At the very moment when his palm was grasped, Nine Heavens Sovereign's face also subtly changed, for he noticed that the Qi circulating within him momentarily stalled, and the misty rain droplets surrounding him swiftly dispersed. This sight naturally stirred great astonishment within him. He swiftly raised his head to see a elderly figure hovering in mid-air behind Xiao Yan—so familiar that it caused him to gasp aloud. "Yao Chen? Your body... your strength has returned?" Upon first glance, Nine Heavens Sovereign observed that Yao's body no longer appeared ethereal as before, but instead was solid and tangible. What deeply unsettled him most, however, was the overwhelming aura radiating from Yao—so potent that even he felt his heart tremble. "Master? Have you awakened?" When the attack of the Ninth Heavens Sovereign was momentarily blocked, Xiao Yan quickly turned around and immediately spotted the Medicine Elder at the rear, his face instantly brightening with surprise. "Hmm..." The Medicine Elder smiled gently at Xiao Yan and then slowly said, "Young one, go and assist the others first—I'll take care of him." Hearing this, Xiao Yan hesitated slightly before nodding. With his exceptional soul perception, he naturally sensed that the Medicine Elder's aura was now extraordinarily powerful—so powerful that even the Ninth Heavens Sovereign and Black Qing from that day could not compare. Indeed, this was the strongest aura Xiao Yan had ever witnessed in all these years. "This is truly the peak of my master's power... No wonder he was so renowned in the Central Region." With a deep breath of relief, Xiao Yan gracefully stepped back, drifting away under the slightly somber gaze of the Ninth Heavens Sovereign. "Yao Chen, do you think merely restoring your peak strength is enough to challenge my Hún Palace?" Though he desperately wished to intercept Xiao Yan, Nine Heavens Sovereign understood that the Yao Chen before him had once again returned to the renowned status of the former Yao Sovereign. Even with his proud nature, he could not help but acknowledge that, at present, Yao Chen still fell short of his master's level. "My Hún Palace may not be the strongest in the cosmos, and your rivals are far from scarce. Some of them are restrained and unwilling to act freely. As long as they remain inactive, you—someone of your caliber—cannot pose a serious threat to me!" Master Yao smiled calmly, yet a subtle coldness lingered in his expression. "Today, your Hún Palace has launched a full-scale assault, and you've even injured my only disciple. This debt must be settled at some point..." "Do you really think I'm afraid of you?" The Nine Heavens Sovereign's expression grew cold. A shimmering blue glow surged from his palm, and then, with an odd twist of his arm, he broke free of the Elder's hold. He opened his mouth, and a vast surge of blue qi erupted forth, swiftly coalescing into a massive, roaring beast, radiating strong energy pressure, its sharp claws and teeth charging straight toward the Elder. Though the spatial giant moved silently, an intense sense of danger surged within Jiān Tiān Zhūn's heart. At once, his hand seal rapidly shifted, and with a low cry, boundless cold energy poured forth, coalescing into a vast blue water shield stretching a hundred zhang in diameter around him. The spatial giant struck hard upon this immense blue shield, and at that instant, a surging wave of spatial power spread out, distorting the very fabric of space throughout the realm. The sheer magnitude of this spectacle caused many onlookers to visibly pale. "Boom!" As the spatial force surged outward, the seemingly solid blue shield held only for a fleeting moment before bursting with a sudden, thunderous sound. Immediately, a torrent of rain poured down from the sky, splashing upon Lin Hai with crisp, rhythmic taps. "Hmm..." The blue water shield shattered, and the Nine Heavens Sovereign staggered, his body being knocked back over a hundred meters. A deep rumble escaped his throat, clearly indicating that he had sustained injuries even in his first encounter with the Elder of Medicine. The spectacular battle unfolding in the sky naturally drew the attention of the stronger beings stationed at a distance. Some of these seasoned warriors immediately recognized the Elder of Medicine, and thus, waves of astonishment rose continuously. "Wait... Is that Elder of Medicine, Ye Chen? He's actually still alive?" "Didn't they say Ye Chen had lost his body and his strength had greatly diminished?" How could it be now... "With Master Yao's restored strength, the great crisis facing Xingyin Pavilion seems to be resolved. Moreover, with the Master of the Peak-level power, Xingyin Pavilion will experience an immediate surge in both reputation and strength—so powerful that even the Three Valleys will find it difficult to match." "... Whispers spread, tinged with an inexplicable emotion. Many exchanged glances, their expressions complex. Master Yao's return to Zhongzhou will undoubtedly be a major news event. For the influence Master Yao once wielded in Zhongzhou, many elder-generation masters still hold deep, personal memories. Though it has been decades since then, Yao Chen's reputation as Zhongzhou's foremost alchemist remains unmatched—indeed, even the three leading figures of Dan Tower must acknowledge that they fall short when compared to him. Now, with this alchemist, who has been missing for years and who is now recognized as Zhongzhou's and even the continent's premier alchemist, making his return—his impact and the resulting upheaval will surely be nothing short of monumental!" … Xiao Yan gazed at the herbal elder who now held the upper hand, offering a slight smile. Once the herbal elder regained his peak strength, the Xingyun Pavilion would no longer need to fear the Xun Palace's retaliation. Though the Xun Palace was powerful, its strength also meant it had many commitments—top-tier warriors could not be deployed freely. As long as these peak-level warriors remained inactive, the Xingyun Pavilion would remain secure. His gaze lingered at this spot, then shifted once more toward the distant Qinglin and the battlefield where the Dayan Zun had fought. As his eyes settled upon that scene, he was taken aback—instead of the expected retreat of Qinglin, he witnessed an intensely fierce battle. Two figures collided powerfully, their forms flickering rapidly, with astonishing energy waves spreading out swiftly. "This aura... it's the ancient celestial serpent," murmured Xiao Yan, his eyes slightly narrowed. He sensed a sharp, fierce intensity in Qinglin's current presence—a feeling he had personally experienced during his time in the cave. Instantly, he realized that Qinglin must be drawing upon the soul power of the ancient celestial serpent; otherwise, with her strength amplified by the Bi She San Hua Eye, she could not be fighting so fiercely against the Dayan Zun. "As long as we hold off this Black and White Heavenly Sovereign, we'll be safe. With the elder Feng and the young Healer's strength, they should be able to withstand the attacks from other Heavenly Palace warriors..." Xiao Yan's gaze flickered slightly. Since Qinglin was secure, he would now focus on confronting the Black Sovereign. Together with the Heavenly Fiend Puppet, he believed he could keep the man from being overwhelmed. However, in the current situation, the ordinary disciples of the Starfall Pavilion are suffering the most casualties—prolonging the battle would only make matters worse for them. As Xiao Yan furrowed his brows over this, the Medicine Elder in the sky seemed to sense the shift as well, lowering his head to gaze upon the starry realm drenched in blood. His eyes flashed with cold intensity, and with a firm grasp of his hands, the vast spatial hand reformed once more, then slammed down directly upon the Black and White Heavenly Sovereign. The Black and White Heavenly Sovereigns, engaged in fierce combat with the Celestial Demon Puppet and Qinglin, had no expectation of this sudden assault. When the attack struck, they only realized it in that moment, their faces instantly turning pale. The terrifying spatial power conveyed an overwhelming sense of danger—even to them. "Plunged!" The massive spatial hand struck hard upon the two Heavenly Sovereigns, and instantly, these two beings renowned for their strength among others, coughed up blood and slid through the sky like meteors, crashing deeply into Lin Hai and carving a furrow hundreds of zhang deep. Witnessing the Black and White Heavenly Sovereigns who could not even withstand a single round, the distant warriors all gasped in astonishment. "Thud! Thud! Thud!" With one palm, he sent the Black and White Heavenly Sovereign flying. Then, Master Yao's palm flipped again, delivering continuous, thunderous blows to the ground below. As each palm strike descended, any elite warriors of the Soul Palace whose bodies came into contact with the spatial giant hands instantly exploded into swirling black mist—their flesh and blood reduced to fine, scattered dust. Under the near-annihilating onslaught from Master Yao, the Soul Palace warriors grew increasingly fearful, scrambling wildly in all directions, no longer daring to remain in the Star Realm for even a moment. Seeing the heavy losses suffered by the Soul Palace, the Ninth Heavenly Sovereign grew deeply somber—the situation had effectively slipped out of his grasp since Master Yao's arrival. Yet, he was far from willing to concede so easily. "Yao Chen, your strength has only just recovered—you will undoubtedly struggle to fully unleash your potential. I intend to see whether today you can truly turn the tide and save the Star-Down Pavilion!" The Nine Heavens Sovereign deeply inhaled, and suddenly, with lightning speed, formed a series of intricate hand seals that dazzled onlookers. As the seals shifted, ripples gradually spread throughout the space around him, and soon a spatial rift slowly tore open. As the rift expanded, a vast, bone-chilling aura emanated steadily from within. "Even the Eight Heavens Sovereign has come to imprison the Earth?" murmured the Elder of the Herbs, his brows slightly furrowed, sensing the piercing chill.