As萧炎's cold voice echoed throughout the realm, the black mist drifting in the distant sky rippled and then expanded, revealing a blue figure stepping gracefully into the open air. With a few flickers of movement, the figure materialized precisely one hundred paces away from Xiao Yan. "I thought it was someone else," said the Ninth Heavens Sovereign, his gaze cold and sharp on the distant Xiao Yan, "though I never expected you, this once-destitute dog of mine, to have the courage to return here. Well then, since you've come, I'll take you along with me as well." "I doubt you have the credentials to do so," Xiao Yan replied. If he had encountered the Ninth Heavens Sovereign before entering the Heavenly Tomb, he might have faced some difficulties. But now, in terms of rank alone, he was no weaker than the other. Should they fight, Xiao Yan was confident he could completely hold the Sovereign here. Among peers of equal standing, Xiao Yan had never felt intimidated before! "Overconfident!" You really thought that a slight improvement in strength would be enough to make you boast? Today, here, I doubt you'll be able to leave!" Nine Heavens Sovereign coldly declared, yet he didn't immediately move. He wasn't a fool—having observed how Xiao Yan had already severely injured the Lion Heaven with just a single palm strike, he clearly saw that the latter had made significant progress in strength over this period. Thus, he naturally chose to proceed with caution. "Shhh!" As Nine Heavens Sovereign's words settled, another ripple passed through the black mist behind, and three figures swiftly materialized, standing beside him. Their solemn gaze swept over Xiao Yan, and they chuckled darkly, "Ah, so this is the young man. It seems many of our Hall's members have failed to capture him!" "Why don't we all move in together and seize him? If we can bring him back, it would be a major achievement." At the city wall behind them, the others—including Cai Lin—were slightly taken aback upon seeing these four suddenly appear, clearly sensing the overwhelming aura emanating from them. Xiao Yan glanced at the three elderly figures in black robes who had appeared. These three were evidently strong members of the Soul Palace, each possessing the strength of an Eight-Star Soul Sovereign—remarkably powerful. It seemed they were precisely the four Eight-Star Soul Sovereigns mentioned in their intelligence reports. "Heh, the Hu Clan elders always like to pull these sorts of tricks..." A hearty laugh echoed from behind Xiao Yan as the three figures in black robes materialized, swiftly flashing into place behind him. These were the three elders of the Hu Clan, invited specifically for this occasion. With Xiao Yan's formidable array of powerful allies, the situation on the Inflame Alliance side had now become utterly secure. The warriors who had surged up the city walls had all been cleared out, and the remaining elite fighters from the Shimen Sect, initially brimming with confidence, had been shaken by the sudden appearance of these thirty or so Douzun-level elders. They now hesitated, no longer daring to charge recklessly. Once the situation stabilized, the Hu Clan elders stepped forward to lend their support. Well-known figures in the Central Plains region, they held no particular fear of the Huan Clan, and thus spoke with neither hesitation nor formality. "The three elders of the Hu Clan?" It's surprising that you three old fellows have come as well—clearly, you've lived long enough that even your minds have grown foggy...” Upon seeing the three elders of the Hu family, the Nine Heavens Sovereign's expression darkened, and he coldly chuckled, clearly having heard of their reputation before. “Hah! Others fear your Huan Palace, but we don’t. The whole heaven and earth? Really, do you think the Huan Palace can rule supreme all by itself?” The eldest of the Hu family gave a dismissive shrug, completely unbothered by the Nine Heavens Sovereign’s intimidating remarks. “Young Master, this quiet old man shall be under your care. The other three, we’ll take care of ourselves,” said the eldest. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan smiled slightly and nodded. The three elders of the Hu family were all at the eight-star Domain Sovereign level, and with three opponents of equal strength, they should not face any serious difficulties. "Ha ha! Then let's see who can solve our opponents first!" The elder of the Hu family laughed heartily, his inner qi surging forth in an overwhelming wave, and immediately charged straight at one of the three cloaked elders. Behind him, the second and third elders of the Hu family moved without hesitation, swiftly following and then spreading out to flank the other two cloaked elders. "Hmph. Since you've come straight to us, we'll be delighted to accept!" Seeing the Hu family elders surge forward, the three cloaked elders exchanged a cold smile, their cold mist surging from within them. With a subtle shift, they transformed into three streams of black vapor, colliding powerfully with the Hu family members. Instantly, a powerful surge of energy rippled across the sky. Observing the six combatants now locked in fierce exchange, the Ninth Sovereign's brow furrowed slightly. He hadn't expected, at all, that Xiao Yan had brought so many formidable warriors from the Central Plains this time. "Our mission this time is to capture all the members of the Xiao family. It seems we must deal with this one first..." The Nine Heavens Sovereign's eyes flashed momentarily, then a sharp glint of determination passed through them. Without further words, he clenched his palm, and the cold aura of the surrounding world swiftly coalesced, forming a layer of black crystalline structure that enveloped his right hand. At the same time, as he planted his foot into the void, his figure vanished in the midst of the onlookers' gazes. "Such speed..." The warriors of the Yan Alliance on the city walls slightly frowned, reacting to the Sovereign's sudden disappearance. "Still not enough." In the sky, Xiao Yan slowly shook his head, then swiftly swung his palm forward—his fist striking the void with the speed of lightning. Where the wind of his palm swept, a phantom figure emerged, and the cold force of the punch collided directly with Xiao Yan's palm. "Crash!" "The two palms met, and at that instant, a surge of alternating cold and scorching winds erupted from the point of contact, distorting the surrounding space. 'Eight-Star Stellar Sovereign?' Amidst the turbulent storm, Nine-Sky Sovereign stepped into view, his face instantly changing as waves of intense heat and extreme cold surged from his arms like tides. A deep groan escaped him as he was abruptly pushed back by a single palm from Xiao Yan, retreating several steps. A look of astonishment spread across his face. Only after this initial exchange did he realize that Xiao Yan had now reached the level of Eight-Star Stellar Sovereign. Nine-Sky Sovereign clearly remembered that when they first met six months ago, Xiao Yan had only just attained the level of Five-Star Stellar Sovereign. Though he had sensed a noticeable enhancement in Xiao Yan's aura upon their last meeting, he had never anticipated that this growth would be so remarkable." On the city walls, the elite warriors of the Yan Alliance were filled with cheers upon seeing Xiao Yan gaining the upper hand in a direct clash against the Nine Heavens Sovereign. Their eyes, however, also reflected a sense of profound astonishment—capable of pushing back a Sovereign of Eight-Star Battle Rank meant that Xiao Yan’s current strength had already reached at least the level of Eight-Star Battle Sovereign. "Ah, when Xiao Yan left all those years ago, he had only just reached the Battle Emperor level... Yet in such a short span of time, he has advanced so dramatically. Truly, one cannot help but be amazed." "It's been over half a year, and yet you've made not the slightest progress!" Compared to the astonishment of the Ninth Heavens Sovereign, Xiao Yan merely shook his head slightly. The former's strength should have been nearing the peak of an eight-star Domain Sovereign, but still fell just slightly short of Xiao Yan's current level. Back when Xiao Yan had only been a five-star Domain Sovereign, he had already been able to engage the former in fierce combat. Now, the so-called Ninth Heavens Sovereign posed no threat at all to him. "Young man, you've been too confident!" Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, the Ninth Heavens Sovereign's face turned stern. With a lightning-fast series of hand seals, he then emitted a deep, resonant roar from his throat. As the roar echoed, the cold, ethereal energies surrounding him swiftly coalesced into massive energy palms, each stretching over a hundred paces in width. These palms surged forth, their gusts of wind roaring across the heavens, crashing down upon Xiao Yan with overwhelming force. Faced with such a powerful assault from the Ninth Heavens Sovereign, Xiao Yan stepped through the void, moving with the ease of someone strolling through a garden. A series of lingering silhouettes emerged, causing the numerous energy-clad palms to miss and rise empty. Even those that could not be dodged were struck back by a single palm from Xiao Yan, shattering upon impact. Under the watchful eyes of countless onlookers, Xiao Yan advanced steadily through the void, step by step, pressing closer to the Ninth Heavens Sovereign. No matter how fiercely the latter tried to block, his steps remained unbroken. By this sight, everyone clearly understood that Xiao Yan's strength far surpassed that of the Sovereign. "Boom!" The purple-brown flame rising from the palm shattered a massive energy palm seal that had been about to strike him, forcing his steps to halt. He raised his head, gazing at the Nine Heavens Sovereign standing slightly pale at a distance, and offered a calm, gentle smile. As a fellow Eight-Star Domain Sovereign, Xiao Yan's combat prowess surpassed his by several levels. With the ancient insect emperor's robe and the dragon-phoenix ancient armor, the Nine Heavens Sovereign's attacks could no longer touch him at all. From the very beginning, this battle had been utterly decisive, with no room for doubt. "It's not just Eight-Star—indeed, it's at the peak of Eight-Star... This young man has progressed so swiftly that he now surpasses my capabilities." Gazing at Xiao Yan, who had calmly endured the force of his attack and remained unharmed, even though his expression had grown increasingly strained, the Nine Heavens Sovereign could not help but acknowledge that, with his current strength, he was no longer able to match Xiao Yan. With a determined resolve, he bit his lip and then stepped back, retreating swiftly through the air. "If you've come this far, why leave now?" As Nine Heavens Sovereign attempted to flee, Xiao Yan smiled and gradually vanished. When he reappeared, he had already materialized like a ghost behind Nine Heavens Sovereign. With his right palm gently resting upon the void, a circular aura of dark light swiftly expanded outward, carrying a faint yet potent sense of destruction. Feeling the surge of destructive energy rushing like lightning from behind, Nine Heavens Sovereign's face suddenly paled. At Xiao Yan's current level of power, the grand technique, Great Heavenly Transformation Palm, now truly felt like a death-dealing scythe. As the aura of death enveloped his mind, Nine Heavens Sovereign suddenly lowered his head, gazing at the ground below, and cried out sharply. "Brother Four! Save me!"