"Master Yao Ming, please rest assured—should I not be certain, I wouldn't dare speak so confidently." Xiao Yan smiled. Now, the Dong Long Island's situation was undoubtedly difficult. At this moment, they would surely understand that between the choice of survival and the sacrifice of some face, they would have to make a decision. "Over the coming period, I will dispatch my strongest members to monitor every move of the Tian Yao Huang Clan. As soon as any of their strong members sets out, I will immediately inform Brother Xiao Yan." Yao Ming, known for his decisiveness, had already made up his mind and acted promptly, speaking with steady resolve. "Then, I shall be most grateful to Master Yao Ming. During this time, we will remain with the Jiu You Di Ming Long Clan, and perhaps we will also need to draw upon the power of the Jiu You Huang Quan." Xiao Yan glanced at Cai Lin at this point, clearly intending to leverage the Jiu You Huang Quan's energy to complete Cai Lin's body refinement process. "Ah, nothing at all—though the energy of the Jiu You Huang Quan is notably cold and damp, Brother Xiao Yan will need to be especially cautious." "Yao Ming smiled slightly, then added. "Hm." "Since the stone tablet matter has now been settled, let's return to our clan first. To confront the Celestial Phoenix Clan, we'll still need ample preparations." With a sweeping gesture, Yao Ming didn't linger, his form instantly moving forward, heading toward the area beyond the earth's pulse. Behind him, Xiao Yan and the others followed at a steady pace. "The cold and damp energy contained within the Nine-Depths Yellow Spring is sufficient to be lethal to ordinary强者, yet the Seven-Colored Devouring Python itself is heavily imbued with such coldness. Perhaps only you can freely absorb its essence without restraint." Gazing at the spring radiating a pervasive chill, Xiao Yan turned to smile at Cai Lin. "The cold and damp energy of the Nine-Depths Yellow Spring is no ordinary thing—even the strongest members of the Nine-Depths Earth-Mortar Python clan dare not venture deep into it. Yet for me, it is not a significant challenge at all." Cai Lin offered a calm, composed smile, her tone carrying a clear sense of pride. As the world's sole Seven-Colored Devouring Python, she had every right to look down upon all other serpent beasts. Xiao Yan smiled, then grasped his hand, and a jade vial appeared in his palm. Within the vial, clouds of incense swirled, radiating an exceptionally powerful energy surge. "This is the Bodhi Great Return Pill, a premium nine-grade pill that significantly boosts your chances of achieving half-Saint status. At a critical moment, when you take it, it may bring about substantial results." Xiao Yan handed the jade vial to Cai Lin, who nodded slightly without hesitation, and with her jade hands received the vial, which radiated a gentle coolness. Feeling the sudden softness, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, and then instinctively reached out to cradle Cailei's delicate, supple waist—truly alluring, with her sinuous, graceful curves gently swaying, exuding a mesmerizing charm. While Xiao Yan was absorbed by the softness, the woman in his arms slightly tilted her head, her quiet voice reaching his ears. "Be careful. Remember... your life is mine." Hearing these words, which had long been etched into his very soul, Xiao Yan paused. Turning to look, he saw Cailei's graceful face, her lips now curling into a subtle smile—just like the final touch that brings a painting to life—transforming the once gentle woman into one of poised elegance, cold determination, and unyielding strength. At that very instant, the colorful scales that had hitherto appeared so gentle and compliant before Xiao Yan, seemed to transform once more into the once-famed Medusa Queen—renowned for her cold composure and unyielding resolve, who had once intimidated the entire Gamma Empire, and who had also long been a constant thought and a source of profound apprehension for Xiao Yan. "You..." Staring at the scales as though they had suddenly undergone a dramatic transformation, Xiao Yan was stunned. As he prepared to speak, the figure smiled gracefully, swayed slightly, and then morphed into the colossal, seven-hued Sky-Eating Python. With a sweeping motion of her massive tail, she plunged directly into the Nine-Deep Yellow Springs, sending up a thunderous surge of waves. Gurgle... gurgle... After the Colorful Luminous Dragon entered the Ninth Abyss of the Yellow Springs, the lake immediately began to boil, rising in countless bubbles. Xiāo Yīn could feel that the entire energy of the Ninth Abyss of the Yellow Springs had been stirred to life at this very moment. Standing beside the lake, Xiāo Yīn stood in quiet contemplation for a while before finally sighing and regaining his composure, touching his lips. He then gazed at the lake surface with a complex expression. Since the birth of his daughter Xiao Xiao, Colorful Luminous Dragon had become notably more gentle and accommodating, willingly following Xiāo Yīn's requests. Yet only now did he realize that deep within her, the once cold and proud Queen Medusa still remained—though, for him and his daughter, she had had to force herself to become the patient, devoted wife and mother that she is today. "Compared to this perfect wife and mother, I actually prefer you showing off your true nature..." Xiao Yan gazed into the lake, softly sighed, then moved his body to land on a massive outcropping stone above the deep ravine, settling into a meditative posture. As he journeyed toward the powerful warriors tasked with intercepting the Celestial Phoenix Clan, he had to further refine his own strength. "The Three Huangqu Techniques—Huangqu Finger, Huangqu Palm, and Huangqu Heavenly Fury—have all been inscribed deep within my soul by the remnants of the Spirit of the Demon Saint. Even more, I now possess the Demon Saint's profound insights and understandings of these three combat techniques. This gift is far beyond what the others, like Yao Ming, have learned merely by studying the inscriptions on the stone tablets." With his eyes closed, Xiao Yan's thoughts raced swiftly within his mind. Though he had only recently acquired these three techniques, if faced in a direct clash with Yao Ming using either the Huangqu Finger or Huangqu Palm, Xiao Yan was absolutely confident that his techniques would be several times more powerful than Yao Ming's. Huangquan Yao Sheng's lifelong insights were no mere empty talk—no matter how others interpreted them, none could compare to the founder of the Dueling Art! "A Yao Sheng's refined blood carries the essence of Huangquan Yao Sheng's power. If we can absorb it, our strength will surely see a significant boost..." Xiao Yan's mind instantly stirred, and a drop of golden blood appeared in his palm. As soon as it manifested, the surrounding celestial energies surged and trembled violently. Xiao Yan could clearly feel that, centered on him, within a hundred paces, all the energies seemed to retreat and recede. "Indeed, the blood of a Yao Sheng is no ordinary force—it's remarkably potent!" Witnessing this scene, Xiao Yan couldn't help but smile. This was the first time he had encountered such an overpowering energy that even the very energies of heaven and earth were driven away. "Let's first refine it, then proceed..." Xiao Yan glanced down at the Nine-Deep Yellow Springs below. Seeing no unusual changes, he exhaled gently, and a flame shot forth, enveloping the golden blood droplet. While such vital essence usually allowed for absorption, it was always wise to remain cautious. Under the intense heat of the异fire, the golden blood had been refined for three full hours—yet it remained utterly still, as if the fire's scorching temperature had never existed at all. This refining process lasted approximately four hours. Finally, Xiao Yan opened his eyes and, with a single breath, the flame carrying the golden blood surged swiftly into his mouth. "Boom!" The golden blood flowed as if it were part of his body. The robes on his person burst into powder almost instantly, and a powerful surge of energy radiated from within him, shaking the nearby rocks and cracking them along the way. As for the external circumstances, Xiao Yan still doesn't have the time to attend to them. Immediately after the drop of blood entered his body, a surge of wildly turbulent energy erupted—like untamed wild horses—racing furiously throughout his inner being. This turbulence was precisely caused by the overflow of energy. The energy within the blood was more turbulent than Xiao Yan had anticipated; it was powerful enough to violently shatter and kill a strong warrior who had reached the peak of Five-Star Battle Sovereign rank.