Meanwhile, Bai Ling had also completed her magic. Casting a Fire element spell was as effortless for a mage of her caliber as eating—a simple task. A small orb of crimson flame shot from the palm of her hand, landing precisely on the figures of the Yin Puppet Warriors. Immediately, a raging inferno erupted, and within moments, the warriors were completely engulfed, their forms entirely obscured by the blaze.

Seeing this, Mo Han and Bai Ling began to slowly advance toward the grand entrance of the auction hall. However, they hadn't gone far before a dense wave of soldiers from the Fire Cloud Empire streamed toward them, numbering in the hundreds. Many of these soldiers were equipped with specialized 'Qi-Shattering Crossbows' designed to counter warrior Dou Qi. These crossbows had been specially enchanted by mages, and their bolts were also uniquely crafted, though their threat was primarily limited to the nascent Dou Qi of lower-level warriors. For someone of Mo Han’s strength, they posed virtually no danger.

Leading this contingent was none other than the Prince of the Fire Cloud Empire himself, flanked by his personal guards, including that Gold-Robed Mage.

Spotting Mo Han and Bai Ling, the Fire Cloud Prince hurriedly waved his hand toward them. Upon receiving this signal, the Fire Cloud soldiers immediately swarmed, tightly surrounding Mo Han and his companion.

Witnessing this maneuver, Mo Han felt a surge of cold anger, but this was a precarious time for the Heavenly Dragon Empire. He had no desire to invite the Fire Cloud Empire as an additional adversary. Therefore, he suppressed his fury and spoke calmly, "May I ask the meaning behind this display, Your Highness? If you are searching for that lot from the Dark Church, I regret to inform you they have already departed."

Hearing Mo Han’s response, and seeing him cradling Liu Yanran, the Fire Cloud Prince’s rage intensified dramatically.

He spoke coldly, "If the Dark Church members escaped, capturing you will suffice. Chen Mo Han, you dare collude with the Dark Church and plot against my Fire Cloud Empire? Surrender immediately."

Mo Han could only shake his head internally upon hearing this. He thought the Fire Cloud Prince was truly an utterly useless blockhead. Even if he wanted to frame him, he should pick a more plausible excuse. To claim collusion with the Dark Church when his enmity with Blood-Slaughter Jella was well-known, and considering his current status as a Prince of the Heavenly Dragon Empire—why on earth would he align with the Dark Church? Nevertheless, Mo Han patiently replied, "I believe Your Highness has misunderstood. I have absolutely no connection with the Dark Church."

"In fact, we are enemies. How could I possibly be involved with them? Furthermore, my entire purpose in tracking the Dark Church was to rescue my friend, making any affiliation even more impossible."

"I acknowledge that I previously offended Your Highness, but that was entirely due to circumstances surrounding my friend, and it was done out of necessity. Therefore, regarding that incident, Mo Han can only offer an apology. Should circumstances allow in the future, Mo Han will certainly repay Your Highness’s hospitality. I implore Your Highness to be magnanimous in this matter."

When Mo Han brought up the previous affair, the Fire Cloud Prince felt even more humiliated and was about to erupt when the Gold-Robed Mage leaned in close and whispered, "Third Prince, Chen Mo Han is now a Prince of the Heavenly Dragon Empire. Pressing the issue too hard might not be advantageous for us. Moreover, Chen Mo Han's strength is already renowned across the continent. If we are forced into conflict, I doubt we hold the guaranteed victory."

Hearing the old Gold-Robed man, the Third Prince of the Fire Cloud Empire snorted disdainfully. "Teacher Elifer, since when did you become so excessively cautious? The Heavenly Dragon Empire is struggling to protect itself; how could they spare resources to deal with us? And even if Chen Mo Han is powerful, with you, my guards, and these soldiers combined, I refuse to believe he possesses three heads and six arms to overcome us all. So, you need not worry."

Elifer had intended to interject further, but upon seeing the Third Prince’s evident displeasure, he merely shook his head and fell silent, his expression etched with worry. As a Great Archmage, Elifer inherently understood the implication of the Sword Saint title and the terrifying might it represented. He knew that with the forces they currently commanded, restraining Mo Han would be impossible. If they failed, the Fire Cloud Empire would gain Mo Han as a formidable enemy—a result the Prince likely did not desire either. However, the Third Prince’s current stance was so resolute that Elifer felt unable to publicly contradict him and lose face. Caught between necessity and propriety, Elifer felt deeply conflicted.

Mo Han stared coldly at the Fire Cloud Prince, having absorbed every word of their hushed conversation. Given Mo Han’s power, even though Elifer and the Prince had deliberately lowered their voices, their words had not escaped his ears. In fact, Mo Han had already surmised the Gold-Robed Mage’s identity: he was likely the Royal Mage of the Fire Cloud Empire, and their sole Great Archmage. Mo Han had only heard his name before, never meeting him.

The Prince’s latest pronouncements made it clear that he had no intention of letting them leave. With this realization, Mo Han tensed, preparing for conflict. Beside him, Bai Ling’s patience finally snapped. "I do not have time to waste haggling with you. I will count to three. If you do not stand down by then, I will not be polite. Do you wish to repeat the fate of the Dark Church members earlier?"

Hearing Bai Ling’s declaration, the Fire Cloud Prince finally directed his attention toward her. Previously, consumed by his desire for revenge against Mo Han, he hadn't spared Bai Ling a proper glance. Now, catching sight of her features, he was instantly captivated by her beauty.

The Third Prince of the Fire Cloud Empire, momentarily overcome by reckless desire, failed to grasp the implication of Bai Ling’s words. With a smile, he addressed her directly, "I never imagined such a beautiful lady existed in this world. Chen Mo Han, if you are willing to compensate me by handing over the lady before you, I will overlook the matter of you snatching my female slave earlier. What say you?"

Elifer, however, had clearly understood the underlying threat in Bai Ling’s words. It seemed that she was the one who had routed the Dark Church contingent—a display of fearsome power. Hearing his Prince speak as he did, Elifer inwardly cursed, realizing the situation was dire. It was too late to intervene, and he internally denounced the Third Prince as a complete fool.

When Bai Ling heard the Third Prince's outrageous demand, her expression darkened with anger, and she prepared to teach the idiot a lesson. But from behind her, Mo Han’s voice cut through, cold and sharp. "I already told you, this woman is my friend, not a slave as you claim. Given the history of our previous encounter, I will grant you one chance: you must apologize to my friend immediately, or none of you will be leaving this place today."

As Mo Han finished speaking, an intense aura radiated from his body. The surrounding air immediately grew heavy and oppressive under Mo Han’s pressure—it was the Sword Saint Domain, unique to a Sword Saint.

The Third Prince, about to unleash an insult, felt the sheer force emanating from Mo Han and choked the curse back down his throat. Yet, he stubbornly retorted, "Since she was captured and put up for auction at the Qiyun Hall, what else could she be but a slave? Where have I erred?"

The moment the Third Prince finished speaking, the figure holding Liu Yanran—Mo Han—flashed, instantly appearing directly in front of him with terrifying speed. The Third Prince gasped in shock and tried to recoil, but the guards behind him simultaneously raised their weapons, swinging them toward Mo Han in a desperate attempt to protect their master.

Mo Han let out a cold snort: "Seeking death."

The Bright Holy Sword, which had been concealed within Mo Han’s spatial ring, materialized in his left hand. A blinding flash of white light streaked out, and the guards who had attacked Mo Han were instantly blasted backward, struck by his overwhelming Dou Qi. Mo Han’s Bright Holy Sword settled steadily against the throat of the Third Prince.

Witnessing this, everyone present froze in stunned silence. Only now did they grasp the true power of a Sword Saint—a level they could not possibly contend with. The Gold-Robed Mage immediately halted the actions of his remaining guards, terrified that a single misstep might provoke Mo Han into striking, which would mean instant decapitation for the Third Prince.

The Third Prince himself, the focus of the confrontation, was paralyzed with fear, his legs trembling. "Chen Mo Han, what do you think you are doing? Are you trying to instigate a war between the Fire Cloud Empire and the Heavenly Dragon Empire? Your Heavenly Dragon Empire already faces enemies on all sides; are you not afraid?" Despite his terror, the Prince stubbornly tried to use the political standing of the Heavenly Dragon Empire as leverage against Mo Han.