"The Hún clan's people!" As Xiao Yan's gaze fixed on the figure atop the distant mountain peak, the others—including Yao Lao—followed his line of sight, their expressions instantly shifting in astonishment. They had never expected to find a Hún clan master stationed here within the Shen Nong Mountain Range. "It's Hún Shā, one of the Four Magi Saints of the Hún clan—his strength is no less than that of Hún Jìng or Hún Yàn!" Shen Nong Elder, familiar with the Hún clan's members, slightly frowned upon seeing the overwhelming aura of death radiating from the figure, and murmured softly, "To eradicate the Yao clan, the Hún clan has truly brought forth their very best." "It turns out someone actually managed to tear through the spatial seal established by the Lord of Void..." The figure from afar stepped through the void, materializing on the sky above, observing the group of Xiao Yan and his companions with a lofty posture. His gaze settled firmly on Xiao Yan, and he broke into a smile, his white teeth gleaming like those of a wild beast, radiating an imposing aura of intensity. "You must be Xiao Yan. I've heard that even the old man Huan Yan was defeated at your hands. The Xiao clan truly stands out—thankfully, our Huan clan acted decisively back then and erased the Xiao clan entirely. Otherwise, the current state of the world would have taken on a completely different form." Xiao Yan locked eyes with this black-robed figure. Though the latter's face was warm with a smile, his eyes carried a cold, unyielding intensity, clearly indicating that he was not one to be gentle or lenient. "What now?" "The elder medicine master asked softly, not expecting that just after escaping the tiger's den, they'd now face a wolf's obstruction. This one clearly wasn't a simple player—he'd be a formidable opponent in any confrontation. While Xiao Yan's Eight-Tone Fire Lotus was impressive, it couldn't be used continuously, and from the way it had been deployed earlier, even the Eight-Tone Fire Lotus had proven difficult in instantly eliminating a contender of this caliber. Should this opponent evade it, then their group would indeed be completely defenseless. 'Master, you two go first. I'll hold him off for a while,' Xiao Yan exhaled calmly. 'What?' The elder medicine master's face immediately changed—how could one person like Xiao Yan possibly stand a chance against this opponent? 'Don't worry,' Xiao Yan reassured. 'I have my plan. You should quickly move away and remain quiet. After I hold him off for a while, I'll head straight to the ancient clan.' " "Xiao Yan whispered softly, then grasped his palm—immediately, a jade vial appeared in his hand. Inside, a pill the size of a dragon's eye floated suspended, its powerful energy crystallized and stabilized within the vial, releasing a distinct, fragrant aroma. "A Ninth-Rank Xuanyan Pill!" Seeing the pill, the elderly physician finally exhaled a little, though his eyes still held concern. Ninth-Rank Xuanyan Pills possessed an exceptionally potent medicinal force, requiring several auxiliary pills to aid in their digestion and assimilation. Even with Xiao Yan's strong capabilities, he couldn't afford to take it lightly. Moreover, after ingestion, Xiao Yan would inevitably have to battle against the spirit plague, leaving little time or energy to fully absorb and integrate the pill's effects—potentially causing significant bodily strain. Despite his concerns, the physician understood the current situation well. With the current circumstances, there was still hope. If they stayed, not only would Xiao Yan be distracted, but there was a real chance that he might be completely overwhelmed by this very person. "Be more careful. If you escape, crush this jade, and I will sense it." After a moment of inner struggle, the herbal elder finally pressed a jade slab into Xiao Yan's hands, then gave a low cry, launching himself forward. Behind him, the Shen Nong elder hesitated slightly before quickly grabbing the young members of the medicinal clan and following suit. "Where are you going?" Seeing the herbal elder and his companions intent on fleeing, the spirit-slain elder furrowed his brow, and with a ghostly great blade seemingly solidified from blood, he swung it down with great force. A blood-colored blade wave, nearly a thousand paces wide, surged across the sky, cutting sharply toward the herbal elder and his companions. "Clang!" The blade wave shot past with lightning speed, yet still, when it was only a hundred paces away from the herbal elder and his companions, a dark figure appeared before them, arms crossed, and managed to absorb the fierce blade force head-on. "Thud!" Though the blade's force struck him, the terrifying power drove the figure straight into the mountain range below, shaking a whole peak to such a degree that it collapsed in a cascade of massive boulders, roaring with thunderous sound. As the soul-slash attack was halted, the elders and Yao Old Man surged forward, their speed suddenly accelerating—just a few flashes, and they had cleared the mountain range, vanishing swiftly into the horizon. "Useless people," the soul-slash remarked, lifting his brow with a sigh, "just let them go. I don't even feel like chasing them. But now, my gaze lingers on the ninth-rank immortal pill in Xiao Yan's hands—there's a glint of greed in my eyes. Xiao Yan, hand me that pill. Let me finish you off with a swift, painful death. Otherwise, I'll extract your soul and burn it for several hundred years. That agony—do you really want to endure it?" "As for the words spoken by Hunshe, Xiao Yan only sneered, clenched his palm, and the jade vial burst open, the pill instantly transforming into a streak of rainbow light. Yet before it could escape, Xiao Yan swiftly reached out and caught it, then pressed it directly into his mouth. 'Boom!' As the pill entered his body, the fabric of his garments on his surface instantly turned to ash. Fine dragon scales emerged from beneath his skin, and vast, indescribable energies surged forth like a tide, continuously flowing from within him. Eventually, these energies solidified on his body's surface, forming a crystalline armor-like exoskeleton." "Such vast energy..." Under this immense energy, even Xiao Yan's body trembled incessantly. Within him, it felt as though he had swallowed several colossal dragons, their movements causing turbulent surges that violently eroded every part of his being. Amidst this furious energy, even Xiao Yan's fully perfected Heaven Realm soul seemed somewhat outmatched. "Roar!" The endless energy surged through his body and finally erupted into a thunderous roar that resonated across the vast expanse of the heavens. The shockwaves sent surrounding mountains collapsing once more, forcing Yao Tian and Yao Ling to step back in succession. "Hmm, interesting. Consuming a Ninth-Rank Xuandan requires considerable auxiliary elements to stabilize it. Your current actions, however, seem to be pushing yourself toward certain doom!" With the energy radiating from Xiao Yan, Hunsai raised an eyebrow, then shook his head with a cold smile. "I've offered you a path—you've chosen not to take it. Then, don't blame me for being ruthless." As soon as the words fell, the Hunshe stepped forward with sudden momentum, his form nearly instantaneously appearing before Xiao Yan. With his blood-red great sword, he slashed through the space in a single, sharp motion, delivering a blow to Xiao Yan's neck at an astonishingly rapid speed. The blood glow within Xiao Yan's pupils rapidly intensified. Grasping his palm tightly, he coalesced vast energy into a massive, heavy staff, choosing not to evade but instead meeting the Hunshe's attack head-on. "Clang!" The collision between sword and staff sent out a powerful, sharp gust of wind. The mountain where they stood was severed from top to bottom, collapsing in a thunderous roar, causing the entire mountain range to tremble. Xiao Yan was violently pushed back hundreds of feet, and a sweet taste surged in his throat. Yet his eyes burned with renewed vigor—though the initial impact had consumed considerable energy, it had also eased the intense, explosive sensation building within him. "Again!" While the medicinal energy within him surged continuously, Xiao Yan didn't flinch in the face of the Hunshe, moving swiftly to appear before the latter first. With his heavy staff, he employed no elaborate techniques, simply delivering powerful, unyielding strikes—one staff blow after another. The vast energy condensed upon the staff, forming thousands of feet of luminous spear points that swept across the landscape, cleaving mountains in two. "Clang! Clang! Clang!" Facing Xiao Yan, whose internal qi had surged due to the consumption of nine-rank phoenix pills, the Hunshe's expression grew somewhat strained. With his blood-blade weaving through the air, casting streaks of residual shadows, he managed to deflect each massive blow of the staff. Yet with every strike, his form sank hundreds of feet lower—this caused his expression to grow increasingly grim. He had not expected, after the battles within the Medicinal Realm, that Xiao Yan would still be so vigorous and full of energy. "I'd like to see how long you can keep this arrogance up. Though the Nine-Rank Yuan-Dan is powerful, you simply lack the time to fully refine it—its energy will eventually ravage and destroy your body. By then, I'll see how you'll manage to challenge me!" Under the relentless, almost frenzied pressure from Xiao Yan, Hunsai was gradually pushed into a defensive posture, yet remained remarkably composed, offering a sharp, cold laugh. Unmoved by Hunsai's scorn, Xiao Yan paid no attention, his heavy staff striking with increasing intensity. His eyes burned with growing fervor, and his strikes grew heavier and more forceful, leaving the entire Shennong Mountain Range in ruins. "A one-zhang slash sent the soul-slaying aura reeling. The fierce excitement that had surged in Xiao Yan's eyes suddenly faded, and he roared aloud, his back wings vibrating. He immediately turned around and surged forward in a swift dash toward a different direction—where a dark figure was swiftly carrying Yao Tian and Yao Ling, having been quietly taken by Northern King while Xiao Yan was still dragging the soul-slaying aura. "Crash!" The soul-slaying aura kicked off a mountain peak with a powerful blow, causing it to crack and then explode. Only then did he steady himself, his face cold and furious, gazing at Xiao Yan who had now fled far away. He roared, "Xiao Yan! No matter where you go, I will catch you—rip your flesh from your bones and draw out your soul!" As soon as his voice fell, the soul-slaying aura surged forward, transforming into a streak of blood, racing after Xiao Yan with relentless speed—clearly determined not to let him escape at all!