A mighty aura surged around Xiao Yan, causing the entire mountain range to tremble subtly beneath its weight. From the forest depths, occasional low, mournful roars echoed, each carrying a distinct note of fear. As Xiao Yan's soul energy grew stronger within him, his feet gradually lifted off the tree canopy, leaving him to hover effortlessly in the sky. His dark eyes, enriched by the overflowing soul energy, began to shimmer with a silvery hue; as this silver tone deepened, it eventually filled the entire field of vision, transforming his once-black eyes into a cold, serene silver gaze. After a moment of steady ascent, the aura gradually settled. Xiao Yan lowered his head, gazing at Shen Yun, whose face had turned pale with shock, and spoke calmly, "Didn't you want to disable my ten fingers?" "The voice wasn't loud, yet it carried a weighty pressure, as if emanating directly from the soul, causing Shen Yun's very soul to tremble. 'What has this young man done? Why has he suddenly grown so powerful? The aura radiating from him suggests at least a Seven-Star or even an Eight-Star Battle Sovereign—this, is it real or merely imagined?' Shen Yun's face changed constantly. The overwhelming presence flowing from Xiao Yan truly astonished and bewildered him. He was certain that Xiao Yan's true strength should be at the Battle Sovereign level, yet suddenly, it had surged like a rocket, reaching such a formidable height—something utterly extraordinary and almost unbelievable to him. A flicker of doubt crossed his mind; it was hard for him to believe that Xiao Yan could have risen so dramatically in such a short span of time." "Even the most advanced secret techniques might struggle to achieve such a terrifying effect... Could it be that this overwhelming presence is merely superficial?" Shen Yun's eyes darkened. He simply wouldn't believe that, within just a few minutes, the roles of cat and mouse had been completely reversed. "Today, I shall see whether your strength is genuine—or merely feigned!" A flash of cold resolve passed through his eyes. With a firm grasp of his hands, lightning flickered and coalesced into a thunder mace. As he moved, a soft, steady thunder rolled out behind him. The intangible soul vortex cannon had just fired when it suddenly exploded at a distance of about ten paces behind Xiao Yan. An elderly figure emerged awkwardly, then swiftly retreated. As he retreated, the shock in Shen Yun's eyes reached its peak. The previous strike had fully convinced him—Xiao Yan's overwhelming presence was genuine, not merely masked by some unusual cultivation technique. "He's using soul energy. Yet such vast soul energy—even some seventh-rank alchemists find it difficult to achieve. Where does this young man come from?" Shen Yun felt a slight unease in his heart. Since facing Xiao Yan, though the latter appeared only at the level of a Battle Emperor, he had proven himself as deep and unpredictable as an endless abyss. The puppetry, the strange fire, and now this astonishing soul power—elements that were once merely legendary—had all manifested on Xiao Yan’s person. This alone compelled Shen Yun to set aside his initial underestimation. "Regardless of the method he used to surge his strength, it must have a time limit. Right now, he should not be engaged in direct confrontation. It's better to retreat first. Once his strength wanes, he can then strike." With this thought forming in his mind, Shen Yun quickly stabilized the battle energy within him, which had previously trembled under the shock of Xiao Yan’s soul cannon. Then, he emitted a sharp whistle, spun around, and fully unleashed the "Three Thousand Thunder Strikes," transforming into a streak of light and fleeing desperately toward the outer reaches of the mountain range. Hearing that signal whistle, Hong Tianxiao and the numerous Hong family priests engaged in battle with the terrestrial yao guai also exchanged a slight frown—they knew it was the retreat signal. "Damn it... what in the world has this young man done? His strength has surged to such a level!" Hong Tianxiao muttered under his breath, his heart trembling at the overwhelming aura spreading across the sky. With a surge of inner qi, he spun his greatsword into a blazing crimson blade shield, pushing the yao guai back before retreating himself. "Trying to escape?" As Shen Yun fled, Xiao Yan sneered, knowing his current condition couldn't last long. Once he launched his full power, he needed tangible results. Since this old man harbored such deep resentment toward him, there was no time to waste. With a formidable Douzong-level opponent, complications were inevitable—better to settle this once and for all. A surge of murderous intent surged through his heart. Xiao Yan raised his hand, aiming it steadily at Shen Yun, who had fled as a streak of fading silhouette, and then clenched it firmly. As Xiao Yan's hand closed, the empty space a hundred paces away suddenly began to warp, then swiftly solidified into a tangible, wall-like barrier. "Boom!" Shen Yun, pushing his speed to its absolute limit, had not sensed the sudden emergence of the barrier and thus collided with it head-on. The inherent rebound force of the barrier sent him hurtling backward with tremendous force. The impact was so strong that it made Shen Yun's throat momentarily sweet, and he swallowed the sensation without even trying. As Shen Yun's body was still being propelled back, he quickly stabilized himself and began to dart toward the forest. Yet before his body had fully touched the ground, a figure materialized like a ghost right before him, delivering a solid, powerful punch infused with immense spiritual energy—direct and unadorned. With each strike, the space rippled, unfolding a series of spatial fissures that spread like slender black serpents, radiating a chilling, terrifying energy. Yet faced with this seemingly ordinary punch, Shen Yun's face paled, and he roared, his internal qi surging violently, coalescing into a thick, resplendent sheet of lightning. After drawing upon the power of Tian Huizun, Xiao Yan had nearly reached the level of a Seven-Star or even Eight-Star Douzong. Yet Shen Yun, a mere Four-Star Douzong, dared to engage him directly—each star representing a vast difference in Douzong strength. To face off against Xiao Yan in such a direct confrontation was certain to prove disastrous. Only after finally steadying his form did Shen Yun cough up another thick stream of blood. Xiao Yan’s solid punch had inflicted serious injuries, and the soul energy flowing into his body was unusually intense and turbulent—some of it already began to wreak havoc within him. Under the combined assault from both inside and outside, Shen Yun’s condition was rapidly deteriorating. "Should this continue, I shall surely perish at the hands of this insignificant youth. I cannot afford to linger any longer..." With a venomous gaze, he wiped the blood from his lips, only to find that the ethereal figure once again slowly materialized before him, as persistent as a shadow that never leaves. "Xiao Yan," he said, "if you kill me, the Fenglei Pavilion will not rest until they have avenged themselves on you!" At the sight of Xiao Yan charging again, Shen Yun was startled, and immediately shouted angrily. "If I don't kill you, even they will treat me no differently!" Xiao Yan smiled gently at him, but to Shen Yun, that smile seemed as cold and terrifying as that of a demon. "What must I do for you to spare me? Just name one condition—any one—" As he finished speaking, Shen Yun suddenly stepped back, hurling several silver orbs the size of fists straight at Xiao Yan. Thud! Thud! Thud! The silver orbs exploded the moment they were launched, sending out a powerful shockwave that flattened the entire forest within a hundred meters. Having launched the lightning orbs, Shen Yun quickly darted into the forest, only to be startled again moments later—his form reappeared, and a powerful leg swing infused with immense soul energy struck him squarely on the head. Pfft! A surge of powerful force erupted, and Shen Yun expelled another mouthful of blood, his body hurling backward, crashing through countless towering ancient trees. From afar, Hong Tian watched the nearly defenseless Shen Yun, his expression subtly shifting. "Master, shall I assist?" one of the Hong family's priests swallowed hard and spoke softly. Hong Tian's eyes flickered, then he glanced at the Earth Spirit Automaton, which had been slightly delayed by several Hong family priests. With a firm resolve, he gritted his teeth and said, "Retreat. Don't bother with him. Right now, that young man is too formidable—combined with the automaton, no matter how many of us we send, we'll only meet our end!" As he spoke, he immediately made a decisive gesture, turning sharply and fleeing without hesitation. The other Hong family priests quickly followed suit. With great difficulty, Shen Yun pushed himself up from the ground, his entire body covered in mud, looking extremely disheveled. Blood streamed down from his head, vivid and menacing. Having endured several full-force attacks from Xiao Yan, he had sustained serious injuries—some of his internal meridians even had fractures. Xiao Yan's soul energy, amplified by the strange fire, was exceptionally destructive. As Shen Yun labored to breathe heavily, the space before him subtly rippled, and Xiao Yan's figure slowly reappeared. "Can you still run?" Xiao Yan's silver-white eyes fixed on the increasingly frail Shen Yun, his voice devoid of any emotion. "Little upstart! If you wish to kill me, then I shall drag you with me into death!" Shen Yun's eyes gradually turned crimson, a surge of fury spreading across his face. He then charged directly at Xiao Yan, his body rapidly swelling, as if about to burst like an overinflated balloon. Upon witnessing Shen Yun's intense outburst, Xiao Yan's brow furrowed slightly.