Amid the dense forest of towering trees, thick foliage casts the scorching sunlight into dappled patches, with occasional beams of light piercing through the leaf gaps and landing on the ground, forming a naturally woven pattern of light spots—most beautiful of all. In the stillness of the woods, a distant, low roar, indistinct in its origin, echoes through the dense undergrowth, lingering and drifting through the forest without fading. "That's why the Tian-Devouring Python in your sleeve—" an elderly laugh echoed in Xiao Yan's mind, "The Tian-Devouring Python is an ancient mythical beast. Most ordinary beasts instinctively feel fear merely upon detecting its scent. And now, this Tian-Devouring Python itself possesses the strength of a Battle King. How could any ordinary beast dare to appear before it?" "Ah, so it was all thanks to this young one's good fortune," Xiao Yan said, finally relieved, and gently tapped his sleeve with a light smile. "As for the teams from Yunlan Sect coming after you, however, they've been less fortunate. In my perception, over this very stretch of distance, they've endured no fewer than three waves of attacks from wild beasts. Though none of them suffered serious harm, their pursuit speed has been noticeably slowed." The herbalist chuckled with a touch of satisfaction. Xiao Yan sneered, scanning the surroundings once more, but still failed to locate the ideal spot for concealment. With a slight frown, he shook his head in resignation, then lightly tapped the trunk with his foot, his body unfolding like a bat spreading its wings, weaving through the dense canopy of trees and continuing to flee while searching for the best place of safety. Amidst the forest teeming with towering trees and wild beasts, finding a quiet, undisturbed refuge proved challenging. Yet Xiao Yan had been fortunate—by the time the sky began to darken, he finally discovered a suitable location. Beyond a vast expanse of dense forest, a narrow ravine, approximately ten meters wide, came into view in Xiao Yan's sight. Slowing his pace, Xiao Yan walked steadily to the edge of the ravine, glanced down at the nearly bottomless darkness below, then slowly raised his gaze, scanning the steep mountain face across. After a moment, his eyes suddenly settled on a dark, cavernous opening—some several dozen meters from the summit. It appeared not to have been artificially constructed, but rather carved out forcefully by some fierce, clawed beast. "This location is indeed exceptional," Xiao Yan mused. "With the mist providing cover, even if someone flies overhead, their passage would remain nearly undetectable." Xiao Yan gazed at the dark cave with a look of delight. Along the steep mountain cliffs, there were many such dark caves, but only one stood in the most ideal location. Standing at the edge of the mountain stream, when one looked directly at the cave, the faint, thin mist spreading from the depths of the stream could easily obscure it if not closely observed. As his gaze swept over his back, Xiao Yan’s shoulders trembled slightly, and his broad Ziyun wings shot out, propelling him into a leap. With a swift jump, he landed at the base of the stream, the wind rushing past his ears and his wings vibrating. He swiftly reached the cave, hovering before it, yet did not immediately enter. The魔兽 mountain was perilous beyond measure, full of hidden dangers—should he not proceed with care, the manner of his demise might remain entirely unknown. He lifted his robe slightly, and the Tian-Tong Serpent darted forth. With a gesture of his hand toward the cave, the serpent instantly understood, let out a series of cries, and then transformed into a streak of seven-colored lightning, shooting straight into the cave. As the Sky-Eating Python darted into the cave, Xiao Yan also hurriedly stepped back and settled into a quiet wait. This stillness lasted barely less than a minute—then a sharp, fishy breeze surged forth from within the cave, followed by a massive black silhouette bursting out. A fearsome flying beast, startled and panic-stricken, soared forth, emitting a harsh, grating cry, and surged upward toward the sky, vanishing at the horizon. "Whoa! It's a Lion-Winged Beast!" Xiao Yan exclaimed, eyes wide with astonishment. "That's a three-tiered beast capable of challenging a high-level Battle Master—quite impressive! Well, thanks to the Sky-Eating Python's assistance, otherwise, with my current condition, I'd have to expend considerable energy just to drive it away." Not long after the Lion-Winged Beast took off, the Sky-Eating Python emerged from the cave and soared above Xiao Yan, its long serpentine body coiling around him as it hissed softly, flicking its tongue. With a gesture, Xiao Yan folded the Tian-Devouring Python into his sleeve and then took a deep breath, finally flying into the cave with confidence. As his feet settled upon the firm mountain stone, his face turned pale, and he coughed violently. With each cough, the purple cloud wings behind him automatically transformed into patterns and retracted against his back. "Indeed, the injury is serious," Xiao Yan murmured, a thin streak of blood trailing from his lip. "Only a few minutes of using the purple cloud wings have already caused such turmoil within me." He gently wiped the blood from his mouth. Approaching the spacious interior of the cave, though the faint lingering scent of blood made him frown, the situation—being surrounded on all sides—left him no time to attend to such minor details. With a light tap of his fingers, several moonstones shot out from his storage ring and landed steadily in the crevices of the cave walls, instantly casting a soft, diffused glow that illuminated the entire cavern. Gazing at the bright lights within the cave, Xiao Yan glanced once more at the now completely dimmed sky outside, and after a moment of thoughtful silence, he approached the cave entrance, pushing a large stone firmly in front of it—just enough to partially block the entrance, so that the illuminated cave wouldn't stand out too prominently against the darkness. Only after completing these actions did Xiao Yan finally exhale deeply, and the fatigue from his nearly full day of fleeing slowly rose from within him, making his eyelids grow heavy. "Now isn't the time for rest," came the gentle call of Yao Lao, suddenly interrupting Xiao Yan just as he was about to collapse onto the ground and fall asleep. Startled, Xiao Yan jolted upright, quickly opening his heavy eyelids, smiled faintly, and hurried back two steps to find a clean stone platform, settling into a meditative posture. As Xiao Yan sat down, the dark ring trembled slightly, and Yao Lao's ethereal form gradually drifted into view. "Teacher..." Looking at the appearance of the herbal elder, Xiao Yan slightly tilted his head, blushing and smiled awkwardly. With a sigh of resignation, the elder waved his hand, and the naga ring on Xiao Yan's finger slipped free, finally floating in the elder's palm. "First, stabilize your internal condition. I'll prepare some pills to treat your internal injuries. You must recover as quickly as possible—otherwise, the situation will be extremely dangerous." As the elder scanned the naga ring with his spiritual energy, he instructed. "Understood." Nodding, Xiao Yan said no more, and with both hands forming meditation seals before him, he gradually closed his eyes. His previously hurried breathing became calm and steady. Observing Xiao Yan's swift transition into a meditative state, the elder nodded slightly, satisfied. With a gentle tap of his finger on the naga ring, a cascade of herbs sprang forth, hovering beside the elder. "Good thing this little one has so many herbs stored—otherwise, I'd have had to go searching for them myself..." Gazing at the herbs floating beside him, the elderly physician nodded slightly. With a gentle shake of his hand, a crisp, pale flame instantly surged upward. As he waved his hand, one herb after another was smoothly and swiftly tossed into the flame. Compared to Xiao Yan's earlier methods of preparing pills, the fluid, seamless technique of the elder truly revealed what it meant to be a master of herb cultivation. The soft glow of the moonstone gently blocked the darkness outside, casting a quiet stillness within the cave. The only sounds heard were the subtle crackles as the herbs shattered in the flame. The two inside were clearly focused, each attending to their own tasks. The tranquil meditation lasted nearly two or three hours. Only then, with a slight tremor of his eyelashes, did Xiao Yan slowly open his eyes. After three hours of treatment, the previously pale hue of his face had now taken on a healthy, rosy glow. Exhaling a long, steady breath that had been coiled in his chest for a while, Xiao Yan's complexion grew even more radiant. He looked up at the elderly physician, who had already completed the preparation and was now standing at the entrance, observing the goings-on outside. With a gentle smile, he said, "Though I've sustained serious injuries, the turbulent state within my body has been stabilized. As the teacher said, this is indeed the prelude to my enhanced strength—my vital energy and blood now rise and fluctuate unpredictably." The elderly physician nodded in agreement, then turned and lightly tapped his finger, sending a pill resembling jade hurtling toward Xiao Yan, who promptly caught it. "Take it down with you. This way, your internal injuries should heal completely. The three-pattern Qingling Pills you took earlier were quite potent, but you didn't fully absorb their effects—much of the medicinal power settled and accumulated within your body, which isn't good for your health. I've blended Bone Spirit Cold Flame into these pills. When you take them, you may feel some discomfort, but this will evaporate the accumulated medicinal residue. This is your chance to absorb it fully. As for how much your strength will improve, that depends entirely on your own destiny." The herbal master shook his head and said, "Since I've been away, several ailments have developed within you. That烙毒is particularly tenacious. Once you've recovered from your injuries, I'll find a way to address it." Hearing the herbal master's lengthy explanation, Xiao Yan felt a warm sense of comfort and nodded slightly. With his teacher by his side, he finally felt at ease—like a child finding a reliable anchor, bringing peace to his heart. He pushed the pill into his mouth and once again closed his eyes, his mind sinking deep within his body, beginning this great breakthrough.