"Brother Xiao Yan, Master Wan Gui is a four-star initial Dou Sheng powerhouse—extremely strong, and not easy to deal with." Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Xun'er also softly spoke up beside him. "I'll handle it." Xiao Yan smiled slightly. A four-star initial Dou Sheng—such strength was indeed challenging for him at the moment. But as long as he successfully obtained and refined the Jinglian Demon Fire, eliminating Master Wan Gui would be nothing short of a matter of a hand gesture. Seeing Xiao Yan speak with such confidence, Xun'er fell silent, knowing he was always calm and never rushed into actions without full assurance. In the sky, the appearance of Yao Wan Gui and his two companions naturally drew considerable attention. The Yao clan is a rather unique ancient race—most of its members are herbalists, each possessing strong innate talent for pharmaceutical crafting. As a result, the art of alchemical medicine flourishes within the clan's domain. Were it not for the fact that ancient races typically appear infrequently in the Central Plains, the reputation of the Dan Tower would likely suffer significant impact. Indeed, when compared directly, the Yao clan's lineage and traditions are more comprehensive than those of the Dan Tower, which, though somewhat open, still falls short in several key aspects. However, the Yao clan maintains strict regulations: only its own members can master its pharmaceutical techniques, and any outsider who learns them faces certain death. This limitation hinders the clan's growth, yet it is an inevitable trait of ancient races—always carrying a certain sense of pride among ordinary people. Three figures materialized in the mid-air, their gaze slowly sweeping across the surroundings before settling on the three elders of the Spirit Palace. Their brows furrowed slightly. The Spirit Clan, among the ancient eight clans, was the most enigmatic and mysterious—indeed, the others held them in considerable awe. After all, when counted on the timeline of lineage, the Spirit Clan was actually the most enduring of all. As for the药 elder's gloomy expression, Yao Wan Gui merely smiled calmly—though a Star Saint of the first rank was strong, he still considered him nothing special in his presence. "Is that Yao Chen, the one who abandoned his people? It seems the clan once offered him opportunities to return, yet he remained stubbornly resistant?" Hearing Yao Wan Gui's words, the handsome man with his long, elegant brows slightly arched, his gaze shifting toward the elder. With a light, slightly dismissive curve of his lips, he now found himself chuckling at the memory—the very incident of the elder's refusal to return had once circulated throughout the clan. When he first heard of it, he had scoffed at the elder's lack of good sense; now, upon meeting him face to face, he could hardly avoid a good share of mockery. "Hmm. After spending time outside, gaining a bit of reputation, one naturally begins to believe they've grown in skill and confidence, and that their spirits have soared." Yao Wan Gui smiled gently, his tone neither hurried nor rushed—quite the opposite, in fact, the most irritating of all. There was suddenly an atmosphere of tension, noticed by the surrounding powerful figures, who all turned their attention toward the scene. Yet no one spoke up—after all, the Herbal Clan was as ancient as the others, and ordinary strong ones would never dare to challenge them. Many simply watched with a sense of amusement, content to enjoy the spectacle, since the optimal moment to enter the space had not yet arrived. "After years of cultivation, my spiritual realm has still not reached the late stage of the Heavens—such talent is indeed average. Since he himself passed up the opportunity to return earlier, the clan needn't bother about him anymore..." Seeing the药 elder's stern expression, Yao Tian shrugged, feeling rather indifferent. After saying this once more, he simply lost interest and didn't speak further. "Xiao Yan, disciple of Yao Chen." Xiao Yan smiled slightly and bowed. "Oh? You're the one who won the Dan Conclave championship at the Dan Tower, right?" Upon hearing this, Yao Tian's expression deepened, his gaze settling on Xiao Yan with a steady scrutiny. Then, he said softly, "The Dan Conclave? Merely a gathering of ordinary people vying for recognition. Within our Yao family, such events are nothing but mediocre—three words to describe them: unremarkable." "As for status within the Yao family, even Yao Chen himself doesn't have the right to speak to me like this. You should be grateful that Yao Chen is no longer considered one of us. Of course, since you've felt compelled to speak at all, you'll have to bear the consequences of what you've said." As the final words left Yao Tian's lips, his handsome face instantly turned cold. With a sudden, firm step forward, a vast and powerful surge of spiritual energy erupted—like a tidal wave of immense force—crashing violently and relentlessly against Xiao Yan. "Today, I shall properly instruct my disciple, Yao Chen!" Gazing at the colossal soul tide surging forward with thunderous roars, Xiao Yan slowly shook his head, his smile gradually fading. Under the watchful eyes of all present, he raised his hand and gently clenched it toward the empty space before him. Xiao Yan delivered a single punch, and instantly, a colossal soul imprint—stretching hundreds of zhang in height—emerged in the heavens. On the surface of this imprint, an unusual crystalline layer was densely layered, appearing almost tangible. At the very moment the punch was unleashed, an overwhelmingly powerful soul pressure surged outward from Xiao Yan, spreading across the sky like a wave of immense force. The Soul Fist Seal surged with extraordinary speed, manifesting directly at a distance of one zhang from Yao Tian the very instant it formed. A terrifying soul pressure slammed directly into Yao Tian's head—should it strike true, Yao Tian's soul would inevitably suffer significant damage. "Junior! Dares you!" Seeing Yao Tian utterly unable to evade Xiao Yan's attack, Yao Wan Gui's expression darkened. He seized Yao Tian firmly, hurling him backward, while simultaneously channeling a surge of inner Qi, meeting the Soul Fist Seal with a powerful punch. "Boom!" The two forces collided. Yao Wan Gui stepped back slightly, yet managed to absorb the Soul Fist Seal with solid resolve—indeed, the strength of a Four-Star Soul Saint was formidable. "Wan Gui Elder, eliminate this youngster!" Behind him, Yao Tian's face turned alternately pale and cyan, completely unprepared to find himself unable to execute even a single move against Xiao Yan—especially in such a public setting. The unusual glances from the onlookers cut through him like blades, scraping harshly across his body, causing his eyes to blaze with fury as he roared. "Shhh!" However, as soon as Yao Tian's roar fell, a ripple of energy surged before him, and within moments, an intangible spiritual force rapidly coalesced, forming a figure that appeared as if from a ghostly apparition right before his eyes—exactly another Xiao Yan. "A spiritual duplicate?" Yao Tian's eyes narrowed in astonishment. Without hesitation, his internal qi surged forth from within him in a reflexive burst. Even if it were Yao Wan Gui, he would have been unable to intervene at this moment! Yet, at the very moment when the qi surged forth within him, the spectral duplicate before him raised his palm with a cold smile, swept it down—and suddenly, a crisp, resonant clap echoed sharply amid the myriad strange glances. "A mere piece of trash, daring to boast before my master! This clap shall serve as a modest lesson!"