The space was violently distorting, completely sealing off the area—no spatial ripple could seep through at all. Xiao Yan's face was cold as he turned his gaze toward the source of the spatial fluctuations. There, behind the nine phoenixes, a vast celestial phoenix silhouette drifted across the heavens, and the entire sky was enveloped within its presence—the very spatial ripples emanated from its body. Upon receiving this intense spatial fluctuation, Jiu Feng suddenly swept his palm through the empty space before him, causing a fissure in the fabric of reality to spread out, eventually forming a dark void. Within this void, a tremendous aura stirred, like a storm, sweeping outward in all directions. The fiery beast, blazing with intense heat, flashed and materialized beyond the spatial rift. Yet before it could explode, a pale, bone-white hand—like that of a skeleton—suddenly emerged from within the rift, seizing it firmly. Black mist surged forth, gradually eroding the beast until it vanished into nothingness... "Cough, cough. Spirit Jade—how surprising! Even you couldn't manage that young lad from the Xiao clan!" As the pale, withered hand emerged, a frail, coughing voice, aged and worn, slowly echoed from within the rift. Then, a gray-white-robed elder stepped steadily out of the rift, appearing before all present. The elder was bent slightly, holding a bone-handled cane in one hand. His eyes were sunken, glowing with two deep, ethereal green hues, giving off a solemn, eerie atmosphere. "There was an unexpected turn of events; otherwise, we wouldn't have resorted to using the spatial scroll..." Hearing the elder's words, the jade spirit furrowed his brows and then fixed a stern gaze upon Xiao Yan, saying, "He has been meditating within the Bodhi tree for a month, and his strength has surged to the peak of the Nine Transmutations. Moreover, he still possesses some Bodhi seeds. If we wish to retain him, we'll have to rely on Elder Guo You's intervention." "Oh?" The elder named Guo You blinked slightly, then gazed at Xiao Yan with his eyes glowing green, a strange smile appearing on his otherwise dry face, "I never expected this young man to have such fortune." Facing Guo You's steady gaze, Xiao Yan's brows also furrowed slightly, and he exhaled slowly. Today, it seemed he would finally face off against a half-Saint-level powerhouse. "These fools! They've summoned a member of our clan!" Gu Hu exclaimed, astonished and furious. Gǔ Qīngyáng’s expression was equally gloomy. With a firm grasp of his palm, a scroll appeared in his hand, which he then quickly crushed. Yet to their astonishment, when the spatial scroll shattered, no spatial rift emerged. "Useless—the space here has been sealed off by Jiu Feng’s summoned Tianhuang phantom image. Without his permission, no spatial disturbances can be transmitted..." Xun'er slowly shook her head, speaking softly. "So there are still some younger members of the ancient clan..." Bone You’s gaze shifted from Xiao Yan to Xun'er and the others, and he smiled. "Senior Bone You, don’t delay any longer. Delay may bring about unforeseen changes. Seize Xiao Yan first!" Hún Yù spoke firmly. "My old bones have finally made it this far—don't rush me too much..." Though saying this, Bone-Shadow shook his head slightly. Yet, with a cane in hand, he slowly stepped through the void, his form shimmering several times before appearing near Xiao Yan. The face of a skeleton bore a particularly fierce smile as he said, "I never expected that after the Xiao Clan's bloodline strength had dwindled to nothing, someone like you would still emerge. Indeed, it's quite surprising. Among our Huo Clan, there have been numerous strong warriors who have fallen at your hands. Today, your name resonates strongly throughout our Huo Clan." Xiao Yan remained expressionless. He sensed an immense pressure emanating from Bone-Shadow. Though he currently stood at the peak of the Ninth Transformation of the Battle Sovereign, he was still not a true Battle Saint—his strength was indeed far from matching that of Bone-Shadow, who held half-Saint status. "My bones are ancient, of course—though you may also call me the Second Heavenly Sovereign. Perhaps this somewhat venerable title will be more familiar to you. Yet, since I have ascended to the rank of Half-Saint, I have always preferred to be known as the Saint of Bone-Stillness." Bone-Stillness spoke with a hoarse voice. "Second Heavenly Sovereign." Xiao Yan's eyelids fluttered. So this old man was indeed the Second Heavenly Sovereign of the Spirit Palace. It truly seemed that the higher one's rank among the Heavenly Sovereigns, the stronger their power. But he still wondered—what level would the Grand Heavenly Sovereign hold? Perhaps that was the true realm of a Supreme Saint. In that case, calling him the Grand Saint would be more fitting. As he thought this, a subtle weight settled in Xiao Yan's heart. The Spirit Clan's strength was indeed formidable. To stand a chance against them, one would need at least the rank of Saint in the Battle Realm—otherwise, mere self-preservation would be a challenge. "Once this matter is concluded, immediately cultivate the Bodhi Heart. Upon attaining the rank of Half-Saint, I shall no longer fear Xiao Yan clenched his fists. Since he had first become a competitor, he had been seizing every opportunity—every moment of growth that stemmed from the Houn Palace's disdain—so as to survive against the increasingly powerful champions dispatched by the Houn Palace. Now, it was time for him to take the initiative. Xun nodded slightly, her body shifting with a gentle motion and instantly appearing before Xiao Yan. Seven-colored clan patterns swiftly emerged on the smooth expanse of her forehead, while at the same time, her aura surged dramatically, golden flames filling her eyes. "Be careful!" Xiao Yan murmured, then stepped back swiftly, waving his hands to summon five flames before him. It seemed he had realized that to truly defeat this Bone-Shadow Saint, he would need to deploy his most powerful technique... "Another fusion of heteroflames?" Bone-Shadow's dry facial expression subtly trembled at Xiao Yan's actions. He had long heard of this technique within the Huan clan, and it was precisely this very ability that had ultimately led several of the clan's elite to fall short. "I'm rather curious," he added, "whether the power of your heteroflame fusion truly lives up to the legends spoken of." "Yet Bone You, with his boldness, is no less a master of his craft—having the strength of a half-Saint, he commands the confidence to look down upon all here. In this staggering disparity, even a Heaven-tier combat technique proves powerless to turn the tide. Yet Bone You never imagined that the Soul Clan warriors who previously clashed with Xiao Yan held the same mindset..." "Xun'er of the Ancient Clan—bearer of a Divine-tier lineage, hailed as the most perfect embodiment of Ancient Clan bloodline..." Bone You's gaze settled upon Xun'er, distant, his face alight with a dry, thin smile. "Your potential is indeed formidable. Yet at this moment, you still fall short of my prowess!" As soon as the final words left his lips, Bone You's form suddenly vanished—unseen, inexplicable. Xun'er's face paled slightly, her body recoiling sharply. With a jade palm blazing in golden flame, she surged forward, the heat radiating a formidable intensity, and struck resolutely at the very space where Bone You had disappeared. With a single palm descending, the space itself twisted and warped, and a hunched, elderly figure materialized—none other than the Bone-Shadow Sage. "Hm, good sense of perception. Truly, no surprise that you're the most promising among the ancient clan's descendants," the Sage remarked, chuckling as he was forcibly pulled out. With an arm that moved like a venomous snake, he executed a strange, spiraling motion before swiftly meeting薰儿's palms with a lightning-fast collision. "Crash!" A terrifying gale, scorching and intense, surged across the heavens. The Bone-Shadow Saint remained motionless, while Xun'er emitted a low gasp, retreating several steps with steady, firm strides. As her final step settled, she quickly stabilized her stance, folding her jade hands together in a graceful, lotus-like formation, weaving a complex and intricate set of hand seals. With each shift in the seals, a brilliant golden flame erupted from within her, spreading out like the sun itself, filling the sky in a radiant, overwhelming wave. As the golden flames surged forth, the very heavens ignited and burned fiercely. Upon witnessing Xun'er's sudden, blazing flame, a rare expression of astonishment flickered across the Bone-Shadow Saint's face, and his voice, calm and resonant, echoed through the vast realm.