Above a deep blue sky, intense energy fluctuations continuously generated thunderous roars, so powerful that even though Xiao Yan was quite far from the battlefield, he found himself momentarily dizzy. He fixed his gaze on the distant horizon, where shades of green and crimson had spread across half the sky, even the lazy white clouds now glowing with dual hues. Another thunderous boom echoed in his ears, and Xiao Yan swallowed a lump in his throat— the overwhelming energy pressure radiating from the sky caused his feet to tremble. "Is this what true strength truly looks like?" he murmured, having just witnessed the staggering impact of such a battle. Now, he realized that his own past self had been no more than a frog living in a well, and only now did he understand that the legendary tales of one defeating thousands were not merely confined to myth. Standing beside Xiao Yan, the Yeold frowned slightly, gazing at the distant battle in the horizon, and murmured softly, "That woman—she must be human. What could have possibly driven her to come all the way to the Beast Mountains to fight the Purple-Crystal-Winged Lion King?" "Are you surprised?" Turning to Xiao Yan, whose body was trembling, the Yeold suddenly smiled. With a difficult nod, Xiao Yan chuckled, "It seems now that I finally understand—until today, all my past battles had merely been like playing house." "Ah, I've often said," the Yeold smiled gently, "the continent of combat is vast, and there are many who surpass even the Duke of Combat. You have great potential—when you eventually reach that level, you'll surely realize just how exciting this world truly is." "I am indeed impressed by the power and grandeur of their battle," Xiao Yan said, "but I don't intend to set my sights too high. The path, after all, must always be walked steadily and with determination." Upon hearing this, the Yeold was momentarily taken aback, then smiled warmly and nodded in satisfaction. "Would you like to take a look at their battle?" The elderly pharmacist raised his chin toward the battle unfolding in the distant sky, a warm smile on his face. "Won't they notice us?" First delighted, then slightly concerned, Xiao Yan said. "You're underestimating me, aren't you?" The pharmacist waved his hand, and his form shimmered into a streak of light, entering Xiao Yan's body. Instantly, a crisp, pale energy enveloped him. "For the time being, I'll be controlling your body." As soon as he finished speaking, the purple cloud wings behind Xiao Yan automatically flapped out. This time, the wings were not only over a meter long but also shimmered with a flowing purple glow, appearing both graceful and mysterious. The pale energy gradually spread over the luminous wings, gently concealing their striking radiance. "Then let's go. Today, I'll show you what true strength truly is!" The old pharmacist smiled faintly. The purple cloud wings gently trembled, and Xiao Yan's body slowly ascended. With a second flutter, he surged forward, gliding at high speed through the lower air toward the battlefield. Gazing at the trees retreating behind him in fragmented shadows, Xiao Yan's face grew flushed with excitement. Thanks to the enhancement of the purple cloud wings, the old pharmacist's speed this time was even faster than during their journey to Wutan City—so swift and exhilarating was the flight that Xiao Yan felt an overwhelming urge to roar into the sky. Flying close to the canopy of the forest, Xiao Yan sped ahead at an impressive pace. After more than ten minutes, he finally reached the battlefield. The intense energy fluctuations from the sky exerted a powerful pressure, even though Xiao Yan was protected by the old pharmacist—his heart still trembled slightly. At a distance of several dozen meters beyond the sky battlefield, Xiao Yan halted, using the vast forest as cover and scaling to the top of a towering giant tree. From this vantage point, he could clearly see both combatants in the sky. Up close, Xiao Yan once again witnessed the fierce power of a Duke-level warrior. Above the azure sky, vibrant shades of green and crimson spanned half the heavens, creating a magnificent sight. His gaze first turned to the colossal beast soaring above. This creature was massive, its body stretching seven to eight meters, covered in a layer of purple crystalline substance that shimmered brilliantly under the sunlight, almost blinding. The beast's head bore a fierce lion's face, with eyes of deep crimson glowing with an unusual purple hue, its massive maw lined with sharp fangs. Rising from the lion's brow was a fiery spiral horn, around which clusters of purple flames spiraled and danced. On the beast's broad, lion-like sides, two pairs of purple wings extended, each flap sending out waves of pale purple flames that surged forth like jets of fire, sweeping across the sky. Its four sturdy feet, likewise encased in purple crystals, each step sending ripples of power through the air, making the very space tremble—imagine the sheer strength it must possess. A colossal beast stood in the void, an intangible pressure descending from the heavens, making Xiao Yan's spirit tremble. "Is this indeed the legendary Purple Crystal-Winged Lion King?" gazing at the creature that embodied both beauty and destruction, Xiao Yan murmured softly. Shaking his head in awe at the lion king's majestic appearance, Xiao Yan immediately turned his attention to the woman standing in direct confrontation with the Purple Crystal-Winged Lion King. "A woman?" His eyes first fell upon her well-proportioned, graceful form, and he was stunned—never having imagined that such a powerful being could be a woman. The woman in the sky, clad in a simple gown that wrapped her full and graceful form, held a long sword of an unusual appearance, glowing with a soft cyan light. Her silken hair was coiled into a noble phoenix-style hairstyle, and her beautiful, serene face remained calm and composed, unchanged despite facing a legendary beast—indeed, one of the most renowned on the entire Qi Continent. Behind her stood a pair of cyan feathered wings, slightly ethereal, likely formed by her own Qi, a phenomenon known as Qi-embodied wings, a hallmark of warriors beyond the rank of King. Standing quietly and gracefully, the woman exuded an elegant dignity and noble grace that could not be concealed by her simple attire. Hearing that this beast could speak human language, Xiao Yan was first startled, then suddenly enlightened—beasts at this level had long since developed spiritual intelligence, and their wisdom was no less than that of humans. "I would like to borrow your Purple Spirit Crystal!" The woman with her beautiful eyes fixed on the Purple Crystal Wing Lion, gently opened her red lips, her calm voice as clear and resonant as pearls falling onto a jade plate. "The Purple Spirit Crystal? Our Purple Crystal Wing Lion Clan only shed a small piece from our bodies every twenty years—how could you simply expect to have it at will?" the Purple Crystal Wing Lion scoffed. "I can offer you something of value in exchange," the mysterious woman said, seemingly equally cautious about this renowned six-tier beast, and thus her tone was not firm. "In exchange? Hm, very well. I've recently been going through the process of taking on a humanoid form. If you can bring me a Forming Pill, I'll gladly give you my Purple Spirit Crystal. How does that sound?" Upon hearing this, the Purple Crystal Wing Lion burst out laughing. "Indeed, a lion with an expansive mouth. The Transmutation Pill is no ordinary concoction—it's a rare pill that can only be crafted by a seventh-rank alchemist. To trade it for a single Purple Spirit Crystal? Unless that woman is utterly foolish." Hearing the Purple Crystal Lion King's request, the elderly pharmacist chuckled. Blinking, Xiao Yan, who had never heard of such a pill before, asked curiously, "From the name, the Transmutation Pill seems to be one that enables beasts to take on human form, right? Isn't it quite valuable?" "With the Transmutation Pill, beasts can fully transform into human form. Once they do, their cultivation pace can truly match that of humans. Isn't that something truly precious?" “Hmm…” Xiao Yan nodded, slightly puzzled. While魔兽 naturally lived much longer than humans, even some rare elixirs could extend lifespan, such durations still seemed rather brief when compared to the longevity of high-tier魔兽—especially when considering the time it would take for a high-tier魔兽 to fully transform and safely cultivate for a hundred or so years. As expected, upon hearing the purple-crystal-winged lion king’s request, the mysterious woman furrowed her brows slightly before shaking her head gently and said, “I'm sorry, but I believe there may not be many people within the Damati Kingdom who can present a transformation elixir. However, if you're willing, I can offer you three five-tier magical cores and a high-tier spiritual cultivation technique and combat skill suitable for your practice.” “Not interested. If you can't provide a transformation elixir, then you’ll simply have to leave the魔兽 Mountains.” Shaking her massive head, the Purple-Crystal Winged Lion King opened and closed her enormous maw with decisive firmness, refusing without hesitation the mysterious woman's conditions. Taking a gentle sigh, the mysterious woman slowly raised her strange long sword in hand, speaking with a touch of resignation, "If that's the case, then I shall have to take it by force!" "Hah! That's how humans always are," the Purple-Crystal Winged Lion King exclaimed, her voice resonating so powerfully it shook the very earth. After a while, the laughter gradually subsided, and her tone grew steadily colder. "I know you're a powerful Battle Emperor, but if we truly fight, I'm not sure whether you'll even make it out of the Beast Mountains alive." "Then the Lion King needn't worry about it," the mysterious woman replied calmly. Raising her slender hand, a small green whirlwind suddenly appeared in the sky. At first, the whirlwind was only two meters in diameter, but within moments, it surged and expanded rapidly, growing into a massive whirlwind several dozen feet wide in the span of a breath. Between heaven and earth, a swirling dragon vortex roared and spun, violently uprooting massive trees from the ground, which were then torn apart by the furious gale into a thousand fragments of wood. "Hmph! The Beast Mountains aren't your human territory—how dare you make a scene here!" Facing the ever-expanding vortex, the Purple-Crystal Lion King snarled, his deep roar echoing through the mountain range. As his lion's cry resonated, the purple crystals adorning his body flared brilliantly, and within moments, a surge of vibrant purple flames erupted from his core. The flames swayed and danced, eventually coalescing into a towering column of purple fire that soared skyward. The intense heat, even at distances exceeding a thousand meters, left Xiao Yan drenched in sweat. "Such a formidable display," Xiao Yan wiped sweat from his brow, gazing in awe at the vast vortex and the towering flame column in the heavens, his mouth dry with astonishment. "Master, do you think who will prevail?" Wiping his brow again, Xiao Yan softly inquired, "By now, unless one has a strong reserve, it's generally difficult to defeat the opponent. As for who will win and who will lose, I'm not entirely sure—everything will become clear once the battle is over." The Herbal Elder smiled.