A soft, ethereal sound spiraled through the heavens, and as it spread, the snow drifting across the sky seemed to pause—melting in gentle ripples, forming visible concentric waves that radiated outward in a circular pattern. At the very instant this luminous, otherworldly tone resonated, the once blood-red eyes of Xiao Yan stiffened. The blood in his gaze rapidly faded, and the blazing fire lotus on his palm began to gently dissipate. His throat rolled slightly, and he stared at the distorted space before him, eyes wide with disbelief. This sound—so deeply familiar, as if etched into his very soul—was unmistakable. Even if one day he lost his voice entirely, this sound, so profoundly imprinted in his heart, would never be forgotten. "Xun...," The voice rolled slowly through his throat, and only after a long pause did a soft, murmured sound emerge, flowing gently from the depths of Xiao Yan's throat—its tone dreamlike, almost unreal. Even the usually composed Binghe, caught off guard by this sudden turn of events, saw a subtle shift in his expression. His eyes remained fixed on the two elderly figures standing before the warped space, and then, his pupils slightly constricted. His expression shifting slightly, Binghe turned his gaze toward the distorted space—there, a slender figure of jade-green hue stepped forward, then, under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, gently stepped out of the space, materializing into the snowy, drifting realm. The woman wore a simple green robe, neither luxurious nor opulent, yet there was an undeniable dignity radiating from her—a dignity not of worldly refinement, but of sovereign grace, as though she were the ruler of heaven and earth, like the noble blood of a king, deep-rooted and enduring through the ages, never fading. Her three thousand strands of hair were loosely bound by a thin purple silk ribbon, flowing smoothly along her graceful lines. With the gentle breeze, the hair swayed softly, exuding a sense of purity and transcendence, as if she were a celestial being who had accidentally descended to the mortal world—unapproachable, ethereal. Raising the gaze upward, it settled upon the woman’s flawless, delicate face. Her skin was pale and luminous, as if it could be broken by a breath, glowing with a healthy, enchanting warmth. A gentle smile lingered upon her cheeks, radiating a softness that felt like a spring breeze—so soothing that merely seeing her smile seemed to instantly dissolve all lingering anxieties, possessing a magic all its own. Such a woman was like a fairy imbued with the essence of heaven and earth—perfect, flawless. The young woman in green robes stepped out of the warped space, not glancing toward the ice river across from her, but instead slowly turned, her clear eyes gently fixed upon the young man behind her. As she waited to see his expression of disbelief, a soft, gentle smile broke upon her lips. The sudden bloom of that smile was as delicate as a lotus in full bloom, radiating an irresistible charm that caused countless pairs of eyes to lose focus and fall into wonder. A smile that could captivate an entire city. With graceful, measured steps, the girl, like a figure from a painting, approached Xiao Yan. She extended her hands—crystal-clear and as white as jade—gently pressing them against the top of his head, as if measuring his height. Even her usually calm, still eyes now shimmered with gentle waves of emotion. "Brother Xiao Yan..." The girl stood gracefully before the young man, under the countless gazes, her lips parting gently, and a soft, smooth voice murmuring softly. Xiao Yan stretched his lips, his body subtly trembling from excitement, yet his face remained composed. Gazing at the girl he had long cherished, he was struck by how, over the years, the once-young girl had blossomed into a graceful and elegant presence. What brought him comfort, however, was the familiar warmth still shining in her eyes—those pools of clear autumn water, just as he remembered. Though the girl before him had transformed in every way—her demeanor, strength, and beauty now rivaling that of countless goddesses in the hearts of many—when he saw her, Xiao Yan realized that no matter how much she had changed, she remained the same little girl who used to follow him closely, constantly calling him "Brother Xiao Yan." Xiao Yan's sudden move also startled Xun'er, who emitted a soft gasp, her cheeks instantly flushing. After a gentle struggle, she gave in. Now, neither she nor Xiao Yan were the young teens they once were; she could sense the restrained emotions building within Xiao Yan's heart, which gently warmed her eyes. At the very instant Xiao Yan embraced Xun'er in his arms, the two previously appearing black-robed elders suddenly flashed a sharp, intense gaze. However, upon seeing Xun'er show not the slightest resistance, they exchanged a look of astonishment, then shook their heads with a sense of helplessness. Though they had gathered some information about her through inquiries, it was only now, upon seeing her firsthand, that they found it hard to believe—what they had witnessed was truly beyond their expectations. Throughout the ancient clan, countless young talents with near-divine potential had expressed deep admiration and affection for Xun'er, yet all they received were her calm, composed demeanor—her occasional smiles and conversations always carried a subtle, distant coldness. In fact, in all the years they had known her, they had never seen a man dare to embrace her. "If this reaches the ancient realm, I'm certain the younger generation will go mad," muttered one of the white-haired, black-robed elders, rolling his eyes. "Xun'er's eyesight must be quite sharp; as far as I know, this young man is from the Xiao family." The other elderly man in black spoke calmly. "The Xiao family? Is he a descendant of that person?" "Heard this, the white-haired elder also paused, then glanced at the direction where Xiao Yan stood with a look of surprise, smiling, 'It makes sense. Still, even then, securing the ancient clan's recognition wouldn't be easy—after all, he's merely the person's back, not the person themselves. And besides, Miss is the most perfectly awakened in bloodline among our clan in nearly a thousand years...' 'This matter will be handled by Miss herself. What we old fellows say will surely fall on deaf ears...' 'Well, we'll hope for the best.' While these two were speaking quietly, Tianhuo Master and Xiao Yixian, standing not far behind Xiao Yan, were also momentarily stunned by the scene. The former was relatively composed, merely surprised that Xiao Yan could recognize someone so formidable—those two black-robed elders, whose strength even he couldn't fully comprehend, were clearly at least two stars stronger than him!" Xiao Yi Xian stared silently at Xiao Yan's back, then glanced at the girl in his arms. A subtle dimness passed through her beautiful eyes—she had occasionally heard Xiao Yan mention this girl, Xun'er. From the tone of his voice, she could sense a certain tenderness, which surprised her. She knew well Xiao Yan's nature—he appeared gentle, yet rarely expressed such emotions toward anyone, especially a woman. This tenderness stirred a quiet admiration in her heart. Since knowing Xiao Yan, she had only witnessed him express such feelings once, and that emotion had always stemmed from the young woman now cradled in his arms. Xun allowed Xiao Yan to hold her tightly, her eyes glistening with tenderness. She knew well the hardships Xiao Yan had endured alone after she had left—his family on the brink of destruction, his esteemed master captured—each blow bearing down upon the young, untested shoulders of that once-fragile boy, and it was no wonder she felt deeply moved. What brought her comfort, however, was that Xiao Yan had not been broken by these trials. Instead, he had persevered, steadily advancing from the Gamma Empire, through the Black Spire Region, and now to this Central Plains continent, where he had flourished. Today’s Xiao Yan was no longer merely the passionate, youthful boy of old—he was now a true powerhouse. “Xiao Yan brother, don’t mind me for not being by your side these years,” Xun said softly, her voice carrying a magic that gently eased the fatigue in his heart, restoring both his passion and vitality. "Are you treating me like an unreasonable person?" Xiao Yan smiled, gradually calming his emotions, gently rubbing薰儿's head, then releasing her arms and stepping back. Every time he saw her again, he felt as though an endless surge of energy flowed through his entire body. "Do you have any injuries?"薰儿's bright eyes suddenly focused on the bloodstains on Xiao Yan's body, her gaze sharpening as she softly asked. Though her voice was gentle and soft, Xiao Yan sensed it clearly—the surrounding celestial energies surged subtly and powerfully at that moment. "I'm bleeding, and my injuries are actually far more severe than mine—by a hundredfold," Xiao Yan said, pointing to several deep craters and ruins within Ye City.薰儿 smiled slightly, her eyes scanning the lingering cold air around, then gently turned, her beautiful eyes fixed on the distant ice river. Golden flames slowly emerged within her gaze, and her voice, soft and steady, began to rise. "Then, let me take charge from here—shall I?"