With Medusa's word, no Ophidian dared to obstruct Xiao Yan any further. Thus, despite a moment of dazed confusion, he emerged unimpeded from the Ophidian territory. Only when he stepped beyond the line of interception did the growing clamor of voices from outside gradually settle his mind. Shaking his head, Xiao Yan recalled Medusa's earlier expression of mild displeasure—she had remained absent throughout his entire journey out. It seemed his actions had indeed stirred a quiet resentment within her. "Ah, what a fool I've been..." He rubbed his temples, sighed, and quietly chided himself. Facing such a situation, he had been just as hesitant and reluctant as the prospective bride herself. And no matter how one looked at it, the matter had always been his responsibility. He hadn't expected that, even after all this, Medusa would have to step in and declare that, should the child be born, she would raise him alone. Though perhaps the Serpent Clan also hoped for such a thing, if this were true, then the child still carried a trace of Xiao family bloodline—could he truly have ignored it so completely? Xiao Yan was no cold-hearted man. When the Senior Monastery Elder requested him to prepare a medicine, he had immediately chosen the most beneficial advanced secret technique for the infant without hesitation, after all, it was his own bloodline—how could he possibly have given anything less? Yet the news had come so suddenly, completely shattering his usual composure, and his words, though well-intentioned, carried an unintentional touch of hurt. "Next time we meet, kindly offer a proper apology," he murmured to himself as he glanced at this area, then slowly walked away. Upon returning to the branch office of the Yan Alliance stationed at Black Mountain Fortress, Xiao Yan, Xiao Ding, Hai Bo Dong, and the others met briefly and discussed the matter at length. They ultimately decided to carry out the assassination plan the following day, as the time window was rapidly shrinking. Should the elite forces of Jin Yan Sect and Mu Lan Valley deliver some rare elixirs in the meantime, the two Douzong-level masters might recover a portion of their strength, making a subsequent assassination attempt more difficult. Once the timing was settled, Xiao Yan quietly sought out a private chamber for a brief period of meditation. As for the matter concerning Medusa, he did not inform Xiao Ding. He knew that, given his elder brother's temperament, if he learned that Medusa might be carrying the bloodline of the Xiao family, he would undoubtedly be deeply moved. However, the truth of this matter had not yet been confirmed. If an unexpected mix-up occurred later, it might only serve to unnecessarily excite everyone. Therefore, he decided to reveal the details to Xiao Ding and the others only once the situation had been firmly established. … Inside the sealed chamber, Xiao Yan's first action was to take out the prescription for the Tianhun-Blending-Blood Pill given to him by the Grand Elder of the Serpent People and carefully unfold it. The prescription for the Tianhun-Blending-Blood Pill was quite unique—it enabled unborn infants, even before birth, to have their internal meridians fully opened or significantly widened through the refined medicinal power. As a result, once born, these infants would naturally progress in cultivation with remarkable efficiency, and since this was a先天 (inherent) advantage, they would find it easier to master any cultivation technique. For powerful sects or families, this pill was exceptionally valuable—it allowed them to continuously nurture exceptionally talented cultivators. Prescriptions similar to the Tianhun-Blending-Blood Pill, Xiao Yan had also seen a few among the ones left behind by the Elder Pharmacist. However, compared to the former, they lacked a bit of that commanding strength. He wasn't sure where the Serpent People had obtained these particular formulas—should they be made public, they would undoubtedly spark envy among numerous powerful factions, as this would enable a continuous supply of exceptional blood, a resource that any such faction would find extremely hard to resist. Though the prescriptions were precious, the potency of the Tianhun-Blending-Blood Pill itself was somewhat overpowering, often proving difficult for ordinary infants to endure. Fortunately, the Medusa lineage possessed a rare, ancient trace of vitality, which allowed it to withstand this intense potency. "Seventh-rank…." Gently handling the scroll in his hands, Xiao Yan slightly furrowed his brow. This rare type of extraordinary pill, capable of transforming a person's constitution, is extremely difficult to produce, with a very high failure rate. What's even more alarming is that when such pills are first completed, there's a chance they will cause fluctuations in the natural energies of the heavens and earth, ultimately triggering a thunderstorm—known within the realm of alchemy as the "Pill Storm." This storm is immensely powerful; a single misstep could result in the complete destruction of the pill and even the death of the alchemist. Therefore, even among alchemists capable of crafting seventh-rank pills, many strive to minimize the production of those prone to such storms. This explains, then, why the Serpent People have never managed to produce a single Tianhun-Rongxue Pill over the years. It's not enough merely to gather the necessary herbs—one must also find a high-level alchemist both capable and willing to risk their own lives in the process. Yet, practitioners capable of crafting such pills were essentially master-level talents—even when viewed across the entire Qi Continent. Who would willingly risk being struck by lightning, day after day, just to prepare these pills for you? Their lives were truly precious. Yet, in the short span of time, cultivating a core group of capable, independent leaders is no easy task—during such a period, the "Sheng-Shi Pill" will prove to be the most efficient path. Of course, the drawbacks of the Sheng-Shi Pill have already been well understood by Xiao Yan, and he has already discussed this matter with several senior allies of the Xiang Alliance—Xiao Ding, Hai Bo Dong, and others. They have unanimously agreed that it would be best to truly forge a cohort of loyal, devoted warriors who are entirely committed to the Xiang Alliance. Though these warriors will only live for three years, the Alliance is confident that as long as they survive this period, they will surely establish the Xiang Alliance as one of the most powerful forces in the northwest region. While this method is somewhat costly in terms of human lives, the Alliance's reach is extensive—consider this war alone. Without Xiao Yan's timely intervention, the entire Jia Ma Empire might have been erased. In that case, the number of lives lost would be incalculable. To protect so many others, a certain number of sacrifices is inevitable. "Once these matters here are settled, I'll hand over the prescription to my elder brother, then secretly dispatch alchemists to prepare it. As for the bodyguards, I can only let my brother and his team select them. However, such individuals must possess absolute loyalty. As long as we have a solid contingent of bodyguards at the level of Battle Kings, the Inflame Alliance will truly be able to stand firm within the Gamma Empire, and eventually rise as a dominant force in the northwest region." Xiao Yan murmured to himself. With this thought in mind, he placed the scroll of the prescription carefully beside him, exhaled deeply, and gently moved his hand seals, gradually closing his eyes and entering a state of cultivation. Since his breakthrough to Battle Emperor and after leaving the small valley, Xiao Yan had never truly focused on quiet cultivation. The recent battles had kept him constantly on edge, never allowing him to relax. Now, with all matters concluded, he finally had the time to rest quietly and recover in this private chamber. As Xiao Yan entered his cultivation state, the space within the chamber subtly trembled, and then streams of celestial and terrestrial energies emerged, eventually coalescing into two slightly faded, slender serpents that snaked into his nostrils. These serpents were swiftly refined by the two unique flames within his body, transforming into pure streams of combat energy that flowed through his meridians and seamlessly integrated into every part of his being. And after so many times of channeling the Buddha's Wrath Lotus Flame, Xiao Yan had gradually sensed that his soul, within this cycle of depletion and restoration, was becoming increasingly smooth and vibrant, with his soul perception also sharpening noticeably compared to before. Practice had quietly unfolded in monotony. When Xiao Yan stepped out of his meditative state, the bright sunlight had already streamed through the small window of the chamber, casting streaks of light across the floor. Gently opening his eyes, he exhaled a breath slightly whitened and warmly glowing, instantly brightening his complexion. The deep black pupils shimmered with intense flame-like radiance before gradually fading. "The battle truly is the fastest path to advancing in rank... "Xiao Yan stretched lazily. He could feel that after fighting against Yan Luotian and the three elders of Mu Lan, his strength had improved noticeably. Now, he had firmly established himself at the one-star Emperor level—just a month ago, he had only recently begun this journey. Such speed is truly remarkable. "Heh... Today, it's finally time to take action..." With a simple hand motion, a gray jade tablet appeared in his hands. Xiao Yan's lips curled slightly, a faintly cold smile forming on his face.