On a clear patch of open ground, several moonstone gems set into the surrounding tree trunks emit a bright glow, illuminating the area. The thick mist, partially dispersed by the battle that had occurred earlier, now allows for much clearer visibility. Four figures stand on the open space—three men and one woman—each radiating strong presence, clearly no ordinary fighters. Among the three men, one clad in deep yellow robes, with a scar running across his face, sits on a branch, leaning against the trunk, his gaze lazily sweeping over the ground below before he softly remarks, "Speed up now." Upon hearing his words, the other two men—also wearing yellow robes and each bearing the same emblem on their chests—immediately nod in response, clearly belonging to the same faction. "Hand over the spirit fox, then—we haven't exactly been shy about making a graceful, decisive move when it comes to eliminating our rivals." The woman clutched her long sword, her pale blue gown accentuating her graceful, alluring figure. Her full, statuesque form was especially captivating. Her flowing, three-thousand-thread hair was loosely tied with a strip of blue silk, cascading down to her hips. Her youthful and beautiful face was familiar—indeed, it was Lan Yanran, the one who had accompanied Yun Yun when she departed from the Gamma Empire years ago. Time had matured her, transforming the once-awkward, spirited young girl into a truly breathtaking, captivating woman. Upon her shoulder, a small white fox rested, its fur pure and soft, so delicate that it seemed almost irresistible. Such a charming creature, in fact, held considerable appeal—especially for women. At this moment, the white fox's bright, lively eyes continuously darted around, its snowy fur slightly trembling with fear—caused by the lethal aura emanating from the three figures across the way. A soft, murmuring sound escaped its lips. Noticing the fox's apprehension, Nalan Yan gently stroked its head with her jade hands, then slowly lifted her gaze, her eyes icy and piercing, fixed firmly on the three figures. Her slender fingers tightened around her long sword, and a sharp, flowing sword energy gradually surged forth. With a quiet, composed tone, she uttered two crisp words: "Dreaming." "Ha! Indeed, you're tenacious—though rather stubborn. With your five-star Battle Emperor strength, you won't be able to escape our three hands. Simply surrender the white fox. Otherwise, I shall enjoy the exquisite way you make me melt—quite beyond mere admiration." A man in yellow robes stared intensely at Nalan Yan, his lips parting slightly as he licked them, a hint of lust gleaming in his eyes. Hearing this crude speech from him, Lan Yanran's delicate features grew even colder. The three opponents' strengths were all around four-star Sovereigns. While she could easily defeat each of them individually in a one-on-one fight, facing them all together proved challenging. Moreover, since they belonged to the same sect and worked in remarkable harmony, her earlier encounter had nearly cost her. What pressed her most, however, was the man who had remained seated on the branch throughout—the one who had never once engaged in combat. Yet every time she faced him, she felt a subtle sense of pressure, clearly indicating that his strength surpassed hers. "The Di Ling Sect truly produces a lot of mediocre talent." Upon hearing Nalan Yanran reveal their sect, the three yellow-robed men also grew slightly cold. With their prowess, they were among the outstanding figures in the younger generation of the Earth Spirit Sect—though they couldn't quite match Tang Ying or Lady Feng, they had nonetheless earned a solid reputation. Had it not been for the need to be guided by the Spirit-Channeling White Fox when entering Tianmù Mountain, they would never have found themselves facing off against a five-star Dueling Emperor so unexpectedly. But now that they had taken this step, there was no turning back. Their gazes briefly intersected, then they exchanged a slight nod, deciding to let go of the matter and move to form a triangular formation, encircling Nalan Yanran. A powerful, deep yellow aura surged forth from their bodies. "Seal the ground!" With their palms firmly pressing into the earth, the land immediately trembled, and within moments, soil surged and stones flew in all directions—within mere eye blinks, a prison of compacted earth rose up from the ground, firmly enclosing Nalan Yanran. Seeing the situation, Nalan Yanyan furrowed her brows. With a delicate point of her jade foot on the ground, her body spun rapidly like a top, unleashing a surging wave of sharp, piercing sword energy that struck the prison walls with fierce force, causing numerous cracks to rapidly appear. As the prison began to crumble under Nalan Yanyan's skill, the three yellow-robed men suddenly slammed their palms onto the ground, and three yellow spears formed from earth burst upward, swiftly grasped by them. Then, with a firm stomp of their feet, the spears shot directly toward the center where Nalan Yanyan stood. Faced with the coordinated assault of the three four-star Sovereigns, Nalan Yanyan could not afford to be slow. Her long sword, enveloped in powerful sword energy, darted out with precise, sharp strikes. "Ssssh! Ssssh!" Four figures darted across the prison chamber, their swordplay sending rippling waves of sword energy that carved deep furrows into the ground. The three yellow-robed men, aware of Nalan Yanran's sharp sword attacks, chose not to press aggressively but instead relied on the enduring strength of their earth-based qi to gradually drain her energy. Nalan Yanran fully understood their strategy of attrition, yet found herself powerless—these three were perfectly synchronized, constantly pinning her in place, leaving her no moment of respite. Should her internal qi grow depleted over time, the consequences would be dire. As Nalan Yanran settled her stance, the three figures across from her had unexpectedly coalesced long spears, and now deep yellow armor had emerged over their bodies, fully encasing and shielding them. Earth-based techniques have always been renowned for their endurance and defensive strength. "Indeed, a five-star Dueling Sovereign—truly formidable. But now, that's as far as it goes. With your internal aura, you won't be able to hold out much longer. Hand over the spirit-white fox to us, and we'll give you a chance to live." A low, resonant voice issued from within the deep yellow armor. "Take that and go tell it to a three-year-old child," Nalan Yanran replied with a cold smile. These days, she's no longer the young girl she once was. Her years of training and experience in the Central Region have taught her many things. "Stubborn as ever—dying right here!" "Seeing that Lan Yanran still refused to yield, the three grew increasingly impatient. With a gesture of their hands, six powerful beams of deep yellow aura surged forth and instantly coalesced into a triangular light circle. "Earth Spirit, Technique of Soil Integration!" roared the three together. The deep yellow aura swiftly gathered before one of them, forming a formidable surge of power that combined the strength of all three. Even Lan Yanran's face grew pale at its intensity. As the command was issued, the aura twisted and transformed into a fierce earth dragon, which then roared and surged forward, releasing a beam of light that struck straight at Lan Yanran. Along its path, a deep furrow was carved into the ground, resembling a field plowed by an ox. "This Earth Spirit technique of Soil Integration truly has its merits," murmured the man on the tree trunk, glancing at the earth dragon. Gazing at the fierce earth dragon charging toward her, Nalan Yanran bit down on her silver teeth, throwing off the white fox on her shoulder. Instantly, a deep azure aura coalesced before her, forming a wall of wind. "Boom!" The earth dragon slammed into the wind wall, its sharp wind blades slicing through it, causing the dragon to tremble continuously. Yet this did not halt the dragon's advance. After a brief moment of sustained combat, the wind wall exploded with a thunderous roar. As the wall shattered, Nalan Yanran was suddenly exposed to the earth dragon, which roared in fury, opening its massive, grim jaws to bite directly at her head. Seeing the dragon so close, Nalan Yanran's face grew slightly pale. As she reached for her aura to summon it, she was startled to find that her body had been completely enveloped by an eerie black energy. "Boom!" Just as the earth dragon was about to strike Lu Nalan Yanran, a sharp punch suddenly burst forth from the thick mist at a distance, crashing hard onto the dragon's body. Instantly, the dragon shuddered and exploded into scattered light points. The sudden development left everyone stunned, including the man on the tree trunk, who turned his gaze curiously toward the source of the punch. "Who is this? I am Huang Tian of the Di Ling Sect. Please, don't interfere with our affairs!" A man in yellow robes scanned the surroundings with cautious eyes, speaking in a steady tone. "So many men bullying a single girl—how can we possibly preserve the honor of the Di Ling Sect if we tell this story?" A teasing laugh echoed from within the mist, followed by subtle footsteps. A moment later, a slender figure emerged slowly into the group's collective attention. Gazing at the figure stepping forward slowly from the thick mist, Lan Yanran, still shaken, raised her head, ready to offer her thanks. Yet as she caught sight of the face, her body instantly went stiff, as if her entire mind had frozen in that very moment. After a long pause, she finally managed to whisper, with barely any strength, a name buried deep in her memory— "Xiao... Xiao Yan?"