The War of the Stellar Realm concluded with a resounding climax as Xiao Yan emerged from his cultivation. This grand conflict undoubtedly propelled Xiao Yan and the Starfall Pavilion to the pinnacle of renown across the Central Plains. Standing alone, he faced three Half-Saints, suffering two deaths and one severe injury—only when the Soul Clan's Supreme Saint personally intervened did the final Half-Saint manage to escape with a wound. Such a feat is bound to move any observer to admiration. In the eyes of many, Half-Saints have long been regarded as legendary figures, nearly mythical. Yet now, these once-unattainable legends have been directly defeated by Xiao Yan—two of them, in fact. This alone is nothing short of staggering. From this point forward, no power in the Central Plains will dare to underestimate this newly rising force. In contrast to the resounding victory of the Xingyun Pavilion, the Yinhe Alliance suffered a profoundly bleak outcome. The sole half-Saint-level master from Tianming Sect fell to Xiao Yan's hands, and a large contingent of accompanying elite warriors perished within the Star Realm. Everyone now knew that the Yinhe Alliance's future would be exceedingly difficult; with their strength diminished after the loss of the Tianming Elder—a peak-level master—their ability to compete with the Xingyun Pavilion had been severely compromised. Under this panic, many sects that had originally joined the Yinhe Alliance now felt increasingly anxious, some even hastily withdrawing from the alliance in an effort to distance themselves. This further exacerbated the Yinhe Alliance's difficulties, making its collapse an inevitable outcome. Meanwhile, as the war between the Star Realm grew increasingly well-known across Zhongzhou, the Xingyin Pavilion remained remarkably calm. In the days prior, it had merely been tidying up its aftermath; this large-scale assault by the Yinhe Alliance, while causing notable losses, paled in comparison to what the enemy had suffered. This calm lasted for three days before, under the watchful eyes of countless observers, the Xingyin Pavilion launched its counteroffensive. Faced with the counteroffensive led by the two Supreme Immortals, Xiao Yan and Yao Lao from the Xingyun Pavilion, the Minghe Alliance suffered a complete collapse. Not only did they fail to mount any effective resistance, but the Xingyun Pavilion actually seized the Minghe Alliance's headquarters—the Tianming Sect—right away. When the Tianming Sect's abbot was simply knocked dead by Xiao Yan with a single palm strike, everyone realized that the once-famed and formidable Tianming Sect had truly come to an end. As for these wavering factions, the Xingyun Pavilion had paid them no heed. After breaching the headquarters of the Yinhe Alliance, the main forces had dispersed, advancing separately against the stronger sects within the Yinhe Alliance—such as the Binghe Valley and the Fenglei Pavilion, which had put in significant efforts during the initial assault on the Xingyun Pavilion. These sects, being the Yinming Sect's vassals, would certainly not be spared this time. This campaign, clearly, was a deliberate move by Xiao Yan and the Herbal Elder to target these sects, using them as examples to send a strong message. Now is not the time for mercy. In this realm of the strong devouring the weak, only strength and firmness can ensure lasting survival! At sight of his actions, the Thunder Sovereign's face grew instantly pale. He unleashed the Thousand Thunders at its peak, and a series of shimmering afterimages materialized in the sky. "The Thousand Thunders..." gazing at those afterimages, Xiao Yan merely smiled faintly, his hand still gently clasped. "Boom!" As he firmly closed his palm, the space around him collapsed entirely. At the distance, one of the afterimages suddenly froze, and thick streaks of flesh and blood sprayed out. The Thunder Sovereign, who had not even managed to utter a cry of pain, was instantly crushed into a pulp. Gently withdrawing his hand, Xiao Yan didn't even glance at the blurry mass of flesh and muscle. A glance toward the distance revealed a senior elder from the Starfall Pavilion swiftly approaching, bowing respectfully, "Young Master, the information you requested regarding the Han family has now been obtained. It seems they've been frequently pressured by the Fenglei Pavilion over the years. Their influence has shrunk to just one-tenth of what it once was, and now they're merely a second-tier family in Tianbei City—quite unfortunate." "Xiao Yan sighed lightly. He was not someone who failed to repay kindness. When he first arrived in the Central Region, if it weren't for Han Xue's rescue, he might have perished in that desert. Though later he helped the Han family extinguish the prestige of the Hong family of Tianbei City, it was precisely because of his actions that the Han family, once a top-tier family in Tianbei City, had been gradually pressured and diminished by the Fenglei Pavilion over the years, ending up in their current state of decline." "The three senior elders from Qingyun Pavilion have already arrived!" the elder from Qingyun Pavilion replied respectfully. Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the northern horizon, hands resting behind his back, and remained silent. ... Tianbei City, Han Family. "Boom!" The Han family members stared in astonishment at the three elders who suddenly appeared. These three radiated an overwhelming presence—merely a casual wave of their sleeves sent the visiting strong contenders flying, spilling blood and collapsing to the ground, unconscious. "Allow me, I am Han Chi, the head of the Han family. I didn't expect your esteemed presence here, esteemed elders." A middle-aged man with slightly whitened hair approached cautiously, bowing respectfully. Standing on either side of him were two elegant young women. The one on the left had long silvery hair and a slender, graceful figure, exuding a cool, refined elegance. The one on the right appeared slightly younger, with a clear and delicate face, also radiating a distinguished grace. These two, naturally, were Han Yue and Han Xue—the first acquaintances Xiao Yan had made upon arriving in the Central Region. "It's Xiao Yan." Han Xue, standing beside her, suddenly snapped back to awareness, speaking softly. This name has become incredibly renowned throughout the Central Region these days. "Should the Northern Domain ever lose the Starfall Pavilion, if the Han family is interested, they may take its place. We three elders will do our utmost to support them." The elder of the Starfall Pavilion smiled. Hearing this, Han Chi first stared in surprise, then his body began to tremble violently, his face glowing with excitement and joy. The Starfall Pavilion is now at the height of its power in the Central Region. If the Han family could secure a connection with this prestigious house, even the Fenglei Pavilion would no longer be a significant rival—let alone any other family. "Ah, Han family head, please rest assured—this is exactly what the young master himself said. It will certainly be true," the elder smiled, seeing how animated Han Chi had become. "Didn't he come?" Han Xue bit gently at her full lips, her bright eyes fixed on the elder, speaking softly. Hearing this, the senior monk of Xin Yun Pavilion hesitated slightly, then shook his head. With his seasoned judgment, he was clearly able to perceive that the woman before him harbored feelings for the junior pavilion master. Yet he wasn't certain whether those feelings were one-way or mutual, so he dared not show any neglect. He swiftly retrieved two jade vials from his storage talisman and presented them to Han Xue and Han Yue, saying, "These were specially entrusted to me by the junior pavilion master. He mentioned his gratitude to Han Xue for saving her life back then."