A weathered voice gently spiraled through the thunderous skies of this mountain range. This voice seemed to possess a magical power—whenever it fell, the entire space froze, and the expressions on countless faces were instantly locked in place, as if stunned. With the breeze brushing past, a comical stillness spread across the scene. At that very moment, no one could clearly recall what had happened, yet the weight of Wind Master's words became especially evident. The stature of a Master of Battle, in fact, might have gone unchallenged by few on the entire continent of Battle Qi. At the edge of the square, Mu Qinglun also gazed intently toward the direction of Feng Zunshi, her mouth slightly open, deeply moved. Having followed Feng Zunshi in cultivation for so many years, she had never seen him—so usually composed and calm—express such resolute emotion. She was fully aware of what Feng Zunshi’s words meant at this moment: if this matter were handled poorly, it could truly bring the two factions into open opposition. Though the Xingyin Pavilion was not afraid of the Fenglei Pavilion, should these two powerful forces clash, the implications would indeed be truly formidable. Yet, such serious consequences were brought about solely by a single offering from Xiao Yan, which compelled Feng Zunshi to act without hesitation! In such a moment, even she felt a subtle sense of envy. Suddenly, she recalled what Xiao Yan had said to her on that day in the Tianmu Mountain range: "A disciple of an old friend?" The delicate brows of Mu Qingluan furrowed slightly, her expression somewhat puzzled. Though Wind Master had many friends, the depth of their friendship had never reached the point of willingly standing against the Wind-Thunder Pavilion. Then, who could this old acquaintance possibly be? Many others shared Mu Qingluan's thoughts—almost everyone in the hall, except Xiao Yan, seemed equally bewildered and struck by the moment. A profound silence enveloped the sky, even the swirling clouds at the horizon gradually calmed. This stillness lasted for a long while before the seated figures, including Lei Master, slowly regained their composure. Turning to Wind Master, Lei Master fixed his gaze upon him, his eyes shimmering with lightning, and spoke in a steady, resonant tone, "Wind Master, what is your meaning?" The undercurrent of anger in Lei Master's voice was unmistakable. "Heh, Master Feng, there's no need to rush—just take your time to speak..." The Sword Master was equally taken aback, just as surprised as he was by Master Feng's sudden stand, and even more so by the firmness with which he had stood, leaving no room for hesitation. Master Huangqu's gaze flickered, yet he remained silent, silently chuckling to himself. Under the weight of countless eyes, Master Feng, whose eyes had closed, finally reopened them. Though he suppressed all visible emotion within himself, he said nothing, instead fixing his gaze steadily upon the upright figure floating in the air—Xiao Yan—and in a hoarse voice asked, "What is your relationship with him?" Anyone could see that the profound emotional impact Xiao Yan had on Master Feng demonstrated just how significant the gift he had offered was to Master Feng. Gazing at the wind master's weathered face, Xiao Yan took a deep breath. The master's earlier emotional fluctuations had already clearly signaled that the old medicine master's judgment this time was truly excellent. Standing straight in the sky, under the watchful eyes of all present, Xiao Yan bowed respectfully before the wind master, his voice carrying a touch of pride: "Master and disciple!" The wind master nodded slightly, then moved with a fluid motion to stand directly before Xiao Yan, his gaze filled with kindness as he softly said, "This is exactly what I've most hoped to hear. But you must provide me with evidence." Xiao Yan smiled, touched his forehead where the flame mark was, and at the tip of his finger, a slender strand of pale, crisp flame swiftly surged forth. "The bone-spirit cold flame..." The Wind Sovereign stared blankly at that slender, pale, silverish flame. He was not unfamiliar with this kind of flame—when he was near death, it was precisely this flame that had saved him and allowed him to become the Wind Sovereign he is today. He knew well of the transfer of such unusual flames. Indeed, upon seeing the flame mark on Xiao Yan's forehead, he had already sensed a faint, yet deeply resonant sense of familiarity, one that seemed to permeate his very soul. Thus, he was certain that this bone-spirit cold flame had been deliberately stored within Xiao Yan's body by his old friend, rather than being seized by Xiao Yan through sheer skill and effort. And indeed, this was the most compelling evidence Xiao Yan could offer to prove his close relationship with the Elder of the Medicine Sect! Inhaling gently, Wind Master slowly raised his head, his voice hoarse as he said, "Old fellow, you've been quite hard to find these years..." Hearing the mix of joy and weariness in Wind Master's tone, Xiao Yan remained silent. It seemed that this teacher's long-time close friend had indeed been consistently seeking his trail over the years. To have such a true friend and confidant was truly a fulfillment. Though the teacher had once mistaken in his judgment of Han Feng, he had certainly chosen the right person for this friendship. "Master Wind..." Wind Master waved a hand, smiling lightly. "You're his disciple—don't call me that. My given name is Feng Xian. Our relationship doesn't need much detail. From now on, if you don't mind, treat me as your teacher as well." "Given Wind Elder's standing in the Central Plains, there must be countless individuals who wish to regard him as their master. Yet over the years, he has only formally accepted one disciple—Mù Qīngluán—though even that was somewhat influenced by familial connections. Indeed, it is unprecedented that someone would proactively seek to be called his disciple. "Esteemed master, I have had the privilege of meeting Wind Elder." Xiao Yan, far from being slow-witted, immediately bowed respectfully. Wind Elder smiled warmly and nodded. "Then today's matter shall rest with me." Without waiting for further words from Xiao Yan, he turned to face the Thunder Elder seated at the table, whose presence seemed as still and profound as water. With a gentle smile, he said, "Thunder Elder, while I may defer to you on other matters, Xiao Yan—Wind and Thunder Pavilion shall not be moved! This is a matter between Wind and Xiao Yan. Should Wind Elder intervene, it may well strain the relationship between the two pavilions." The Thunder Elder gazed deeply at Wind Elder, then spoke. "Today he has matters to attend to, and the final result will be a conflict between the two halls." The Wind Sovereign spoke calmly, yet the determination in his voice sent even Xiao Yan trembling. The Thunder Sovereign frowned, his hand slowly tightening on the armrest of his chair. He had not expected the usually composed Wind Sovereign to display such sharp resolve today. Among the four halls, the Wind Sovereign had been most prominent in stature and had, in fact, been the strongest in terms of strength—so much so that even the Thunder Sovereign had a certain level of respect and caution toward him. A conflict between the two halls would entail immense ramifications; even with the Thunder Sovereign's resolve, he had hesitated to speak of it openly. Yet... Taking a slow, steady breath, the low voice of the Thunder Sovereign resonated across the heavens, carrying a subtle thunderous quality: "Wind Sovereign, Xiao Yan has not only learned my Wind-Thunder Pavilion's Three Thousand Thunder Movements, but has even acquired the cultivation method of the Three Thousand Thunder Phantoms. If this matter is to be settled solely on your word, then what do you expect from my Wind-Thunder Pavilion in the future?" The Wind Sovereign's expression remained as still and calm as a deep well, undisturbed—whether due to this matter or not, even if Xiao Yan were truly a villain, he would ensure the young man suffered no harm today. After all, he was the disciple of that old man. "The Thunder Sovereign's assertion is rather rigid. The Three Thousand Thunder Movements were merely acquired by the young man at a public auction held outside the Central Plains, obtained openly and legitimately. How could there be any claim of theft? If that's the case, then wouldn't any cultivation technique disseminated by the Pavilion become a death sentence for those who practice it?" As for the Three Thousand Thunder Phantoms, that has already been reclaimed by the Northern Master—this should be something he knows well. Xiang Yan spoke solemnly. Fei Tian's expression darkened slightly, and he fixed a stern gaze on Xiang Yan, yet this time dared not make any sudden moves. Wind Master stood right beside him; if Fei Tian had dared to act again, the consequences would surely have been serious. He held deep respect and fear for such a powerful figure. Regarding Xiang Yan's statement, Wind Master remained unconcerned. At present, the real challenge for him was Wind Master himself. Should he wish to protect Xiang Yan, the situation today would inevitably become tense and difficult—something he certainly did not desire. Should the two halls come into conflict, regardless of which side emerged victorious, both would suffer significant strain. Then, others would simply reap the benefits. Gently tapping the armchair, the Lei Master finally exhaled after a while, speaking in a calm tone, "At the root of this matter, it was Xiao Yan and Fenglei Northern Pavilion who initiated it. Therefore, considering the Feng Master's standing, I shall entrust this matter to Fei Tian. Regardless of who ultimately prevails—Xiao Yan or Fei Tian—this matter shall be concluded without our two parties intervening. How do you find this arrangement?" Noticing the atmosphere on the field was shifting, the Sword Sovereign smiled and said, "Do you mean to have Qing'er face Xiao Yan?" The Thunder Sovereign's eyes narrowed slightly, yet his gaze turned toward Feng Qing'er on the field. The Sword Sovereign nodded with a smile, and with a deeply thoughtful look at Feng Qing'er, said, "This young girl isn't an ordinary one. Thunder Sovereign, there's no need to hide your intentions anymore." The Thunder Sovereign furrowed his brows, paused thoughtfully, then nodded, fixing his gaze directly on the Wind Sovereign and said solemnly, "Since the Wind Sovereign feels that Fei Tian's status is too high, let Qing'er step forward. If Xiao Yan falls, the Thunder Sovereign will no longer use the Three Thousand Thunder Strikes in the future. If Qing'er falls, then the grievances between Xiao Yan and the Wind-Thunder Pavilion shall be settled once and for all. How does that sound? Of course, the condition is that neither party may use any other person's spiritual power during this match!" As he finished speaking, the Thunder Sovereign glanced at Xiao Yan, clearly aware that within Xiao Yan's body there existed a particularly powerful spiritual entity. Hearing this, Feng Zun also hesitated. He too knew that Feng Qing'er was no ordinary person—among the peers present, even Qing Luan might not surpass her. Yet this situation had been the result of repeated concessions from the Fenglei Pavilion. If things didn't improve further, there might truly be nothing left to discuss today. As Feng Zun paused, Feng Qing'er, standing at the edge of the square, gracefully stepped forward and entered the plaza. Her gaze settled upon Xiao Yan, her voice cool and carrying a touch of pride, resonating softly. "Xiao Yan, shall you dare to face me?" Fixing her eyes on the well-proportioned, graceful figure of Feng Qing'er, Xiao Yan smiled, a surge of confidence rising within him. He fully understood Feng Zun's difficulties. After all, he was a disciple of Yao Lao—how could he, in the presence of his teacher, a life-long friend, allow his mentor's reputation to suffer? "I shall be your equal!" A clear, resonant laugh burst forth, filling the air with boldness.