With his wobbling body, Xiao Yan leaped across the deep chasm of several dozen meters, heart pounding with fear. Before he even had time to land, the dwindling qi in his body swiftly folded back the purple-clouded wings behind him with a sharp snap. Instantly, a figure in the sky cried out in despair, then fell straight down, crashing into a soft patch of grass. His already strained body, now struck by the impact, went completely dark—Xiao Yan lost consciousness. After Xiao Yan fell unconscious, Yao Lao drifted out of his ring, wobbling slightly. Gazing at the disheveled young man, he shook his head in resignation, gently lifted him with both hands, and then slowly walked toward the heart of the Beast Mountain. "How dare he forcefully employ a Ground-Rank Technique! Truly a bold soul..." As the vortex spun faster, the energy flowing through the meridians seemed to be drawn toward it, rushing in en masse. Once the vortex had absorbed all the energy within the meridians, it did not cease its near-greedy suction. After spinning rapidly several times, it emitted an even stronger pull, drawing ever more warm, subtle energy from the mysterious liquid outside the body. This energy flowed through the meridians, being refined and then infused into the rapidly expanding vortex of qi. Xiao Yan, unconscious, had no clear sense of how long this endless suction continued. He only vaguely knew that as the external energy gradually weakened until it finally vanished, he finally broke through the darkness in his consciousness, his eyes slowly opening with a hazy clarity. To the eye, there lay a spacious cave, its walls adorned with moonstones used for illumination. Gently moving his numb limbs, a gentle rush of water sounded. Peering down, Xiao Yan realized he was situated within a small stone basin, completely filled with clear water. However, a faint green hue lingering in the water suggested it was no ordinary source. He waved his hand through the liquid, and noticed that the slightly greenish fluid carried a strong, pure energy. Holding the water to his nose and inhaling gently, Xiao Yan murmured in surprise, "It's actually medicine?" "Yes, it is medicine. To prepare this small pool of healing elixir for you, I spent no less than three or four days." The elderly voice came from outside the cave, and the figure of the herbal master, ethereal and ghostly, drifted in. Standing by the stone well, the herbal elder carefully examined Xiao Yan's current condition, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. He smiled and said, "I originally thought you'd need at least half a month of rest to recover. Yet, just five days later, not only have you fully recovered, but you've even unexpectedly reached the threshold of a Seven-Star Combatant. Given your current state, with just a few more days of training, you should be able to step into the Seven-Star Combatant rank." "Five days unconscious?" Xiao Yan blinked in surprise, his eyes wide with astonishment. "Indeed," the elder nodded, glanced at him, and then furrowed his brows, scolding, "You're such a stubborn one! You could have immediately used the Purple Cloud Wings to escape right away—yet you insisted on forcing yourself to employ a Terran-level combat technique. If it weren't for me activating the Purple Cloud Wings for you, I doubt you'd even have the strength to make it out!" Smiling awkwardly, Xiao Yan sighed and said, "Alright, I admit I stayed on the chance that using a Terran Technique might allow me to defeat a Battle Master." "Your technique—wasn't it also a Terran Technique? Don't be embarrassed!" The old medicine master gave Xiao Yan a withering look. With a slightly embarrassed smile, Xiao Yan couldn't argue further. He glanced around the cave and asked, "So, are we currently somewhere inside the Mountain of Beasts?" "Yes, this is precisely where I chose it. I've cleared out all the high-tier beasts nearby. Within a few hundred meters, you can move freely, though you should still remain cautious—some of the beasts keep wandering in at random. Anything could knock you down with a single palm." Nodding, the old medicine master added. Nodding in resignation, Xiao Yan slowly stood up from the stone pit and then hurriedly put on the clothes beside him. "How long are we going to stay here?" "Jumping down from the stone pit, the surge of qi within him invigorated Xiao Yan's spirit. With his fists moving with strong, dynamic force, he performed a series of punches and then turned to ask. 'Until you become a Battle Master,' the Elder Yao tossed Xiao Yan's jade talisman to him, speaking casually. 'For now, settle in and focus on your cultivation here. Concerns about retribution can wait until you attain the rank of Battle Master. As for alchemy—don't neglect it either. The medicinal herbs within the Beast Mountains are abundant; simply pick a few and practice with them so you don't always need me to prepare pills for you.' Watching Xiao Yan take out the Xuan Zhong Chi and carry it on his back, the Elder Yao continued. Smiling slightly, Xiao Yan nodded and slowly stepped out of the cave, carrying the Xuan Zhong Chi. ... After settling in here and cutting off the constant pursuit, Xiao Yan found himself undisturbed at all. With quiet, steady practice, the qi within him matured, growing richer and more refined, much like fine wine slowly maturing." On the third day after regaining consciousness, Xiao Yan, who had been meditating steadily, unexpectedly advanced to the level of Seven-Star Battle User. This breakthrough was smooth and effortless, as if it had been naturally destined—without any resistance. He felt a sense of joy and satisfaction at his enhanced capabilities. From beneath the waterfall, Xiao Yan wiped the water from his body, exhaled deeply, and felt the weight on his shoulders ease significantly. Only now could he ensure that when employing a Terracrest Technique, he no longer risked the awkward reversal of energy that had nearly befallen him last time. Sitting on a rock beside the waterfall, enjoying the sunlight, Xiao Yan withdrew the medicinal cauldron he had purchased in Wutan City from his storage amulet, then pulled out a large pile of herbs, filling the stone surface completely. Gazing at the cauldron, Xiao Yan rubbed his hands, gently placing his left hand against the flame opening. With a subtle mental focus, a stream of combat energy split off from his aura and flowed into his palm. Upon a soft 'puff' sound, the energy underwent an unusual transformation through the cauldron's flame opening, instantly becoming a slightly deeper yellow flame, which then gently burned within the vessel. Seeing the flame now deeper and more profound than before, Xiao Yan smiled satisfactorily. After the flame had warmed the medicinal cauldron, he began to select herbs from the various ones before him. This time, Xiao Yan had no intention of using the prescription from the Elder Medicinal Master. After all, every medicinal artisan must develop their own unique formula—without one, communication with peers would inevitably feel somewhat awkward. Thus, each artisan strives tirelessly to craft their own formula from countless herbs, naturally aiming for the highest possible grade. As his hand moved across the over a hundred herbs before him, it paused suddenly, and he grasped a red fruit emitting a peculiar, unusual aroma. Known as the Serpent's Desire Fruit, it typically grows in dark, shaded areas where high-tier magical serpents mate. The serpents themselves are quite indulgent, and this fruit possesses a certain aphrodisiac effect. After selecting the Snake Desire Fruit, Xiao Yan added another seven or eight herbs, each of which possessed certain aphrodisiac properties. While observing Xiao Yan prepare the medicine, the elderly pharmacist quietly drifted out from his ring. However, upon seeing the herbs Xiao Yan had chosen, he raised an eyebrow and then stood silently behind him. Once the herbs were selected, Xiao Yan first dropped the red fruit into the cauldron, carefully controlling the flame to quickly evaporate the moisture, and soon the red fruit transformed into a fine powder. Focusing intently on the cauldron, he then added a cluster of pale pink seven-leaf flowers—known as the Desire Flower—whose fragrance often stirred nearby beasts into loud, mountain-wide howls. After reducing the desire flower to a powder, Xiao Yan then added all the other herbs one by one into the pot. Finally, several powders of different colors were gathered together, and a small amount of juice obtained by heating the desire flower was poured into the pot. The powders completely blended into a single pink liquid. After evaporating the moisture from the pink liquid using high-temperature flame, a light white powder floated gently within the pot. Gazing at the white powder, Xiao Yan smiled and waved his hand, lifting the lid of the pot. He then gently drew his hand through the air, and all the medicinal powders were swept into the jade bottle in his hand. Holding the concoction he had first prepared, Xiao Yan eagerly dipped his finger into it and then tasted it with his tongue. "Huh... hehe, it's a success!" "As the powder touched his mouth, Xiao Yan felt a sudden warmth spreading through his body. Using his qi to suppress this warmth, the smile on his face appeared oddly awkward, almost rare. 'Ahem...' The dry, elderly cough from behind caused Xiao Yan's cheeks to flush, prompting him to quickly retrieve the transparent bottle. 'Don't hide it anymore—aren't you just making a spring tonic? Many male alchemists, when first preparing prescriptions, do exactly this. Heh... that's just how men are.' Unexpectedly, the Elder didn't scold him at all; instead, he chuckled with a teasing tone. 'Huh?' Xiao Yan blinked, then breathed a sigh of relief, turning to look at the Elder with a warm, embarrassed smile. 'So, when you first started out, did you also prepare this?' Upon hearing this, the Elder flushed deeply, becoming both embarrassed and indignant, waving his sleeve with a gesture of annoyance. 'Do you think I'm as negligent and unprofessional as you are?" Staring at the Elder's expression, Xiao Yan knew exactly what was happening, and with a slight smile, stood up. As he was about to gather his things, a sudden surge of powerful energy, accompanied by a thunderous roar of a lion, erupted dramatically in the sky. Hearing the fierce lion's cry, the Elder's face slightly tightened, his gaze fixed intently on the distant sky—where the intense energy was emanating. With his sharp eyes, he seemed to catch a graceful, regal figure shimmering in the midst of the chaos. "This is the roar of the Sixth-Rank Beast, the Purple Crystal-Winged Lion King. Who could possibly have captured its attention?" "Sixth-Rank Beast?" His eyes narrowed slightly, Xiao Yan swallowed hard. "That's equivalent to a human Duke-level warrior. Who dares even touch its mane?"