"Miss, Mr. Xiao Yan, it's time." With a gentle smile, Ling Ying's weathered face gazed warmly at the closed door of the room, softly calling out. "Creak." The door opened smoothly, and Xiao Yan stepped out slowly from within. As each step of his movement echoed through the air, the energy surrounding the world subtly stirred. In the gaze of his dark, piercing eyes, the atmosphere seemed to be ruled by a divine spirit—so powerful was the presence that even Ling Ying could not help but bow deeply in reverence. Yet the warmth and satisfaction on his lips grew ever more profound. Remembering the days when the young man had been so unrefined, now, in just a few decades, he had reached the pinnacle of excellence—so much so that even Ling Ying himself could only look up in admiration. "Miss Xiao's judgment is truly excellent..." Ling Ying smiled kindly, lifting his gaze to the graceful, elegant young woman standing quietly beside Xiao Yan. It seemed as though, only in the presence of Xiao Yan, this radiant jewel of the ancient clan could gently conceal her brilliance, like a well-behaved, modest young lady. Just as decades ago, the young green-robed maiden had smiled gently, always following the young man closely. "Let's go, Master Ling. We'll be leaving now." Xuang lifted his head toward the front mountain range. He could feel a powerful surge of energy rapidly gathering there, and waves of spatial disturbances were also rippling from the other two directions—clearly, the strong members of the Yan and Lei clans had also come into action. With those words, Xuang no longer hesitated. He grasped Yun'er's hand and flashed into the sky. "Young Master Xiao! Wishing you a triumphant return!" Seeing the figures of Xuang and Yun'er recede, Ling Ying smiled and murmured to himself. ... When Xuang and Yun'er appeared at the horizon of the front mountain, the sky was already filled with figures. Numerous ancient clan elders had ascended into the air, forming a neat formation. The vast flow of energy between them seemed to merge into one unified presence—so imposing was this display that even Xiao Yan, whose soul had reached the realm of the Emperor, could not help but look on in awe. "Hehe, have you arrived yet?" As the two appeared, Gu Yuan also stepped beside them, his gaze sweeping over them with a warm smile—there was something subtly touching in his eyes. After a moment, he suddenly chuckled, "It seems you've deliberately set out to have me become your grandfather as soon as possible." Gu Yuan's sudden remark not only startled Xiao Yan but also caused Xun'er's cheeks to blush vividly, turning as red as ripe apples—most endearing. "Uh..." Xiao Yan cleared his throat. He hadn't expected the usually imposing Gu Yuan to speak in such a playful tone. With a helpless shake of his head, he glanced at Gu Yuan and said, "Has the Gu clan decided to send out all its forces?" "We don't need to send out every single member, but our true strength must be fully displayed. Our opponents are the mysterious and unpredictable Hún clan—any oversight could prove costly." Gu Yuan sighed, saying this. Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the numerous strong figures, once again marveling at the power of the Ancient Clan. Among them, Gu Yuan was the strongest, followed by King Gu Li, the black-abyssal monarch whom Xiao Yan had met only a few times. Based on his assessment, Gu Li's strength likely reached the early stage of the eighth-star Dou Sheng. Though slightly behind the clan elders of the Yan and Lei families, he was still a remarkably powerful presence. Below Gu Li stood the three Ancient Clan Immortals, each of whom held the strength of a seventh-star Dou Sheng, comparable to the four Hún Clan Magi Saints. Following these three were numerous Ancient Clan elders—most of whom Xiao Yan had never seen before, clearly individuals who frequently retreated to meditate and train. With a cursory glance, Xiao Yan identified no fewer than five Dou Sheng warriors of fourth- or fifth-star rank. With such a lineup, if placed in the Central Plains, they would surely dominate every battle—making the Ancient Clan the de facto leading clan after the Xiao Clan, no longer just a rumor. Their strength truly earns this status. Of course, this assessment excludes the consistently enigmatic Hún Clan. Even the Ancient Yuan and others cannot guarantee a complete understanding of the Ancient Clan's true capabilities. As Xiao Yan's gaze swept over the Ancient Clan's elite, the numerous elders exchanged respectful glances with him, nodding and smiling warmly. Though Xiao Yan's actual strength was merely a Six-Star Battle Saint, the presence of an Imperial-Soul resonance created a profound sense of pressure upon them. Under the steady gaze of his dark eyes, it seemed as though their very souls were being pierced and revealed. Naturally, they could not afford to show any slight condescension due to his age. "Whoosh!" As Xiao Yan收回了他的目光, a sudden, intense gust of wind erupted from the distant sky, followed by a series of black silhouettes flashing across the heavens, ultimately aligning in a straight line above the sky. The profound energies of these figures spread out instantly, causing the very heavens and earth to tremble. "Hehe, Elder Gu Yuan, young Master Xiao Yan, this time, our Yan clan has truly fielded our finest troops!" Innate flames, Yan Jin smiled, bowing respectfully to Gu Yuan and Xiao Yan. Behind him, dozens of figures stood firm—each radiating a long-standing, powerful aura, clearly true masters of strength. Xiao Yan's gaze merely swept casually, then settled on the figure behind Yan Jin. There, a graceful, elegant woman in a crimson robe stood, her face radiating charm and maturity—her poised demeanor exuding a mature, alluring presence. Yet Xiao Yan instantly recognized her as the strongest among the Yan clan's members besides Yan Jin, her power having reached the level of Seven-Star Battle Saint, comparable to the Three Ancient Saints. As Xiao Yan's gaze lingered upon her, the woman seemed to sense it too, lifting her eyes with a charming smile spreading across her face. A subtle ripple of energy emanated from her gaze, one that subtly stirred the observer's spirit, almost causing a sense of dizziness. "A technique to captivate the soul?" Xiao Yan was utterly astonished by this fluctuation. It was said to be an ancient technique of the soul, capable of subtly controlling a person without anyone noticing—indeed, quite eerie. However, this technique generally only worked when the soul's strength was weaker than one's own. This beautiful woman's soul realm, however, merely reached the pinnacle of the Heavenly Stage, and thus, when she attempted to perform what she called the "soul-attracting technique" before Xiao Yan, it seemed rather comical. With this thought, Xiao Yan couldn't help but chuckle, shaking his head gently while calmly gazing at the woman. A silent pressure began to radiate from his brow, gently meeting and interacting with the fluctuations emanating from her eyes. "Ahhh!" "Merely a slight touch, and the beautiful woman's unusual resonance crumbled almost instantly. Her body trembled suddenly, her eyes wide with astonishment, fixed upon Xiao Yan. Under that overwhelming pressure, even her soul began to tremble. 'Imperial-level soul?' This woman, well-versed in matters of the realm, instantly grasped the meaning upon that fleeting moment of shock, her expression now one of sheer disbelief, as she adjusted her own poised demeanor. 'Heh, Xiao Yan, this is Elder Ho-ling of our Yan Clan...' Inwardly, Yan Jin also sensed that pressure, and smiled warmly before turning to the woman and saying, 'I've told you before not to display your soul abilities before Xiao Yan—only to make yourself look foolish. You simply wouldn't believe me!' 'Hmph. She's the Fire-Soul Princess, not the Fire-Soul Elder.' "The beautiful woman pursed her lips slightly, then gazed at Xiao Yan with a soft, luminous expression, smiling lightly, 'I never expected someone of your age to have already reached the legendary Imperial Soul Realm—indeed, one cannot judge a person by their appearance. The Xiao clan once produced Xiao Xuan; now, here comes Xiao Yan as well. Truly, the heavens have favored the Xiao clan.' At the back, the elders of the Yan clan were also astonished, staring at Xiao Yan in awe. The Imperial Soul Realm? Even their own clan leader, Yan Jin, had never reached such a level. 'Thank you, Fire Spirit Lady, that's all just good fortune,' Xiao Yan replied, his smile making the Fire Spirit's expression on her face even more radiant—clearly, she cherished being called 'Lady'. 'I believe everyone understands the purpose of today's journey. I need not elaborate further—everyone knows the strength of the Huan clan. Should any of you engage in battle, do not harbor any sense of complacency or侥幸!' "As Gu Yuan spoke, the representatives from the three clans fell silent, all nodding in agreement. Gu Yuan's reputation among the ancient races was well-established, and his peak strength as a Nine-Star Battle Saint truly commanded deep respect. 'Since everyone understands, then let us proceed,' Gu Yuan said. Seeing this, his gaze turned to Xiao Yan, who responded with a slight nod. With a wave of his hand, Xiao Yan summoned a surge of vast energies that instantly rippled through the space around them. 'Move!' As soon as the words were spoken, Gu Yuan swept his sleeve, tearing open a massive channel in the space before him and stepping forward first. Behind him, Xiao Yan and Xun'er, their expressions serious, quickly followed. The warriors from the three clans then entered one after another. Only when the last one had passed through did the channel gradually fade away. ... As the forces of the Ancient Realm surged forth, countless streaks of light suddenly burst from the headquarters of the Heavenly Realm Alliance, sweeping across the Central Plains and ultimately covering the northwest region. With such an unprecedented mobilization of its strongest warriors, the entire Central Plains erupted into excitement—everyone knew that only the enigmatic Hún Clan, a force of immense mystery, could warrant the Alliance's full commitment. The shadow of war now loomed over the Central Plains.