The sudden turn of events immediately altered the atmosphere on the scene. Hong Mu and Hong Li exchanged cautious glances around, then spoke firmly, "Esteemed friend, this matter concerns the Hong and Han families. We kindly ask you to give us the benefit of the doubt." As Hong Li and his companions scanned the surroundings, the Han Chong party also hurried to look around. By now, they began to sense something was amiss. If their first encounter with assistance had been mere good fortune, they could still attribute it to that. But this second time, when help arrived at the very moment of need—how could that be explained? Unlike the Han Chong group's astonishment, Han Xue fixed her gaze steadily on the section of the carriage. As a woman, she was particularly attentive to details. She was certain that the voice she had just heard bore a striking resemblance to Xiao Yan's—seven out of ten. "Creak…" As both parties murmured in quiet surprise, a subtle creaking sound slowly emerged, drawing everyone's gaze. There, a young man in simple cotton robes was making his way down the path. "Xiao Yan?" Upon seeing Xiao Yan appear, Han Chong and the others were momentarily taken aback, then suddenly grasped the significance, their eyes filling with astonishment and disbelief. With a gesture of his hands, Xiao Yan sighed in resignation, stepped forward, and finally stopped beside Han Xue, gazing into her intense, glowing eyes, and couldn't help but smile faintly. "Are you all right?" "It's really you!" Han Xue kept her gaze fixed on Xiao Yan, her face suddenly brightening with a sly expression as she spoke in clear, deliberate tones. "Women's intuition truly is remarkable," Xiao Yan murmured, somewhat exasperated. "To recover so remarkably from such severe injuries and remain active just within a few days—this is no ordinary feat." Han Xue smiled lightly. “Xiao… Xiao Yan’s brother… You—you are that mysterious strong one?” Hearing the conversation between the two, the others beside them, Han Chong and the rest, gradually widened their eyes, stammering, “We never thought that the mysterious strong one we’ve often spoken of these days would actually be right beside us all this time. Watching the astonishment in everyone’s eyes, Xiao Yan nodded slightly and then waved his hand, saying, “Let’s first settle the troubles here.” Upon hearing this, the others nodded in agreement and turned their gaze toward Hong Li and the others. But now, instead of the previous sense of fearless determination, they had begun to gain confidence—after witnessing Xiao Yan’s previous performance, they now had a better understanding of his strength. “Who might you be? Your face is rather unfamiliar. I’d guess this is your first visit to Tianbei City?” Hong Mu stopped Hong Li’s stern expression and fixed his gaze on Xiao Yan, speaking in a calm, steady tone. "Take them away. For now, I need to protect these people here." Xiao Yan's gaze swept over Hong Mu, his voice remaining as calm and unbothered as ever. "Are you truly determined to offend the Hong family?" Hearing this, Hong Mu's face slightly trembled, and a hint of coldness crept into his voice. "At least with you two, you don't yet have the standing to remove anyone from my presence." Xiao Yan smiled, his words carrying an unshakable pride—pride born from his confidence in his own strength. "You arrogant youngster! If it weren't for your advantage of surprise attack, how could you have repelled me? Moreover, we have two people here!" Xiao Yan's demeanor stirred a sudden surge of anger in Hong Li, who, in his fury, could only laugh bitterly. "Come with me..." Shaking his head, Xiao Yan paid no further attention to these two quiet, unassuming figures, turning instead to speak softly to Han Xue and the others. Upon hearing this, Han Xue was momentarily stunned. As she stood still, Xiao Yan had already begun to walk steadily, advancing with measured steps. Gazing at the slender figure in plain hemp robes, Han Xue suddenly felt an unexpected sense of confidence and security welling up within her. With her teeth clenched and her jade hands raised, she lightly commanded, "Keep pace!" The convoy moved slowly, following Xiao Yan with a quiet, eerie stillness. Everyone around the convoy, as well as Han Xue herself, felt a subtle dampness on their palms—now, all they could rely on was that slender figure ahead of them. Hong Mu watched Xiao Yan approaching steadily, along with the Han family convoy trailing behind, his expression darkened with growing resentment. Though he found it difficult to clearly gauge Xiao Yan's true strength, the way he had repelled Hong Li earlier suggested that Xiao Yan was likely a Divinity Realm master, possibly even on par with or exceeding their own level. Compared to the somber Hong Mu, Hong Li, who had a slightly more impetuous temperament, now looked exceptionally displeased. Xiao Yan's actions seemed to completely disregard them—such an arrogant young man was indeed something they had never seen before in all these years. Gradually tightening his fists, emitting a continuous series of creaking sounds, finally, a fierce glare flashed across his eyes, and he roared, "Kill!" Upon hearing Hong Li's command, the numerous figures in the rear surged into a unified roar, gripping their weapons tightly and radiating an unyielding, dense aura of combat, charging straight toward the convoy. As the attack unfolded, Han Chong and the others' faces also tightened slightly, gripping their weapons firmly. Yet, just as they prepared to engage, Xiao Yan slowly halted his advance, then gently extended his hand and clasped it firmly. As the palm clenched, an intangible ripple spread swiftly outward. The numerous figures charging in with fierce combat energy suddenly halted, their bodies instantly turning a deep crimson. Moments later, they erupted in a gush of blood, collapsing in a manner eerily reminiscent of wheat being cut down. The blood that splattered to the ground immediately hissed and rapidly vaporized into mist, vanishing completely. As the voices had just broken the air, Hong Mu and Hong Li moved simultaneously, transforming into two streaks of red. A mighty, unreserved surge of combat aura erupted from within them, carving deep gullies across the ground wherever it passed. The combined presence of these two Supreme Emperor-level warriors pressed down upon them like a downpour, making Han Xue and the others feel as though their breath had momentarily stalled. Yet before them, the young man dressed in simple linen robes continued to advance without pause. "Good fusion of Qi, yet fire... doesn't work on me." Gazing at the surging, roaring flame that surged toward him like a furious dragon, Xiao Yan's steps finally halted. He extended his hand, and suddenly, a vibrant emerald flame erupted—snaking out like a fire serpent! "Ssshh!" The two attacks collided with tremendous force, yet the seemingly massive wave of scorching flame faltered instantly, as if drenched in a downpour, while the slender, arm-thick emerald flame swiftly engulfed and consumed it within just a few spirals. With effortless ease, Xiao Yan swept his sleeve, transforming the emerald flame into a streak of lightning that shot forth. Then, with a flick of his tail, the flame trailed behind, casting a series of shimmering afterimages that struck the two opponents—completely unable to dodge—directly in the chest. "Thud! Thud!" The deep impacts sent both figures reeling backward. Gazing at the two figures of Hong Li and Hong Mu, whose swift retreating steps were leaving deep impressions on the ground, Han Chong and the others instantly gasped. Han Xue's eyes sparkled with admiration—though her talent within the Han family was only slightly inferior to that of her elder sister, it now seemed vastly outshone by the young man before them. Though their ages appeared comparable, even seasoned elders from the Hong family, such as Hong Li and Hong Mu—renowned in the northern city—had been defeated so decisively. This level of talent and accomplishment likely rivaled even that of Hong Chen, the family's foremost prodigy. Hearing Hong Mu's shout, Hong Li's face flashed a streak of resentment before he could only nod. Instantly, his dual aura wings emerged behind him, taking the form of two blurred figures who shot backward in a desperate retreat. "Once the battle has begun, we can't simply leave so easily..." Observing the two retreating figures, Xiao Yan shook his head. Suddenly, an intangible flame appeared before him, then rippled outward in a wave of energy. "Pfft!" Intrusive waves of energy surged like lightning, pursuing the two fleeing figures. Instantly, Hu and Long's bodies froze, and a surge of hot blood erupted directly from their mouths. Before they could escape, a figure materialized ghost-like behind them, extending a finger and sending a gust of force forth—their vision suddenly darkened. This sudden turn of events unfolded as swiftly as a flash of lightning. Han Xue and the others barely registered a flicker before their eyes, and when they regained their composure, the two figures had already been thrown down, lying lifeless at their feet. A quiet voice then echoed softly.