Gazing at Yi Chen, whose face was ashen and who had just spat out a fountain of blood, Xiao Yan smiled faintly. His fingers gently traced the crimson storage ring he had forcibly pulled from Yi Chen's fingers during their initial clash. After all, he had already scolded him thoroughly—now that he had lost, it only made sense to leave behind something of value. "Return the storage ring!" wiping the blood from his lips, Yi Chen stared at Xiao Yan with blazing eyes, his expression fierce, like a wild beast charging. "Then consider this merely a small interest," Xiao Yan chuckled lightly, then spoke calmly, "The match is over. You may now take your people and depart." Yi Chen's face twitched violently, his gaze sharp and full of murderous intent fixed on Xiao Yan. Clearly, he was far from satisfied with this defeat. In his view, his earlier loss had stemmed entirely from a misjudgment of Xiao Yan's tactics. If only he had been better prepared, he would have surely won with greater dignity. When Yin Chen's face turned ashen, the young Tian Nan standing beside him also felt a growing chill. He had underestimated Xiao Yan, not expecting even the formidable Yi Xiu Luo of Tianming Sect—renowned for his fierce reputation—to fall at the latter's hands. It now seemed clear that Xiao Yan stood out not only among the young talents of Zhongzhou, but truly excelled above the rest. Moreover, no one could forget that this young man who had defeated Yin Chen possessed a mastery of alchemical arts surpassing even many of the senior elders of Dan Tower. While it was not unprecedented for others to achieve such excellence in both combat prowess and alchemy, few, at such a young age, reached this level. "This youth cannot be retained—otherwise, he will surely become a serious threat in the future." Chen Tian Nan's eyes flashed with a cold, murderous intent. With a sudden turn, he launched forward, stepping out and materializing just a few feet in front of Xiao Yan. His voice, sharp as a thunderclap, echoed across the plaza: "You insolent youngster! During our sparring, you've seized another's belongings without so much as a courtesy—has your teacher never taught you the basics of etiquette?" As he spoke, Chen Tian Nan's massive hand surged through the void, closing in with a firm grip on Xiao Yan's head. The look suggested that should the grip hold firm, Xiao Yan's skull would burst like a watermelon with a resounding *pop*. Chen Tiannan's face was contorted with fury, yet as his palm was about to strike Xiao Yan, a cold smile appeared on the latter's face. With a flick of his fingers, an indistinct golden figure suddenly materialized before him. "Clang!" Chen Tiannan's palm slammed hard against the golden form, producing only a crisp sound of metal meeting metal—the immense force failed to even cause a ripple in the figure's body. As the first blow landed, a wave of numbness and tingling surged through Chen Tiannan's arm, causing his expression to shift. Raising his eyes, he saw a blank, expressionless face. Then, the golden fist surged forward, delivering a straightforward, unadorned punch straight toward his head. Faced with this brilliant golden strike, Chen Tiannan's entire body bristled with cold, his inner aura rippling outward as he swiftly raised his palm to meet it. "Boom!" A deep voice echoed through the air, and an intangible gust of wind rippled out like lightning. The stone platform, which had previously shattered into fragments, now collapsed completely into a fine powder. As Chen Tiannan's fist and palm collided, he was sent flying backward, landing with a thud. He retreated several steps on his feet, then finally lifted his head in shock, gazing at the dark golden automaton standing before Xiao Yan. The numbness spreading through his palms stirred a wave of overwhelming astonishment within him. Though with his keen eyesight, he could clearly see that the dark golden figure was merely a puppet—yet the strength of this puppet left him utterly chilled. A Battle Sovereign-level automaton? The thought alone made Chen Tian南's mouth feel dry. For most people, achieving such a level required a lifetime of cultivation. Yet this puppet, seemingly born from the very essence of the being, already possessed such formidable power! "Clang! Clang!" "Chen Tiannan was repelled in defeat, and the array of strong disciples from Xuanming Sect immediately drew out their gleaming weapons from their storage scrolls, glaring at Xiao Yan with fierce determination—seeming as though they would charge straight at him and chop him into pulp the moment he gave the order. 'Shhh!' As these warriors drew their weapons, two figures gradually materialized beside Xiao Yan, their cold gaze sweeping across the entire gathering. The vast aura radiating from them instantly startled the fierce-looking figures, causing them to step back two paces. 'Two Battle Sovereigns?' The two figures who appeared beside Xiao Yan were surely Xiao Yixian and Tianhuo Sovereign. They had remained inactive throughout, knowing that in such a situation, Xiao Yan was fully capable of handling the challenge posed by Yi Chen. Yet they hadn't anticipated that Chen Tiannan would suddenly intervene." Gazing at the two young healers who had now appeared, Chen Tianan's expression subtly tightened. He could clearly sense their strength—true Douzun-level warriors. Most striking of all was the young, elegant white-clad woman, whose presence seemed to carry an undercurrent of danger. What weighed most heavily on his heart, however, was the celestial demon automaton standing motionless before Xiao Yan. After their earlier encounter, Chen Tianan knew well that if a full-scale battle were to unfold, it would likely be the automaton alone that could pose a serious challenge, possibly even forcing him to sit back and enjoy a fine cup of tea. "This young man is truly odd—surrounded by so many strong opponents. Even without the Dan Tower's protection, the people who have come today would likely struggle to make any headway against them." Chen Tiannan's mouth slightly twitched. After careful consideration, he found his face pale with frustration—he realized that the people he had brought along were simply not enough to match the opponents when it came to a fight. Even with three Dou Zun-level strongholds at his disposal, and despite the solid foundation of his Xuanming Sect, he could not field a force comparable to theirs. Before true strength, any words are futile. If they could now produce ten Dao Resonance masters, they would simply move in and seize Xiao Yan without needing to utter a single word. Yet alas, the number of Dao Resonance masters they currently possess falls far short of ten—and in fact, is even fewer than what Xiao Yan has. How can they possibly compete? "Master Chen, today's disturbances have already been sufficient. If this continues, even the three Chairmen may find it unbearable!" Qiu Ling's expression was somber. Chen Tianan and his party had caused a commotion at the entrance of the Dan Tower, which, while disruptive, was not beneficial to the Dan Tower. Fortunately, Xiao Yan had proven himself capable—not only weathering the crisis but also delivering a decisive blow to Xuanming Sect. Upon hearing this, Chen Tianan's face tightened slightly, and Yi Chen's eyes grew cold. His voice became sharp and frosty: "Do you truly believe our Tianming Sect's assets are so easily taken?" "This is simply prize-taking. "Xiao Yan smiled and corrected himself, his cheerful demeanor, however, nearly driving fire from Yi Chen's eyes. "Young man, stop being so smooth and diplomatic!" Chen Tiannan sneered, yet before he could finish speaking, a cold voice suddenly resonated throughout the space. "Master Chen, it's time to conclude this farce today. If things continue to escalate, don't expect the Dan Tower to show any mercy. As for Yi Chen, if you can represent Tianming Sect and officially turn against the Dan Tower, you may return immediately. I'd like to see how Tianming Zi will respond to you!" At the moment the cold voice rang out, the space before Xiao Yan began to subtly warp, and then a figure in deep blue robes stepped forth, eyes sharp with intensity, radiating dignity and authority as she moved. Seeing Xuanyi step forward at this very moment, Qiu Ling promptly bowed in respect. Chentianan and Yichen's faces also turned pale. In terms of status and reputation, Xuanyi far surpassed them—even if Tianming Zi, the abbot of Tianming Sect, were present, he would surely have to show deference. For a moment, even the proud Yichen found himself drenched in cold sweat. Though he had spoken confidently earlier, he now realized that Tianming Sect would certainly not risk offending Dan Tower over a single Xiao Yan. "Since Xuanyi Master has taken the initiative, let us conclude today's matter here. But should I uncover the truth, I shall certainly not rest content." Chen Tiannan's lips trembled, and then, after a deep breath, he finally snapped his fingers, delivering a sharp remark that cut through the scene. With a sweeping gesture of his sleeve, he led the group, humbled and embarrassed, to turn and depart. He hadn't expected that, for the sake of one Xiao Yan, even the leading figures of Dan Tower would personally step in. "Well, I'm not in the mood to argue with you—same temperament as that old man..." Xu Yi shook his head with a sigh, turned, and walked toward the inner sanctum of the Dan Tower, gently whispering the words into Xiao Yan's ear as he passed. "Come in. I've secured the information regarding Master Yao's detention." Upon hearing this, the warm smile on Xiao Yan's face gradually faded, replaced by a sharp, cold expression.