The vast ancient forest exudes a fragrant aroma, with a light mist drifting gently through the trees. Occasionally, small creatures dart out from among the grasses, creating a serene atmosphere that seems like a fairyland. "This ancient forest has evolved over countless years and now stands as its own world, home to many powerful beasts. We should be cautious." Several figures glided through the air and landed on a large tree. Xiao Yan scanned the surroundings and softly advised, sensing a strong presence throughout the forest—clearly from the forest's native beasts. "Indeed, many of these beasts are ancient relics, exceptionally strong. If they engage us, it could become quite troublesome," agreed Tian Huo, nodding solemnly. "Hmph. What can ancient relics do? Relax—follow me, and you'll be safe." Zi Yan pouted slightly, scanned the surroundings with her eyes, and with a tap of her foot against a branch, swiftly darted forward toward the deeper part of the forest. "Keep up with this girl—staying with her will be safer," Xiang Yan smiled at the group and then stepped forward to follow. ... Several figures darted past the forest. Xiao Yan's steps halted abruptly, and he turned his head toward the north, his brows furrowed. "What's wrong?" asked Xiao Yisheng promptly. "Others have arrived, and there are quite a few of them," Xiao Yan replied. "It seems they've also discovered that stone gate," Xiao Yisheng said, her brows slightly furrowed. "No—it's from a different direction. Clearly, there's more than one entrance into this ancient forest," Xiao Yan shook his head in resignation, then added, "We'll have to speed up." "I sense it!" As soon as Xiao Yan finished speaking, a sudden spark of excitement appeared on Zi Yan's face. "Hunying Fruit?" Xiao Yan's heart quickened, and he asked immediately. "Yes, no doubt about it. For the flavor of such a rare treasure, I'm more familiar than you are," Zi Yan nodded, then without delay, lightly tapped a branch with her foot and surged forward. Xiao Yan and the others quickly followed. Shhh! Deep in the forest, the wind howled continuously. Fearing someone might catch up, Xiao Yan and his companions hastened their pace, darting erratically behind Zi Yan. After nearly ten minutes, Zi Yan finally settled gently upon a large tree ahead, her gaze fixed steadily forward. Xiao Yan landed swiftly beside her, following her line of sight. Then, his expression froze—joy radiating unmistakably across his face. Before them lay a lake nearly ten zhang in diameter. The water was exceptionally clear, yet it appeared bottomless when viewed from a distance. At the lake's center, a small patch of land floated like an island. On this island stood a peculiar, oddly shaped tree. The young tree was uniformly gray-silver, its branches winding around each other like vines. As they extended and curved, they formed an unusual arc. From a distance, one could clearly see the plant's posture resembling that of a pregnant woman with a broad, rounded belly. Within this dense mass of branches, a subtle golden glow shimmered and radiated outward. "Boom!" As the punch was just delivered, the tranquil lake suddenly surged with massive, terrifying waves. Immediately, Xiao Yan and the others saw a colossal shadow rapidly emerge within the lake, finally breaking the surface with a loud "plong!" The giant's eyes, glowing with fierce intensity, swept across the surroundings. "It's a Celestial Dragon Serpent! That species has vanished completely from the outside world..." Purple Yan exclaimed, visibly astonished at the massive creature emerging. Xiao Yan and the others stared at the great being rising through the wind. It had the body of a serpent, with long, sleek scales of a deep green hue. Its body was exceptionally long, and Xiao Yan and the others could only see the portion above the water. Rising from its head was a long, dark black horn, adorned with strange patterns that subtly pulsed with blue light. The Tian-Jiao, this ancient beast, Xiao Yan had read about in ancient texts. In the distant past, it was well known for its combat prowess. It was said that the Tian-Jiao's body also flowed with some dragon lineage; if it could shed its earthly qualities and endure numerous thunder calamities, it might truly evolve into a Tai-Gu Xu Long, a being of ancient transcendence. "Didn't expect to see a Tian-Jiao here..." Xiao Yan exclaimed, then turned to Zi Yan, who nodded slightly and said, "I'll take care of it." The Tian-Jiao's strength was around the peak of the seventh stage. Thanks to its bloodline and physical power, even a Dou Zun-level master could stand a chance against it. While Xiao Yan and his companions could manage to defeat it, it would naturally be preferable if they didn't have to engage in combat. Should the beast grow restless during the fight and damage the Hui Ying Fruit, there would be nothing left to do but weep. Zi Yan leapt down from the branch, landing lightly upon the lake surface. A purple glow spiraled from within his body, then coalesced into a purple light dragon about a zhang long, stretching majestically above his head. As soon as the dragon appeared, it roared loudly into the sky. Though relatively small in size, this dragon was a true ancient void dragon—the supreme being of the beast realm—and the shared lineage within Tian Tian Jiao further intensified its regal presence. Under the dragon's deep rumbling roar, the fierce glint in Tian Tian Jiao's eyes gradually softened, and the massive creature slowly retracted into the water, its enormous head gently approaching Zi Yan, now behaving like a cherished pet. Seeing this, Xiao Yan and the others exhaled in relief. Zi Yan gently stroked Tian Tian Jiao's head, then pointed toward the spirit-infant spirit tree at the center of the lake. Glancing at Zǐ Yán's gesture, the Celestial Dragon was momentarily stunned. Then, a surprisingly human sense of reluctance shimmered in its eyes—having protected the Soul Infant Fruit for so many years, it naturally didn't want to hand it over so easily. Yet the blood pressure radiating from within Zǐ Yán proved irresistible, leaving the dragon bowed and dejected, looking quite pitiful. "Could we give it some compensation?" seeing the dragon's expression, Zǐ Yán softened, turning slightly to speak to Xiāo Yīn. Xiao Yan flashed downward, landing beside Zi Yan, then bowed respectfully to the Heavenly Dragon, saying, "I'm truly sorry. I didn't intend to take away what someone else cherished, but the Spirit Infant Fruit is of utmost importance to us. Though this rare treasure is highly beneficial for the soul, since the beasts primarily focus on their physical bodies, the effects of a strong soul are not particularly profound. I have two pills that greatly strengthen and refine a beast's physical form—these should prove quite useful to you. Additionally, you carry the ancient dragon bloodline, which makes it quite difficult for you to fully manifest your form. Here, I've also brought a mature Form-Transmutation Herb..." Upon hearing the words "Form-Transmutation Herb," the Heavenly Dragon's eyes instantly brightened, and it nodded vigorously. Seeing this, Xiao Yan sighed with relief, quickly producing the pills and a jade box. The Dragon took a deep breath and swallowed everything whole. With these compensations, it felt thoroughly satisfied. Then, with a gentle movement of its massive body, it stirred a ripple in the water and dove back into the depths of the lake. After gently sending off the large group, Xiao Yan waved his hand toward Zhu Yan standing beside him, then moved his body and materialized on the small island in the middle of the lake. Standing beside the spirit-infant spirit tree, Xiao Yan suddenly noticed that within the thick, pregnant-like branches, two golden fruits the size of a clenched fist hung suspended. The fruits resembled infants in shape, so lifelike that they seemed almost real, emitting a subtle, lingering fragrance that caused his soul at the center of his brow to tremble slightly. "Hurry and collect your things—we're hearing more and more animal roars from the forest now. It seems many people have entered," the small healer and others urged as they ascended to the island. Xiao Yan nodded, then cut off a thick branch from the spirit-infant spirit tree and quickly crafted two slightly rough wooden boxes. The spirit-infant fruits were remarkably unique—they could only be contained within the branches of the spirit tree; otherwise, they would gradually evaporate. Any other vessel would be insufficient. The wooden box was successfully crafted. Xiao Yan carefully cut through the thick branches, then severed the two sections bearing the Spirit-Infant Fruits at a clean cut, placing them gently inside the box. With a flip of his hand, he sealed the box within his storage relic. "Finally, I've secured the Spirit-Infant Fruits..." As he closed the fruits into his storage relic, the heavy weight on his heart gradually lifted. The task was now complete—Master Yao would surely regain his peak strength! "Let's go..." After securing the fruits, Xiao Yan was about to depart swiftly when he noticed Zǐ Yán standing beside him, her gaze fixed intently on the deeper parts of the forest. He paused, puzzled, "What's wrong?" "There... something is calling to me." Zǐ Yán's gaze now carried a sense of bewilderment and haziness—something deeply rooted in her bloodline.