In a neat guest room in the back of the Han family compound, after sending Han Xue away and closing the door, Xiao Yan exhaled in relief. Honestly, he hadn't wanted to get involved in the matter between the Han and Hong families—except for Han Xue and Han Yue. Of course, this wasn't because of the two girls themselves; though both were truly exceptional women, Xiao Yan wasn't one who was overly romantic or eager to pursue romantic feelings. "I took a brief look at Hong Chen today, and his strength is indeed outstanding. Though he's somewhat arrogant, as they described, he truly has the qualifications and grounds for such a bold demeanor," Xiao Yan said, settling onto the bed beside it and sitting cross-legged, his expression thoughtful. The Han family's strength must surely exceed what was evident in the hall earlier. According to Xiao Yan's assessment, several elder masters were likely still operating behind the scenes—after all, the Han family's ability to stand equal to the Hong family in Tianbei City was no mere coincidence; it was impossible that no Dou-Zong-level masters were involved. Of those present earlier, only Han Chi had barely made the threshold of Dou-Zong rank; the rest had not yet reached that level. Given that the Han family was already so strong, the Hong family—whose standing was even greater—was indeed rather unfortunate to have come to the Central Plains and immediately clashed with such established power. "Today I observe Hong Chen, and I suspect his strength is also at the Seven-Star Battle Sovereign level, comparable to mine. To be honest, his cultivation potential is indeed remarkable." Xiao Yan murmured. Though his own talent was excellent, it had been forged through solitary perseverance. Hong Chen, on the other hand, enjoyed the full backing of his family and the dedicated attention and cultivation from Fenglei Pavilion. It was only natural that his achievements were on par with his own. After all, the Central Plains continent is brimming with talented individuals, and there will surely be many more to encounter in the future. Though Hong Chen's achievements did surprise Xiao Yan, that was about all. With his current combat prowess, few peers at the same level could surpass him. Over a dozen peak Emperor-tier warriors had fallen to Xiao Yan's hands, and even several Emperor-tier cultivators had been added to his list of the deceased. As for a Seven-Star Emperor-tier warrior—well, that was even more remarkable. Xiao Yan's face was slightly serious. The Dan Conference was the most prestigious and elite gathering among the cultivation continent's alchemy competitions—its scale surpassed any other, and it could truly be said to represent the pinnacle of excellence and competition within the alchemy realm. Facing such a high-caliber event, even Xiao Yan, though now a Sixth-Rank Alchemist, had to approach it with great caution. Simply holding that rank was far from sufficient; merely aiming to enter the top ten would undoubtedly prove challenging. The Three-Thousand-Yan-Flame was a particularly compelling incentive—once successfully absorbed after surpassing the Douzong level, it would grant Xiao Yan the strength to stand a real chance against even the legendary Douzun cultivators. Therefore, to secure that qualification, Xiao Yan had no choice but to make it into the top ten. Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan also tightened his fists. He was equally enthusiastic about the most grandiose gathering in the realm of alchemy. It was said that his teacher had once risen to prominence from this very event, eventually becoming a renowned Alchemical Master famed across the continent. As a disciple of the Elder of Alchemy, Xiao Yan naturally didn't want to fall short of his teacher's distinguished reputation. Suppressing numerous thoughts in his mind, Xiao Yan suddenly touched the white storage ring with his fingers, his brows furrowing slightly. Since the Heavenly Fire Master absorbed the soul power of the ferocious spirit, he has remained in a deep slumber. Should this former Du Zun powerhouse awaken, it would undoubtedly prove beneficial to Xiao Yan. Yet, unfortunately, Xiao Yan dared not use any external force to rouse him—fearful that such disturbance might disrupt the current state of his slumber. At this moment, Han Feng, having endured such prolonged scorching of inner fire, was extremely weary. The heart inflammation could directly injure the soul, and the deep-seated, radiating pain that spread from within—the very essence of a soul being—was an unbearable torment. "Have you enjoyed it enough?" Xiao Yan glanced at Han Feng, whose body now appeared ethereal, and said calmly. Upon hearing Xiao Yan's voice, Han Feng's body shuddered violently, and the fierce, resentful gaze he directed at Xiao Yan now carried an added note of fear. For this entire period, under the relentless heat of the inner fire, he had suffered more than death. "What do you want from me? Simply kill me!" Han Feng's voice was weak, nearly fading away. "Tell me the location where the Soul Palace holds your teacher." Xiao Yan spoke with a cold, composed tone. "Hah! You want to save that old man? Really believe that the Soul Palace is accessible to everyone?" Han Feng couldn't help but chuckle coldly. "Ah!" As the cold laugh settled, Xiao Yan merely raised his hand expressionlessly, and the surrounding Shenguo Xin Yan instantly contracted sharply, finally adhering to Han Feng's body, emitting阵阵 white mist and piercing cries. "It seems you haven't fully enjoyed yourself yet. Then, how about another six months of enjoyment?" Xiao Yan's voice remained calm, neither showing excitement nor displeasure. With a simple gesture, the Shenguo Xin Yan surged forward, intent on drawing Han Feng back into the jade vial. "No, no! Wait! I'm saying!" Seeing Xiao Yan prepare to encase him once again in the vial, Han Feng quickly stifled his burning pain and cried out sharply. Xiao Yan paused his hand, and the fading Heart Flame slowly dispersed. He glanced at Han Feng and said softly, "You still have one chance. I have plenty of time—I might summon you again in six months, or perhaps a year. I hope you won't vanish entirely under the intense heat of this Heart Flame..." Hearing this, Han Feng's ethereal form trembled violently, a flicker of fear passing through his eyes. After a moment, he finally bit his lip and said, "I'll tell you where Yao Chen is being held—will you let me go?" "You have no room to negotiate," Xiao Yan's expression grew cold, and the fading Heart Flame surrounding Han Feng surged inward once more. "Stop, stop—I'll tell you!" Seeing this, Han Feng's fear deepened, and he hurried, "There is a branch hall of the Spirit Palace located in Ming City, in the central and western regions of Zhongzhou. Yao Chen is being held there." "Zhongzhou, Xiyu... Ming City..." Slowly reciting these names, Xiao Yan's heart stirred with quiet excitement, yet his words conveyed no hint of such emotion. "How many Huadeng officials are stationed within that pavilion?" "It's said there are several protectors, and one senior elder as well. Since that pavilion is particularly significant, the Huadeng has dispatched true masters to guard it..." Han Feng hesitated before speaking. "Senior Elder?" Upon hearing this term, Xiao Yan's face subtly tightened. Now, he no longer knew little about the Huadeng, and the title of "Senior Elder" was not unfamiliar to him—this rank stood above the elders, and each Senior Elder was a genuine Douzun-level powerhouse. "Could it be that the grand pavilion I reached through the soul resonance between the Fire Seals last time—was precisely that Ming City? Was the formidable soul power I sensed then emitted by that very guardian Senior Elder?" Xiao Yan's eyes flickered, yet his mind surged with waves of thoughts. "If this is true, then we must carefully plan. A Battle Sovereign—such a power—seems utterly overwhelming for me now. Even with my strongest, the Devastating Fire Lotus, I doubt I could inflict any real damage upon him. The gap between a Battle Sovereign and a Battle Sect Leader is truly as vast as the difference between heaven and earth." With that, Xiao Yan exhaled gently, coldly glanced at Han Feng, then waved his sleeve. The fallen Heart Flame surged forth, engulfing Han Feng and plunging him into the jade vial. Flames rose, coalescing at the vial's mouth to form a seal of fire. "I hope you're telling the truth. Otherwise, even if you wish to die, it will be difficult!" The icy, bone-chilling tone resonated from Xiao Yan's lips, reaching deep into the vial, causing Han Feng to shiver violently. He tossed the jade vial into his meditation robe and slowly closed his eyes. At present, the only course was to first restore his strength. Only after settling matters here could he then journey throughout the Central Plains, seeking methods to break through to the Douzong level. As Xiao Yan entered his meditative state, the room once again fell into quiet, the soft light gently swaying, gradually banishing the darkness within. During the two days of Xiao Yan's healing and cultivation, time passed swiftly. In those two days, Han family had gathered all the medicinal herbs Xiao Yan needed, and Han Xue personally delivered them to his room. Upon receiving the herbs, Xiao Yan closed the door tightly, so that outsiders could only sense the intense heat radiating from within. Thanks to Han Chi's prior instructions, no one dared to disturb him, thus providing him with an exceptionally tranquil environment for cultivation.