Hearing Gu Yuan's words, Xiao Yan exhaled deeply, his tightly held breath finally released. He had personally witnessed the formidable strength of the Hún clan—such power, on the Continent of Qi, could likely only be matched by the Gu clan. Should the Gu clan remain passive, the Celestial Heavens Alliance might itself face a crisis of survival. Upon seeing Gu Yuan make his decision, the numerous Gu clan elders in the hall exchanged complex expressions. They now understood that from this day forward, the Gu clan's long-standing tranquility would be forever shattered. After a millennium, the two most powerful super-forces on the Qi Continent—finally—would face off again, and this time, it would truly be a battle for survival. Victory means survival; defeat means extinction. … The decision of Gu Yuan quickly spread throughout the high echelons of the Ancient Clan, and for a time, the entire Ancient Realm became tense. Many powerful figures were dispatched to the Central Plains to closely monitor the movements of the Hún Clan. Meanwhile, when the Ancient Clan began to enter a state of alert, Xiao Yan did not immediately leave the Ancient Realm. Within his body, a significant amount of energy from the Ninth-Rank Xuandan still lingered. While this energy was beneficial, it posed a risk if left unmanaged—its turbulent nature could once again harm his body. Thus, he needed to swiftly refine and absorb it. Within the bamboo pavilion, Xun stood gracefully, her simple attire unable to conceal the alluring grace of her figure. Her refined features bore a gentle smile—one that, even for the most heroic of figures, could melt into a tender, soft warmth. Numerous jade boxes floated around her, each radiating an impressive energy, clearly no ordinary items. Xiang Yan merely glanced at them, his gaze immediately drawn to the most beautiful of the figures. He stepped forward, gently encircling her slender waist with his arms, and with a smile remarked, "I still need a little beauty to complete the scene." At Xiang Yan's teasing tone, Xun blushed slightly, giving him a pointed look—her delicate charm radiating a thousand tender nuances. This made Xiang Yan's eyes grow warmer. In the younger generation of the ancient clan, she had always been regarded as a goddess; now, as she revealed such graceful, alluring moments, her charm was truly irresistible. Gently nestled in Xiao Yan's arms, Xun'er, with her slightly cool hands, gently lifted the folds of his robe, revealing several deep red streaks on his chest—strokes as wide as two fingers. These marks were left by Huan Yan, one of the Four Holy Saints of the Soul Clan. Though the wounds had now softened into mere faint traces, their severity at the time was still evident. As Xun'er's fingers traced over them, tender strands of pity shimmered in her crystal-clear eyes. She lightly bit her silver teeth and murmured, "The Soul Clan people—what a nuisance." "Xun, help me with my protection. I need some time to refine the Xuandan's medicinal energy within my body. During this period, please try not to disturb me." As he turned to the matter at hand, Xiao Yan's expression grew serious. With a low command, Xiao Yi swiftly appeared on his shoulder, opened her mouth, and a fire cauldron shot out, swiftly drawing in the suspended herbs. Seeing Xiao Yan begin his refining process, the gentle blush on Xun's cheeks gradually faded. She nodded lightly, then moved quietly out of the room, closing the door gently behind her, and then lightly touched her lips, her eyes glistening with tenderness. "Hehe, Miss..." As Xun was slightly taken aback, an elderly, warm laugh suddenly rang out from behind. She quickly turned around to see Ling Ying standing a few paces away. Her face flushed slightly, and then she smiled warmly, "Master Ling." Ling Ying smiled gently and walked over to Xun'er, her gaze fixed on the room, then murmured to herself, "Miss Xun'er's vision truly surpasses mine—this old man with my fading eyesight. Though I always thought Master Xiao Yan would achieve something remarkable, I never imagined he'd reach such heights today..." Xun'er smiled warmly, her eyes sparkling with pride. While she remained composed and calm when others praised her, a genuine sense of joy stirred within her whenever they spoke of Xiao Yan. "Ah, now that I think about it, it feels almost dreamlike. Decades ago, Master Xiao Yan was striving desperately just to defeat Lan Yan—yet now, his accomplishments are truly recognized even by the ancient elders of Gu Yuan Clan." "Lin Ying smiled with a touch of nostalgia, recalling that back then, he had secretly pushed Xiao Yan hard, as the two of them truly lived in entirely different worlds. At that time, Xiao Yan simply couldn't have smoothly settled down with Xun'er. However, through decades of persistent effort, the once-ordinary Xiao family heir had eventually risen to the pinnacle of the continent. Although relying on the pure lotus immortal flame allowed for gradual refinement of the medicinal power, this approach would significantly slow down the process, and most importantly, it would fail to fully unleash the medicinal power to its absolute peak—something that represented a considerable loss for Xiao Yan. A ninth-rank immortal pill was not one he could simply produce through his own skill; had it not been for absorbing the energy of four juvenile pills, which triggered certain anomalies, he would never have succeeded in crafting one. Therefore, since he had already consumed it, he must now fully harness and maximize its effects. At his current level, producing such pills required no more than half a day. By the time the sun set in the sky, three pills of distinct hues floated before him, each about the size of a thumb, radiating vibrant vitality. Xiao Yan opened his eyes and, with a single stretch of his mouth, swallowed the three pills directly. Then, with a swift motion, he launched himself into the fiery cauldron hovering above. Xiao Yi waved her hands, sending out cascades of pink fire dragons that completely enveloped Xiao Yan's body. …Xiao Yan's process of refining lasted only a blink of an eye—ten days in total. During these ten days, the energy of the ninth-rank xuan dan within his body was gradually and completely refined, eventually transforming into surging battle qi that seamlessly integrated into his very being. On the eleventh day, Xiao Yan in the fire cauldron slowly opened his eyes. Instantly, fire dragons swirled rapidly around him, then coiled into streams of flame that were drawn into his mouth and nose. The fire cauldron itself gradually dissolved and dispersed. With a gentle step, Xiao Yan settled his feet upon the ground, closed his eyes, and sensed the inner changes. A satisfied smile spread across his face. The outcome of this refinement was exactly as he had anticipated—his strength had not only stabilized at the level of six-star battle sage but had now advanced into the mid-phase of six-star battle sage. The ninth-rank xuan dan had boosted his rank by nearly one star. This result was truly remarkable—indeed, the ninth-rank xuan dan was no ordinary marvel. "However, regretfully, at this level, the body has become quite sensitive to the power of the pills. Even if he continues to take ninth-rank xuan pills in the future, he might not achieve such an effect—unless he takes even higher-grade ninth-rank jin pills..." With a firm grasp, Xiao Yan then felt a sense of disappointment. If ninth-rank xuan pills could still produce such results, he would certainly strive to produce several batches. After all, for a normal cultivation process, this star-level enhancement would normally take several years; yet a single ninth-rank xuan pill could reduce that time by tenfold, or even several times over. "Creak..." As Xiao Yan finished his practice, the room door was gently opened, and Xun stepped in with a cheerful smile, her graceful figure especially enchanting under the sunlight. "Congratulations, Brother Xiao Yan, on your further refinement of strength..." Seeing Xun'er's cheerful smile, Xiao Yan smiled in return, gently running his hand along his arm. With his current strength, he could now draw upon the power of the Jiuxuan Jinlei, though that power still had its limits—so unless it was a critical moment, he couldn't easily summon it. "Brother Xiao Yan, representatives from the Yan and Lei clans have already arrived at the Ancient Clan. Father has asked that you also make the journey there." "Ah? Finally arrived then?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, then nodded. Now, his status was no longer merely that of an individual—he was also backed by the Tianfu Alliance, a powerful force in the Zhongzhou region. Even the ancient clans, such as the Ancient Clan, would not easily overlook him.