Watching the little rainbow serpent's actions, Xiao Yan's lips curled into a smile, his heart murmuring a quiet chuckle: "I'm certain she's not the Queen Medusa. With her proud nature, she wouldn't behave this way... Now, she seems no different from that young serpent at first, only more spirited. Perhaps the memories from her evolution have been erased?" Yao Lao shared the same bewilderment. "Hmm..." Xiao Yan paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, a sense of something unspoken passing through them as he smiled, "She seems particularly interested in something within my ring." Saying this, he lightly tapped his finger on the ring. Several items appeared in his palm. The rainbow serpent approached, scanned them with its gaze, then shook its tail and nodded repeatedly, clearly indicating that none of these were what it was looking for. Returning the items to the cultivation scroll, Xiao Yan did not grow impatient. With great patience, he retrieved each item one by one from within. After a while, when he once again produced a small jade vial filled with purple liquid, the small snake coiled in mid-air instantly materialized at the palm of his hand, its delicate head probing into the vial and gently sucking several mouthfuls with its tongue. "This... is the companion purple crystal essence. I didn't expect it would need exactly this." Observing that the essence had diminished by nearly a tenth so swiftly, Xiao Yan's face showed a touch of concern. Yet the little creature clearly understood the value of the crystal essence, so it did not greedily drink excessively. After a few sips, it withdrew its head, its clear, luminous eyes sparkling with excitement and satisfaction. "The Seven-Color Devouring Python is also a fire-type creature, naturally fond of pure fire-energy sources like the purple crystal essence." "Seeing the little rainbow snake's excited demeanor, the medicine elder chuckled. Xiao Yan nodded slightly, a bit pained as he retrieved the now-slightly-decreased companion amethyst essence. Apparently having absorbed the companion amethyst essence, the little snake's gaze toward Xiao Yan seemed less guarded. Noticing the subtle shift in the snake's eyes, Xiao Yan's heart stirred, and with care, he gently reached out, running his fingers over the delicate body. Observing Xiao Yan's actions, the rainbow snake only slightly twisted its body before deciding to stop fleeing, then lazily rubbed against Xiao Yan's palm with its small head. Watching the snake's completely non-confrontational behavior, the light in Xiao Yan's eyes brightened significantly. "Hehe, youngster, you're planning to keep this little one close?" The medicine elder's voice, clear and perceptive of Xiao Yan's intentions, resonated directly within his mind. "Hehe." Clearing his throat, Xiao Yan licked his lips, his heart slightly excited: "This is indeed an ancient beast with immense potential. If we can bring her under our control, it wouldn't be far behind mastering a single unique flame." "The Seven-Colored Devouring Python is certainly strong, but right now, she clearly remains in her juvenile stage. Though she harbors a vast reservoir of power within her, it will take considerable time and training to fully unlock it." "And you must understand—no matter how docile she currently appears, her true form—I'm certain—is that of the Medusa Queen. Perhaps she has taken on this current appearance due to certain circumstances. But who can guarantee that she won't suddenly regain her memories later on? Then what?" The old pharmacist said solemnly. "You should know the Medusa Queen's pride and sharpness. For someone who dares to become her master at this very moment, I'm certain she would not hesitate to eliminate you right here, right now." “Hm…,” the palm gently caressing the seven-colored serpent stiffened slightly. Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, pondering for a long while before exhaling softly and speaking in a low tone, “What if she doesn’t recall her memories? Right now, she’s like a newborn creature. I’m the very first being she’s ever seen. No matter what, I believe she doesn’t harbor much hostility toward me—otherwise, she wouldn’t have immediately settled beside me, seeking food. This is a golden opportunity. After all, a primordial beast capable of rivaling even a Supreme Saint-level legendary warrior—such a prospect is truly irresistible.” “You’re gambling, aren’t you?” Doctor Yao sighed with resignation. “Haha, for a future powerhouse, a single gamble isn’t too much to ask. Should such a situation truly arise, we still have Master Yao to rely on. If we can’t manage it, then we simply escape.” Xiao Yan chuckled. “Ah, I hope you don’t end up burning yourself out,” Doctor Yao remarked with a weary smile. Xiao Yan smiled gently, carefully cradling the seven-colored serpent in his hands. The serpent did not resist this tender gesture; instead, it swayed its tail to wrap around Xiao Yan's wrist, then swayed its body as if swinging on a swing. "Little one, shall we go together?" Xiao Yan said softly, placing the serpent before him. His expression was warm, almost as if he were trying to convince a little girl lost on the roadside. With its purple eyes fixed on the young man's face, the seven-colored serpent blinked, a touch of human-like bewilderment flickering in its gaze. It stood upright, gazing at Xiao Yan with a quiet, puzzled expression. Seeing this unusual behavior, Xiao Yan's heart gave a slight leap. A touch of embarrassment crept onto his face—he had a growing sense that within the serpent's body, a mature and proud soul was quietly observing him, as though judging his gentle praise to be rather inadequate. Lightly cleared his throat, Xiao Yan turned his eyes, lightly tapping his fingers on the storage ring, and a second bottle of companion purple crystal essence appeared in his palm. He then took out a small white jade rod, dipped it into a few drops of the essence, and gently swayed it before the seven-colored little snake. As soon as the purple crystal essence appeared, the little snake's eyes brightened instantly, the human-like bewilderment fading quickly. It opened its mouth and flicked its tongue at Xiao Yan, as if asking for something. Dropped a drop of the purple crystal essence into the snake's mouth, the latter satisfied itself with chewing and then, after a moment, coiled its tail around Xiao Yan's wrist, slipping smoothly into his sleeve and gradually falling into deep sleep. "Ha ha!" Watching the seven-colored Devouring Heaven Serpent's actions, Xiao Yan's smile spread across his face, and he burst into laughter. With the help of the purple crystal essence, at least his relationship with the serpent was rapidly growing closer. Under these circumstances, Xiao Yan was confident that he could solidify and strengthen their bond before the serpent matured and developed human-level intelligence. Gently patting the sleeve, Xiao Yan's joy was nearly impossible to conceal. He took a small amount of the purple crystal essence clinging to the white jade rod and swallowed it, allowing the vibrant energy to surge through his body. With a broad smile, he walked a few steps and then looked up toward the jade-blue flame hovering in the sky, smiling softly. After all the twists and turns, the Qinglian Earth-Heart Flame had finally returned to his presence. Though he was extremely eager, Xiao Yan had not yet taken any decisive action. The strange fire was much like dynamite—should one move with even the slightest carelessness, it would suddenly erupt with devastating force. He wasn't Queen Medusa; while others could endure for a while, for him, within ten seconds, everything would vanish completely. "Teacher... how should we now gather it?" Xiao Yan, his face filled with longing, asked urgently, gazing at the strange fire hovering in the air. "Gathering the strange fire isn't easy—it consumes everything nearby, reducing it to nothing, even energy. Except for certain exceptional substances, one can only forcibly encase it with a continuous flow of energy and then carry it away. I believe Queen Medusa must have used this very method back then." "Master Pharmacist沉思道: 'However, the energy consumption is simply too great. With your current condition, even if you fully mobilize all the Qi within the cyclone, you'll likely be unable to move it beyond this small island.' 'Hmm... then what should we do?' Hearing this, Xiao Yan's face fell, and he asked in a weary tone. 'Hehe, we certainly can't adopt the method used by Queen Medusa—we simply wouldn't have the energy to sustain it.' Master Pharmacist smiled. 'What I mentioned earlier was suitable for others, but for you, it's different. You possess a vessel capable of easily carrying away the Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire.' Xiao Yan blinked, eyes wide, then suddenly realized: 'You're referring to the Qinglian Lotus Seat, aren't you?' 'Exactly,' Master Pharmacist chuckled. 'The Qinglian Lotus Seat shares the same lineage as the Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire. Using it to contain the latter not only prevents the fire's intense heat from spilling out, but also offers a significantly higher safety margin compared to simply enveloping it with energy.' Nodding slightly, Xiao Yan quickly tapped his jade ring, and gradually, a shimmering green light rose from the ring, hovering before him. Within this light, the lotus throne—exquisitely crafted like an artwork—gently rotated, radiating a soft energy. Holding the lotus throne with his palm, Xiao Yan gently tossed it toward the strange fire floating above. As the throne reached beneath the strange fire, a delicate green light shield expanded from it, quietly enclosing the Lotus Heart Fire within. As the green shield gradually contracted, the strange fire offered no resistance and smoothly settled back into the lotus heart. Instantly, an eerie green flame rose from the now-empty lotus heart. "Success...," the collection of the异fire exceeded Xiao Yan's expectations. Gazing at the Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire now settled within the Qinglian Seat, Xiao Yan's face lit up with joy. He carefully grasped the base of the Qinglian Seat, his eyes fixed intently on the cluster of jade-green flames at the center, a surge of excitement flickering through his dark gaze. "Now, hurry and leave this city. Find a quiet place and begin to absorb the异fire. Remember—during this time, do not store the异fire within your storage amulet, or everything inside will be burned away into nothingness." Yao Lao spoke solemnly. "Understood!" Xiao Yan nodded firmly, his body slightly trembling. His Purple Cloud Wings shot out, and he took a handful of Qi-Regenerating Pills, placing them in his mouth. He then looked up steadily, his expression serious, as the purple light shield began to fade. The purple light shield shimmered in and out, and at last, with a sudden burst, it dissolved into countless scattered light points. At the moment the purple light shield shattered, Xiao Yan forcefully planted his foot upon the ground, his body surging skyward, then bracing the Qing Lian and desperately rushing toward the city's outskirts.