Centering himself, Xiang Yan细细 savoring that peculiar sensation, he remained still for a long while before finally slowly opening his eyes, exhaling gently, his gaze flickering. "I have a sense of it, yet I still cannot truly break through that barrier. It seems I must settle here and find a quiet place to close myself off for a proper period of meditation. Otherwise, if I delay too long, it might prove detrimental." Though Xiang Yan had already sensed that mysterious barrier more than once, he had always been just short of fully penetrating it. After a moment's contemplation, he settled back into stillness, raised his hand, and the emerald flames once again flowed into the cauldron. With a flick of his fingers, a dozen jade boxes emerged from his storage amulet and settled beside him. The "Qingming Shou Dan" has been successfully refined. Now, Xiao Yan needs to prepare several pill formulations for Zi Yan. Recently, it seems Zi Yan has been making significant breakthroughs, requiring an exceptionally large amount of energy to achieve her advancement. Thus, Xiao Yan has promptly drawn upon all the rare herbs brought by Tian Ye that day. Although these herbs are precious, they appear quite modest in comparison to Zi Yan's current stage of progression. As a current Dou Wang, Zi Yan is already capable of standing against ordinary Dou Huang-level warriors, and her formidable strength—so powerful that even Xiao Yan himself hesitates to endure it—will likely surge even further if she successfully ascends to Dou Huang rank. At that point, her strength might well rival that of Dou Zong-level cultivators. And at this very moment, the strongest warriors were most needed by Xiao Yan. The mysterious and enigmatic Huan Palace had imposed tremendous pressure on him. Had it not been for Medusa's timely intervention, Xiao Yan might have been captured by the Wu Protector himself, and in that case, the Xiao family would have truly been in peril. Thinking of the dire situation that would unfold if he himself were taken, Xiao Yan's face grew grim. He clenched his fists tightly and murmured, "It seems I must swiftly reach the Dou Huang level. Only then will I be able to stand a chance against the Wu Protector should we meet again. The Xiao family will still need my protection, so I cannot afford any mishap!" With these thoughts firmly settled in his mind, Xiao Yan gritted his teeth and resolved: as soon as his second brother's matter is settled, he would immediately enter deep meditation, refusing to advance to the Dou Huang level until he achieves it himself! With a clear plan in mind, Xiao Yan no longer hesitated. He waved his hand, and the herbs emitting a gentle fragrance from the jade box swiftly slipped into the cauldron, eventually enveloped by the emerald flames. Preparing pills was vastly different from crafting pills—almost like the difference between heaven and earth. While preparing pills required considerable time for Xiao Yan, this task felt like a mere gesture to him. Within less than an hour, he transformed all the herbs in the jade box into pill-sized spheres, about the size of a thumb. Considering Zǐ Yán’s preference for avoiding bitter tastes, Xiao Yan added special flavorings, giving the pills a texture and taste akin to sugar pills. After carefully placing the entire three bottles of pills into his storage relic, Xiao Yan took a deep breath, slightly tidied up the chamber, and then walked slowly toward the door. … After exiting the inner chamber, Xiao Yan arrived at the main courtyard and found it crowded with many people. Upon a quick glance, he noticed that Lin Yan, Liu Qing, and others were all present, which surprised him slightly. These individuals, who usually spent their time outside engaging in various pursuits, had all gathered here. As soon as the crowd of people engaged in various activities spotted Xiao Yan, they all greeted him with joy and smiles. Lin Xiu'ya chuckled. That day, during the great battle at Yunlan Sect, while they had managed to intercept the senior elders briefly, they had never truly been involved in the main combat. "Those senior elders of Yunlan Sect have spent so many years refining their cultivation to achieve such accomplishments. You all are still young. When you reach their age, I'm sure you'll have already reached the Douzong stage," Xiang Yan said, smiling. With their talents, achieving such a level with sufficient opportunities was far from impossible. Upon hearing this, the three of them smiled confidently. They held strong faith in themselves. Their greatest asset was their youth—they were at the very peak of their prime. Given enough time, their achievements would surely be remarkable. "Though we didn't participate in the actual major battles, we've made significant progress during this period. Just a few days ago, each of us advanced one star in our cultivation. While certainly not as impressive as your achievements, this represents a very solid improvement," Lin Xiu'ya said, speaking with genuine satisfaction. His gaze swept over the three of them, and Xiao Yan was surprised to find that their qi flows had indeed grown stronger compared to when they had left the inner courtyard earlier—clearly, as Lin Xiu'ya had said, their strengths had slightly improved over the past few weeks. "You three have never taken Ling Dan before. While I'm closing myself off for meditation, I'll craft one for each of you. After taking it, each of you will gain one star in strength. It's my way of thanking you for your recent assistance," Xiao Yan said, pausing slightly before offering a light smile. Gazing at the three elders' hesitant expressions, Xiao Yan naturally knew what they intended to say. With a smile, he said, "Rest assured, gentlemen. Within half a month, the three Huaji Dan will be delivered to your hands precisely." "Heh, we fully trust Master Xiao's reputation. However, since we've been away from Black-Angle Domain for several months now, we're naturally concerned about the state of our home base there—how chaotic it has become, as you well know," said the elder with a wry smile. Xiao Yan nodded slightly, smiling gently. "This time, when I return to Black-Angle Domain, my second brother will also join me to take charge of the 'Xiao Sect.' I'll certainly need your continued support and care. I'll be visiting often." Upon hearing this, the three elders promptly nodded and smiled warmly. "Of course. Now that we've formed an alliance with the 'Xiao Sect,' we will certainly lend our full support." "Gazing at the three, each with a respectful expression, Xiao Yan smiled slightly, his mind at ease. With their support, his second brother would surely face fewer difficulties. Of course, the three elders from the Yin Gu faction would not offer complete trust, but Xiao Yan wasn't overly concerned—after all, he still had the strong backing of the Inner Courtyard. In Black Angular Domain, unless a coalition of the majority of powerful factions united, no single force dared challenge the Inner Courtyard. With the Inner Courtyard's support, the 'Xiao Clan' would undoubtedly remain secure and untroubled." Xiao Ding pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "Your advancement in strength is naturally the most important. Then, go with you. The matters concerning the 'Inferno Alliance' shall be handled by me and your elder brother." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, glancing at Xiao Li. He had previously given the latter the 'Qingming Shou Dan' and had also provided a detailed explanation of its effects—surely, Xiao Li would now be able to temporarily avoid disturbances from the 'Shi-Sheng Dan.' "Brother, when the three elders from Yin Gu return to Black Angle Domain, you should also join them. Be especially cautious in Black Angle Domain. Remember, strive to enhance your strength as much as possible—ideally, achieve a breakthrough to the Battle Emperor level within ten years. When I am crafting the Huangji Dan for them, I will also prepare a Battle Spirit Dan for you." Xiao Yan spoke softly. Xiao Li nodded. He too knew that even with the aid of this "Qingming Shou Dan," he had not yet fully escaped the effects of the "Shi Sheng Dan." Unless he could break through to the Dou Huang stage during the added lifespan, he would still inevitably die from the exhaustion of his life force. "By the way, where would you like to meditate?" Xiao Ding asked, his gaze turning to Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan paused for a moment, then spoke softly, "The Monster Beast Mountain. I once discovered a valley there, rich with numerous rare medicinal herbs. I'll be going there to meditate. However, I'm not entirely certain about the duration—though I'm sure it won't be too short." "The Monster Beast Mountain? Do you need protection there?" Xiao Ding furrowed his brows. "Not really. I'll bring Zǐ Yan with me." Xiao Yan shook his head, looking at Xiao Ding with a steady gaze and said, "After I leave, all matters concerning the Yan Alliance shall be entrusted to you, brother. Should any significant developments arise during this time, you may send someone to my seclusion. Once I have settled in, I will personally inform you." Xiao Ding nodded slightly, gently patting Xiao Yan's arm and smiled, "You go ahead and focus on your meditation. The prestige of the Xiao family today rests entirely upon your strength—your power is, therefore, the most crucial. By the way, when shall we depart?" Xiao Yan smiled, took a deep breath, and softly murmured.