After the elder named Gu Qian was dismissed, Xun'er once again scanned the towering mountain range, pausing finally on a distant green peak, where she sensed a faint yet particularly cold sense of familiarity—something deeply rooted, yet sharp and distinct. "Gu Yao... if you dare to act recklessly, I will not spare you!" Gently clenching her jade hands, Xun'er's beautiful eyes flashed with a touch of indignation. "Come on, Xiao Yan brother..." Calming the waves of emotion within herself, she turned her gaze toward Xiao Yan, only to find that his eyes were fixed on the very spot where she had previously paused. "A very strong person," Xiao Yan murmured, sensing through his refined spiritual perception a subtle aura of danger emanating from the mountain peak—clearly directed specifically toward him. "To truly eliminate resistance within this ancient clan, ordinary methods will prove utterly ineffective." Xiao Yan's expression remained calm. Though in the Ancient Sage City, he had directly defeated young prodigies from the ancient clans such as Ling Quan and Lin Xiu, he knew that these victories alone were still far from sufficient. In the eyes of the elder members of the ancient clans, defeating figures like Lin Xiu did not yet command their attention. Thus, at this moment, Xiao Yan needed a truly prominent young powerhouse among the ancient clans—someone whose standing was genuinely respected—to face him. And he had to win this confrontation. Otherwise, even those clan members who had remained neutral might gradually shift their support toward his opponents. Therefore, he could not afford to fail. Among the current young talents, Lin Xiu and others clearly did not meet his standards. Gu Zhen, though well-regarded within the Black Annihilation Army, still fell short of being among the very elite of the young generation. As for those who truly met his requirements, the ancient clan currently had only four—namely, the four Commanders of the Black Annihilation Army. And the dangerous aura he had sensed earlier—Xiao Yan was certain—that must have been one of the Four Commanders! "Let's go..." Xiao Yan slowly drew his gaze, smiled at Xun'er, and said. "Hmm." Xun'er nodded slightly, her body moving gracefully, as if a butterfly dancing, elegant and charming. Behind her, Xiao Yan and his companions followed closely, receiving the steady glances of the crowd. At a distance, the man with silver robes and hair of contrasting black and white watched them recede. A faint smile played upon his face. "Heh—he truly lives up to the reputation of the Xiao clan. You should know what that gaze he projected meant, right? He's actually challenging you!" the man in the silver robe chuckled. "Challenges... fresh blood...?" The ancient spirit lifted her gaze, speaking softly. "Tomorrow is the coming-of-age ceremony. By tradition, I may choose my own opponent. Considering his courage, I'll grant him a chance. As for Xun'er—she will eventually understand my decisions." Her voice settled, and gradually, her form grew more ethereal, vanishing completely after a moment. … Under Xun'er's guidance, Xiao Yan and his companions did not proceed to the official reception pavilion of the ancient clan, but halted before a bamboo pavilion deep within the mountain range. Before the pavilion, an elderly figure was smiling warmly as he watched Xiao Yan and his group descend. "Master Ling?" Gazing at the familiar figure before the bamboo pavilion, Xiao Yan was momentarily startled, then bowed politely. "Heh, not even ten years have passed, and I never expected Xiao Yan to have reached such a level—truly, it's quite humbling," Master Ling sighed with a smile. Back then, when he had been entrusted to secretly protect Xiao Yan, the latter had merely been a rather naive young man striving to redeem himself from the embarrassment of a broken engagement. Now, that same young man had grown into one of the most renowned and powerful figures in the Zhongzhou region. "Come in," Xun'er smiled gently. "This is my place of quiet cultivation. I rarely have visitors here. I believe Xiao Yan brother would probably prefer not to go to other places." Xiao Yan nodded. The surroundings were serene and suited his preferences perfectly. Having gone through all this recent turmoil, he likely already had become a topic of conversation among the ancient clans—so he certainly didn’t want to be treated like a monkey, constantly being watched and surrounded by others. "Yet, with the current strength of Mr. Xiao Yan, he truly has the qualification to join the Ancient Clan. With your arrival, Miss will also be able to relax a bit. In fact, back then, there were already members within the clan who proposed bringing all of the Xiao family back to the Ancient Realm. As for the purpose of such a move, you likely already know some of it. Fortunately, thanks to Miss's and several elders' opposition, those plans were ultimately abandoned." "But this is only a temporary measure, as this proposal has been raised nearly every year. To secure sufficient time for you, the Lady has remained in prolonged periods of seclusion. The ancient clan values bloodline—those with stronger bloodline strength carry greater influence. Over the years, the Lady has consistently retreated into seclusion and diligently cultivated, all in order to strengthen her voice and authority. Only by doing so could she counterbalance the clan's growing resolutions to move against the Xiao family. Though the journey has been arduous, she has ultimately succeeded. Today, her standing within the clan is such that even the senior elders must bow to her when they meet her, and the resolutions against the Xiao family have been consistently held in abeyance." At this point, Ling Ying sighed and said, "I know that Master Xiao has achieved his current standing in just about a decade through considerable hardship. Yet, the Lady has also made no small sacrifices." "Ling Elder," Xun'er softly called out, then gently shook her head, indicating that Ling Ying should stop speaking. Seeing this, Ling Ying also smiled and said, "That old fellow of mine is always unable to keep his mouth shut." Xiao Yan smiled gently, his dark eyes fixed on the refined, breathtaking beauty of Xun'er. Then he reached out, lightly grasping her jade-like hand, and softly said, "These years have been tough for you. From now on, I'll take care of everything. The pressures within your family—I'll handle them..." Feeling the warmth radiating from her hand, Xun'er's cheeks flushed slightly. A quiet sense of satisfaction stirred within her. Though she often appeared strong and resolute in front of her family, she was, after all, a woman, with tender, delicate feelings deep inside. All the years of perseverance and dedication had finally earned this simple statement—she had already felt fulfilled. Her aspirations were never grand. She possessed unparalleled talent and lineage, yet in matters of the heart, she remained deeply devoted and even stubborn. The emotions from my childhood have always been deeply buried in memory, gradually fermenting over the years, becoming rich and touching. "Xiao Yan brother, tomorrow marks the beginning of the ancient clan's coming-of-age ceremony. Originally, this ceremony has no direct connection to the guests like yourselves. However, since you are from the Xiao clan and due to my own circumstances, you will undoubtedly be a part of it." Xun'er furrowed her brows, saying, "According to tradition, every clan member attending the ceremony may freely choose someone to spar and compete against. Such a fair and open opportunity—some people might not want to miss it." "Of course. With Xiao Yan brother's current strength, even among the younger generation of the ancient clan, few would be able to defeat you. But there are four individuals who might well surpass you." "Four Grand Commanders?" Xiao Yan murmured. "Well... the strength of these four is all above eight-star Sovereign Rank, and they are even regarded as potential candidates to become the Black Annihilation King..." Xun'er's face also carried a certain weight as she said, "Among them, the one most likely to act against you is the ancient monster known as the War General." "War General, the ancient monster..." Xiao Yan murmured softly, then asked, "Then the person I saw just now must be him, right?" "Indeed," Xun'er nodded, somewhat surprised, as she hadn't expected Xiao Yan to have sensed the presence of the ancient monster. "The ancient beast has exceptional talent, and his Duke Emperor bloodline is exceptionally strong. Most of the family members hope that I and he will be together. Six months ago, he even formally proposed to the Elder Council, but I declined—my reason being Brother Xiao Yan." Xun'er smiled faintly, "By his nature, he will surely make a move against you at tomorrow's coming-of-age ceremony. He knows well that if he defeats you in such a setting, the neutral members of the family will naturally lean toward him." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, the tea in his cup subtly rippling. He too understood that this would be a rare opportunity—for if he failed, few in the ancient clan would still support him. Likewise, should the ancient beast fall, the elders would have no further grounds to challenge the relationship between Xiao Yan and Xun'er in the future." Thus, facing off against this ancient demon is like standing at the crossroads between heaven and hell! Therefore, this battle must be won!