Hearing the roar rising from the heavens, Xiao Yan slowly withdrew his fists, yet his feet remained firmly pressed upon the body of Yao Tian Xiao. The strange fire energy spread across his soles, just stopping at the seven-inch mark of the snake clan—its vital point. Should this point be struck, even if the man were a Battle Saint, he would surely suffer greatly. Raising his head, Xiao Yan looked up at the sky, where numerous warriors from the Nine-Deep Earth-Mortar Serpents clan were now densely gathered, all fixing him with fierce, angry gazes. No matter what he said, the Nine-Deep Earth-Mortar Serpents were one of the three foremost beast clans in the realm. To have been quietly infiltrated, and then to have their chieftain beaten so severely, was simply unbearable. "Young man, who are you? How dare you act so boldly within my Nine-Deep Earth-Mortar Serpents clan!" A elder, with a crimson venomous serpent coiled upon his shoulders, stared intently at Xiao Yan, and coldly bellowed. While drinking coldly, his gaze was fixed upon the massive black serpent lying beneath the golden giant form that Xuanyin had transformed into, and at that moment, his heart subtly tightened—he hadn't expected someone of Yao Tian Xiao's caliber to be reduced to such a state by this unknown figure. "Regardless of who he is, he must be kept here today; otherwise, should this story spread, how will our Jiyou Di Minglong Clan stand among the beast realms!" boomed an elder standing beside him. "Medial Serpent Guards, take action—seize this man!" commanded the gray-haired elder. "Yes!" Upon hearing the elder's command, a multitude of sharp, synchronized voices echoed across the heavens, followed swiftly by a rush of wind. One after another, figures clad in serpentine armor surged forth from the peaks around, and after a few swift movements, they converged around Xuanyin, their collective energies firmly sealing him in place. "The底蕴 of the Nine-Deep Earthly冥 Snake Clan indeed proves formidable—each of these冥 Snake Guards radiates a powerful aura, and their movements exhibit near-perfect coordination." Xiang Yan's gaze swept across the nearly hundred冥 Snake Guards surrounding him, his heart stirred with surprise. Such a refined and elite unit had never been seen even within the "Heavenly Treasury Alliance." "Boom!" As Xiang Yan was still marveling, the妖 Tian Xiao, crushed beneath his foot, suddenly erupted with intense inner energy, forcibly breaking free from his grasp and skimming upward with some awkwardness. His eyes blazing crimson, he roared at Xiang Yan, "All elders, listen—form the Great Array of Ten Thousand Snakes! Eliminate this man!" Hearing the roar of the妖 Tian Xiao, the elders in the sky paused momentarily, then bowed respectfully and responded. Instantly, a series of rushing wind sounds echoed as these highly capable elders dispersed across the sky, forming an unusual and intricate array that encircled and contained Xiang Yan. Seeing the elders engage in combat, Xiao Yan's brow furrowed slightly. It was true that a single man couldn't withstand the sheer volume of attacks—here, at the Nine-Deep Earth Yin-Phoenix Clan's stronghold, it would be difficult for him to hold his ground against this relentless barrage. After all, both the immortal celestial roar and the elder with a crimson venom snake coiled upon his shoulders were genuine Du Saint-level warriors. However, as soon as the voice of the Yāo Tiān Xiào had just faded, a cold laugh suddenly rang out from deep within the ravine, and then a figure burst forth, materializing in the air. This figure was none other than the Yāo Míng whom Xiao Yan had rescued from the Nine-Youth Yellow Springs. Yet now, Yāo Míng’s body no longer appeared dry and shriveled—it had grown significantly taller. Though his face was somewhat darkened, his eyes shimmered with a certain aura of cold, ominous energy. Gazing upon Yāo Míng’s face, which bore a resemblance to the Yāo Tiān Xiào’s, all the members of the Nine-Youth Earth-Ming Dragon Clan were momentarily stunned. After a pause, several elders could no longer contain their disbelief and cried out in astonishment: "Yāo Míng, the Clan Leader? How is this possible? Didn’t you suffer from a fire-and-magic collapse and perish?" "Yāo Míng, the Clan Leader?" "It seems like the very brother of Tian Xiao's father, the previous clan chief. Yet Tian Xiao once claimed he passed away from a fire-and-magic affliction, having vanished for several hundred years. How could he reappear now?" Hearing the murmurs that rang across the heavens, the face of Yao Tian Xiao twitched, and he locked eyes with the elder who bore a crimson venomous serpent on his shoulders, then suddenly barked, "Hush! Don't be deceived by this man. He must be an ally of that one, deliberately posing as my brother to stir unrest within our clan. The senior elders, act swiftly—activate the great array and eliminate him!" Upon hearing this, the elders were momentarily stunned, though their hands remained hesitant. "Hah! Yao Tian Xiao, are you really so eager to kill and silence everyone?" Yao Ming laughed heartily, then turned his gaze to the senior elders, "Xian, Ming, and Liu—back then, you were among my closest allies. Do you really not recognize me now?" "Heard the great laughter of Yao Ming, the three elders with pale hair glanced at him, their faces brightening with excitement, saying, 'It truly seems as though Yao Ming is the clan's chief. His aura—we have known it well for years.' "Apocryphal as this statement from the Chieftain of the Yamei Clan may sound, it struck all present like a thunderclap, instantly drawing everyone's attention to the celestial sky-roar and the Grand Elder. 'Grand Elder, is the Chieftain truly speaking the truth?' several elders shouted in outrage. 'This man is a fraud—do you really believe what he says?' The Grand Elder, dressed in gray robes, spoke with a grave demeanor, then swept his sleeve with a commanding gesture, his voice sharp and firm: 'Then, let me personally intervene and seize him, force him to reveal the truth, and provide the assembly with a clear account!' As soon as these words fell from his lips, his form vanished suddenly, reappearing before the Chieftain. His two withered hands now darkened completely, radiating a strong, pungent odor of blood and decay. 'The Poisonous Hand of Withered Leaves!' 'Grand Elder, your speed in dispatching those who stand in your way is truly remarkable.' As the elder's wind-based palm surged, a booming laugh erupted from below. Instantly, a surge of golden light erupted, forming a towering golden figure that forcefully interposed itself between the elder and Yamei. The golden light surged and collided powerfully with the elder's energy. "Clang!" The impact sent a violent energy gale spiraling outward, shattering a massive peak beneath. After the direct clash, the elder staggered back two steps, his gaze darkening as he fixed upon the golden figure standing before Yamei. A fierce grimace spread across his face: "You're asking for it, youngster!" "Hmph, Elder, you truly are in a hurry..." Yao Ming took a step forward, eyes coldly fixed on the Senior Elder. Suddenly, he opened his mouth, and a streak of black light shot out, eventually solidifying into a black staff about half a zhang in length. The staff was uniformly black, with two lifelike black venom serpents coiled around its top. Between the two serpents, a black orb the size of a clenched fist glowed with a faint cold radiance. "Ladies and Gentlemen, do any of you recognize this artifact?" "The Nine-Deep冥Staff? It's the Nine-Deep冥Staff—long thought lost for over a century!" "This is the family's ancestral symbol!" Gazing at the black staff, every elder in the sky's sky underwent a sudden change in expression, their eyes then blazing with fervor. From the staff, they sensed a profound pressure resonating through their very bloodlines. It was said that within the serpent pearl of the Nine Abyss Staff, the most refined bloodline of the Nine Abyss Royal Clan was preserved. If the current lineage of the Nine Abyss Earth-Mortar Serpent Clan could now claim this bloodline, it would undoubtedly greatly slow the pace of their dwindling heritage. "I've searched every corner of the realm and couldn't find the Nine Abyss Staff—now I understand, it's been swallowed whole by this fool!" Axi Tianxiao stared deeply at Axi Ming, his face darkened with intense displeasure, his fists clenched tightly. "Ladies and gentlemen, no matter what happens, we cannot rely solely on one side's account. Over the years, how the Nine-Deep Earth-Mythic Python Clan has fared under the leadership of Tianxiao Clan Head—this should be clear to all of you. Even though this current Clan Head, Yamen, was the previous one, he is still only a former leader. If he is willing to hand over the Nine-Deep Earth Staff, then the Nine-Deep Earth-Mythic Python Clan will surely secure a place of prominence in the future." The Senior Elder fixed a sharp gaze on Xiao Yan and then spoke firmly. "Indeed, Clan Head Yamen, hand over the Nine-Deep Earth Staff to Tianxiao Clan Head now." Several elders also spoke up at that moment. They were loyal supporters of Tianxiao, and naturally knew which side to take at this crucial time. Upon hearing this, Yamen only let out a cold laugh. "The Grand Elder is mistaken. Whoever holds the Nine-Depths Staff shall be the chief of the Nine-Depths Earth-Mortar Serpent Clan—this has been our unwavering rule throughout generations. When we appointed Yao Tianxiao as chief, we agreed it was only a temporary arrangement, and you all promised that should Yao Ming become the chief, we would return the position to him." The three elders previously named by Yao Ming exchanged glances and then spoke simultaneously—none of them were mere spectators, and they clearly sensed the deeper truths at play. "The three elders are correct..." Among the elders, there were clearly many supporters of Yao Ming, so several voices now echoed in agreement. "You useless creature! Die here!" Hearing these words, both the demonic immortal Tian Xiao and the Senior Monastery Elder grew slightly cold in expression, locking eyes before simultaneously leaping forth—within a single flash, they appeared before Xiao Yan. A powerful gust of wind surged forth, crashing directly against him, clearly indicating their intent to decisively eliminate Xiao Yan and the demon Ming with a resolute move, only then could they restore stability. With two Dou Sheng-level masters launching their attacks simultaneously, the sheer momentum and presence were truly awe-inspiring!