At the very moment her cheeks turned crimson, a gasp escaped from Yun Yun's lips. With a sudden, powerful wave of her jade hands, a gust of wind surged, lifting the soft quilt from the bed and completely enveloping the graceful form within. With her body now concealed beneath the blanket, Yun Yun's complexion gradually eased. She lifted her face, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment, and fixed a scolding gaze on Xiao Yan, asking, "Are you still staring?" Though the blanket now provided coverage, it was rather thin, and still revealed the elegant contours of her slender frame. Against the backdrop of her rosy, bashful cheeks, the scene was enough to make many men lose their composure and spill blood from their noses. "Hm," Xiao Yan cleared his throat, composedly shifting his gaze, and said, "This has nothing to do with me—it was you who caused the disturbance." Even with her usual composure, Yun Yun found herself momentarily choked by the words. This young man was truly the type who took advantage and then claimed innocence. Seeing that Yun Yun was about to lose her temper, Xiao Yan couldn't afford to dwell on this topic any longer and quickly said, "How are you feeling now?" "Better. Your seal has indeed cracked, and now a steady flow of qi is continuously seeping out from it—this rate is exactly within my range of absorption." Yun Yun said with a huff, though the blush on her cheeks was gradually fading. "Hmm, that's good," Xiao Yan nodded, pausing thoughtfully. "The qi left behind by the Flower Elder is truly formidable. If you can fully absorb it, you might even reach her former level. And since you're still so young, you have tremendous room for growth. Should you ever encounter a major opportunity in the future, becoming a Supreme Saint isn't beyond the realm of possibility." "Saint-tier...?" Hearing this legendary level, Yun Yun was also momentarily stunned, then shook her head with a sigh—how distant it all seemed. Over the years, she had already managed to rise to the rank of Supreme Sovereign, which was a great blessing from heaven. As for Saint-tier? She had never really thought about it. "I have many powerful enemies in the Central Province, all of whom are fierce and determined. Hehe, once you become a Saint-tier powerhouse, I'll certainly enjoy the shade of a great tree." Xiao Yan said with a light-hearted remark. When I first met Xiao Yan, that young boy—innocent yet with a certain stubbornness—had already dared to train in the perilous Mountain of Beasts. And over the years, the dangers he has faced have multiplied countless times beyond those of the early days of the Mountain of Beasts. "I'll soon refine Flower Grandmother's qi, and I'll take care to gradually master control over the Flower Sect," Yun Yun's voice came softly, though her entire body was curled up in the thin blanket. Suddenly hearing Yun Yun's somewhat puzzling words, Xiao Yan was taken aback, gazing at her flawless face, and finally understood—what was hardest to bear was indeed the grace of a beautiful woman's kindness. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became warmly intimate. After a while, Xiao Yan cleared his throat to break the silence, then retrieved a jade vial from his storage bracelet. Inside the vial were several pill-like tablets of a deep purple-brown hue, radiating an intensely vibrant energy that gently flowed out from the vessel. "These are Linghuo Pills that I've personally refined," Xiao Yan explained, smiling at Yun Yun. "Each pill contains a thread of unique, blazing fire energy. When you later work on dissolving the seal of your combat qi, take one—this will accelerate the process and help refine your combat qi even further." He gently placed the vial on the bed. "Hmm," Yun Yun nodded, smiling as she took the vial. "Tomorrow I shall set out. Should you ever encounter any troubles beyond your resolution, come to Xingyin Pavilion to find me..." "Tomorrow then?" Hearing this, Yun Yun tightened her grip on the jade bottle. "I cannot stay here any longer, or else I fear the strong forces of Huan Pavilion will notice and eventually draw both you and the Huazong into their conflict," Xiang Yan said seriously. Yun Yun, though touched by her parting sentiment, nodded gently, her voice soft. "Then, take good care of yourself." Xiang Yan smiled and nodded, adding a few more words of advice before turning and leaving the delicate chamber, its fragrance ever-present. Watching his retreating figure, Yun Yun gently bit her red lips, murmuring softly, "For so many years, I still can't shake this little troublemaker. If I can't escape him, then I shall make one final effort—for you." Originally, Yun Yun had little enthusiasm for enhancing her own strength. When she arrived in the Central Region, her only intention was to find a quiet place to spend the rest of her days. Yet she never expected that, even so, the person quietly hidden deep within her heart would reappear before her once again. Upon seeing him again, she realized that this feeling—this warmth—could not be forgotten with time; rather, it grew richer and more profound as time passed. She never spoke of it outright. All she wished for was to quietly offer her support behind the scenes, for Yun Yun knew that Xiao Yan carried an overwhelming burden and had grown weary. She simply hoped to lighten his load a little. The Flower Sect's senior elder expressed great regret that Xiao Yan was leaving so swiftly, having genuinely hoped to persuade him to stay. However, seeing that Xiao Yan had made up his mind, he could only allow the two to depart without further obstruction. After bidding farewell to the group, Xiao Yan and Qinglin immediately left the Flower Sect and summoned the Jiyou Di Ming Mang, then set off once again toward the Xingyun Pavilion. The massive silhouette speeding ahead was naturally Xuanglin and Qinglin, who had departed from the Flower Sect approximately two days prior. During those two days, they had largely been on the move, making only minimal stops along the way. Although their journey on the Nine-Deep Earth-Mortar Serpent attracted some attention, they rarely encountered any trouble—everyone knew that such a powerful creature from the three dominant clans of the Beast Kingdom was generally not easily provoked unless under exceptional circumstances. "The vibrant scales... I'm not sure whether the bloodline of the Xiao family truly resides within her now..." As he thought of the vibrant scales, a complex expression passed over Xiao Yan's eyes. This once-mighty Medusa Queen, who had chased him around like a frantic deer,—how is she faring now? With her strength, she should have few rivals across this region. "Master Xiao..." As Xiao Yan was lost in memory, Qinglin's face slightly changed, and she softly called out. "What?" Drawn back from his thoughts by the voice, Xiao Yan blinked in surprise. "Something seems off..." Qinglin murmured. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze slowly swept across the surroundings. They now stood in the midst of a remote mountain range, yet strangely, there was not a single roar of animals echoing through the valley—it was as though the entire region had fallen into stillness, like a realm of death. Gently rising, Xiao Yan allowed Qing Lin to hold the Nine-Youth Earth-冥 Serpent in place, then his gaze settled on the empty space a little distance ahead. "Since you've come, why hide your head and show only your tail? Isn't that what you've been doing, Spirit of the Fungal Flower?" "Good perception, young man," Xiao Yan remarked. As his words settled, the space ahead began to warp, and shortly after, several figures materialized out of thin air, their vast presence spreading throughout the surrounding area. The demonic flower prince gently swayed his fan, his smile carrying a subtle, chilling intensity. Xiao Yan glanced at him, speaking with calm composure, "You've held out this long—someone must have informed you, perhaps Huajiong's Huajin?" As he spoke, his gaze shifted downward toward the forest, where a graceful figure emerged—none other than Huajin of the Flower Sect. Now, Huajin stared fiercely at Xiao Yan, her voice cold as she sneered, "You've ruined our sect's plans. Today, you shall pay with your life. As for Yunyun, that lowly woman, our sect will eventually settle her as well!" "Xiao Yan, surrender now and come with us to Tianming Sect. On the merits of Yao Chen's favor, we will treat you well. Should you refuse—" The leading gray-robed elder spoke evenly, but his final words carried a sudden, sharp surge of cold determination. "Should you refuse, then here, beneath these trees, you shall lie buried today!"