I gain ten years' worth of cultivation every day, and even geniuses will only see my doorstep!

"He stepped over the frost formed from the blood of those wailing disciples, walking step by step to the city gate. Zhao Tiezhu and Zhou Ming, who were on duty... you know them, they risked their lives to activate the city gate's formation, but the formation's light barrier was like paper in front of him. He only used one finger to lightly touch it."

Chu Wuyue closed her eyes, as if she could still see that despairing scene: "Crack... The entire array base was instantly frozen, and then exploded into a sky full of ice powder. Zhao Tiezhu was sent flying by the recoil, breaking three of his ribs. Zhou Ming was close by and was directly invaded by the icy spiritual power that exploded. He is still unconscious, and his dantian... shows signs of freezing and cracking."

Qin Yuan's fingers, resting on the back of the chair, tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white. The temperature inside the hall seemed to drop even further.

"Junior Sister Yun and I were sparring on the summit when we sensed something was wrong and rushed over immediately," Chu Wuyue continued, his voice filled with lingering fear and helplessness. "When we arrived, he had already crossed the front courtyard, and no one could withstand a single blow from him. Tuoba Shan charged out from the side, and before his giant axe could even fall, he struck the axe with his palm, freezing him and the axe into an ice sculpture. If Su Meier and Yin Jiuyou hadn't desperately used their secret techniques to shatter the ice and drag him away, he would already be..." He didn't finish his sentence.

"We stopped him in the square in front of the treasury." Chu Wuyue opened her eyes, her white pupils reflecting the fierce battle. "He was wearing an ordinary gray robe, his face was cold and hard, his eyes like an unyielding glacier. He only said one sentence: 'Get out of my way, or die.'"

"Of course we wouldn't let him. When Junior Sister Yun and I attacked at the same time, the 'Moonlight Overturning the Sky' and the 'Cloud Sea Misty Sword' worked together so well for the first time... but in front of him, it was like a child waving a stick. He didn't even use any magic weapons, he just raised his hand and made a grasping motion."

Chu Wuyue's body trembled slightly: "The surrounding temperature instantly dropped to an unbelievable level, and the air condensed into icy blue frost crystals. Our spiritual energy circulation became extremely sluggish, and the power of our moves was greatly reduced."

With a casual wave of his hand, several icy beams, harder than black iron, pierced through the air. Junior Sister Yun's misty aura was pierced, and she was struck on the shoulder; my moonlight was frozen and shattered…”

"We fought with all our might, but we only managed about ten moves. Junior Brother Han and Junior Brother Ye seized the opportunity to launch a sneak attack from both sides, trying to distract him. But he... he just glanced at them and casually slammed his palm into the ground."

Chu Wuyue looked at the heavily injured Han Bing and Ye Guying, her eyes filled with sorrow: "The aftershocks of the 'Mysterious Ice Palm' were like an earth dragon turning over, with ice spikes bursting from the ground. Junior Brother Han's protective magic treasure shattered instantly, and his ribs collapsed; Junior Brother Ye's Ghost Shadow Escape Technique was forced back to its original form by the cold air, and his right arm was pierced and cracked by an ice spike... Just the aftershocks of one palm strike!"

He didn't even glance at the fallen Junior Brother Han and Junior Brother Ye, and went straight to the treasury. The treasury's defensive barrier was the "Flame Gang Array" left behind by the Crimson Flame Sect, which he easily pierced with a light poke using an ice spike he took out from somewhere, just like puncturing a bubble.

Once inside, he had a clear objective. He skipped directly over the area where spirit stones, pills, and ordinary materials were piled up, and in the deepest corner, he found the black iron piece that we had carelessly tossed into the 'Warm Sun Jade' box, which we had considered useless.

"He picked up the piece of metal, looked at it for a while, and his lips seemed to twitch slightly, like a sneer or perhaps a satisfied smile. Then he left. From the moment he appeared to the moment he left, it was less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Before leaving, he glanced back at us, and that look... was like looking at ants."

Chu Wuyue's voice lowered, filled with helplessness, "We...we didn't even know his name until we forced it out of the disciples who were still able to speak after being frostbitten by him. His name is...Li Han."

The main hall was deathly silent. Only Han Bing and Ye Guying's heavy, painful breathing could be heard.

Chu Wuyue kowtowed heavily, her forehead pressing against the cold ground: "Junior Brother Qin, City Lord! We... failed in our defense, our treasures were stolen, and our fellow disciples were seriously injured... We cannot escape our guilt! Please punish us severely, City Lord!"

Yun Qingyao slowly knelt down, her clear, cold voice trembling: "Please punish me, City Lord."

Han Bing and Ye Guying struggled to kneel down as well, but the movement aggravated their injuries, causing them to groan.

Qin Yuan slowly stood up. He walked to Chu Wuyue, bent down, and helped him up. The moment their hands touched, a gentle yet incredibly powerful warm current surged into Chu Wuyue's body, quickly dispelling the stubborn cold energy remaining in his meridians and repairing his hidden injuries.

"Senior Brother Chu, there's no need for this." Qin Yuan's voice was calm, yet it contained a strange power that soothed the humiliation and despair that had almost solidified in the hall. "As Nascent Soul cultivators, this is not a fault of our own. You have done very well, preserving your lives and the foundation of the city. As for that piece of iron... for such a person to covet it is more of a curse than a blessing. Losing it may not be a bad thing."

His gaze swept over Yun Qingyao, Han Bing, and Ye Guying. He raised his hand and pressed down, an invisible force supporting them as they tried to kneel. "The most urgent task is to heal your injuries."

With a thought, four jade bottles, all crimson and radiating a scorching heat, and two pills, each the size of a longan and shimmering with a rich, vibrant green light, appeared in his palm.

"This is the Crimson Sun Pill, refined from the essence of earth fire, specifically designed to counteract yin-cold evil toxins, strengthening the foundation and nourishing the vital energy." Four jade bottles flew towards the four people respectively. "These two Life-Creating Pills have miraculous effects on internal organ damage, broken meridians, and even shaken foundations of cultivation. Han Bing, Ye Guying, take them immediately, and I will help you neutralize their medicinal power."

Chu Wuyue took the Crimson Sun Pill. It was burning hot to the touch and had a strong medicinal fragrance. Just by smelling it, she felt the chill in her body dissipate considerably.

He knew that this was at least a fifth-grade pill! Yun Qingyao looked at the pill, her clear eyes rippled with emotion.

Han Bing and Ye Guying trembled with excitement as they looked at the luminous green Life Creation Pill. They could feel the immense vitality contained within the pill, which was a life-saving elixir for their current injuries!

"Junior Brother Qin (City Lord)! This is too precious! We..." Chu Wuyue's throat choked with emotion. Such precious pills, Qin Yuan actually took them out casually to heal their injuries. Compared with their dereliction of duty in failing to defend the city, this trust and kindness made them feel ashamed beyond measure.

"The pills are inanimate, but people are alive," Qin Yuan said firmly. "Take them, heal your wounds. Guard the city and wait for my return."

The simple phrase, "Wait for me to come back," sent a jolt through Chu Wuyue and the other three, as if they had found their pillar of support. They said no more, nodded emphatically, and their eyes shone with renewed light.

Just then, the guard returned, his face filled with surprise and uncertainty, his voice trembling slightly: "Reporting to the City Lord! Four more people have arrived outside the city, claiming to be 'envoys of the Overlord Sect!' The leader is named Xiang Long, and they say... they've come for Xiang Tian!"