Within the vast hall, figures stood scattered, most of them representatives from prominent powers in the Central Plains—beyond the few who walked alone, the likes of the Celestial Phoenix Clan and the Wind-Thunder Pavilion were already present. Others such as the Ice River Valley and the Burned Flame Valley had also arrived early, indicating clear intentions: upon entering the ruins, they had immediately proceeded to this location. As Xiao Yan and his companions entered the hall, their arrival naturally drew the attention of many within. A series of glances—some cautious, some hostile, some friendly—were cast their way. Xiao Yan smiled calmly at these reactions, glanced toward Feng Qing'er and the others, who were now sternly gazing at him with expressions of displeasure, clearly still remembering the hardships they had endured within the beast-spirit dome. With a subtle smirk of his own, Xiao Yan stepped steadily through the hall, maintaining a composed presence under the weight of all these eyes, and then paused at the center of the hall. As Xiao Yan stepped into the hall, he realized that several figures were seated around the towering stone throne—thirteen in number. These figures appeared entirely pale, like limestone, and from a distance, looked as though carved from stone. Their eyes were closed, and their posture remained unchanged, as if preserved for countless years. Yet despite this stillness, no one dared to approach within ten zhang of the throne. Hearing this, the young physician and others all slightly grew pale. With over a dozen Dou Zun-level masters in this lineup, even if the present strong ones managed to defeat them, the losses would surely be significant. "Indeed, this is no ordinary site of a Dou Sheng-level master's legacy... Should a battle break out..." Qing Lin was equally awed, finding herself even slightly shaken by the strength of this assembly. "Everyone, be cautious now—don't separate yourselves," Xiao Yan said seriously, then turned his head, a smile quickly spreading across his face as he bowed slightly in the direction of someone. The young physician and others followed his gaze, and there they saw the group from Fen Yan Valley. "Ah, Xiao Yan, you've come at the right time—better than early arrival. The seal here is growing increasingly weak, and it may soon vanish entirely," said Tang Zhen, smiling warmly as he led his team toward Xiao Yan. "Master Tang, is this indeed the objective of our journey? How could there be so many of them?" Xiao Yan smiled and asked, "Among those present, I probably have the closest ties to Burned Flame Valley. The rest either aren't familiar with me or are direct rivals." "Yes, that's quite accurate," Tang Zhen nodded with a smile. "I believe only one out of those ten is truly a Heavenly Stage Combat Technique. As for who will end up with it, it will all come down to luck and strength." Hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily surprised, his gaze scanning curiously across the ten glowing orbs. Indeed, the number of newcomers in this ancient sanctuary was quite substantial—by the time they reached this final stage, they had managed such a move, aiming to secure the genuine Heavenly Stage Combat Technique from among ten. That would surely not be an easy task. "Hmm..." Tang Zhen smiled, his eyes sweeping over the hall, and spoke softly, "Xiao Yin, it seems that quite a few people have been targeting you this time..." "Just a few minor troubles..." Xiao Yin smiled. Among those present, only the Tian Yao Phoenix Clan, Feng Lei Pavilion, and Bing He Valley held animosity toward him. Combined, their strength was roughly equal to his own—when the time came to fight, it would still be a matter of who would prevail. "Heh, I seem to have forgotten that you're no longer a man living alone," Tang Zhen remarked, glancing at the group behind Xiao Yin. A touch of admiration passed through his eyes. With his keen perception, he could clearly see just how formidable the group's strength had become. Should the Tian Yao Phoenix Clan, Feng Lei Pavilion, and Bing He Valley fail to unite, none of them would be able to stand a chance against Xiao Yin and his companions alone. "Among all these, the most powerful aren't any particular factions. A number of lone adventurers have come in response to the wind—many of them are truly capable individuals. While they may not possess the same level of cohesion as established sects, their combat strength is certainly formidable. When it comes to actual competition, they're no pushovers." Xiao Yan smiled. Along his journey, he had encountered numerous capable treasure-hunters. Though they usually didn't deliberately antagonize the major powers on a daily basis, the allure of the heavenly-tier combat techniques had now rendered all their reservations obsolete. After all, once they secured such techniques, the solitary adventurers could simply retreat deep into the vast mountains—how would anyone possibly track them down? Upon hearing this, Tang Zhen also smiled slightly, his gaze shifting toward the ten glowing orbs at the center of the hall. The light surrounding each orb was gradually fading, clearly indicating that the seal was beginning to weaken. "Xiao Yan, do you think you can identify which of these scrolls within the ten orbs represents the heavenly-tier combat technique?" Hearing Tang Zhen's words, Xiao Yan's eyes slightly narrowed, and the spiritual energy from his brow spread out, sensing for a moment before shaking his head and saying, "The seal has completely blocked all detection. As a powerful battle-station cultivator, the strategies he has set are beyond my reach. At this point, all I can do is see which of us has better luck." "Having sufficient luck isn't enough—here, so many people are watching closely. Once we secure something, it will become a hot potato, even a target of everyone's attention," Tang Zhen said with a smile. Xiao Yan nodded thoughtfully. "Heh, things will surely become extremely chaotic here shortly. Should any unexpected situation arise, we might be able to collaborate and handle it together," Tang Zhen glanced toward the Ice River Valley, then swept his eyes over the statues seated around the stone throne, appearing as if entering a state of dormancy, and added. Xiao Yan smiled and nodded. The Burned Flame Valley was quite strong, and with Xiao Yan's current discernment, he could clearly see Tang Zhen's capabilities—around five-star Domain Sovereign level, surpassing even the Valley Master of Ice River Valley, and even rivaling the famed Star-Cutting Elder of the Soul Palace. With such elite members joining the alliance, Xiao Yan naturally welcomed the opportunity. After all, he was currently facing multiple adversaries, and having more allies was always beneficial. "But now, well... let's just wait for the seal to dissolve. There's never been a miracle that falls from the sky." Hearing Tang Zhen's soft sigh, Xiao Yan smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping across the glowing orbs in the arena, before suddenly stopping on the skeletal remains resting upon the stone throne. A spark of inspiration struck him—when the old medicine master, Yao Lao, crafted a body, he needed the remains of a powerful warrior. This particular corpse, a fully preserved Battle Saint, was exceptionally complete. If he could use it as a foundation, might Yao Lao himself ascend to the rank of Battle Saint? Should Yao Lao truly achieve that status, the party would no longer fear the Spirit Palace, and the Starfall Pavilion's strength would instantly reach the level of the Dan Tower—its true competitive edge against the Spirit Palace! "If possible, let's see if we can secure that skeleton..." Xiao Yan's eyes flickered with determination, and his thoughts were already firmly set on securing that very remains. … During the period of waiting for the seal to dissipate, an ever-increasing number of powerful individuals and factions arrived at this grand hall. As more and more strong contenders came, the atmosphere within the hall grew increasingly subtle and tense—everyone knew that perhaps soon, someone who had just been smiling and greeting them would suddenly decide to strike them down without hesitation. Under such pressure, even those with established connections or mutual acquaintances began to quietly gather. In this chaotic setting, it would be difficult for any single person to truly secure the precious items. The growing number of powerful figures within the hall caused Xiao Yan’s brow to furrow slightly. He exchanged glances with Xiao Yi and the others, and the group gradually drew closer together, each becoming more vigilant. Ssshh! A continuous stream of hurried figures surged in from outside the hall, yet despite the growing number of people inside, the hall remained astonishingly quiet, under an oppressive atmosphere that caused many to sweat profusely, their inner ki constantly on the verge of bursting forth. At the slightest breeze or movement, their ki would be instantly drawn and unleashed with remarkable destructive power. "Hahahaha, it seems this visit won't be any later after all..." Hearing that familiar, odd laugh, a surge of murderous intent instantly erupted in Xiao Yan's eyes. "At last—you've come, Old Ghost of Star-Collecting!"