Night fell, and the sky draped the earth in darkness, with a silver moon high above, its gentle light spilling thinly downward, gradually banishing the shadows. In the quiet courtyard, the three brothers lay comfortably on soft chairs, gazing up at the vast expanse of stars, occasionally raising their wine cups to toast one another. After finishing the wine in his cup, Xiao Yan turned his head to watch his two elder brothers, slightly tipsy, and slowly rose to his feet. From his storage seal, he withdrew two scrolls with notably ancient covers and placed them gently upon the small table beside Xiao Ding and Xiao Li. Seeing their expressions of curiosity, he smiled and said, "These are two mid-tier xuan-level techniques—one focused on wood, one on thunder—whose attributes perfectly complement yours. Each scroll is accompanied by a high-tier xuan-level combat technique. Together, they form a formidable synergy." "Heard this, the slightly drowsy gaze of Xiao Ding and Xiao Li suddenly brightened. A single senior-level divine cultivation technique was already a rare treasure in the Jamma Empire—something with no market demand. Even more valuable was the fact that it came with a matching combat technique. Thus, its worth surpassed that of other techniques of the same rank. Under such rare appeal, even Xiao Ding's typically composed demeanor showed signs of yearning. As for Xiao Li, at the very moment Xiao Yan finished speaking, he seized the silver scroll with one hand and carefully held it, admiring it with great enthusiasm. 'If these two items were put up for auction,' he said, 'a bid of three million gold coins would truly be a minimum to maintain their prestige.' " Receiving the green scroll, Xiao Ding gently caressed it, the smooth, resilient texture bringing him great comfort. As someone who frequently interacted with monsters, he immediately recognized that such a material could only be achieved from the fur of at least a fourth-tier monster, prompting him to marvel at it. Xiao Yan smiled and nodded, then produced two high-level spiritual-stage techniques that came with complementary combat skills. Such a gesture—being able to offer such techniques—was likely achievable by no more than a handful of individuals or power factions within the Gamma Empire. Indeed, without the nearly vast repository of medicinal materials provided by the Elder Yao, Xiao Yan simply wouldn’t have had the means to present them. "I had intended to give these techniques to you last time, but due to my hurried schedule, I inadvertently forgot." Xiao Yan chuckled. While traveling to the Serpent People’s realm, he had obtained these two techniques directly from Elder Yao. However, owing to his tightly packed itinerary, he only now had the opportunity to recall this matter. "Though this technique is extremely rare, since you've brought it forth, we won't make any pretentious excuses—otherwise, we might just make you unhappy." Understanding Xiao Ding's nature, Xiao Ding paused slightly before accepting the generous gift from Xiao Yin, nodded warmly, and said nothing formal, carefully folding the scroll into his chest. Staring at Xiao Ding, who had suddenly grown so bold, Xiao Yan felt a warm glow in his heart. He took the wine cup, drank it down in one go. He understood the implication in Xiao Ding’s words: if he truly defeated Na Lan Yan Ran and successfully stepped down from Yun Lan Sect, then the name "Xiao Yan" would undoubtedly become a sensation across the entire Jia Ma Empire. "Of course... Xiao Yan, if you don’t manage to step down from Yun Lan Sect, I and my elder brother won’t immediately seek revenge for you. We will endure—hold our breath, silently bear it. We will wait until we have inflicted a wound so deep upon Yun Lan Sect that it will be truly shattered. Then, we will strike hard, until we break their very bones!" Xiao Li patted Xiao Yan’s shoulder, his smile appearing warm, yet subtly carrying a chilling, almost ominous stillness. In the desert, the fierce beasts with outstretched limbs are not frightening—what is truly terrifying are the venomous snakes that lie quietly beneath the yellow sands. They rarely reveal their fangs, yet when the time comes, they strike with a sudden, lethal force, bursting forth from the sand in an instant. "Xiao Yan, why do you still need to take the flight beast to Progoc City when we could simply fly straight to the Imperial Capital? That pace is so much slower than ours." The icy dual wings behind subtly vibrated as Hai Bo Dong glanced at the rapidly retreating landscape below, then turned to Xiao Yan, his aura of ki mixed with a subtle sonic wave carrying a tone of mild dissatisfaction directly into Xiao Yan's ears. Though he thought this in his heart, naturally, he could not utter such words on his lips. He gently flicked his purple cloud wings, slightly reducing his speed, and smiled, "Heh, I simply wanted to make use of the time spent traveling on the flying beasts to study the异fire. Besides, you're also seeking medicinal herbs for crafting the Fuling Purple Dan, aren't you? Staying in some larger cities would surely increase your chances of finding those herbs." Hearing this, Hai Bode's expression gradually softened. With a sigh of resignation, he nodded, recalling the many rare herbs he had never even heard of, and thus decided not to object further. Seeing that Hai Bode had no more objections, Xiao Yan quietly breathed a sigh of relief. He then powerfully扇ed his purple cloud wings, instantly accelerating his flight, his figure transforming into a streak of light and vanishing at the horizon. They journeyed continuously from dawn until late afternoon, when the outline of the city named Tango gradually came into view. Upon arriving outside the city, they rushed in with dust and weariness. At this point, Xiao Yan had once again donned his second-rank alchemist's robe. Though the towering black measuring rod, reaching nearly to his height, made him appear somewhat unusual, the city guards did not dare to stop or question him—thus, the two entered the city smoothly, despite its considerable size. Once inside, they began visiting one pharmacy after another, each appearing substantial. Hai Bo Dong sought out the herbs capable of crafting the Fuzi Ling Dan, while Xiao Yan quietly observed, searching for any herb that might have a remarkable effect in rapidly restoring spiritual energy. Yet although there were many pharmacies within the Tango City, the herbs needed by Xiao Yan and Hai Bo Dong were all of an extremely rare grade. Thus, they came with hopes only to leave with disappointment. After visiting the last pharmacy, the two, still hopeful, made a circuit through the city's auction hall—only to come away empty-handed as well. Standing on the main street, they exchanged glances, each sighing in resignation, and finally decided to abandon their search, heading instead toward the central flight transportation service. Thanks to Xiao Yan's status as a Transmutation Specialist, they once again smoothly boarded the luxurious flight beast reserved for such practitioners, beginning a lengthy journey through the skies that would last several days. During the flight, Xiao Yan had not yet interacted much with the alchemists traveling with him. However, on occasional encounters, he found himself quite astonished to discover that some of these alchemists heading to the Imperial Capital—even some of them—appeared not to be from the Jamah Empire at all. Of course, while Xiao Yan was amazed by these foreign alchemists, the alchemists themselves, upon seeing his appearance and the insignia of his alchemist rank on his chest, were equally stunned, clearly struck by his age and rank. Having experienced an unpleasant encounter during the previous flight, Xiao Yan had developed a certain reluctance to engage in conversation while aboard the flying beasts. Thus, even though he observed the alchemists exchanging lively discussions, he remained hesitant to approach them. Yet, upon one occasion, when he heard the herbalists mention the term "Herbalist Grand Assembly," he paused and then suddenly recalled the invitation from Master Otto, the deputy head of the Herbalist Guild in Blackrock City. "Ah, so all these herbalists are attending the Herbalist Grand Assembly," he murmured, nodding slightly. Now he understood why herbalists from other nations had gathered in such numbers within the Gamma Empire. "Since it's the Herbalist Grand Assembly, I'd imagine many of them must possess rare and precious materials—unique natural treasures?" His eyes grew brighter as he thought about it. If he could find a rare treasure capable of restoring his soul energy before reaching Yunlan Sect, and awaken the old herbalist, then this journey to Yunlan Sect would truly be one he could feel at ease about. With this thought, Xiao Yan's mind grew increasingly urgent. Amidst his eager anticipation, the flying beast that had journeyed nearly seven days finally reached its destination—the imperial capital of Jia Ma, Jia Ma Sacred City! Standing atop the flying beast, Xiao Yan gazed down at the magnificent city emerging from the mist, and slowly exhaled. Three years of perseverance, three years of hardship—he had finally arrived here. As the flying beast gently descended, Xiao Yan's gaze suddenly shifted sharply toward the northern part of the city. There, a vast mountain range loomed, resembling a great dragon coiled and radiating an unmistakable surge of celestial energy. That was the towering presence of Jia Ma's most prestigious institution—the Yun Lan Sect! "The Yun Lan Sect… Lan Yanran, the once-ordinary prodigy—she's arrived as promised!"