On the endless red cliff plain, winds and sand swirl incessantly, and the blood-red sunset hangs far off on the horizon, casting a soft, pale red glow that drapes the land in a delicate crimson veil—subtly, a hue of crimson seems to seep throughout. "As he landed on the ground, an elderly man with a rosy complexion glanced around in surprise, then turned to a young man in black robes among the crowd. That familiar face was none other than one of the group from the Xingyin Pavilion who had journeyed to the Western Continent. Upon seeing the elder's gaze, Xiao Yan slightly shook his head. Though the Western Continent was equally vast, he was only familiar with the regions near the Jiamai Empire, and thus had no clear idea of where exactly they were now." "Young Master, this area should be to the north of the Western-Northern Continent. Since the spatial rift established by the Master lacks precise spatial imprints, it has only been able to roughly transport us to the Western-Northern Continent..." A white-robed elder with silver hair scanned the surroundings, then withdrew a scroll from his meditation pouch and laid it out—showing a detailed map of the Western-Northern Continent. On the map, nearly half of the region was occupied by a fierce lion-headed symbol, while the other half bore the character "In," likely indicating the current territorial ranges of the Shiyin Sect and the In Alliance. "According to the intelligence we've gathered, the northern part of the continent has already fallen under the control of the Shiyin Sect. That means we've been transported into the Shiyin Sect's territory. However, this isn't particularly problematic—there aren't many strong Shiyin Sect members stationed in the northern regions. Their main forces are currently concentrated at the border area where they meet the In Alliance." The white-robed elder paused, thoughtfully. "As long as we head northwest and pass through a few checkpoints, we'll be able to reach the territory of the Flame Alliance..." Glancing at the map, Xiao Yan nodded slightly. With their group consisting of thirty Dao Zen masters, this strength—unless they encountered the elite forces of Shī Míng Sect or the Spirit Palace—would be more than sufficient to move with confidence. Reaching the Flame Alliance, therefore, wouldn't be particularly difficult. "Then let's set out. Along the way, we can gather some current intelligence about the northwest continent. Everyone, try to keep your aura subdued and follow my instructions—don't rush or wander off at random." Turning his head toward the northwest, Xiao Yan raised his hand and with a flick of his foot, his figure surged forward like a streak of light. Behind him, the sound of wind rushing past followed closely, with one after another of the figures closely trailing behind. ...Xiao Yan and the others proceeded straight toward the southern-western region of the Yan Alliance. This area had now come under the control of the Shimei Sect, so along the way they encountered several military units and powerful figures stationed there. However, these so-called powerful individuals were no more than ordinary Douzong-level cultivators, which, in the eyes of Xiao Yan and his companions, carried no real sense of threat. As they passed through, they faced no significant resistance at all. Instead, they gained a clear understanding of the current political situation across the western-north continent by questioning several captured Shimei Sect cultivators. The intelligence gathered, however, caused a subtle weight to settle in Xiao Yan's heart, as the situation was unfolding far more swiftly than he had anticipated. The territories that his alliance had painstakingly cultivated over years had now shrunk by nearly one-third, and this contraction was accelerating at an astonishing pace—clearly indicating the formidable strength the Huan Dun had mobilized for this campaign. Among the intelligence, Xiao Yan learned that most of the alliance's elite warriors had gathered at the Xuan Huang Stronghold in the Xuan Huang Heavenly Gorge, the alliance's most critical stronghold beyond its original base in the Jia Ma Empire. Should this stronghold fall, the defensive lines stretching over a thousand li would collapse entirely, effectively reducing the alliance to the status of the Jia Ma Empire—an outcome that would undo years of hard-won progress. Therefore, today's top talents of the Yan Alliance, as well as other sects collaborating with the Yan Alliance to resist the Shimei Sect, have all gathered at the Xuanhuang Stronghold. With the support of the Huns Hall, the Shimei Sect now possesses a formidable strength capable of sweeping across most of the western and northern continents. Furthermore, through threats and inducements, they have successfully attracted numerous additional powerful figures. As a result, it is truly difficult to find any force on the western and northern continents capable of standing against them—despite the Yan Alliance itself being in a defensive position. As a crucial battleground for both parties, the Shimei Sect naturally refuses to relinquish the Xuanhuang Stronghold. According to one of their loyal allies, the Shimei Sect has now dispatched its most elite troops and top talents to the Xuanhuang Tianjian. This clearly indicates their intention to forcibly seize the Xuanhuang Stronghold and ultimately establish dominance over the entire western and northern continent. Receiving such information—though not particularly good—forced Xiao Yan to accelerate his journey. He had to reach the stronghold before the Lion-Min Sect began securing the Xuanhuang Stronghold; otherwise, the losses suffered by the Flame Alliance would be too severe. The Xuan Huang stronghold stands at the most central position within the Xuan Huang Heavenly Gorge, serving as the only accessible point within a radius of a thousand li. Even neighboring smaller empires often need to pass through it to maintain communication and trade. With such unparalleled geographical advantages, the strategic importance of the Xuan Huang stronghold is self-evident—during the time of the Yan Alliance, immense efforts were made merely to secure control over this location. Beyond the stronghold lies an endless expanse of grassland. From its elevated vantage point, one can observe every movement on the grassland. However, now, beyond this grassland, a vast sea of black mist blankets the horizon, beneath which the sound of thunderous combat reverberates, carrying with it a surge of intense, life-threatening energy that has caused all inhabitants of the Xuan Huang stronghold to grow visibly serious. At the stronghold's heart stood a cluster of grand halls. At the very center of the group, a particularly majestic hall rose proudly. Within this hall at present, many people sat in silence—no one spoke, and the entire space was draped in a heavy stillness. Over the years, she had not changed in the slightest; rather, that mature, graceful charm had grown even more profound. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Lion-Ming Sect's forces are pressing in. Today's advance is merely a试探—perhaps within three days, they will begin their formal assault." In the silent hall, Cai Lin's gaze slowly swept across the room, recognizing one familiar face after another. Ice Emperor Hai Bode, Dan King Guo He of the Gama Empire, and Fang Ma—these individuals, though now slightly more aged than when they first emerged, still radiated a presence far surpassing their former selves. Clearly, over the years, their strength had significantly advanced. Hearing her words, everyone remained silent. Witnessing this scene, a man seated in a wheelchair beside them gently exhaled and said, "The Li Ming Sect is too powerful. Their Dou Zun-level masters far surpass ours. In direct confrontation, we are no match for them." At this point, Xiao Ding couldn't help but chuckle, his eyes glistening with a touch of sorrow—before the sheer strength of their opponents, any strategy lost its effectiveness. In the challenges the Inflame Alliance had faced over the years, this one proved particularly overwhelming. "If all else fails, then let's fight it out. We can't advance, we can't retreat—perhaps we should fight until the very end!" A man standing beside Xiao Ding, radiating an aura of fierce intensity, spoke with a cold demeanor. His familiar face was none other than Xiao Lin, Xiao Ding's second brother! Hearing Xiao Li's words, the crowd in the hall also felt a subtle weight settle upon their hearts—was it truly coming to that? The young man of those days had achieved countless miracles. Even though the Inver Alliance had been largely under Caillou's control these years, in many people's hearts, the true spiritual leader of the Alliance remained that young man—Xiao Yan.