make sure to let him know—despite the Headmaster's absence, here at Canaan Academy, he shall not dare to act with arrogance!" Su Qian spoke with a low, firm voice. Xiao Yan nodded. The matter had entirely stemmed from him, so he naturally couldn't avoid any blame. As for the young physician by his side, she followed Xiao Yan without hesitation—despite facing an established powerhouse from Black Horn Domain, she would never waver in battle. Her厄难毒体, nurtured from birth, had proven resilient against countless challenges. Looking at Su Qian's pale, stern face, a quiet stillness settled throughout the hall. Xiao Yan and Xiao Li exchanged glances, their brows heavy with seriousness—clearly, this would indeed be a difficult battle. After all, that Earth Demon elder was at least a Six-Star or Seven-Star Conclave master. In truth, such strength was, without a doubt, the strongest opponent Xiao Yan had faced in all these years… Of course, the defensive measures have also been strengthened in the outer regions of the Canaan Academy and its surrounding areas. The academy's law enforcement forces have deployed en masse, establishing a well-organized defensive perimeter. Any black-angled domain representative who dares to intrude without permission will be met with the harshest penalties. Under such decisive actions by the Canaan Academy, even many of the major powers within the black-angled domain have been stirred. Some well-informed individuals, recalling the recent contest over the Bodhi Body Fluids and the recent developments in the Magi Fire Valley, now seem to have grasped the significance of what's unfolding. They are all struck with awe—has it finally come to pass that the venerable old creature, who had not appeared in the black-angled domain for many years, is now determined to launch a direct campaign against the Canaan Academy? Magyin Valley and the Canaan Academy are both well-established, long-standing powers within the Black Angle Region. Should these two forces truly engage in a major conflict, it would undoubtedly be a seismic event for the region—sending ripples of anticipation throughout the entire Black Angle Domain, as if a storm were gathering on the horizon. Everyone is wondering: as two equally seasoned powers, which one will emerge victorious when they face off head-on? Of course, those within the Black Angle Region who are well-informed know that the dean of Canaan Academy is a super-strong combatant at the Battle Sovereign level. Had this key figure remained at Canaan Academy, the Magyin Valley likely would not have dared to mobilize so extensively. Yet, sadly, the enigmatic dean of Canaan Academy has been absent for many years now. Who knows—what is his current status: alive, or gone? And with such a top-tier powerhouse defending the Canaan Academy, how could it withstand the formidable presence of the founder of the Magic Flame Valley—the Earth Dragon Elder? Six-star or seven-star Douzong强者固然令人畏惧，但萧炎也并非毫无抵御之力；若真惹得火起，拼尽全力将三种异火彻底融合，也足以让那地魔老鬼吃不了兜着走。怀着这样的心态，这几日萧炎倒未显出丝毫忧虑，偶尔前往磐门，当着众多磐门炼药师的面亲手炼制丹药，稍加指点，每每博得满堂喝彩，使他在磐门成员心中的地位，从当初的神秘不可触及，逐渐变得亲近起来。闲暇之时，他常在内院的药材库或修炼室中待上一阵。在萧炎这般沉稳的心境下，修炼效果颇为理想，数次修炼后，隐隐已觉自身境界有进阶之感。看来，只要给予他一个契机，突破至五星Douhuang，应是水到渠成之事。 As for replenishing the Heart Flame within the Heavenly Incineration Qi Tower, that has been postponed for some time. Now, with the great battle looming, maintaining peak condition is paramount. Should we act now, it would inevitably entail considerable strain on Xiao Yan—something decidedly unfavorable for the approaching confrontation... Xiao Yan sat on a raised platform, with Xiao Yi Xian and Zi Yan and a few others also seated beside him. The matches held on the lower plaza were not organized by the Inner Academy but had spontaneously emerged among the students. Since Xiao Yan had appeared frequently at the Inner Academy recently, he had been invited to join as a spectator. He didn't feel any reluctance—on the contrary, he found the experience somewhat interesting. Though he had participated in numerous match bouts, this was the first time he had sat on the judges' platform, so he gladly accepted the students' heartfelt invitation. Holding his teacup, Xiao Yan leaned against the chair, smiling as he watched the intense battle unfolding in the arena. After a moment, once a student had emerged victorious, he slowly stood up. Yet just as he was about to declare the winner, his expression suddenly changed, and he sharply lifted his gaze toward the east—where a large group of exceptionally powerful presences had suddenly materialized, and beneath them, a particularly formidable aura, subtly yet distinctly unsettling, seemed to pulse faintly. Hearing the thunderous roar that sent people dazed and disoriented, Xiao Yan's eyes gradually softened slightly, and the fist clenched tightly within his sleeve. "Finally... has it come?"