Majestic forests, with mountain peaks rising like sharp blades straight into the sky, imposing and grand. Between the steep cliffs of a certain mountain range, a massive boulder extends outward. Upon the boulder, a young man in black robes sits cross-legged, eyes closed. Before him stands a towering red-colored medicinal cauldron. Within the cauldron, emerald flames surge vigorously. Upon close inspection, one can faintly observe a vibrant, multicolored liquid slowly pulsing within the flames. Under the intense heat of the flames, fine bubbles continuously rise on the surface of the liquid. Each time a bubble bursts, the volume of the liquid slightly diminishes. Though this reduction is subtle and barely noticeable unless one observes carefully, with the accumulation of such minute changes over time, the overall volume lost becomes significant. As the colorful liquid grew increasingly diluted, subtle streaks of fine blackness began to emerge. Upon closer inspection, it was revealed that nestled within the liquid was an ancient, deep-black ring! Compared to its former state, this black ring now radiated a more refined inner luminescence, with a deeper, more profound hue on its surface. Occasionally, when flashes of light danced across the ring, it became evident that the volume of the liquid had subtly diminished—clearly, the pure medicinal essence within the liquid was being gradually absorbed by the dormant soul residing within the ring. Awakening a dormant soul requires a rather tedious and slow process, one that Xiao Yan had long anticipated. Thus, even after more than a month had passed and the ring within the potion showed no response, he remained calm and composed, occasionally opening his eyes to gaze at the ring suspended in the liquid, only to softly sigh after a long while and once again settle into focused refinement. With the passage of time, under the relentless forging of the Liru Lotus Heart Flame, the originally palm-sized, vividly colored medicinal liquid—now reduced to merely thumb-sized—just barely encloses the black ring completely. Its hue has also changed dramatically compared to before, clearly indicating that most of the medicinal power within the liquid has been compressed into the ring during the flame's intense heating. Hearing the voice at his ears, Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes, his inner qi flowing steadily, once again channeling a strand of emerald flame from his fingertips into the cauldron. Only after completing this did he lift his head and smile up at the peak, saying, "Are you worried about me?" "I'm worried you'll die—then I'll never get my 'Fused-Soul Pill'!" Medusa gave a slight撇 of her mouth, speaking coldly. "Heh, don't worry. I can still hold on. Your medicine will definitely be in my hands." A faint smile played on Xiao Yan's slightly pale face. For nearly two months, he had continuously drawn upon his inner qi to sustain the Lvyu Lotus Flame, and had also used his soul energy to perfectly control the flame. The strain was manageable for a month or so, but over a longer period, he would gradually begin to tire. This level of consumption would be unsustainable even for a Duke-level warrior—let alone him? After speaking, Xiao Yan no longer diverted his attention, fully concentrating his mind on the cauldron before him. "Stubborn!" observing Xiao Yan once again intently controlling the flame, Medusa slightly furrowed her brows, then murmured softly, "What does his life have to do with me? How could I have said such things to him?" Medusa shook her head in puzzlement—this was utterly inconsistent with her nature. Yet though she said so, her gaze kept drifting downward, as if truly concerned that Xiao Yan might collapse from exhaustion and tumble off the cliff. As time passed, when the colorful liquid, once wrapped within the dark ring, had thinned down to a mere layer, Xiao Yan, who had remained steadily seated upon the massive stone, began to tremble slightly. The emerald flames within the cauldron also flickered irregularly—clearly, after such an extended period of refining, Xiao Yan was nearing the point of exhaustion. Gazing at Xiao Yan, whose frame was slightly wavering, Medusa's brows once again furrowed. How utterly reckless this man was! Though she silently cursed him in her mind, a gentle, seven-colored energy began to ripple across her body's surface. Clenching her teeth, Xiao Yan fiercely resisted the wave after wave of weariness and drowsiness surging through his mind. His eyes were locked firmly on the dark ring glowing within the flames, relentlessly drawing out every ounce of Qi stored throughout his body. He had a strong sense that the moment Elder Yao would awaken was drawing near! With the Qi within him steadily being drained, the flow of energy was growing slower and slower, until it began to falter intermittently. By now, his mind was completely overwhelmed by fatigue and drowsiness, his vision blurred, and his body swayed with increasing instability. "Self-made death!" Gazing at Xiao Yan, swaying unsteadily and seemingly poised to fall off the cliff at any moment, Medusa bit down on her silver teeth, muttering a low curse. Her body slightly inclined forward, as if ready to spring into action and rescue the stubborn one. As her vision blurred and he grew increasingly aware of his own limits, he knew he had reached his absolute limit. Yet to give up now—no. With a firm bite on the tip of his tongue, the sharp pain jolted him into renewed focus. He then rapidly activated the pathways of the "Burned Decree" technique, drawing forth the last vestige of qi deep within his body, which surged violently through his limbs and finally poured into the cauldron. When qi surged from the tips of his fingers, Xiao Yan's vision finally shifted from blurry to complete darkness. Lowering his head, he lost his balance, his body tilting and then sliding like a piece of wood down the smooth giant stone, finally crashing onto the misty cliff below. "Damn it!" Seeing Xiao Yan finally plunge into the cliff, Medusa cursed under her breath. She straightened her body to rush to his aid, only for her face to change expression moments later: "Why should I save him? This guy deserves to die!" While Medusa struggled with her inner hesitation, Xiao Yan's descent accelerated. It seemed that if there were any large stones extending from the mist, he would surely end up turned into a pile of meat. Fixing her gaze on Xiao Yan, who was about to sink into the swirling mists, Medusa suddenly bit down hard on her silver teeth, her form trembling as she transformed into a streak of vibrant seven-colored light, shooting down the mountain peak with lightning speed. In just a few swift movements, she materialized directly upon Xiao Yan. That sudden, crisp wave of sound, Medusa naturally noticed, yet at this moment she had no time to attend to it. Gazing down at Xiang Yan, now so close at hand, the wild, narrow eyes of the woman flashed with renewed intensity, her expression shifting constantly—seeming once again to struggle between saving him and letting him go. Medusa's first impression of Xiang Yan had always been to eliminate him right there and then, but deep within her soul, a persistent force resisted this impulse, subtly urging her to intervene and save him. After a brief struggle, the light in her eyes finally settled. With her teeth clenched, she snapped, "Damn you! You're lucky. In a year's time, I'll personally put you to death!" As soon as the words fell, Medusa extended her long, graceful arm and firmly grasped Xiao Yan's robe with her slender hand. However, just as she was about to lift him onto the cliff, her expression suddenly changed, and without hesitation, she slammed her jade palm hard against the space behind her. "Boom!" The impact sent ripples through the space, which then spread out as a wave of terrifying energy, cracking the cliff wall beside her into numerous fissures. "Who is it? Come out!" With a light tap of her foot in the air, she released her strength, her face growing cold and stern, and commanded sharply. Immediately after her voice rang out, an odd suction force surged forth, and as the sound of fabric tearing echoed, Xiao Yan, who had been unconscious, slipped from Medusa's grasp and fell. Just as he fell, a shimmering figure swiftly intercepted him, lifting him and swiftly gliding into the sky. "Medusa, if you wish to take my disciple's life, you'll first have to ask me for permission!" The elderly voice roared, like a thunderclap rolling across the heavens, resonating powerfully throughout the skies, his immense spiritual strength causing even such a strong being as Medusa to pale.