Four vast and mighty streams of energy intertwined like great dragons, creating an intense pressure that not only sent the three elders of the Lei Sect staggering back two steps, but also caused the stronger members of the Fenglei Pavilion to pale, their breaths growing heavy and their eyes filled with astonishment. The sudden surge of such overwhelming power stirred a wave of murmurs throughout the surrounding area. Everyone stared in open amazement at the three figures standing behind Xiao Yan, only now realizing that these three—always silent and unassuming, never having spoken or drawn attention—were genuine Douzun-level warriors. Thus, with Xiao Yan himself, the Starfall Pavilion now boasted four Douzun-level masters. This strength far surpassed that of the Fenglei Pavilion. After retreating two steps, Lord Lei's body instantly stilled, his eyes filled with astonishment as he gazed at the three figures behind Xiao Yan. Aside from the unfamiliar sturdy man, he was amazed to find that both the beautiful young woman and the elder standing beside her had reached the peak of the Three-Star Supreme Domain rank—strength that was no weaker than his own. "How is this possible? When did the Starfall Pavilion amass such a number of Supreme Domain masters?" Within Lei's heart, waves of astonishment surged. Though renowned forces in the Central Region typically possessed hidden strengths, his own Fenglei Pavilion, with its centuries-long heritage, had a history far exceeding that of the Starfall Pavilion. Yet, to see three Supreme Domain masters appear all at once—such depth of strength was truly extraordinary. The two elder figures clad in animal robes beside Lord Lei also subtly changed their expressions at this moment, finally beginning to feel uneasy. With four Dou-Zun-level cultivators, even when combining the peak strengths of their two clans, they might still fall short. Under the overwhelming pressure of this vast aura, the atmosphere atop the mountain grew increasingly tense. The disciples of the Fenglei Pavilion, who had previously been confident, now exchanged glances with one another, hesitating to make any movement. Master Lei's expression was as still and somber as water, his gaze fixed firmly on Xiao Yan. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth and said, "Good boy! If I had known this would happen back then, I would have eliminated you right then!" Xiao Yan smiled gently, paying no attention to this retrospective outburst from Master Lei, who had been absent for several years. "Let's go!" To Master Lei, Xiao Yan's composed smile ignited a surge of fury within him. Yet now, he understood the situation clearly—Xiao Yan and his companions were strong enough to force them off the mountain peak. The saying went: a true hero doesn't always take what's right in front of him. The powerful members of the Tian Yao Phoenix Clan had not yet arrived; when they did, there would surely be a time when this young upstart would weep. Suppressing his mounting anger, Master Lei raised his hand and strode resolutely down the path leading to the mountain base. The numerous Feng Lei Pavilion disciples trailing behind him fell into disarray, gathering their tents with drooping heads, following like defeated dogs. "Xiao Yan, don't be too pleased yet. This situation—I will surely reclaim it at some point!" As the Thunder Sovereign paused beside Xiao Yan, his voice grew cold and steady. "I'll be ready whenever you are," Xiao Yan smiled. "Hmph!" Seeing this, the Thunder Sovereign drew a sharp breath, swept his sleeve, and turned with the group, walking away. Watching the wind-and-thunder hall disciples retreat in disarray, the members of the Star-Plunging Hall erupted in cheers. In their gaze toward Xiao Yan, a new sense of reverence and awe had taken root—when their dignity had been trampled, it was precisely he who led them to regain their pride. At that moment, for the first time, these Star-Plunging Hall disciples truly felt that if there were a young master of such caliber, the Star-Plunging Hall would surely grow stronger in the future. "Hmm…" Even Mu Qinglun, who had been holding her breath all along, quietly exhaled, glancing over at Xiao Yan. This man—despite facing the renowned Liangzhun Master, a top-tier figure in the Central Plains—had shown no fear at all. That was a stark contrast to how he had been just a few years ago. "Set up the camp first," Xiao Yan said with a smile. "Yes!" Xiao Yan's words now carried significant weight among the Xingyin Pavilion disciples. Upon hearing him speak, all the disciples immediately responded in unison and then scattered to establish a new campsite on the ground. "Mu Qinglun gently reminded. "Hm," Xiao Yan nodded slightly, saying, "Our top priority is the Spirit Infant Fruit. No matter what, we must secure it. If the Wind-Thunder Pavilion truly decides to intervene, then we can hardly blame ourselves for being ruthless..." Observing the subtle coldness flickering on the young face, Mu Qinglun also slowly nodded, saying, "I'm not particularly concerned about the Wind-Thunder Pavilion. After all, this is still the Beast Domain, where the Wind-Thunder Pavilion has strong ties with the Celestial Phoenix Clan. Should they decide to act at the right moment..." "When faced with a challenge, we meet it with strength; when confronted with water, we hold the ground. Even if nothing happens today, if the Celestial Phoenix Clan grows displeased with us, they will surely step in." Xiao Yan smiled casually, then walked slowly to the edge of the mountain peak, his eyes slightly narrowed, gazing toward the center of the mountain range... "That direction is where the ancient relic has recently come to life." Xiao Yan nodded slightly. He could feel a subtle curvature in the space there, clearly indicating that the ancient relic had been protected by an exceptionally strong barrier set by its "Within this ancient sanctuary, dangers abound—there are numerous exceptionally powerful ancient corpse guardians, along with some peculiar mechanisms. Even elite cultivators at the Du Zun level must remain vigilant." At the back of Xiao Yan, the elder from the Hu clan respectfully stated, "The ancient sanctuary is sealed within a spatial enclosure. Periodically, fluctuations in the space cause fissures to appear. During these intervals, many strong cultivators venture in, yet most ultimately escape in disarray." "Ah?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. It seemed that despite the passage of time, this ancient sanctuary remained formidable. "However, prior to now, no cultivator at the Du Zun level has managed to enter. The spatial seal possesses a certain restriction—should a Du Zun cultivator attempt to enter forcefully, a powerful counter-response from the seal is triggered. Even a seal established by a Du Sheng cultivator, enduring countless years, still prevents ordinary Du Zun cultivators from daring to venture in." "Then, no Du Zun cultivator has succeeded in entering?" "Heard this, Xiao Yan's brow furrowed immediately—wasn't it saying he himself would be unable to enter? "Haha, Young Master, don't worry. The seal here is already quite thin. Within just a few more days, it will gradually dissipate. Once the seal lifts, even a Supreme Domain-tier powerhouse will be able to enter safely. There are already quite a few Supreme Domain-tier强者 waiting around this ancient site, eager for that very moment." Elder Hu smiled and stroked his beard. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan exhaled in relief. He scanned the lush, verdant mountains surrounding him, and with his sharp spiritual perception, he indeed sensed some profoundly subtle yet vast energies. A flicker of astonishment crossed his eyes—indeed, this ancient site had attracted so many Supreme Domain-tier warriors. This battle for the ruins would surely be fierce once again. "Have you spotted any members of the Soul Palace?" Xiao Yan's mind suddenly stirred, and he asked. Hearing this, Ru Elder furrowed his brows and mused, "This has never happened before. Though those people are always unpredictable—sometimes even when they arrive, we may not notice them at all. However, I suspect the rumour of the ancient ruins has spread widely, and the Spirit Palace will surely send representatives as well. The question is, how many strong contenders will they bring?" Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his eyes flashing with cold intensity. "Within the Bone Mountain region, we shouldn't only be concerned about the Spirit Palace. As the local power, the Nine-Yuan Earth-Medina Serpent Clan poses the real challenge. Not only are they numerous in numbers, but they also boast many powerful individuals. Even the Heavens' Phoenix Clan has shown reluctance to engage them directly. Yet I find it puzzling—given that this region has now firmly become their territory, why haven't they sealed off the mountain and kept the news private?" Mu Qinglun murmured, slightly puzzled. "The Nine-Deep Earth-Shadow Serpent..." Xiao Yan murmured, slightly nodding. To be one of the three major lineages in the Beast Kingdom, this Nine-Deep Earth-Shadow Serpent lineage surely wasn't an ordinary one. "Heh, currently, the Nine-Deep Earth-Shadow Serpent clan is struggling to manage its own affairs—there's simply no energy left to attend to this ancient sanctuary..." Ruo Elder shook his head and smiled. "Struggling to manage its own affairs? What exactly has happened?" Mu Qingluan asked in surprise. "I'm not entirely certain myself, but according to the latest intelligence gathered, several powerful members of the Nine-Deep Earth-Shadow Serpent clan have recently vanished without a trace. Among them is even a Duke-level master of the clan. Now, they're desperately searching for the culprit. What's most astonishing is that, seemingly, the attack on the clan was carried out by just one person..." Ruo Elder stroked his beard, sighing. Hearing this, Xiao Yan and Mu Qingluan were also startled—what kind of person was so bold as to dare launch an attack against the Nine-Deep Earth-Ming Python Clan?