The silver flash tore through the space, surging forward with the force of a thunderbolt that had pierced heaven and earth, blazing at an astonishing speed. As it streaked toward the elder named Huang Yi, the air ahead vibrated and resonated with a series of deep sonic booms, and deep craters erupted spontaneously on the ground before him. At the very moment the earth-dwelling spirit puppet appeared, Huang Yi’s previously serene expression instantly turned grave. He sensed an overwhelming sense of danger emanating from the puppet’s form. "This young man still carries such a powerful puppet with him?" Huang Yi’s face paled, yet fortunately, being a seasoned veteran, he swiftly reacted. Gazing at the earth-dwelling spirit puppet charging forward with fierce martial intensity, he rapidly planted his feet into the void, stepping back with a series of trailing shadows, retreating in a swift, fluid motion. His response was swift, yet the Earth Spirit Puppet moved even faster. With a single stomp of its foot upon the ground, it sent ripples of tremors through the earth, cracking the surface into countless fissures. A sharp *shush*, and its form appeared almost instantaneously before Huang Yi, its fists gleaming with brilliant silver light, charging straight at his head with unyielding force. Huang Yi's face was rendered a deep crimson by the blazing qi, and flames surged in his eyes. With both hands pressed firmly onto the massive flame cauldron, he met the iron fists of the Earth Spirit Automaton head-on. "Clang!" The brilliantly silver-flecked fists did not waver in the slightest, driving forward with force and striking solidly against the cauldron. A startling, crisp sound erupted suddenly, resonating across the plain. The sound rippled out as an invisible wave of energy, sweeping through the ground and lifting a layer of soil right off the surface. "Boom!" The clash held only for a brief moment. At that instant, the flame cauldron, formed from the qi within Huang Yi's body, was riddled with countless cracks. Then, with a sudden burst, it shattered into countless fragments of energy, scattering in all directions. Today's Earth Spirit Puppet can even challenge a Nine-Star Battle Sect master. Huang Yi, though only at the Seven-Star level, would naturally fall short in a direct confrontation against such a puppet. "Hmph!" The flame cauldron shattered, and Huang Yi emitted a deep gasp from his throat, then staggered and retreated step by step. "How formidable this puppet truly is!" As he stumbled backward, a wave of awe surged through Huang Yi's heart—only after this firsthand encounter did he truly grasp the puppet's formidable strength. With a firm heave of his foot against the ground, Huang Yi forced himself to steady his stance, urgently suppressing the surging qi within his body. As a sweet sensation rose in his throat, he found it instead bitter and sour, full of astringent aftertaste. He had always assumed, with his Seven-Star Battle Sect strength, that the young man before him would at least show some deference, perhaps even yield and offer him some of his treasures. Indeed, his initial intention had been merely to take a small share—something casual, a mere token for Xiao Yan. Yet, though his expectations had been noble, reality had proven far harsher. Now, looking at the current situation, even securing a safe departure seemed a significant challenge—let alone receiving that modest offering. At this moment, Huang Yi found himself somewhat regretful of his own greed. "Now the situation, Huang Yi realized, called for him to first secure his escape—once he had gathered all his companions, he could then turn his attention to the young man before him. As he spoke, his eyes swiftly scanned the spot where Xiao Yan had previously stood, only to suddenly notice that the latter had vanished completely. "Unfortunate..." Huang Yi paused slightly, his expression instantly turning grave. With a firm stomp of his foot, he prepared to retreat swiftly—only for a terrifying gust of wind to emerge from behind him, slicing diagonally and striking his back with force. The sudden ambush sent Huang Yi's heart racing. He managed to turn around and hastily raised his palm to defend. "Thud!" The collision occurred instantly, yet Huang Yi's hurried exertion proved insufficient—his palm's internal energy collapsed immediately, while the incoming punch, like a eel, slipped effortlessly through his palm's flow, darting with lightning speed and striking his chest squarely. "Pfft!" Hit so hard, Huang Yi's face instantly turned pale, and then, unable to contain himself any longer, he spat out a gush of blood. His body, like a kite with its string severed, surged backward, skidding across the ground for nearly a hundred meters before finally coming to a slow halt. Once stabilized, Huang Yi spat out a mouthful of blood, then glared venomously at the young man who was now slowly stepping into the spot where he had previously landed. His face contorted in fury, declaring, "You've got guts, youngster. But don't think you'll escape unscathed. Two of my companions also entered the Dan Realm with me—they'll make good on this score for me!" As he finished speaking, Huang Yi coughed up another stream of blood. With a flick of his finger, a beam of light shot from his fingertip, spiraling through the blood, then transforming into a streak of crimson lightning that surged upward. After a few swift flashes, it vanished into the sky. Huang Yi's actions were executed with remarkable ease, clearly indicating this was no stranger to such maneuvers. Even Xiao Yan could only slightly furrow his brow as the blood glow faded, and only after a moment did he shift his gaze, offering a calm smile. "If you'd like your companion to meet a fatal end, I won't mind at all," he said. "A stiff-necked youngster—don't think that merely having a puppet makes you any more impressive!" Huang Yi growled. Regarding this, Huang Yi would have no doubt, for if it were him, he would certainly do exactly the same—and the young man before him certainly didn't seem like a benevolent sort. "Young lad, I'll remember you. I'll be waiting in the Sacred Dan City. After the Dan Assembly concludes, I'll make certain you suffer more than death!" Huang Yi clutched the spatial stone tightly, then suddenly crushed it with a firm press, causing the space around him to warp swiftly. "Should you dare, young man, would you care to leave your name so that I may know precisely who defeated you this time?" Huang Yi asked suddenly, his voice sharp and stern as the space continued to ripple. At this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but smile, gently brushing his fingers over his storage ring, and smiled, "Xiao Yan." "The name was simple to hear, yet it caused his body to grow increasingly twisted. His face, already pale, went rigid at once. He had heard this name on the very day he entered the Dan Domain—precisely the day when Xiao Yan and Binghe Valley clashed... 'Damn it! How could I have encountered this calamity right from the start?' As these thoughts settled in his mind, a sudden surge of suction erupted around him, pulling his form into the space. At the very moment he vanished, Xiao Yan clearly saw the regret etched upon the man's face." As Huang Yi's figure vanished, Xiao Yan waved his hand, sealing the Earth Spirit Puppet into his storage relic. A mere Seven-Star Battle Sovereign—someone he didn't even fear at the peak of a Sovereign's rank—had dared to make a move on him? Indeed, he didn't place much stock in Huang Yi's mentioned companions. Should they ever meet, as long as the other wasn't a Battle Sovereign, Xiao Yan wouldn't be overly concerned with their presence. And judging by Huang Yi's demeanor, Xiao Yan didn't believe he could gather any Battle Sovereigns as allies. "The locations of these three items should correspond to the three red circles marked on the map. For now, we'll have to visit them first..." After a moment's thought, Xiao Yan made up his mind. To harmonize his heart, soul, and essence, he would need several rare herbs and medicinal materials. Since the Dan Realm is rich in precious resources, he might as well make a stop along the way to gather these materials. If successful, he might be able to truly break through his soul to the Spiritual Realm before leaving the Dan Realm. At that point, his chances of winning the final Dan Conclave would be significantly enhanced.