The bald serpent man stared intently at the emerald fire lotus spiraling before Xiao Yan, his gaze as steady and weighty as ever. Under the unflinching gaze of the youth, he was certain that if he took another step forward, the lotus—laden with terrifying, violent energy—would erupt and blast directly at him. "Young man, you truly are no ordinary one. The leader of the Flame Alliance—well, you've got some real talent," he said, his voice cold and measured. Though his words carried the earlier dismissiveness toward Xiao Yan, now clearly gone, the stories from his own people about Xiao Yan defeating a Douzong-level warrior had begun to take root. Even this seemingly delicate fire lotus now stirred a deep sense of awe within him, reaching into his very soul. "I don't wish to fight you just yet. Could you please inform Medusa?" Xiao Yan lifted his eyes slightly, raised his hand, and the emerald lotus settled into his palm. He glanced at the bald serpent man and spoke softly. "The chieftain is currently in seclusion. We cannot disturb him at this time." The bald serpent man shook his head and chuckled. Xiao Yan's brow furrowed slightly, said nothing, and with a flick of his finger, the flaming lotus in his hand surged forward, darting toward the bald serpent man, leaving a trail of fiery tails in its wake—like a tiny meteor streaking through the air. Seeing Xiao Yan launch the lotus with such decisive force, brimming with terrifying energy, the bald serpent man's expression could not help but pale. He swiftly waved his tail and retreated. Yet no matter how swiftly he moved, the jade-green lotus seemed to have been fitted with a tracking device, always following him closely. Thus, a rather comical scene unfolded on the plaza—the very warrior regarded as the first among the serpent people after the chief, now being chased around by a small, delicate jade-green lotus. The surrounding serpent people, who had once held him in such high esteem, now stared in astonishment, their gaze upon Xiao Yan—only a slight movement of his fingers—now subtly tinged with quiet awe. "For heaven's sake, are you done yet?" The bald serpent man flickered again, glaring at the flame lotus that once more shot toward him, and roared in fury. The lotus glided slowly, finally hovering in mid-air a few meters away, releasing a scorching heat that caused fine beads of sweat to roll down the bald serpent man's forehead. "Could the Commander please help me relay this message?" Xiao Yan spoke calmly. "You...?" The bald commander gritted his teeth, then glanced at the lotus slowly rotating before him, feeling a growing sense of unease. If it exploded, he might survive, but his fate would certainly not be pleasant. "I'll be watching you!" After a moment's hesitation, the commander finally gave up with a defeated sigh, growling fiercely at Xiao Yan before flickering into motion, swiftly ascending the stone steps and racing off toward the deep mountains. Upon seeing the swift-moving, bald Supreme Commander, Xiao Yan smiled slightly, then with a gentle gesture of his hand, the fire lotus—once so feared by the commander—responded obediently, shooting back and hovering above his palm. It then shimmered with an unusual ripple, transforming into a cluster of emerald flames that surged into his body. And as he observed the first light-being, the serpent people surrounding the plaza and the guards alike hurried to bow respectfully. "How is it that you have the time today to come to our serpent clan?" Naturally, only Medusa could command such prestige. Upon landing, she glanced at Xiao Yin and Xiao Yan, and was somewhat surprised. "Cai Lin sister," when Medusa appeared, Zi Yan jumped with excitement and hurried over, colliding headfirst into her embrace. Gently massaging Zi Yan's small head, Medusa's face broke into a charming smile—a smile rarely seen in her usual demeanor—that left the bald general standing by utterly spellbound. "Cai Lin sister, that bald man just dared to attack me! If it weren't for Zi Yan's promotion to Duke Rank, he would have knocked me senseless with a single punch," said Zi Yan, her head darting around in Medusa's arms, suddenly pointing at the bald general and shouting angrily. Seeing this scene, both Xiao Yan and the bald general broke into a light sweat—this young one had the audacity to file a complaint. Medusa gently patted Zǐ Yán's head and then gave the bald general a calm, steady glance. At once, the general stiffened and offered a dry smile, saying, "Chief, what happened was merely a misunderstanding. I only wanted to assess Xiao Yan's skills—I certainly didn't intend to harm this lovely young girl." From the way Medusa treated Zǐ Yán, the general clearly understood the closeness of their relationship and quickly made efforts to please her. Yet he failed to notice that, after he finished speaking, Medusa's dark brows slightly furrowed, and with a delicate gesture, she spoke in a calm tone, "Xiao Yan is recognized by the elders as a distinguished guest of the Serpent Clan. You can't just decide to act on a whim. Go to the Serpent Caverns now and return after one month." "Heard that, the bald commander's expression instantly fell, yet dared not resist—could only nod weakly. 'You go ahead,' he said, sending the commander away. Medusa then led Ziyan slowly toward Xiao Yan, lifting her gaze slightly and asked, 'Is there something?' Xiao Yan shook his head, saying, "Now that I've successfully ascended to the Battle Emperor rank, I no longer need to risk half my life when facing Battle Monarch-level强者, as I did back then. Moreover, I now have Medusa, and a young healer who is no less capable than her. With this lineup, even when compared across the entire Continent of Qi, I believe they would certainly stand out as strong. Medusa's eyes flickered slightly, still expressing some hesitation, "That's true—yet I still don't feel confident about the young healer. This time, she's going deep into Yun Empire territory, which is her home ground. What if she makes some moves of her own?" Hearing this, Xiao Yan could only roll his eyes inward. Indeed, once women form rivalries, they're hard to resolve. It would take some time, he realized, before Medusa would truly trust the young healer. "Well, if you believe in her, then let it be. Otherwise, I'll just end up being blamed for being petty." Seeing Xiao Yan's wry expression, Medusa gave a slight smile, waved her hand, and said softly. Seeing Medusa lift her delicate hand, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned and instinctively reached out to grasp it, gazing at the scar concealed on her arm within her sleeve, his brow furrowing. "You've been injured? What happened?" With Xiao Yan holding her hand in front of so many of her people, the vibrant flush on Medusa's cheeks grew warmer. She quickly withdrew her hand, saying, "Just a minor injury. This area is close to the Beast Mountains. As we're building our settlement, we've had to undertake extensive construction work, which has drawn the attention of several powerful beasts. This particular injury occurred accidentally during a battle when one of them grabbed me." "Why didn't you come to our alliance for assistance? With the current strength of our alliance, we could certainly secure a safe area for you." Xiao Yan asked, frowning. "These matters—I can handle them myself. There's no need to trouble you," Medusa replied with a smile, finding comfort in Xiao Yan's subtly growing impatience. "When are you setting off?" "I don't want to dwell on this any longer," Medusa said, changing her tone. "As fast as possible," Xiang Yan replied firmly. "Then wait for me a moment," Medusa said without hesitation, nodding and turning to leave. But Xiang Yan caught her by the arm, and as she paused, he could hear a soft whisper from her lips. "Thank you." At this, Medusa was momentarily surprised, then smiled gently. "Just as a token of appreciation for the Tianhun Rongxue Pill," she said. With a graceful gesture, she stepped free and flashed toward a council hall within the tribe. Gazing at Medusa's back, Xiao Yan softly sighed, his heart filled with a complex mix of emotions. The journey to the Shu Yun Empire undoubtedly carried great risks, and with the Jia Ma Empire gradually stabilizing and the Serpent Clan only recently relocating, internal affairs within the clan must be bustling. Yet she had still not declined. Xiao Yan was not cold-hearted; seeing her so devoted and committed, he felt a quiet sense of warmth and appreciation.