With the main forces of the Allied Army withdrawing to the Tianfu Alliance, the Zhongzhou region as a whole was profoundly shaken. The combined strength of the three ancient races, bolstered by the Tianfu Alliance—now a dominant power in Zhongzhou—was so formidable that it could hardly be described in any words. Under such an unstoppable force, any existing power would inevitably crumble and vanish. This widespread anxiety, however, did not last long, as news of the decisive battle between the Allied Army and the Houn Clan quickly spread. The battle in the Zangtian Mountain Range had been so spectacular and dramatic that it was impossible to overlook. Immediately following the conclusion of the battle, the news of the Allied Army's withdrawal reached every corner of Zhongzhou. Upon learning that the allied forces' objective was the Hún clan, several powers with slight tensions toward the Tianfu Alliance quietly exhaled in relief. Yet, immediately thereafter, their keen senses detected that a storm of unparalleled intensity—perhaps the most formidable in a millennium—was swiftly gathering over Zhongzhou. This storm would be far more violent than any previous great conflict in the region. Thus, as the allied forces settled into the Tianfu Alliance region, the powers that had previously been closer to them hurriedly evacuated, fearing that in the event of war, they might be mistakenly attacked and suffer a disastrous fate. As for the ripple effects this caused across Zhongzhou, Xiao Yan and his companions paid little attention. While the Huan clan had indeed committed offenses in Zhongzhou, it was clearly unlikely that they would immediately launch a full-scale war against them solely over this matter. Therefore, most of the factions remained neutral, and Xiao Yan and his allies made no concerted effort to draw them into their cause. Returning to the Stellar Realm, Xiao Yan finally exhaled in relief. Such a fierce battle had even left him slightly fatigued, even after he had relaxed. While the elders like Yao Lao were busy settling the allied forces, Xiao Yan had already taken his two daughters, Xiao Zhan and Xun'er, back to his personal mountain peak. "Oh, my dear granddaughter..." As Xiao Xiang appeared, Xiao Zhan's gaze instantly settled on her. His weathered face, flushed with excitement and emotion, seemed to glow with warmth. Upon hearing Xiao Xiang's gentle words, the lines on his face softened, his eyes crinkling with joy, and he happily nodded and responded. Seeing how animated Xiao Zhan looked—more so than when he had first met him—Xiao Yan couldn't help but smile. It seemed the elder particularly cherished children, for in their view, they represented the continuation of bloodline and the very essence of the family. "Come here, Grandpa, let me hold you," Xiao Zhan said warmly, reaching out and firmly lifting Xiao Xiang from Xiao Yan's arms. His beard constantly brushed against her small face, causing her to wrinkle her nose in discomfort: "The beard—it's hurting!" “Haha…!” Seeing this, Xiao Zhan couldn’t help but burst into laughter, laughing so hard that tears streamed down his face. Over the past several decades, since he had been captured by the Hún clan, he had nearly given up hope. After witnessing the Hún clan’s power, he had hardly imagined that he could ever escape their grasp—sometimes, he even wished that Xiao Yan wouldn’t come to save him, for that would have been far more dangerous. Yet, when the reality unfolded, Xiao Zhan realized that even though he had always trusted his son, he had still underestimated his son’s capabilities. This simple familial joy—this sense of kinship—was, for him, the most beautiful thing in the world. Seeing his father’s joyful expression, Xiao Yan clenched his fists tightly, while Cai Lin and Xun’er also found themselves a little touched, their eyes glistening. "Father, come in and rest for a while—right now is a good time, and I'll take care of your health..." Xiao Yan smiled gently, then looked at Cai Lin and said, "Send someone back to the Jima Empire to bring Brother One and Brother Two over, and tell them that Father is waiting for them." Cai Lin nodded lightly and then turned to leave. Gazing at the fading figure of Cai Lin, Xiao Yan exhaled softly and murmured to himself, "Brothers, I believe I've finally fulfilled my promises to you..." Meanwhile, the high-ranking officers of the allied forces lacked such time. As soon as the main army arrived in the Stellar Realm, Gu Yuan had sought out a secluded retreat to meditate and closely monitor the Huan Clan. Everyone knew he intended to personally oversee the Huan Clan, and with his vigilant watch, any stirrings within the Huan Realm would inevitably come to his attention. Yet, during this period, no such disturbances had emerged—seeming as though the Huan Clan had gone completely silent since receiving the ancient jade. Under this state of stalemate, days passed swiftly. After the allied forces had completed their initial rest and recovery, they finally launched their campaign, and this time, their primary target was the Huan Palace itself. A vast number of powerful warriors were meticulously organized into numerous squads and launched from the Stellar Realm, conducting an almost carpet-like search centered on the Heavenly Palace Alliance, seeking out hidden branches of the Spirit Palace. Faced with such thorough and systematic pursuit, the Spirit Palace's branch palaces gradually came to light. However, when the allied forces entered these branches, they found them largely empty—only a few retained a small number of Spirit Palace warriors for defense. Yet, these defenses proved largely ineffective against the advancing allied armies. Under the relentless, barbaric search of the allied forces, within just three days, all the soul palaces' branch pavilions across Zhongzhou were reduced to ruins—甚至连最为重要的天殿与地殿，也在联军的顶尖战力之下彻底湮灭. Thus, the once-dominant soul palace dynasty was swiftly erased from Zhongzhou, without much resistance. To outsiders, the ease with which the soul palace was dismantled only evoked astonishment—how could the previous dominant power of Zhongzhou have proven so fragile under the iron tread of the allied armies? Yet, while outsiders were in awe, Xiao Yan and the others found themselves frowning. Clearly, the soul lineage had anticipated this development and had already evacuated the entire network of branch palaces clean. Most importantly, the soul essence reserves stored within those branches had also been systematically removed long before. The Huo clan's approach was indeed straightforward and decisive. They knew that facing the allied forces, it would be impossible to preserve the Huo Temple. Therefore, they chose to yield it gracefully. To them, the purpose of the Huo Temple had already been fulfilled—whether it remained intact or not made little difference. Once their greater objectives were accomplished, they could swiftly establish several new Huo Temples. At that point, the entire continent would come firmly under their control. With the destruction of the Huan Palace, the allied forces were only able to reclaim their positions and established numerous spies beyond the Huan Realm, remaining vigilant against any potential developments... During this period, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li, through the pre-established spatial channels, directly arrived in the Stellar Realm from the northwest continent. Their reunion was deeply touching—so moving in fact that it stirred tears and a sense of poignant emotion. Who could have imagined that a once ordinary, yet fortunate family, would be shattered simply due to the emergence of the Huan Clan? After the arrival of the two elder brothers, Xiao Yan enjoyed a period of long-overdue familial harmony and togetherness. In the meantime, he inquired about the status of the Yan Alliance—the alliance founded back then, now the undisputed leading force in the northwest continent. Yet, Xiao Yan had no intention of relying heavily on the Yan Alliance’s strength. Though the Yan Alliance has risen to prominence in the northwest, for the Zhongzhou region, it remains merely a first-tier force. Even within the allied coalition, its strategic impact is limited. After savoring this period of reunion, Xiao Yan gradually recentered his focus. The matter of gathering the Tu She Ancient Emperor’s However, at this level, achieving a significant enhancement in a short period of time clearly proved extremely difficult. After prolonged contemplation, Xiao Yan finally set his sights on the Jiuxuan Jinlei sealed within Xiao Yi's body—the power that had once left him utterly helpless. Now, as one who had entered the Imperial Realm, he possessed the strength and capability to refine and master this very force.