Seeing Moon Mei's stunned, dazed expression, Xiao Yan nodded with a smile, saying, "Did Moon Mei remember that?" Upon hearing this, Moon Mei gradually regained her composure from her shock, her face flushing alternately pale and blushing. She could never have imagined that the powerful warrior—someone who effortlessly defeated two Dou Wangs with just his movements—was none other than the young man she once pursued and chased desperately as a boy. Recalling their first meeting, when Xiao Yan had only just been a Dou Shi, she couldn't believe how much he had accomplished in such a short span of time. As her mind was filled with growing astonishment at the smiling, black-robed youth before her, her body instinctively stepped back two paces, her voice carrying a touch of caution: "What would you like me to do?" Back then, Xiao Yan had been chased quite desperately—hadn't he? If it weren't for the encounter with Gu He and his companions along the way, she might have actually captured him. Thus, Yue Mei genuinely worried that the Xiao Yan standing before her would step in to help, perhaps with the intention of settling accounts later. Observing her hesitant, cautious demeanor, Xiao Yan smiled and waved a hand, saying, "Don't worry, Commander Yue Mei. Xiao Yan isn't someone with a small stomach for grievances. The incidents from those days have long since faded from memory." Hearing this, Yue Mei quietly exhaled a sigh of relief, only to suddenly gasp, "Xiao Yan? You mean Xiao Yan?" She exclaimed, her eyes scanning back and forth between the figure before her with growing astonishment. Having fought alongside the "Innate Alliance" for so long, she naturally knew that the young commander of the "Innate Alliance" bore precisely this name. "The Commander of the Innate Alliance?" she breathed, her eyelashes fluttering, and then added immediately. Xiao Yan nodded gently, smiling. Staring at Xiao Yan nodding, Yue Mei finally murmured after a while, "Indeed it's you... I never thought it, really. A mere junior combatant just a few years ago, now he has become the master of the strongest faction within the Jia Ma Empire." As she spoke, a touch of admiration and sentiment stirred within her heart. Back then, the one she could mold at will had now grown strong enough to mold her—such a dramatic reversal left her feeling almost unreal. "I wouldn't call myself a master, really," Xiao Yan smiled, speaking lightly. "I've merely brought together several factions within the empire." Hearing this, Yue Mei could only shake her head with a wry smile. The way she put it sounded so easy—yet making powerful, capable factions willingly join a single alliance was no less difficult than outright defeating them. But seeing Xiao Yan's demeanor, her mood gradually calmed. She glanced at him, furrowed her brows slightly, and said, "Still, as盟主, you truly seem irresponsible. Such a major crisis has struck the Yan Alliance, yet you've been absent the entire time. Had it not been for our Queen's ascension to the Douzong stage, the Yan Alliance would have likely fallen alongside the Jiaema Empire, wiped out by the three great sects." Observing Yue Mei's expression, Xiao Yan chuckled softly and sighed, "I did go into seclusion. When I returned, I hadn't expected such a serious development to have already occurred. By the way, how has the situation been recently?" As he finished speaking, his tone grew serious, and he asked with earnestness. "It's not good at all..." As she spoke, Yue Mei's expression grew increasingly gloomy. "Recently, the Queen Regent engaged in another battle with the Master of the Toxic Sect, resulting in mutual injuries. Since then, that Master has vanished, seemingly retreating to recover. Yet the Queen Regent herself has also sustained injuries, yet has not had the time to rest and heal. Seizing this opportunity, the three sects have launched a coordinated offensive. The pressure on the Black Mountain Fort has intensified significantly. Though the Master of the Toxic Sect did not participate this time, the leaders of Jin Yan Sect—especially the 'Plum Blossom Sky' cultivator, and the three elders from Mu Lan Valley who have mastered the 'Three Beasts Wild Decree'—have come together. These elders are all comparable to the strength of a Battle Sect master. Now, with the Queen Regent herself injured, it seems unlikely she will be able to withstand their combined assault." "Heard of such a dire situation, even worse than what Yin Cheng had described, Xiao Yan's heart sank slightly. Currently, Medusa is the strongest figure within the Gamma Empire. If she falls, morale will undoubtedly plummet—perhaps even some of the wavering supporters will begin to flee. In that case, the Gamma Empire might truly be in trouble." "Beyond the top-tier warriors, we are also falling behind at the Du Phong and Du Wang levels. After all, the opposing side represents the strongest sect among the three empires. However, overall, we can still hold our ground. Thus, the decisive factor of this battle lies in the clash between the two sides' peak warriors." Moon Mei said, her expression serious. "Still... among our ranks, only the Queen is a Du Zong-level warrior, while the opposing side boasts three such warriors. Ah, if the Queen can successfully withstand the attacks of Luoyan Tian and Mu Lan Valley's three senior elders today, we shall be able to hold on for a while longer. But if she cannot—then, it will likely all come to an end." "By the end of it, Yue Mei's expression had also grown dim. The Serpent People clan was now firmly tied to the Gamma Empire; should the Gamma Empire falter, the Serpent People would surely be unable to withstand the Three Great Clans' alliance. The thought of the Serpent People falling, with countless members captured and enslaved, made Yue Mei clench her fists tightly. That scene of wretchedness would be more unbearable than death itself. Xiao Yan slowly nodded, then sighed deeply, taking a long breath. Indeed, the situation was quite dire—three Douzong-level warriors. "Take me to Black Mountain Fortress," Xiao Yan said suddenly, his voice firm as he lowered his head after a brief pause. "In her opinion, although Xiao Yan was now a Duke-level powerhouse, the gap between him and a Duke-level cultivator was much like that between a King and a Duke—there still stood an unbridgeable chasm. Hearing Yue Mei's words, Xiao Yan smiled faintly, without offering much counterargument, and then looked up at the sky, chuckling, "Little one, why haven't you come down yet?" Seeing Xiao Yan's actions, Yue Mei was momentarily stunned—she hadn't sensed any other presence here at all. Just as she was puzzled, a small, agile figure suddenly darted down from the sky. Upon focusing on her, Yue Mei realized the girl was merely a child, which surprised her. But when her gaze settled on the dual aura wings behind the girl, her astonishment turned into sheer disbelief, exclaiming, "She's also a King-level cultivator?" While Xiao Yan's achievement at his age reaching Duke-level had deeply impressed Yue Mei, the presence of Zi Yan before her now made her suddenly feel that cultivation had become remarkably easier these days. And her thought was immediately affirmed by Zǐ Yán's subsequent words. Floating mid-air, Zǐ Yán looked down upon Yú Mèi with a superior air, her lips slightly pursed. "I just reached the Battle Emperor rank a few days ago. Thank you." Noticing the nearly vacant, stunned expression on Yú Mèi's face due to Zǐ Yán's words, Xiāo Yǐn couldn't help but shake his head with a smile and said, "This girl is originally a beast-type creature, so she's not as small as you're making her out to be. Anyway, let's get moving—we don't have much time. The Black Mountain Fortress isn't doing well at all." Upon hearing this, Yú Mèi gradually regained her composure, breathing a deep sigh of relief. After all, if this young girl had already achieved Battle Emperor rank at her age, then she—having devoted so many years to cultivation and still only reaching the Battle King level—would surely feel utterly humiliated. "Besides, doesn't a beast-type creature only achieve full human form after reaching the seventh stage, through the consumption of the Transformation Pill?" "Still a bit puzzled, she murmured to herself. Yet Moon Mei dared not delay any longer. Drawing upon the Qi restored by the pills previously given by Xiao Yan, she summoned her Qi wings and took the lead, soaring toward Black Mountain Fort. Following closely behind, Xiao Yan gazed ahead, clenched his fists, and whispered softly, 'Color-Shell, hold on—I'll be there soon...' And today, a battle more thrilling than any ever witnessed is about to unfold, drawing the attention of countless observers, for all know that if Medusa can prevail against the combined efforts of the three senior elders of Jinyan Sect and Muran Valley, then the Gama Empire may yet gain a temporary respite. Should she fail, however, then the Gama Empire, the Flame Alliance, and the Serpent People will be erased from this land altogether. Thus, today’s battle is a matter of life and death for the Gama Empire.