The sudden development in the sky left everyone stunned. One after another, their gazes fell upon Han Feng, whose hand was slowly withdrawing from Xuan Huafu's body, then settled on the fierce, grim smile spreading across his face—each of them felt a sudden chill. This man... was truly ruthless. He had no hesitation at all, even when it came to his own companions. Han Feng's resolute and ruthless tactics had intimidated many, yet simultaneously deepened resistance among others—among them was the elder from E Mountain. Though not particularly outstanding himself, the elder had never been willing to act against his companions, let alone do something so dishonorable. Now that Han Feng could strike the Xuan Protector with complete ease and without hesitation, the next time he might well act against him with equal confidence and without any sense of burden. Han Feng was unaware of the thoughts swirling within the hearts of the others. At this very moment, having unexpectedly slain the Xuan Protector, the latter's soul, deprived of conscious guidance, was gradually becoming more ethereal and translucent. With a cold, greedy smile, Han Feng glanced at the soul before him, now fading into a mere haze. As he opened his mouth, black mist coalesced within, forming an eerie vortex of swirling darkness. With a surge of powerful suction, it instantly drew Xuan's soul whole and consumed it into his body. A thick, almost impenetrable black mist continuously surged forth from Han Feng's body. As his aura intensified, his physical form noticeably expanded by two circles. Even energy bubbles formed from his inner power constantly rolled and surged across his skin, swelling up into unsightly blisters that made the surface of his body unendurable. Clearly, after absorbing Xuan's spiritual essence, Han Feng had gained an immensely powerful spiritual force—so strong that even he found it difficult to fully control, resulting in this outward overflow of energy manifesting as such bubbles. From the moment he suddenly dispatched Xuan, the guardian, through to the subsequent absorption of his soul, Han Feng exhibited no hesitation at all; his actions flowed seamlessly, like water flowing in the sky. Thus, when the others regained their composure, they were struck by the overwhelming aura emanating from Han Feng. This aura was so potent that even Xiao Yi, the Young Healer, could not match it. According to estimation, Han Feng's current strength had now reached the peak of a five-star Dao Sect master, surpassing Xiao Yi in power. Feeling the aura radiating from Han Feng's body, Xiao Yan's brows slightly furrowed. This unpleasant scene of soul absorption—he had witnessed it before. It seemed that most members of the Soul Palace were well-versed in this revolting technique, relying on absorbing their companions' souls to bolster their own strength. Though it would come with significant long-term drawbacks, it at least granted them a period of temporarily enhanced power. A slight pause, and the young physician softly said, "We'll do our best. The opponents I've encountered lately are all strong. If we can't unravel the seal, things will be quite challenging." Hearing this, Xiao Yan sighed with a wry smile and said, "I originally brought you along to help manage your toxic body, but now it seems I've only made the situation more urgent—bringing you closer and closer to the moment when the toxicity fully erupts. What if something unexpected happens suddenly and something goes wrong? How could I possibly feel at ease then?" The young physician smiled gently and replied, "Though these past days have been thrilling, they've been far more enjoyable than when I lived alone in Chuyun Empire. So if anything truly goes wrong, it will simply be my bad luck—not your fault at all." "Do you really think I'd feel that way?" Xiao Yan shook his head in resignation. The young physician pressed her lips together, her long lashes fluttered, then chuckled softly, "I don't think so." "Has the romantic banter finally ended?" "If it's all over, then prepare to die." A voice cold and charged with unmatched resolve suddenly broke in, interrupting the conversation between Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi. Both turned to see Han Feng floating in the sky, his body shrouded in black mist. Now, Han Feng seemed to have gradually absorbed the spiritual essence of Xuan Fuzheng, enabling a remarkable leap in his strength within a short span of time. As he felt the powerful energy coursing through his body, the initial hesitation he had held toward Xiao Yi vanished, replaced instead by an unyielding, ever-present cold resolve. Han Feng floated in the heavens, appearing like a demon emerging from the depths of hell, sinister and cold, against the vast expanse of surrounding black mist. Xiao Yi, the Young Healer, moved gracefully through the void, taking several steady steps forward. Vast streams of gray martial energy surged forth from her body, roaring like a flood, swirling around her. A faint, lingering scent of blood and decay emerged, subtly hinting at the intense corrosive power within the toxic martial energy, which carried a distinct, unusual tanginess through the air. Seeing the two unusual flames surrounding Xiao Yan, Han Feng instantly understood his intentions. With a cold exhalation, his voice resonated with the powerful aura of his qi, spreading rapidly like a tangible force, causing subtle tremors in the space along its path. The young physician, with her gray and purple eyes reflecting a touch of cold composure, lifted her slender hand, and the surging gray qi swirling around her surged forward, forming a vast, shimmering qi barrier before her. The wave of sound reached its peak and crashed against the qi barrier with a thunderous roar, sending ripples rippling across its surface. "Shhh!" The sound wave struck the barrier with force, yet failed to shatter it—this was merely Han Feng's casual test. As soon as he released his first strike, he clenched his hands again, swiftly gathering the black mist around him, which then solidified into a towering black mist blade, stretching ten zhang in length. Lamenting cries of agony echoed continuously from the blade, and faint traces of souls seemed to weave through its surface. "Go." In his gaze, a cold determination shone. Han Feng curled his fingers and emitted a sharp command. Instantly, the massive black mist sword trembled slightly, gradually becoming more ethereal... Observing this strange sword, Xiao Yishen's eyes flickered with a sense of gravity. She could clearly sense the formidable energy contained within the blade—where combat aura and spiritual power intertwined, the resulting force far surpassed ordinary combat energy. Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yishen swiftly formed a series of hand seals, and then a cascade of deep gray combat energy surged forth from her body, like a fountain. "Sky-Eclipsing Rain!" Qi surged upward, swiftly coalescing into a gray cloud. Then, countless deep gray liquid raindrops poured down in overwhelming abundance. Though these liquid droplets appeared powerless, keen-eyed observers could discern, at the very instant the raindrops sliced through space, an exceptionally faint black trace emerged—clearly etched upon the otherwise empty void. These raindrops, imbued with potent toxicity, did not fall to the ground. As they approached a certain distance, they gradually dissipated, transforming into a fine mist of poison that rose gently, seeping into the gray cloud before re-forming into raindrops and descending once more—this cycle repeating endlessly, without end. And as the immense black longsword just materialized, countless raindrops around it seemed drawn to it, pouring down in overwhelming numbers. As these droplets adhered to the sword's surface, the black mist upon it gradually lightened with a series of hissing sounds, and its movement slowed significantly, as though sinking deep into a mud bog. As the spiritual power within Han Feng surged, the black mist sword also trembled violently, and then a strange sonic wave erupted suddenly from within it... Upon reaching her ears, the young physician's body subtly trembled, and a sharp pain radiated through her soul. Feeling this pain transmitted through her soul, her face paled—this black mist sword could directly attack her soul? With her soul wounded, a moment of emptiness appeared in her gray-purple eyes, while the black mist sword seized upon this vulnerability, transforming into a streak of black lightning that broke free from the rain curtain, carrying a fierce gust of energy and striking fiercely at the vital spot of her throat.