With the crushing defeat of the Black Alliance forces, the pressure on the mountain stronghold was instantly alleviated. The fierce battle ended in a lukewarm fashion under the sole weight of Xiao Yan's overwhelming presence. Indeed, the power of the异fire was truly astonishing. More precisely, it was the unique ability of the Fallen Heart Flame to summon the Heart Fire that proved particularly formidable—when facing stronger or equally matched opponents, once the Heart Fire was summoned, although it wouldn't cause them to be incinerated, it would still force them to divert their attention and exert pressure, thereby weakening their combat effectiveness. Against those whose strength was inferior, the Heart Fire became a fatal constraint. The Black Alliance troops who had previously burned themselves to ash were the very testament to this. As the Black Alliance forces began to disintegrate, the crisis at the stronghold was lifted, and numerous figures in shadow emerged from within, swiftly clearing the battlefield of the scattered wreckage. … In a grand hall at the heart of the mountain village, Xiao Yan, Xiao Li, and Zi Yan, along with others, sat together. Though they had been somewhat weary from the earlier fierce battle, the intensity of the clash had lifted their fatigue, leaving them instead energized and animated. "Didn't expect you to be this determined," said Lin Yan, stunned upon hearing that Xiao Yan had truly defeated Fan Lu—no ordinary fighter, but a true Duke-level powerhouse. "The news, once it spreads, will surely shake the entire Black Angle Domain to its core." Lin Yan paused, then nodded thoughtfully. Xiao Yan smiled, but didn't dwell on the topic. He bowed slightly and said, "This debt of gratitude, I truly owe you. Should the opportunity arise in the future…" Before he could finish speaking, Lin Yan waved his hand and interrupted: "We've known each other for so long—let's just skip all the clichéd small talk. Whenever I face difficulties in the future, if you don't reach out, I'll find you myself." Xiao Yan stared, then smiled and nodded. The guy was still as straightforward as ever. "Hey, Xiao Yan, I've also put in a lot of effort—don't forget me!" Pu Yan, standing by, frowned slightly, displeased that Xiao Yan seemed only to thank Lin Yan. "Don't worry, little one—I'll certainly remember your 'Shaping Pill'." Xiao Yan patted Pu Yan's head, smiling warmly and making her happy. "As for you two, I don't think I need to be so formal," he said, turning to Lu Hao and Hu Jia standing by, with a smile. The two exchanged smiles and gave slight nods. Over the past two years, the three had grown into close friends—starting from initial mutual reservations, they had now jointly established a significant force known as the "Pánmen." Their bond had deepened steadily. Wu Hao, though somewhat reserved in his dealings, once committed to a friend, remained steadfast. Hu Jia, with her keen and thoughtful nature, was also genuinely sincere, and her relationship with Xiao Yan was particularly strong. Thus, they were entirely indifferent to the often-verbose expressions of gratitude. After thanking everyone in turn, Xiao Yan finally turned his attention to Xiao Li, seated at the head of the hall. Due to time constraints earlier, he had not taken the time to carefully observe the latter. Now, with the atmosphere calm, he noticed a subtle furrow forming between Xiao Li’s brows. Over the past two years, a touch of coldness had settled upon Xiao Li’s face, but the faint undercurrent of lifelessness lingering in his expression was particularly noticeable to Xiao Yan—someone with exceptionally sharp spiritual perception. "Second brother," Xiao Yan began, "what have you been going through these past two years?" After a moment's hesitation, Xiao Yan finally couldn't hold back and asked. Originally smiling warmly as he listened to Xiao Yan and his friends converse, Xiao Li's expression faltered slightly upon hearing the question, his smile gradually fading, and he remained silent. As Xiao Li's silence spread, the lively atmosphere of the hall began to settle, with everyone turning to gaze at him, exchanging glances of growing curiosity. Eventually, being the more observant and thoughtful among the women, Huo Jia subtly signaled to Wu Hao and the others, then quietly stepped out of the hall, gently closing the door behind her. Xiao Yan kept his gaze fixed on the silent Xiao Li, and though he did not speak to stop the departure of Lin Yan and the others, the lingering stillness and faint pallor in their expressions—so much like that of someone on the verge of death—made it impossible for him to afford even the slightest oversight. Under the unyielding gaze of Xiao Yan, it took several moments before Xiao Li finally sighed, lifting his head to offer Xiao Yan a wistful smile and spoke slowly, "Little Yan, you are the most accomplished member of our Xiao family. Even before I arrived, my elder brother told me that while I could die, you could not. I have no disagreement with that at all." Xiao Yan's face twitched slightly; even with his usual composure, a sense of emotional swelling rose in his nose, making him feel a steady ache. "When I first heard the news of your death at the Gan Nan Academy, if it weren't for the great grievances our family still carried, I would have gone straight to fight the people who had attacked you." Recalling the depth of despair and frenzy he had felt at that time, Xiao Li found himself gripping his fists tightly. "If you truly had died, our family would have truly been extinguished." "I endured for about two months in despair, finally suppressing the urge to rush after those people with all my might. Since you're no longer here, the burden now has to be carried by my second brother. However, I know that with my current pace of cultivation, it will likely take a very long time before I can achieve the strength to retaliate against Yunlan Sect. Fortunately, fate has not entirely abandoned me. About six months after the news of your death reached me, during a pursuit that turned into a life-or-death escape deep into a remote mountain range, I stumbled upon some valuable items." At this point, Xiao Li's eyes suddenly flared with intense warmth, and Xiao Yan's expression grew slightly tense. He sensed that the way his second brother had transformed was likely connected to those very items he had obtained. "Among the things obtained, there was a vial containing two blood-red pills. According to the simple description on the vial, these pills can forcibly elevate a large combatant—someone at the level of a Grand Master—into the King-tier rank within a very short period. However... once used, the user's life is limited to only three years. In other words, this pill essentially trades the remaining lifespan for three years of King-tier strength!" Xiao Yan suddenly felt a wave of dizziness, as memories surged through his mind, until finally he found a type of pill that closely matched what Xiao Li had described. "The Pill of Life Consumption?" Xiao Li was somewhat surprised that Xiao Yan could name such a pill—long since lost on the continent—but ultimately, he still nodded in agreement. Seeing Xiao Li nod, Xiao Yan suddenly felt weak and sank into the chair, his hands gripping his head, his expression dull and weary. This pill had been mentioned to him by the Elder of Medicine during his travels, and even when speaking of it, the Elder's voice carried a sense of hesitation and deep admiration. The Sheng Shi Pill, once a groundbreaking creation that had stunned the entire continent decades ago, was considered a top-tier seventh-rank pill. It was crafted by a renowned alchemist of considerable reputation, and its remarkable feature lay in its ability to produce numerous fully-fledged Battle King-level warriors on a large scale. One could imagine the sense of frustration and resentment such a development would evoke—when someone, after years of arduous cultivation, finally reaches that level, only to have a single pill temporarily elevate them. Though this borrowed strength came at the cost of life force, it still felt deeply unsatisfying. After all, how many cultivators who achieved Battle King rank through steady, consistent practice were not exceptional in their cultivation journey? And how could everyone possess such a gift? Thus, upon the emergence of this medicine, countless people went mad with enthusiasm. Many of the top continental powers harbored immense greed for it—after all, who could fail to see the potential? Once a power could produce thousands or even tens of thousands of Battle King-level warriors, who could possibly stand against them? Yet this fervor did not last long; it gradually faded away, as the alchemist who invented the "Life-Consuming Pill" vanished overnight, carrying with him the complete recipe of the medicine. For some time after his disappearance, people continued to tirelessly search for him, but as time passed, that wave of shock spreading across the continent gradually subsided, and the so-called "Revitalizing Dan" slowly faded into the stream of time—until today, even many alchemists find it rather unfamiliar, and even Xiao Yan himself, were it not for occasional remarks from the Elder, might not know about the once-secret lore of the alchemical world from years ago. At Xiao Lin's angry outburst, Xiao Li shook his head helplessly, saying, "You're already dead—what can I possibly do? If I'm to avenge you, it'll have to wait until many years from now." Xiao Lin was taken aback, then completely fell into despair. "Don't worry too much," Xiao Li smiled, "right now, simply being alive is the best thing that could happen. Brother Two doesn't care much—Xiao Family can only rely on you!" Seeing Xiao Lin's worn expression, Xiao Li chuckled, rose, and gently patted his shoulder. After a brief pause, he flipped his hand, and a slightly unusual transparent bottle appeared in his grasp. He carefully placed the bottle on the table, then glanced around before lowering his voice: "Third brother, this is the so-called 'Life-Consuming Pill'—perhaps the very last one on this continent." Xiao Lin blinked, turned his head, and then his gaze completely fixed upon the blood-red, round pill inside the jade bottle!