"Crack!" The sky went still. Yan Tian's body stiffened, his eyes wide with disbelief. A vivid, blood-red palm print now stood out sharply on his face, and a steady trickle of blood oozed from the corner of his mouth. The entire sky fell silent, every gaze fixed in stunned wonder upon this scene. Then, their eyes shifted to Xiao Yan, who stood at a distance with a gentle, curved smile at the corner of his mouth. A cold shiver ran through them. For ancient races, dignity was paramount. To be publicly struck so hard—especially in front of so many—was an insult far more severe than death itself. "You... you dare strike me?" Silence lasted only a moment before Yao Tian finally recovered from his shock, his eyes instantly blazing crimson. He stared wildly and fiercely at the spectral embodiment before him, and a thick, earth-toned flame surged violently from within his body. Amidst a thunderous roar, the flame coalesced into a colossal turtle-shaped creature—though this giant turtle was covered in sharp, fiery spines, and its massive, grim jaws were lined with blade-like fangs. "Earth Flame Turtle, ranked thirteenth on the Unusual Flame List—I never expected such a rare flame to be in your hands," the spectral embodiment of Xiao Yan remarked, his face briefly expressing astonishment. Indeed, the Yao clan did possess such extraordinary flames. "Die!" he roared. "The Fire Spirit took shape, and the expression on Yao Tian's face grew increasingly fierce. With a roar, the massive Fire Spirit moved its four hooves, and its enormous tail, bristling with sharp flame spines, swung directly and forcefully at Xiao Yan's head, creating a sharp rushing wind. 'A mere trifling skill!' said Xiao Yan's 'spirit embodiment' with a cold laugh. As his body shifted, a colossal fire dragon nearly a thousand zhang in length formed in the sky. With a simple flick of its tail, the dragon struck the Fire Spirit, causing the flames on the latter's body to dim instantly. The Fire Spirit emitted a sharp cry, then recoiled and plunged into Yao Tian's body. 'Pfft!' "The Fire Spirit was shattered, and Master Yao's face paled instantly, followed by a gush of blood spewing from his mouth. Though the Turtle Spirit's Earth Fire ranked only thirteenth, after fusing five unique flames, Xiao Yan's unique flame had now matched even the top six. Combined with Xiao Yan's vastly superior spiritual strength, defeating Yao was nothing short of effortless. 'You useless fool!' The clash between Xiao Yan and Yao had lasted only a flash of time. Now, Yao Wan Gui had regained his composure and, upon seeing the severely wounded Yao, his expression turned grave. With a roar, he materialized before Xiao Yan's 'spiritual duplicate,' his massive hand slamming down so forcefully that the space around him crumpled inward. 'Ssshh!' Facing Yao Wan Gui's attack, Xiao Yan did not meet him head-on. Instead, his body burst apart, dispersing into streams of spiritual energy that eventually merged into his physical form. 'Xiao Yan, you're asking for death!' "With his palm empty, Yao Wan Gui suddenly lifted his head, his gaze sharp and stern, fixed upon Xiao Yan in the distance. A surge of murderous intent surged within him as he moved, reappearing before the latter and launching a powerful punch. 'Hmph, old fool! All talk and nonsense—do you really think you're the most important here?' When Yao Wan Gui charged again, Zǐ Yán, standing beside Xiao Yan, frowned, stepping forward to block in front of him. With her hands tightly clenched, she then swung her fist, and instantly, a magnificent golden dragon roared forth from her palm, crashing into Yao Wan Gui's. 'Boom!' The clash between two Four-Star Stellar Saints was nothing short of devastating—the space where their fists met collapsed instantly, turning an entire hundred-meter radius into utter darkness. The shockwaves rippled outward, sending Yao Wan Gui shooting backward. He stumbled, retreating several dozen steps on the sky before finally steadying himself, his eyes locked tightly on Zǐ Yán, his face darkening as he asked, 'The Void Ancient Dragon?' "Zi Yan also stepped back by a few paces, yet even with her steady presence, when it came to head-on confrontations among peers, she had never truly feared anyone. Tai Xu Gu Long's physical form was already exceptionally strong, and even more so, she possessed the even more potent Long-Huang constitution. Though her rank matched that of Yao Wan Gui, Zi Yan truly had a realistic chance of overcoming him. "Old man, always getting more than he's entitled to!" Zi Yan casually brushed her jade hand, delivering a cold smile. "You!" Hearing this, Yao Wan Gui instantly grew furious, his face turning ashen. As he was about to shout in anger, the usually silent Yao Ling suddenly stepped in, gently pulling him back and shaking her head slightly. "Senior Yao, this is merely a matter of youthful spirit and rivalry—your seniority makes it seem a bit out of place to intervene so directly," said Xun'er, who at that moment smiled gently and suddenly spoke up. "I notice everyone has stepped back a little. I suspect your real intention isn't to engage in a direct confrontation here. Why not simply save your energy and effort?" "Wait a minute—has the ancient clan also decided to lend a hand to this guy?" Upon seeing Xun'er stepping in to defend Xiao Yan, the face of Yao Wan Gui twitched, and he spoke coldly. "Yao Wan Gui, my lady has merely been stating facts—don't be so obstinate and pushy about it," said the elderly man in blue robes standing behind Xun'er, frowning slightly. "Hmph!" Seeing the man speaking, Yao Wan Gui could only sigh and wave his robe in frustration. He was well acquainted with the ancient Nansha Sea clan, and while their strength was comparable to his own, if they truly intended to support Xiao Yan, especially with Zi Yan at his side, they would surely face serious challenges. Thus, he could only reluctantly emit a cold huff and shift his gaze to Xiao Yan and the elder, saying, "Don't think you're above me—though our family may be reserved in our actions, if you expect to thrive above us without any real strength, you'll find your fate far from favorable." Xiao Yan smiled, remaining unconcerned. "Medicine will always return to its roots, and with figures like you holding power within the Medicine Clan, it is a source of sorrow for the clan. In the future, I shall certainly visit the Medicine Clan. Though I have no lingering feelings for them, I must surely inscribe the names of my two elders upon the Clan Monument!" The elder Medicinal Master fixed his gaze upon Yao Wan Gui, speaking slowly. "On the Clan Monument, only the worthy remain. Neither your mediocre parents nor you yourself have the merit to be remembered there. You should give up on that ambition now!" Upon hearing this, Yao Wan Gui sneered, retorting. "Old fool, do you really think I can't handle you today?" Xiao Yan's expression darkened, his voice radiating an icy intensity that chilled the very air. He regarded the elder Medicinal Master as his father, and deeply resented any disrespect shown to him. Yet today, this old man Yao Wan Gui spoke with such crude remarks. As if sensing Xiao Yan's growing resolve, the eyes of Zi Yan flashed with fierce determination, her gaze locked firmly on Yao Wan Gui. Should he speak any further disrespect, she would immediately intervene. "You!" Hearing Xiao Yan's scathing complaints, Yao Wan Gui's face turned ashen. Just as he was about to launch a sharp reprimand, he was silenced by Zi Yan's fierce, determined gaze. Unconsciously, their position had shifted—now they were at a disadvantage. While Yao Wan Gui could stall Zi Yan, Xiao Yan's previously displayed overwhelming strength made it likely that he would succeed in eliminating Yao Tian and Yao Ling. These two were pillars of the Yao clan; should anything happen to them, they would surely face severe repercussions upon returning. With such concerns, Yao Wan Gui could only swallow his rising anger, casting a cold, stern glance at Xiao Yan and the elderly Yao, then waved his sleeve, leading Yao Tian and Yao Ling away. Upon seeing Yao Wan Gui finally retreat with a somewhat embarrassed demeanor, the surrounding crowd exhaled softly, then turned their eyes with growing astonishment toward Xiao Yan and his companions—something they had not anticipated at all, especially considering the ancient Yao clan's resilience. As the three of them stepped back, the old medicine master's body gradually relaxed, and his complexion returned to normal. Gently patting Xiāo Yīn's shoulder, he intended to say something, but in the end, only offered a soft, satisfied sigh. Back then, he had protected Xiāo Yīn under his wings, shielding him from harm. Now, however, that position had subtly shifted. At this thought, a complex blend of emotions stirred within him. "Master, once I've subdued the Pure Lotus Demon Fire, I'll follow you to the Medicine Clan!" Xiāo Yīn said softly, gazing at the master with a tone of quiet concern—he didn't want to leave the old master alone to journey to the Medicine Clan. "Hmm." The old master hesitated slightly before finally nodding with a warm, contented smile. … The dramatic episodes finally concluded as Yao Wan, Yao Wan, and the third party faced setbacks and withdrew. The strength displayed by Xiao Yan and his companions left many powerful figures and factions watching in amazement—especially Zi Yan, whose lineage, the ancient dragon clan, had once been on par with the ancient clans themselves, and even rivaled the likes of the Soul Clan, a premier power. As the spectacle came to an end, everyone's attention once again turned to the distant ruptured space where, now, the milky-white radiance had flowed continuously like liquid, pouring down without cease. The desert beneath had transformed into a vast expanse of milky magma, occasionally bubbling with rising plumes of intensely hot air currents. "Boom! Boom!" This prolonged wait continued for approximately three hours, during which the ruptured space expanded from several zhang to dozens of zhang, and faint, unusual sounds began to emerge from within. The expansion of the fragmented space finally slowed down, coming to a gentle halt at a range of nearly a hundred paces. Subtly, a milky-white circle began to take shape at the site of the rupture. At the very instant this luminous circle formed, every strong being present suddenly snapped their eyes open. They could feel the temperature of the realm surge nearly a hundredfold in that single moment. Xun'er also opened her eyes at this moment, her gaze turning to Xiao Yan, and softly said, "It's time to move." Her words carried a magical power—immediately upon uttering them, a rush of wind crackled through the surrounding space. One after another, figures of strong and enduring presence surged from afar, darting in with lightning speed, and directly collided into the milky-white circle with thunderous cries. Witnessing this, Xiao Yan rose to his feet abruptly, the fire in his dark eyes blazing fiercely. The Pure Lotus Demon Flame had finally waited for this moment!