On the plaza, a stream of eyes stared in wide-eyed astonishment at the young man who had suddenly entered and firmly grasped Yun Yun's hand—silence fell over the entire crowd, everyone exchanging puzzled glances, unsure of the origin of this unexpected turn of events. "You... Xiao Yan?! You—you're here?!" Yun Yun's cheeks flushed with both embarrassment and surprise as she stared at the young man beside her, his face adorned with a teasing smile. After a moment, she could no longer contain herself and called out aloud. "You've been in trouble—I can't just stand by and watch, can I?" Xiao Yan gazed at the breathtaking young woman before him, his voice naturally softening with tenderness. "Yanran?" Yun Yun blinked slightly, instantly understanding. Feeling the warmth radiating from her hand, she quickly pulled it free from Xiao Yan's grasp, her face turning crimson, and with a touch of reproach, said, "This is the Flower Sect—how can you still be so impetuous?" "You've hidden from me for so many years—shouldn't that be enough now?" Xiao Yan smiled slightly, saying, "Who's hiding from me...?" "Who are you? Report your name, and dare to intrude upon my Huazong?" The woman in the brocade robe stared at Xiao Yan with narrowed eyes, her voice cold. From her demeanor, it seemed clear that this young man must be the helper Cloud Yun had sent. "You can consider me Cloud Yun's companion," Xiao Yan glanced at the woman in brocade, speaking casually. Upon hearing this, Cloud Yun blushed again, looked slightly embarrassed at the man before her, but Xiao Yan paid no attention, his gaze fixed on the two across from him. "With only a two-star Battle Sovereign's strength, you dare to act so arrogantly here? I suspect you've grown too comfortable in life," the strange man beside the brocade woman lightly扇ed her fan, yet a cold intensity stirred in his eyes—Xiao Yan and Cloud Yun's closeness had somewhat unsettled him. "Yun Yun, you've been constantly claiming you have no partner, yet here you are, unable to resist calling someone... Well then, let it be so—call him, then, so as not to accuse our sect of treating you unfairly. Today, you shall fight alongside this young man. Should you lose, you shall surrender the entire lifetime of combat energy accumulated by our senior patriarch!" "Um..." After circling the words in his mind, he finally settled on a soft, humble tone. "We can certainly have a contest—though the terms seem rather absurd. If you win, you'll receive Yun Yun's inherited qi; if you lose, you'll gain nothing at all. Do you truly think such a favorable arrangement exists in the world?" Xiao Yan spoke calmly. The lady in silk robe narrowed her eyes, coldly replied, "Should our sect lose, Yun Yun may then depart the Huazong without any further complications or entanglements." "If it's only that, then there's no need for a contest at all..." Xiao Yan's expression grew frosty. "You dare! Do you think Huazong is some place you can simply visit and leave at will?" Seeing his demeanor, the lady's face turned stern, and she roared, "Even if you leave Huazong today, you will inevitably face relentless pursuit and attacks from our sect throughout your life!" "Then show your courage and come to Xingyin Pavilion to hunt you down!" "Regarding the sharp words and threats from the lady in the brocade robe, Xiao Yan remained utterly unmoved, chuckling coldly. "The Starfall Pavilion?" The lady blinked, her expression then shifting, her face filled with a mixture of surprise and doubt. "Are you one of the Starfall Pavilion's members?" The Flower Sect had also heard rumors about the emergence of a half-Saint-level cultivator within the Starfall Pavilion. With such a powerful presence, the Starfall Pavilion now stood on par with, if not above, the Flower Sect. Moreover, no one could forget that the half-Saint cultivator of the Starfall Pavilion was also the foremost alchemist of the Continent. "My name is Xiao Yan. My master, Yao Chen, has instructed me to meet with the elder of the Flower Sect and convey his greetings." Xiao Yan suddenly raised his gaze, fixing it on the lush mountain range surrounding the Flower Sect, and his voice, amplified by the surrounding qi, spread out and echoed throughout the heavens and earth. From the very moment he stepped into the Flower Sect, Xiao Yan sensed an elusive presence within the mountains—powerful, profound, likely belonging to the elder masters of the sect who rarely appeared. While he might not fear the other strong disciples of the sect, these ancient masters certainly required greater caution. "Xiao Yan?" Upon hearing his name, the lady in silk robes and the demonic flower sovereign both slightly stiffened—neither of them had anticipated that Xiao Yan held such a distinguished background. The Flower Sect disciples surrounding the plaza exchanged murmurs among themselves, casting curious glances toward Xiao Yan. As all the sect's disciples were female, they naturally found him—an outstanding young talent—particularly intriguing. "Originally, he is a disciple of Yao Chen... That old man truly has thought of this. Should he find time in the future, he will surely pay a visit to Xing Yin Pavilion." Shortly after Xiang Yan's booming voice fell, a hoarse, elderly voice gradually emerged from within the mountain range, eventually resonating clearly in the space above the plaza. Xiang Yan respectfully bowed to the direction from which the voice came, then turned his gaze to the woman in the rich brocade robe, whose expression was shifting between calm and restless, and offered a gentle smile. "Hua Jin, since Master Xiang has made his request, let us listen to him." In the northern part of the plaza, an elderly woman slowly spoke, and from her attire, she appeared to be a senior elder of the Hua Sect, holding a position of considerable importance. Upon hearing this, the woman known as Hua Jin could only grit her teeth in resignation, saying, "Then speak quickly!" "Should we lose this match, the qi inheritance within Yun Yun shall be passed to you. But should your side lose, the position of Master of the Hua Sect shall be returned to Yun Yun," Xiang Yan declared. "So you've been eyeing my position as Master of the Huazong!" Huajin's face turned cold, and she laughed bitterly. "Xiao Yan, I've never shown any interest in becoming Master—don't make things any worse!" Yun Yun quickly added from the side. "Master Huajin originally intended to pass the position to Yun Yun. It's you who've been so ungrateful, seizing the Master's jade plaque forcibly. Now she's merely reclaiming what Huajin herself gave her!" Xiao Yan said coldly. "You! That sharp-tongued youngster!" Seeing Xiao Yan so unyielding, Huajin's expression grew steadily colder, yet she remained silent. After all, she was only the acting Master of the Huazong. The senior monks who supported her were not in the majority. Had it not been for the fact that she had been raised by Master Huajin for over a decade, she likely wouldn't have even been considered for this position. Should any serious developments arise now, the Master's seat might truly be out of her reach. "Old hag! I've known you for over a decade—how can I possibly compare to this woman who's only been with you for three As soon as she thought of the fact that the most precious treasure had been left to Yun Yun, Huajin's passion nearly consumed her reason. Taking a deep breath, she suppressed her anger and suddenly turned her gaze toward the fairy flower demon king by her side—whose strength was superior to hers, and whose wishes would ultimately determine the course of events. It seemed as though the floral, demonic sovereign had grasped the thoughts swirling in Huaxin's heart. With a faint glance at Xiao Yan, he slowly扇ed his fan. He had heard various tales about the latter, though those tales, no matter how impressive, always carried a certain degree of exaggeration. Moreover, as a Six-Star Battle Sovereign, even within the Flower Sect, few could surpass him—those who could were truly rare. Even if Xiao Yan were exceptionally talented, he still held only a Two-Star Battle Sovereign rank. That four-star gap in rank was no easy feat to overcome. With this in mind, the floral, demonic sovereign nodded slowly, his gaze lingering on Xiao Yan, and spoke with calm composure: "Since you have made such a request, I shall comply. Rest assured—on the account of Yao Chen, I will ensure you survive." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan smiled slightly and turned to Yun Yun, whispering softly, "Step back a bit, I'll handle it myself." "You? By yourself? Yun Yun was stunned, her face filled with astonishment. The opponent was a six-star and a four-star Du Zun, while Xiao Yan himself was only a two-star Du Zun—how could he possibly face them both? It seemed like a death sentence. "You've only just attained Du Zun status, and your inherited Du Qi hasn't even been fully refined. In battle, you won't be able to match theirs. Don't worry—things will soon turn around," Xiao Yan said softly. He could sense the overwhelming Du Qi within Yun Yun, yet at this moment, she couldn't fully command it. With her own strength, she simply wouldn't be able to hold her own against Huajin. Yun Yun cast Xiao Yan a doubtful glance, but trusting him, she remained silent and merely nodded, stepping back. As Yun Yun retreated, Xiao Yan advanced one step. Slowly, a dense, silvery-white flame spiraled around his pupils, radiating an intense heat that instantly made the surrounding world blaze with warmth. "Since you've both reached an agreement, then let the contest begin." "A senior elder from the Flower Sect observed the tense atmosphere on the field, sweeping his sleeve and speaking loudly. As the elder's words fell, a cold smile spread across the face of the demonic flower sovereign. With a subtle point of his foot on the ground, his form surged like a ghost, rushing directly toward Xiao Yan, his vast aura pouring out, filling the air in waves. "Today, I shall see just how much of the skill Xiao Yan has cultivated under Yao Chen."