Staring at Hong Li, who approached with a fierce, grim smile, a subtle edge of determination flickered across Xiao Yan's otherwise composed face. Indeed, the Hong family members were quite disliked... "Hong Li, with your standing, to intervene against a junior like this—doesn't that seem a bit beneath you?" Han Chi glanced at Han Xue, whose face was pale and drawn, and finally couldn't hold back his anger. Hong Li paused slightly, glanced coldly at Han Chi, and scoffed, "His strength is quite comparable to ours—how can he still be considered a junior? Han Chi, if your Han family wishes to get involved, go ahead. Just know that if you're not careful, the Fenglei Pavilion will hold you accountable—heh, heh..." Hearing the implicit threats in Hong Li's words, Han Chi's face turned ashen, yet he still dared not act. Shen Yun's previous remarks had pressed their Han family down firmly. The Fenglei Pavilion? Still, a force far beyond their reach. Seeing Han Chi, Hong Li didn't hesitate, and with a pleased smile, he grasped his hand, and a sharp great blade appeared in it. Under the sunlight, the snow-white blade reflected a few chilling gleams that sent shivers down one's spine. Swish! Swish! Swish! With effortless sweeps and thrusts of the blade before him, subtle indentations appeared in the very space itself. Though Hong Li was not someone one particularly admired, his strength was no less than Han Chi's—indeed, according to Xiao Yan's expectations, this man might already be on the threshold of the Douzong level. However, regardless of whether he was merely on the verge of Douzong rank, as long as he had not yet truly entered that tier, Xiao Yan felt no at all apprehensive toward him. The difference between being on the threshold and having fully attained the Douzong level remained substantial. A profound, deep blue qi slowly surged forth from Hong Li's body, instantly giving rise to a sudden gust of wind that whistled across the plaza. Clearly, the cultivation technique Hong Li had mastered was of the wind nature—such qi typically emphasized speed and agility, with strong offensive power as well. Yet, despite this, anyone could clearly see that under the attacks of the earth-based spirit puppet, Shen Yun could only manage to defend himself, lacking any offensive counterattacks. Shen Yun's condition had been closely observed by Hong Li, who immediately felt a surge of concern—unfortunately, the puppet was far stronger than expected, even managing to put Shen Yun in such a defensive position. It was now clear that swift action was necessary; otherwise, once the puppet eliminated Shen Yun, it would be Hong Li’s own family that would suffer. With this thought, Hong Li clenched his fists tightly, his deep-sea colored qi swirling like a whirlwind around him. Grasping his great sword firmly, he sneered at Xiao Yan. Then, with a firm stomp of his foot on the ground, his form blurred and surged forward in a sudden burst of speed! "Shhh!" Under the enhancement of wind-type qi, Hong Li's speed was so swift that he appeared before Xiao Yan almost instantly. With his great sword flashing, he unleashed several sharp, blinding slashes, striking Xiao Yan with the force of a thunderbolt. The blade's light passed through Xiao Yan's body, penetrating directly without leaving a single drop of blood. "An afterimage?" Hong Li's eyes slightly narrowed. Xiao Yan's form appeared ten meters behind Hong Li's afterimage, his gaze cold as he fixed upon him. With a simple curl and roll of his palm, a surge of vibrant emerald flames erupted, then split into one cluster of jade-green flame and one formless flame. As these two flames emerged, the temperature of the plaza rose sharply—seeming as though the moisture in the air had been completely evaporated at that very moment. Feeling this shift, Hong Li was startled, and with his heart responding to the change, he launched himself once again at Xiao Yan in a lightning-fast advance. Facing Hong Li, whose aura of fierce intensity was unyielding, Xiao Yan's expression remained calm. At the peak of his power, the "Three Thousand Thunder Waves" unfolded, generating a flurry of shimmering afterimages that danced in rapid succession, effortlessly deflecting every attack Hong Li launched. With Xiao Yan's speed, Hong Li simply couldn't keep up, and as time steadily slipped by under Xiao Yan's pace, his own frustration mounted. While maintaining this defensive rhythm, the two distinct flames in Xiao Yan's hands rapidly merged. With his current strength, fusing the two types of divine flames—the Buddha's Wrath Lotus—was as smooth and seamless as flowing water, requiring only a brief moment of adjustment. Though this slight delay was initially noticeable, it was perfectly compensated for by the continuous momentum of the "Three Thousand Thunder Waves," resulting in a flawless and harmonious integration. As the Buddha's Fury Lotus gradually took shape in Xiao Yan's hands, a terrifying surge of violent energy began to radiate outwards. Upon sensing the strength of this energy, both Hong Li and Han Chi, as well as the others, visibly changed their expressions—feeling a subtle tremor of apprehension beneath the overwhelming force. "What a formidable technique... If this truly strikes me, even I might suffer severe injuries, or worse, be killed on the spot," Han Chi murmured, watching Xiao Yan skillfully maneuvering Hong Li like a cat playing with a mouse, while simultaneously feeling the ever-strengthening surge of violent energy in his hands. "It seems he held back back then. Given his current performance, I doubt I could even last ten rounds against him. Truly embarrassing." Han Tian chuckled, now finally understanding why, a few days ago, Xiao Yan had spoken so confidently—so even somewhat arrogant—when facing his inquiries. It seemed that in Xiao Yan's eyes, his own abilities were simply nothing to be feared. "Xiao Yan must have some solid backing; otherwise, no matter how exceptional his talent, he wouldn't have achieved such a level. Besides the terrifying puppet corps, even among the younger generation of Fenglei Pavilion, few could match the sheer number and quality of his advanced combat techniques." Han Chi murmured. On hearing this, Han Tian and the others nodded in deep agreement. Indeed, no matter how strong a person's talent, their energy was always limited—they couldn't possibly focus solely on cultivation while also managing other responsibilities. Moreover, they all knew that Xiao Yan held another formidable identity: a Sixth-Rank Alchemist! At this level of strength, coupled with mastery in alchemy that few could match, it seemed utterly unbelievable to many. Thus, merely achieving excellence in one of these two areas would demand an individual's endless energy. To truly excel in both fields simultaneously—this could only truly be described as being a being of supernatural origin. "All the members of the Hong family, listen up! Surround this young man!" While the others at the gathering murmured in bewilderment, Hong Li, who had finally lost patience after chasing after Xiao Yan's elusive form, roared in frustration. Hearing Hong Li's outburst, many were stunned—this man truly had no regard for face or dignity. Not only was he treating the smaller party with arrogance, but now he was attempting to outmaneuver them with sheer numbers. The Hong family's reputation had indeed been thoroughly tarnished today. Several of the Hong family's stronger members hesitated upon hearing Hong Li's command, but ultimately, after a firm resolve, they stepped forward and charged in. "You faceless, despicable creatures!" As she saw the actions of the Hong family, the slight calmness that had just settled over Han Xue was instantly shattered. With no regard for a lady's grace, she launched into a sharp scolding. After her outburst, she longed to rush out, but was caught by Han Chi's firm grip. "Father, Xiao Yan has helped our Han family. We can't just stand by and do nothing, can we?" Han Xue struggled to say. "Ah, how impetuous you've been today! If you go up there, you'll only become a burden to Xiao Yan—something that hampers him. Then how can that be helping him?" Han Chi frowned, scolding her. Upon hearing this, Han Xue paused, gently biting her full lips as though trying to justify herself. "He was hired by me. I can't just watch him perish without doing anything." "Stop with your empty words," Han Chi sighed lightly. Seeing Han Xue's slightly bashful expression, he couldn't help but shake his head and sigh in weary resignation. As the battle unfolded on this side, nearly ten of Hong Family's top warriors formed a perfect circle, encircling Xiao Yan tightly, leaving him no room to shift or evade. "Run? You weren't always as quick as a rabbit? Wait until I cut off your legs—then see how fast you can run!" Hong Li glared fiercely at the now-still Xiao Yan, gripping his greatsword and stepping forward. Yet as his feet barely moved two paces, he suddenly froze. Xiao Yan stood tall on the stone platform, his dark eyes calm and steady, gazing at Hong Li. At this moment, the fusion of flames in his palms had fully completed. A lush, exquisite jade-green lotus, about the size of a palm, floated gently above his hands. As the lotus slowly rotated, fine threads of dark spatial fissures rapidly spread outward. "Was the chase satisfying?" Xiao Yan observed Hong Li's rigid expression, then glanced at the other Hong Family warriors within ten meters. A cold, composed smile curled at the corners of his lips as he spoke softly. "Retreat!" Hong Li's eyes narrowed slightly, and he roared loudly. "Too late..." Xiao Yan smiled, his figure slowly fading like a ghost, while the straight, emerald-colored lotus of fire remained in place, then exploded with a brilliant, crystalline light, carrying a force of destruction.