High above, as Cloud Ling was about to seize Xiao Yan, the latter's sleeve suddenly trembled, and then a thick, vibrant shadow surged forth, striking hard against Cloud Ling's palm. The immense force sent shockwaves rippling through the air, producing sharp sonic booms. At the very moment the seven-colored shadow appeared, Cloud Ling sensed it and his face went pale with alarm. Yet before he could swiftly retreat, the shadow struck again, this time with renewed force, landing squarely on his palm. His cheeks flushed, a low groan escaped his throat, and his body, like a kicked ball, shot backward rapidly. The sudden development in the sky caused even those engaged in battle—Sea Po Dong and the three Cloud Ridge Sect elders—to instantly halt their attacks, their eyes wide and stunned, fixed on Xiao Yan's direction. Sea Po Dong was the only one who remained composed; others unfamiliar with Xiao Yan were so astonished that they nearly dropped their chins. Cloud Ling's prowess within the Cloud Ridge Sect was second only to Yun Yun—few could surpass him. Yet, just moments before, he had been driven back by a cultivator of Grand Combatant level, Xiao Yan? "It seems like a tail..." Fahu hesitated, speaking with some uncertainty. "A tail?" Hearing this, Jia Xingtian was taken aback, his brows furrowed as he stared intently at the sky where Xiao Yan was located. "Is this yet another card that has never been revealed before? Is it truly the mysterious powerhouse who killed Mo Cheng back then?" As Xiao Yan unveiled one after another increasingly astonishing reserve, Jia Xingtian found himself growing more and more convinced. His gaze upon Xiao Yan now carried a new sense of depth. "Young man, what's in your sleeve!" The cloud-shaped Ling, who had retreated nearly fifty meters in the sky, finally released the overwhelming force pressing against his palm. With his hands lowered, slightly trembling, his face pale, he shouted at Xiao Yan, his eyes fixed on the distant figure. The sudden turn of events also left Xiao Yan momentarily stunned, but soon, as if suddenly understanding something, a surge of exhilaration spread across his face. Before he could speak, his sleeves fluttered, and a burst of vibrant, seven-colored light erupted. With a clear, crisp hiss, a seven-colored young serpent joyfully swam around Xiao Yan, its delicate body bathed in sunlight, reflecting a shimmering array of hues—elegant and beautiful to behold. "Five-tiered beast... Hey, I didn't expect you to still have this move hidden up your sleeve." Yun Ling twisted his wrist, which had been tingling from the powerful force, and gave a cold smile. Xiao Yan glanced at him briefly, paying no attention, instead gently caressing the seven-colored Devouring Python, whose body felt cool and smooth like fine jade. As he watched the serpent's eyes—lustrous and alluring—he couldn't help but feel a tremor of awe. This little creature seemed to be developing a growing aura reminiscent of Queen Medusa. Had the souls of the two begun to merge? Xiao Yan's gentle touch brought great pleasure to the python, which kept nudging its small head against his palm. Then, the snake's tongue repeatedly flicked out, directing droplets of essence toward the jade ring on Xiao Yan's finger. In the alluring gaze of the serpent's eyes, the familiar yearning expression he had seen before once again surfaced. Upon observing its greedy behavior, Xiao Yan quietly exhaled a sigh of relief. With a flick of his finger, a bottle of purple-crystal companion essence appeared in his palm. He inserted his finger into the bottle, gently drew out two drops, and then carefully transferred them to the clean scales of the Seven-Color Devouring Python. After sipping two drops of the delicious purple-crystal companion essence, the Seven-Color Devouring Python closed its eyes slightly, enjoying the warm sensation as the vibrant energy flowed through its body. Perhaps due to the Queen Medusa, even though the seven-colored devouring python has been in a state of deep slumber, Xiao Yan has consistently felt that this young creature's strength is growing stronger and stronger. The power displayed when it previously repelled Yun Ling clearly surpasses that of a fifth-tier beast, translating to the level of a Human Champion—equivalent to a Battle King-tier human warrior. At this very moment, having a helper capable of standing against a Battle King is nothing short of a divine blessing for Xiao Yan, who is currently being relentlessly pursued and struggling to keep up. Hearing Xiao Yan's words, the Seven-Color Devouring-Heaven Serpent blinked its eyes, pondering for a moment. With its current level of intelligence, it naturally understood the meaning of what Xiao Yan had said. After a slight hesitation, it finally could not resist the allure of the accompanying purple crystal source, swaying its tail and turning around to gaze steadily at the distant Yun Ling. Its serpentine eyes fixed on the distant clouds, and suddenly, a surge of vibrant seven-colored light erupted across its body. As the light blossomed, the serpent's form began to rapidly expand and swell—like a balloon being inflated. Amidst the countless astonished gazes in the hall, the originally only a few feet long Seven-Color Devouring-Heaven Serpent transformed within moments into a massive creature stretching over ten zhang in length. Floating in the air, its shimmering seven-colored scales reflected radiant hues—should there been claws beneath its body at that moment, it would have appeared nothing short of a living dragon. As the body grew larger, a mighty energy gradually overflowed from within the seven-colored Devouring Python, causing subtle ripples akin to water waves to spread throughout the surrounding space. The colossal serpent spiraled through the sky, its immense form leaving both the onlookers below and even Xiao Yan himself momentarily speechless—unbelieving that the once-miniature, compact creature had transformed into such a strikingly impressive appearance. The sudden, dramatic expansion of the seven-colored Devouring Python also caused Yun Ling to take a deep, cool breath, her expression growing increasingly serious. Turning toward the battle circle of Hai Bo Dong's group, she roared, "Yun Li, hold off on Hai Bo Dong—this one is mine! Yun Lan Sect official, do everything you can to capture Xiao Yan!" "Having previously interacted with it, Yun Ling had already gained a somewhat clear understanding of the Seven-Color Devouring Python's capabilities. Though the latter could be classified as a fifth-tier beast, Yun Ling felt confident in their actual combat—his advanced combat techniques were more than sufficient to make this unfamiliar and peculiar creature suffer greatly. "Hey, I didn't expect Xiao Yan to be hiding such a high-tier companion all this time—I never even knew about it!" Sea Bo Dong's eyes, wide with astonishment, slowly shifted from the Seven-Color Devouring Python. "Yun Ling, don't let yourself stumble in the mud in front of your younger disciples today, or else you'll truly lose face." His gaze shifted once more to Yun Ling, whose face was grave. Hai Bo Dong burst into laughter, then his back-mounted ice wings vibrated powerfully, charging straight at the three Cloud Lake Sect elders who stood resolute. With a cold smile, he said, "Heh, since you've no worries about what's happening on that side, then let's see just how strong your fused technique truly is—versus my ice-based combat energy!" Glancing briefly at Hai Bo Dong and his companions, now locked in combat as fierce as a meteor impact, Yun Ling quickly turned his attention to the distant seven-colored devouring serpent. His expression remained serious as he slowly extended his hands from within his sleeves. A slightly grayish-blue aura of combat energy began to emerge, gradually spreading to cover his entire arm—now appearing as solid and rigid as stone. "Sssss..." The triangular snake tongue moved subtly, now that the creature had expanded into a massive body, the once alluring eyes of the seven-colored Devouring Celestial Python now reflected a more fierce, innate ferocity. The giant maw displayed its sharp fangs interlaced, radiating a cold, sharp gleam. Above, two powerful essences slowly radiated outward from the human and the beast, complemented by the sharp, commanding aura emanating from Hai Bo Dong's battle circle. The Cloud and Mist Sect disciples on the plaza could hardly contain their tremors—how could they have imagined that capturing a mere Grand Duelist-level young man would summon not only a Grand Emperor-level warrior but also a five-tiered beast capable of standing toe-to-toe with a Grand Warrior-level contender? Staring at the one human and the beast who were now exerting growing pressure, Xiao Yan vibrated his wings behind, retreating slightly, and quietly breathed a sigh of relief. The arrival of the seven-colored Devouring Sky Serpent truly had resolved his predicament. With the current situation, it seemed that Cloud Lake Sect no longer had any Dou Wang-level强者 within. As long as he carefully maintained his flight altitude, the capable attendants would likely be unable to capture him. Then, once Hai Bo Dong dealt with the three senior Cloud Lake Sect elders, his present difficulties would be completely lifted. At the very moment Yun Ling took off, the seven-colored devouring python also suddenly lifted its head, emitting a loud, resonant roar. The immense speed displayed by the creature left everyone in awe! With the human and the beast, slicing through the sky, they finally collided with a thunderous crash, right before everyone's eyes!