Seeing Xiao Yan's suddenly changed expression, Yao Lao slowly nodded and said, "It seems the entire western-north continent has been affected..." "What's going on?" Xiao Yan furrowed his brows. The western-north continent, while having numerous sects and empires, wasn't comparable to Zhongzhou, where countless strong cultivators thrived. Though there were many sects and powers there, they remained locked in constant internal struggles. While some of them possessed solid strength and aimed to unify the region, they had yet to achieve that. In Zhongzhou's terms, even these relatively strong powers were merely at the first-tier level—no stronger than the Si Fang Ge. Thus, the powers and cultivators in Zhongzhou generally paid little attention to those regions. "The Western-Northern Continent itself hadn't experienced any major upheavals until last year, when the Li Ming Sect suddenly launched a sweeping campaign. Their powerful disciples swept through with unmatched strength—no one could stand against them. Within less than six months, nearly half of the continent fell under the Li Ming Sect's control." The old medicine master slowly settled on a mountain peak, speaking softly. "The Li Ming Sect? They're quite strong, aren't they?" Xiao Yan frowned. Though the Western-Northern Continent wasn't as densely populated with elite cultivators as the Central Region, it was still vast and naturally hosted many cultivators at the Dao Master level. To achieve such dominance over half the continent through the efforts of a single sect was indeed astonishing. "The Li Ming Sect used to rank among the top ten in the Western-Northern Continent, but they weren't previously considered invincible. This time, however, their strength has surged dramatically, and they've also gained a number of exceptionally powerful, enigmatic cultivators..." the old medicine master said calmly. "Are there other mysterious powers involved in the Western North Continent?" Xiao Yan was taken aback. The powers and elite figures from the Central Region have always held a certain sense of superiority when it comes to the continents beyond the Central Region, and thus rarely intervene in those areas. After all, those regions are inherently diverse and complex, and even if a power could exert subtle control, the benefits would likely be limited—sometimes resulting in losses rather than gains. "The Hall of Souls?" Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, suddenly noticing the serious expression on Yao Lao's face, and hesitated, probing, "Indeed...?" Yao Lao nodded. "The reports coming back indicate that the Shī Míng Sect has indeed seen a significant number of Hall of Souls' elite members." "Why would the Hall of Souls, which has always been so stable, suddenly initiate such a major campaign in the Western North Continent?" "Collecting souls... The central region's power structures are intricate, and even the Soul Palace dares not easily initiate large-scale battles. Yet places like the western and northern continents are different—with the Soul Palace's strength, they can decisively dominate a battle, and afterward, merely stepping in to claim the spoils, they can gather countless soul bodies." The old pharmacist frowned, saying this. "Why are they now so eager to employ this method of gathering soul bodies? In the past, even when the Soul Palace collected soul bodies, they did so quietly and discreetly. Large-scale, direct conflicts like this had never occurred before." Xiao Yan expressed his curiosity. "The Soul Palace must have a scheme in mind for gathering soul bodies, though I still don't know exactly what it is. When they first captured me, they only asked me to join them—clearly, they saw potential in my alchemy skills. All I can do is prepare pills. With the Soul Palace's master possessing such profound mastery, even a nine-rank pill would be a significant benefit to him. Yet such pills are no easy feat to produce." The old pharmacist sighed lightly. Hearing the old pharmacist's gentle sigh, Xiao Yan felt an unexpected sense of gravity settle in his heart. Though he didn't know precisely what the Soul Palace intended, he was certain they were preparing for something grand—otherwise, why would they gather so many soul bodies, especially with their pace of collection accelerating recently? Could it be that they were growing impatient? "What exactly does the Soul Clan intend to achieve?" "The western and northern continent has been in turmoil, and the Shīmíng Sect continues to expand its territory. Wherever they go, any resistance is met with complete annihilation of the sect and the nation. This undoubtedly accelerates the Hún Palace's ability to gather soul bodies, compensating for quality by increasing volume." The old pharmacist glanced at Xiao Yan and said, "As for your Inflame Alliance, since your departure, it has grown steadily under the development of figures such as Medusa and has now become one of the top three powerful alliance forces in the western and northern continent. Under normal circumstances, the Shīmíng Sect would not be able to stand a chance against the Inflame Alliance. Unfortunately, the Hún Palace has emerged as an additional strong force. With the Hún Palace's powerful members now supporting them, the Inflame Alliance has found itself at a disadvantage." "In the past few months, the territory of the Yan Alliance has shrunk dramatically, gradually retreating toward the Gamma Empire, and it was then that we received the news. Upon learning of this, Xiao Yixian and the others promptly set off for the Gamma Empire, with Qinglin joining them as well, since the fate of that day's Taishi Mansion was no better." Xiao Yan's expression was gloomy—this cursed Huns Temple had never been quiet. "When they departed, I also sent several strong members from the Xingyun Pavilion along with them. However, I suspect they may not be able to hold the situation together..." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his fists clenched, saying, "So, I guess I'll have to make my way back as well." Within the Yan Alliance, there were Medusa, his elder brother, his second brother, and all the members of the Xiao family. Thus, when the Alliance faced such a major crisis, he had to personally step in! As for Xiao Yan's words, the Medicine Elder didn't find it surprising at all. He gave a slight nod and said, "Yes. This time, as you travel to the Jima Empire, I'll send some senior elders from the Star-Fall Pavilion—those with five-star Domain Sovereign or higher rank—who will have more information than you. They'll help you gain an early understanding of the current situation in the western and northern continents. As for the Star-Fall Pavilion itself, I'll personally oversee it, so that we won't fall for the Hu Dun Pavilion's strategy of distracting us. Xiao Yan hesitated slightly, then nodded in agreement. "Regarding the issue of Jinglian Demon Fire, we can wait a bit. After all, there's still ample time until the 'Spatial Trade Fair' begins. Before then, we must first resolve the difficulties facing the Yan Alliance." "Master Yao smiled and said, 'Don't rush to depart today. The Central Plains and the Western-North Continent are too far apart. If we fly back, it will take at least over two months. Therefore, we must establish a spatial wormhole...' Hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned. Spatial wormholes could be created by cultivators at the Duke of Sovereignty level, but establishing one spanning such a vast distance between the Central Plains and the Western-North Continent was no ordinary feat for a typical Duke of Sovereignty. Fortunately, Master Yao has now reached the rank of half-Saint. Creating such a wormhole should therefore not be too difficult. 'Last time, I used a temporarily constructed spatial wormhole to send off Xiao Yi-Xian and the others. Since then, I've been preparing to establish a more stable one. Once completed, it will serve as the link between Xingyin Pavilion and the Western-North Continent. When you eventually take charge of Xingyin Pavilion, it will enable a full alliance between Xingyin Pavilion and Yan Alliance...' Master Yao chuckled." Xiao Yan nodded, exhaled in relief, and felt a great sense of ease—should he succeed in establishing a direct spatial wormhole linking to the western-north continent, it would undoubtedly save him countless days of travel. "Rest well today, then. These past days, you must have been quite weary," the herbal elder smiled. Xiao Yan did not hesitate, simply nodded. Suddenly remembering something, he retrieved the jade scroll from his storage seal—the one bestowed upon him by Yao Xingji—and handed it to the elder. "This is the 'Herbal Canon' invitation from the Yao Clan. They asked me to deliver it to my teacher." Upon hearing the word "Herbal Canon," the elder's hands trembled slightly, though the movement was subtle and yet unmistakable to Xiao Yan. The elder fixed his gaze upon the translucent jade scroll, studying it intently for a long while before slowly exhaling, his hands still slightly trembling as he gently took it and placed it back into his storage seal. He then murmured softly, "Well, let's set that aside for now. First and foremost, let's focus on constructing the spatial wormhole." "Agreed." Xiao Yan nodded slightly. Although the old doctor appeared calm on the surface, Xiao Yan could sense that his heart was far from at ease. "It seems that, as the old doctor mentioned, the teacher won't refuse this pharmacopoeia. But it remains unclear what exactly this pharmacopoeia is—something that could stir such a profound reaction in the teacher." Seeing Xiao Yan's gleaming eyes, Yao Lao merely smiled slightly, offering no explanation about this so-called Pharmacopoeia. He gently tapped Xiao Yan's shoulder with his palm and said, "Come on, let's go back and rest well. These past six months have surely been demanding—by now, you must have been quite worn out. I should have given you more time to recover..." Xiao Yan shook his head carelessly. Years of training had made him accustomed to such constant movement and travel, knowing that to protect what mattered, one had to make sacrifices. What brought him a quiet sense of satisfaction, however, was that he no longer needed Yao Lao's constant assistance to accomplish everything as he once did. Now, he truly stood as a first-rate powerhouse, capable of standing on his own! "When I've finished constructing the spatial wormhole, you'll be able to set off for the western continent. Hmm, it's been quite some time since you last left there—perhaps it's time you returned to see how things have changed..." The old pharmacist sighed, recalling the day Xiao Yan first departed from the Gamma Empire. Back then, he had been just a young, inexperienced boy. Yet now, that same young boy had grown into a figure of great prominence across the continent. Xiao Yan nodded silently, feeling a sense of nostalgia. Unconsciously, he realized it had already been many years since he last left the Gamma Empire. He wondered how his elder and younger brothers were doing these days—especially Medusa. If the news were true, then surely their children must now be around four or five years old. "Then perhaps... I've become a father, too," he murmured. At that moment, a distinct sense of maturity washed over him, as though his heart and spirit had matured once again.