As Xiao Yan's foot pressed down, the countless golden-mousetail eyes around the stone staircase instantly opened, their fur bristling upright, and a powerful sonic wave gradually emerged, causing the energy of the surrounding realm to ripple and surge. Upon seeing Xiao Yan enter the staircase, Nalan Yanran bit her silver teeth and followed him with a step. "Follow me!" Xiao Yan fixed his gaze on the golden-mousetail creatures encircling the staircase. Suddenly, a deep roar erupted from his throat. With the roar, he slammed his foot firmly onto the ground, and in an instant, his form surged forward as a streak of light, blazing toward the summit at lightning speed. Behind him, Nalan Yanran pushed her inner qi to its peak, striving to maintain pace, closely following Xiao Yan. As Xiao Yan and his companion began to accelerate, the crowd on the platform and at the mountain summit swiftly turned their attention toward them. From the very beginning until now, there had never been a case of more than one person successfully navigating the challenge. Thus, they were well aware that the strength of the "Mouse Tide Sonorous Array" depended directly on the number of participants—when Xiao Yan and his companion entered the array, the power of the sonic waves would naturally double that of ordinary cases. Under such intense sonic pressure, even Feng Qing'er and the others would likely face considerable difficulties in making it through. Consequently, many of them lacked strong confidence in Xiao Yan's success. While a single individual might still have a chance, now that he was carrying an additional burden, the outcome seemed uncertain. The sonic waves reached them, and both Xiao Yan and Na Lan Yanran's bodies went rigid almost simultaneously. However, Xiao Yan fared better, thanks to the strength of his ki, managing to withstand the assault despite a slight slowdown—though he managed to hold on. Na Lan Yanran, on the other hand, grew pale, her speed rapidly diminishing. The piercing waves caused sharp pains throughout her soul, and her internal ki began to become disordered. Clenching her teeth tightly, Na Lan Yanran gazed at Xiao Yan's figure ahead, braving the searing pain in her soul. Her ki surged forth without reservation, forming a series of defensive barriers around her body, desperately resisting the onslaught of the sonic waves. On the long stone staircase, two figures swiftly moved forward and backward, their strides cutting through the air like tangible waves of sound that nearly filled every inch of space around the stairs. With each step forward, Xiao Yan and Na Lan Yan consumed considerable Qi, making steady progress. Though it had only seemed like a few minutes when they first observed it, now that they had personally experienced it, they realized how formidable and perilous this challenge truly was. The view before her gradually blurred. Nalan Yanran gazed at the figure ahead—though slender, it stood remarkably steady within the sound waves. A bitter smile touched her lips as she recalled the past. Back then, she had firmly withdrawn her engagement to Xiao, a high-born and proud woman. Though young and impetuous, she had known deep down that her decision was partly influenced by Xiao's reputation as a mere "useless" son of a minor family. At that time, she had been accepted into Yunlan Sect, seen as a rising star with boundless potential, while Xiao was merely the son of a small clan, considered nothing more than a mediocre heir. The gap between them was as vast as the heavens and earth. Naturally, a woman of such pride found it unbearable. Yet it was precisely this moment of impulsive decision at the outset that later brought her endless regret. Everything she once held dear—every source of pride—was gradually eroded as the young man grew and matured. Even her greatest reliance, Yunlan Sect, ultimately had to face its most tragic fate, all due to the quiet indifference in his voice. She had originally thought that after leaving the Gamma Empire, she would become a person from a completely separate world, utterly severed from that young man whose memory remained vivid and indelible. Yet she had never imagined that, at the very moment she faced her crisis, it was he who saved her life. When they met again, his strength had truly surpassed hers—indeed, now, even the privilege of simply following his steps was gradually slipping away. Thinking of this, Nalan Yanran bit down hard on the inner edges of her red lips, and a thin streak of blood seeped through. Originally, their relationship had reached the most intimate level possible. Yet, alas—several lingering regrets deep within her heart surged like venomous serpents, deepening her bitter taste at the corners of her mouth. The dense aura surrounding her body began to thin rapidly under the impact of the sound waves. "Pfft!" At a certain moment, the qi finally completely dissipated. Lan Yanran's body suddenly stiffened, her face as pale as snow, and then she spat out a stream of blood. The world around her quickly darkened, and her body, as though struck by a heavy blow, fell backward like a kite whose string had been cut. "I've done my best...," Lan Yanran murmured softly, her eyes slowly closing as she felt her qi fading within her. "Wang Chen sneered, coldly laughing. "That's not necessarily true. This person is young, yet even I can't fully grasp him. Moreover, he managed to escape the hands of Fei Tian, the Master of Fenglei Pavilion—despite possibly having outside help. If he lacks genuine skill, few would believe it." Hearing this, Mu Qingluan smiled gently, her voice soft and delicate. "Boom!" As the four were speaking, a deep thunderclap suddenly erupted from within the stone staircase. Instantly, everyone saw Xiao Yan's body shatter and bounce down within the wave of sound, reappearing behind Lan Yanran, where he extended his arm to gently wrap around her waist. "Hm? Three Thousand Thunder Motions? Hehe, indeed, as the rumor says—he must have cultivated the Three Thousand Thunder Motions of Fenglei Pavilion from somewhere. It seems truly accurate," Mu Qingluan exclaimed, amazed at the fading silhouette and the thunderous sound. "Just a mere upstart." Feng Qing'er glanced at Mu Qinglun with a faintly cold expression. "The mere commoners won't be able to escape from Bei Gezhushu Fei Tian." To Feng Qing'er, Mu Qinglun was entirely unfazed; she merely pursed her lips and smiled lightly. Upon Mu Qinglun's firm resistance, Feng Qing'er furrowed her brows, mindful of her status, and with a graceful sweep of her sleeve, turned her cold gaze toward Xiao Yan standing on the stone staircase. "Then I shall see just how he manages to carry this one through the murmur-swelling wave array!" Seeing Lan Yanran still persisting, Lan Yanran hesitated slightly before finally nodding, then used the remaining Qi to swiftly cover her ears. Sssssss! Below, the countless gold-devouring mice, after a brief pause, suddenly lifted their heads, their eyes locking directly onto Xiao Yan above. With their sharp, toothed mouths opening wide, a wave of sound waves—more powerful than before—burst forth in lightning speed, like ripples spreading across the sky. Feeling the strength of this sound wave, the audience on the platform all exchanged startled expressions. In the air, Xiao Yan gazed at the tangible sound waves that seemed to have substance. His lips slowly parted, his face slightly flushed. Then, in an instant, he opened his mouth wide. "Roar!" A thunderous roar of lions and tigers suddenly erupted from the sky, its massive waves nearly enveloping the entire Tianmu Mountain. Within the astonishing cry, faint, peculiar dragon-like murmurs resonated, causing listeners' souls to tremble and their feet to weaken beneath them. "A dragon's roar?" Jinshi, who had remained composed throughout, suddenly turned pale, gasping aloud. While the sheer power of the sound wave itself was not alarming, what truly struck him was the hidden dragon's voice embedded within the roar—this particular dragon's tone could not be replicated by ordinary sound-based techniques. Only creatures with true dragon bloodline could produce it. Yet Xiao Yan was a human. Amidst this clash of sonic waves, Xiao Yan single-handedly shattered the combined sonic assault of the countless Gold-Feeding Mice! This moment left even the viewers on the platform, and several people atop the mountain, utterly stunned... "Wait... How is this possible?"