"Received." As the character left Xiao Yan's lips, a flash of brilliance surged in the Hall Master's eyes. Though he remained silent, everyone could feel the suddenly heavy, oppressive atmosphere surrounding them—the air was thick with the coming storm! "The grievances accumulated over the years are finally at a point where they can be settled..." After years of waiting, this moment has finally arrived, yet Xiang Yan's inner composure has only grown more serene. Once merely a young man striving diligently within the Jia Ma Empire, with defeating Yun Lan Sect as his ultimate goal, the sudden rise of the Huan Dian—seizing his father, destroying his family, and nearly cutting off the lineage of the Xiao clan—had transformed this grudge into an unyielding, inescapable one. From that moment on, even as a still-young boy, he had clearly understood that the path ahead would be full of hardships. Yet, despite all these challenges, he had persisted without hesitation, because certain things could never be severed, no matter how difficult the journey. In a sense, the Huan Dian has been instrumental in Xiang Yan's journey to this point, providing him with the most urgent and driving motivation. "Heh, truly admirable resolve," the elderly Huan Mo, standing beside the Huan Dian's master, remarked, his expression cold as he gazed at Xiang Yan, with a wry smile. Xiao Yan glanced at him calmly before turning to the Master of the Soul Palace, asking, "I wonder how you intend to proceed with this battle invitation?" "Three battles, two victories—each side sends three representatives to decide the fate of the contest!" the Master of the Soul Palace said in a low, resonant voice. "Of course, if you wish for every member of the Soul Palace and the Heavenly Capital Alliance to engage in combat, I will not object. The Soul Palace has stood strong in the Central Plains for so many years. If you truly believe that merely gathering a few allied forces will be enough to challenge us, then you must indeed be rather naive." "With the support of the Soul Clan, you certainly have the confidence to say that. Xiao Yan chuckled and shook his head, then said, "If a large-scale war truly ensues, even if our Tianfu Alliance were to be completely destroyed, your Hún Palace would surely suffer severe damage—eight or nine out of ten of your forces. It seems the Hún clan is unwilling to bear such a loss..." This mode of decisive battle clearly indicates that Hún Palace does not wish for a full-scale, all-out war. Instead, they have elevated the level of combat to the highest tier. Though the battlefield scale may not be vast, its influence is no less than that of a widespread conflict. After all, each of them represents their respective factions; should they lose, they would always be perceived as one step weaker in future discussions. "Choose either of the two," the Hún Palace's master said calmly. "Three games, two wins—what a pleasant virtue it is to facilitate harmony." Xiao Yan smiled slightly and spoke. The Huan clan was unwilling to see the Huan Palace lose nearly eight or nine out of its forces, just as he himself was not ready to sacrifice the entire Tianfu Alliance—this was his very foundation for countering the Huan clan, painstakingly built over many years. How could he simply hand it over so easily? Although the Huan Palace's master of the palace had spoken somewhat unkindly, his words were indeed true. The Tianfu Alliance was currently capable of standing against the Huan Palace. However, if the Huan Palace truly sought to destroy it completely, the Alliance would inevitably suffer a devastating blow—possibly even a mutual annihilation. Compared to such an outcome, a three-out-of-five, high-level contest was clearly more favorable. "So you're not ready to bear the full cost of a full-scale war," the Huan Palace master remarked, raising an eyebrow with a thoughtful tone. "Then, let's send out the troops," Xiao Yan said calmly. "Hehe... Over the years, the greatest challenge the Huén clan has faced has been nothing short of this..." The Huén clan elder smiled grimly, then slowly took a step forward. "Among the young members of the Xiáo clan, I shall count myself as one of the three." As the elder stepped, those with sharp perception noticed the massive mountain tremble slightly. A surge of dark energy, resembling a furious dragon, surged from the soles of the elder's feet, violently shattering the giant stones within the mountain's body and rushing toward Xiao Yan with a roaring cry. "Crack!" However, just as the dragon-like force was about to burst through the earth, a figure stepped forward from behind Xiao Yan—landing precisely where the dark energy was concentrated. The solid ground beneath instantly sank half a foot, and the force was shattered and dispersed by the figure's presence. "The Huén clan still refuses to show its true colors..." Xiao Chen gazed steadily at the elder, his expression calm and composed. "Xiao Chen, wielder of the Blood Axe!" "The spirit-mage elder's face was cold, his twin eyes sharp as venomous serpents, fixed steadily on Xiao Chen, speaking each word with deliberate emphasis. 'The name of the clan leader—your kind, these mere insects, have no right to mention it!' Xiao Chen, like a fierce wolf slowly stirring to life, emitted a quiet yet unyielding aura of menace, seeping steadily from within him. The Hall Master of the Spirit Palace and the Spirit-Mage Elder slightly furrowed their brows, yet neither dared to slight Xiao Chen, especially the former, who had been consistently outmatched by Xiao Chen in the Realm of Fiery Beasts—his performances had been notably clumsy and disheveled. Now, upon their renewed encounter, he felt profound respect and apprehension. 'Hah! No surprise at all,' the elder remarked, 'Xiao Chen, the Blood-Axe, remains as formidable as ever. Though Xiao Xuan's name is well-known, he ultimately met his end. Your clan, Xiao, will surely be no more than a fleeting bloom.'" "As the Hall Master and the Spirit Demon elder furrowed their brows, a frail, elderly figure leaning on a cane suddenly materialized like a ghost—unannounced and undetected—right before the focused gaze of all present. At the moment this figure appeared, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, his expression growing serious as he fixed his gaze upon him. Remarkably, the figure's arrival caused not a single ripple in the surrounding space—his presence seemed as if he had always been there. 'Such an astonishing power!' Xiao Yan and the other elders beside him exchanged glances, each clearly stirred by the sight. 'Hun Qianmo!" Xiao Chen fixed his gaze firmly on the elderly man who was holding a walking stick. The man was thin and frail, dressed in gray robes, with a face as dry and weathered as ancient parchment, always bearing a smile that felt oddly unnatural. His eyes, unlike those of ordinary elders, were surprisingly luminous—glowing with an eerie radiance. Under the steady weight of his gaze, Xiao Chen felt as though his very soul was subtly pierced, aching with a sharp, persistent pain. "You're a useless scum who once begged for mercy at the hands of the Clan Elder—now you dare to show your face?" Xiao Chen drew a deep breath, suppressing the surging rage within him, and spoke calmly. Hún Qiān Mò's dry face trembled slightly. His eyes, glowing with an eerie light, slowly swept over Xiao Chen and Xiao Yan, his voice hoarse as though his bones were grinding against one another: "No matter how powerful he may be, he will ultimately fall. The victor rules, the vanquished are mere spoils. The Hún Clan still stands at the pinnacle of this continent. As for the Xiao Clan—the once-dominant Xiao Clan—today, it survives only as a few scattered cats, barely clinging on under the Hún Clan's gaze. It is truly pitiful." "Xiao Chen, even if you've been lucky enough to survive this far, the Xiao Chen you are now is no longer the blood-forged Xiao Chen of old!" Facing Xiao Chen's assault that surged like thunder, the nearly parchment-thin face of Hun Qianmo flushed with fury, his bone-clenched hands gripping tightly into fists, then driving his fist straight into the massive blood-forged axe. "Clang!" The powerful impact sent a gust of wind that caused several of Hun Palace's Dou Sheng masters to wince and step back hurriedly. Only the Palace Master and the Elder Hun Magus remained standing. "Ding-ding—" "A heavy blow landed squarely on Houn Qiemo's fist, the powerful rebound force sending Xiao Chen staggering back ten steps. He now gazed at the former with a somewhat gloomy expression. Having been trapped within the Spirit of the Demon's Fire realm for several thousand years, Xiao Chen's cultivation achievements naturally fell short of Houn Qiemo's steady progress—this source of discontent was deeply rooted in his heart. Indeed, back then, Houn Qiemo had only ever reacted with alarm, turning and fleeing at the mere sight of Xiao Chen. 'Xiao Chen,' the elder said, 'I have already stated that all has changed—now, it is truly a matter of time and circumstance. You are no longer my match.'” "Xun Qianmo glanced at the faint blood stain on the tip of his fist, yet paid it no mind, speaking softly. Then his gaze turned to Xiao Yan, gently licking his lips: "Your body carries the essence of Xiao Xuan. It seems you have indeed achieved his legacy within the Heavenly Tomb..." Xiao Yan's expression remained calm. This old master's strength—likely around six-star Star Saint level—was clearly superior to all of them here. The Hún Palace had indeed come well prepared. "Xiao Yan, the Hún Palace delegation is now complete. It is your turn..." The Hún Palace's chief master glanced at Xiao Yan with a composed expression and took a step forward, clearly indicating that he himself was the third figure.