When a soft laugh echoed across the sky, Xiao Li, who had been silently waiting to die with his eyes closed, suddenly jolted. His eyes snapped open, filled with disbelief as he stared at the tall, imposing silhouette above. "Third brother?" His gaze trembled, fixed on the familiar outline of the figure. Even as he had remained utterly composed throughout the face of death, his face now bore an expression of profound astonishment. "Xiao Yan? You're still alive? How is that possible!" Fan Lao's attention had immediately shifted to Xiao Yan the moment he appeared. As his gaze settled upon the young face that seemed so familiar, his expression froze—shock and fear intertwining until, finally, a sharp, frightened voice broke from his lips. "Xiao Yan? Is that the very one who had defeated Fan Lao and nearly killed the Medic Emperor Han Feng back then?" The three Dao King-level强者 standing beside them didn't react particularly strongly to Xiao Yan's appearance. However, when Fan Lu suddenly shouted out the name that had become legendary throughout the Black Thorns Domain—his voice sharp and piercing—their faces instantly turned pale, and they murmured in astonishment. Feeling the warmth radiating from Xiāo Yǐn's palm, the slightly pale complexion of Xiāo Lì gradually flushed, his eyes trembling as he fixed them on the former. The grip on Xiāo Yǐn's hand grew stronger, and even his eye circles turned red—such a deeply emotional display from Xiāo Lì, known for his near-cold demeanor, spoke volumes about the intensity of his feelings. "Ah, second brother, let me first deal with this old dog, then I'll properly catch up with you," Xiāo Yǐn smiled, patting Xiāo Lì's hand. "No, that man is a Duke-level powerhouse," Xiāo Lì replied, his face slightly pale, his eyes flashing. "They're numerous. I think we should retreat now. We have plenty of time—there will be ample opportunities for revenge. Right now, you must absolutely not make a single mistake!" Xiao Li had already been preparing for certain death. If it had been just him, he would certainly have stayed and fought—yet now, things were different. Xiao Yan’s arrival had infused new life into the otherwise lifeless, gray aura within him. Thus, he broke from his usual resolve and decided to flee first. Xiao Yan shook his head slightly, not waiting for Xiao Li to object, but turning around instead, his smile on his face gradually turning cold. With a simple gesture, the massive Xuanzhong Scale flashed out from a low-tier storage relic casually gifted by Su Qian, the senior elder. As he swung the scale with ease, a deep, resonant burst of energy formed beneath it, scattering the scattered gravel and dust across the ground. "Master Fan," Xiao Yan said, his voice warm yet brimming with unyielding resolve, "today, your life—my life is secured!" The elder had previously launched relentless attacks against Xiao Li; had Xiao Yan arrived even a little later, he might have found only Xiao Li's body. This lingering fear, combined with past grievances, had fueled an intense, unrelenting rage within Xiao Yan. Fan Lu now stood firmly on his list of those to be eliminated, marked with a blood-red 'X'. Fan Lao stared at the black-robed young man across the table, his face alternately calm and agitated, his disbelief gradually giving way to a strange sense of apprehension and fury. Though he had previously lost to Xiao Yan, in the past two years, he had endured countless mocking remarks from others within the Black Angular Domain, and even the prestige of the Blood Alliance had suffered significantly—all of which had been caused by this very man before him. "Send two of you to seize the injured one, and remember, do not kill him—only capture him. As long as he is held, Xiao Yan will be helpless. One of you will stay with me to hold Xiao Yan at bay. If you can ultimately claim his life, the reward will be most satisfactory. You've always wanted the 'Battle Spirit Pill,' haven't you? As long as you succeed in killing Xiao Yan this time, your wish will surely come true!" Fan Lao turned his head, speaking firmly to the three Battle Kings standing beside him. With the shadow of his earlier defeat at Xiao Yan's hands, Fan Lu felt a certain unease when facing him, so he disregarded his status and immediately called for assistance to help fight. Upon hearing Fan Lu's words, a spark of fervor flashed in the eyes of the three Dou Wang强者. The Dou Ling Pill had long been a coveted medicine among them, yet obtaining it required an exceptionally high contribution rating from the Hei Alliance. Though they had consistently served as the Alliance's frontline fighters over the years, they still fell short of the required contribution threshold. Under the powerful allure of the Dou Ling Pill, the three Dou Wang强者 hesitated only briefly before succumbing to the temptation, exchanged glances, and then firmly nodded. Xiao Yan stared coldly at the four opponents across from him, a gentle, jade-green aura flowing steadily from within his body, swirling like tangible flames on his surface, radiating a powerful presence that enveloped half of the village. Just as Xiao Yan's momentum surged and was about to launch an attack, his expression suddenly changed, as if sensing something, and he abruptly raised his head. When his gaze fell upon the red-draped, alluring beauty that had appeared in the sky at an unknown moment, his face grew noticeably stern. Why had this woman appeared now? Naturally, it was Queen Medusa, who had been forcibly taken over by Xiao Yan—her eyes, still full of allure, remained cold. "This time, is there anyone else coming to help you?" Queen Medusa's calm voice, floating gracefully in the sky, echoed gently across the heavens. The unexpected visitor who had reappeared once again caused a slight surprise to Fan Lao and the others. The presence of the Queen of Medusa made them feel a bit uneasy, but when they realized that this mysterious powerhouse was solely targeting Xiao Yan, their faces immediately lit up with joy. If Xiao Yan ended up fighting her, they could easily capture Xiao Li. And then, Xiao Yan would inevitably hesitate to act. Above, Queen Medusa gave Queen Fanlao a cold, dismissive glance, her words falling short of courtesy and leaving Fanlao's face noticeably flushed with embarrassment. He had assumed that, since their goals aligned, collaboration would surely benefit all parties—yet Medusa seemed entirely ungrateful. "If you're not willing, then by all means," Fanlao managed a dry chuckle, slowly lowering his head, his gaze flickering with both resentment and a hint of lust. "Damn woman. Once this matter is settled, I'll find a way to capture you and have you beg for mercy right beneath my very feet!" "Third brother, who is this person? It seems she's particularly interested in you." Xiao Li's expression was now also strained. The situation had already been challenging for them, and now, suddenly, there appeared a mysterious woman whose true intentions remained unclear—her strength, too, suggested she was no mere newcomer. Xiao Yan stared at the Medusa Queen with a cold, ice-cold gaze, his expression utterly emotionless. This unyielding stillness—so devoid of warmth—unexpectedly unsettled the battle-hardened Medusa, who had always relished conflict and bloodshed. Her eyes flickered, shifting away from his. Yet as soon as she did, she immediately sensed it, her brows furrowing slightly. With her proud demeanor, how could she possibly retreat before Xiao Yan’s gaze? As the cold tone in Xiao Yan's words settled, the Queen Medusa's brows also slowly arched. Throughout her life, no one had ever dared to challenge her—yet now, with Xiao Yan's words... The narrow, elegant eyes of the Queen flashed with frosty glimmers. For a moment, the killing intent that had begun to rise within her heart intensified. But then, suddenly, her gaze shifted to Xiao Yan's face, etched with threads of wild, frenzied energy. She was momentarily stunned, and a strange emotion quietly spread from the depths of her soul, gently soothing the rising fury. As the killing intent in her heart gradually waned, the Queen's brows furrowed slightly, a sense of growing restlessness stirring within her. "Xiao Yan," she declared, "remember—your life is mine. I will claim it eventually!" Suppressing the odd restlessness, the Queen sharply waved her sleeve, a cold laugh escaping her lips. Then, in the stunned silence of Fan Lu and the others, her graceful, delicate form began to slowly fade away. Seeing the Queen of Medusa actually follow her word and temporarily withdraw, Xiao Yan was also stunned for a while. This woman renowned for her fierce reputation—how could she genuinely care about his threats? He had even prepared to fight to the very end… Of course, had the Queen of Medusa been in her usual manner, if Xiao Yan had dared to say this directly to her, she would certainly have been completely incensed. But now, though the Queen firmly occupied this body and had successfully merged the soul of the Sky-Eating Python, the fusion—though led by the Queen—still carried traces of the Python’s own emotions. While the Queen harbored deep hostility toward Xiao Yan, the Sky-Eating Python held a strong affection for him. This blend of emotions gave rise to the complex feelings the Queen now holds toward Xiao Yan. Amidst her fierce intentions, she found it genuinely difficult to strike him down—this very contradiction was the source of her current restlessness. Nevertheless, regardless of how things unfold, at least the current Medusa has now been repelled by Xiao Yan, and with his bonds lifted, he can now freely settle the various old and new grievances with Fan Lao!