Seeing the beautiful, almost dazzling smile on Cailei’s cheeks, Xiao Yan’s mind grew slightly hazy. He gently shook his head to regain composure and smiled lightly, “Have you completed your meditation?” “Yes.” Cailei smiled gracefully, her long, elegant eyes slowly sweeping over Xiao Yan. She slightly raised her delicate, moon-like brows, saying, “You’ve made quite a leap in strength, haven’t you?” “Not even close to your level,” Xiao Yan replied, spreading his hands as he gazed at Cailei with a touch of resignation. From the way Cailei had entered, it was clear that her strength had surged to an exceptionally powerful level—something that left Xiao Yan speechless. He himself had visited the depths of the Yellow Springs before, and had never noticed anything out of the ordinary. Yet, since Cailei’s arrival, the very ordinary place had transformed into something truly remarkable. Such fortune—how could he not be envious? “Indeed? Cai Lin stepped lightly, carrying a fragrant breeze toward Xiao Yan, her beautiful eyes flashing. Suddenly, a slender jade-fingered finger shot out at Xiao Yan with lightning speed, glowing with nine hues of radiant light, spreading a unique energy subtly. Seeing this, Xiao Yan shook his head slightly, clenched his palm, and a rosy flame bloomed before him. The jade finger of Cai Lin narrowly stopped just outside the flame, glanced at Xiao Yan, and with a touch of regret, said, "I thought this time I'd surpass you." The memory of her once being far stronger than Xiao Yan remained vivid even now, yet it was a little disheartening for her—so proud and competitive—that such a moment seemed unlikely to return. Xiao Yan sighed. This time, Cai Lin had once again returned to the form of the once-unruly Queen of Medusa—coldly elegant and radiant, with even greater confidence. "Alright, stop being ridiculous. What level are you currently at?" Xiang Yan chuckled to himself, then straightened his expression and asked. He had found that, with his soul perception, he simply couldn't gauge the exact strength of Cai Lin—this wasn't because she surpassed him, but because her aura was so peculiar and unique that it defied measurement. "It should be a four-star Battle Saint," Cai Lin smiled gently, speaking honestly. No matter how strong she was or how commanding she appeared to others, before this man, she always managed to reveal her rare warmth and endearing grace. "That attack earlier wasn't something a four-star Battle Saint would typically be able to execute," Xiang Yan raised an eyebrow. The way Cai Lin had contracted the snake web was such that even someone as formidable as Huang Tian had only chosen to retreat and wait. A four-star Battle Saint simply couldn't have achieved that. "That was with the aid of external forces..." For Xiao Yan, Cai Lin would naturally not withhold anything. Taking another step forward, she drew closer to him once more, then raised her jade-hand, her silk sleeve sweeping aside to reveal her pale, luminous forearms—carved like pure jade. Along these arms, vibrant, seven-colored serpent patterns extended upward, flowing seamlessly along her jade-like skin, with only a few of them left exposed. The effect was undeniably alluring, drawing people in with an irresistible charm. As she stood there, Xiao Yan's eyes flickered with a sense of wonder. Amidst the warm, admiring glances, he gently grasped Cai Lin's smooth, pale forearm, his fingers lightly tracing the seven-colored serpent patterns. After a moment, a sense of seriousness and astonishment settled upon his face, for he realized that these patterns were not mere energy manifestations—they were truly living, pulsing veins of the Seven-Colored Devouring Serpents! "Beneath the Nine-Deep Abyss, hidden lies the ancestral lair of the Seven-Color Devouring-Heaven Serpent Clan. I have inherited the legacy of my ancestors—some of them, though their bodies are damaged, still harbor their souls. I have awakened them, and now their spirits dwell within my own. With their strength bolstering mine, I am able to stand against the凰 Tian. Otherwise, relying solely on myself, I would likely be unable to defeat him." Ci Lin spoke softly. "Ah, now I understand..." Hearing Ci Lin's concise explanation, Xiao Yan's mind began to clear. No one could have anticipated that deep within the Nine-Deep Abyss, there existed the ancient lair of the Seven-Color Devouring-Heaven Serpent Clan—such a fortunate encounter for Ci Lin indeed. The world is full of wonders, and while he has obtained the Pure-Lotus Demon Fire, others surely have their own extraordinary experiences as well. "Will there be any issues?" Xiao Yan gently touched the serpent patterns on Ci Lin's jade arm. "These ancestors, though they still possess fragments of their souls, are not complete in spirit—they are, in a sense, driven by me..." Tai Lin's expression grew slightly somber as she spoke. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan finally eased his concerns and reassured her, "It's all right. In the future, if the opportunity arises, we can try to restore their souls. But for now, our immediate priority must be to resolve this pressing issue." As he spoke, his gaze shifted toward the distant mountain ruins, where a tattered figure once again struggled to rise into the air—none other than Huang Tian, who had recently taken a heavy blow from Tai Lin. At Tai Lin's side, she nodded gently, her soft smile fading as her eyes turned to Huang Tian. The warmth in her gaze gave way to a sharp glint of frost, and a surge of determination and intent flowed through them. "Ah…" Under the weight of countless gazes, Huang Tian coughed violently, wiping the blood from his lips. His eyes darkened as he stared steadily at Xiao Yan and Cai Lin in the distance. A flutter of anxiety stirred within him—while he hadn't been afraid of Xiao Yan alone, now with Cai Lin, who could himself have seriously injured him, the pressure from both of them was overwhelming. "If only I had known that Xiao Yan's woman was the Nine-Color Devouring Sky Python, I wouldn't have gotten involved at all... Damn it." His gaze flickered, a hint of regret lingering in his heart. He had originally thought the matter to be nothing significant, yet who could have imagined such a sudden turn of events? As the Huan Tian remained silent, the entire realm grew still. The powerful members of the Heavenly Phoenix Clan exchanged glances, unable to speak, their pride shaken—so even the once-esteemed Huan Tian had been defeated so thoroughly. The confidence they had carried since the beginning had been completely shattered by Xiao Yan and Cai Lin's fierce tactics. "Xiao Yan's voice carried a touch of mockery, yet the cold intensity in his eyes suggested otherwise—had he arrived any later today, Cai Lin's cultivation would indeed have faced serious issues. And should something go wrong, how could he face Xiao Xiao? 'Kill us?' Cai Lin replied calmly, her words radiating clear resolve. As Xiao Yan and his companions pressed relentlessly, Huang Tian's expression grew increasingly strained. He spoke coldly, 'To admit defeat doesn't mean I'm afraid of you. Should we have to fight it out, even if I fall, I'll certainly drag one of you down with me!' Xiao Yan lifted his gaze slightly, the cold intensity in his eyes remaining unchanged. Beside him, Cai Lin's body also shimmered with a renewed radiance of nine vibrant hues. From afar, Yao Ming watched this scene, opened his mouth several times, but ultimately held back his words. In his view, if Xiao Yan and his allies truly eliminated Huan Tian, there would be little gain—instead, the Heavenly Phoenix Clan would inevitably launch a furious retaliation. Facing such a powerful, one-of-a-kind clan, even the Celestial Alliance would find themselves deeply troubled. Should the Soul Temple also step in covertly, the Celestial Alliance might face total annihilation. "You!" Huan Tian's expression grew somber, laced with a touch of bitterness. With his current condition, if he truly faced a combined assault from Xiao Yan and Cai Lin, he would likely be in grave danger. "Xiao Yan, I have something to tell you—perhaps that will make you lose interest in staying here." His gaze flickered, and finally, Huan Tian gritted his teeth, speaking firmly. "Oh? Go on." "Heard that, Xiao Yan slightly raised his brow, his expression calm. "Do you have any doubts as to why I, at this very moment—neither earlier nor later—have chosen to mobilize my forces and bring you from the Central Plains?" His face grew slightly stern, his gaze fixed on Huang Tian. "Why?" Seeing this, Huang Tian smiled gently and suddenly asked, "Isn't it true that you have a particularly good relationship with the new Dragon Emperor of the Tai Xu Ancient Dragon Clan?" Xiao Yan's expression gradually darkened, and a sense of unease stirred within him. His tone grew sharp. "You keep testing my dwindling patience..." "Hmph! If I were you, I'd be off to the Void Realm right now. Otherwise, I'm afraid I'd have to go and collect the body of that new Dragon Emperor myself," Huang Tian chuckled coldly. "Such a young one, so unaware of the world—really thinking the Ancient Dragon Clan is that easy to unify?" Xiao Yan's expression turned completely grim. Suddenly, he lifted his hand, and there, where the dragon seal had once been on his palm, it was now gradually fading. Immediately, his hands and feet grew cold. "Go!" Without further words, Xiao Yan launched a powerful palm strike, tearing through the space before him. With no hesitation, he moved swiftly, darting through the rift. Behind him, Cai Lin furrowed her brows, hurriedly following. "Phoenix Heaven," Xiao Yan said, "I'll remember this. If Ziyan suffers any misfortune, I'll have you pay for it with the entire celestial phoenix clan!" As he watched Xiao Yan and his companion rush away in haste, the cold smirk on Phoenix Heaven's face had just begun to spread when it was suddenly frozen—by the crisp, resonant voice emerging from the space rift.