On the mountain peak veiled in mist, the space trembled incessantly, with waves of slightly fragmented celestial and terrestrial energies surging forth rapidly, then flooding into the young man seated at the edge of the peak in overwhelming abundance. Despite this endless influx, his body remained as if an ever-deepening abyss, absorbing the energies without ever overflowing. Since consuming the Huangji Pill, Xiao Yan had maintained this state for nearly three days, during which his form remained utterly still, like a solid rock. On the mountain peak, the only movement was the steady, low-humming vortex of energy rotating above his head. Within Xiao Yan, the immense potency of the Huangji Pill, refined by the clear-lotus-heart fire, had transformed into a powerful aura flowing like a tide through his meridians. Furthermore, a continuous stream of celestial and terrestrial energies poured in, being further purified by the unique fire and transmuted into refined aura, seamlessly integrating into this growing force. However, although the celestial and terrestrial energies were abundant, after undergoing multiple refinements, the pure qi remaining available for Xiao Yan to absorb was not particularly plentiful. Yet it was still meaningful—like water accumulating into rivers and eventually wearing down stones—through consistent, day-by-day accumulation, it had become an exceptionally formidable achievement. Most cultivators built up their internal qi in this manner, relying on pills to enhance their strength, as such pills served only as a convenient shortcut and could not be used excessively, or else they would risk overdoing it. Nevertheless, when it came to directly enhancing his strength through pill usage, Xiao Yan appeared to be doing so for the first time. Even during his time as a Battle King-level cultivator, he had not utilized the so-called Battle Spirit Pills, placing him outside the category of those who frequently relied on such means. Xiao Yan's cultivation had lasted for a considerable duration. The medicinal power of the Huangji Pill had been fully absorbed by his body a day prior, yet he did not immediately cease his practice. Instead, he chose to continue cultivating, for he sensed subtly that the power of the Huangji Pill alone might not be sufficient to elevate his rank by two stars. As a man who pursued perfection, he naturally wanted to seize this opportunity and maximize his strength. … Time swiftly passed between the periods of cultivation. On the mountain peak, tranquility remained unchanged, occasionally, the Earth Spirit Puppet would suddenly lift its head, palm outstretched, delivering a powerful blow to the distant mountain peak through the air—its immense force rippling outward, ultimately reducing a nearby beast that had approached within a hundred meters into a pile of pulp. During this time, the mountain peak had effectively become a sanctuary, a forbidden zone for the region. Having suffered setbacks, the beasts had grown more cautious, often veering far away when passing through. As a result, Xiao Yan’s cultivation progressed with remarkable steadiness. In his dark, ancient eyes, there was nothing remarkable—calm, serene, as though only just waking, with no ripple of change. Gently dissolving the hand seal he had been practicing, Xiao Yan slowly raised his head, spread his palms outward. With a subtle mental focus, the surging ki that flowed through his meridians surged forth in a powerful wave, then burst free of the meridians, rushing into his body like a wild horse finally unchained. As this vibrant ki flowed into every part of his being, the sharp, intense light in his dark eyes suddenly emerged, growing steadily more intense. At the same time, his aura surged dramatically, rising in a straight line, swiftly surpassing the seven-star level and advancing into the eight-star realm. After reaching the peak of eight stars, the momentum did not cease but continued to surge wildly. The garments on Xiao Yan's body fluttered without any wind, and the massive stone beneath him where he sat cracked with a crisp sound, spreading several fine fissures. The surrounding mist seemed to be gently pushed aside as though by an invisible giant hand... The momentum surged rapidly, and after a while, finally stabilized at the peak of the eighth star, forming a subtle, invisible membrane that gently suppressed the rising energy. Feeling the subtle resistance, Xiao Yan clenched his fists tightly and did not immediately relax, but instead suddenly stood up and let out a long, resonant roar into the sky. His cry was clear and ethereal, like a crane's call, instantly piercing through the mist and echoing throughout the mountain range, lingering without fading. The roar was exceptionally prolonged, as if he had strained his breath to the very limit, and his face grew slightly flushed. Veins bulged across his face like worms, giving him a fierce, almost intimidating appearance. "Break it!" With both fists clenched, the massive stone beneath Xiao Yan's feet exploded in a thunderous roar, sending shards flying. At the same moment, a sharp cry erupted from Xiao Yan's lips. Though this star had caused countless strong ones to falter, Xiao Yan was confident in himself—this Douzong stage would certainly not be the end of his journey! "Good young man—remarkable indeed, to step up at this very moment, relying solely on inner conviction to advance. I haven't seen such determination in many years..." The elder's voice of admiration slowly flowed out as Xiao Yan breathed heavily. "Master Yao is too kind. All I've really felt was a strong desire to release it—something I've been holding in. I didn't expect to break through this barrier." Xiao Yan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, smiling. After recovering from the earlier frailty, he could feel his vibrant battle energy steadily surging from within, and that sense of weakness was rapidly fading away. "Regardless, it's no easy feat," the Heavenly Fire Elder chuckled. Xiao Yan smiled and stood up from the ground, twisting his body. The bones in his entire frame crackled with a series of crisp sounds, and a deep, soothing sensation radiated from within, spreading throughout his body, causing him to emit a soft groan. "This must be the feeling of a Nine-Star Sovereign Battle Mage... truly impressive." He clenched his fists and then slammed them forward with great force, causing ripples to spread across the space before him. A sharp sonic boom formed above his fist, radiating powerful momentum—far stronger than it had been just a few days ago. Taking a deep breath of the slightly damp air, Xiao Yan turned his gaze to the Earth Spirit Puppet, a warm smile forming on his face. With this guardian at his side, things truly were quite satisfactory. "Now that the Huangji Pill has been taken, it's time to depart. With Shen Yun slain, Fenglei Pavilion won't rest easily. It would be wiser not to confront them directly at this moment. Instead, I'll head to a city with spatial wormholes, step away from here and avoid the storm, and strive to break through to the Battle Emperor stage—this will be the most crucial matter...". After a brief pause, Xiao Yan waved his hand, sealing the Earth Spirit Puppet within his storage scroll. Then, his translucent bone wings unfolded from behind, flapping with a powerful gust that dispersed the mist and clouds surrounding the mountain peaks. His form shimmered into a streak of light, swiftly moving outward toward the mountain range. Near the city, Xiao Yan landed and quickly headed toward the city gate. However, upon seeing several figures on the road, he paused slightly, retrieved a cloak from his storage ring, covered his head with it, and then proceeded toward the city. As he drew closer to the city, Xiao Yan remained close to the city gate, where a gathering of people had formed, and faint sounds of "wanted" or "arrested" could be heard. Frowning slightly, he approached the city gate subtly, scanning the crowd gathered at the wall. His eyes immediately widened. On the wall, there was a brilliant silver scroll bearing a portrait—clearly Xiao Yan's face. Below it, a silver tower-shaped emblem was displayed—an emblem he had once seen on Shen Yun's chest. Clearly, this was an official warrant, and its target was none other than Xiao Yan. Around the warrant, a crowd of curious onlookers gathered, continuously exchanging murmurs and comments. "It's said that this young man, Xiao Yan, killed Shen Yun of the Fenglei North Pavilion, which explains why the Fenglei North Pavilion has issued a warrant for his arrest..." "Really? He looks no older than twenty-five, yet Shen Yun was a Douzong-level master." "Hmph. You haven't heard about the incident in Tianbei City, have you? That day, the Hong family of Tianbei City suffered terribly." "Right now, issuing a warrant is of no use—people simply don't know where they've gone; they might have already left the Beidu Region entirely." "The Fenglei North Pavilion not only issued a warrant but also took the Han family of Tianbei City under house arrest—likely intending to use them as hostages to compel Xiao Yan to appear. Yet Xiao Yan isn't a fool; he clearly knows that Tianbei City hosts three Fenglei North Pavilion masters. How could he possibly have gone along with such a trap?" Hearing this last remark, Xiao Yan's body jolted suddenly, his face beneath the cloak darkening instantly. His fists clenched tightly, emitting a series of crisp creaking sounds. "The Fenglei Pavilion..." A voice, carrying a solemn and deadly intensity, gently spilled out from between Xiao Yan's teeth!