"Xiao Yan?" "Third brother?" "Champion?" "As soon as the call had finished, a deep, resonant rumble suddenly erupted. Instantly, everyone was stunned to see the lion-mystic cultivator of the Shīmíng Sect—whose strength was at least at the Dou Zūn level—flying backward without warning, spitting out streams of blood, his eyes filled with shock. He hadn't even had time to register what exactly Xiao Yan had done! With such effortless ease, Xiao Yan had sent a Dou Zūn cultivator reeling and retreating, gasping for breath. He hadn't even turned his body, merely lifting his gaze to observe the current situation on the city walls, where the Yan Alliance was being pressed hard. With a gentle wave of his hand, he declared, 'Let's begin!' 'Boom!' As Xiao Yan's hand moved, a tremendous surge of energy erupted in the sky beyond. Then, a series of rushing wind sounds followed, and suddenly, the crowd witnessed nearly forty figures stepping through the void, gliding like meteors, appearing on the city walls within just a few flashes. 'Dou Zūn cultivators?!" "When these dozens of figures appeared on the city walls, whether from the Yan Alliance or the Shimei Sect, all the strong warriors were instantly taken aback—because they realized that every single one of them was a Dou Zun-level master! 'What a formidable array...' Xiao Ding and Hai Boheng, along with others, stared in awe at the figures floating in mid-air. There were at least thirty of them—meaning thirty Dou Zun-level masters? Such an overwhelming force could easily sweep through any power in the western and northern lands. 'This one... in just a few years, I wonder how far he's come?' One after another, their eyes turned toward the young black-robed man cradling the young Xiao Xiao, filled with admiration. A quiet sense of relief and joy also began to rise within them. Though they knew the Shimei Sect was exceptionally strong, for some reason, whenever they saw this figure appear, they always felt a deep sense of security." "Ha ha, everyone, go ahead—let's find out just how strong these Douzun elites from the Western Plains can be!" The elder of the Hu family laughed heartily, then immediately stepped into the void, rushing toward the strong warriors of the Shimei Sect. Behind him, the other warriors and the guest senior elders of the Xingyin Pavilion also burst forth with joyful laughter, their surging Dou Qi shaking the entire fortress to the core. Gazing at Xiao XIAO's adorable appearance, a peculiar emotion stirred within Xiao Xian's heart. He smiled gently, lightly pressing his nose with his fingers and asked, "Do you know who I am?" Xiao XIAO looked at Xiao Xian seriously, and after a moment, whispered softly, "Are you Daddy?" The two soft words reached Xiao Xian's ears, causing his heart to tremble deeply. The emotion surged like a tide, and a radiant, warm smile slowly bloomed on his face: "My dear daughter." "Well, at last, you've come back!" As Xiao Xian held Xiao XIAO tightly, a sudden, exuberant cry erupted. Turning his head, Xiao Xian saw the man pushing the wheelchair swiftly approaching. A surge of excitement welled up within him. He smiled and said, "Brother, Brother, how have you been?" "You!" Xiao Li's originally rather cold face was now filled with joy, and he rushed forward to tightly embrace Xiao Yan, patting his shoulders vigorously. "Not bad, right?" Xiao Ding looked at Xiao Yan in front of him. Even as composed as he was, he could feel a surge of excitement bubbling up inside him, and smiled. "Yes..." Xiao Yan nodded slightly. Over the years, everyone had changed, but one thing remained constant—the bond of brotherhood among them. "Good to be back. Not too late..." Xiao Ding watched Xiao Yan, who for a moment could hardly find the words, and offered a gentle smile. "Hehe, Master, you've truly lived up to the reputation of being a hands-off administrator—quite impeccable!" As Xiao Yan nodded, several figures flashed into view. The familiar laughter caused him to pause slightly, lifting his head to find the familiar faces: Ice Emperor Hai Bo Dong, Fang Ma, and the former Dan King of the Jima Empire, Gu He... "Xiao Xiao..." As Xiao Yan bowed respectfully to each of these longtime acquaintances, a red-clad figure finally stepped forward, swiftly taking the young Xiao Xiao from his arms and cradling her carefully. Her beautiful eyes continuously scanned over the girl, as if afraid she might suffer even the slightest mishap. Xiao Yan gazed at the graceful woman clad in a tight-fitting red armor, still slender and full-bodied, and a soft warmth shimmered in his eyes. He murmured softly, "Cai Lin..." Hearing Xiao Yan's voice, Cai Lin's body slightly stiffened, and finally lifted her gaze to the black-robed young man, her beautiful eyes expressing a mixture of emotions. Then, she gently rubbed the top of Xiao Xiao's head and said, "I thought you wouldn't be returning at all..." In her words, there was a touch of anger, yet beneath it lay a quiet sense of hurt. For years, as a woman, she had not only been caring for her child but also managing the development of the Yan Alliance, bearing countless worries and responsibilities—all of which had been entrusted to the man before her. "Third brother, your wife-in-law has truly endured a great deal these years. Don't treat her unfairly, or I and my elder brother will certainly not agree," said Xiao Li, patting Xiao Yan's shoulder firmly and speaking with gravity. "Yes, all these years have truly been thanks to Cailei..." Sea Bopeng and the others nodded in agreement beside them. Xiao Yin remained silent, gazing at Cailei's slightly tightened red lips, a sense of regret welling up within him. He stepped forward, gently wrapping his arms around her slender waist—soft and supple like a serpent's—without letting go of her despite her struggles, and murmured softly, "I'm sorry. Thank you for everything." Hearing the gentle words drifting through the air, even Cailei's strength was momentarily touched, her nose growing slightly damp. Though she appeared strong and resolute to others, she was still a woman, one who had found her place and belonging. When that belonging had been absent for so many years, her heart naturally carried lingering resentment. Yet, upon hearing just those two simple sentences, that resentment quietly faded away. "Don't think that this will be enough to forgive you!" "But even as her grievances faded, the tenacious Ai Lin still lightly bit her silver teeth, then gently pushed herself free from Xiao Yan's arms, her cheeks slightly flushed. For years, in the eyes of everyone at the Yan Alliance, she had been seen as an exceptionally strong and commanding woman—she didn't want anyone to see her being held close like a young girl. 'The rest, I'll handle,' Xiao Yan smiled softly, then gently cupped his little daughter's cheek, saying, 'My dear, stay close to your mother.' 'Yes, Dad, good luck!' Xiao Xiao nodded, her voice bright and clear. 'Be careful—there are quite a few opponents who are at the level of Supreme Duelists!' Ai Lin expressed her slight concern. Xiao Yan smiled, then stepped into the open air, slowly stepping out of the city walls, his gaze briefly landing on the golden-haired man standing nearby, frowning at him. 'You're Xiao Yan, the leader of the Yan Alliance?' Lish Tian fixed his gaze firmly on Xiao Yan. He had witnessed the moment when Xiao Yan embraced Cailing earlier, and at that time, a fierce surge of jealousy had already taken hold within him. Though the Pyhong Stronghold had not yet fallen into his hands, he had already made Cailing his exclusive possession—how could anyone else lay claim to her? Despite Lish Tian's sharp command, Xiao Yan seemed completely unimpressed. Seeing this, Lish Tian instantly grew furious, raising his golden greatsword and delivering a powerful, decisive slash. A blade of golden light, stretching nearly a hundred paces in width, descended with tremendous force, aimed directly at Xiao Yan's head. "Be careful! He's the Grand Master of Shimen Sect—a six-star Battle Sovereign!" Cailing and others on the city walls quickly shouted to alert Xiao Yan. As soon as their warnings were issued, the golden blade struck Xiao Yan with full force. Yet, despite the overwhelming strength of the attack, Xiao Yan's body remained completely still—neither shifting nor retreating even an inch. "How is this possible?!" Witnessing this scene, even Lion Tian and figures like Cai Lin were left utterly stunned. Lion Tian's offensive had been so powerful that even the Seven-Star Battle Sovereigns would have dared to offer no defense and simply absorb it. Xiao Yan gently brushed his sleeve, then extended his hand toward Lion Tian, and a powerful, scorching gust of wind instantly pierced through the space, swiftly coalescing into a blazing hand of flame that struck Lion Tian with lightning speed. The palm connected with his body. "Pfft!" The defensive aura swirling around Lion Tian's body, which had been as thin and delicate as paper, was instantly shattered. The intense, searing wind poured directly over him, causing him to cough up a thick stream of blood. His clothes burst into ash, and his body transformed into a blazing sphere, hurling him backward with great force before crashing heavily onto the ground. "Shriek..." Seeing that the Master of Shīmíng Sect, Shī Tiān, could not even withstand a single palm from Xiao Yan, even the strongest warriors from both the Yan Alliance and Shīmíng Sect gasped in astonishment. "Nine Heavens Sovereign, step forth now..." With a single palm that dispatched Shī Tiān, Xiao Yan lifted his head, his gaze fixed on the distant swirling black mist. His voice, though calm, resonated like thunder, echoing suddenly across the heavens.