Xiao Yan's gaze swept one by one over each of his former rivals and adversaries. A moment of quiet苦笑 arose in his heart—he hadn't expected all of them to have come. When Xiao Yan first saw this group, they too had immediately noticed his attention, and their glances swiftly shifted toward him, each of their expressions subtly altering. "Hmph. I never thought I'd see this young man here..." Ice River, the master of the Ice River Valley, stared intently at Xiao Yan, his eyes flickering with a cold, sharp gleam. Back then, he had been forced to retreat due to his fear of the ancient clan; had he not been so cautious, he would have captured Xiao Yan and his companions without hesitation. "Now that representatives from all sects and schools have gathered here, once we enter the sanctuary, there may be an opportunity to act. If we remain discreet, even the ancient clan may never be able to trace our movements..." Ice River gently rotated the snow-white storage amulet on his finger, a subtle undercurrent of determination and intent gradually forming on his face. "Truly, fate has a way of bringing together rivals—how could I have stumbled upon you here? Heh, without DanTa's protection, I'll see just how far you can go this time!" Master Chen Tiannan of the Xuanming Sect's eyes flashed with a cold glare, as he silently resolved within himself. Though these individuals had masked their intentions well, the subtle undercurrent of hostility had not escaped Xiao Yan's notice. His brows furrowed slightly, feeling both touched and somewhat overwhelmed. While he was confident in facing them individually, the prospect of them uniting posed a real challenge. "I never expected to have gathered so many adversaries without even realizing it..." Xiao Yan exchanged a glance with the young physician beside him, both of them expressing a sense of resignation. He had originally intended to avoid creating too many enemies, but circumstances had repeatedly driven him into opposition with these powerful factions—a situation that was truly frustrating. "Hey, Xiao Yan? You're actually still here?" Just as Xiao Yan was at a loss, a surprised, delicate voice suddenly came from a distance. Xiao Yan blinked, lifting his head to see a woman in a red robe gazing at him with bright, earnest eyes. Her beautiful face stirred a sense of familiarity in him. "Tang Huo'er?" After a brief thought, Xiao Yan recalled immediately. With a slight raise of his brow, he realized that if Tang Huo'er—the eldest daughter of Burn-In Valley—had arrived, then surely the valley's master, Tang Zhen, must have come as well. His gaze shifted to match his thoughts, and there, beside Tang Huo'er, he spotted an elderly man dressed in a red robe, smiling warmly—none other than Tang Zhen, the master of Burn-In Valley. "Ah, Xiao Yan, it's been a while! I hope you've been well," Tang Zhen said, smiling warmly as he led the strong warriors of Burn-In Valley toward Xiao Yan, bowing politely. "Master Tang is too kind. It's been several years since we last met, and yet you've grown even more vigorous and robust." Xiang Yan had never shown any lack of attention to Tang Zhen, and promptly smiled. The Burned Flame Valley was a prominent force in the Central Plains, and Tang Zhen was a well-known powerhouse—his actions naturally drew considerable attention. When Feng Qing'er and Ice River Master observed this scene, their brows naturally furrowed, as they hadn't expected Xiang Yan to have such a connection. "In just two years, you've not only claimed the championship of the Dan Assembly but also advanced to the level of Battle Sovereign. Such rapid progress even makes me humbled." As for the glances from those around, Tang Zhen seemed entirely unimpressed. He glanced at Xiao Yan and sighed, noting that what he had said indeed contained genuine sentiment. When they first met, Xiao Yan had only recently ascended to the Battle Sect level; yet upon their next encounter, Xiao Yan had already successfully reached the Battle Sovereign rank. Such a pace of cultivation was truly unparalleled. Xiao Yan didn’t respond immediately, merely smiled slightly, then changed the subject with a smile, saying, "Master Tang, are you also here for the ancient relics?" Xiao Yan spread his hands, speaking calmly and composed. "Heh, once you enter the sanctuary, if there's anything you need assistance with, just let me know. Back then, when you helped me refine the Fire Bud Pills, I still owe you a favor." Tang Zhen chuckled lightly. "Should that point come, Xiao Yan will surely be bold enough to ask for help." Xiao Yan smiled gently and nodded. Tang Zhen's willingness to stand up against these powerful factions—though rooted in their past bond of gratitude for the pills—was more likely due to Xiao Yan's current dual status: a Master of Pharmaceutical Arts and the reigning champion of the Pharmaceutical Assembly. A Master of Pharmaceutical Arts, regardless of where one stands, is always a prized asset sought after by major factions. While a simple debt of gratitude might not have been enough to prompt Tang Zhen to act at this moment, the addition of his title as a Master of Pharmaceutical Arts made all the difference. Back then, Xiao Yan might not have been truly regarded by Tang Zhen, such a veteran powerhouse, as an equal. But now, he had earned the standing of being seen and respected on par with the latter. Of course, whether or not he would actually reach that level remained to be seen. Though the current strong contenders were all watching closely, it was still uncertain who would ultimately prevail in a direct clash. Moreover, each of them was eager to secure the heavenly-tier combat techniques within the ruins, so they were unlikely to engage in direct battles with Xiao Yan and his allies just yet—since they would need to conserve their strength to compete for those techniques. Furthermore, even if they eventually succeeded in obtaining the heavenly-tier techniques, they would likely have little time to bother Xiao Yan and his group, as other contenders would soon emerge to challenge them. Thus, while the situation appeared quite precarious, it had not yet reached the point where Xiao Yan needed to seek help. As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Xiao Yan smiled and raised his head, his gaze sweeping across the scene. Now, outside the grand hall, the area had been completely taken over by a dense sea of people, and it seemed that more and more were continuously flowing in. Yet, despite this, no one dared to venture within a hundred meters of the hall. Seeing people being taken away, the crowd immediately stirred, with figures swiftly darting forward and rushing into the passage, as if afraid that the treasures would be snatched away by others. In contrast, Xiao Yan and the others remained still, showing no immediate action. If the relics left by the Supreme Battle Saints were so easily accessible, then indeed it would have been rather trivial. The sudden turn of events occurred almost instantly, causing all figures within the passage to vanish. Those who had just been about to enter hurried to stop, only to be knocked inside by the figures rushing in from behind, resulting in a sharp chorus of cries of terror echoing throughout the vast hall—chaos erupted once more beyond the grand hall. After a moment of turmoil, the scene settled. With mutual glances exchanged, the initial greed in their eyes softened under the looming threat of death. "Hmph. A mere fire pathway? It hopes to hold us back?" As the crowd regained composure, the major powers finally began to act. While the fire pathway was indeed perilous, it still posed no decisive threat to them. And shortly after these words were spoken, a surge of powerful qi erupted in waves, swirling around each figure and manifesting as streaks of light that hissed toward the fire pathway. This time, when the fire pillars struck them, they did not immediately consume them but instead clung to the powerful qi, hissing and resisting. Seizing the moment of defense, the stronger ones swiftly moved toward the far end of the fire pathway. Of course, among them, some were unfortunate enough to be overwhelmed by the flames as their qi waned. At the very moment the Three-Thousand-Lian Heart Fire emerged, Tang Zhen's expression suddenly changed, and the Nine-Long Thunder Aura flames upon his body trembled violently. The nine dragons flickered in and out on the surface of the flames, emitting low, resonant dragon roars, and a sense of fear radiated from the dragon seal. "This young man's unique fire... has changed so completely from before!" Tang Zhen was deeply moved, having never before witnessed the Nine-Long Thunder Aura flames displaying such emotion. "Heh, Master Tang, Xiao Yan has already taken the lead," smiled Xiao Yan, ignoring Tang Zhen's stunned expression. With a wave of his sleeve, the flames lifted and carried everyone, swiftly plunging them into the intensely blazing fire path.