A terrifying flame storm surged across the sky, its scorching heat instantly vaporizing all moisture in the realm. The air grew dry, and those with slightly weaker capabilities felt their very blood grow hot and boiling at that very moment. Under the watchful eyes of so many, the Four Sovereigns were directly thrust deep into the blood sea within the ravine. A terrifying heat radiated out from the sea, causing it to bubble and boil vigorously before rapidly receding—within just a few seconds, the blood sea vanished entirely. The flame pillar passed through, instantly transforming the originally moist soil of the deep ravine into rock-like hardness. As the pillar swept across, the ravine itself turned into solid stone, releasing waves of intense heat continuously. "Pfft!" At the tip of the pillar, the Four Heavenly Sovereigns—whose entire bodies, down to the skin, had completely vanished, their flesh and blood scattered—gazed weakly with eyes barely open. With a trembling finger movement, a jade scroll appeared in his palm, which he then pressed with all his remaining strength, shattering it. "Ssshh!" As the scroll cracked, a spatial black hole instantly formed beside the Sovereign, surging with a powerful suction that drew his entire body into it. "Whoosh!" At the very moment the four Heavenly Sovereigns vanished, a streak of light surged swiftly into the deep ravine and materialized at the spot where they had previously stood, gazing at the lingering spatial distortion and furrowing his brows slightly, murmuring, "They did escape rather quickly..." Xiao Yan hadn't anticipated that the four Heavenly Sovereigns were so resilient—withstanding so many fierce attacks and still barely surviving. However, though he hadn't completely eliminated them, he didn't feel rushed. The injuries the four Sovereigns had sustained would inevitably leave lasting effects even after being healed. In time, their progress would be significantly hampered. With just a bit of time for Xiao Yan to train and recover, it would be nothing short of a simple matter to dispatch them the next time they met—just a matter of a few gestures. "Hmph..." Exhaling gently, Xiao Yan's face was subtly pale. Having faced two Heavenly Sovereigns of the Soul Palace consecutively and repeatedly employing Heavenly-tier techniques, the strain was considerable—even with his nearly Heavenly-level cultivation method, the Burned Decree, he felt the pressure mounting. Should this continued, he might indeed find himself struggling to keep up. "The crisis at the Flame Alliance has finally been resolved..." The vibrant, jade-green and crimson bone wings behind him trembled slightly, then propelled him swiftly out of the deep ravine, into the open sky. Surveying the still-clashing forces of the Soul Palace and the Lion-Shadow Sect, he emitted a cold snort. With a swift succession of finger movements, ten intensely scorching pillars of flame erupted from his fingertips, sweeping across the heavens like laser beams and striking the opposing warriors with powerful force. "Crash! Crash!" With one after another deep, resonant booms echoing, piercing screams followed, ordinary Du-Zun-level masters were instantly knocked back, spewing blood from their mouths with a single strike from Xiao Yan. The terrifying异fire clung to them like an unrelenting parasite, no matter how hard they exerted their Qi to resist—it proved futile. Many were left with flaming trails of embers on their backs, panicking and fleeing in haste. Some elite members of the Hún Palace realized the tide had turned and, without hesitation, summoned their black mist to escape at full speed. "Xiao Marshal, please show mercy—we've been forced to act," several other masters and sects, who had been coerced or persuaded by the Hún Palace, urgently pleaded, astonished that Xiao Yan was so formidable. They hadn't expected him to single-handedly defeat two masters of extraordinary strength, and thus, now, dared not offer any further resistance. Xiao Yan glanced indifferently at these fence-sitters, yet did not drive them all to extinction. Though they were irritating, they all had some reputation across the western continent; if he eliminated them all, it would not benefit the development of the Yan Alliance. Naturally, he didn't wish to recruit such weaklings. Now that they were willing to surrender, they would inevitably switch sides again when faced with stronger adversaries. After a brief pause, he simply said, "You may leave—life for life. Exchange the people from the Shimei Sect for yours." Watching the fierce clashes above, resembling hungry wolves battling fiercely, Xiao Ding couldn't help but smile. Xiao Yan's tactics were indeed ruthless—each of these combatants now bore the blood of Shimen Sect members. Naturally, this would drive them into open hostility, making it difficult for them to form alliances in the future. With this defeat, Shimen Sect's influence would undoubtedly plummet. Moreover, during this great conflict in the Western-Northern Continent, Shimen Sect had alienated numerous powers and lost the protection of the Huns' Palace. Its fate, therefore, would surely be dire. In the years to come, the Western-Northern Continent would likely see the rise of the Yan Alliance as the dominant force. Glancing up at the sky, Xiao Yan had already come to realize that the Shimei Sect was completely ruined—there would never again be such a sect on the western-northern continent. "Ah…" Exhaling softly, Xiao Yan turned and made his way down toward the fortress walls. As the news of his return reached the entire fortress, thunderous cheers erupted throughout. "Never fall the Inflame Alliance! Long live the Grand Master!" As Xiao Yan slowly settled onto the fortress walls, he listened to the roaring cheers that shook the very foundations of the fortress, and smiled gently. "Once again, you've become a lone hero." Cai Lin glanced at Xiao Yan with a faint, composed tone, though the subtle curve of her lips clearly conveyed her joy—she had poured so much heart and effort into the Inflame Alliance, and naturally, she didn't want to see it destroyed. For Cai Lin, who was always known for her sharp words and gentle heart, Xiao Yan simply shook his head and smiled—just as he had for so many years. "Ha ha, Young Master indeed surpasses expectations—how could you have defeated even the Blood River Sovereign? That old master's reputation in the Central Plains was no less than your teacher's, though he was known primarily for his formidable reputation..." The three elders of the Hu family also swiftly arrived, bursting into laughter as they greeted Xiao Yan. Now, the gaze of the three had subtly shifted, carrying a touch of admiration—true strength commands respect, and Xiao Yan's demonstrated prowess had already won their heartfelt approval. As Xiao Yan breathed a quiet sigh of relief, a crisp, slightly trembling voice suddenly broke through, causing a warm smile to spread across his face. He turned his gaze toward Xiao Xiao, waving at him from within Cai Lin's arms, and felt a special warmth rise within him—unaware that he too had become a father. "If Father knew, he would surely be deeply pleased," he thought. "Father, don't worry—soon I'll rescue you. Then, our family will be reunited once again." With a gentle breath, Xiao Yan stepped forward, took Xiao Xiao from Cai Lin's arms, and kissed her smooth little face firmly. As he watched her slightly pouty expression, he couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Sssss!" As Xiao Yan laughed, a sudden flash of light appeared at the center of Xiao Xiao's brow, then swiftly spread into a vibrant, seven-colored glow that settled upon her shoulder, where it now happily flicked its snake-like tongue at him. "This... the Seven-Color Devouring Python?" Seeing this radiant cascade of seven colors, Xiao Yan was first taken aback, then exclaimed in astonishment. "Yes, the Seven-Color Devouring Python hasn't been fully absorbed by me. Its soul has reborn within Xiao Xiao's body, and in return, Xiao Xiao can now fully harness its power—meaning, from the very moment she is born, she will possess the strength of a Battle Sect-level master." Cai Lin spoke softly. "Oh?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. The Seven-Color Devouring Python was a pinnacle among serpent beasts. In ancient times, some of the most powerful specimens were capable of challenging the ancient Celestial Serpents. Even Qing Lin's Three-Flowered Emerald Serpent Eye could not fully control such a lineage. At its peak, a Seven-Color Devouring Python could rival a Battle Saint-level master. That meant, in the future, Xiao Xiao's strength would be augmented by an additional layer of Seven-Color Devouring Python power—when the two worked together, their combined might would be truly formidable. "Though the seven-colored devouring python holds immense potential, it is still power borrowed from elsewhere—my daughter must not rely solely on others' strength..." Xiao Yin smiled gently, with a warm glow in his eyes. "Right now, Xiao Xiao is at her most malleable and receptive in terms of constitution. While I cannot force her growth too quickly, I can certainly provide her with the most ideal conditions for cultivation..." Xiao Xiao will undoubtedly excel—after all, she is Xiao Yin's daughter!