Tianqi City lies deep within the Tianqing Mountain range, some ten thousand miles away from the Hejiao Domain. As the only city within a thousand li radius equipped with a spatial wormhole connecting to the Zhongzhou region, Tianqi City stands out as one of the most prosperous in its immediate vicinity. At the speed of a lion-hawk beast, it would take at least nearly two weeks to travel from the Hejiao Domain to Tianqi City. However, the party had little choice—Xinlan had not yet reached the Battle King stage, and even if she did, she would certainly struggle to fly nonstop all the way to Tianqi City. Thus, making several stops along the way, riding the lion-hawks proved to be a simpler and more practical option. Though this meant the journey would take a bit longer, a few extra days would soon become routine. During this flight, through conversations with Xinlan, Xiao Yan gained a deeper understanding of Zhongzhou. The Central Plains continent is exceptionally vast, so within it, many major cities have established so-called "spatial wormholes" to shorten travel times. These wormholes are typically created by the city's top-tier cultivators or elder masters. If the founding elder belongs to a particular family, then the wormhole becomes the family's asset. Naturally, even the most powerful families are reluctant to unilaterally monopolize such public infrastructure—though such instances are rare. Once activated, each spatial wormhole generates an annual profit that is remarkably substantial, sufficient to support and sustain the entire family from within to without. Thus, in the Central Plains, every emergence of a "spatial wormhole" would inevitably draw the envy of countless factions. Yet aside from a few exceptionally powerful families or sects, most others could only gaze in admiration, for not every entity could summon a Supreme Battle Sovereign to invest heavily in constructing such a wormhole. Therefore, in the Central Plains, a spatial wormhole stands as a symbol of wealth and strength—those who possess it are largely among the most prominent and well-known factions. Of course, this excludes certain families that have inherited such facilities from their ancestors. "Indeed, the Central Plains differs markedly from other regions. In even the Black Corner Domain, a spatial wormhole has never existed before..." Upon hearing Xinlan's account of the spatial wormhole, Xiang Yin, perched atop the lion-hawk beast, couldn't help but stroke his lips and smile. "To connect two distant points in space requires an exceptionally refined mastery of spatial energy—beyond the reach of mere Supreme Battle Sovereigns, few have achieved this." "Little Doctor also nodded slightly, with a touch of wonder in her tone. "The spatial wormhole is just one of the distinctive features of the Central Plains. Once you and Brother Xiao Yan arrive there, you'll be able to experience it firsthand," Xinlan smiled and said. "Which major human factions are particularly strong in the Central Plains?" Xiao Yan nodded, hesitated slightly, and asked. As he walked through that region, he realized it was important to know exactly who to avoid and who to cultivate alliances with. "Regarding human factions, I'm only familiar with the human-based ones. As for the monster clans and other ethnic groups, I'm not very clear," Xinlan mused. "In the Central Plains, human factions are generally categorized as: one Palace, one Tower, two Monasteries, three Valleys, and four Guilds." "One Palace, one Tower, two Monasteries, three Valleys, and four Guilds?" Xiao Yan repeated the phrase slowly, his brows furrowing slightly. "And this Tower—should that be the Dan Tower, then?" "Um, the tower is Dantai—ah, the Hall, well, that's the Soul Hall." Xinlan stared at Xiao Yan, speaking softly. She had heard from the Senior Monks that he had a significant grudge against the Soul Hall. "The Soul Hall?" The simple two words instantly turned Xiao Yan's face cold, a sharp, lethal intent flashing through his dark eyes. "The Soul Hall is extremely enigmatic in the Central Plains. Most ordinary people rarely encounter Soul Hall members, let alone its headquarters—many even don't know of its branch offices. Yet despite this, the Soul Hall stands on par with Dantai, a clear testament to the formidable power and reach of its hidden influence. "Xinlan nodded, hesitated slightly, and said, "Brother Xiao Yan, I know you have a significant grudge against the Spirit Palace. However, for your own safety, I recommend that you remain patient and refrain from taking direct action until you've reached a level of strength capable of truly challenging them. After all, even the Dan Tower—whose three senior leaders are legendary figures ranked among the top ten in Zhongzhou—has been reluctant to engage with the Spirit Palace. These three giants are deeply respectful and cautious toward the Palace's enigmatic Master. According to some lesser-known rumors from Zhongzhou, the three Dan Tower leaders have secretly faced off against the Spirit Palace's Master, though the outcomes of those encounters remain uncertain." At Xinlan's suggestion, Xiao Yan nodded silently, took a deep breath, and suppressed the growing anger within him. If the Spirit Palace had firmly established itself in Zhongzhou, he would inevitably be able to trace its roots and bring it all to light eventually! No matter how strong it might be, Xiao Yan would still have not the slightest hesitation or retreat! "As for the two sects, three valleys, and the Four Pavilion Guilds—what exactly are they saying?" Suppressing the swirling thoughts in his mind, Xiao Yan shifted the topic and asked. "The two sects are the Tian Ming Sect and the Hua Sect. These two are also powerful within the Central Region, boasting numerous strong disciples within their ranks. Though they may not match the Dan Tower or the Soul Palace in stature, they are certainly formidable in their own right. As for the three valleys, they are the Bing He Valley, Yin Valley, and Fen Yan Valley." "Fen Yan Valley?" Hearing this familiar name, Xiao Yan couldn't help but raise a corner of his eye. It was the only organization he knew that possessed the unique Fiery Flame, and the Tian Fire Triple Transformation he had mastered was actually the secret passed down by that very valley. "If the opportunity arises, perhaps I could visit Fen Yan Valley and see if I can secure the final two transformations of the Tian Fire Triple Transformation. If successful, my strength would undoubtedly surge once again. Xiao Yan's eyes flickered as he murmured to himself. With his current strength, merely executing the first transformation of the Tian Huo San Xuan Bian was enough to secure a standing against any Duke-level combatant. Should he master the remaining two transformations, even without deploying the Buddha's Wrath Lotus, he would be capable of directly challenging any Duke-level master. Xinlan, unaware of Xiao Yan's inner thoughts, noticed his unusual expression and assumed it was due to the fact that the Burned Flame Valley also possessed unique flames. She promptly reminded him: "Xiao Yan brother, the Nine Dragon Tian Gang Flame of Burned Flame Valley has been sealed with an exceptionally perfect preservation technique passed down through generations. Even if outsiders expend great effort to obtain it, they would find it difficult to truly claim it. To incur the displeasure of such a powerful force over a flame that remains unusable—would be quite unwise." Xiao Yan smiled and nodded. "Don't worry. I indeed need the unique flames, but I haven't reached the point of being overwhelmed by it yet." "Heal finally exhaled a sigh of relief. She didn't want to drag Xiao Yan all the way to the Central Plains, only to see him unexpectedly entangled in a series of major troubles. Although her family had some strength in the Central Plains, they still couldn't afford to overlook the formidable power of Burned Flame Valley. "The Starfall Pavilion, the Pavilion of a Thousand Swords, the Yellow Springs Pavilion, and the Wind and Thunder Pavilion—standing precisely at the four cardinal directions above the Central Plains, they are collectively known as the Four Pavilions. Their strength is equally impressive; even among the top-tier forces in the Central Plains, they stand out as exceptional. The forces I'm referring to—I urge you to avoid any conflicts with them in the future." Xin Lan emphasized seriously. "The Wind and Thunder Pavilion?" Another familiar name, immediately causing a slight expression of surprise on Xiao Yan's face. He remembered clearly that the famed "Thousand Thunder Steps" he had been practicing was actually one of the premier techniques of the Wind and Thunder Pavilion. "Of course, these are merely some of the most renowned powers in the Central Plains. However, the Central Plains is brimming with hidden talents and prodigies—many seemingly less prominent powers may actually harbor supreme masters within them. Therefore, when operating there, one must remain cautious at all times." Xin Lan clapped her hands. "As for non-human powers, I know relatively little about them, yet their strength is truly formidable, with several capable of standing equal to the Dan Tower." As she spoke, her brows furrowed slightly, adding, "Moreover, if you wish to eliminate a beast-wizard in the Central Plains, it's best to first ascertain whether there's any family behind it. Should such a family exist, eliminate it quietly and without fanfare—otherwise, you're likely to face retaliation from the beast family." Hearing this, Xiao Yan wiped a cold sweat from his forehead. How extraordinary was the Central Plains! Did one really need to investigate a beast's lineage just to kill it? "Hehe, of course. Ordinary beasts wouldn't need such things. What I mean are those that can speak human language and have developed a certain level of intelligence. Moreover, the beast clans aren't uniform—they're strong in some areas and weak in others. They're not a monolith. Besides a few particularly formidable ones, as long as one stays clean and diligent in their actions, there's generally no problem." Seeing Xiao Yan's expression, Xin Lan smiled softly and added. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan finally exhaled in relief. In his heart, he now had a clearer picture of the power distribution in the Zhongzhou region. He smiled, realizing that indeed, it must be quite exciting there—after all, based on Xin Lan's description, he hadn't felt at all disappointed.