Two figures descended slowly from the air, landing gracefully on the platform and stepping into view—Xiao Yan and Na Lan Yanran, the last to arrive. Their appearance naturally drew the attention of many in the crowd, with numerous eyes fixed upon them. However, aside from a few familiar faces, most of the attendees did not know either Xiao Yan or Na Lan Yanran. Though Xiao Yan had gained considerable recognition recently due to his disputes with the Fenglei Pavilion, when compared directly to younger talents like Feng Xiaoju and Tang Ying, he still seemed to fall slightly short in the eyes of many. As for these gazes, Xiao Yan seemed entirely unimpressed. As his eyes swept across the scene, he was surprised to find nearly twenty figures present—unaccountably, these people had moved so swiftly. He had been traveling all night, yet still hadn't managed to arrive in time. Of course, this was largely due to Xiao Yan's unfamiliarity with the route. Most of the people here were deeply familiar with the Tianmu Mountain Range, and many knew the shortcuts well. Compared to them, Xiao Yan, being completely new to the area, naturally fell behind. Indeed, had it not been for his last-minute encounter with Na Lan Yanran, he might have struggled to reach the site on time. As his gaze passed over the gathering, he spotted several familiar faces. His eyes first paused on Feng, whose presence radiated an air of noble grace. Her appearance was no less striking than that of Na Lan Yanran, and for some men, her demeanor carried an undeniable allure. The young lady from afar, seemingly also perceiving Xiao Yan's steady gaze, her eyes flickered and fixed upon him, a hint of challenge gleaming within them. Recently, Xiao Yan's disputes with Feng Lei North Pavilion had grown significant—eventually even requiring Fei Tian's personal intervention, which had failed to secure his capture. This had seriously damaged Feng Lei North Pavilion's prestige. Should she now succeed in capturing Xiao Yan and delivering him to the Pavilion, it would be a considerable favor owed to her. In the future, should the succession struggle for Pavilion leadership arise, she would undoubtedly become a powerful ally. With this in mind, the young lady gently lifted the corner of her lips—indeed, this person could not be allowed to escape unscathed. Should he successfully depart the Tian Mu Mountain Range, and leverage the strength of his soul, even she would find it difficult to stand against him. "Since you've come to me of your own accord, then I shall not hesitate to accept you." As for what was going on in that woman's heart, Xiao Yan naturally had no idea—indeed, even if he did, he would have sneered at it. He might indeed be cautious of the elders from Fenglei Pavilion, but among his peers, few had ever managed to make him look anything but composed. At least, from the very beginning to now, he had yet to encounter anyone who could truly unsettle him. Shifting his gaze from Feng Xiao'er, his eyes finally settled on the two figures standing there—two he had seen before in the mountain range: Tang Ying from Wan Jian Pavilion and Wang Chen from Huang Quan Pavilion. Facing Xiao Yan's gaze, Tang Ying gave him a slight nod, while Wang Chen remained expressionless, his eyes cold and distant, clearly unimpressed by Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan nodded in return to Tang Ying, paying no special attention to Wang Chen. As he was about to turn his gaze away, his peripheral vision suddenly caught a glimpse of a delicate figure in jade-green robes. This girl appears to be the youngest on the platform—dressed in green, with bright, lively eyes that are especially endearing. A touch of youth and innocence lingers on her gently softened cheeks, making her seem somewhat out of place amidst the surroundings. "Be careful with that girl; she's not as simple as she seems," a soft remark slipped from Lan Yanran's lips as Xiao Yan observed her. "How so?" Xiao Yan remained composed, asking. "She is the most outstanding among the young talents of the Starfall Pavilion." Lan Yanran said slowly. "The Starfall Pavilion? Mu Qingluan?" Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, as he had heard of the most prominent young figures within the pavilion. "Indeed, within the Square Pavilion, the number of disciples from the Starfall Pavilion is likely the smallest, yet each one stands out in strength—especially Mu Qingluan, who is truly exceptional. Though she appears as a young girl, she has maintained this youthful appearance for several years now, with no noticeable change at all. Her strength and capabilities are unquestionably formidable." Lan Yanran nodded, saying this. As the two of them stepped onto the platform, the short elder standing on the stone staircase glanced at them and then slowly said, "I am Jin Shi, the chief of the Shixin Mouse Clan. Since you've both made it here, you must not be ordinary. The rules of Tianmù Mountain should be clear: only those who pass through the checkpoints we've set up will have a chance to secure one of the remaining eight spots." Beside Jin Shi, on either side, stood two large mice with dark golden fur. These Shixin mice were notably large in size, and their eyes gleamed with a liveliness and intelligence comparable to that of humans. Clearly both were at the sixth stage. They must be the other two candidates entering Tian Shan Blood Lake this time. As long as they break through the Battle Emperor level and survive the lightning storm, they will be able to transform into human form and become the true core members of the Shixin Mouse Clan. On the platform, only the weak, faint voice of Jin Shi resonated. Though the elder appeared frail, no one dared to challenge him. Aside from Xiao Yan, few in the crowd were unfamiliar with Jin Shi's reputation. During the great battle for the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pond, this elder had displayed extraordinary prowess—no even the seasoned elder, Fei Tian, had managed to defeat him. This clearly demonstrated his formidable strength. Xiao Yan's gaze remained fixed on Jin Shi. After a moment, however, a slight furrow formed between his brows. From the tone of voice, he could sense that Jin Shi carried significant injuries—deep-seated, not recent wounds, but rather ones that had accumulated over time. “Hmph…” Jin Shi glanced calmly across the crowd, then cleared his throat. Suddenly, with a sweep of his sleeve, a surge of movement erupted around the stone staircase behind him. From the ground, countless golden gold-eating mice burst forth—so numerous that it sent a wave of unease through the audience. “The current stage is not particularly difficult, with only one requirement: simply reach the summit without being disrupted by the wave of mouse sonic attacks. As long as you make it through, you’ll pass,” Jin Shi said, gesturing gently at the dense throng of mice forming a wave behind him. "Heard that, Xiao Yan finally felt a bit enlightened—sound wave attacks, indeed, rather unconventional. Jin Shi paid no attention to the commotion on the field, lifting his gaze and saying, 'You'll have five minutes to prepare. After that, the sound wave array will activate. Whether you succeed will depend entirely on each of your abilities. Of course, as per the agreement, we'll always secure eight spots. Should the number fall short, the remaining participants will be decided by drawing lots.' With that, Jin Shi slowly closed his eyes, settling into meditation and no longer paying attention to the crowd. "The sonic waves of the Gold-Mousetraps can penetrate even the strongest qi barriers—once they enter the mind, they induce vivid hallucinations or dizziness, making them utterly unpredictable. Once that happens, you simply need to focus on yourself. I’ve managed to reach this point, which is already the limit of my endurance. These people aren’t easy to outmaneuver—competing with them will be quite challenging." After a moment of thoughtful consideration, Lan Yanran gently shook her head in response to Xiao Yan’s kind offer. "The sonic technique..." Hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes slightly brightened as he murmured softly. The "Lion-Tiger Golden Chant" was already a fairly advanced sonic technique. Most importantly, when Xiao Yan had been in Black Horn Territory, he had taken a seventh-stage pill, the "Yin-Yang Long Xuan Pill," from which he had absorbed a subtle resonance of the dragon's roar, significantly enhancing his own sonic technique. He now wondered whether, with this advantage, he could withstand the wave of sonic attacks from the mouse tide array. Recalling the miraculous ability of the "Yin-Yang Long Xuan Pill" to aid in breakthroughs, Xiao Yan remembered that this effect had never manifested since he had consumed it. He found himself rather helpless—after all, the Wind Master himself had used this very pill to achieve his breakthrough to the Douzong level. Would it only manifest when he himself reached that level as well? As Xiao Yan silently sighed, the golden eyes of the valley slowly opened, and his gaze swept across the entire gathering. Then, with a simple gesture, a calm voice lingered softly in the ears of each person present.