Lying flat atop a small hillock, Xiao Yan continuously scanned the surroundings. Due to the presence of the Purple Crystal-Winged Lion King, the wild beasts within the Mountain of Beasts had grown notably restless lately. Fortunately, the herbal powder laid down by the Elder Yao proved remarkably effective—though occasional wild beasts still passed through the area, they promptly retreated upon detecting the sharp scent. Thus, over the past two days, Xiao Yan and his companion had gone unnoticed. "Hey, with that woman around, she's always a bother. Do you really plan to keep it that way?" said the Elder Yao, drifting out from within his ring with a smile. "Ha ha, she's a True Monarch-class powerhouse. If I can have her owe me a personal favor at some point, it'll be a long-term investment. This little risk? Nothing compared to that." Xiao Yan waved his hand, spreading the willow branches hanging from the trees before him, and chuckled. "I think you'd better take advantage of her vulnerable period and settle things with her—well, you know what I mean. That way, you'll have an additional Duke-Class warrior as your personal bodyguard, and once you're established in the Jia Ma Empire, you'll be able to move with confidence." The old doctor chuckled, his usual respect for the elders clearly absent. Smiling and nodding, Xiao Yan walked over, bearing the Xuanzhong Chi, and retrieved several plump fish caught beneath the waterfall from his storage ring. He sat down with a thud on the ground, kindled a pile of flames, and casually asked, "Are you feeling better now?" The mysterious woman slightly rose, carrying a gentle breeze of fragrance, and came to stand beside Xiao Yan, her dark brows furrowed as she sighed softly, "The external injuries aren't serious, but the seals on my body will take at least several days to fully dissolve." "Stay here for now—they should be unable to locate you." After securing the fish on the fire rack, Xiao Yan turned his gaze toward the woman beside him. Since the simple dress she wore had been torn, she now dressed in Xiao Yan's black robe—though the robe had often felt heavy when worn by others, it now flowed beautifully against her well-proportioned, graceful figure, adding an air of subtle elegance. With each delicate step, a slender, porcelain-white leg of hers would subtly emerge, especially alluring. With graceful ease, the elegant woman settled herself, her beautiful eyes fixed on Xiao Yan, who was continuously sprinkling various seasonings onto the grilled fish. She smiled, saying, "Your courage is truly admirable. A fighter of your caliber dares to venture deep into the heart of the Beast Mountains." "Actually, I was forced to come here—chased all the way." Xiao Yan chuckled, then turned and asked, "By the way, what's your name?" "Yun Zhi," the woman replied, her gaze gently flickering as she smiled warmly. "Yao Yan," Xiao Yan poured out a carefully selected blend of seasonings from a jade bottle, speaking casually. "Yun Zhi? I've never heard of a fighter by that name in the Addma Empire. I'd imagine you've been keeping your true identity hidden." The woman named Yun Zhi didn't press for confirmation of Xiao Yan's words. Though her strength had been sealed at present, a young fighter of his level clearly posed no significant threat to her. A brief conversation ended thus, with the two of them gradually drifting into silence, until Xiao Yan offered the grilled fish to Yun Zhi, at which point she gently nodded to him. Taking a small piece of fish, Yun Zhi gently chewed and sipped it slowly, her refined posture contrasting with Xiao Yan, who was eagerly devouring his food and feeling a touch of self-consciousness. "Are you a pharmacist?" she asked, her eyes gliding over the small jade vials beside Xiao Yan. "Hm, I'd say I'm more of a physician," Xiao Yan replied, concealing the truth that he was actually a pharmacist—he didn't feel it was wise to reveal his identity just yet. "Oh," Yun Zhi nodded slightly, the initial surprise fading from her bright eyes. Though both "pharmacist" and "physician" bore the character "master," their roles were worlds apart. "I have a friend who is a pharmacist. Once I finish my affairs here in the Jia Ma Empire, I'd be happy to introduce you to her." Yun Zhi gently pressed her lips, slightly streaked with oil, and smiled. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, then shook her head, meeting her astonished gaze: "Thank you, but I think we'll pass. I already have a teacher." Hearing Xiao Yan reject her kind offer, Yun Zhi's delicate face clearly flashed a moment of surprise—hadn't her introduction been rejected by the very person involved? This was the first time in all these years. At that moment, she almost impulsively wanted to ask: "Do you know whom I'm introducing you to?" Yet the impulse faded instantly. With Yun Zhi's composure and standing, she certainly wouldn't dare to voice such a question on the spot. Instead, she merely nodded slowly, with a touch of quiet bewilderment. "Once you've recovered, will you still plan to visit the Purple Crystal Wing Lion King?" Xiao Yan asked, tearing off the last piece of fish, his mouth full. "Yes," Yun Zhi sighed softly, "I need to obtain the Purple Spirit Crystal." Xiao Yan shook his head. Having witnessed her battle against the Purple Crystal Wing Lion King, he clearly believed Yun Zhi's chances of success were not very promising. "My strength is not far from its own. I simply didn't expect it to have mastered the sealing technique. Last time, we were caught off guard. This time, I'm confident my Wind Supreme will not be outmatched by it." Observing Xiao Yan's expression, Yun Zhi furrowed her brows, her tone subtly tinged with reluctance. "That technique is indeed powerful." While Xiao Yan didn't doubt the potency of the deep beam that had sliced through half of the Purple Crystal Wing Lion King's hardest horn, he wasn't certain whether he or the Purple Crystal Seal would emerge victorious when they faced off directly. After finishing her grilled fish, Xiao Yan stood up, stretched lazily, said a polite greeting to Yun Zhi, then settled onto the stone platform beside her, forming the hand seals for meditation and gradually closing his eyes. Gazing at Xiao Yan beginning his cultivation, Yun Zhi also rose, washed her oily jade hands, and then approached him, carefully observing Xiao Yan as he practiced. After a moment, her dark brows furrowed slightly, and she murmured, "How could it be such a basic Yellow-stage technique? His teacher must be rather stingy. Doesn't he realize how significant good techniques are for a beginner?" With a sigh, she shook her head, instantly lowering her regard for the medicine elder she had never met—now seeing him as an indifferent, even detrimental teacher to students. "After everything is settled, I'll lend a hand to him. Such a promising student shouldn't be wasted." Shaking her head once more, Yun Zhi settled back, closed her eyes, and slowly dissolved the purple crystal seal within her body. … During these days when Yunzhi broke the seal, thanks to Xiao Yan's attentive care, their relationship gradually grew more comfortable. Perhaps due to the influence of the seal itself, the air of lofty dignity that once characterized Yunzhi's speech has now softened—something that brought Xiao Yan a sense of ease, as he had always disliked such formalities. Their daily life in the mountain cave, peaceful and uneventful, lasted for two days. However, on the third day, it was suddenly interrupted by a loud, unexpected howl of a wolf. Frowning slightly, Xiao Yan suddenly noticed Yun Zhi's apologetic expression and was momentarily taken aback, his heart stirred. He chuckled weakly, "You don't need to tell me you went out today, do you?" Seeing Xiao Yan's expression, Yun Zhi's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, and she hesitated, softly saying, "I'm sorry... I went out today to take a bath." Hearing this, Xiao Yan found himself at a loss, sighed, tightened the Xu Zhong Chi behind his back, and gritted his teeth, "Stay right here and don't move. I'll go out and distract that beast." "You... your strength... I should go instead," Yun Zhi said, her sense of apology deepening as she watched Xiao Yan turn to head out. "Stay right here and don't move!" Her words cut short as Xiao Yan suddenly stopped, turned back, and spoke firmly, "If you go out, you'll only attract more beasts!" Startled by Xiao Yan's sudden sharp cry, Yun Zhi stared at him, her mind momentarily fogged. How could this young lad dare to speak to her like this? "Don't step out of this cave one more step, or we'll all die here!" At that moment, Xiao Yan no longer cared about the fact that the woman behind him was a Battle Emperor-level strength; with a stern tone, he quickly rushed out of the cave. Standing there, watching the boy's back fade into the cave entrance, Yun Zhi waved her hands in front of her helplessly, unsure of what expression to make. After a while, she finally stomped her feet, scolding, "So young, yet so fierce—such a lack of mercy. I really intended to help you. If you're so eager to show off, then go on and handle it yourself." Yet, though she said this, Yun Zhi took a few steps forward, gazing at the bright cave entrance, recalling Xiao Yan's reminder, and then paused, a touch of anxiety etched on her brow. Not long after Xiao Yan had left, Yun Zhi heard the wolf howls grow significantly more intense. A moment later, the howls gradually faded, yet the young man still hadn't returned. After waiting for some more time, Yun Zhi finally grew impatient, bit down firmly on her silver teeth, clenched her jade hands, and launched the strange sword with a sudden burst. She coldly declared, "Purple Crystal Wing Lion King, you stubborn fool! If anything happens to Yao Yan, I'll uproot this entire mountain and crush you!" As she prepared to rush into the cave, a figure suddenly stumbled in from outside. "Yao Yan? Are you all right?" Seeing the figure, Yun Zhi's face brightened with relief and hurried over to inquire. "Big sister, please don't leave—another great beast, and I'll be dead for sure," the bloodied figure smiled weakly, then collapsed, his vision blurring as he fell to the ground.