Within the cave, after two consecutive soft murmurs, what surprised the elderly physician was that Xiao Yan—though still capable of further enhancing his strength—did not seize the momentum to surge forward. Instead, he calmly stabilized his breath and began fully absorbing the suddenly surging energy. Gently stroking his beard, the physician gazed at the young man with a serene face, like warm jade, who was now closed-eyed. After a brief pause, he suddenly smiled, nodding with satisfaction. "Facing such strength, he remains composed, neither greedy nor proud, content to step back. Indeed, quite commendable. Quite commendable," he said. The repeated praise of "commendable" clearly reflected the physician's appreciation for Xiao Yan's performance. Though Xiao Yan had originally been able to leverage the momentum to directly advance to the level of Four-Star Grand Combatant, cultivation was never a matter of sudden achievement. Today, having already gained two stars of strength in succession, Xiao Yan found it difficult to maintain a steady sense of self. Should he advance further, the current sensation of energy floating within him would likely become the greatest obstacle to his next promotion. A person whose internal energy is floating and whose force distribution is uneven will always fall short of someone whose energy is solid and whose strength is precisely controlled. This truth is deeply clear to Xiao Yan. During his three years of stagnation as a mere waste, his persistent cultivation forged an exceptionally stable foundation. Only with this unshakable base could Xiao Yan later build the remarkable tower of strength that now stands so impressively. Therefore, he would never allow a temporary gain to compromise the very foundation he holds most dear—the solid, rock-like base. As for which is more important, the distinction requires no further argument. Thus, when it came to making the sacrifice, Xiao Yan was the most decisive. Seated cross-legged upon the Qinglian, Xiao Yan's face resembled a smooth, luminous jade, radiating a gentle glow. After a while, this glow gradually faded, his eyelashes gently trembling before suddenly fluttering open. A subtle, pale green light flashed across his eyes before swiftly retreating. As the brilliance faded, the magnificent aura swirling around Xiao Yan's body gradually subsided, until it finally vanished entirely. "Ha ha, quite good—just one healing and cultivation session, and I've managed to gain two stars in strength. Unfortunately, such a fortunate opportunity isn't something one simply encounters by chance." Gazing at Xiao Yan, now no longer in a state of cultivation, the Elder of Medicine chuckled lightly. Exhaling a thick breath, Xiao Yan turned his neck, hearing the crisp sounds of bones shifting, then felt the powerful, river-like flow of qi pulsing within him, his face naturally brightening with delight. He gently pressed his palms against the lotus, and with a graceful movement, settled himself firmly on the ground, then suddenly drove his fists forward with a sharp, powerful gust of wind. "Enough. Right now, my ability can only manage to stabilize this sudden surge of two stars in strength. If I were to gain any more, although it may seem like my power has improved temporarily, in the long run, it would actually be detrimental to me." Standing still, he slowly closed his fists and smiled. The Yeold smiled and nodded, then waved his hand toward Qinglian, summoning it back into his storage tablet. He then flicked his hand, and the previously fragmented jade plate reappeared in his grasp, which he gently stroked. With his strength enhanced, his internal injuries had also fully healed, and his face now regained its rosy hue. Gazing up at the Yeold's actions and glancing at the broken jade plate, he was momentarily taken aback, then suddenly struck with an idea. He took a few steps forward and asked cautiously, "Master, have you seen this before?" "Yes, I've encountered this unusual storage device before," the Yeold replied, nodding. "Storage device? It seems capable of storing things here—perhaps even techniques like combat arts or cultivation methods?" Xue Yan was first surprised, then quickly realized. "Hehe, well, if my guess is correct, this kind of jade tablet storage device should be the creation of the 'Burned Flame Valley' on the Qi Continent, as only they are skilled in this jade tablet technology. Moreover, after handling it for a while, the jade feels subtly warm—this is a hallmark of items crafted by the Burned Flame Valley." The Elder smiled. "Burned Flame Valley? What is that?" Hearing this unfamiliar name, Xiao Yan found himself somewhat puzzled. Having never left the Jima Empire, he had never heard of such a name before. "It's one of the major powers on the Qi Continent. In terms of strength, it's likely no weaker than Yunlan Sect. They are particularly renowned for their mastery of fire-based cultivation techniques and adopt a bold, aggressive, attack-oriented approach—thus standing out distinctly on the continent." The Elder said calmly. "No weaker than Yunlan Sect?" The corner of his mouth twitched slightly, and after a while, Xiao Yan couldn't help but chuckle. He hadn't expected that a sect renowned for its dominance in the Gamma Empire would fare so modestly when transplanted onto the Qi Continent. "Heh, don't look upon Yunlan Sect too highly. As Ling Yin mentioned, Yunlan Sect is merely a second-tier force on the Qi Continent—despite now having a Dao Sect master, they still barely make it to the bottom rung of the first-tier powers." The old doctor gave a dismissive shrug. "Of course, even so, to you, a mere Grand Qi Master, they undoubtedly appear as a towering presence." "Looking at Xiao Yan's wry expression, Master Yao chuckled, saying, 'Young lad, this Qi continent is vast, with countless powerful beings. The world you've known until now is merely a small corner of it. When you finally step onto the continent, I'm sure you'll fall in love with this magnificent realm. But remember—no matter where you go, to earn respect, strength itself is the most important!' 'The rule of the strong prevailing, shared by all under heaven,' Xiao Yan nodded slightly, smiling lightly. 'If you can grasp that, that would be ideal,' Master Yao said, chuckling as he tossed the broken jade piece into the air. 'Now, let's return to the point. Would you like to know what's inside this piece?' 'Of course,' Xiao Yan quickly nodded. Since this item came from Burn-Flame Valley—a place comparable to Yunlan Sect—it must surely be no ordinary thing. 'Burn it with fire.' "The elder pharmacist tossed the jade tablet and the storage ring to Xiao Yan, smiling warmly, "The things from Burned Flame Valley are always peculiar—only by subjecting them to flame can one extract their essence. By general principle, the more enduring a product from Burned Flame Valley is, the more precious its inner value is." With careful attention, Xiao Yan received the jade tablet, examining it thoroughly. It was hard to believe that such a seemingly fragile piece of jade could withstand the heat of flame. Yet he had never questioned the elder's words. He then withdrew a purple pill from the storage ring, placed it in his mouth, and gently chewed it. As he opened his mouth, a stream of purple flame erupted and hovered before him. Xiao Yan lightly tapped the jade tablet with his finger, and instantly it transformed into a shimmering light, darting into the purple flame sphere. Watching the jade tablet enter the flame, Xiao Yan quickly focused his gaze on the sphere, closely observing every change within. Though it appeared fragile and broken, the jade fragment boldly plunged into the flames. Subtle sparks of purple fire burst upon its surface, yet what surprised both Xiao Yan and Yao Lao was that the jade remained utterly still—unmoved by the intense heat. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily startled, lifting his gaze to the Ye Elder. He saw a gleam of joy in the Elder's eyes, and thus, a sense of clarity settled in his mind—he had indeed encountered something truly exceptional, something that even the Ye Elder found commendable. His heart subtly quickened its pace. He swallowed a lump in his throat, then rubbed his hands vigorously. Instantly, a surge of emerald flame erupted from between his fingers. With a sweeping motion of his hand, the purple fire orb floating before him vanished into nothingness. Then, with another gesture, a jade fragment fell to the ground and was instantly enveloped by the emerald flame spilling from his fingertips. The black, cracked jade piece settled into quietude within the flame, yet Xiao Yan did not hurry. Instead, he gradually raised the temperature of the flame. When the mountain cave had grown increasingly hot without anyone knowing when, the once quiet jade fragment finally stirred. The surface, originally cracked and smooth, began to ripple as if waves of water, taking on the appearance of about to melt. "No worries, keep heating," the herbal elder said calmly, smiling gently as he watched the jade approaching its melting point. Seeing the herbal elder's composed demeanor, Xiao Yan steadied himself, nodded, and took a deep breath. Within him, his qi surged swiftly, raising the temperature of the Qinglian Earth Fire once more. As the flame grew hotter and hotter, the dark, fragmented jade finally completely melted. The melted jade no longer retained its black hue but transformed into a pool of clear, green, crystalline liquid that flowed gently within the blue flame, as if alive—remarkably unusual. At a certain moment, the flowing liquid suddenly paused, its surface rippling as though something were about to burst forth. "Something wonderful is about to emerge," the medicine elder smiled, gazing at the liquid's movements. Hearing this, Xiao Yan's heart tightened; he fixed his gaze on the flames, barely blinking. The green liquid continued to ripple for over ten seconds. Then, at a sudden instant, a brilliant green light erupted from within, instantly flooding the cave and nearly obscuring all other light. Though the light was intense, neither Xiao Yan nor the elder closed their eyes, because as soon as the green glow appeared, countless streams of text surged forth from the liquid and automatically arranged themselves in the air above the cave, forming a unique, flowing script composition. As his eyes swept across the luminous display, finally settling on the largest characters at the top, Xiao Yan's lips slightly trembled, and a soft, barely audible voice emerged between his teeth. "The Third Divine Flame Transformation?" By the side, upon hearing that name, the herb elder was suddenly shaken, his eyes flashing with intense brilliance!