On the vast, desolate expanse of land, a thick mist of energy seeped continuously from beneath the earth, eventually enveloping the endless terrain. At some point on the land, two figures emerged slowly. They glanced at the scattered ground around them, then briefly sensed the energy fields, their brows lifting slightly. "It's the traces of an eight-star energy body... Clearly, it was the two from the Spirit Cliff who fell. It seems Huo Li's strength has fully recovered; otherwise, they wouldn't have been defeated so swiftly." Xiang Yan picked up a handful of soil, rubbed it between his fingers, and spoke softly. "In just a couple of days, that guy should have fully recovered from his injuries—though his broken arm remains irreparable, and his combat strength has weakened significantly..." Xin'er scanned the surroundings with a slightly cautious gaze, speaking softly, "Calculating the time, we're gradually approaching the entrance to the third layer." "Hmm. These two have been fleeing like dogs in distress for over ten days. I'm curious to find out where exactly they intend to go." Xiao Yan stood up, speaking with a cold smile. Xin'er nodded slightly. "The concentration of high-grade energy bodies is growing denser here. The previously rare eight-star energy bodies are now appearing occasionally. Moreover, I sense a subtle energy pressure emanating from the northeastern region." Xiao Yan turned his gaze toward the northeast, his brows slightly furrowed. "Hmm, an energy body that exerts a sense of pressure—definitely a nine-star energy body. Hehe, Xiao Yan brother, looks like a real big fish now. Shall we move in?" Xun'er smiled brightly. She too felt this sensation, though it was much weaker than Xiao Yan's. This nine-star energy body, with its nine-tier energy core, held a strong appeal for both of them. After all, they had been inside the Heavenly Tomb for nearly six months, yet neither of them had ever encountered a nine-tier energy core before. "Why wait? A nine-tier energy core in the second layer isn't something you just stumble upon..." Xiao Yan smiled, his gaze fixed on the distant figure, saying, "For now, let these two escape. We'll surely meet again someday." "Then let's go." "As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Yan turned and swiftly moved toward the direction from which the energy pressure was emanating. Xu'er quickly followed behind. The area where the energy pressure was present was at some distance from them, and after they flew at full speed for nearly twenty minutes, their pace gradually slowed down. In this region, they could now see several seven- and eight-star energy bodies scattered throughout, as if guarding something. 'The nine-star energy bodies have developed some intelligence—they are the senior members among the energy bodies and can easily control others. This area must therefore be their territory,' Xu'er softly remarked, as they concealed themselves behind a large boulder and gazed at the floating energy bodies drifting through the mist. Xiao Yan nodded slightly and asked, 'Are there any other people's presence detectable around here?'" "No, just the two of us," Xun'er smiled. Hearing this, Xiao Yan seemed to exhale in relief and smiled, saying, "Then let's move quietly inside. These energy bodies have a limited range of perception. With our combined strength, we shouldn't disturb them much." "Agreed," Xun'er nodded slightly. Seeing this, Xiao Yan smiled and his figure trembled, forming a faint ripple of motion before vanishing completely. As Xiao Yan began to move, a subtle distortion appeared in the space beside Xun'er, and gradually, her form began to shimmer faintly. A gentle breeze swiftly penetrated this area, and after approximately ten minutes, two figures finally materialized at the center of the region. "We've arrived," said Xiang Yin, his gaze fixed ahead. There, amidst a dense forest of towering stones, a massive boulder stood at the center, upon which a figure clad in black iron armor sat cross-legged, radiating a thick, steady aura. The armor's surface revealed eyes that were blank and expressionless; yet upon closer inspection, one could discern a subtle vitality and fluidity in this energy form—more dynamic than the ones Xiang Yin and his companion had encountered earlier. "The Nine-Star Energy Entity..." Gazing at this figure radiating an ancient, steady aura, Xiang Yan's eyes flickered with seriousness. Though these energy bodies were considerably weaker than the core essence, they far from being mere afterthoughts—especially considering that this Nine-Star entity still retained some of the intelligence and combat techniques from its lifetime. "Who dares? Step forward!" As Xiang Yan and his companion were observing this unfamiliar energy form, a brilliant, blinding light suddenly erupted from beneath the figure's black armor. With a firm grasp of his palm, a massive axe—half the height of a man—materialized. The axe descended in a furious strike, generating a colossal gust of wind that tore through the space, rushing toward Xiang Yan and his companion at the speed of lightning. "Such keen perception..." Seeing how swiftly this person had detected their presence, Xiang Yan and Xun'er both felt a moment of astonishment. With a swift movement, they darted aside, successfully deflecting the powerful gust of wind. "Boom!" As they stepped back, the wind struck the massive stone at their core, causing it to explode instantly into fine powder. The force of the wind left a deep furrow several dozen zhang long across the ground. "Let's engage!" In the air, Xiang Yan materialized with a light command. Silver glimmers danced beneath his feet, and a series of residual figures emerged from the sky. In an instant, he appeared before the black-armored figure, shifting his hand seals. "Mountain-Opening Seal! Sea-Inverting Seal!" With both hands forming seals, he unleashed two powerful attacks, each aimed squarely at the black-armored figure. "Clang! Clang!" The energy palm struck the black-armored figure with tremendous force, directly shaking him back two steps. "You, mere upstarts, dare to challenge me!" The black-armored figure roared in fury, blasting off upon first encounter with Xiao Yan. With a mighty swing, his massive mountain-felling axe whirled like a windmill, sending a devastating gust of wind straight toward Xiao Yan's head. "Clang! Clang! Clang!" As the axe descended, a golden-flame lance suddenly shot forth from behind Xiao Yan, intercepting the weighty blow as if it were a mountain. "Thud!" As Xun blocked the black-armored figure, Xiao Yan chuckled and grasped his palm, causing the heavy staff to materialize. Without hesitation, he delivered a powerful blow straight onto the chest of the armored figure, sending him flying like a cannonball. Though this opponent was hailed as a nine-star energy entity, he clearly wasn't up to par against Xiao Yan and Xun—nor could he keep up with the swift, experienced pace of their combat. "Roar!" The black-armored energy entity roared in fury, its immense energy surging forth and shattering the massive stones surrounding it, each several dozen feet in size. Then, he charged again, his steps shaking the very ground. "Let's finish this quickly!" Seeing the armored figure surge forward, Xiao Yan called out, launching himself with lightning speed and colliding head-on with the giant. "Axes splitting heaven and earth!" "An immense surge of energy erupted continuously from within the black-armored figure, causing his massive mountain-splitting axe to suddenly expand several times in size. Then, he raised the great axe high, and at that instant, the surrounding space shattered entirely! "Xiao Yan, watch out!" Seeing this overwhelming assault, Xun'er's face slightly paled and quickly shouted. "Die, by my power!" the black-armored figure roared, driving his heavy axe with a wind so powerful it sent shivers through the heart, straight toward Xiao Yan's head. "Clang!" Facing such a terrifying attack, Xiao Yan swiftly raised his heavy staff to meet it. However, as soon as the two met, the staff was instantly knocked away, and Xiao Yan himself was struck hard, his face turning pale. His body then fell backward like a kite with its string severed. "Screech!" As Xiao Yan held firm against the fierce assault from the black-armored figure, Xun'er appeared behind the black-armored figure, her long spear blazing with golden flames, driving it straight through the back of the figure. The golden flames instantly surged, engulfing and consuming the black-armored figure. At this moment, the latter radiated a cold, fierce demeanor—clearly, they had been waiting for this moment for a long time. Hit hard by the combined blows from Houn and Hounli, Xiao Yan's face instantly turned pale. Yet Houn was momentarily stunned to see an eerie, slightly unsettling smile slowly forming on Xiao Yan's face, one that stirred a sense of unease within him. "I thought you two would truly vanish and never show yourselves again!" "Crack!" With a calm, measured voice, Xiao Yan softly uttered the words, and as he spoke, his figure burst into nothingness amidst the astonishment of Houn and Hounli. "We've been outmaneuvered!" Upon witnessing Xiao Yan's sudden dissolution, Houn and Hounli both felt their hearts sink.