Students qualified to enter the Tiān Fén Qi Tower's fourth level for cultivation are essentially already among the outstanding talents of the Inner Academy. While currently at this level, Xiao Yan has not yet demonstrated the same strength as he did in the third level. Therefore, after settling his immediate needs for nourishment upon arrival at the fourth level, he chose a mid-tier cultivation chamber and continued his closed-door cultivation practice. Although the cultivation effectiveness of mid-tier chambers in the fourth level falls short of that of the high-tier ones, the intensity of their heart-fire is significantly stronger than that of the high-tier chambers in the third level—perfectly suited for Xiao Yan's current stage, allowing him neither to compete for the high-tier chambers nor to frequently interrupt his cultivation due to such competition. After finding an available meditation room, Xiao Yan once again pulled out the medicine cauldron to prepare some Qingzhi Fire Spirit Ointment and Fengsu Spirit Pills. The previous batch had been completely consumed during his seven-day period of seclusion, so he now needed to start the process anew. Drawing on his experience from the first attempt, Xiao Yan this time handled the process with greater proficiency—both the duration of each session was significantly reduced, and the quality and quantity of the finished products clearly surpassed the initial batch. Once both types of pills were successfully prepared, Xiao Yan resumed his uninterrupted period of seclusion and cultivation breakthrough. This time, perhaps due to some other reason, no one came to disturb him during the process, allowing him the most seamless and uninterrupted training time. ... Between the moments of cultivation, time passed swiftly—within a single blink, nearly half a month had elapsed. During this period of seclusion, although Xiao Yan occasionally stepped out of his cultivation room, for nearly 95% of the time he remained entirely within that mid-level cultivation chamber, persistently pressing against the eight-star barrier. Amidst this nearly all-consuming dedication to cultivation, Xiao Yan, who had already reached the peak of the seven-star grand cultivator stage, finally began to vaguely sense the boundary of the eight-star level. Now, after an additional two or three days of intense practice, his internal qi had reached a full and abundant state—much like a water tank that was nearly full. At this moment, the qi within Xiao Yan’s body flowed like water on the verge of overflowing. Only a slight addition would be sufficient to breach the confines of the tank and allow it to expand into a broader realm. And finally, during one of Xiao Yan's hazy, indistinct training sessions, this subtle catalyst arrived with remarkable abruptness... Not long after that strange, resonant sound echoed, Xiao Yan's body, which had previously been as rigid as a post, suddenly jerked as if electrified. A peculiar rosy glow surged across his face. Of course, the changes were not limited to his outward appearance—within him, profound transformations had taken place. Most notably, an intense, powerful suction had suddenly surged throughout his body. Under this overwhelming suction, the dark, hot energy that had previously spiraled around him and flowed steadily inward now behaved like a panicked herd of wild cattle, abandoning all order and rushing furiously toward Xiao Yan. At this moment, Xiao Yan's body once again transformed into an ever-expanding abyss, absorbing whatever energy surged toward him—no matter how vast—without any resistance. The intensity of this suction showed no signs of diminishing; on the contrary, it grew stronger and stronger. Eventually, the energy within the entire training room surged like ripples spreading out from a stone dropped into a still lake, abruptly trembling. A colossal energy vortex suddenly formed, centered on Xiao Yan, its powerful suction stirring up all the ambient energy within the room. At this moment, the black robe upon Xiao Yan's body had nearly been torn into fragments by the previous surge of energy. The Qingzhi Fire Spirit Ointment that had been applied to his skin had completely evaporated. Aside from the seven-colored little serpent coiled around his arm, resting in a state of gentle slumber, his otherwise slender frame remained largely unchanged from before. His tightly closed eyes slowly opened, and an eerie green flame rose upward, eventually swirling around his dark pupils before gradually fading away after a while. As the flame receded, the dark eyes appeared slightly deeper and more somber than before. A thick, turbid breath escaped through his throat, carrying a subtle trace of blackness. Noticing the black essence in his breath, Xiao Yan's brows furrowed immediately, and it was then that he remembered something he had nearly forgotten: "the scorching toxin"—a mutated toxin that had long resided within him, persistent and stubborn, like a persistent shadow that refused to be eradicated. "It wasn't expected that, thanks to my breakthrough, I could eliminate just this small amount of 'scorched poison'... This damned thing, lurking within my body, truly makes one feel uncomfortable all over." Xiao Yan shook his head with a wry smile. Though currently, the scorched poison, protected by Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire, hadn't shown any significant harm, it remained a persistent thorn in his side—since he had personally witnessed its power, which had even nearly claimed the life of Lan Jie, a Duke-level combatant. As for himself, a mere Seven-Star, no, now an Eight-Star Grand Combatant, it was even more daunting. Taking a deep breath, he set aside his concerns about the poison temporarily, rose slowly, and stretched his body. Instantly, a series of crisp bone-on-bone collisions echoed like firecrackers, resonating loudly throughout the training room. With the crisp crackling sounds, Xiao Yan felt a lightness and fullness seeping from his very bones. After twenty-plus days of secluded cultivation, he had finally achieved the breakthrough to Eight-Star Grand Battle Master—such a rewarding outcome truly justified his days of quiet, dedicated practice. "Eight stars now. It seems I'm getting closer to Grand Spirit level..." With a gentle smile, Xiao Yan looked down at the seven-colored Sky-Devouring Python on his arm, still slightly cool to the touch, and chuckled wistfully, "Little fellow, you're getting more and more sleepy—such a big commotion can't even rouse you anymore." Yet, though he spoke with this lighthearted teasing, his heart grew a bit heavier. The Python's prolonged sleep was clearly out of the ordinary. By normal standards, a growing Python should be lively and energetic, but now it was sluggish all day, lacking any spark of vitality. Xiao Yan had an intuitive sense of what might be amiss, and this subtle unease began to take root in his mind. "It seems the soul of the Sky-Eating Python is already beginning to be counteracted by Queen Medusa... Given the current situation, it won't be more than a year before Queen Medusa successfully occupies the Python's body. At that point, with the soul and body perfectly fused, she will truly become a top-tier, Dou-Zong-level powerhouse. Damn it, considering how ruthless that woman is, once she gains control of the body, her first move will surely be to use me as a sacrificial offering." Running his palm over the slightly cold body of the Sky-Eating Python, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows and murmured softly. "Don't worry. Until she obtains the Spirit-Fusion Pill, she won't target you. How easily can the soul and body merge? She must first use the Spirit-Fusion Pill to absorb the Python's soul, only then can she begin to fuse with its body. Otherwise, without complete control, she'll merely end up becoming a burden rather than a true powerhouse." The elderly laughter suddenly echoed in Xiao Yan's heart, soothing his anxious thoughts. "Master!" Hearing the voice within, Xiao Yan's face brightened. Only after hearing the words from the elderly physician did he finally exhale deeply, nodding with a smile, and in his mind murmured, "That's good. As long as she still needs Ling Dan, she can surely negotiate a price—after all, a Douzong-level powerhouse is always a valuable asset to secure." "Yes, the Queen Medusa who broke through the Douhuang limit has immense potential ahead. Indeed, there was once a Medusa on the Douqi Continent who had evolved, though her original form wasn't the seven-colored Tian-Teng Serpent, but rather another ancient beast—the seven-winged purple-gold serpent. While slightly weaker than the Tian-Teng Serpent, she was no easy opponent—three Douzong-level masters had to be dispatched just to finally defeat her." The elderly physician smiled, his voice carrying a touch of nostalgia. "Three Douzong-level masters?" With a crack at the corner of his mouth, this title, brimming with immense pressure, left Xiao Yan at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, he turned his gaze to the Tian-Devouring Python on his arm and sighed, murmuring, "Is it really going to be that formidable from now on? Then I must be in for it."