The Dragon Emperor of the Tai Xu ancient dragon clan—an entity so profound and enigmatic that many regard him as almost mythical. Indeed, even ordinary members of the ancient dragon clan are considered legendary to some, as the Tai Xu dragons rarely appear over the Zhongzhou region. In many people's minds, the Tai Xu dragons are as mysterious and powerful as ancient races, and the Dragon Emperor himself is akin to the leaders of the Ancient and Spirit clans. Such a being has even eluded the sight of figures like Fireyun Elder and the Grand Master of Dan Tower, who have never personally witnessed their true forms. Thus, when they heard that Zǐ Yán herself was the legendary Dragon Empress of the ancient dragons, their astonishment could not be concealed—it visibly surged upon their faces. "Hehe, I never expected Miss Zǐyán to hold such a distinguished status—indeed, I must have been rather blind all these years," said the Elder of the Medicine Sect, momentarily stunned by Xiao Yan's words, before regaining his composure and bowing respectfully to Miss Zǐyán with a warm smile. "Turning to the matter at hand, the Elder's expression grew more serious. Nodding, he said, "Over the past period, through our intensive exploration and reconnaissance of the Spirit Palace, we have gathered substantial intelligence. The Spirit Palace maintains numerous branch palaces across the Central Plains, among which twenty-four are of particularly significant importance—these are known as the Earth-Storm Palaces. The one that previously detained me was one of these Earth-Storm Palaces." "Earth-Storm Palaces..." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, admitting he had never heard of them before. "Beyond the Earth-Storm Palaces lie the Heaven-Storm Palaces—these are the most crucial to the Spirit Palace." The Elder continued slowly, "The Heaven-Storm Palaces are divided into three: Heaven, Earth, and Human. The Heavenly Palace is the headquarters of the Spirit Palace, though we currently do not know its exact location. Our current target is the Human Palace within the Heaven-Storm Palaces." "The Human Palace..." Xiao Yan murmured, asking, "What is the strength of the Human Palace's forces?" "The Earth Hall falls under the jurisdiction of the Deputy Master of the Spirit Hall, while the Human Hall is overseen by the Great Celestial Sovereign, the Second Celestial Sovereign, and others—though it's not out of the question that the Spirit Hall has also bolstered its defenses." Elder Yao. "As for the Three Celestial Sovereigns, the first one has already fallen at my hands, the second, Master Guo You, only possesses the rank of a high-level half-Sovereign. As for the Great Celestial Sovereign, should we meet again, I shall have no fear of him at all. It seems, then, that the Human Hall can be taken." Xiao Yan smiled faintly, his expression carrying a certain cold resolve. He truly detested the Spirit Hall—over the years, he had nearly perished at their hands on several occasions. Now that his strength had grown, it might be time to take the initiative and settle old scores. "Then, I shall handle the destruction of the Human Hall. The Alliance still requires strong protectors, lest the Spirit Hall suffers a fate similar to ours. Therefore, I hope the elders, especially Master Huo Yun and the Grand Elder of the Dan Tower, will remain "I'll accompany you both. The location of the Human Palace is quite secluded; even with a map, it's quite difficult to find." The herbal elder paused slightly. "That would be good," said Xiao Yan, hesitating briefly before nodding. With Zi Yan, a four-star Spirit Saint at his side, there aren't many top-tier强者 in the Central Plains who could pose a serious threat to them. Even the true Palace Master of the Soul Palace would likely find it hard to defeat Zi Yan and take their lives. "Then, you two rest for two days. In two days' time, we'll set out for the Human Palace!" The herbal elder stroked his beard, his eyes flashing with determination. For years, he and Xiao Yan had been constantly on the run under the relentless pursuit of the Soul Palace. Now, finally, they had managed to break free. If he didn't repay that debt a hundredfold, how could he ever find peace? ... "Dad." Xiao Yan watched Xiao Xiao, who was joyfully sprinting towards him, her feet gliding through the void. A warm smile spread across his face, and he hurried forward, embracing the small figure as she flew into his arms, a gentle warmth spreading throughout his heart. "Dad, where's Mom?" Xiao Xiao's dark, large eyes scanned behind Xiao Yan, left and right, searching for the outline of Cai Lin. "Ah, Mom's still practicing. Once she finishes, she'll come back to see Xiao Xiao." Xiao Yan smiled softly, yet suddenly his voice took on a tone of surprise. He noticed that the powerful energy that had once surged wildly within Xiao Xiao's body was now gradually calming down, subtly aligning and transforming in harmony with the flow of her mind. "Xiao Xiao possesses an exceptional talent for cultivation. In just over six months, she has fully mastered and controlled her internal energy. Now, she has truly earned the status of a full-fledged Douzong cultivator," the elderly pharmacist smiled gently. "Douzong..." Xu Xin gently stroked Xiao Xiao's head, yet couldn't help but chuckle softly. Back in his day, he had poured countless efforts into his cultivation, enduring immense hardships to reach the Douzong level. Yet Xiao Xiao had done almost nothing—just effortlessly achieved the same rank. Reflecting on it now, it was truly heartwarming and somewhat touching. "Moreover, she's also deeply interested in alchemy. I plan to teach her the Burned Scripture once she grows a bit older, and then find her a unique fire to begin with—something she can gradually master through practice," the Elder of Medicine said, gazing at Xiao Xiao with warm affection and a smile. "You must be spoiling her too much..." Xu Xin sighed, gently placing Xiao Xiao in the hands of Zi Yan, who stood behind with wide eyes full of curiosity, staring at her in quiet wonder. With a simple hand gesture, a jade bottle appeared in his hands. Inside, a single droplet of golden liquid floated, radiating an extremely powerful and ominous ripple. "What is this?" Upon seeing the blood within the jade vial, the herbal master's face slightly changed, sensing the terrifying power it carried. "A drop of essence left behind by a cultivator who has nearly reached the rank of Supreme Emperor," Xiao Yan smiled, tossing the vial toward the master. "If the master consumes it, he should be able to swiftly advance to the first-star Supreme Saint." The herbal master carefully received the vial, turning it over and over, clearly hesitating—this was truly precious, offering significant benefits not only to him but also to Xiao Yan. "I've already consumed it once; a second intake will yield little additional effect. Therefore, let the master refine and absorb it within these few days. Once that is accomplished, we shall set out toward the Human Hall to eliminate it from the Central Province." Xiao Yan smiled gently, not waiting for the herbal master to speak further, and turned to pull Zi Yan and Xiao Xiao out of the courtyard. Yao Old Man gazed at Xiao Yan's back, then smiled faintly after a moment, clenching the jade vial in his hands—his heart warmed deeply. In five days, Xiao Yan had truly enjoyed the experience of being a father. The feeling was so profound that at times, he would suddenly realize he was genuinely maturing—no longer the impetuous, youthful boy of old, but a true master of stature. When the sixth day arrived, the medic elder, who had been in seclusion, appeared before Xiao Yan. The vast aura radiating from him made Xiao Yan realize that the elder had successfully advanced to the rank of One-Star Battle Saint. Xiao Yan did not find this achievement surprising at all. The elder had always possessed a strong foundation, and with the cumulative strength of years, enhanced further by the essence of the Spirit Saint, reaching One-Star Battle Saint was entirely expected. The day after Xiao Yan's breakthrough, the group quietly vanished from the Starfall Pavilion, with only a few senior officials becoming aware that the "Heavenly Treasury Alliance" had finally launched its first counteroffensive against the Spirit Pavilion... The quiet sky of the Corpse Mountain suddenly echoed with gusts of wind, and streaks of light flashed through the air. On a peak deep within the mountain, several figures materialized, all of them gazing toward the space hidden behind the towering gray trees—there, faint distortions shimmered subtly. "The Tian Gang Hall is located deep within the Corpse Mountain, though it is protected by a spatial barrier. Once someone enters, they are immediately detected," said the Elder Yao, pointing toward that distant area. Xiao Yan nodded slightly, then turned his gaze to Zi Yan, who smiled gently and lightly waved her sleeve. With that, the space around them subtly rippled, eventually forming a vast, solid spatial barrier that fully enclosed the region. "This time, we don't need to spare any lives," Xiao Yan murmured, lifting his head slightly. A cold determination now settled upon his face. The Huan Hall's revenge—after all these years—had come at just the right time, hadn't it?