The layered garments on his body gradually settled against Xiao Yan's skin after a moment, finally expelling the turbid breath that had been steadily rising from within. Rising to his feet, Xiao Yan turned to gaze at the smiling Yaolao by the side, and smiled widely, his joy clearly visible. After nearly a year, he had finally achieved the promotion from Competitor to a true Combatant—a milestone earned through countless hours of sweat and effort. Becoming a Combatant meant he had now stepped beyond the common ranks. Though Combatants still occupied a relatively modest tier on the continent, they were undoubtedly far stronger and more advanced than the lowest-ranking Competitors. Most importantly, Xiao Yan was still young, with ample time ahead of him to continue striving. Clutched his fists tightly, a surge of unprecedented vitality flowed through every part of his body. Only now, after personally stepping into the Battle Master rank, did Xiao Yan truly grasp the immense gap between a Battle User and a Battle Master. Reflecting on his battle against Mu Snake that day, he felt a deep sense of relief. Had it not been for the Senior Medic's teachings on the Elite-level Battle Technique, no matter how vigorously he had fought, he would have been utterly unable to defeat Mu Snake, let alone kill him. The Qi Robe, a signature technique of Qi Masters and one of the most practical abilities, proved its immense value during his battle against Mu Snake. Although earlier, Xiao Yan had been able to summon a Qi Robe, it only partially covered his body, and achieving complete coverage as he now did was far from feasible. Moreover, the Qi Robes summoned by Xiao Yan in the past offered no enhancement whatsoever in speed, defense, or attack—only after becoming a Qi Master did the Robe acquire such combat-supporting functions that every Qi practitioner eagerly coveted. Gazing at this impressive, majestic purple flame robe, Xiao Yan was filled with delight. With a vigorous, dynamic rhythm, he swiftly delivered several powerful punches. Thanks to the purification and strengthening effect of the celestial and terrestrial energies, his current physical strength alone now generated sharp, cutting gusts of wind with each punch. Looking at Xiao Yan, who was excited and continuously testing his Battle Master-level strength, the Herbal Elder shook his head with a smile. Only after Xiao Yan had gradually calmed down did he ask, "Have you noticed any evolution in the Burned Decree? What level is it now? Mid-level or high-level?" The Herbal Elder's question caused Xiao Yan to pause his rapid punching motions. He nodded and then slowly closed his eyes once more, allowing his mind to sink back into his body. As his mind settled deep within, it quickly focused on the dantian area in his lower abdomen. There, the once-large, pale yellow vortex had now completely transformed into a compact, purple vortex no larger than Xiao Yan's palm. As his mind swept through this small purple vortex, Xiao Yan suddenly noticed that within it, several dozen fine droplets of purple liquid were slowly circulating—swimming like small fish in a lake, gently rotating and flowing within the vortex. A curious influx of purple cyclone entered, then gently enveloped a small droplet of delicate purple liquid. After a subtle sense of it, Xiao Yan's heart gradually surged with exhilaration—he discovered that within these tiny purple droplets, an exceptionally abundant and robust energy flowed. With this revelation, Xiao Yan gained a clearer understanding of the vast gap between the cultivators of the Battle Master and Battle Rank levels, and he sighed in quiet appreciation. The cyclone at the Battle Rank level was akin to a balloon, while the battle energy was like air stored within it. This balloon possessed its own critical threshold—once the stored battle energy reached full saturation, it could no longer contain any additional energy. If forced to squeeze in more, the cyclone would burst like a balloon inflated beyond its limits, exploding with a sudden "pop." The greatest advantage of advancing from a Fighter to a Battle-Style Master is that the Qi within the balloon undergoes a transformation, converting into droplets of liquid energy that are richer, more complex, and purer than ordinary Qi. Once this transformation occurs, the quantity and quality of Qi contained within the balloon surge dramatically. Thus, a Battle-Style Master endowed with such a vast Qi reservoir naturally far surpasses ordinary Fighters—not merely in quantity, but in quality, with a distinction that is truly unparalleled. As his mind gradually withdraws from the Qi vortex, having previously assessed the situation, Xiao Yan realizes that although these liquid energy droplets are only as large as the fingernail's breadth, converting them would require one-third of the pale yellow Qi originally present within his own Qi vortex before he became a Battle-Style Master. This clearly demonstrates the immense energy contained within this seemingly small droplet. Staring at the slowly rotating cyclone, Xiao Yan's mind stirred slightly, and a streak of purple combat energy flowed forth, then began to surge along the pathways prescribed by the "Burned Decree" cultivation technique. As the combat energy flowed through specific meridians, Xiao Yan noticed that a corresponding stream of fiery energy began seeping into the surrounding space, penetrating his skin, and finally entering his meridians, where it was carried along by the purple combat energy, completing a flawless cycle of the technique. After one full cycle, Xiao Yan sensed that the combat energy drawn from the cyclone had grown significantly more robust and full-bodied compared to just a few minutes earlier. This enriched combat energy then re-entered the cyclone. At the very moment it entered, Xiao Yan's body slightly trembled, and he finally slowly opened his eyes, gazing at the expectant old doctor. With a slight shrug, he expressed a touch of resignation: "Mid-level Yellow Stage! Only one level upgraded." "Yellow-stage mid-level? Hah, I expected that." Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Yao Lao didn't feel the slightest disappointment. Gazing at the former's troubled expression, he chuckled, "The evolution of a cultivation technique requires an exceptionally powerful 'divine fire.' Your purple fire has never quite met the threshold—having managed to evolve the technique just one level is already quite impressive. Moreover, thanks to the unique qualities of the 'Burn Technique,' even though the technique has only reached mid-level Yellow-stage, it's no less competitive compared to higher-tier techniques. You should be satisfied with that." Hearing this, Xiao Yan could only nod with a wry smile. Though he knew some things were beyond reach, he still harbored hopes for a miracle—something that would see the technique leap directly into a Xu-level technique. Now, it seemed, that miracle was truly far beyond reach. "Ah, the Strange Fire... Even when it consumed the Purple Fire, it only brought me endless hardships, and the results weren't particularly remarkable. As for what truly happens when the Strange Fire is encountered—whether it's one that consumes the other or vice versa—well, that remains uncertain." Shaking his head in resignation, although Xiao Yan had never personally experienced the full might of the Strange Fire, he could still sense its eerie, almost ghostly intensity while observing the Elder's alchemy process. He vigorously shook his head, setting aside the lingering sense of discouragement. After all, the technique had genuinely evolved, and he still had ample time ahead. One step at a time—he believed that someday, he would eventually absorb the true Strange Fire and evolve the "Burn Technique" into the legendary, celestial-tier cultivation method. Seeing Xiao Yan gradually regain his spirits, the Elder smiled gently, "Since you have now become a Battle Master, it's time for our cultivation journey in the Beast Mountains to come to an end." "Then let's just go. I've been thoroughly fed up with this crumbling mountain." "Agreed. We'll set off tomorrow." The elder pharmacist nodded, murmuring, "With the timing in mind, we're less than eight months away from fulfilling our three-year pledge to Yunlan Sect." Hearing this, Xiao Yan paused, his gaze drifting toward the night sky outside the cave. After a while, he furrowed his brows, saying, "I wonder what level she's reached now..." "Hold your breath," he chuckled. "While the remaining time won't quite elevate you to a Grand Combatant, gaining a few stars in your Combatant rank should certainly be achievable." "The elder pharmacist spoke calmly. As he reached this point, he paused slightly, then smiled, saying, 'Moreover, even if, for some unforeseen reason, she suddenly surges in strength to far surpass yours, you must still believe that I'm not just good at making grand speeches. In this entire Gama Empire, there aren't many people I truly admire—despite the fact that the Cloud Ridge Sect's master, Yun Yun, ranks among the top three among the empire's strongest cultivators.' 'Hehe, I've never doubted my teacher's abilities. If you say so, then I certainly believe!' With a seed of reassurance planted, Xiao Yan felt much more at ease and smiled warmly. Seeing Xiao Yan's earnest, flattering expression, the elder waved his hand and said, 'Set out tomorrow to leave the Monster Mountain. Our next destination will be the Togor Great Desert near the border of the Gama Empire. Just a heads-up—training there will be significantly more demanding and dangerous than in the Monster Mountain. You'd better have some mental preparation.'" "The Tagore Great Desert... I believe my two elder brothers are nearby. If I have time, I can stop by to visit them as well." Smiling slightly, Xiao Yan patted his chest and said to Yao Lao, "As long as I can achieve rapid strength growth without any lingering aftereffects, pile on any kind of training you like—how many you want, I'll bear it!" "Heh, great spirit!" Yao Lao chuckled, his eyes gleaming with a hint of mischief as he glanced at Xiao Yan. "I hope you won't back out when the time comes. But once you reach that point, even if you want to, I'll make sure to send you back strong!" Xiao Yan smiled politely, wisely choosing to remain silent. "Alright, go rest now. We'll leave at dawn tomorrow." Just as the elder medicine master was about to return to the ring, his body suddenly stilled, and after a moment of thoughtful silence, he suddenly said, "I once visited the Tagor Great Desert, as I heard it might harbor a special kind of 'divine fire' hidden deep within. Unfortunately, I was unable to find it back then. If your luck is good this time, perhaps there's a chance..." As he spoke, he didn't even glance at the young Xu, whose eyes had suddenly brightened, and with a swift motion, he vanished into the ring. "Divine fire..." Xu tightly clenched his fists, his excitement palpable. Turning toward the mountain cave entrance, he began to walk outward, eager to experience the even more fierce and terrifying power of the divine fire. "I must have it!" Within the cave, the young man's voice, firm yet tinged with a hint of greed, echoed softly and continuously.