Boom! A thunderous explosion rang out, and at that very moment, a powerful, furious wave of fire surged forth from the heavens, spreading out in sweeping waves. The intense heat immediately warmed the city, which had previously been chilled by the pervasive cold air—now rapidly transforming from icy to lively. Countless eyes across the city were fixed upon the advancing wave of flame, filled with awe. In less than five minutes, Xiao Yan had executed a flawless comeback, completely reversing the situation that had once seen him steadily falling behind. With only the strength of a two-star Dou宗, he had managed to defeat Wu, a defender of eight-star Dou宗 rank—an achievement that seemed utterly unimaginable to the onlookers. The gap between Dou宗 ranks was typically vast, and to face and overcome someone of a higher rank was no ordinary feat. Yet this very scene now left many spectators stunned, their heads buzzing with disbelief. This man—was truly extraordinary. The Tian-She and others swiftly retreated some distance, observing the area where the spreading wave of fire was expanding, their expressions subtly shifting. The sheer strength of Xiao Yan's sudden burst of combat power left even them astonished—his sequence of advanced techniques had been incredibly powerful, truly devastating. Tian-She turned his head, meeting the eyes of several elders from the Binghe Valley, each of whom conveyed a clear intent of hostility. This young man, so accomplished at such a young age, would inevitably become a formidable threat to the Binghe Valley if left unchecked. There was no room for compromise—he must be eliminated. "It's no wonder Xinlan was so confident that he could save my Ye family—this young man truly is no ordinary person!" The wave of fire spreading across the sky, under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, finally subsided gradually, revealing what lay within. First to catch everyone's attention was a young man dressed in neat, well-fitted robes. Despite the spectacular explosion that had occurred earlier, he showed no signs of injury—his breath remained steady, strong, and powerful, truly astonishing. Opposite him, not far away, a silhouette floated in place—clearly the Wu protector who had been struck by the fire lotus. However, the black mist that had previously enveloped him had now completely dissipated. With the mist gone, the protector's slightly ethereal form became fully visible to the crowd, drawing waves of gasps and exclamations. "Is he truly a spirit body?" "The Huan Pavilion is indeed strange—its protectors within the pavilion are all spirit forms. Does that mean they collect souls precisely because of this?" He glanced downward, his expression growing increasingly stern upon hearing the murmurs rising from the crowd. The fiery explosion that Xiao Yan had unleashed earlier had not only shattered his strongest defense but also inflicted significant injuries upon him. That vibrant green flame seemed to burn through the very essence of his being, leaving him in constant, intense pain. His eyes darted rapidly between Xiao Yan, filled with unwavering resentment, yet deep within, he was profoundly awed by the sheer magnitude of Xiao Yan's earlier combat prowess. When they first met, Xiao Yan had been merely a young prodigy, still far from reaching the rank of Battle Sovereign—even with the aid of Yao Chen's spiritual power, he had only managed to reach the Battle Grandmaster level, appearing to the elder as nothing more than a fragile, insignificant creature. Yet now, that once-feeble youth had completely overwhelmed him. Had it not been for his own decisive outburst of spiritual energy at the crucial moment, he would have perished beneath the blazing lotus of fire. "This youngster has managed to enter the hall twice—indeed, he must have some talent..." Wu, the protector, gritted his teeth. Today's events had proven him wrong. He had never imagined that the insignificant figure from years ago, after just a few years of cultivation, had grown so formidable that even he found it hard to believe. "I should send word back to inform the Hall that more protectors need to be dispatched..." As this thought formed in his mind, a sudden jolt shot through him, and he hurried to retreat, his feet gliding through the void. As Xiao Yan's figure vanished once more, Wu the Protector felt a wave of cold dread surge through him. This young man was too fast—when he was at his peak, Wu had still been able to keep pace. But now, after the intense impact of the fire lotus, Wu's soul had sustained serious wounds and could no longer match Xiao Yan's speed. With his feet planted in the void, Wu surged backward like a black shadow streaking through the air. Yet, at a sudden instant, his retreating form froze, his face filled with shock as he swiftly turned around. Black mist surged from his palms, and then countless black figures emerged from the mist, each howling in agony before bursting into violent explosions! The explosions generated a fierce shockwave that radiated outward, spreading across the void. However, as the wave reached a certain point in the empty space, a fist blazing with emerald flames slammed down with tremendous force, shattering the shockwave and driving it back. Then, like a lightning bolt, it pierced through the lingering explosion waves and struck Wu squarely on the chest. "Boom!" "With a powerful blow, the sound of a piercing cry erupted from Wu's protector as his ethereal form trembled and surged, his face turning pale. Should the wave of soul-explosion from Xiao Yan's fist not have obstructed him, the protector would have been instantly slain. Leveraging this force, Wu's protector shot backward with lightning speed, his voice trembling in panic, finally shouting, 'Senior Tian She, lend me your strength!' As soon as the cry fell, Xiao Yan's ghostly figure reappeared before him, a grim smile spreading across his face, and he charged a fierce punch straight at the protector's head. Should this strike connect, Wu's protector would surely be reduced to nothing but spirit. "Young man, why must you be so intense?" Tian She supported himself on his serpent staff, firmly gripping Xiao Yan's fist, and spoke slowly. "Are you finally unable to contain yourself?" Seeing Tian She act, Xiao Yan's face gradually darkened. With a cold laugh, he launched a powerful kick, gathering sharp, piercing energy at the tip of his foot, forming a blade-like strike that radiated a cold, penetrating chill. "Thud!" Tian She remained composed, his staff oddly angled, deflecting Xiao Yan's kick effortlessly. Then, he swiftly retreated several steps, simultaneously drawing the Wu Huafu from behind. "Senior Tian She, please capture this young man. The Huan Pavilion will surely offer him a great reward. Should you find it troublesome, simply hold him in place—my signal has already been sent. I am confident that Huan Pavilion warriors will arrive shortly. By then, this young man will be unable to escape, no matter how hard he tries!" "Wu, the protector, stared at Xiao Yan with venomous eyes, his tone stern. By now, he had come to realize that, with his own strength alone, he simply couldn't capture Xiao Yan—indeed, if he fought single-handedly, he might even fall at Xiao Yan's hands. In the past several encounters, he had been in peril time and again; had it not been for a series of fortunate turns, he would have perished long ago. Upon hearing Wu's words, Tian She nodded gently with a smile. As a powerful force like the Spirit Palace, forming an alliance with them would be highly beneficial. Moreover, since he already harbored a strong intent to eliminate Xiao Yan, he naturally had no reason to refuse Wu's request." "Wu Hu fa is at ease—this young man shall be entrusted to me at the Ice River Valley..." Tian She smiled gently, then turned her solemn gaze toward Xiao Yan, and with a light wave of her hand, said, "Ice Xuan, Ice Hua, this boy is rather unusual. You two accompany me and swiftly seize him—act with speed and precision." The two senior monks from the Ice River Valley listened, both momentarily startled, then hesitated, asking, "Master She, with so many people watching, shall we three take on just one young disciple? Isn't that a bit out of place?" "A young disciple?" Hearing this, Tian She responded with a cold smile, fixing her eyes on them, "Even if you two combine your efforts, I doubt you'll succeed. How dare you call him a young disciple?" "Ice Xuan and Ice Hua were momentarily stunned, then slightly embarrassed. Their combined strength had only just reached the seven-star cultivator level, which was still weaker than that of Wu, the protector. They had personally witnessed Wu's tragic fate earlier—had it not been for Tian She's timely intervention, they would likely have perished at Xiao Yan's hands. Therefore, they found themselves unable to offer any counterarguments, as the facts spoke for themselves. After exchanging glances, both Ice Xuan and Ice Hua nodded firmly, then moved in unison, forming a triangular formation with Tian She, encircling Xiao Yan and radiating an intense aura that gradually solidified, locking him in place. "The doubts from outsiders are mere empty words. True renown will only be held by those who survive—those who value empty titles will, inevitably, bring upon their own downfall..." Tian She paid no attention to the murmurs below, his gaze calmly fixed upon Xiao Yan, as he slowly spoke. "After employing the Three Supreme Transformations of Heavenly Fire, you are indeed strong. Yet this strength still cannot alter your fate today. If you surrender without resistance, you may still endure less suffering..." To Tian She's words, Xiao Yan scoffed, his eyes sweeping across the surrounding area, his expression gradually growing serious. Two Seven-Star Battle Sect Masters, one at the peak of Battle Sect rank—such a lineup would not find it difficult to capture him. Yet this would only be true if Xiao Yan had no other reserves. Unfortunately... As his expression settled, Xiao Yan gently closed his palms and swiftly formed a series of unusual hand seals. With each change in the seals, the temperature around him surged dramatically! "The Five-Phase Separating Fire Technique!" "The Wushen Fire Technique, the masterstroke of Tian Fire Master, had never been fully unleashed by Xiao Yan since he began practicing it. Thus, though he had long heard it praised as nearly on par with a heavenly-tier combat technique, his understanding of its true power remained limited. Yet today, under such perilous circumstances, it finally burst forth completely—fully realized in Xiao Yan's hands!"