A resplendent crystalline handprint floated above Xiao Yan's palm, radiating a powerful energy pressure that caused the surrounding space to tremble violently... "Go!" After taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan curled his fingers and lightly tapped the crystalline handprint. The handprint shivered, emitting a low, ethereal sound reminiscent of a Buddhist chant, then surged forward with a trailing glow, slicing through the sky and rushing out at incredible speed—crashing into the celestial giant hand in a single flash. "Shatter it!" The old ghost of Star-Clad snarled, focusing his mind. With a sudden surge of intent, the celestial giant hand pressed down with force upon the crystalline imprint. Though the crystalline imprint was formidable, the old ghost was confident in his own prowess. With Xiao Yan's current strength—unless he unleashed that terrifying Fire Lotus—there was no doubt he could completely dominate and crush the imprint. Yet now, he had forgotten that Xiao Yan had grown far beyond his former self—a nine-star Domain Sovereign and three-star Domain Master. Though still significantly behind Zhaixing the Old Ghost, that gap was no longer insurmountable. "Boom!" The vastly unequal hands and light imprints collided under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, sending a thunderous roar that instantly reverberated across the heavens and earth. "Crack!" A terrifying wave of energy rippled outward, surging like a tidal surge. At the heart of the storm, space itself collapsed into a massive, dark void—so profound and deep that it sent a chill through the observers' hearts. Within this vast black void, the Stellar Hand and the Crystalline Light Imprint erupted in blinding brilliance, their fierce energies violently eroding each other, as if two wild beasts were desperately striving to consume one another. "Shhh—" The Stellar Giant Hand and the Crystalline Layer Seal continuously unleashed furious energy, yet amidst this intense standoff, at a single instant, their radiant lights vanished simultaneously—just as flames are suddenly snuffed out. The energy surge that had roared like a storm ceased abruptly, then swiftly dispersed under the astonished gazes of onlookers. "Has this young man truly withstood my full-bodied Stellar Hand?" The old ghost, observing the scene, grew increasingly grave. Only now did he begin to sense the challenge mounting. Though Xiao Yan's rank was merely one-star Stellar Sovereign, his mastery of refined, high-level combat techniques was consistently impressive and formidable, and with the aid of the unique flames, even he found it somewhat difficult to subdue him. This youth, only recently promoted to Stellar Sovereign, already demonstrated such strength. If he continued to advance, would he not eventually surpass even the old man himself? Master Zhaixing's face, dry and wrinkled like tree bark, twitched, and an intense, concentrated surge of murderous intent erupted within him. As his expression darkened, his empty sleeves suddenly began to quiver, and from them, numerous black chains slithered out like venomous serpents, eventually intertwining to form a fully iron-constructed arm. The iron arm gently clenched, and Master Zhaixing's face grew stern. His shoulders trembled, and his body suddenly became slightly ethereal, as if made of faint mist. With a sudden movement, he vanished in an eerie manner. Staring at the iron fist rapidly expanding within his pupils, Xiao Yan quickly raised both arms to block it, firmly absorbing the impact. Yet the overwhelming force sent vibrations of numbness through his entire arm, and his body staggered back step by step. While he could hold his own with pure qi, he was clearly no match for the Old Ghost of Star-Catching. "Hiss!" With a single punch that sent Xiao Yan reeling, the Old Ghost chuckled, his form trembling slightly before instantly reappearing before Xiao Yan as if by teleportation. Seeing the Old Ghost closing in once more, Xiao Yan immediately pushed his Three-Thousand-Thunder Technique to its absolute peak, causing a series of shimmering afterimages to form in the sky, while his own body swiftly retreated. "My Phantom Soul Technique is no match for your Three-Thousand-Thunder!" A cold laugh echoed through the void. Xiao Yan blinked in surprise, only to find the Old Ghost once again standing before him—those afterimages having offered him no resistance at all! "This old guy is moving incredibly fast..." Seeing this persistent, relentless figure—like a shadow that never leaves—Xiao Yan's face grew serious. Even at the peak of his Thousand-Thunder Surge, he still couldn't match the old man's speed. It seemed the ethereal quality of the Phantom-Soul Technique surpassed even the Thousand-Thunder Surge. "Die!" The old man grinned fiercely. This Phantom-Soul Technique was one of his signature moves, never previously used against any Star-Rank Five or lower Dou-Zun. Today, facing Xiao Yan, he was forced to deploy it with full strength. "Boom! Boom! Boom!" With a cold expression, the old man's fists pounded down like a downpour, striking Xiao Yan relentlessly and wildly. Under this furious assault, the very air was compressed into concave arcs, and sonic booms echoed continuously across the sky. Under this relentless assault from Zhaixing Lao Gui, Xiao Yan was gradually forced back. Though he was now at a disadvantage, his expression remained calm. Purple-brown flames swiftly spiraled around the areas where he had absorbed Zhaixing Lao Gui's attacks, radiating an unusual energy that rapidly repaired his injuries. The invincible, self-repairing capability of the Three Thousand Yan Fire flames finally reached its peak at this moment—as long as the flames did not fade, Xiao Yan's injuries would be continuously restored. Of course, this depended on him having sufficient Qi to expend in wielding the Three Thousand Yan Fire. And as this constant cycle of injury and healing continued, Xiao Yan grew increasingly furious, eventually abandoning nearly all defensive strategies and opting instead for the most aggressive, direct approach—countering the old ghost who struck him with a punch by returning a punch of his own. With three thousand Yan Fire flames serving as his lifeline, Xiao Yan did admit to significant pain, yet he needn't worry about actual life-threatening danger, as long as he wasn't instantly obliterated before even having time to initiate the healing process of the three thousand Yan Fire flames... "Boom! Boom! Boom!" "Staring at the two combatants in the sky, their forms twisted and entangled in a fierce struggle, everyone was utterly stunned. How could a one-star Domain Sovereign dare to clash so wildly with a five-star Domain Sovereign? This had never happened before..." "That fool!" The intense battle continued, yet the old ghost, Zhai Xing, grew increasingly alarmed. Xiao Yan had endured nearly forty punches from him, yet according to normal expectations—whether it were a one-star or even a three-star Domain Sovereign—by now he should have been severely wounded and collapsing. Yet Xiao Yan, though appearing slightly disheveled, maintained an aura that grew stronger and stronger with each passing moment, like a resilient little strongman. "The Three Thousand Scorching Flames!" "This Star-Catching Elder had ample experience. Observing the deep purple-brown flames swirling around Xiao Yan's body, he suddenly grasped the truth, his face instantly turning ashen. With the Three Thousand Yan Fire protecting him, Xiao Yan was akin to carrying the most potent healing remedy at all times—whenever he sustained an injury, a mere thought would summon the flames to swiftly mend the wound. Such a tenacious, unyielding style of combat—how could anyone possibly outlast him? Realizing this, the Star-Catching Elder dared not continue the prolonged struggle. Though the Three Thousand Yan Fire consumed considerable qi during healing, Xiao Yan's vibrant demeanor suggested he far from was running out of energy. 'Deploy a technique—strike with decisive force!' the Elder's expression darkened. His form swiftly became translucent, then vanished once more in an eerie manner." "Shall we go for speed now?" Seeing the old ghost of Star-Seeking vanish, his body now tattered and worn, Xiao Yan merely smiled slightly. Every part of his body was now seeping with intense, concentrated pain—Zhixing had struck him with such force that each blow had nearly shattered his flesh. Though the injuries from the Three Thousand Flame of Yan had healed quickly, the pain itself had intensified dramatically, amplified by dozens of times, causing Xiao Yan's muscles to tremble continuously. "My qi is being drained too heavily. I can't keep this up like this. If we continue to trade blows, it will be me who collapses first." Taking a deep breath to suppress the sharp pains radiating from within, Xiao Yan changed his hand seal. His robes behind him began to ripple, and then with a sharp sound, a pair of bone wings burst forth. The wings were of a jade-like hue, translucent and luminous, with intricate patterns of strange green and crimson veins spreading across their surface—remarkably elegant and otherworldly. This bone wings, naturally, were crafted from the dual wings of the Heavenly Fiend Phoenix. However, back then, out of fear of being entangled by the Heavenly Fiend Phoenix clan, and since he lacked the strength to challenge them at the time, he had kept it concealed within himself. Today, though, he could no longer delay—given that the Heavenly Fiend Phoenix clan now showed him no goodwill, there was no need for further concealation. "A sudden, powerful blow sent the Star-Catching Elder staggering backward, his throat emitting a deep gasp. He lifted his head sharply, gazing at Xiao Yan, whose jade bone wings trembled with the force of his movement. The speed at which Xiao Yan now moved had surged almost instantaneously to a level so astonishing that even the Elder could not perceive it. "Old friend, take another hit from my Fire Lotus!" With a light flick of his bone wings, Xiao Yan sneered, curled his fingers, and three unusual flames materialized before him. Then, with a mere thought, they collided in a blinding flash. Witnessing Xiao Yan attempt another fusion of the flames, the Star-Catching Elder's face instantly tightened, and he darted forward with lightning speed. "Your speed still isn't sufficient," Xiao Yan remarked, smiling. He flicked his bone wings once, and his form surged forward like a meteor, retreating swiftly and leaving the Elder far behind. Thanks to his bone wings, Xiao Yan now surpassed nearly all other Douzun-level masters in terms of speed. "He's not enough, and with me waiting—will that be enough?" As soon as Xiao Yan finished speaking, a cold, shadowed laugh suddenly echoed across the sky. Then, two indistinct figures burst through the void, appearing mere moments later beside Xiao Yan. The sudden arrival of these figures caused Xiao Yan's expression to shift slightly. As he glanced at the two figures, his gaze settled on the pair of winged beings behind them, and his heart suddenly sank. "The Celestial Phoenix Clan?"