Stepping slowly into the city, Xiao Yan moved through the bustling streets, his eyes scanning the surroundings. Yet his brows slightly furrowed, as he noticed that on certain columns, there were indeed notices issued by Yunlan Sect—clearly depicting his appearance on the white papers. The rewards offered for the mid-tier cultivation techniques below the notices drew the attention of many passersby, whose eyes gleamed with eager anticipation, since such techniques were often rare and hard to come by. "It seems things are truly becoming troublesome," Xiao Yan murmured softly, carefully concealing his face beneath the shadow of his cloak. "Leave the Gamma Empire as soon as possible. Here, Yunlan Sect's influence is indeed overwhelming. With your current strength, you simply won't be able to compete with them." Suddenly, the voice of Yao Lao echoed. Xiao Yan nodded with a wry smile, then sighed lightly. There was something truly unpleasant about being pushed out like a homeless person—though they had always claimed they would eventually return, the journey from Grand Combatant to Grand Master was still a very long one. "Why have you gone off on such a tangent again? You've challenged the entire Yunlan Sect single-handedly and emerged unscathed. Such a feat—well, even within the Gamma Empire, it would astonish countless people. And I'm certain that within the Empire, many would hold your boldness in high regard. After all, even some Grand Emperor-level warriors wouldn't match the determination and spirit of this young man, only eighteen years old." As if sensing Xiao Yan's thoughts, the old medicine master shook his head in resignation, offering words of reassurance. "Hehe…" With a slight, bashful smile, listening to the somewhat weathered voice of the herbal master, Xiao Yan suddenly recalled the teacher's original intention when he first taught him the mysterious "Burned Technique" three years ago, and murmured to himself, "Master, I remember you once said that as long as I diligently gather the unique flames, I would be able to craft a perfect body capable of housing your soul. Does that mean a form of resurrection, then?" As Xiao Yan spoke the words about crafting a body, he clearly felt the herbal master's soul suddenly vibrating intensely—so powerfully that he was momentarily startled. Since he had known the master, who had always been composed and gentle, this kind of profound spiritual resonance had never occurred to him before. "It seems Master truly cares about this matter..." Xiao Yan blinked his eyelashes, suddenly feeling an unexpected sense of shame. Over the past three years, Yao Lao had poured countless efforts into helping him grow stronger, yet for the so-called three-year agreement, he had nearly completely forgotten about Master's own concerns. The vibrating soul gradually stabilized after nearly half a minute, and Yao Lao, suppressing his emotions, smiled and said, "Indeed. When I first met you and decided to pass on the 'Burned Decree'—a treasure I had struggled hard to obtain—the primary intention was to have you, once you mastered your cultivation, use the fused flame to help me create a body capable of housing my soul." "After all... that endless darkness, imprisoned within the ring, was truly unbearable. And there were still some matters that needed me to attend to..." As the words trailed off, the elder's voice grew slow, low, and slightly melancholy—perhaps stirred by memories of his own long-sleeping nights shrouded in darkness. Gently rubbing the dark ring embedded in the folds of his sleeve, Xiao Yan exhaled softly, paused, and then a warm, radiant smile bloomed on his face. With a gentle tone, he said, "Over the past three years, I've been so grateful to my teacher." "Ah, you've grown so sentimental all of a sudden, haven't you? That's quite unlike you," the elder remarked, slightly surprised, then smiling warmly with a touch of heartfelt emotion. "My teacher has given so much to me. As a student, I naturally feel it my duty to repay this kindness." Xiao Yan's voice was a little hoarse as he offered a soft, quiet smile. "Rest assured, Master. I will never forget your resurrection." "With this heart, I am truly satisfied. To have nurtured a student as outstanding as you during my own hardships—this has indeed fulfilled a long-held wish of mine," the herbal elder smiled. "The Silent Herbalist's voice suddenly carried a touch of excitement. Xiao Yan blinked, and smiled softly, asking, 'I'm curious—after your resurrection, will your strength reach the peak of your former prowess?' 'At first, it might feel a bit awkward, but once you've fully acclimated to your new body, I believe... your strength will surpass even your previous peak.' The Herbalist replied calmly, his voice brimming with undeniable confidence—after all, though he hadn't been able to cultivate Qi for these years, his soul had grown stronger and more profound than ever before. 'Then, what level will you reach?' Xiao Yan pressed. 'Heh, within ten rounds, I'll defeat Yunshan effortlessly.' The Herbalist smiled, his laughter reflecting the pride of a true peak-tier powerhouse. With his eyes slightly narrowed, Xiao Yan's lips curled into a gentle smile—Yunshan was currently a Daoist cultivator, though only at the first star level. Even a nine-star Daoist would likely hesitate to claim victory over him within just ten rounds." That would mean, if the Elder of the Medicine Sect were to manifest his strength, he would at the very least be a... Sovereign Rank master! Slowly expelling a wave of astonishment from his chest, Sovereign Rank masters—those were nearly at the very apex of the continental hierarchy. Xiao Yan crossed his fingers within his sleeves, speaking softly, "Such an appealing enhancement in strength... I recall my teacher once mentioned that within the Gan'an Academy, there existed traces of a unique fire. What was it called?" "The Falling Heart Flame!" the Elder smiled, offering a reminder. "Ah, the Falling Heart Flame," Xiao Yan nodded with a smile. "So this trip to Gan'an Academy has once again added another task to my list." "Then, we cannot afford to waste any more time in the Jima Empire. The sooner we depart, the better—there's no point in delaying." Xiao Yan exhaled gently, then asked. "Wait a moment... The Canaan Academy is situated at the intersection of several great empires, in a vast and expansive region. While there is a relatively peaceful zone around the academy, beyond that, the situation becomes utterly chaotic—so much so that it's hard to believe. Numerous powers vie for influence, and every time the academy recruits new students, its mentors accompany them throughout the journey. Even when they cross into the borders of individual empires, the academy's guard units step in to provide additional protection. Otherwise, it's unlikely that many new students would reach the academy safely." The elderly pharmacist suddenly remarked. "Even after leaving the Gamma Empire, you must prepare thoroughly to enter that turbulent region—otherwise, a single misstep could leave you at a serious disadvantage." "When I previously examined your vows, I noticed that your various pills were nearly depleted—indeed, even the essential Revitalizing Pills, which are always indispensable, had been completely used up during this recent journey through the Beast Mountains. If you don't prepare some now, should any emergency arise later, it will take considerable time to concoct them anew," the elderly pharmacist advised. "Hmm..." Hearing this, Xiao Yan finally remembered that during the past month of fleeing, the once-abundant reserves of pills had indeed been exhausted, nearing their end. "Then let's go to the auction hall to purchase some herbs first. Afterwards, I'll inquire about the route to the Imperial Capital, and also find out how many Imperial officials on this route are from Yunlan Sect. That way, I'll be able to make some preparations accordingly," Xiao Yan said thoughtfully. "Ah... be careful. Don't reveal your identity too soon," the pharmacist nodded, then gradually fell silent. After clarifying what needed to be done, Xiao Yan no longer hesitated, turned, and proceeded down a street, moving swiftly. At the end of the street stood an auction hall, clearly marked with the emblem of the Mitel family's branch office. As he walked toward the hall, Xiao Yan scanned the surroundings, eventually settling his gaze on a black curtain bearing the words "VIP Reception." After a moment's pause, he waved his hand, and a crystal card appeared in his palm—the highest-tier VIP card of the Mitel family. This card had been quietly presented to him back in the Imperial Capital, thanks to the relationship between Mitel Tengshan and Hai Bo Dong. It was said that with this card, Xiao Yan would receive full support in any of the Mitel family's branch offices. Holding the card, Xiao Yan strode briskly into the VIP lounge... Half an hour after Xiao Yan entered the lounge, the black curtain finally parted, and a figure fully draped in a black robe emerged slowly and calmly. A satisfied smile adorned the face beneath the shadow, and the figure proceeded directly out of the auction hall. By then, Xiao Yan had successfully secured most of the medicinal herbs and information he needed. The VIP card provided by Mitel Tengshan proved unexpectedly useful. After gathering all his materials, Xiao Yan did not immediately head to a location within the city to begin preparing the required pills. Instead, he quietly made his way to beneath the southern city wall and swiftly departed without drawing any attention. After leaving the city of Dali, Xiao Yan found a secluded forest and took shelter within it, where he began preparing the large batch of pills—medicines that would serve as his lifeline in the future.