The atmosphere within the courtyard had now frozen in place; though a gentle breeze drifted through, it could not ease the tense stillness. Even the two cloaked elders, who had previously been poised to act, now hesitated—under the blood-red jade tablet held by Lin Quan, the ancient family's authority was undeniable, and neither of them dared to ignore it easily. "Miss, this is the elders' command. I have no authority to dissent!" Hearing this, Xun'er's expression gradually calmed, and she spoke softly, "Very well, I'll keep this in mind..." Listening to Xun'er's gentle tone, Linquan's face suddenly tightened. He knew deep down that she was truly furious now. "All because of this useless young man from the Xiao family! Even if it means offending Miss today, I must leave an indelible mark on this waste!" Linquan's expression grew increasingly grim, his eyes like those of a wild beast fixed firmly on Xiao Yan. His hands, gripping the Blood Jade Mandate, slowly tightened, emitting subtle creaking sounds. "Shall you come with me of your own accord, or shall I take action?" His voice, hoarse and cold, slowly emerged. Xiao Yan met Linquan's gaze steadily, and a cold arc of determination formed at the corner of his lips—this man had successfully stirred the flame of battle within him. "Do you still think we're in the same situation as back then?" "Heard these words from Xiao Yan, Ling Quan didn't grow angry—he smiled instead, saying, 'Well then, it seems you have no intention of joining me to the Ancient Clan?' Xiao Yan nodded with a smile. How could he not know that Ling Quan was seeking every excuse to act against him? Yet how could Ling Quan possibly know that Xiao Yan himself harbored the same intention? If those old grievances were simply brushed aside and forgotten, wouldn't that seem rather unimpressive? Now, Xiao Yan truly wished to make the commander of the Black Annihilation Army aware that, back then, he had easily been able to take Xun'er from his hands. But now, should Ling Quan refuse, then this commander had already lost that very qualification. Seeing the smile on Xiao Yan's face, Ling Quan couldn't help but smile as well—the cold, sharp edge of determination in that smile was even perceptible to a blind man." "Today, I want you to understand clearly that no matter how agile you may be, in the eyes of my ancient clan, you are still nothing but a mere insect. Do you truly still believe your family—whose very qualification to enter the Central Plains has never been established—is still the same Xiao family from back then?" Linqian slowly advanced one step forward, his vast aura surging forth like a volcanic eruption from within, immediately sweeping across the entire sky. "One more step forward, and you die..." A gentle voice suddenly resonated, and a delicate white figure materialized before Xiao Yan, soft gray energy rising steadily from within the young physician. Gazing at the sudden appearance of the young physician, Linqian's eyes narrowed slightly. With his capabilities, he naturally sensed the formidable strength emanating from her. "Once again, relying on women? Back then, you depended on Su Qian from the Inner Courtyard; now you're relying on women once more. When will you finally rely on yourself? If your ancestor in the ancestral halls were to hear this, I daresay he would never find peace." Ling Quan turned his gaze toward Xiao Yan, his voice laced with scorn and disdain. "First, any force that can be commanded is one's own. Relying on others in such a childish manner only invites ridicule. How can you act so arrogantly? If it weren't for the prestige of the ancient clan, what would you even be, with merely a Five-Star Battle Sect strength?" Xiao Yan smiled slightly, his expression growing ever colder and more detached. "Second, your ancestors from the Xiao family—have you even the right to mention them?" "Third, I didn't need any assistance from others to deal with you." Xiao Yan watched Ling Quan, whose face grew increasingly flushed under the weight of his words, and then gently took Little He-Doctor's hand, stepping smoothly aside. "You—" Seeing this, Little He-Doctor furrowed her brows slightly. "Do you really think I wouldn't be able to handle someone of your caliber?" Xiao Yan turned his head, smiling at her. Upon hearing this, Little He-Doctor shook her head in resignation, finally agreeing to follow him. She had long held a strong dislike for the man named Ling Quan. "Xiao Yan brother, go ahead and act—any consequences, I'll handle." Xun'er said calmly. It was rare for such a composed and reserved person to express herself so clearly, which showed just how deeply the Linquan had angered her today. The two in black robes exchanged glances, both offering a wry smile, then silently chiding Linquan for her lack of grace—believing that merely holding the Blood Jade Mandate would allow her to act with unchecked authority. They could already foresee that even if Linquan managed to return smoothly to the Ancient Clan this time, her future would surely not improve. Xiao Yan smiled, turned his gaze toward the surrounding courtyard, and bowed respectfully, "Master Ye, this is merely a matter of personal concern, unrelated to the Ye family. Please allow us to take over this area for a while." "Master Xiao Yin jests. Not only this plot of land, even if it were the Ye family itself—should you utter a single word, I would have no objection at all." Hearing this, Ye Zhong quickly smiled, for he too had come to be drawn by the four-winged unicorns soaring above. He understood well that anyone able to connect with Xiao Yin must surely be no ordinary person—those individuals, the Ye family had little room to dispute with. Xiao Yin smiled, then turned his gaze to the somber-faced Lin Quan, asking, "General Lin Quan, shall I handle you personally, or shall we take all of you together?" As he spoke, his eyes briefly scanned the group of about a dozen figures accompanying Lin Quan—these individuals were certainly strong, though even the strongest among them only reached the peak of the Battle Sovereign rank. Still, they did not command his particular attention. "Don't act so bold before me. I'll settle you personally—just one person will be enough!" Lin Quan sneered, clenching his fists. Lightning sparks flashed across his palms, and as silver light extended, the long spear of thunder took form. With a powerful stomping of his foot, Lin Quan launched himself skyward, his thunderous spear aimed directly at Xiao Yan, his voice cold as he said, "Today, let me see just how this once-derided Xiao family scion dares to act so arrogantly!" Xiao Yan smiled faintly, his dark eyes blazing with determination. As he moved, he reappeared in the sky, his hands forming a gesture, and the Xuan Zhong Chi materialized. The heavy spear ignited a vibrant green flame, slashing through the space with force, then colliding fiercely with the thunderous dragon. Sparks erupted in all directions! The impact sent both figures staggering back several steps. Ling Quan’s face slightly tightened— the powerful force radiating from the spear made his palms feel numb. "You’ve got quite a bit of strength!" Ling Quan laughed, his body shifting mid-motion. A fleeting silhouette remained in place before reappearing a few paces away from Xiao Yan. With the lightning spear swirling, silver serpents darted and danced, striking at Xiao Yan’s vital points with sharp precision and ruthless intensity. "Thunder Serpents!" His movements hissed crisply. One after another, silhouettes of the gun shafts materialized in the air, yet at this moment, Xiao Yan's form seemed to grow ethereal, occasionally shifting with subtle grace, just barely evading Lingquan's sharp and incisive gun techniques. Witnessing Xiao Yan's movements prove so refined, Lingquan's eyes flickered with a touch of cold resolve. With a sudden, forceful strike on the gun's handle, the abrupt violence propelled the lightning gun like a drawn bow, tearing a dark fissure straight through the space along its path. "Shhh!" The long spear darted out like a flash of lightning, yet as it neared Xiao Yan's chest, a blazing palm surged forth, seizing the shaft and absorbing its forward momentum. Then, with a firm grip, the spear snapped in two, fragmenting into countless silver serpents, which ultimately dissolved into nothing as the flames surged upward. "An elegant display of swordsmanship—utterly ineffective!" "Directly shattered Lingquan's lance with a single palm. On Xiao Yan's face, a cold smile appeared. Though Lingquan's gun techniques were swift, they were largely ineffective under the coverage of Xiao Yan's soul power. With the lance destroyed, Lingquan's expression finally underwent a dramatic shift, retreating instantly. As he retreated, his hands swiftly formed hand seals—seals familiar to Xiao Yan, the Imperial Seal Technique! 'The First Transformation of Heaven-Fire Triple Perfection!' Xiao Yan murmured a cold laugh. With his current strength, he could effortlessly execute the Heaven-Fire Triple Perfection in an instant, and the First Transformation had long since been refined to perfection. Upon issuing the command, Xiao Yan's aura surged dramatically, instantly reaching a level comparable to Lingquan's. In a flash of movement, silver light flashed, and he materialized before Lingquan like a ghost, his dark eyes flashing with cold intensity. 'Mountain-Opening Seal!' Lingquan was stunned by Xiao Yan's speed, completing the seal swiftly and then delivering a powerful palm strike. 'I have ordered you to open a mountain!' As Lin Quan's palm was just about to deliver the blow, Xiao Yan's straightforward, solid punch struck squarely against it, causing a surge of vibrant green flames to erupt! Xiao Yan was intimately familiar with the "Mountain-Opening Seal," knowing precisely its points of power and its vulnerabilities. This punch, however, was exceptionally precise, targeting the very area of the seal where the force was most dispersed. "Boom!" Flames erupted in the sky, and subtle cracking sounds echoed from Lin Quan's wrist. Cold sweat immediately beaded on his forehead. Yet Lin Quan's mental resilience was truly commendable—just as Xiao Yan launched a fierce counterattack, Lin Quan, stepping back slightly in a hurried motion, swiftly changed his hand seal with the other palm. However, before the seal was fully formed, a flaming palm materialized out of nowhere, seizing his hand firmly. "The techniques were elaborate, the seals slow, the ki weak and scattered... compared to my expectations, you fell far short—truly disappointing. Here are four words for you..." Holding tightly onto Lin Quan's hand, Xiao Yan slowly shook his head, his gaze full of pity upon the pale-faced latter. "Unworthy of a single blow!"