Xiao Yan lifted his head with wide eyes in delight. At the distance, the space surged with intense ripples, and then several figures gradually emerged. Leading them was a woman dressed in elegant light blue robes, with a face as delicate and beautiful as a blooming flower. A gentle smile played on her clear and refined features. Her three thousand strands of dark hair were loosely secured by a pale green hairband, cascading down like a waterfall, flowing over her slender waist. With the breeze gently brushing past, her hair swayed softly—her grace was as if she had descended from heaven itself. Such exquisite grace—besides Xun'er, whom it had been some time since they last saw—could it possibly belong to anyone else? Alongside Xun'er, two others accompanied them: one was a familiar face, Gu Qingyang, a talented young prodigy within the ancient clan, whose innate gifts and lineage were only slightly inferior to Xun'er's. The other, however, was quite unfamiliar. He wore a blue robe and had a full head of white hair. His face always bore a warm, gentle smile, giving off a soothing, kindly impression. Yet only those with keen observation could subtly detect the sharpness hidden beneath that smile. The sudden arrival of Xun'er and her companions immediately drew the attention of many around. A series of glances swept over the three, followed by soft murmurs. Those who had come to this gathering were no ordinary figures, and naturally, they were well aware of the ancient clan—a seemingly modest yet truly colossal power. "The ancient clan members have indeed arrived..." When Xun'er and her companions appeared, the deputy hallmaster of the Spirit Palace slightly furrowed his brows and murmured. "Pure Lotus Demon Fire is no ordinary rare flame—even the Spirit Clan has long cherished it, so the ancient clan naturally holds it in high regard." The hallmaster's gaze swept over the three of them before settling on the elderly man in blue robes, his eyes flashing a touch of surprise. "Ancient South Sea Sea—unexpectedly, the ancient clan has sent him this time." "Although Ancient South Sea Sea is strong, with the hallmaster's capabilities, it would not be difficult to hold him back," said the young clan leader of the Spirit Clan, dressed in black, raising his eyes slightly. "There is a longstanding agreement among our ancient clans: any warrior of five-star Battle Saint rank or above cannot act at will. The hallmaster precisely stands at this threshold, and among peers of the same level, few have ever managed to overcome him." "Those great ones, though they haven't personally appeared, must surely still be watching here..." The Master of the Soul Palace smiled faintly, then lifted his gaze toward the empty space, as though someone were settled there, occupying the stillness. Now, he has truly grown—both in age and in strength. With Xiao Yan's current accomplishments, even if Xun'er possesses the rare divine-blood lineage of the ancient clan, Xiao Yan is entirely worthy of her. Though Xun'er's current strength is not inferior to his own, a young Two-Star Battle Saint of such caliber is something even the ancient clan, as a primordial race, cannot overlook. Thus, should Xiao Yan truly need to be formally proposed by an ancient clan, no one would dare to claim he lacks the qualifications! Wrapped tightly by Xiao Yan, Xun'er's beautifully graceful face softened into a gentle curve. She gently rested her cheek against Xiao Yan's shoulder, savoring the familiar scent she hadn't smelled in years—since their last parting, it had been three long years. Because she carried the ancient clan's divine bloodline, she had been unable to leave the clan freely until she reached the rank of Supreme Saint. To preserve the integrity of her lineage, she had endured the inner struggles of constant longing and effort, striving tirelessly to reach that level—only to achieve the freedom she had always dreamed of. "Say... will you two not treat others as if they don't exist?" Ancient Qingyang finally opened his mouth, sounding helpless as he listened to the quiet whispers between Xiao Yan and Xun'er. Upon hearing his words, Xun'er's cheeks flushed slightly, then quickly regained composure, gently pulling herself free from Xiao Yan's embrace and turning her gaze toward the elderly man standing behind Xiao Yan. With a respectful bow befitting a junior, she asked, "This must be Master Yao Chen, then?" "Heard this, Xun'er felt a bit apologetic. She had initially doubted that Yao Lao wasn't genuinely supportive of Xiao Yan, so she hadn't been overly courteous. But all the subsequent events had clearly shown that without Yao Lao's consistent, quiet assistance, Xiao Yan's journey would have been far more difficult. 'Haha, it's nothing at all,' Yao Lao chuckled, stroking his beard. 'I'm Xiao Yan's teacher. If I can't show even a little grace toward his wife, then I must indeed be rather out of touch. When I saw the gentle blush spreading across Xun'er's cheeks, I felt a genuine sense of satisfaction. Of course, I know well Xun'er's standing within the ancient clan—having such a wife, of such stature, is truly a matter of pride." Xiao Yan smiled and then introduced Zǐ Yán beside him. She and Xun'er had known each other since early on—back when they were both at the Gan'an Academy, they had met. However, after Xun'er left, the two had rarely crossed paths due to various circumstances. Now, upon reuniting, there was a sense of things unchanged yet people transformed. After all, back then, one was still a young student studying at the academy, while the other was merely a girl always busy with leisure activities. Now, both of them had achieved peak strength on this continent. "Xiao Yan brother, this is my elder, Guo Naihai from the Guo Clan, who has come with me to investigate the Jinglian Demon Fire..." Xun'er smiled gently, pointing to the blue-robed elder behind her, and said to Xiao Yan. "Has the Guo Clan also taken a keen interest in the Jinglian Demon Fire?" Xiao Yan gazed at the elder in the blue robe, his heart subtly stirred. Though this elder did not exude the same profound, enigmatic aura as the Master of the Soul Palace, he still surpassed Zi Yan significantly—demonstrating clearly the deep roots and strength among these ancient races. "It's not that I'm particularly interested in Jinglian Spirit Fire; in fact, few people in the world could even tame it. As long as it remains outside the hands of the Soul Clan, that would be ideal," the elder smiled, neither deliberately asserting his seniority nor sounding stiff. His tone was calm and conversational, as if speaking to a peer—smooth and unhurried, quite unlike the deliberate obstacles previously posed by the ancient clan elders. "The pure lotus demon flame has previously emerged, yet it was never subdued. The spatial seal here was established by the Pure Lotus Demon Sage, and it is remarkably ingenious—though the flame can temporarily breach it, once it eases slightly, the seal automatically absorbs celestial and terrestrial energies to restore itself, thus continuing the containment..." Xun'er smiled slightly. "The Spirit Clan has always kept a vigilant eye on the pure lotus demon flame, always well-prepared for each encounter. This time, I wonder what strategy they have in mind." "Yet they seem to be holding back?" Xiao Yan glanced at the three members of the Spirit Palace. "They're waiting, anticipating that the pure lotus spirit fire will break the seal and consume its energy..." Xun'er glanced at the man among the three from the Soul Palace who had black pupils, her brows slightly furrowed as she softly said, "Xiao Yan, brother, must be especially cautious of this man. His name is Hunfeng, a member of the Soul Clan, known as a madman. He possesses an exceptionally remarkable talent and shares the divine lineage of the Soul Clan—far more powerful than the Soul Jade you saw earlier. According to our intelligence, unless there's a major unforeseen event, he is expected to become the next Soul Clan leader. Furthermore, Hunfeng excels at fighting beyond his level. Since he began his cultivation, he has rarely faced opponents of lower rank. He is both ruthless and decisive—during even internal sparring sessions, his attacks invariably result in casualties. Over time, this has made it so that no peers dare to face him directly, and even some of the Soul Clan's elders hold him in considerable awe. Therefore, should you have to battle him, you must be especially careful." Xiao Yan's brow slightly lifted as his gaze briefly swept over the man named Hunfeng, then he slowly nodded. The title of the next heir of the Hun Clan was no small matter—indeed, quite impressive. Yet he still wondered: if they actually faced off, how many advantages would he have?