Feeling the steadily spreading cold menace emanating from the ancient earth-mage, Su Qian's expression subtly shifted. It seems this immortal old fellow has decided to act—despite the risk of the headmaster returning later today. "Be careful." "Leaning slightly to the side, Su Qian spoke firmly to Xiao Yan. The Earth Demon elder's strength was truly incalculable—even with the aid of Xiao Yi, it would still be difficult to match him. After all, within the Douzong tier, even the slightest difference between stars represents a significant gap. To challenge him at a higher level is no easy feat. Though Su Qian was well aware of Xiao Yan's powerful Dou Techniques, these might impress or intimidate ordinary Douzong-level warriors, but the Earth Demon elder remained untouched by them. Thus, this battle today truly looked unpredictable. Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his hand lingering gently on his chest. Then, a determined glint passed through his eyes. If this immortal stubbornly refused to yield, he would have no choice but to present this special preparation to him. 'Considering our past acquaintance with Bang Tianchi, I will not intervene with my magi from Magu Valley. The students of the Academy and the elders of the Inner Court—so long as they don't interfere unnecessarily, I shall spare their lives. But Xiao Yan's life, however, must be taken.'" The Earth Demon elder slowly scanned his gaze over the numerous senior monks behind Su Qian and the dense crowd of students below the plaza, speaking in a calm tone. Hearing the Earth Demon elder's words, Su Qian silently breathed a sigh of relief. He had been most concerned about these students—while their abilities could hardly compare to those of the powerful figures from the Magic Flame Valley, a full-blown battle would likely result in heavy casualties. Of course, he understood that the Earth Demon elder's sense of justice stemmed primarily from the Head Administrator's influence. He knew well that should the elder dare to act against these young students in such a setting, the Head Administrator would undoubtedly be furious upon hearing of it—and once that happened, Su Qian himself would certainly not be able to stand up against the Head Administrator. After speaking these words, the Earth Demon Elder no longer paid any attention to Su Qian, his gloomy gaze shifting to Xiao Yan. He then stepped slowly through the void, his composed voice echoing across the sky: "I've heard you, this young lad, have been able to match some Daoist Conclave masters with merely your Daoist Emperor-level strength. Very well—then you and your companion shall fight together. Otherwise, others might say I've given you not a single chance." The Earth Demon Elder's tone carried both arrogance and vigor, and indeed, with his own strength, such pride was well-earned. In the current Black Thorns Domain, it was truly no easy task to find someone of comparable strength. The elder masters of his generation had either perished or had already left the domain. Among the younger generation, the very top were figures like Mo Tianxing, yet even their strength still fell short of the Earth Demon Elder's. At the sight of the Earth Demon elder's actions, Su Qian's expression slightly darkened. Yet as he was about to move, the figure before him suddenly materialized in an eerie flash, and Han Feng's cheerful voice rang out: "Su Qian, Senior Elder, your opponent is me—so why not stay out of others' affairs?" Gazing at Han Feng now standing a little distance away, Su Qian's face settled into a cold smile. "Han Feng," he said, "when the Headmaster returns, I'll thoroughly explain this matter to him. Then, I'll see who will still be able to protect you!" Hearing Su Qian mention the headmaster, Han Feng’s expression also grew slightly uneasy—clearly, he too held a certain respect and apprehension for the legendary headmaster. Yet this unease lasted only briefly before he concealed it. Now that he had already incurred a rift with the Gan'an Academy, further words would serve no purpose. Moreover, with the continent of Qi Gong so vast, even if Ma Tian Chi were a Supreme Sovereign-level master, it would be impossible for him to locate Han Feng should he so choose. At that moment, Han Feng chuckled awkwardly, saying, “Su Qian, Senior Elder, there’s no need for you to keep reminding me—Ma Tian Chi hasn’t returned in over a decade. Who knows if he’s even still alive?” As soon as he finished speaking, Su Qian’s expression grew even more somber, and the numerous internal academy elders behind him also glared with blazing anger, each one fixing the senior elder with a fierce gaze—seeming as though they were already planning to mount a collective assault. "If you don't want the battle to escalate and involve the trainees, I suggest you all stay calm. Otherwise, the strong warriors from Mo Yan Valley aren't exactly easy prey." Seeing the determined expressions of the internal hall elders, Han Feng showed no fear, pointing at the group of Mo Yan Valley figures nearby who radiated fierce energy, and coldly chuckled. Su Qian raised his hand, calming the elders who were agitated behind him, and said softly, "Just keep an eye on those people. I won't be concerned about them. Should anything go wrong with Xiao Xin's side, you'll step in." "Understood!" After a brief hesitation, the internal hall elders responded respectfully. "Heh, Su Qian Elder truly knows when to act and how to prioritize the overall situation," Han Feng remarked with a smile. As for Han Feng's words, Su Qian paid them no heed, slowly advancing with a calm, even tone: "Last time we couldn't decide a winner. Today, let me see just how far you've come—this former traitor who betrayed the Master of Herbs, transformed into this half-human, half-goblin state by the Hall of Souls. How strong has he truly become?" With the final syllable settling, Su Qian's foot planted firmly upon the void, then slammed down hard. Instantly, a powerful, surging aura erupted from within him, flooding out in all directions, causing subtle distortions in the very space around him. Feeling the overwhelming, celestial pressure pressing down upon him, Han Feng's eyes grew steadily darker, a quiet, ominous smile spreading across his face. "Don't worry," he said, "I'm certain I won't let you down." As he spoke, he swept his sleeve aside, releasing an aura no weaker than Su Qian's, which immediately countered and held the former's force in place. The aura of two Douzong-level cultivators clashed against each other in the sky, and the numerous students on the ground beneath felt the pressing weight of that power seeping down from above, each of them involuntarily growing startled and tense. This was indeed the might of Douzong cultivators—merely the outpouring of their aura caused a stagnation in their internal Qi flow. If they had to face them head-on, would they not be completely immobilized? The young physician's face grew slightly cold. With delicate, pale hands, she slowly extended them from within her white robe, gently clasping her slender fingers. A thick surge of gray qi immediately poured forth from her body, spreading everywhere. Her slightly unusual gray-purple eyes glanced at the old earth demon, then turned to Xiao Yan, speaking softly, "I'll take the lead. Your current strength is far from his. If you're struck, you'll surely suffer damage." Xiao Yan shook his head, exhaled gently, and said, "Let's go together. You're not his match either. Don't worry—I've got my own defenses. You don't need to be distracted." As he spoke, he suddenly turned to his back, addressing Zi Yan, "Don't intervene this time. This opponent is different from previous ones. Understand?" Initially eager to step in, Zi Yan's expression fell upon hearing Xiao Yan's words. Yet seeing the seriousness in his comrade's face, she realized further words would be futile and merely nodded silently. Seeing Xiao Yan's determination, Xiao Yishen said little more. She wasn't naturally a talkative woman, and since Xiao Yan had insisted—given his nature, he wasn't deliberately showing off. With a slightly slender, pale chin giving a subtle nod, she gently flicked her long fingers, and her nails instantly extended half a span, a rich gray-purple hue quietly swirling around them, with a subtle fragrance lingering in the air. Gazing at the swift, sudden gray energy surge aimed at him, the Earth Demon elder merely snorted, making no visible movement. A surge of deep, black, cold energy erupted from within him. As soon as the gray energy touched this black chill, it instantly froze, then transformed into a block of ice about a foot long, shattering into a pile of fragments with a crisp crack. "I didn't expect you to be such a master of cold attacks—quite underestimated you!" With his dry, bony hands, he plucked a fine gray ice flake, gently rubbed it between his fingers, and was momentarily surprised. "There's still so much you haven't discovered!" A clear, cool voice rang out, and a white figure materialized like a ghost before the Earth Demon elder. Her gray-purple fingernails, sharp with cold brilliance, slashed diagonally, tearing through the air with a sharp hiss, cutting straight toward his throat. "Squeak!" The sharp fingernails flashed past, yet as they just touched the spreading black cold aura surrounding the elder earth demon, the latter suddenly froze. In a single blink, a black ice slab the size of half a mu appeared before him, and the small healer's sharp fingernails, having penetrated halfway, could no longer advance further. "The lad with a sharp tongue and keen wit—I have long held you in deep disfavor. Therefore, I shall settle you first!"