Xia Ruixing sharply reprimanded, his face displeased, and he frowned, speaking in a deep voice, "Once you activate your Samsara Martial Soul, you will instantly enter the Heaven Rank. Forget Gu Yu and Feng Hai; even your uncle, I, would not be your match. How can this be allowed?"

Gu Yu and Feng Hai looked rather awkward, forcing a smile but remaining silent.

Both Gu Yu and Feng Hai knew the profound mystery of the Xia Family's Samsara Martial Soul. Once activated, Xia Xinyan's power wouldn't just multiply; it would leap across ranks!

Although Gu Yu and Feng Hai were confident in their own strength, facing such a bizarre Samsara Martial Soul, they knew they stood no chance of fighting, so neither dared to play the hero and accept the challenge.

Zhou Yu stood far off to the side, watching the warriors from the Gu Family and the Tianchi Holy Land with cold eyes. He looked at Gu Yu and Feng Hai in the crowd, his brow furrowing slightly.

Xia Shenchuan did not show himself; he had merely instructed Zhou Yu to keep an eye on the situation here. Unless something major occurred, he would not appear, lest he invite the incessant clamor of the Gu Family and the Tianchi Holy Land members.

“Hmph!” Yue Feng, who had come representing the Tianchi Holy Land, a cultivator at the Nirvana Stage, couldn't help but step forward at this moment. He looked at Xia Xinyan with cold displeasure and said lightly, "If you don't use the Samsara Martial Soul, your proposal might be worth trying. But if you activate it, there's nothing more to discuss on that front."

"The spiritual energy on Cloud Wind Island is thin; I have no desire to stay here long," Gu Zhengyang of the Gu Family declared with evident impatience. "My Gu Yu’s credentials are among the best in the Yuanluo Sea Domain. Deigning to enter into a marriage alliance with your Xia Family is already showing you great respect. Don’t mistake generosity for weakness!"

Zhou Yu’s expression suddenly darkened.

Many members of the Xia Family also subtly changed their expressions, followed by a surge of bitter resentment. The way they looked at Gu Zhengyang was filled with anger.

If the Yang Family were still here, if they were still in the Galuo Sea Domain, and if their Ancestor hadn't fallen into a state of madness, would the Gu Family dare to insult the Xia Family like this? They would surely be made to regret it!

The Xia family members clenched their jaws in silence, suddenly recalling the glory days in the Galuo Sea Domain, remembering the proud history of fighting across the great seas alongside the Yang Family.

Alas, times had changed, and the splendor of the past was drifting further away from them…

The Yang Family had long since declined, and Yang Qingdi had been unheard of for ages. No one knew where the Yang family members had gone. The Galuo Sea Domain had been invaded by the Demon Race and was no longer the sea they were familiar with.

As for their Ancestor, the time he spent lucid was far less than the time he spent in his frenzied state, making him incapable of bearing heavy responsibilities.

“Sigh…” Zhou Yu shook his head lightly in the crowd, letting out a soft sigh, bitterness creeping onto his face. He looked at Xia Xinyan with eyes full of pity, about to say something, when Zhou Yu's expression suddenly shifted, as if he had noticed something. His eyes instantly brightened, locking onto Xia Xinyan without blinking.

Subtly releasing his spiritual sense, Zhou Yu slowly observed for a while. The light in his eyes grew brighter, and his body trembled slightly.

Peak Earthly Status Realm! She had actually reached the Peak Earthly Status Realm!

In less than two years, her cultivation had advanced another stage. Such aptitude had never been seen before in the Xia Family.

Looking at that detached, serene, and captivating figure in the crowd, Zhou Yu nodded secretly to himself. With such potential, it was no wonder she looked down on figures like Gu Yu and Feng Hai. In the Endless Sea, perhaps only those few individuals at the very top of the Battle Ranking could catch the Young Miss’s eye.

But that young man whom the Young Miss never forgot—did he truly deserve her?

"Who said I intended to use the Samsara Martial Soul?" Xia Xinyan’s tone was cold, her brow furrowing slightly. "I will fight the two of you fairly without using any Samsara Martial Soul. If the two of you can defeat me together, I will seriously consider your proposal. How about that?"

"What?"

"One person against both of them?"

"No way?"

The Xia family members burst out in clamor, looking at her with extreme surprise, wondering why she would propose such a thing.

Xia Ruixing froze, then suddenly grinned widely, clapping his hands. "Excellent, excellent! I agree with this proposal. Brother Yue, Brother Gu, what do you think?"

Yue Feng and Gu Zhengyang exchanged a glance, both letting out cold smiles before slowly nodding.

"Yu'er, do not disappoint the family," Gu Zhenghai sharply ordered. "You test her first. As for teaming up, that’s a joke. Hmph, why would our Gu Family need to join forces with anyone? I believe in you!"

Gu Yu smiled gently, stepping gracefully before Xia Xinyan, his eyes full of hope, and asked softly, "Miss Xia, where do you think would be a suitable place for a fight?"

"Let’s use that barren hill nearby," Xia Xinyan said, pointing with a crystal-clear finger toward a short, barren hill beside them. She then swept a look of indifference over Gu Yu and glanced at the handsome Feng Hai over there. "You two better go together, or you will lose terribly. Don't say I didn't warn you."

With that, her graceful figure moved lightly, flitting over a hundred meters in an instant.

"Brother Feng, I'll go ahead," Gu Yu smiled, cupping his hands towards Feng Hai, before transforming into streaks of afterimages, flying toward Xia Xinyan's direction.

Zhou Yu, Xia Ruixing, Feng Hai, Gu Zhengyang, and the others watched with glittering eyes, all looking toward the low, barren hill.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Suddenly, tremors like earthquakes echoed from the barren hill. The rocks within the hill shattered one by one, turning into dust that filled the sky.

The stone dust enveloped the entire hill. Zhou Yu and the others, a thousand meters away, could only sense the extremely violent clash of power emanating from there but could not see the actual scene within.

A series of deafening explosions continuously roared above the barren hill.

One minute later, the noise subsided.

"Whoosh!"

Gu Yu was thrown out from the swirling stone dust, his clothes tattered, his face covered in grime. The silver-gray, scale-like armor on his body was split open in many places, and faintly visible through the cracks were wounds that looked deep enough to reach the bone.

"Thud!"

Gu Yu slumped weakly into a patch of wild grass at the foot of the barren hill, looking utterly pathetic, his face pale, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"Yu'er!" Gu Zhengyang roared in fury, shouting menacingly, "You promised not to use the Samsara Martial Soul! You little girl, you truly deserve death! Since you are so ungrateful, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Gu Zhengyang shouted and prepared to rush up the barren hill to cause trouble for Xia Xinyan.

Zhou Yu snorted coldly, his figure flashing like lightning, suddenly appearing in front of Gu Zhengyang. He frowned, "Having been in the Xia Family for so many years, I am intimately familiar with the signs of activating the Samsara Martial Soul. I have watched this entire time and did not detect my Young Miss using it."

"If she didn't use the Samsara Martial Soul, how could my Yu’er be so weak?" Gu Zhengyang clearly didn't believe it and laughed coldly. "She must have used some other method to deceive you and secretly activated it. I don't believe you!"

"Father..." Just then, Gu Yu called out weakly, dejectedly, "She... she truly did not use the Samsara Martial Soul."

"Ah?" Gu Zhengyang froze.

"Feng Hai..." The dust filling the sky slowly dissipated, and Xia Xinyan's captivating figure reappeared. She stood atop the barren hill, looking at Feng Hai from a distance, her expression indifferent. "It's your turn."

Feng Hai’s expression changed slightly, then he let out a light chuckle and flew toward the barren hill as well.

"Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!"

Another earth-shaking roar erupted. Within the swirling stone dust, Feng Hai's slender figure shot out, falling back even faster than Gu Yu.

Feng Hai landed steadily beside Gu Yu, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and shook his head with a bitter smile, his eyes dim.

"Miss Xia is formidable. I think even someone ranked in the top five on the Battle Ranking wouldn't be your match. Based on the power you displayed today, Miss Xia, you could likely break into the top three on the Battle Ranking. I, Feng Hai, know I am no match for you, and I abandon all thoughts of disturbing you further today."

With that, Feng Hai ignored Yue Feng’s question and turned away in dejection.

Gu Zhengyang’s face shifted between shadow and light. He stared fiercely at the figure standing elegantly and calmly on the barren hill before finally nodding hard. He grabbed Gu Yu and commanded, "Let's go!"

"Her true cultivation is already at the Peak Earthly Status Realm. Based on the power she displayed, she is worthy of a spot in the top three on the Battle Ranking."

Feng Hai suddenly stopped, turning back to Yue Feng with a bitter tone. "The seven drops of Profound Water I refined were broken the moment she struck. I was quick-witted enough to retreat immediately, otherwise, I might have ended up seriously injured like Gu Yu. I truly didn't expect her to be this strong without using the Samsara Martial Soul. We all underestimated the potential of the Xia family members."

Yue Feng’s expression moved. "She is at the Peak Earthly Status Realm..." Gu Yu's face was ashen, his eyes showing a measure of awe. "I am no match for her."

"The Xia Family has refused a toast only to drink a forfeit. Yu'er, don't dwell on it. No matter how heaven-defying this girl is, the Xia Family lacks a single stable Divine Realm expert; they are destined to decline in the Endless Sea. Especially since the Xia Family once allied with the Yang Family to constantly suppress our Gu Family. Now that the Yang Family is gone, we naturally won't let them off easily."

Gu Zhengyang's face was grim, cold light shining brightly in his eyes. "The good days for the Xia Family won't last much longer."

Snow Dragon Island, amidst ice and snow.

At some unknown point, Shi Yan was only wearing a pair of azure shorts, his imposing body mostly bare, standing firm amidst the swirling snow.

Suddenly, Shi Yan, who had been still as a stone carving, began to tremble slightly in his exposed body.

Following the slight tremors, streaks of crystalline light slowly flowed beneath his skin, like trickling streams, slowly converging toward the sphere of vital essence in his lower abdomen.

A strange resonance rose from the earth, seeming to quietly permeate his body through the soles of his feet.

The amplitude of Shi Yan's trembling began to slowly increase. Brilliant, dazzling light suddenly overflowed from his body along with his shaking, overwhelmingly brilliant.

"Seven days. That's much faster than I expected," Yu Rou murmured softly from a distant snowy peak, a hint of surprise mixed with a light smile.

On the adjacent snowy peak, Di Shan’s eyes suddenly lit up, his expression deeply moved.