Xiao Yan stood atop the high pavilion, his expression serious as he gazed at the piece of paper in his hands. After a moment, he flicked his finger, and the paper instantly transformed into a cluster of flames, swiftly dissipating. "The Spirit Palace..." he murmured softly. In the depths of his dark eyes, a cold, resolute rage began to rise. For this organization, he had grown deeply resentful—perhaps even hatred—since both of his closest companions had fallen into their hands. His eyes flashed with cold intensity. Then, suddenly, Xiao Yan turned and began to descend the pavilion swiftly. Though he knew little about the enigmatic Spirit Palace at this moment, to rescue the old doctor and his father, he would need to learn more. The Spirit Palace members were notoriously elusive, rarely seen by ordinary people. Yet this time, it might just be an opportunity! As long as he could secure even one member of the Spirit Palace, he would gain vital insights into their organization—something of utmost importance to him. As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Xiao Yan quickly located Xiao Ding and the others, and gave a detailed account of the situation. Upon hearing that he was about to leave the Jima Empire, the latter was momentarily stunned, remained silent for a while, before finally giving a firm nod. Xiao Ding was very clear in his understanding: if Xiao Yan stayed in the Jima Empire indefinitely, it would actually impose certain constraints upon him. Only on the broader landscape of the Qi Continent could Xiao Yan truly flourish. After completing the handover of various matters concerning the Flame Alliance, Xiao Yan showed no further hesitation. He found Zi Yan in the imperial capital and immediately took her with him, soaring into the air and swiftly flying toward the direction of the Beast Mountain Range. Throughout his dealings with the Soul Palace, Xiao Yan had always harbored the greatest caution. Therefore, this journey to the Jima Empire required him to assemble his allies in full—Medusa, undoubtedly, was the most suitable choice. ... Nowadays, the Serpentfolk have fully settled in the regions near the Beast Mountains. Though they frequently clash with various beasts, this is far from a drawback for the warlike Serpentfolk. Since the Gamma Empire began to flourish, the Serpentfolk have grown somewhat more relaxed toward the humans. At the boundaries within their own territory, free passages have been established. While Serpentfolk warriors remain vigilant and well-guarded around these passages, it's a marked improvement from the past, when they would immediately attack upon seeing any human. Surely, with continued time and mutual adaptation, the Serpentfolk will gradually shed their initial wariness and become full members of the Gamma Empire. Though the Serpentfolk's region lies quite distant from the imperial capital, at the pace of Xiao Yan and his companion, they arrive at the edge of the Beast Mountains within about an hour. As they gaze steadily across the vast mountain range, they can see the Serpentfolk moving through the forests. As Xiao Yan and Zi Yan were lingering in this region of the sky, it seemed that others within the vast forest had also spotted them. Several figures swiftly ascended into the sky, their eyes alert. Upon seeing Xiao Yan, however, they paused, their initial alertness gradually easing. "Ladies and gentlemen of the Serpent Clan, I have a matter to attend to with Queen Medusa. Could you kindly guide me?" Xiao Yan bowed respectfully and spoke calmly. "The clan leader is currently in seclusion. If you wish to see him, you may first follow us to meet the Grand Commander. Only he and a few elders are authorized to enter the inner chamber." One of the Serpent Clan warriors hesitated before speaking. "The Grand Commander?" "Heard this, Xiao Yan's brow furrowed slightly. This strong member of the Serpent People, second only to Medusa, he had heard of, but never met. Occasionally, when he heard from various Serpent People, he learned that this individual was a devoted practitioner. During the great war between the Gamma Empire and the three major empires, this man had remained in seclusion in the desert for nearly a full year. When he finally emerged, the desert had been utterly emptied—had it not been for the Serpent People's unique communication methods, he might have been unable to find even his own kin. Of course, such a circumstance alone wouldn't have caused Xiao Yan to frown so deeply. Indeed, like most male Serpent People, this practitioner regarded Medusa as a goddess. Given that his strength ranked second only to Medusa within the clan, he was naturally the most likely candidate. Yet, unexpectedly, Xiao Yan himself had emerged as an obstacle in the way. Even without having personally met him, Xiao Yan knew that this man likely held a significant amount of resentment toward him." As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Xiao Yan could only shake his head helplessly and said, "Then, please allow me to follow your lead." Though he found the unseen Grand Commander somewhat troublesome, he wasn't afraid of him at all. If the man truly proved unwise, he wouldn't mind handling him personally—after all, the Serpent People value strength, and once he defeated the commander, he'd save himself from many future complications. Seeing this, the several Serpent People warriors nodded politely and then moved swiftly, heading straight into the forest. Xiao Yan and Zǐ Yán followed closely behind. "Xiao Yan, don't worry—whenever that Grand Commander starts fussing, I'll take care of him!" Zǐ Yán seemed familiar with the well-known commander among the Serpent People, staying close to Xiao Yan and chuckling warmly. "You'd better listen to me, though. Otherwise, you won't be leaving with me." Xiao Yan shook his head again, sighing. "Hmph. If you don't take me with you, I'll be just like Liu Qing and Lin Yan—running off on my own." Zi Yan gave a dismissive sigh, completely unphased by Xiao Yan's threats. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan could only roll his eyes, silently cursing the three rascals, Liu Qing and Lin Yan in particular, for daring to leave without notice. He would surely give them a stern dressing-down the next time he saw them. During the year Xiao Yan spent in seclusion, Liu Qing, Lin Yan, and the others grew restless from the monotonous life in the Jia Ma Empire. After leaving behind a few words of parting, they set off together to explore beyond the empire. Yet they might not have known that, right when they departed, a great battle had erupted within the Jia Ma Empire. As Xiao Yan muttered curses at the three, the view ahead suddenly widened, revealing a vast and expansive tribal settlement stretching across his field of vision. The settlement was built against the mountains, its form seamlessly embedded within the mountain body. Inside, the Serpent People moved busily, with several warriors in full armor standing at elevated positions, their sharp eyes constantly scanning the surroundings. Following the strong Serpent People leader, Xiao Yan and his companion journeyed through the settlement, eventually coming to a halt at a broad plaza deep within the heart of the village. Behind the plaza stretched a stone staircase that wound its way into the mountain, now guarded by numerous strong Serpent People. His gaze lingered on the bald serpent man, his eyes narrowing slightly. He could sense that the man's strength was at the peak of the Battle Emperor rank—among the Serpent People, aside from Medusa and the four elders, he was likely the strongest. Therefore, this bald serpent man must be the Serpent People's Grand Commander. As萧炎's gaze shifted toward the bald serpent man, the latter seemed to sense it as well, suddenly opening his tightly closed eyes. His triangular pupils, like the gaping jaws of a great serpent, fixed intently upon萧炎. With a flick of his tail, the bald, snake-bodied figure suddenly appeared at a strange distance from Xiao Yan, his eyes fixed intently on the latter, his voice slightly cold. Noticing the hostility in the former's tone, Xiao Yan slightly furrowed his brow before giving a quiet nod. Upon seeing Xiao Yan's nod, a smile of eager combat spirit bloomed across the bald snake's face. Without uttering a single word, he clenched his fists tightly. As the jade-like glow swirled around, dense layers of snake scales emerged in a continuous cascade. Then, with a roar, he drove his fists forward, infused with a cold, piercing force, crashing directly into Xiao Yan. Feeling the sharp, chilling gust of wind emanating from the latter's fists, Xiao Yan's expression grew noticeably more somber. With a gentle tap of his foot, a powerful, vibrant green flame surged forth from within him. The flames surged upward, quickly drying the ground as a series of cracking fissures spread rapidly. The stronger snake-people around them, naturally inclined toward cold, were startled and hurriedly retreated. Upon seeing the jade-green flames on Xiao Yan's body, a surprise flickered in the bald snake-man's eyes, yet his hands did not waver—his wind pressure grew even more intense. As his fist neared the jade-green flame, a slender figure suddenly materialized, then cried out with a delicate voice, her delicate fist making contact with the bald snake-man amidst the astonishment of the surrounding snake-people. "Boom!" The moment of contact, a deep, resonant sound erupted, followed instantly by a wave of terrifying gusts radiating outward, forcing both Zǐ Yán and the bald snake-man to step back several paces in shock. Steadying himself with force, the bald serpent man gazed solemnly at Ziyan, who was gently cradling her small fist, then turned his cold eyes toward Xiao Yan. As he was about to mock him, a palm-sized emerald lotus flame slowly rose from Xiao Yan's calm hands, its clear, crisp voice echoing across the entire plaza. "Take another step, and then you'll be bedridden for several months." The bald serpent man's eyes narrowed, fixated on the emerald lotus flame. He swallowed hard, sensing within it a fiercely turbulent and terrifying energy.