The sudden turn of events also startled Xiao Yan. He quickly glanced upward at the night sky, only to find it empty—no figures in sight. Yet the vast, pervasive aura descending upon him sent a deep sense of unease through him. "It must be someone from Dan Tower," he thought, slightly easing his tension. However, just as his merging Destroying Fire Lotus stabilized, it suddenly trembled and he hurriedly dispersed it with care. At the same time, he lightly tapped the ground with his foot, retreating swiftly, a long, clear cry echoing behind him. Xiao Yan shook his head and said solemnly, "Well, I'm glad we're safe—this man isn't an ordinary one..." The Tianhuo Sovereign stared at the mysterious black-robed figure with a look of displeasure, coldly remarking, "You claim to be a Sovereign-level master, yet you've been conducting all these secretive maneuvers?" Now, both the young physician and Tianhuo Sovereign were deeply astonished and indignant—by the sight of the courtyard, it was clear that a fierce battle had taken place, yet they had remained completely unaware. Such protection was truly something to be ashamed of. The mysterious black-robed figure floated half in the air, his solemn gaze glowing with an eerie intensity, fixed upon Xiao Yan. He hadn't expected that despite his careful efforts, the elders of the Dan Tower had already detected him. Now, his movements were firmly established. If he stayed any longer, the stronger members of the Dan Tower would surely arrive. "Xuan Kongzi," the black-robed figure said, his voice low and sharp, "this matter has nothing to do with your Dan Tower. Why should you bother with such trivial concerns?" "Hehe, this is the City of Saint Dan. If you allow the Soul Palace to roam wild here, how will I face the others?" The deep, resonant voice that had echoed earlier in the sky rose once again. This time, Xiao Yan noticed it emanated from the void space—clearly, the speaker had not arrived physically but had instead used a rare technique to project his presence, effectively commanding the enigmatic black-robed figure. "Old fool!" the black-robed figure gritted his teeth, then turned his cold, ominous gaze toward Xiao Yan, sneering, "You're lucky—your strange fire and cultivation techniques have stayed within you for a while. Remember, I'll eventually reclaim them!" With those words, the space behind him instantly warped, and his form became increasingly indistinct within the shifting fabric of the space. "Do you think you can escape?" Seeing this, Xiao Yixian's eyes grew cold, and gray mist swirled around her jade palm before suddenly coalescing into a long, flowing ribbon of gray energy that surged through space like lightning, swiftly darting toward the black-robed figure. "Heh, with you two protecting him, I indeed can't manage to harm him much. But if I wish to leave, you won't be able to stop me!" As Xiao Yixian moved to block him, the black-robed figure chuckled, flexed his fingers, and launched a streak of deep blue flame from his fingertip, which collided fiercely with the gray energy ribbon, sending both of them into a moment of intense exchange. "Xiao Yan, I'll return to find you again. The next time we meet, I'll surely claim your unique fire and your cultivation techniques..." With ease intercepting Xiao Yixian's perilous toxic aura, the figure's sharp gaze remained fixed steadily on Xiao Yan. Then, with a sudden movement, he slipped into the warped space. A ripple passed through the space, and his form vanished completely. "I'm waiting..." The darkness in Xiao Yan's black eyes was dense with cold. He sensed that the other's strength was formidable, yet if they truly clashed, he was confident that the opponent wouldn't fare well. "Damn it!" Upon seeing the black-robed figure depart unharmed, Xiao Yixian also clenched her silver teeth, murmuring under her breath. "Well then..." Xiao Yan waved his hand, then turned his gaze to the sky, bowing respectfully and saying, "Thank you, elder, for your assistance!" As Xiao Yan's words settled, the stars in the sky gradually coalesced into a somewhat blurry, elderly light. A weathered voice slowly emanated from within: "My physical form cannot fully attend, so I can only channel my presence to hold this person at bay. This individual's movements are exceptionally elusive—be vigilant. When you're ready, come to the Dan Tower. There, you will be safe." "Thank you, elder." Xiao Yan bowed again, respectfully. This elderly glow of light—likely a powerful figure from Dan Tower, perhaps even one of the legendary trio...—"As a former disciple, we naturally need to give you special attention. Be cautious of Xuanming Sect; they've also shared information about you with the person you met earlier." The elderly light smiled faintly, and the stars gently rippled before slowly fading away. Xiao Yan nodded. Throughout the entire conversation, he had never seen the figure in the black robe, and while the voice sounded neither particularly aged nor worn, the person described was a strong contender from the same era as the Elder of Medicine. By common sense, such a figure should surely be one of the truly enduring, the immortals of the realm. "His strength should be slightly above mine, though if we were to engage in a direct confrontation, I'm not certain he would truly prevail," said Xiao Yi, brushing her fingers through the strands of hair at her temple. "Still, the Xuanming Sect truly seems to be a source of trouble." "Xiao Yan spoke slowly. The young physician nodded slightly. If the people from Xuanming Sect truly insisted on charging in on their own, then they could only expect to see no mercy from their blades. "The one I'm most wary of is the man in black from earlier. We still know little about him..." Xiao Yan's eyes flickered slightly, then settled into a firm gaze after a moment: "He held Sea-Heart Flame as well. Perhaps Han Feng has some information about him." As this thought passed through his mind, Xiao Yan clenched his hands tightly, and a jade vial appeared in his grasp. With a swift stroke across the mouth of the vial, he drew in a breath, and a faint, ethereal soul-body rose up, weakly and gently—clearly that of Han Feng. "To whom did you deliver your Sea-Heart Flame?" Xiao Yan asked, his voice cold, as he gazed upon the frail Han Feng. Upon hearing Xiao Yan's question, Han Feng was first startled, then his eyes flickered with intensity. Yet before he could speak, Xiao Yan's fingertip surged with an invisible flame and swiftly pierced his ethereal form. "No, no! I'm saying—I'm saying!" Seeing Xiao Yan's resolute and ruthless action, Han Feng was deeply startled and hurried to explain. "The elder from the Soul Palace who collected my Sea Heart Flame is known as Master Mu Gu. He holds a high position within the Soul Palace, as he is not only a Sovereign of Battle but also a genuine Eighth-Rank Alchemist, greatly valued by the Palace's Master." "Master Mu Gu..." Xiao Yan murmured softly, his gaze growing colder. Indeed, it was the Soul Palace's fools all along. "The Elder Mu has a deep grudge against Yao Chen. According to him, they once studied under the same master, but later he was expelled, which has made him deeply hostile toward Yao Chen. He consistently opposes him in every opportunity. Indeed, when I first confronted Yao Chen, it was due to his influence, persuading me to secretly seize the Burned Scroll..." Han Feng said carefully. "What?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's face could not help but change. The Elder Mu had once shared a teacher with his own? "Why has my teacher never mentioned these details?" Xiao Yan asked firmly. "I've never heard him speak of it either. This information is only occasionally shared with me by the Elder Mu..." Clearly fearing that Xiao Yan might take action against him, Han Feng quickly replied. Xiao Yan nodded slowly. If Han Feng's words were true, then the mysterious cloaked figure earlier must have been Mu Gu, the elder. After all, matters concerning the "Burned Decree" were known to only a few, even among Xiao Yan's closest associates. "This man, having achieved his current success, will certainly not give up. He will surely make every effort to return and strike again. However, with my current strength at hand, he won't dare to come openly. As long as I remain vigilant, things should proceed smoothly." "The Dan Conclave is approaching. My immediate priority is to secure a spot among the top ten, and to obtain the Three Thousand Yan Fire Flames. Once that is accomplished, even if I face this old man directly—whether in single combat or otherwise—I will be confident." Xiao Yan's eyes sparkled, and after a moment, he made up his mind. He raised his hand, once again sealing Han Feng's soul-body within the jade vial, placing it into his storage relic, and then turned to proceed toward the room.