As the empire grew stable, Xiao Yan's life also became increasingly tranquil. He would occasionally practice cultivation, and when he had spare time, he would step into the Herbs Hall of the Yan Alliance, crafting pills in front of numerous alchemists, earning thunderous applause—thus truly earning the respect of the proud alchemists, who had long held high expectations. Although the alchemists in the Herbs Hall already had a solid understanding of Xiao Yan's combat abilities during the war, as alchemists, they valued alchemy most of all. To win their genuine admiration, Xiao Yan had to demonstrate exceptional alchemical skill. Indeed, in the realm of alchemy, Xiao Yan was truly unmatched in the realm of the Jia Ma Empire. With his current mastery, he could produce sixth-rank pills—a level that, aside from the legendary Alchemist Guo He, was only勉强 achieved by Fang Ma. Yet during this period, Xiao Yi never sent another message. However, Xiao Yan knew well that she had already dispatched countless personnel to search far and wide for the materials that control the "Hardship Poison Body." As soon as she received any updates, she would surely inform Xiao Yan—meaning yet another round of trouble would likely arise. With all matters now settled, due to the Serpent People's decision to relocate their breeding grounds, as the clan leader, Medusa naturally had to personally oversee the transition. Soon after returning to the Jima Empire, she thus temporarily bid farewell to Xiao Yan, leading a large group of Serpent People in a major migration, eventually settling in a vast region near the Beast Mountains to begin constructing their new breeding grounds. Amidst this busyness, there simply wasn't time to stay close to Xiao Yan anymore. As a result, Xiao Yan, accustomed to such a lifestyle, now felt a bit uncomfortable—almost as though Medusa had been accompanying him since he stepped out of the inner courtyard of Cana College. Though she had initially come with a clear intent to eliminate him, over time, Xiao Yan sensed that her murderous intent was gradually fading. By now, it likely no longer existed at all. Daily, others had always been by his side, and he had never truly noticed; yet now, with her gone, he suddenly felt as though something essential had been missing, leaving him with a hollow sensation in his heart. Upon realizing this feeling, he found himself rather regretful, especially recalling the whereabouts of Xun'er—the gentle, charming young woman—who had quietly seeped into his life like spring water, gradually deepening her impact until she had become an indelible part of his inner being. No matter how hard he tried, he could never quite shake her off. And as soon as he thought of that slightly enigmatic, refined young girl, Xiao Yan would inevitably pause his current actions, his gaze drifting aimlessly around, yet utterly unsure of which direction to turn—only to sigh softly and murmur, "Xun'er, wait for me. I'll reach the Douzong level as soon as possible, and then I'll find you! No matter how formidable your clan may be, I have never felt the slightest hesitation!" The maiden did not turn around. With a gentle exhalation from her rosy lips, a clear, ethereal voice—like a silver bell—resonated throughout the summit. As her words settled, an eerie movement began beneath a patch of stone, soon transforming into the silhouette of an elderly figure—none other than Ling Ying! It had been approximately three to four years since Xun'er had left Xiao Yan. During this period, Xun'er had clearly matured significantly. Now, compared to the young girl she once was, she no longer carried the freshness of youth, but instead radiated a calm, serene grace emanating from her very soul. Nevertheless, no matter how much she had changed, one thing remained constant—whenever news related to that name reached her, the otherwise still and composed demeanor of her heart would ripple outward in gentle waves. Perhaps it was exactly as Ling Ying had anticipated—within Xun'er's deepest heart, there would always remain a shadow, one that even the weight of the Clan's eldest lord could not erase. Ling Ying clearly sensed the urgency in Xun'er's tone and sighed inwardly. For years now, she only truly regained her usual calm and composed demeanor when the topic of Xiao Yan, the young lord, arose. In all other matters, she remained as still as a statue—having achieved the depth and mystery of an old, well-trained monster, yet lacking the lively, youthful spirit befitting a young woman. Of course, knowing Xun'er's status and standing, Ling Ying naturally understood that she could never be like an ordinary girl. Her position ensured she would never be ordinary, and the man who could match her would surely be one of the finest on the continent. The question remained—could Xiao Yan reach that level? As these thoughts flashed through her mind, Ling Ying's expression remained warm with affection, and she smiled gently, nodding before sharing with Xun'er the details she had painstakingly gathered over the past period regarding Xiao Yan. Listening quietly to the news flowing from Ling Ying's lips, Xun'er gently pressed her lips together, her clear, expressive eyes softly flickering. "Little did I know that in just four years, Xiao Yan has already reached the level of Duke of the Realm—this truly surprises me." "The name 'Innate Alliance' is truly fitting. I never thought Xiao Yan could truly surpass Yunlan Sect." As Ling Ying's words concluded, a refined, composed smile appeared on Xun'er's delicate face. With a delicate gesture, she brushed aside a strand of her flowing green hair from her forehead and softly added, "I hadn't expected the Spirit Palace to have taken action yet. Master Yaochen had once maintained some connections with my family—perhaps he already knows my identity. I simply wonder if he has shared this with Xiao Yan." "It shouldn't be too difficult—he should be aware that revealing your identity too early to Mr. Xiao Yan would not be beneficial to him," Lin Ying said thoughtfully. "Master Lin, please send people to search for the location of the Spirit Palace. It seems that the incident involving Mr. Xiao's father was also orchestrated by them." Xun'er turned her head slightly, her voice a bit cold. Upon hearing this, Lin Ying hesitated slightly before responding, "Very well. I will handle this discreetly and make every effort to locate the Spirit Palace. However, the Spirit Palace is quite enigmatic—only a few individuals know the whereabouts of its headquarters, and even within our own clan, only a small number are aware of it. Despite having fought them numerous times, both large and small in scale." Xun'er nodded slightly, her eyelids lowered, a cold glint suddenly passing through her clear eyes. In her heart, she murmured, "The Spirit Palace—though they are well aware of your strong desire to obtain the Tu She Ancient Emperor's Jade from the Xiao family, they must absolutely ensure that Mr. Xiao remains unharmed. Otherwise, no matter what, I will make you pay a price that will be unbearable." By the end, Xun'er's eyes suddenly surged with golden flames, and as the flames emerged, a massive rock beside her vanished silently, dissolving into nothingness under an eerie ripple. Seeing the golden flames bloom in Xun'er's eyes, Ling Ying felt a sudden stir in her heart. With her deep familiarity of Xun'er, she knew that unless Xun'er truly harbored murderous intent or fierce anger, the deep-seated essence within her soul would only surface. Ling Ying had not expected that, after three or four years of not seeing her, Xun'er not only remained completely clear in her feelings toward Xiao Yan, but that those emotions had grown even more profound and rich over time. "Oh, that young man—perhaps even he himself doesn't realize how fortunate he is. Someone who can hold the Lady's heart so deeply is a rare find. Should this come to light, I daresay your Huan League, along with the Gamma Empire, would crumble overnight. For the Lady's sake, then, strive harder. Though you've now reached the level of Battle Emperor, you still fall short—there's still much to be done." With a long, deep breath, Ling Ying silently murmured these words to himself. At this moment, Xun'er's feet hovered three feet above the ground, her face as cold as ice. Brilliant golden flames flowed like liquid around her, and as they surged and danced, the surrounding stones gradually faded—strangely, as though swallowed whole by some invisible giant beast. Xun'er's face remained as cold as snow; she glanced at Ling Ying without speaking, then subtly twisted her slender waist and surged forward, rushing toward the base of the mountain peak.