Staring at the Queen Medusa, whose lethal aura had instantly subsided, Xiao Yan could only shake his head with a smile. This woman truly commanded the respect of all the elite warriors of the Jima Empire—not merely through reputation. "Where do you plan to go next?" the Queen tossed back the prescription for the Ling-Ren Pill to Xiao Yan, asking casually. Carefully receiving the prescription, Xiao Yan paused and said, "I'd like to return to Wutan City first. Then, perhaps I'll need to leave the Jima Empire for some time." "Leave the Jima Empire, then?" The Queen's dark brows furrowed slightly, before she nodded gently, her tone relaxed. "Go ahead—after all, among the snake people, their several leaders can temporarily fill my role. Until you successfully produce the Ling-Ren Pill, I'll stay with you." Seeing no opposition from her, Xiao Yan exhaled in relief, lightly tapping his large black staff against his back, and smiled. "Then let's go." "The affairs of Yunlan Sect are now concluded. Shouldn't you have ample time now? On your way to Wutan City, when you pass through several major cities, stop briefly and seek out the herbs needed to prepare the Rongling Pills." The Queen of Medusa spoke calmly, though her tone, though seemingly diplomatic, left no room for refusal. Faced with this, Xiao Yan could only nod reluctantly, glancing at the graceful, alluring face of the Queen before shrugging and saying, "I recommend that you cover your appearance when you enter the city—otherwise, you'll encounter quite a few unnecessary complications." Nodding slightly, the Queen turned and walked slowly toward the path beyond the dense forest. Gazing at the graceful, alluring figure drifting before him, Xiao Yan spread his hands and turned his head, his gaze drifting toward the faintly visible stone steps at the horizon, slowly rising upward until it settled upon the mountain peak veiled in mist. After a moment of silence, he sighed softly. The three-year-old promise that had bound him had finally been fully released. With the goal that had driven him for three years now shed, a sudden sense of uncertainty stirred within him. Yet this uncertainty did not last long—his mind suddenly flashed with the clear, refined smile of the young girl, and a warm, gentle curve spread across his face. "Xun'er, are you well? Waiting for me..." he murmured softly, recalling the girl he had not seen in nearly two years. A surge of warmth bloomed within him. Turning around, he glanced at the beautiful silhouette now stepping out of the dense forest, smiled, and hurried after her. ... After leaving Yunlanshan, Xiao Yan did not return to the Imperial Capital, but instead took a direct route with the Queen of Medusa, heading straight toward Utan City. The distance between the Imperial Capital and Utan City spanned nearly half of the empire. Even with their swift flight speeds, it would take at least two or three days to reach there. Moreover, due to the Queen of Medusa's request, Xiao Yan had to stop at each major city along the way, waiting for the local auction halls and trade fairs to open. As a result, the journey was significantly delayed. Fortunately, now that the three-year agreement had been fulfilled, Xiao Yan had finally broken free from the rigid daily schedule he had previously maintained. On this journey, he no longer felt bound by constraints or psychological pressure, moving steadily and comfortably—free from urgency. This relaxed, unhurried lifestyle, which Xiao Yan had never truly enjoyed since the beginning of the three-year agreement, now felt like a welcome respite. During the three days leading up to their journey home, although they had stayed for a while in several major cities, Queen Medusa was somewhat disappointed to find that not a single specimen of the rare herbs required for crafting the Ling-Rong Dan had been discovered—something she could only reluctantly accept, since if the ingredients for a sixth-rank pill were so readily available, their value would surely not be so high. By the time it came, even spitting blood and sustaining serious injuries would have been mere trifles... As time quietly passed, Xiao Yan and Queen Medusa grew increasingly close to the region of Wutan City. Due to delays in searching for medicinal herbs, what should have been a journey of just two or three days had taken them five full days. The two of them strolled leisurely into the city, encountering no obstruction at all. Although the city guards kept their eyes constantly scanning the mature, well-proportioned figure of Queen Medusa, perhaps due to her commanding presence, the few guards who had been eager to approach remained hesitant and did not dare to question them. After entering the city, Xiao Yan led the way along the streets for a while, then turned into a bustling inn. Given the robust nature of the northern provinces, such inns were common only in the northern regions of the empire; in more upscale areas like the imperial capital, they were less frequently found. This inn attracts people from all walks of life, where much of the civilian intelligence and news from the Empire circulates. Therefore, it enables Xiang Yan to quickly learn which part of the city has the most abundant and finest medicinal herbs. "Gazing at Xiao Yan, Queen Meidusa spoke softly. "It's said that there's a renowned herb gathering hall in our city, which stocks many precious herbs. However, the prices are quite high." Xiao Yan lifted his wine cup and took a slow, steady sip. "Let's rest a while and then head over to that herb hall..." Nodding with a satisfied expression, Queen Meidusa smiled gently. Rolling her eyes, Xiao Yan lightly tapped his black measuring rod against his back, clearly unwilling to speak further. "By the way, have you heard about the events at Yunlan Sect?" A mysterious voice suddenly broke the quiet between Xiao Yan and his companion, drawing Xiao Yan's attention toward the table nearby. "Oh, you're talking about that young man named Xiao Yan who caused quite a stir at Yunlan Sect, aren't you?" One man, with a dismissive gesture, remarked to his still-mysterious companion. "Wait—did you know all that?" The first speaker blinked in surprise, stammering slightly. "Such a major development had already been circulating for two days. Xiao Yan had defeated Lan Yan, the deputy chief of Yunlan Sect, during the official competition. It was reportedly due to the fact that Lan Yan had once declined Xiao Yan's marriage proposal. Now, it seems that the earlier news—claiming Lan Yan had been forcibly divorced by Xiao Yan—was indeed quite credible. Given Xiao Yan's current strength and potential, coupled with Lan Yan's own abilities, he clearly has more than enough to match her. ..." "Er... what happened afterward?" "...It seems Yunlan Sect wanted to keep Xiao Yan. Heh, though Xiao Yan is young, the power behind him is truly astonishing. It's said that during the confrontation, not only did two Douhuang-level warriors emerge, but even the Queen of the Serpent Clan, Medusa, personally appeared. Despite Yunlan Sect's full efforts, Xiao Yan managed to emerge unscathed." "Medusa the Queen?" "As soon as the name was mentioned, the people around gasped. 'Hehe,' said the man, citing reliable information, 'Xiao Yan is actually the champion of this year's Alchemy Competition.' The wave of astonishment from the crowd boosted his sense of pride, and with a chuckle, he added more impressive details. 'Isn't the champion's name Rock Xiao?' a soft voice suddenly interjected. 'Rock Xiao—just read it backwards, and there you go! Ha ha...' the man beamed proudly. 'Uh...' the crowd blinked, then suddenly realized—though such a small detail might seem trivial once pointed out, who in their right mind would casually reverse a name like that? 'Well,' sighed the man, 'this guy is no ordinary person. At his age, he's already achieving such remarkable feats. What will he become when he grows up?' The man took a hearty gulp of the strong barley wine, sighed with admiration, and remarked, "Which man doesn't harbor a passionate dream of achieving great things? It's just that, due to limitations in ability, many are destined to only dream it, never realizing it. Listening now to the conversation coming from that table, Xiao Yan couldn't help but shake his head with a wry smile. He hadn't expected that, in just a few days, the matter from Yunlan Sect had already reached the other side of the empire. "You're now a celebrity yourself," the Queen Medusa said, playfully lifting her wine cup. "I'm not particularly interested in this," Xiao Yan shrugged, "Well, then, let's go—let's see if the Herbs Pavilion has any of the herbs we need." "Agreed." As Xiao Yan and Queen Medusa stood to leave, a new conversation from the table beside them caused a slight change in his expression. "Ah, isn't Xiao Yan from the Xiao family of Wutan City?" "Yes, the Xiao family has truly made their mark this time. With such a formidable, utterly overwhelming family member, who in the northern provinces dares to show disrespect to them?" "Hey, that's not certain at all. I've just arrived from Wutan City and heard that the Xiao family has been facing some difficulties lately." "Huh? At this very moment, someone dares to go after the Xiao family?" "I'm not sure—Xiao family's secrecy is so strict that I don't even have concrete details." The man shook his head, took a sip of millet wine, and then suddenly paused, slowly lifting his gaze to the black-robed young man now standing before him. The latter's commanding presence made the man, who was only a two-star Battle Spirit, swallow hard, and with cautious politeness, asked, "Sir, what may I assist you with?" "You just mentioned that the Xiao family has encountered some trouble—what exactly happened?" Xiong Yin asked solemnly. "Hmm... actually, I'm not entirely sure myself. I just heard that there was a fierce battle at the Xiao family a couple of days ago, after which they've turned down any visitors. Since then, the usually active Xiao Zhan clan head hasn't appeared much—probably busy settling family matters." The man said, his voice trembling. At this moment, Xiao Yan naturally paid no attention to the commotion on the wine hall floor. After stepping down, he stood on the street, frowning intently at Queen Medusa, and said, "I cannot stay any longer. I must return to Wutan City first." Upon hearing this, Queen Medusa slightly furrowed her brows, speaking calmly, "Let's first visit the pharmacy here. Just in case there are any herbs I need..." "Listen, I need to return to Wutan City right now!" Xiao Yan stared at Queen Medusa with sharp eyes, speaking each word firmly and clearly. Xiao Yan's sudden firmness surprised Queen Medusa. Throughout these days, Xiao Yan had never once deviated from her words. Now, however, he directly challenged her, which caused a slight irritation in the queen—her status as the sovereign of her royal lineage making her feel a bit displeased. "Queen Medusa," she said, her vibrant eyes now cold, "I insist on seeking the herbs myself!" Staring intently at the eyes that had captivated the man, Xiao Yan suddenly reached out, grasping the delicate hand in a firm hold as the Queen of Medusa gazed at him in astonishment. Before the latter could react, he coldly stated, "If you want the Spirit-Uniting Pill, then drop the royal airs. I've been polite thus far because you helped me escape—now, if you continue to be stubborn and unreasonable, don't expect any mercy from me." "Let's go!" With that, Xiao Yan pulled her swiftly toward the city's outskirts. The Queen of Medusa, startled by the sudden shift in Xiao Yan's demeanor—so sharply different from his earlier composed self—was momentarily stunned and didn't resist. She merely watched him with a mixture of surprise, never having imagined that, with her status, anyone would dare speak to her so firmly and directly. At that moment, Queen Medusa felt a mix of bewildered emotions—how long had it been since anyone had treated her this way? And this person, merely a young Grand Combatant whom she could easily send flying with a single palm strike, seemed to have an unusually long life ahead of him. Xiang Yan swiftly summoned the Purple Cloud Wings and rushed toward Wutan City. Under this near-constant, relentless pace, within just two hours, the outline of the city, previously faint and indistinct, gradually came into clear view before Xiang Yan's eyes.