Staring at the young man standing there casually, yet exuding an immense aura, Ling Quan's face grew increasingly displeased. "A four-star Douzong?!" His gaze darkened as he fixed it on Xiao Yan, filled with disbelief. Back when he first saw Xiao Yan in the inner academy, the latter had only reached the Douling level—then, Xiao Yan barely had the privilege of being noticed at all. Had it not been for Su Qian, the senior elder present, Ling Quan would have surely etched a lasting memory of that moment. Yet, Ling Quan could never have imagined that just a few short years later, when they met again, this once-ordinary Xiao family prodigy had now reached the Douzong level! Not only that, but he had only been one star weaker than himself—such a dramatic transformation was simply beyond what Ling Quan could comprehend. When Ling Quan's expression was gloomy, Xiao Yan's gaze slowly swept over him, and then a subtle, cold curve formed at the corner of his mouth. Back then, when Ling Quan had taken Xun'er away, he had even intended to strike him down—had it not been for Su Qian, the Senior Monastic, stepping in, the consequences might have been dire. Even though they hadn't physically clashed that time, Xiao Yan had firmly etched Ling Quan into his memory. The mockery he had once offered Ling Quan had never faded from his mind. Throughout all this, Xiao Yan had never been one known for magnanimity. Ling Quan had exploited his relative weakness, repeatedly humiliated him, and even ultimately sought to end his life—such treatment had certainly made it impossible for Xiao Yan to forget him. "No need for Linquan to expend much effort—how could anyone possibly make this clear? When I first saw you, I was only just reaching the stage of Spirit Realm cultivation. Yet after several years, it might still be hard to tell who is stronger or weaker..." Xiao Yan smiled slightly. Hearing the subtle mockery in Xiao Yan's voice, Linquan shook his head and coldly replied, "To have pride now, merely attaining the rank of Four-Star Spirit Sovereign—how dare you boast before me? In my eyes, you haven't improved much since then." Though Xiao Yan's strength was only one star below Linquan's, Linquan was confident he could completely overwhelm him in a direct confrontation. This confidence wasn't unfounded—Linquan had received the finest training and mastered the most refined techniques, cultivation methods, and combat arts within the ancient clan. He truly didn't believe that someone trained so rigorously and thoroughly by the ancient clan could still be outmatched by a mere self-taught, mediocre Xiao Yan! "But in my eyes, you're nothing at all now..." Xiao Yan smiled. He had always deeply disliked Ling Quan, and perhaps this aversion had grown steadily since their early days. Thus, even with his usual composure, he found it difficult to offer Ling Quan anything but a cold demeanor upon seeing him today. As Xiao Yan spoke so bluntly, Ling Quan's elegant face gradually darkened, his gaze steadily fixed on the former, filled with an ever-present intensity and flickers of murderous intent. Despite Ling Quan's icy stare, Xiao Yan's expression remained utterly unchanged—he met his gaze directly, his dark eyes now radiating a growing chill. The two stood in mutual silence, their powerful energies slowly spreading out, creating an atmosphere of quiet tension and hostility. Their meeting, clearly, was far from cordial. "Ling Quan!" Feeling the subtle, unyielding intensity in Ling Quan's eyes, Xun'er's face grew pale, and she loudly exclaimed. Overcome by Xun'er's stern reprimand, even Lingquan could not afford to be negligent. He quickly turned his gaze, bowed deeply, and offered a respectful salute. Yet as he slightly lowered his head, the cold, lethal intensity in his eyes grew even more pronounced. Xun'er had treated him so severely for Xiao Yan's sake—this deeply infuriated him. Of course, he dared not express this anger directly to Xun'er, so instead, Xiao Yan, standing beside him, became the natural recipient of his mounting fury. Xun hesitated slightly, then gave a gentle nod. Her bloodline was at the moment awakening, and the members of her clan would surely be concerned about her being outside. If she didn't return this time, the next visit might bring forth the clan's true strongholds—perhaps even a confrontation with Xiao Yan. That would be exactly what she didn't want to see. With light, graceful steps, Xun stopped in front of Xiao Yan, gently smoothing out the slightly disheveled folds of his robe with her delicate hands, and whispered softly, "I truly won't be able to stay out much longer, or else I'll bring further trouble to Brother Xiao Yan. Once Brother Xiao Yan has settled your matter, he'll be able to come to the Ancient Realm. I'll be waiting for you then." Xiao Yan gazed at the girl before him, her face radiating affection and warmth, and after a moment of silence, slowly nodded. He wasn't someone who was unreasonable. Xun had consistently thought of him—how could he possibly insist on his own path and still be fair to her? "Wait for me..." Xuo Yin paid no attention to the people around him, gently holding the delicate, jade-like wrist of Xun'er, speaking softly. A faint blush appeared on Xun'er's refined cheeks; she lightly touched her snow-white chin. "Let go of the lady!" Linquan, his eyes blazing with passion, stared at the particularly intimate scene between Xuo Yin and Xun'er, his jealousy nearly overwhelming his sense of reason. He had always regarded Xun'er as his divine goddess, someone he could never allow others to touch. Yet today, his goddess—normally so reserved and distant in the ancient clan—had shown such touching, heartfelt affection toward Xuo Yin. How could he not erupt into a rage like a wild beast? "Linquan, remember your status! This matter of the lady does not require you to raise your voice!" The elderly man in black, his expression stern, loudly rebuked. "Linquan, you are forgiven!" Heatedly scolding the dark-robed elder, Lin Quan’s face trembled slightly, then he drew a deep breath, and the red flush in his eyes gradually faded. Yet the intensity of his gaze upon Xiao Yan grew ever colder. “Let’s go,” Lin Quan said. Yet to Xun'er, his words seemed to fall on deaf ears. She glanced at Xiao Yan with deep focus, then lightly stepped back, turned, and walked away. As she passed by Lin Quan’s side, the gentle warmth of her expression returned to cold and composed—her voice steady and unflinching—causing Lin Quan to clench his fists tightly. Upon Xun'er’s departure, her brows furrowed suddenly, her gaze fixed on the motionless Lin Quan, who remained rigid and still. Her face grew slightly cold, and she spoke with measured gravity, “Commander Lin Quan?” Hearing her steady tone, Lin Quan drew another deep breath, his eyes sharp and hostile toward Xiao Yan. Yet he slowly shook his head, saying, “Please go first, Miss. I still have a task from the elder to attend to.” "Heard this, Xun'er's cheeks flushed, and she swiftly turned, her clear gaze fixed on Lingquan, speaking firmly and deliberately, 'Now, immediately—leave here!' Lingquan clenched his teeth, yet shook his head again. 'Lingquan, you're growing bolder by the day,' the two cloaked elders remarked, their expressions gradually darkening. Together, they took a step forward, their overwhelming presence fully enclosing Lingquan. The十余 individuals accompanying Lingquan exchanged glances, stunned by the sudden turn of events, but remained silent. After all, Lingquan was their superior, and Xun'er held a position of even greater dignity—being mute or deaf at this moment would surely be the wisest course." Under the terrifying aura of the two cloaked elders, Lin Quan's knees bent slightly, yet he forced himself to remain upright, his gloomy gaze fixed firmly on Xiao Yan, conveying a sense of unease that was deeply unsettling. Because of Xiao Yan, Xun'er grew increasingly sharp in her commands toward him, and the resentment simmering within him grew stronger—so strong that it began to blur his judgment. The young healers and others by his side observed this shift, their brows slightly furrowed, yet remained silent. After all, it was a matter concerning the ancient clan, and outsiders were best left out. Still, they could clearly see that Lin Quan harbored deep resentment toward Xiao Yan. She had already decided: if Lin Quan simply bowed out gracefully, that would be fortunate for him; but if he proved obstinate and sought to cause trouble, she would make it clear—regardless of how formidable the ancient clan might be, Lin Quan would never again be allowed to speak loudly or act boldly before Xiao Yan. "Master Lin, seize him and bring him back!" Xun'er's face finally grew cold, and with a graceful sweep of her jade sleeve, she spoke coldly. "Yes!" Hearing this, the two black-robed elders immediately bowed respectfully and responded with a firm voice. As they stepped forward, ready to act, Lin Quan suddenly retreated two paces. A flash of light from his palm revealed a blood-red jade plaque, about the size of a palm, bearing a flowing, elegant character—"Gǔ"—in a calligraphic script. "An ancient jade decree?" Seeing the blood-red plaque, the two black-robed elders instantly halted, their expressions suddenly turning serious. "Miss, it's not that Lin Quan is disobedient," Lin Quan said, gripping the blood-red plaque tightly in his hands, his gaze now cold and piercing toward Xiao Yan, his smile appearing especially sinister. "There is a heavy decree issued by the elder. Should we encounter any member of the Xiao family, we are to remove him and meet with the Ancient Clan. Should he refuse, I have the authority to use force and take him away. Therefore, Xiao Yan, you will come with me—quietly and willingly."