Gazing at the figure slowly rising from the towering stone peak, Gu Qingyang and the others nodded slightly, stepping forth slowly from the shadows. "It seems this battle has truly been fierce," Gu Hua remarked with a wry smile. Facing a half-Saint-level powerhouse was no small feat for them—though the current half-Saint before them existed only as an energy form, he still carried his pre-death combat awareness and techniques. Despite their numbers, it remained uncertain who would ultimately prevail. "Crunch," Gu Xing slowly clenched his massive fists, the sound of the joints giving way echoing steadily. His usually earnest face now bore a serious expression, a powerful, steady aura radiating from within him. "Be careful everyone," Gu Qingyang sighed. "This opponent is no ordinary one." "The intruders, from the very moment you stepped foot here, you should have known the ultimate consequence..." From the peak above, the figure gazed down upon Xiao Yan and the others with an air of lofty authority. His voice, though calm, resonated like a deep thunderclap, echoing steadily in their ears. That figure stepped onto the stone peak, and a powerful surge of energy erupted forth. Moments later, the group witnessed vast cracks—each stretching several zhang in length—spreading like serpentine venomous snakes from the summit of the mountain, rapidly cascading downward. In a flash, the stone mountain began to tremble and grow unstable. Massive boulders tumbled off the peak. Meanwhile, the figure materialized in the air just beyond the front of Xiao Yan and his companions, his hands gripping a ghost-headed great sword, his gaze cold and fixed upon them, a subtle hint of bloodlust curling at the corners of his lips. "It's been quite some time since I last tasted human blood," he murmured, gently turning his neck. "I seem to have almost forgotten what it feels like... Perhaps I should introduce myself before I begin." Hmm, my name—seems like it hasn't been mentioned in a very, very long time. Although I've sensed the presence of humans before, once they detected me, they would simply retreat. So this is actually the first time I've encountered humans who exude a fresh, living vitality... My name—does it sound like Blood-Blade Saint? Have you heard of it?" Gazing at the dark-red figure who had lifted her head and cast a look of curiosity toward their group, Xiao Yan and the others couldn't help but twitch at the corners of their mouths. You've been dead for hundreds, perhaps even thousands of years—how could anyone possibly remember your name? "Ah well, it seems no one remembers. That feeling is truly rather disappointing. I must resolve this matter swiftly—my blood-blade seems to be growing increasingly strained..." With a slight disappointment, the man who claimed to be the Blood-Blade Saint shook his head, then subtly trembled his feet. "Watch out!" Just as the Blood-Claw Saint's feet trembled, Xiao Yan's face suddenly changed, and with a sweep of his sleeve, a surge of wind burst forth from within, striking the ancient True body behind him with tremendous force, sending him flying off with a single palm. "Ssshh!" As the ancient True was flying backward, a streak of blood shot out from the space where he had stood, slicing through the ground and carving a deep furrow. "Hm?" The attack missed—echoing a surprised gasp from the previously empty space—and suddenly, Xiao Yan felt a gaze fixed upon him, causing his hairs to stand on end. "This guy moves with terrifying speed—this is indeed the gap between a half-Saint and a Battle Sovereign, isn't it?" Xiao Yan's forehead glistened with cold sweat as he quickly retreated, then joined up with Xun'er and Gu Qingyang. Had it not been for the significant growth of his spiritual power over the past year since entering the Heavenly Tomb, he likely wouldn't have sensed the blood-sword Saint's attack at all. "You're truly difficult to handle," Gu Zhen said quickly, rising from the ground and brushing off the dust from his clothes, then frowning. "Next time, try to be a bit gentler." "Then let him be split in two," Xiao Yan replied without turning around, then glanced toward Gu Qingyang and Xun'er. In terms of rank alone, these two were the strongest—both at the nine-star level—capable of surpassing many Battle Sovereigns: "Let's go!" "Um…" Gu Qingyang and Xun'er nodded slightly, then locked eyes, and at the same moment launched themselves forward with swift movements, rapidly shifting their hand seals. At the same time, they both lightly exclaimed, "Fú Dì Yìn!" Two brilliant energy seals formed swiftly in their hands and shot toward the Blood-Blade Saint. "As for the towering column of molten lava, the Blood-Scythe Saint merely snorted coldly, then firmly stomped the ground. Instantly, the colossal lava column collapsed under his footstep, its scorching magma spreading outwards and melting all the surrounding massive stones." "Flame Divided, Devouring the Waves Staff!" A figure swiftly materialized behind the Blood-Scythe Saint, and the massive staff beam surged forth, delivering a resolute and unyielding assault. "Clang!" In response to the fierce staff strike, the Blood-Scythe Saint swiftly spun his ghost-headed great sword behind him, forming a vibrant crimson blade blossom. This blossom then rapidly rotated, effortlessly tearing through the staff beam and continuing its momentum to slash at Xiao Yan. "Chime!" The heavy staff struck firmly upon the crimson blade blossom, the powerful force transferring through the impact, sending Xiao Yan staggering back several steps before he finally stabilized. "Pathetic saint! You're not even a true Saint of Battle yet—your arrogance is quite thick..." After repelling Xiao Yan, the Blood-Scythe Saint had no time to pursue further, as Gu Hu, Gu Xing, and Gu Zhen swiftly advanced, each unleashing powerful battle techniques that struck the Blood-Scythe Saint with force. "A mere insect dares to challenge a Saint's dignity!" "Gu Qingyang roared, then flashed upward. Immediately afterward, Xun'er, Gu Zhen, and the others launched forth, their internal qi surging to its peak, the rushing gusts tearing away nearly a meter of ground beneath them. The multitude of attacks unleashed at once momentarily caught the Blood-Blade Saint off guard, but he quickly stabilized, his ghost-headed great sword swirling with relentless precision, deflecting every assault from Gu Qingyang and the others. Now and then, sharp slashes of blade sent the attackers scrambling—indeed, a half-saint's prowess was no ordinary thing. A sharp blade aura burst forth from the spiraling wind, instantly knocking the ancient Qingyang and his companions back, sending them crashing into the surrounding massive stones—so powerful was the force that the stones were instantly pulverized. "It's your turn!" After repelling Qingyang and his companions, the Blood-Blade Saint sharply turned his gaze toward Xiao Yan, who had been standing aside, patiently waiting for an opportunity to strike. With a cold smile, he stepped forward and swiftly closed the distance between them. The Blood-Blade Saint's speed was astonishing—within the blink of an eye, he reached Xiao Yan's side, causing the latter's expression to subtly shift and his heart to suddenly shout out in alarm. "Heavenly Fire Triple Transformation! First phase! Second phase! Third phase!" "As the roar in his heart echoed, the battle energy within Xiao Yan surged violently, and that tingling sensation at the center of his brow returned once again. Yet at this crucial moment, he could no longer devote much attention to it—instead, the Great Heaven's Transformation Palm was rapidly forming in his palm." "Shriek!" The massive ghost-headed battle axe sliced through the void, only to suddenly halt mid-air above Xiao Yan's head. The Blood-Blade Saint's gaze remained locked firmly on the spot at the center of Xiao Yan's brow. After a moment, a look of astonishment and fear welled up in his eyes. "The Xiao Clan seal? You're truly from the Xiao Clan?"