Amid the vast forest, a dark figure surged forward like a lightning bolt. The immense pressure generated by its swift flight carved a long gash across the forest floor, which gradually faded only after a long while. The figure was Xiao Yan, who had just resolved a pressing matter for the Blood Battle Guild. He did not worry whether He Qian would secretly deploy any tactics, knowing that in the face of absolute strength, no strategy could make a difference. Though the He family held some prestige in the northeastern region of the Empire, to the Inheritance Alliance, they were merely a modest, barely noticeable force—easy to eliminate without much effort. Thus, after settling the matter, Xiao Yan departed with confidence. This time, he left nothing behind. After all, he did not share particularly close ties with the others, such as Kagan. The hospitality and two acts of rescue he had received in the past were more than sufficient to repay his gratitude. A stream of thoughts flashed through his mind, and Xiao Yan's flight speed surged instantly. After roughly fifteen minutes, the pace gradually eased. With a single flap of his fiery wings, he surged directly into the valley hidden within the mountain range. As soon as his form entered the valley, he sensed a slightly cool gaze sweeping over him, which softened slightly upon landing on his face. That gaze, naturally, belonged to Medusa, the guardian stationed here. Xiao Yan therefore paid no special attention, and with a simple movement, reappeared beside the massive purple light cocoon. "The matter is settled?" Medusa raised her eyes, asking casually. Xiao Yan nodded with a smile and briefly recounted the events. Medusa, however, showed no particular interest—a mere Duwang and an unremarkable mercenary company were hardly enough to spark any curiosity in her. "Your breath is growing more turbulent, and your internal qi is constantly overflowing—clearly, we need to get you to retreat and seal yourself away soon..." Compared to this, Medusa was far more attentive to the condition of Xiao Yan's body. Frowning slightly, she remarked, judging by her keen observation, Xiao Yan now resembled a sieve filled with countless holes, through which his qi was steadily seeping out. Xiao Yan nodded with a wry smile. The initial surge of power had only exacerbated the loss of control over his internal qi, and even more critical was the fact that the energy from the heavens and earth was continuously pouring into his body, further intensifying the chaos within. "Time is pressing. I intend to begin my sealed retreat now. During my retreat, I'll seal off the cave. As for Zi Yan, I'll entrust her to you." After a brief pause, Xiao Yan said. "Understood." Medusa nodded slightly, then hesitated a moment before saying, "This time, when I returned to the Gamma Empire, I did not go back to the Serpent Clan. Perhaps after you emerge from your meditation, I'll make a visit there." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily surprised and also paused, then cautiously asked, "Would you like me to accompany you?" "No, humans aren't well received by our Serpent Clan. You'd likely encounter unnecessary complications once you enter." Medusa's expression shifted, yet she gently declined on the surface. Seeing this, Xiao Yan felt a bit awkward and nodded slightly, saying, "Then, perhaps that's settled. Well, I'll organize the cave first. I'll begin my meditation shortly. I'll leave Ziyan to you." Medusa lightly nodded her head. With her agreement, Xiao Yan no longer hesitated. The disordered Qi within him was making him uncomfortable, so he moved swiftly and slipped into the cave, where he began to arrange his long-term meditation space, accompanied by a series of low, resonant explosions. Watching the figure of Xiao Yan enter the cave, Medusa unconsciously tightened her grip, her expression shifting several times before finally sighing in resignation—seems this one is actually a bit afraid of going with her to the Serpent Clan after all. The cave cleaning lasted about ten minutes, and then Xiao Yan, covered in lime, coughed a few times and stepped out to the massive purple light cocoon. He gently patting it, smiled and said, "Little one, I'm also going to go into seclusion now. For the time being, I'll entrust you to Cai Lin. I hope by the time I emerge, you've fully evolved. If not, I'll just leave you here in this remote mountain wilderness to become a meal for some other beasts." As soon as he finished speaking, the light of the cocoon suddenly brightened slightly, as though the little one inside was protesting. Seeing this, Xiao Yan couldn't help but laugh heartily, while Medusa shook her head in mild exasperation—how could this person still find it in his heart to joke at this moment? Once again, he tapped the light cocoon, then turned to Medusa, smiling, "This time, I believe it will be quite a task for you. I don't know exactly how long this breakthrough will take, but based on my estimation, it should be at least six months." "Six months isn't that long," Medusa said, gently brushing back her hair. "As long as no unusual circumstances arise, I'll stay by to ensure everyone emerges successfully." Hearing this, Xiao Yan nodded silently, took a deep breath, bowed respectfully to Medusa, then suddenly turned and strode toward the cave. A moment later, his figure disappeared into the darkness within the cave. Immediately afterward, a deep rumbling echoed through the cave, followed by a cascade of massive stones rolling down, swiftly sealing the entrance completely. Gazing at the mountain cave now reduced to a pile of scattered stones, Medusa's composed expression finally softened with a touch of melancholy. Since he had gone into seclusion, it was uncertain when he would return. After a moment of silence, she sighed softly, murmuring, "I hope you succeed in your breakthrough..." Chuckles softly, Xiao Yan took a long, deep breath and then subtly formed hand seals. Within just a few breaths, he seamlessly entered his cultivation state. As soon as he did, the internal dynamics came clearly into view under his mental focus. Gazing at the qi rushing through his meridians like a flood, disorganized and chaotic, Xiao Yan shook his head in resignation. Fortunately, this body had undergone repeated refinement through medicinal elixirs and unique flames; otherwise, such a surge of qi would have inflicted him with another deep-seated, bone-rattling pain. Gradually pushing aside distractions, Xiao Yan guided his mental focus along the turbulent qi. With the strength of his robust soul energy, these chaotic flows were swiftly directed into the primary meridians and began circulating efficiently according to the Feng Jue cultivation technique. As this circulation continued, a peculiar sensation—seeming to originate within his soul—gently emerged in his heart. As Xiao Yan's mind was deeply immersed in that奇妙 sensation, the surrounding celestial energies within the mountain cave surged wildly, then rapidly spun, eventually forming a spiral funnel above his head—narrow at the bottom and broad at the top—with the narrow end firmly connected to the top of his skull, channeling the immense energy into his body. The Fallen Heart Flame completely enveloped Xiao Yan's body, resembling a layer of fiery garments. As a result, the turbulent energies surging into Xiao Yan's body from the surrounding realms instantly slowed down. Under the protection of the Fallen Heart Flame, these slightly fragmented celestial energies were each refined and purified once more as they passed through the flame. Consequently, the pressure within Xiao Yan's body significantly diminished. Inside the mountain cave, the energies roared and spiraled, interweaving in vibrant, colorful patterns that illuminated the cave with stunning splendor. At the far ends of these countless luminous energy ribbons, sat Xiao Yan, seated in meditation. Advancing from a Battle King to a Battle Emperor was no ordinary feat—like Zi Yan, it required an exceptionally vast accumulation of energy. Such immense energy could not be achieved overnight and thus had to be gathered and sustained over time, enabling the complete transformation process to unfold. Currently, Xiao Yan has already earned the qualifications to ascend to the Battle Emperor rank. Thus, all he now needs is the sufficient energy to facilitate his promotion. Once that energy fully coalesces, his ascension to Battle Emperor will be a natural and seamless progression!