Within the beam of light, Ziyan also lazily stretched her arms, her already alluring curves now perfectly accentuated. With a relaxed gaze, she opened her eyes and glanced at Xiao Yan, who was wide-eyed in the sky. A sudden spark of warmth stirred within her, and she sent him a shy, lingering glance full of subtle affection. Staring in astonishment at Zhu Yi's transformation, Xiao Yan froze momentarily, then couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle. It seemed that even after reaching the sixth stage, Zhu Yi had still not fully eliminated the effects of the Shaping Herb's medicinal power. Zhu Yi herself was also startled by her own transformation, yet when she saw her body revert back to her former, youthful girlhood form, two small brows arched up in indignation. Glaring at Xiao Yan, who was clearly enjoying the situation, she stormed forward, her hands frantically scratching and grabbing at his face. Holding her head close, Zǐ Yán pouted reluctantly, though she still felt quite afraid of Xiao Yan's threats, so she merely kept her head down, murmuring, "Damn the Form-Shaping Grass..." Xiao Yan gently squeezed the delicate, porcelain-like face of Zǐ Yán, smiling, "That's quite nice—much more endearing." "Hmph, all talk, all talk! You clearly preferred your previous form—don't think I haven't noticed. Lady Cai Lin mentioned that's exactly how all men are." Zǐ Yán looked at Xiao Yan with disdain; his expression had been nothing short of dramatic, bordering on nosebleeds. Hearing this, Xiao Yan felt a bit embarrassed, firmly squeezed Zǐ Yán's face, and quickly changed the subject, "Alright, since you've successfully advanced to the next stage, it's time for you to go. Though I'm not sure exactly how long you've been here, I'm certain it won't be short of that." "Shall Lady Cai Lin leave first?" Zi Yan scanned the valley with her gaze, musing, "During the time of cocooning, I could faintly sense the movements within the valley. I also sensed something subtly when Medusa first departed." "Yes, there's been an issue within the Serpent Clan. She needs to return and address it. After she's settled, we can make our way there as well and lend a hand." Xiao Yan nodded, set Zi Yan down, and smiled. Over the years, Medusa had been of great assistance to him. Though he had been compelled back then, he couldn't truly treat such moments as mere passing breezes. Thus, his feelings toward Medusa were complex. As for this, Zi Yan naturally had no objections. She had a good relationship with Cai Lin, and it was certainly beneficial to assist her. Seeing Zǐ Yán nod, Xiao Yan moved swiftly and materialized in the air, gazing upward at the slightly distorted space ahead. Soon after, Zǐ Yán joined him, scanning the scene with a look of astonishment. "This must be a spatial seal—something only a Douzong-level master can perform. It's likely left by Lady Cai Lin." "Yes," Xiao Yan said, gazing intently at the warped space without turning around. "She wanted to return urgently, fearing others might interrupt our advancement, so she set up this seal here." "Step aside," he continued, "I'll break it." At once, the power of his Dou Qi surged vigorously within him. The spatial seal, fully executed by Mei Du Sha, was exceptionally solid. Without having now ascended to the Douhuang rank, the chances of breaking it would have been extremely low. "Always relying on brute force..." Observing the scene, Zi Yan gave a slight scoff, then slowly ascended. As her body neared the distorted space, an unusual purple glow emanated from within, and then, like a fish gliding through water, she smoothly passed through the warped space and vanished. Xiao Yan stared in astonishment at her display, shaking his head with a weary smile after a moment. He had forgotten that Zi Yan seemed immune to these various realms—back when the inner academy had established the pharmacy realm, it had posed no barrier at all for her. Still, even so, he found it remarkable that she could effortlessly navigate through this space that had been forcibly twisted. As Xiao Yan was still in awe, Zi Yan's form reemerged from the distorted space, and she extended her snowy hands toward him with a confident smile. "Come with me," she said, "and I'll take you out." Seeing this, Xiao Yan smiled and didn't object. There were numerous rare herbs within this small valley, and with this space sealed in place, it effectively prevented others from accidentally entering. Grasping Zi Yan, a gentle purple glow instantly spread across her body and swiftly enveloped Xiao Yan. Then, the two of them leapt forward and vanished into the distorted space... "Finally out..." gazing at the endless range of mountains, Xiao Yan couldn't help but exhale in relief, murmuring as he had almost forgotten what it felt like to have the wind brush against his skin during the long stay within the cave. Beside him, Zi Yan casually scanned the surroundings, only to quietly ease her breath when she found no signs of any wild beasts. She still remembered the terrifying wave of creatures that had erupted when she and Cai Lin had first entered the mountain range—back then, even Medusa had had to rush them to safety. Though she had now advanced in rank, the sheer number of frenzied beasts still made her feel dizzy and overwhelmed. "Let's go..." Xiao Yan didn't notice Zi Yan's subtle movements. After checking the direction, he waved at her, and instantly, the pair of fiery wings extending from his back propelled him forward toward the mountains' edge. Only after carefully observing the scene did Zi Yan follow closely behind. Two figures streaked across the sky, leaving trails of wind pressure along Lin Shang's path as they sped forward. Yet after roughly three or five minutes of such swift flight, Xiao Yan suddenly halted, causing Zi Yan to stumble and collide with his back. "What are you doing?" Zi Yan complained, rubbing her forehead. "It seems unusually quiet..." Xiao Yan murmured, his eyes slightly narrowed as he slowly scanned the surroundings. Since leaving the valley, he hadn't heard a single roar of a beast. While this might be normal elsewhere, in the mountain range teeming with wild beasts, it felt distinctly out of place. Hearing this, Ziyan also sensed something unusual, her small brows furrowing slightly. After a moment of sensing, she nodded, saying, "Yes, there doesn't seem to be any aura of wild beasts around. Moreover..." Suddenly, she sniffed lightly, adding, "There's something off about the air—some kind of odor." At this, Xiao Yan was momentarily startled, furrowing his brows as he inhaled the air deeply. After a while, his expression darkened sharply. "Don't breathe it in—there's a subtle toxin mixed in the air, though quite faint." "What on earth has happened?" Thoughts swirling in his mind, the sudden mystery weighed heavily on his heart. He couldn't quite explain the growing sense of unease. After a moment's pause, he raised his hand and said firmly, "Let's go—let's head to Qingshan Town first." The current situation clearly demanded that they find a place with people, perhaps there they could gather some information. Was it that person who had released the toxin? Zi Yan nodded slightly, then suddenly asked. The person she mentioned was naturally the young physician she had encountered by chance in the valley. "It's not that severe—quite the opposite, really. But why has it spread so widely?" Xiao Yan shook his head. He had a good understanding of the young physician's current healing techniques; if she were to release the poison, there would likely be no one left alive within a thousand li. "But what exactly has happened?" He murmured to himself, his brows furrowed tightly. His back wings trembled sharply, and then his body transformed into a blurred figure, shooting forward toward the direction of Qingshan Town.