Xiao Yan's gaze lingered on the purple iron fan, then slowly turned his head. Behind him stood a young man dressed in white robes, smiling warmly—though the smile seemed subtly delicate and soft. Behind the young man were three elder figures. As Xiao Yan's eyes swept over their forms, his gaze grew slightly focused. The two elders standing farther back exuded powerful energy, clearly reaching the eight-star Battle Sect level. Yet it was the elder standing at the front who truly caught Xiao Yan's attention. "Battle Sovereign," he thought. Though the elder appeared relaxed, his hands resting in his sleeves, seemingly no different from an ordinary old man, Xiao Yan, through his sharp spiritual perception, sensed that this man's strength had undoubtedly reached the Battle Sovereign level. The sudden intervention of the young man in white attire drew a wave of astonished glances from those around. When they saw the three elderly figures behind him, their eyes widened with surprise. To travel far and bring such a strong contingent clearly indicated that this group had substantial backing. Xiao Yan's sudden intervention caused the young man in white robes to narrow his eyes, yet he didn't hesitate—his fingers lightly struck the iron fan, producing a crisp "plop," and the deep purple fan unfolded, its blade-like surface slicing horizontally across Xiao Yan's palm with sharp force, cutting a fine fissure in the space itself. Despite the swift and ruthless nature of the young man's counterattack, Xiao Yan's expression remained calm. With a flick of his finger against the copper plate, he suddenly swept back, transforming his finger into a palm and generating a powerful surge of energy that struck the purple fan with force. "Boom!" The resonant sound echoed through the hall. Under the force of Xiao Yan's palm, the purple fan was immediately pressed firmly onto the jade platform. Before the young man in white robes could withdraw it, Xiao Yan launched a well-aimed, powerful leg sweep, striking the young man's face with the precision and speed of a deer's graceful leap. Faced with Xiao Yan's powerful, forceful leg sweep, the young man in white robes grew slightly serious, yet at this moment, he could only release his iron fan, stepping back two paces to deflect Xiao Yan's leg wind. "Enough, youngster!" As the young man retreated, two elders of approximately eight-star cultivator rank behind him also grew serious, stepping forward with a single footfall to join him, their palms extending like eagle claws, directly grasping Xiao Yan's shoulders. Just as the two elders moved, Xiao Yixian and Tian Huo Zhunzhe appeared silently and swiftly before Xiao Yan, the former murmuring a cold laugh and lightly flicking his fingers, sending two streaks of gray energy rushing forth. "Watch out!" "Facing those plain, unremarkable streaks of gray energy, the lazy elder who had remained absent all along slightly frowned. With a firm grasp of his palms, the space around him instantly warped into tangible form, shielding the two gray streaks. Though the gray energy was repelled, a faint, sharp scent of blood subtly seeped into the noses of the two elders. Their internal ki immediately became disordered and turbulent, prompting them to quickly retreat, urgently stabilizing the surging energy within. 'Is that it? Do you expect to force your claim now?' After giving these two elders a solid lesson, the young healer glanced at the white-robed youth and the elder who had warped the space, speaking calmly. After being pulled back by the leisurely elder, the two older men only then realized the situation before them, their foreheads glistening with a few beads of sweat. Though their abilities were solid, they could clearly sense the overwhelming power of the two young healers, and thus the sound they had just about to utter was swallowed whole. Two Douzun-level cultivators—this time, they seemed to have hit a wall. The young man in white gazed steadily at the two healers, then suddenly smiled and addressed Xiao Yan: "My name is Chen Xian from the Xuanming Sect. May I ask your name?" "Xuanming Sect?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's mind stirred. He was well acquainted with the major factions in the Central Region. The Xuanming Sect, though not as renowned as the Ice River Valley, held its own—indeed, it was even more distinguished. Behind the Xuanming Sect lay the Tianming Sect, one of the two most prominent sects on the continent. The power dynamics in the Central Plains are intricate and multifaceted. The so-called One Palace, One Tower, Two Sects, Three Valleys, and Four Palaces do not fully encapsulate the breadth of influence in this region. The Central Plains stretch endlessly, harboring numerous understated powers whose strength rivals, if not surpasses, that of other major sects beyond the Spirit Palace and the Dan Tower. Indeed, some secluded powers—such as the ancient clans—command such prestige that even the Spirit Palace and the Dan Tower cannot overlook them. As for the Heavens-Ming Sect, it oversees three subordinate branches, known across the continent as the "Three Lower Sects," and the Xuan-Ming Sect is one of them. In terms of strength, the Xuan-Ming Sect holds its own against even established powers like the Ice River Valley. Though others may not extend courtesy to the Xuan-Ming Sect, the Heavens-Ming Sect's standing always commands respect. This ancient lineage, with a heritage spanning nearly a millennium, boasts a power base that is truly formidable. "Just an obscure newcomer—no need for your concern. The bronze plate was mine to begin with, and I have no intention of transferring it at this time..." Although he knew the Xuanming Sect wasn't exactly easy to please, Xiao Yan couldn't possibly yield the bronze plate simply because it was now in the other's hands. After all, he didn't even fear the Hun Palace, let alone this Xuanming Sect. To Xiao Yan's blunt remarks, Chen Xian's gentle features briefly darkened, and then he sneered, his gaze shifting toward the disheveled elder—whose hands now held the bronze plate, thanks to Xiao Yan's earlier finger tap. "As long as you exchange it with me, no matter what price he offers, I'll pay double." Yet in Chen Xian's confident and well-spoken offer, Xiao Yan's eyes flickered with a coldness. This man truly was... pushing his luck. The messy elder toyed with the copper piece in his hands, gazing intently at Xiao Yan and Chen Xian with evident interest. After a moment, he smiled, tossing the piece to Xiao Yan despite Chen Xian's somber expression, and said, "There's always a sequence—people come first, then others. I'm not someone who sees money as the only thing that matters. Since I've already accepted the items, I won't be selling them to anyone else." Quickly catching the copper piece, Xiao Yan smiled warmly and bowed politely, saying, "Thank you, sir." The slovenly elder waved his hand, saying, "This is Dan Ta's territory. I truly don't believe anyone could make a scene here. Not even Xuanming Sect—let alone the Tianming Sect. Even if their people arrived, they'd have to tone it down..." At these words, the gentle lines of Chen Xian's face darkened slightly. He fixed the elder with a cold gaze before turning to Xiao Yan, and spoke slowly, "Friendship brings more pathways. To offend people over something unclear is far from sensible." Xiao Yan smiled, placing the copper plate into his storage scroll before looking up at the elder. "I'm sorry, but I may not have the fortune to become friends with you. I also need this item myself. However, if you're patient, after I've studied it thoroughly, I might be able to offer it to you free of charge." As soon as he finished speaking, he bowed once more to Chen Xian and then stepped forward toward the staircase. "Hmph!" As Xiao Yan's foot lifted, the two elder practitioners who had just suffered setbacks suddenly shifted sideways, blocking his path. With the route now obstructed, the smile on Xiao Yan's face gradually faded. Before he could speak, two vast streams of energy surged forth from the bodies of the two young healers, flowing out like a tide. "Within three breaths, if you don't roll, you'll die!" The young healer with gray and purple eyes stared coldly at the two blocking figures, her clear voice charged with lethal intent. The crowd on the top floor had been drawn by the sudden surge of energy, yet they were not particularly surprised by the presence of the two Douzun-level practitioners. After all, those who had come here were all individuals of exceptional vision—Douzun-level strength was no rarity, and thus, nothing extraordinary. Faced with the overwhelming presence of the two young healers, the two elders' faces paled, and under the intense pressure, they instinctively stepped back swiftly—almost reflexively. They sensed, in the quiet stillness, that if just a moment longer had passed, they might well have ended up as cold, lifeless bodies lying here on the ground. Xiao Yan calmly glanced at the two, now slightly flushed from their quick retreat, and then turned his gaze to Chen Xian, whose eyes were slightly narrowed. After a brief exchange of glances, Xiao Yan spoke softly, "Don't trouble me. Otherwise, you won't make it out of the Dan Realm. Believe me." Without pausing to notice the sudden coldness that spread across Chen Xian's face, Xiao Yan turned and walked toward the staircase. The young healer, Tian Huo Zhunzhe, and Ye Zhong followed promptly. Chen Xian watched the retreating figures with a dark, solemn gaze, and only when they had completely disappeared from sight did a serene, icy smile slowly spread across his lips.