Hearing the cold, fierce laughter of the Elder Ghost of Star-Plucking, Xiao Yan remained expressionless, his body slowly rising into the air, gazing at the vast black mist spreading across the heavens. Such a grand display must have already drawn the attention of numerous powerful factions. As he had guessed, likely there were already spies stationed all around the outer gates of the Star-Plunging Pavilion. The Central Plains were teeming with capable and formidable forces, constantly engaged in fierce competition. Since its founding, the Star-Plunging Pavilion had faced numerous challenges to maintain its status as one of the Four Palaces. Yet this current crisis would undoubtedly prove the most perilous in its history. Should it succeed, the Pavilion would rise to unprecedented prominence, far surpassing the other three palaces. But should it fail, it might well be erased from the map of the Central Plains forever. "Old fellow, your verbosity has never changed—just act now, move swiftly and resolve this matter. You've already failed several times; if you fail once more, you'll know quite well what your fate will be." From the sky, the two—Black and White Day Spouses—gazed at Zhai Xing, the Elder Ghost, and spoke calmly. "Hmph! No need for you to remind me!" Zhai Xing's expression darkened, and he spoke coldly. Yet, though he said so, a growing sense of grim determination appeared in his eyes as he fixed his gaze on the figure floating in midair—Xiao Yan—and offered a cold, steady smile. With a sudden motion of his hand, he commanded, "Bloodbath the Star-Perished Pavilion!" "Yes!" At the sound of Zhai Xing's sharp command, the numerous elite warriors of the Soul Palace roared in unison, their powerful aura surging forth. Amidst the rushing sounds, vast black chains erupted like waves, sweeping across the heavens and pouring into the Star Realm. "Kill!" The thunderous roar of battle echoed throughout the realm, swiftly transforming the once peaceful Star Realm into a battlefield charged with lethal energy. Xiao Yan hovered midair, his gaze fixed firmly on the Old Ghost of Star-Plucking. As the elite Soul Palace warriors approached within ten zhang of him, they would instinctively split off and move inward toward the heart of the realm. "Young man," the Old Ghost declared, his face filled with fierce determination and venom, "this time, I will personally capture you and bring you back to the Soul Palace. I shall make you understand what it truly means to suffer beyond endurance!" As the Old Ghost launched his assault, the Black and White Deities exchanged a glance and then nodded in unison. With each step they took across the void, they advanced steadily toward the Star Realm, their movements stirring a vast, oceanic surge of spiritual power that rippled through the very fabric of the world, causing the ambient energy to surge and tremble. "Chh!" As Black Tian Zun was about to enter the Stellar Realm to launch a full-scale assault, a flash of golden light surged forth, directly targeting one of the figures. "A puppet... one capable of matching a Four-Star Battle Sovereign—rare indeed. I'll take it from here." Black Tian Zun, clad in black, glanced at the bold, charging celestial demon puppet, his eyes briefly widening with mild astonishment, before speaking. "Ah, then it seems the full-scale assault will have to be my responsibility." Black Tian Zun gave a cold, serene smile, moved his body to sidestep the charging celestial demon puppet. However, just as he took a few steps forward, a slender, youthful figure materialized in the air ahead, smiling brightly at him. "Old man, let me be your opponent instead." Staring at the suddenly appearing girl, Benbu Zen was momentarily stunned, yet his gaze remained as indifferent as ever, showing no ripple in response to her identity or beauty. He gave a slight nod, his shoulders trembling, and in an instant, a vast surge of martial energy erupted, rushing toward Qinglin. Observing that the elder had immediately unleashed a decisive attack, Qinglin quickly focused her attention. Deep within her emerald-eyed pupils, three black spots gradually expanded, eventually transforming into three vibrant emerald blossoms that rotated slowly around the center of her gaze, radiating an unusual energy wave that swiftly spread outward. "Three-Flower Emerald Eye?" Even Benbu Zen, a man of considerable experience, noticed the change in Qinglin's eyes at once and was momentarily taken aback, exclaiming in surprise. "Correct," smiled Qinglin warmly, as the unusual radiance within her eyes swiftly flowed and danced, completely neutralizing the overwhelming pressure of the martial energy pouring down upon her. "It turns out there really are such miraculous eye pupils in this world—though unfortunately... your strength is still too weak." Bai Tianzun smiled faintly, his form shifting with a subtle motion, several faint silhouettes appearing in the sky. In an instant, he was beside Qinglin, his vast energy coalescing in his hand before he reached out and grasped her firmly. "That's not certain at all!" Qinglin chuckled, twisting her slender, supple waist gently, and effortlessly broke free from Bai Tianzun's grasp, retreating swiftly. "Hmph." Upon seeing Qinglin dodge away, Bai Tianzun narrowed his eyes, and with a sharp hiss, surged forward. ... "Boom!" As Bai Tianzun and Qinglin began their clash, Xiao Yan collided fiercely with the Old Ghost of Star-Plucking, their impact as forceful as a meteor striking the earth. The powerful aura of their clash swept outward, shaking nearby mountains and sending massive boulders tumbling down. At this very moment, Xiao Yan and the Old Ghost of Star-Seeking were locked in direct, head-on confrontation. Having consumed the bones and marrow gel particles of a Dou Saint, Xiao Yan had officially stepped into the realm of Two-Star Dou Zun. Combined with his activation of the Third Transformation of the Heavenly Fire Triple Primordial Transformation, he now possessed the full qualifications to engage a Five-Star Dou Zun head-on, no longer needing to carefully anticipate or evade his opponent's attacks as he had in the past. Among all of Xiao Yan's transformations, the one that struck the Old Ghost of Star-Seeking the deepest was this very evolution. With each encounter, his sense of astonishment grew stronger. When they first met, Xiao Yan had barely managed to parry a single direct palm from him. Yet in just over a year, the once-considered mere insect in his eyes had grown not only capable but fully equipped to stand and fight him on equal footing! "It's been only a short time since we last parted, yet this young man's strength has advanced so significantly. If this pace continues, the next time we meet, I doubt I'll even be able to stand a chance against him..." Feeling the rapid progress of Xiao Yan, the old ghost of Star-Seeking was both astonished and furious. The sensation of watching someone surpass you—especially when that person is your direct rival—is far from pleasant, and now, Xiao Yan had clearly reached the point where it was making the old ghost restless and uneasy. With a surge of murderous intent, the old ghost's palm winds grew increasingly fierce. His vast internal qi roared and surged like a tidal wave, flowing through his meridians and then bursting forth. Where his palm winds passed, space shattered, black cracks spreading out like the gaping jaws of monstrous beasts. The suddenly intensified assault of the Star-Plucking Elder caught Xiao Yan's attention, and a cold smile played on his face. Though, after employing the Heaven-Fire Triple Transformation, his strength had only reached the level of a Four-Star Domain Sovereign, the added power of the unique flames gave him no reason to fear the Star-Plucking Elder at all. ... Throughout the Star Realm, the sounds of battle resonate everywhere, with cold, dense black mist spreading across the land. Numerous disciples from the Starfall Pavilion gather together; while they may not match the strength of the Soul Palace's elite in one-on-one duels, when they converge in the hundreds or thousands, even these seasoned warriors find it difficult to make headway. As for Master Feng and the young healer, they too have fully committed themselves to the battlefield. The Soul Palace's current incursion has brought forth a large number of formidable warriors—each one a fierce and determined force—thus even Master Feng and his companions are now giving their absolute best. ... In the distant upper skies beyond the Star Realm, several figures can be seen arriving on the wind. These are representatives and scouts from various central plains powers who have come in response to the unfolding events. The Soul Palace has long been one of the most powerful forces in the central plains, and its every move has drawn countless eyes. With this incursion being so openly declared, it has naturally attracted even greater attention. "Such a calamity befalls the Xingyin Pavilion this time—having drawn the attack of the Hún Palace..." an elder with a modest history of ties to the Xingyin Pavilion sighed. "Hmph, if the Xingyin Pavilion falls, then one of the Four Pavilions will be vacated, and perhaps our Liuyun Pavilion can seize the opportunity to rise." "Hmph, with Liuyun Pavilion's current strength, if it becomes one of the Four, it'll likely be wiped out by the next morning." "What did you just say? You're committing suicide!" "I'll see you fall short!" "...". Amidst these places, there was no shortage of commotion. Former rivals or factions, who once clashed, now occasionally engaged in heated exchanges, yet their attention was largely fixed on the Star Realm. Their minor skirmishes, naturally, failed to stir much interest. Yet despite the commotion, almost everyone harbored a pessimistic outlook on the Starfall Pavilion's current fate. Some of the stronger individuals who had once known Wind Master or the Elder of Herbs hesitated before finally sighing. With the Starfall Pavilion's present strength, they simply could not compete with the Spirit Palace. Even if they offered their assistance, their efforts would be minimal, and instead, they would inevitably drag themselves into the struggle. "Ah."