"Xiao Yan..." The young healer stared at the young man standing by the edge of the mountain stream, her pale, graceful face gradually blooming into a breathtaking smile—a joyful expression born from sudden, overwhelming hope amidst despair, radiant and captivating. Ice Yuan's gaze was cold and menacing, her voice as icy as if it had risen from the depths of the underworld: "You dare to disrupt my Ice River Valley's plans?" During her initial survey, Ice Yuan had noticed that nearly half of the elite disciples surrounding the stream were missing, their bodies scattered with a thick, pervasive scent of blood—clearly, these young warriors had fallen victim to this very man. This revelation ignited an uncontrollable fury and murderous intent within her, her eyes fixed on Xiao Yan like those of a fierce, howling wolf. Feeling the fierce glare from Ice Yuan, Xiao Yan merely smiled and said lightly, "The people of Ice River Valley truly aren't very good natured... A one-star Combat Sect cultivator dares to act arrogantly before me in Ice River Valley—today's young people are indeed becoming more and more bold." Hearing this, Ice Yuan burst into rage, laughing with a tone thick with murderous intent: "Regardless of your background, you must hear this: today, Falling God Gully shall become your tomb!" "Hand over the Ice Seal to you—don't spare any effort. Capture him first, and sever his limbs." Ice Yuan's gaze shifted to another spot along the mountain stream. There, a white-robed elder now stared coldly at Xiao Yan, his expression darkening. Xiao Yan's actions had been unexpectedly swift—within just half a minute, nearly twenty disciples from the Ice River Valley had fallen under his hands, all of it unfolding right before him. It was as if someone had delivered a sharp slap across his face, leaving a burning pain. "Rest assured," said the white-robed elder named Ice Symbol, nodding lightly. "I'll make him understand what it means to suffer life's worst hardships—and at the same time, show him that being overly assertive isn't always a blessing." On his weathered face, a cold, fierce smile now spread. Between the words of Bingyuan and Bingfu, Xiao Yixian quickly regained her composure. With a glance around, the initial joy that had surfaced began to fade. The situation now was such that even if Xiao Yan arrived, he would find it difficult to extricate himself—indeed, he might end up being drawn into the chaos as well. After all, Ice River Valley alone boasted three Douzong-level强者. With Xiao Yan's current strength, managing to escort her safely out would be no easy feat. Rest assured, since they've come, they must surely have a plan to save you..." Seeing the smile on Xiao Yan's face, Xiao Yi's initial tension eased slightly. She knew Xiao Yan well—rarely took on tasks without confidence. Perhaps, as he said, he already had his own strategy in mind. "I'd like to know exactly how you arrived at this confidence," said Ice Symbol, stepping through the void toward Xiao Yan. With each step he took, the chill radiating from his body grew stronger, and a mocking, cold smile spread across his face. "Ice Yuan, go ahead—handle the main matter first. Otherwise, if anything goes wrong, we'll surely face consequences." "Bin Yuan slowly nodded, withdrawing his piercing gaze from Xiao Yan and turning it toward Xiao Yi, coldly笑道, 'Rest assured. Once I have you secured, you'll see just what becomes of your arrogance...' As he spoke, he had no intention of lingering any longer. With a slight curve of his palms, an astonishing chill swiftly gathered within them. In mere moments, a rapidly spinning ice disc coalesced, its edges sharp as blades, emitting a continuous whistling sound. 'Go!' The spinning ice disc, rotating swiftly at the tip of Bin Yuan's fingers, lifted a composed, frosty expression. With a fingertip flick, a sharp 'whoosh' echoed as the disc pierced through space, materializing instantly before Xiao Yi. It then swept forward with an imposing aura of menace, swiftly gliding toward the latter's slender, jade-like neck. The sudden, piercing cold breeze caused a slight change in Xiao Yixian's facial expression. She swiftly stepped back, but the ice disc's speed was unexpectedly swift, rapidly expanding in the space before her eyes. "Clang!" The ice disc sliced through the space, yet just as it was about to reach Xiao Yixian, a strange silver glow suddenly appeared before her. As the light flickered, a silver arm delivered a powerful punch, sending the ice disc flying off. This unexpected turn of events caused Ice Yuan's face to change for the first time. He was stunned, gazing at the silver figure before Xiao Yixian, especially as he noticed the hollow gaze in her eyes, his eyes narrowing in surprise and exclaiming, "A puppet?" The sudden appearance of the silver figure naturally drew the attention of the others. Ice Fu's expression slightly darkened; though he could not sense the presence of the puppet, he clearly felt a sense of danger emanating from her body. "Given his age, it seems these years have truly etched themselves into his skin. To go so far as to deliver such a ruthless blow against a wounded, frail woman—this is beyond expected." At the edge of the mountain stream, Xiao Yan smiled slightly, his expression warm yet carrying an icy intensity, his finger slowly pointing at Bing Yuan. "Kill him!" As soon as the words left his lips, the earth-dwelling spirit automaton that had stood motionless before Xiao Yin's small healer surged forward like a cannonball, appearing instantly before Bing Yuan. With a direct, unadorned punch, it struck hard and precise at the latter's chest. The swift assault startled Bing Yuan, who instinctively raised a hand, sending out a wave of pervasive cold. "Thud!" The impact of the punch and palm met, and while the automaton remained perfectly still, Bing Yuan gasped, his throat emitting a deep, startled sound. He stumbled back several steps, his feet barely touching the air, his eyes finally widening with genuine astonishment. With his own strength, he had expected to hold his own against this enigmatic automaton—yet here he was, clearly at a disadvantage. "Ice Seal, kill that boy—he's controlling the puppet!" Ice Yuan growled, his face pale as he steadied himself. Hearing Ice Yuan's roar, Ice Seal's expression also tightened, clearly indicating that the puppet was indeed a formidable challenge. His gaze suddenly sharpened on Xiao Yan, filled with deadly intent. "Ice Symbol roared with laughter, clenching his palm. A long spear forged from condensed ice surged forth, its shaft trembling and leaving trails of shimmering afterimages. As he laughed, his form surged forward, transforming into a streak of white light, darting toward Xiao Yan with the speed of lightning. The spear sliced through the air, creating a sharp, piercing wind sound. The last white-robe elder from Ice River Valley, hearing Ice Symbol's command, nodded and then waved his hand, sending dozens of figures rushing swiftly toward Xiao Yan's young healer behind him. The sky above instantly filled with an intense, biting cold. Seeing Ice Symbol advance, the young healer's face tightened, and her internal qi surged in response. "The puppets are indeed gone—but there's still a unique soul body..." Gazing at Ice Symbol's stern expression, Xiao Yan smiled gently, lightly brushing his fingers over the white storage ring on his hand. Gradually, a translucent soul body emerged, solidifying into an elderly figure. The soul-body had just manifested, and as the ice seal surged forward, the body suddenly halted mid-motion, the figure staring in astonishment at the newly formed soul-body. At the very moment the ice seal stopped, the ice crane and others trailing behind also came to a halt, exchanging puzzled glances—by their standards, they could not penetrate the true nature of Tianhuo Master. "Ah, once again, you've made me this old body serve as a mere foot soldier..." After stepping into the physical realm, Tianhuo Master first adjusted his ethereal form, then turned to Xiao Yan and shook his head in resignation. The young physician behind Xiao Yan, witnessing him summon yet another such powerful soul-body, was filled with surprise, her mind now completely at ease. As her composure relaxed, the injuries she had been suppressing began to ease, and a wave of dizziness swept through her mind, causing her to cough up a mouthful of blood. The young healer who suddenly bled profusely also startled Xiao Yan, who immediately supported her, gazing at her delicate, pale face—so thin it seemed barely able to withstand a breath. The dark pools of his eyes flared with sudden, fierce determination. Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan turned to Tianhuo Master, his voice now cold and resolute: "Thank you, Master Tianhuo. Please attend to this person promptly. The young healer is severely injured and won't be able to hold on much longer..." "Ten minutes." Tianhuo Master glanced at the young healer being supported by Xiao Yan. With his keen eyes, he could clearly see the severity of her injuries. His expression grew serious, and he nodded slightly before turning to face the group—particularly Ice Fu and the others—whose faces were filled with bewilderment. With a slow, steady step, he advanced, and suddenly, a vast and powerful soul storm erupted, sweeping outward from him in all directions. At the very moment the soul storm surged, Ice Fu, who had been puzzled, suddenly went pale, his voice trembling with shock and sharpness. "An Eight-Star Combat Sect cultivator?!"