Suddenly, a deep, thunderous sound rose from the vast expanse of the sky, and a rainbow glow flashed across the heavens with a breathtaking intensity, swiftly appearing at the horizon. The sonic boom that followed sent numerous strong cultivators lifting their heads in astonishment. Not long after this rainbow streak passed, an overwhelming surge of malevolent energy surged throughout the skies. A dark streak swept through, carrying with it such intense power that many cultivators grew pale with fear—even some sects and powerhouses dared not pay close attention. A mere gesture from such a being might obliterate an entire mountain gate; to witness such a pursuit was beyond their capacity. "Indeed, this one is tenaciously persistent," the figure murmured, pausing slightly and frowning as he sensed the powerful aura emanating from afar. That figure, of course, was Xiao Yan—the one who had fled after fighting off the Hunshe. Yet what had surprised him was that the man had kept right on following, showing absolutely no sign of giving up. "Mr. Xiao Yan, we still have half a day's journey until we reach the ancient clan, and that person is closing in steadily," said Yao Tian, desperately countering the wind pressure generated by the swift pace, his voice loud. "You two—whom shall I send first? My condition is not good, and with both of you, I fear we'll inevitably be caught by the Hunshe Shad. If one of you departs now, there's still a chance to survive. That one has set his sights on me, so he won't pursue us." Xiao Yan paused slightly before speaking, his voice steady. Even with the energy of a Ninth-Rank Xuandan supporting him, carrying both of them wouldn't make him any faster than the Hunshe Shad. "I'll go with you!" As soon as Xiao Yan finished speaking, Yao Tian and Yao Ling both responded almost simultaneously. They both knew that staying close to Xiao Yan was the most dangerous, and they intended to leave the safer position for the other. "It's quite touching, but we don't have time to argue now." Xiao Yan frowned. Hearing this, both Yao Tian and Yao Ling were momentarily stunned. Then, Yao Ling suddenly launched a powerful palm strike, directly hitting Yao Tian's chest, sending him forcefully out of Xiao Yan's control. Xiao Yan did not intervene; with a simple sweep of his sleeve, he sent Yao Tian soaring into the air. A voice echoed into Yao Tian's ears: "Leave at once." After steadying himself, Yao Tian watched the retreating figures of Xiao Yan and Yao Ling, his eyes blazing with emotion. Without further words, he turned and swiftly moved in a different direction. "You're quite decisive," said Xiao Yan, his arm cradling Yao Ling's slender waist, the soft pink flame shield enveloping both of them, their speed suddenly surging. Held tightly against her slender waist by Xiao Yan, Yao Ling's cheeks were slightly flushed, and her previously cold and distant demeanor had softened considerably. Gazing at the profile beside her—though far less striking in appearance than her brother Yao Tian—her phoenix eyes sparkled with admiration. For years, this reserved and aloof girl had rarely felt genuine admiration for any man, but here, in this instance, she found herself exceptional. Their time together had been brief. During the preparation of the ninth-rank phoenix pills by the Yao clan, Xiao Yan had been earnest and composed. Yet when faced with the Hún clan's relentless assault, he had displayed a sharp, decisive strength, like a blade in action, relentlessly fighting through until they escaped what had once seemed a certain doom. Beauty loves the hero—regardless of how cold and reserved that beauty might have been, this principle still held true. As for the thoughts of the one in his arms, Xiao Yan had not given them a second thought. At present, the vast majority of his mental focus was devoted to containing and refining the turbulent energy surging uncontrollably within him, while he also had to maintain his pace—each of these demands posed a significant challenge for him. "Has he separated from him yet…" Far behind Xiao Yan, the Hunshe Shad cast a gloomy gaze, swiftly scanning the figures of Xiao Yan and Yao Tian before him. With a sharp exhalation, he continued to press forward, relentlessly pursuing Xiao Yan. The scattered members of the Yao clan held little value to them, but Xiao Yan was different—his Tu She Ancient Emperor Jade was an essential possession of the Hunshu clan. "I'm going to see just how long you can hold on! "...The pursuit and evasion across the sky continued for several hours, during which the two nearly traversed half of the Central Region. Though numerous powerful figures were disturbed along the way, none dared to intervene under the overwhelming aura of Hunshe, merely watching helplessly as the two swept past the heavens. As time passed, Xiao Yan's condition gradually worsened. Infinite energy, crystallizing within his meridians, progressively blocked one after another, sealing off the pathways. Despite Xiao Yi's relentless efforts to refine and absorb this energy, fresh energy crystals constantly emerged. As these crystals expanded, even Xiao Yan's exceptionally resilient meridians began to subtly ache—his ninth-rank Xuan Dan energy had grown so potent as to be truly astonishing. 'Mr. Xiao Yan,'..." Yao Ling gazed at Xiao Yan's pale complexion. Though her aura strength was not particularly strong, her soul power was quite robust, and she sensed that Xiao Yan's soul energy, too, was gradually being drained, growing increasingly frail. "If things don't improve soon, I'll have to take you with me," Xiao Yan insisted, struggling to maintain his spirit. Now, his body bore numerous external injuries, and internally, it was in a state of profound disarray—sustaining this far was no easy feat. Yao Ling bit her lower lip gently, then extended her snow-white wrist toward Xiao Yan, speaking softly, "My body has a unique constitution; my blood possesses a nourishing effect on the soul. Xiao Yan, sir—" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned. He watched the refined, graceful features of Yao Ling, who in turn met his gaze with genuine sincerity—there was no hint of pretense. "It's truly an extraordinary constitution... That's why they say this girl might have the chance to reach the Imperial Soul Realm—perhaps all because of this very constitution." Thoughts swirling in Xiao Yan's mind, he didn't waste any time. With a single bite, he plunged his teeth directly into the pulse of the medicinal spirit's wrist, drawing a steady stream of crimson blood into his mouth. As the blood—slightly sweet in taste—entered his mouth, Xiao Yan shivered violently. The blood instantly transformed into a peculiar energy, spreading rapidly throughout his body and surging upward to his brow. There, a faint glow of blood enveloped his already waning soul, restoring it to a state of vitality even more abundant than at its peak. "The strange blood...” A warm flush swiftly spread across his face, and the brightness in his eyes intensified. He could feel his soul drawing upon that blood with a near-greedy hunger—a sensation he had never experienced before. "Should I drain every drop from her body, perhaps my soul strength might advance even further..." A sudden thought flashed through Xiao Yan’s mind, only to be swiftly suppressed. Gazing at the medicinal spirit, her lips slightly parted and her cheeks pale, Xiao Yan gently drew himself up, as if struck by his own animal-like impulse. He slowly released his hold, wiped the blood from his lips, and with a touch of apology, said softly, "Thank you." "Yao Ling gently shook her head, her beautiful eyes turning toward the back, her dark brows furrowed as she said, 'That guy's speed has increased...' Hearing this, Xiao Yan's expression also tightened. Indeed, from the distant rear, the wind sound was growing deeper and more steady—clearly, the Hunsu was growing impatient, having employed some method to boost his pace. 'Hold on tight—we're nearing the ancient clan now. Once we reach it, we'll be safe...' Xiao Yan took a deep breath, his gaze sharpening. With a flutter of his vibrant, jade-and-crimson bone wings, his form surged like a flash of lightning, swiftly heading toward the horizon. 'Young man, if you want to seek the ancient clan's protection, I'm not giving you the chance!' "Behind him, Hunshe's face was unusually stern. He hadn't expected that after a moment of slowing down, Xiao Yan's speed had once again surged. At that moment, Hunshe altered his hand seal, and black qi surged forth like a tidal wave, eventually forming a pair of colossal black bat wings stretching hundreds of zhang behind him. Then, he bit down on his tongue, spitting out a stream of pure blood that adhered to the wings. As the wings vibrated, a sharp *shush* echoed, and Xiao Yan vanished completely. The space rippled, and a spectral aura of grim intensity burst forth, glaring fiercely at Xiao Yan. With a swift motion of his blood blade, a vast beam of blood light—thousands of li in span—cut through the space, crashing down upon Xiao Yan and his companion with the force of splitting the earth. The beam rapidly expanded within the spectral's eyes, and Xiao Yan's face grew increasingly stern. As his shoulders trembled, Xiao Yi materialized beside him, the golden thunder dragon on her arm beginning to pulse and stir. Yet, just as Xiao Yan prepared to unleash his final counterattack with the Nine-Heaven Golden Thunder power, a elderly figure suddenly materialized in the void before them, his voice booming suddenly.