At the highest level of Dantai stands an expansive and magnificent hall, typically reserved for the tower's senior figures to receive distinguished guests. Yet now, after a long period of vacancy, the hall is filled with people sitting casually, while attendants serve tea and water with respectful diligence. "Heh, Master Feng, it's been quite some time since we last met. You still remain as carefree and at ease as ever," said Xuan Kongzi, gazing at the serene, green-robed elder seated in the hall. Master Feng, naturally, had received Xiang Yin's message and immediately set off from Xingyin Pavilion, arriving promptly. Upon hearing Xuan Kongzi's words, he shook his head and smiled, "How could you, as a senior figure, be so comfortable? Compared to Dantai, my Xingyin Pavilion is merely a minor player." By the Wind Sage's side sat an older man with a rather stiff demeanor, his posture straight as a spear, conveying an unmistakable sharpness and intensity. One might have thought he wasn't merely sitting there, but rather a blade imbued with a piercing coldness, seemingly radiating a formidable aura. The elder named Iron Sword nodded slightly, his face twitching, clearly unwilling to delve deeper into this matter. "That old man has always been this way—he holds a deep grudge against the Jade Sword Sect, and it'll take some time before he can clarify things." Wind Master smiled, his gaze suddenly sweeping across the hall, and said, "Where is Xiao Yan? He summoned me here, so I can't understand why he hasn't shown up yet." "Ah, Wind Master, how could I possibly mock you like that? I'd never dare to." As soon as Wind Master finished speaking, a light chuckle came from outside the hall, followed by several figures stepping through the doors and entering slowly. As soon as Xiao Yan entered the hall, his eyes settled firmly on Wind Master. With that, he felt a great sense of relief—Wind Master was absolutely essential to this mission, and only now, seeing him present, did Xiao Yan feel completely at ease. "Nine-star Combat Sect?" The Wind Sovereign glanced at Xiao Yan and his teacup paused slightly, surprised to say, "He clearly just reached the Douzong stage when we last parted. Yet now, barely over a year later, he's suddenly advanced to the nine-star level? The Iron Sword Sovereign, with his stern expression, also showed a subtle reaction. Though his eyes had remained calm, a wave of astonishment passed through them. Wind Sovereign had already detailed to him all the things related to Xiao Yan upon their arrival, clearly expressing great satisfaction with this disciple of Yao Chen. Initially, the Iron Sword Sovereign hadn't been particularly impressed, but now, after seeing him face to face, he could clearly sense the remarkable qualities hidden beneath the young man's composed demeanor. "After all, it's just luck, I suppose." Xiao Yan smiled as he walked into the hall, with Xiao Yi, Tian Huo Master, and Zi Yan trailing behind him. Zi Yan, with her face displaying a carefree and languid expression, seemed quite dissatisfied with being brought up here to meet these strange figures. After all, wouldn't it have been better if she could simply have slept a bit longer? "All of them are my friends and helpers on this journey. This one is Xiao Yi Xian, and this one is Tian Hu Zun...," Xiao Yan smiled. Hearing this, even with Wind Zun's usual composure, a subtle ripple of astonishment stirred within him. In barely over a year, Xiao Yan had not only risen from his initial Douzong-level strength to nine-star status, but had also gained two strong friends—both now at three-star Douzong level. Such a pace of growth was truly remarkable. "Ah, truly, no wonder the old master chose this disciple—indeed, one cannot judge him by ordinary standards..." Wind Master sighed inwardly. A year ago, Xiao Yan had been merely a young, inexperienced newcomer to the Central Region, but now he had already established a formidable reputation throughout the Central Region. The astonishing duel during the Herb Conclave had become widely known across the entire region. As he imagined, if the Fenglei Pavilion heard such tales, their faces would surely turn pale. After all, a Master of Pharmaceutical Arts at the Eighth Rank was no mere easy opponent. "This is Iron Sword Master, the assistant I specifically brought along. Ah, my old friends—when they heard I was heading to the Spirit Palace for a confrontation, many of them hesitated, even retreated. I couldn't very well insist, for each of them had their own powerful networks and interests behind them, and they were deeply afraid of provoking the Spirit Palace's wrath and having their forces wiped out." "Wind Master sighed and then pointed to the iron sword master beside him, saying, 'This is Master Iron Sword. He's rather solitary. Back then, Yao Chen showed him great kindness; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to repay such a deep blood debt. Upon hearing that I intend to rescue Yao Chen, he came over of his own accord.' Hearing this, Xiao Yan nodded silently. It seemed Wind Master had been quite busy these days, yet the Hún Palace was too strong—even a Master of Battle Rank wouldn't easily dare to offend them. Still, Master Iron Sword stepping forward at this moment truly impressed Xiao Yan. While it's admirable to add luster to an already bright situation, it's truly rare and precious to offer support when things are at their most difficult. 'Xiao Yan would like to extend his heartfelt gratitude to Master Iron Sword on behalf of his master,' said Xiao Yan, bowing solemnly to Master Iron Sword. "I can now avenge my blood, thanks to Yao Chen's assistance. Having avenged my blood, I now have no further attachments. As long as I can bring that old man out and repay his great kindness, and make a run at the Spirit Pavilion, it will not be much to ask. I've long wanted to meet those half-human, half-goblin figures." Master Tie, his voice slightly hoarse, spoke. Hearing the tone in his words—so composed, as if he had already set aside everything—Xiao Yan remained silent. Such a person who could casually let go of even himself was truly formidable. Fortunately, he had come on their side. "Regarding Yao Chen, Xuan Kongzi has already informed me. I've been actively seeking allies lately, and didn't realize the Spirit Pavilion had already shifted its focus. Otherwise, if we had gone straight for Ming City, we might have disrupted their plans." Master Feng, gently stroking his beard, said. "But I didn't expect them to transfer the people to the Mountain of the Departed Souls. There, the terrain is complex and the cold mist is so thick that if someone were to stumble into the deep mountains and get lost within the mist, even the Hall of Souls might have difficulty finding them. It seems they're also concerned that Yao Chen might escape." Xiao Yin nodded slightly. "Our time is limited. We don't know whether the Hall of Souls might receive new intelligence and decide to secretly relocate our teacher again. In that case, all our efforts might come to nothing." "Agreed. This matter must be resolved promptly—otherwise, things will grow complicated over time." Wind Master agreed and nodded toward Xiao Yin. "When do you plan to set off?" "We'll leave tomorrow!" Xiao Yan spoke in a steady tone. With the current personnel in place, and with the two elders of Wind, their side now boasts five Battle Sovereigns. Combined with his exceptional combat prowess, even facing six Battle Sovereigns, they would be capable of holding their own. This strength ranks among the strongest in the Central Region. As long as no major unforeseen events occur and the information is accurate, Xiao Yan has a seven-out-of-ten chance of successfully rescuing Yao Lao from the Soul Palace. Upon hearing this, the Elder of Wind was slightly surprised, then slowly nodded. He fully understood that such an endeavor could not be delayed. Though departing tomorrow seemed somewhat hurried, speed was of the essence—by striking the Soul Palace unexpectedly, securing the target swiftly, and then retreating promptly, they would leave the Soul Palace's elite with little recourse when they arrived. "Then it shall be as you say. We depart tomorrow!" "Staring at Xiao Yan and Feng the Venerable, who had already decided their departure time so swiftly, Xuan Kongzi was momentarily stunned, then nodded with a sigh, rising to his feet and saying, 'Since you have made up your minds, I shall remain here and wish you all the success in your journey!' 'Thank you, Master Xuan,' smiled Xiao Yan. In his dark eyes, however, a sharp, piercing glow suddenly surged. After years of striving for this very moment, he finally felt it had come—the time to act! 'Master, wait for me. This time, I will surely free you from the Hands of the Soul Palace!' ... The next morning, as the first rays of dawn broke through the darkness and touched the earth, several figures slipped silently out of the Dan Tower, unnoticed by anyone, vanishing into the sky within a few swift movements. On a mountain outside the Sacred Dan City, the wind stirred, and several figures materialized from the void, landing atop the mountain's peak. "Let's go..." Xiao Yan counted the number of people. His expression instantly turned sharp and serious. With a deep, resonant command, he surged forward, his figure transforming into a blurred streak of black, darting swiftly toward the distant horizon. Following closely behind came Feng Zun, Xiao Yi Xian, and the others. The rescue operation had finally begun in full force!