The sudden, clear laughter caused a brief pause in the hall, and then, within an instant, every gaze in the hall sharply turned toward the entrance. There, sunlight poured down from the sky, and a slender figure emerged slowly into the collective attention. "Xiao Yan!" As the figure appeared, the Wind Sovereign and the Fire Cloud Elder among the hall’s senior figures stiffened, their faces filled with disbelief, their voices breaking into startled exclamations. "Xiao Yan? He is the direct disciple of the Alliance’s Grand Master?" Due to the expansion of the Heavenly Palace, some of the senior figures currently seated in the hall had grown somewhat blurred in their recollection of Xiao Yan’s appearance. While their memory of his looks was hazy, they were fully aware of his esteemed status within the Heavenly Palace. If the old medicine master was the Grand Master of the Alliance, then Xiao Yan was its spiritual leader. "Bang!" The old medicine master also slightly opened his mouth, his eyes fixed intently on the figure slowly approaching. The vast aura within him surged violently due to the fluctuations in his inner composure, shattering the chair he was seated on into fine powder. Yet he paid no heed to this, trembling as he rose to his feet, his eyes glistening with moisture. For the past two years since Xiao Yan's disappearance, he had never ceased to worry. Having never married nor had children, Xiao Yan had been his closest companion. If he had known that leaving the Fiery Spirit Realm would lead to such intense longing and anticipation, he would have undoubtedly chosen to stay. The senior executives of the Heavenly Platform Alliance were surprised by this passionate display. For years, the old master had consistently projected a calm, composed demeanor—unwavering even when facing the formidable Huan Palace. Such emotional outpouring, however, had never been witnessed by them before. Under the steady gaze of the hall, Xiao Yan's figure subtly shifted and materialized before the old herbalist. Gazing at the elder, whose eyes were filled with emotion—tears even welling up—Xiao Yan felt a sense of regret. These past two years of his absence had indeed caused great concern. "Master, I'm back..." The exchange between teacher and student was filled with deep emotion, yet ultimately softened into a quiet, touching whisper. "Ah, good, good! Back now, back now..." The old herbalist wiped away his tears. The face that had been so tense for most of the past two years now softened into a warm smile, his dry hands continuously patting Xiao Yan's shoulders, repeating the same words over and over. "Haha, Old Yao, I always thought this young man wouldn't die so soon. Now, you must believe me." "Old Master Huo Yun burst into laughter. Seeing Xiao Yan return safely, he breathed a great sigh of relief. It seemed as though this young man possessed a kind of magic—like a calming pill—that instantly eased the tension in everyone's hearts whenever he appeared. "He's truly a timely rain, isn't he? With his arrival, the pressure within the Alliance has been somewhat alleviated. When we work together, we should be able to hold the Hún Palace's Master at bay," smiled the Senior Elder of Xiao Dan Tower, clearly delighted. "With his current strength, even facing off against the Hún Palace's Master alone should no longer be a problem," said the Elder, just as he finished speaking. At that moment, Xiao Chen, seated in the corner, merely offered a calm, gentle smile and spoke up. The Elder and the Elder of the Medicine Sect exchanged glances, then turned their eyes with growing astonishment toward Xiao Yan. After all, Xiao Chen was the strongest among them—when he spoke with such confidence, no one could doubt it. "Have you... fully refined the Jinglian Spirit Flame?" "The medicine elder reacted the fastest, suddenly gasping after a moment of stillness. "By sheer luck..." Xiao Yan smiled slightly. "This... this young man..." Seeing that Xiao Yan had not denied it, the elders beside him—Fire Cloud Elder and others—deeply inhaled, exchanged glances, and each saw clear astonishment in the other's eyes. As those who had entered the Spirit of the Fire Phoenix Realm themselves, they were well aware of the sheer terror of the Pure Lotus Fire Phoenix—the kind of power that even the senior elders of the Dan Tower, when personally engaged, could not overcome. Originally, they had considered it a great fortune if Xiao Yan could simply escape the realm unscathed. To think that he would actually subdue the Pure Lotus Fire Phoenix? Honestly, they had never even considered that possibility until now. After all, the Pure Lotus Fire Phoenix was so formidable that over the past several thousand years, numerous powerful figures—many of them far surpassing Xiao Yan in strength—had attempted to capture it, only to fail completely, without exception. "Excellent! Hah! Excellent!" "After recovering from the initial shock, the Elder of the Medicine Sect regained his composure, his weathered face radiating an unmistakable joy. The Pure Lotus Spirit Fire—such a rare and extraordinary flame—was truly a divine treasure for any alchemist. Since the Pure Lotus Spirit Saint first subdued it many years ago, no one had ever managed to capture it again. Now, Xiao Yan had once again achieved a miracle. With the Pure Lotus Spirit Fire within him, the Elder was certain that Xiao Yan could face the Hall Master of the Soul Sect single-handedly and emerge victorious. 'With the support of the Young Deputy Commander, the Soul Sect's offensive has now become manageable—what a blessing!' the Senior Elder smiled. It was indeed ideal that Xiao Yan could handle the Hall Master alone, allowing the Elder to free up his resources and significantly easing the pressure on the Alliance. 'He truly is a capable deputy commander,' the Elder chuckled." "Within the grand hall, the other senior figures also hurriedly bowed and smiled warmly. Though they held certain influence within the alliance, they were well aware of the unbridgeable gap in stature compared to Xiao Yan. The Tianfu Alliance had been founded and nurtured entirely by Xiao Yan, requiring immense dedication and effort. Although the position of Grand Master was held by Yao Lao, many core members—such as Fire Cloud Elder—clearly recognized that Yao Lao was essentially serving as a steward, managing the vast and complex alliance on Xiao Yan's behalf. In truth, the very heart of the alliance belonged to one person: Xiao Yan himself. Faced with these faces that, though somewhat unfamiliar, radiated genuine warmth, enthusiasm, and reverence, Xiao Yan did not appear cold or distant. With a gentle smile, he engaged in brief conversations with each of them, which pleasantly surprised several usually proud and independent individuals. "Hehe, today's matter shall come to an end. All of you return to your posts, consolidate your forces, and keep a close watch on the Hún Palace's every move. Since they have decided to engage us in a decisive battle, we will show them with facts that our Tianfu Alliance is not at all intimidated by the Hún Palace!" "Yes!" The passionate and resolute call from the old pharmacist stirred a sense of fervor among the assembled. Over the past two years, tensions between the two powers have grown increasingly strained, and their gaps have widened. Now, after finally facing off in a decisive confrontation, it has come to fulfill the expectations of many. Moreover, this battle will truly determine the dominant power across the Central Plains. The rivalry between the established Hún Palace and the rising Alliance will surely ignite the entire Central Plains. ... As the meeting in the hall drew to a close, Xiao Yan also conversed with the elderly doctor and others still buzzing with excitement, discussing various matters that had unfolded within the Heavenly Realm Alliance over the years, before finally returning to the quiet courtyard he had not seen in two years. "Dad!" A familiar and joyful voice rang out the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the courtyard, followed instantly by a small figure arcing through the air and gracefully approaching him from afar. "Heh, the little girl has grown so much..." Xiao Yan smiled warmly, extending his arms to gently cradle the petite form in his embrace. Gazing at Xiao Xiao's bright, joyful, yet still youthful face in his arms, a warm sense of contentment filled his heart. This was home. No matter how many dangers and trials he had faced abroad, as soon as he stepped into this place, he could quickly shed his weariness and find peace. "He's been waiting all this time since he heard you've returned..." As Xiao Yan held Xiao Xiao close, a gentle, warm voice emerged before him. Raising his gaze, he saw Xiao Yixian dressed in a deep indigo robe, smiling softly at him. Over the past two years, she has grown even more graceful and serene—her quiet, refreshing elegance leaves one utterly enchanted. "A Stellar Saint?" Xiao Yan asked, still cradling Xiao Xiao, gazing at Xiao Yixian. With his keen eyes, he could clearly see her current strength. Having reached a first-tier Stellar Saint, she had not only surpassed the previous barrier but also transcended the half-Saint level within just two years—such progress was truly impressive. "Thanks to that drop of the immortal saint's essence back then..." Xiao Yixian smiled gently, then glanced at Xiao Yan's steady, attentive gaze, and chuckled, "Since we entered the Nine-Deep Yellow Springs, Cai Lin has never come out. But don't worry—every so often, I and Qing Lin visit the Nine-Deep Earth-Mythic Python beneath the springs. She must have had some remarkable experiences down there, and we can sense her presence, though we're unable to reach the very bottom of the springs..." Hearing this, Xiao Yan's expression couldn't help but shift slightly. Calculating the time, Cai Lin had been submerged in the Nine-Deep Yellow Springs for nearly three years. Yet, he himself had visited the depths before and hadn't noticed anything amiss. "Could it be even deeper?" Xiao Yan furrowed his brow. The Nine-Deep Yellow Springs connected to the depths of the earth, where the cold,阴寒 forces were so profound that even he dared not venture deep. If he were to speak of any extraordinary encounter, this very place would likely be the only one. As Cai Lin, the Seven-Color Devouring Python, had been exposed to such extreme cold energies, she too might have experienced a unique journey. "It seems after settling matters within the Alliance, I shall have to make a journey to the Nine-Deep Earth-Medina Python Clan..." Xiao Yan shook his head, temporarily calming his concerns. At present, the most pressing matter was to resolve the major issue posed by the Soul Palace without delay!