Staring at the woman whose neck was firmly held by Xiao Yan, who had now become completely still, unable to move, Xiao Yan himself was also taken aback. This woman was none other than Xin Lan, the medicinal master from Panmen whom he had previously met only once. Now, with her neck caught in Xiao Yan's grip—especially feeling the genuine killing intent radiating from his eyes—she dared not make the slightest movement. Her beautifully delicate face, slightly pale with a touch of fragile grace, remained still, while her clear, bright eyes were fixed intently on Xiao Yan. "Does the Senior Elder know her?" Hearing Xinlan's address of Su Qian, Xiao Yan was momentarily taken aback, turning his gaze to Su Qian and asking. "Yes, well, this girl is the granddaughter of one of my old friends. Last year, my friend sent her here and asked me to take care of her and nurture her." Su Qian nodded with a wry smile. Xiao Yan was taken aback, then spoke firmly. He had only just recently obtained a bit of information about the strange flames—how could he possibly give it up so easily? "As I mentioned earlier, the Nine-Drake Thunder罡 Flame has been passed down through the Fengyan Valley's lineage for several centuries. Generations of powerful cultivators have etched indelible blood soul imprints into the very essence of the flame. Unless you have practiced the Valley's foundational technique, the Qingming Youyan Decree, even if you obtain the Nine-Drake Heavenly罡 Flame, you will never be able to fully harness it," Xinlan said, clutching her snow-white, slender neck and coughing violently before speaking coldly. "Facing Yuan's questions, Su Qian looked equally puzzled and could only shake his head with a wry smile, saying, 'I'm not sure about this myself. However, if Xinlan insists on this, it must be true. Ah, I never realized how well Burned-Inn Valley has preserved the Nine-Drake Thunder-Blazing Flame and how meticulously they've prepared—how could I have underestimated them so?' Hearing Su Qian's words, Yuan's heart sank completely. Was it truly all for nothing—the precious clue he had just managed to gather? 'Xinlan hails from the Central Region of the Qi Continent, and Burned-Inn Valley is also located there. Therefore, I have some familiarity with them. Given her nature, she wouldn't deliberately lie about it.' To reassure Yuan, Su Qian added a bit about Xinlan's background. 'The Central Region?' The unfamiliar term left Yuan somewhat bewildered. "The Zhongzhou refers to the central region of the continent, an area of immense scale, home to countless intricate powers and rare ethnic groups that are simply hard to find elsewhere. It can thus be said to be the heartland of the Qi Continent—the most vibrant and dynamic region of the entire continent. Indeed, many of the continent's top-tier masters hail from there." Noticing Xiao Yan's apparent confusion, Su Qian smiled and explained, "Moreover, there you might just learn some information that connects to your little girlfriend's background." Hearing Su Qian's words, Xiao Yan's heart, which had just settled, suddenly stirred again. He exhaled gently, and in his mind, a picture of a graceful young woman—pleasantly composed, with a gentle smile—slowly came into focus. That soft smile, like a gentle spring breeze, gradually helped calm and steady him. After calmer, Xiang Yan's gaze suddenly shifted to Xinlan beside him, his eyes slightly narrowed, and then slowly said, "You must have something to say, don't you?" Xiang Yan had been somewhat puzzled about Xinlan's sudden, unexplained decision to eavesdrop on his conversation with the Senior Elder. Xinlan's demeanor seemed far from impulsive—she likely knew that eavesdropping was considered a breach of etiquette. Unless there was a strong reason, she would not have taken such initiative. Under Xiang Yan's steady gaze, Xinlan's face grew slightly uneasy. After a moment of silence, she gritted her teeth and said, "Do you really hope to find clues about the unique flames?" "Yes." "As for the Nine-Drake Thunder-Wind Flame, you can forget about it. The Burned-Inn Valley has preserved it for several centuries and has developed a nearly perfect method of storage. Even if you manage to obtain it, you won't be able to use it." Seeing Xiang Yan nod firmly, Xinlan hesitated slightly before speaking slowly. "Do you have any way to crack it?" "No..." Looking at the suddenly brightened eyes of Xiao Yan, Xin Lan shook her head. Seeing the latter frown in response, she sighed and said, "I didn't ask you to find a way to crack it. But I *do* know of another trail of rare flames that ranks ahead of the Nine Dragon Thunder Gale Flame. And as long as you're capable, your chances of obtaining it won't be any weaker than securing the Nine Dragon Thunder Gale Flame." As soon as Xin Lan finished speaking, Xiao Yan, who had just sat down, immediately straightened up, his gaze blazing with intense enthusiasm, his voice filled with barely restrained excitement: "Other rare flames?" Seeing Xiao Yan so animated, Xin Lan was startled and stepped back slightly before nodding. "Tell me whatever you need—whatever I can do, I will give it to you!" Xiao Yan took a step forward, his tone fervent. "It's not impossible to tell you, but first, I need to know—if you are currently a Sixth-Rank Alchemist?" Xinlan's eyes flickered with a touch of nervousness as she asked. Upon seeing Xiao Yan nod, a spark of excitement lit up in her gaze. She bit her lower lip, her delicate hands tightening and then loosening several times before finally taking a deep breath and said, "As long as you agree to help me with one thing, I'll reveal the clues to the Strange Fires!" "Say it!" Xiao Yan replied without hesitation, his voice firm. "Help my family regain a seat among the Elder Council of the Dan Tower!" Xinlan suddenly gripped her hands tightly, her clear and tense voice echoing throughout the hall. "The Dan Tower?" "Heard this name before, but not exactly unfamiliar—Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback, his brows furrowing. This unique medicinal cultivation faction holds an exceptionally high status across the Qi Continent. Though the internal rank structure wasn't fully clear, it was reasonable to assume that entering the Senior Council required an extremely rigorous standard. Thus, even Xiao Yan himself felt a brief hesitation when facing this imposing, unfamiliar force. "I know he may not be up to par at the moment, but the fact that he has already reached the rank of Sixth Rank Alchemist at his age speaks volumes about his potential. Such talent is quite rare even within the Dan Tower. If he is willing to give his full support, then my family certainly isn't without hope." Yet, despite Su Qian's urgent voice, Xin Lan remained resolute, gazing steadily at Xiao Yan. "If you agree to assist me, then I will reveal the clue regarding that unique flame." Faced with Xinlan's tense and passionate gaze, Xiao Yan gradually fell into silence. Regarding the famed Dan Tower, he held a certain sense of reverence—this unique power was, in his experience, the most formidable organization he had encountered since the Soul Academy. Such a high-level institution naturally attracted fierce competition. Though Xiao Yan had always been confident in his own talent for alchemy, the Dan Tower gathered nearly all the continent's most outstanding alchemists. Breaking through there might not be any easier than making a full circuit within the Soul Academy itself. As Xiao Yan grew increasingly silent, the vibrant flame in Xin Lan's eyes gradually dimmed, as if doused by a sudden flood of cool water. A sense of disappointment rose on her cheeks, and she offered a self-deprecating smile. Just as she was about to turn and leave, after a long silence, Xiao Yan finally took a deep breath and spoke slowly: "I don't know just how difficult it is for your family to re-enter the Elder Council of the Dan Tower. Nor can I guarantee that my assistance will surely achieve your goal. But I promise you this: as long as you provide me with useful clues about your unique flames, I will do my very best to help you. How does that sound?" Upon hearing this, Xin Lan's body trembled slightly. A layer of excited mist formed in her clear gaze. Regardless of whether her efforts would ultimately succeed, at least now her family, on the brink of extinction, had a glimmer of hope. She quickly nodded vigorously. Xiao Yan smiled faintly, forcibly suppressing the urgency and excitement within him, and said slowly, "Then, since it's time, it's your turn to share with me the clues you've gathered about the异fires. I will then determine whether this clue is worth such a compensation."