Xiao Yan floated in the night sky, his brows furrowed as he gazed toward where the shadow had vanished. Though the man had not engaged him directly, Xiao Yan could not gauge his opponent's strength through his senses—yet the strange green glow left him with a distinct sense of danger. "I don't know who this person is or why he would target Zi Yan," Xiao Yan murmured. With more and more powerful beings drawn to this ancient sanctuary, countless hidden talents and masterful warriors must surely be among them. He would have to remain vigilant throughout this journey. Xiao Yan carefully observed the four individuals who had appeared. All four exuded notably strong presences—three of them had reached the pinnacle of the Douzong stage, while the leading figure had already advanced into the Douzun realm. A slightly cold aura surrounded him, making him difficult to underestimate. "Nine-Deep Earth-Mortar Serpent Clan members?" His gaze paused on the unique vertical pupils of these individuals. Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly as he murmured to himself. "The scent of battle has drifted toward the forest—likely, they've encountered this person." The gray-robed elder hesitated, glancing at Xiao Yan. He sensed that the latter was also a Douzun-level master, and in this situation, it was wise not to complicate matters. Shaking his head, he turned his attention directly toward the forest where the black silhouette had vanished, then raised his hand and said, "Let's pursue!" "As soon as he finished speaking, he moved first, his figure transforming into a streak of black shadow, rushing swiftly into the forest. Following closely behind were three robust men, radiating an intense aura of combat intent. 'The people of the Nine-Deep Earth-Mortar Snake Clan are indeed formidable...' Xiao Yan watched them depart, a cold smile playing on his lips. If his strength had been weaker today, he suspected these men would have taken him captive right away. 'It seems the black figure I saw earlier is the mysterious person who has recently been causing such turmoil among the Nine-Deep Earth-Mortar Snake Clan. Yet I wonder—why did she specifically target Ziyan?' With these questions lingering in his mind, Xiao Yan paused for a moment before turning and heading back to the summit. Now, due to the recent events, everyone on the summit had been awakened. Upon seeing Xiao Yan return, the young physician and others hurried to greet him." Xiao Yan stepped down and recounted what had happened. When he mentioned that the person who had acted was none other than the recently rumored mysterious killer, everyone was stunned. "Didn't that person specialize in targeting the Nine-Deep Earth-Mortar Serpent Clan? How could they suddenly turn their attention to Zi Yan?" Xiao Yin furrowed her brows slightly, speaking softly. Xiao Yan shook his head, glanced at Zi Yan, and smiled, "Perhaps others have also mistaken this girl for a member of the Nine-Deep Earth-Mortar Serpent Clan..." "Pah! Who would be those smelly big snakes," Zi Yan said, then rubbed her temples, a serious expression appearing on her face. "When that person's green glow first came at me, I felt as though I was about to be controlled. Fortunately, my bloodline provided protection, otherwise, even if she didn't completely take control, I would have lost my defensive capabilities within a short time." "Heard this, Xiao Yan and the others were clearly startled. Previously, Zi Yan had only exchanged a brief glance with that shadow figure, yet she had nearly been controlled! 'This person is truly strange—capable of manipulating someone's consciousness. When did such a remarkable being emerge on the Zhongzhou continent? Why had they never heard of such a phenomenon before?' Tian Huo, the Master of Heavenly Fire, also frowned. 'Damn it! Next time I see her, I'll crush her skull flat. If this young lady gets into trouble, I'll be next!' Xiong Zhan grumbled. Xiao Yan looked thoughtful, exchanged a glance with Xiao Yi, and said softly, 'For now, Zi Yan should not wander off. She should stay close to us. This person is exceptionally strange and her origins remain unclear. We mustn't let her seize the opportunity. I suspect that the powerful members of the Jiuyou Di Minglong clan who have gone missing have already been taken over by her...' 'What?'" "As soon as he said this, everyone was stunned. Among the missing elite members of the Nine-Deep Earth-Mortar Serpent Clan, there were indeed several at the Du Zun level. If that person could even control someone at that level, it would indeed be astonishing. 'Earlier, I thought I could hold her off, but at the crucial moment, a Du Zun-level warrior suddenly stepped in to intercept me. That Du Zun warrior's aura was notably cold, somewhat similar to the one I had just seen among the Nine-Deep Earth-Mortar Serpent Clan members. So...' Xiang Yan paused thoughtfully. 'Such a skill of controlling people has never been heard of before. Even powerful sonic techniques that affect the mind are rarely capable of completely subduing a Du Zun-level warrior.' Xiao Yi shook her head. Xiang Yan nodded in agreement. Indeed, the vast world was full of wonders—having the Nine-Deep Earth-Mortar Serpent Clan encounter such an unusual and mysterious individual would surely not be a pleasant experience." "Over these few days, be a bit more cautious. The ancient relic will be activated tomorrow. We need to enter it right away then—otherwise, if someone else secures the Spirit Infant Fruit first, we'll have trouble." Xiao Yan glanced around, speaking in a serious tone. "Yes!" At his words, everyone responded in unison. … After the chaos of that night, no further incidents arose. The human tide of the Bone Mountain continued to swell, growing exponentially, and the clamor rose steadily, reaching the clouds. Countless people remained in anticipation, waiting for the ancient sanctuary to be unveiled. Under this immense, universal expectation, two days slipped by like sand between fingers. Though they were somewhat disappointed to be unable to enter this rare ancient site, no one opposed Xiao Yan's orders. Indeed, in the Starfall Pavilion, Xiao Yan was gradually building his own authority. Standing at the edge of the mountain peak, gazing at the countless figures sweeping across the sky, Xiao Yan shook his head in amazement—how powerful the attraction of this ancient site truly was. "Let's go." Without further delay, Xiao Yan raised his hand, and instantly transformed into a streak of vibrant light, rushing toward the center of the mountain range. The young healers and others swiftly followed. At this moment, the Bone Mountain was radiating an astonishing vitality, and the source of this energy was the countless figures leaping through the air. Under such overwhelming momentum, even the mountain's characteristic cool and chilly atmosphere was being forcefully dispelled. On the way to the ancient ruins, relying on his exceptional spiritual perception, Xiao Yan also sensed that the subtle energies of the mountains that had remained dormant for a long time were now awakening, manifesting as streaks of rainbow light flashing out from the peaks. "This ancient ruins site is truly a clash of titans and giants..." Feeling the strength of these energies, even Xiao Yan couldn't help but softly exhale in admiration—securing a heavenly-tier combat technique among such a multitude of powerful beings would be no easy feat. He could easily imagine the unprecedented bloodshed that would unfold across the Bone Mountain for the sake of these coveted techniques. ... The mountain peak where Xiao Yan and his companions were located was nearing the heart of the mountain range, so within just a few minutes, the distorted space appeared clearly before their eyes. Staring at the distorted space not far ahead, Xiao Yan moved swiftly and landed upon a towering giant tree. Upon taking a quick glance around, he realized that this was a vast basin stretching over a thousand li—yet now, the entire basin was completely filled with dense rows of bone remains. From a distance, it appeared as a sea of white bones, stark and overwhelming, so white it was almost blinding and deeply unsettling. "The Heavenly Stage techniques truly offer endless allure—even the strongest Dao Resonance cultivators find themselves unable to resist..." Xiao Yan sighed softly, harboring a deep desire for those Heavenly Stage techniques himself. Yet he knew well how difficult it was to secure such techniques in this very place. It was as if commoners were condemned simply for possessing valuable treasures—despite a Dao Resonance cultivator obtaining a Heavenly Stage technique, their very ability to leave the Bone Mountain unimpeded remained uncertain. "I wonder how my Devouring Fire Lotus compares to those Heavenly Stage techniques," Xiao Yan blinked, curiosity stirring within him.