Looking where Wang Chen had vanished, Xiao Yan couldn't help but let out a cold laugh. Indeed, as fellow members of the Four Directions Pavilion, he hadn't expected their harsh words to be so well thought out. Behind Xiao Yan, Lan Yan watched Wang Chen, who had swiftly retreated after only brief interactions, his eyes filled with astonishment. Wang Chen's reputation was indeed quite prominent—among his peers, he was nearly unmatched. He was naturally inclined toward combat and killing, possessed exceptional cultivation potential, and had advanced rapidly in strength. Furthermore, leveraging the power of Huang Quan Pavilion, he frequently challenged other strong cultivators at the Douzong level. While others hesitated to strike him due to their fear of Huang Quan Pavilion's influence, Wang Chen's reputation grew steadily over time, until it became widely rumored that he himself possessed the strength to compete directly with Douzong-level cultivators—though it remained uncertain whether this was truly the case. Regardless of the truth, Wang Chen's capabilities were undeniable. Yet Lan Yan had never expected that, after just a single round of combat, this relentless, battle-obsessed figure would be so unexpectedly repelled by Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan had no idea of the shock now filling Lan Yanran's heart. He turned his gaze toward the three figures from Huang Tian, and calmly said, "Don't just stand there—get out!" Upon hearing this, the three immediately scrambled to their feet from the ground, looking utterly embarrassed and fleeing like they had been granted a royal pardon. With Wang Chen's retreat, they had completely lost the confidence to stand against Xiao Yan. The fact that even the renowned Wang Chen had been startled and driven back demonstrated that Xiao Yan's strength now surpassed theirs by a vast margin. Watching the three flee in such disarray, Xiao Yan finally exhaled gently, then turned to Lan Yanran. For a moment, he found himself at a loss for words, and the atmosphere between them grew somewhat awkward and silent. Lan Yanran remained silent as well, gently stroking the smooth fur of the white fox, her eyelids slightly lowered. "Um... you... you too wish to go to the Blood Lake on the Heavenly Mountain?" Silence lasted for a while, and finally Xiao Yan cleared his throat, breaking it with his first words. "Hmm, I know it's quite difficult for me to secure among those ten, but coming here once counts as an experience, doesn't it?" Lan Yanran nodded slightly, speaking softly. Xiao Yan rubbed his hands, suddenly feeling a bit constrained, hesitating for a moment before asking, "You... how did you end up coming here alone?" Her hand gently stroking the white fox paused momentarily, and Lan Yanran raised her gaze for the first time, fixing it on Xiao Yan. "My master is in seclusion for cultivation, so I've come out to explore on my own." "Have you all been well these years?" Xiao Yan's eyes drifted slightly, asking. Noticing this, Lan Yanran smiled gently and said, "Were you asking about my master?" Her body subtly stiffened, then Xiao Yan exhaled softly, asking, "Is she well?" At this, Lan Yanran's eyes dimmed slightly, and she nodded. "My master is doing very well." "Is she also in the northern region of Zhongzhou?" Xiao Yan asked again, his voice now warmer. In his mind, the image of her silhouette at the time of parting suddenly surfaced—full of sorrow and struggle. Regardless of who was right or wrong in the initial events, the Yunlan Sect had truly been destroyed by Xiao Yan. As its abbot, Yun Yun was bound to bear the unbearable burden of losing her sect and her master. Yet, she had never been able to bring herself to act against Xiao Yan. Ultimately, unable to face the truth, she chose to leave the empire where she had lived for so long and wander abroad. Thinking of this, Xiao Yan felt a deep sense of compassion. From the beginning, Yun Yun had never been at fault—what was at fault was the differing positions of the two parties. In fact, she had been the one who suffered the most from the beginning. Over the years of wandering abroad, as a woman of relatively strong ability, though her strength was not weak, she must have endured countless hardships. Regarding Xiao Yan's question, Nalan Yanran chose to remain silent for a while before finally saying, "When I came out, my teacher instructed me not to tell anyone where she is now—especially not you." Hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, then chuckled softly. What a woman! "Then let it go. As long as she's safe, that's all that matters." Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan shook his head to dispel the lingering emotion, then smiled warmly at Nalan Yanran, "I'm also heading to the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pond. If you'd like, you can come along with me." "Will you not be burdened by having me along?" Nalan Yanran's eyes sparkled with concern. "I'm not very familiar with the Tianmu Mountain Range. You at least know a bit more. With you by my side, I'll feel much more at ease." Xiao Yan spread his hands, explaining. "Hmm..." Nalan Yanran gently stroked the white fox with her jade hands, hesitated slightly, and finally gave a soft nod. … "We're now approaching Tianmushan. Soon, we should reach its foot, where there's a natural maze. But with our spirit-faithful white fox, we needn't worry about that." Amidst the dense fog, two figures swiftly moved through the forest, and a clear, gentle female voice softly echoed. Xiao Yan nodded. With someone guiding the way, things had indeed become much easier. "Reaching Tianmushan doesn't mean safety—it actually brings greater danger, for this mountain is controlled by a powerful beast clan." Lan Yan's eyes sparkled as she glanced at Xiao Yan, who was intently listening beside her, his demeanor both charming and subtly alluring. "A beast clan? How strong is it?" Xiao Yan was momentarily surprised, then slightly furrowed his brows. "The魔兽家族 is known as the Gold-Feeding Mouse Clan. Though most members are ordinary second- or third-tier beasts, their numbers are indeed impressive. The true core of the clan, however, consists of those capable of transforming into human form—these are the actual rulers of Tianmù Mountain. It's said that the clan's patriarch has reached the seventh tier, with power comparable to a six-star Battle Sect master." Lan Yanran spoke softly. "With such a powerful beast clan dominating Tianmù Mountain, how can anyone else possibly enjoy the mountain's sacred blood pool? Surely, this rare celestial treasure must be highly attractive to the beasts as well?" Xiao Yan asked inquisitively. "Hmm, they certainly wish to monopolize it, but do you think other human factions would agree?" "Nalan Yanran gently smiled,掩着嘴说道, "Back then, when the matter of the Tian Shan Xue Tan arose, a great battle erupted within the Tian Mu Mountain Range. Naturally, the Shi Jin Shu clan suffered defeat and could no longer claim sole dominance over the Tian Shan Xue Tan. However, although they lost, due to the unique geographical advantages of the Tian Mu Mountain Range, the most powerful warriors were unable to enter. To prevent the Shi Jin Shu clan from targeting the younger generation entering the region, an agreement was established: out of the ten slots for the Tian Shan Xue Tan, the Shi Jin Shu clan secured two, while the remaining eight were won through individual merit and competition." "Eight?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's brows furrowed. He hadn't expected the situation to be as severe as this. Ten slots had already been a significant achievement; now, with two of them allocated to the Shi Jin Shu clan, the competition had become dramatically more intense. "There's nothing we can do about it. The Gold-Mouse Clan holds a strategic advantage, and frankly, they're quite displeased. In the past, they could secure all ten spots; now, however, they've been reduced to just one-fifth of that. As per the agreement, the Gold-Mouse Clan is allowed to set up checkpoints within the Tianmu Mountain Range, intercepting those who wish to ascend, as long as they don't harm their lives—everything else is up to them. Nevertheless, the eight human strong contenders' spots must be fully secured." "So once inside Tianmu Mountain, it's best not to offend the Gold-Mouse Clan members, since they have the power to decide whether most of the climbers even qualify to reach the summit." By the end of her words, Lan Yanran's expression had grown slightly serious. Xiao Yan smiled faintly and nodded in agreement. He hadn't expected there to be so many intricacies—originally, he simply thought that whoever reached the summit first would enjoy the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pond. As the two continued talking, the thick fog around them gradually lightened. Suddenly, after a while, a row of towering, majestic trees appeared in sight, among which stood a tree gate wide enough for only one person to enter. Before this row of trees, there were about fifteen figures—clearly those who had longed for a chance to reach the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pond. Upon noticing the newcomers, these figures turned to glance at Xiao Yan, and then their eyes instantly fixed on the small white fox cradled in Nalan Yanran's arms. "An ethereal white fox?" a voice of astonishment rang out. All eyes immediately shifted to Nalan Yanran. Those who had been uncertain about how to break the maze now found their previously hopeless hopes reignited by the sudden appearance of this magically attuned white fox. Under the intense gaze of so many, Nalan Yanran's delicate face slightly flushed, and she gently stepped back, holding the white fox close. "Follow me. Don't be afraid." Xiao Yan spoke calmly, and then a surge of battle energy erupted from within him, radiating fully outward with the powerful aura of a Nine-Star Battle Emperor. This overwhelming presence immediately suppressed the restless figures around him—most of whom were rated below Five-Star Battle Emperors, and thus vastly inferior to a Nine-Star Battle Emperor. As Xiao Yan and the other grew closer to the tree gate, the atmosphere around them grew increasingly tense and oppressive, the subtle sound of their footsteps seeming to land like steps upon people's hearts, making one feel as though their breath had momentarily stalled. With each gentle step, Xiao Yan gazed at the tree gate now barely ten meters away. Just as he was about to exhale in relief, a subtle, dangerous arc formed in his eyes. At that moment, a sharp, fierce command suddenly rang out. "Everyone, move together—seize the spirit-white fox! If we do, then the Tian Shan Blood Pond shall share its share with us!"