The following events unfolded smoothly. The Wind and Thunder Pavilion was the strongest force in the Northern Region, and even they didn't dare to attack the Flame Alliance, leaving the entire Northern Region completely silent.
Stronger than the Wind and Thunder Pavilion were the Three Valleys, but whether it was Ice River Valley or Sound Valley, they were located on the outskirts of the Central State, far away from Wind and Thunder City.
As for the Flower Sect and Heaven Nether Sect, they were even further inside.
"I'm not going back to the Flame Alliance just yet."
Xiao Yan looked at Nalan Yanran as she spoke. Now that the Four Directions Pavilion Assembly was over, she would naturally return to the Flame Alliance.
"You want to train outside?" Xiao Yan asked curiously.
Nalan Yanran's beautiful eyes looked at Xiao Yan, at those black pearl-like eyes. At this moment, Nalan Yanran could see her reflection in Xiao Yan's eyes.
After a moment of silence, Nalan Yanran revealed a faint smile, a smile that carried some sorrow, and said, "No, it's because my master is still outside, and I want to stay by her side and accompany her."
When Nalan Yanran mentioned Yun Yun, a glint flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes, and Nalan Yanran's reflection disappeared.
"She... your master, where is Yun Yun Sect Leader now?" Xiao Yan asked softly.
At this moment, Xiao Yan couldn't help but recall Yun Yun's graceful figure.
He remembered Yun Yun's mature charm, her unique elegance and nobility, especially her serene and natural demeanor, which made Yun Yun even more beautiful and added to her charm.
Like a ripe peach, sweet but not cloying, she had a radiance that made people feel very warm and also made people feel sorry for her.
Nalan Yanran showed a somewhat forced smile and said, "Master is now in the Central State, in the Flower Sect's Territory."
"Flower Sect?! What is she doing so far away!" Xiao Yan was stunned. The Flower Sect was even further than Burning Flame Valley. Why did Yun Yun run so far?
"Originally, Master didn't plan to go so far, she was just looking for opportunities in the Western Region. But a crisis led Master and me to escape to a place on the outskirts of the Central State, and then Master met a strange old woman who was injured. Master couldn't bear to leave her, so she sent her home," Nalan Yanran said with a strange expression.
Xiao Yan rolled his eyes and shook his head helplessly, "And then she couldn't bear to leave the lonely old woman and started taking care of her, bringing her food and such."
Hearing this, Nalan Yanran nodded with a wry smile. If it were someone else, taking her home would have been the limit, and then they would have left.
Only Yun Yun would think of taking care of everything for her, even thinking of healing her injuries and bringing her food.
This would be impossible for anyone else, but for Yun Yun, Xiao Yan and Nalan Yanran both felt it was reasonable.
"Sigh, alright, be careful yourself. If anything happens, crush the Soul Jade Pendant. After I've dealt with the matters at hand, I'll go to the Pill Domain with Xin Lan, and then I'll go find you," Xiao Yan shrugged. Fortunately, Xiao Yan would be going to the Central State in a while to participate in the Pill Gathering in Holy Pill City.
He wanted to see what kind of old hag had entangled Yun Yun! He, the ghost-catching master, would capture this old hag!
After parting ways with Nalan Yanran, Xiao Yan and the others from the Flame Alliance returned to the Gama Empire after several days of travel.
Participating in the Four Directions Pavilion Assembly this time had completely established the Flame Alliance's reputation, and the benefits were definitely great.
Because when Xiao Yan and the others returned, the Lion Nether Sect and Thunder Sect rushed from their respective sects to express their willingness to join the Flame Alliance to Yao Ye, bringing some Eight Grade Medicinal Herbs to congratulate Xiao Yan.
More accurately, it was that the empires under their jurisdiction were merging into the Gama Empire.
Most of the Northwest Region had actually been divided into the Gama Empire's Territory, and some weak sects had even become affiliated sects of the Yunlan Sect.
Every year, these affiliated sects could send talented disciples to the Yunlan Sect for cultivation and learning.
After a period of development by the Flame Alliance, the Yunlan Sect had now become a cultivation holy land in the Northwest Region.
And now, the Lion Nether Sect and Thunder Sect, although not as strong as the Flame Alliance, couldn't bring themselves to submit. Now that the news of the Four Directions Pavilion Assembly had spread.
The Sect Leaders of the Lion Nether Sect and Thunder Sect directly brought various gifts to apologize and say all sorts of good things.
Not only the Lion Nether Sect and Thunder Sect, but also many families like the Han Family in small cities on the outskirts of the Central State like Heaven North City, all hoped to receive the protection of the Flame Alliance.
And protection... naturally required a protection fee.
This was why large forces often possessed vast resources, because these large forces had many affiliated families and sects, and these small forces could only rely on the large forces to survive.
Otherwise, they would be like the Han Family, almost annexed by the Hong Family, which was affiliated with the Wind and Thunder Pavilion.
But now, the positions of the Han Family and the Hong Family had been reversed.
"Xiao Yan Master, you're here to see Her Majesty the Queen again? But Her Majesty the Queen is not here, she's receiving secret technique baptism at the Four Great Elders' place." In Cai Lin's Imperial Palace, Hua She'er covered her mouth and smiled at Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan Master came to see Her Majesty the Queen as soon as he returned from outside every time, his intentions were very obvious.
Xiao Yan coughed awkwardly twice, feeling a little embarrassed, and turned to leave. He now had the feeling that his wife was pregnant and he had to go for a prenatal checkup every week.
Since Cai Lin was not here, and Little Fairy Doctor and Zi Yan had returned to the Small Mountain Valley, Xiao Yan didn't pretend anymore and started cultivation mode, trying to kill those Alchemists in the Pill Tower! Xiao Yan wanted so many Eight Grade Medicinal Herbs from Thunder Venerable, his purpose was also very obvious, that was to prepare for the Pill Gathering, after all, there was less than a year left until the Pill Gathering.
Although Xiao Yan had successfully refined the Fu Ling Qing Pill, which attracted two-colored Pill Lightning, in previous Pill Gatherings, being able to refine an Eight Grade Pill with Colored Pill Lightning would almost guarantee the championship.
However, this year's Pill Gathering was incredibly competitive. Cao Ying of the Cao Family had been able to refine Eight Grade Pills with two-colored Pill Lightning as early as half a year ago. Although there was some luck involved, she would at least be able to successfully refine Pills with two-colored Pill Lightning this time.
Moreover, Xiao Yan knew that Mu Gu would be attending the Pill Gathering. Although he didn't know how Mu Gu, an Alchemist from the Soul Palace, would deceive the Pill Gathering's review, since Hun Xuzi had arranged it, there would definitely be no problem.
Xiao Yan was naturally not afraid. The Pill Tower didn't know his Soul Palace identity. If Feng Qing'er had any different thoughts or harbored any ideas unfavorable to Xiao Yan, her Soul would immediately be severed by the Asura Soul Severing Technique.
On the summit of Yunlan Mountain, Yun Yun had specially built an Pill Refining Tower for Xiao Yan to refine Pills.
"To win the championship at the Pill Gathering, an Eight Grade Pill with two-colored Pill Lightning is definitely not enough. Three colors... no, to surpass Mu Gu, an Eight Grade Pill with four-colored Pill Lightning is needed."
Xiao Yan sat cross-legged. He didn't start Pill Refining immediately but planned to first raise his cultivation to Four Star Dou Zong.
He had been at the peak of Three Stars for some time.
With a buzz, the Fallen Heart Flame appeared from the Soul Collection. With a thought from Xiao Yan, the enormous, formless Giant Python obediently coiled up slowly, enveloping Xiao Yan in the innermost layer.
The Burning诀 operated at high speed. The surrounding hundred miles of Heaven and Earth energy in the entire Yunlan Mountain Range seemed to have received Xiao Yan's command and surged in.
After being compressed and refined by the Fallen Heart Flame, the vast Heaven and Earth energy was compressed into strands of pure energy, entering his body through his skin. Finally, after being circulated by the Burning诀 and compressed again, it merged into the Dou Qi Qi Cyclone.
"How terrifying, what kind of Heaven and Earth phenomenon is that!"
At this moment, the Pill Refining Tower where Xiao Yan was located formed a huge energy vortex, which could be clearly seen throughout Yunlan Mountain.
"That's Xiao Yan Master's exclusive Pill Refining Tower! Is Xiao Yan Master cultivating or refining Pills?"
"As expected of Xiao Yan Master."
"Quick, go pay homage and let Xiao Yan Master bless us!"
At this time, many disciples of the Yunlan Sect and some young members of the Xiao Clan bowed towards the vortex, praying for smooth cultivation.
Three days later, Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes, and a powerful aura burst out from his body in an instant, but it quickly subsided.
Xiao Yan felt the changes in his body and murmured, "Four Star Dou Zong..."
However, Xiao Yan was not very satisfied and frowned.
"It's a bit slow. Even if the Cultivation Method has reached Heaven Rank Intermediate Level, if I only absorb Heaven and Earth energy for cultivation, it will take at least half a year to reach Five Stars at the fastest. If I also spend time refining Pills and cultivating Dou Techniques, it will take at least a year to break through..."
After reaching Dou Zong, even Heaven Rank Cultivation Methods could not achieve very rapid improvement in cultivation. After all, Dou Zong required a very large amount of energy. The further one progressed, the more difficult cultivation became, so many people could not reach Dou Zun in their lifetime.
It took more than ten years to improve by one star. People like Hai Bo Dong and Jia Xing Tian were basically stuck at the Dou Zong level forever, unable to reach Dou Zun.
For ordinary people, Xiao Yan's speed was already unbelievably fast, but for Xiao Yan, he was still not satisfied.
"I can refine Rank 7 High-Level Sect Restoration Pills, which can improve one star of cultivation, but none of the Pill Recipes I have can directly allow a Nine Star Dou Zong to break through to Dou Zun..."
Not to mention that Medicine Venerable didn't have such a Pill Recipe, Xiao Yan had even searched the Soul Palace's treasure vault and inquired at the Pill Tower. Even the Soul Palace and the Pill Tower didn't have a Pill Recipe that could guarantee a Nine Star Dou Zong would break through to Dou Zun.
That is to say, Xiao Yan's commonly used Strange Flame cultivation method could no longer be used.
"Dou Zong is already so slow, wouldn't the time required for Dou Zun be even more!"
"Is a One Star Dou Zun enough to make the Gu Clan value me?"
Soon, Xiao Yan shook his head. This was impossible.
Ling Ying had once said that Gu Yao of the Gu Clan had already been a One Star Dou Zun several years ago. With the help of the Gu Clan's various inheritances and the Dou Di Bloodline, this guy was definitely more than a One Star Dou Zun now.
If he couldn't even defeat all the younger generation of the Gu Clan, what qualifications did he, a Young Clan Leader of a declining Dou Di family, have to make the Gu Clan marry Xun Er to him?
Although this world doesn't emphasize betrothal gifts, families pay attention to strength!
Xiao Yan took out two items from the void space, a Jade Bottle containing blood, and a Scroll entwined with countless black ghosts.
"If I can cultivate the Emperor Soul诀, my Soul power will have a chance to break through to the Heaven Realm! I might even have a chance to break through to become a Ninth Grade Alchemist!"
A sharp look flashed in Xiao Yan's eyes. The Soul Clan could give him power!
Although a Ninth Grade Alchemist was not enough to make the Gu Clan tremble and worship him, if he was a Ninth Grade Alchemist, he would be considered a good match for the Gu Clan's daughter.
"Power... I and the Flame Alliance are still too weak!" Xiao Yan gritted his teeth. He couldn't help but recall the scene when Xun Er was taken away. Xun Er's reluctant but helpless eyes had been in Xiao Yan's heart.
Thinking of Ling Quan's face, thinking of the Tong Xuan Elder's shaking head and pitying eyes, Xiao Yan secretly vowed at that time that the next time they met, he would definitely see surprise or even trembling on the face of that Dou Sheng Elder!!
"Huff." Xiao Yan took a deep breath and calmed his heart. He was not qualified to be angry yet.
With a wave of his hand, several brocade boxes and over a thousand kinds of Medicinal Herbs appeared before him. Fortunately, Yun Yun understood Xiao Yan and prepared a tower-like room for him, which, in addition to the Medicinal Herbs, also contained the cultivation scrolls for the Three Thousand Lightning Illusion Body and the Emperor Seal Technique.
Xiao Yan planned to seclude himself for half a year. Besides Pill Refining and improving his Alchemist skills, he would also cultivate Cultivation Methods and Dou Techniques when he was tired, alternating between them.
With a flip of his hand, a Pill Recipe appeared in Xiao Yan's grasp, the four large characters "Heaven Flame Spirit Pill" written on the first line of the Pill Recipe.
This was a special Rank 8 Low-Level Pills, a bit more difficult than the Fu Ling Qing Pill, capable of attracting two-colored to three-colored Pill Lightning. Its effect was that after a Dou Zong consumed it, the Pills would remain in the Qi Cyclone, slowly releasing pure fire-attribute energy, accelerating the improvement of cultivation until it disappeared at the Nine Star Peak Dou Zong realm.
Moreover, when it disappeared, it would unleash energy, increasing the chance of breaking through to Dou Zun by twenty percent.
Combined with the cultivator's own training, Xiao Yan estimated that he could increase his cultivation speed by two times, so he should be able to improve another star when he emerged from seclusion.
Of course, the premise was that Xiao Yan could refine it. He only had two portions of Medicinal Herbs; if he failed, he would have none left.
"Xun Er, wait for me, I'll be quick."
Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. During this half-year, the greatest spectacle of the Yunlan Sect was the Pill Refining tower where Xiao Yan was located.
Xiao Yan's Pill Refining tower was struck by lightning every so often, as if it were being punished by the heavens.
And every time it was struck by lightning, the Headless Silver Puppet that had been guarding the Pill Refining tower would fly into the sky to resist the lightning, and after blocking it, it would continue to guard the tower.
In the past half year, except for once when Ya Fei brought the Rank 8 Medicinal Herbs obtained by the Flame Alliance into the Pill Refining tower and stayed for a while before leaving, no one else had entered.
This led to a lot of speculation, with some thinking that if Xiao Yan Master was faster, that amount of time would have been enough.
There were also those who had witnessed Xiao Yan Master's earth-shattering scene at the Alchemist Convention who retorted, saying that there was no way Xiao Yan Master could be that fast.
"Do you think the Flame Pill Tower will be struck by lightning today?"
"Not so fast, right? It's usually a month between strikes, and only seven days have passed since the last one."
Because it was the tower where Xiao Yan refined Pills, the Pill Refining tower was also named the Flame Pill Tower.
However, a scene that exceeded everyone's expectations in the Yunlan Sect appeared: the Flame Pill Tower suddenly erupted with intense lightning! The lightning was actually coming from inside!
"Holy crap! What's going on!"
"Is it being struck by lightning too much, and it's backfiring?"
However, this scene did not last long, and the silver lightning stopped.
With a creak, a long-haired man in tattered robes and a face full of stubble came out from inside, to the astonishment of everyone.
Many of the disciples strolling at the foot of the mountain were stunned, and then burst into ecstasy and exclaimed.
"Wow! Xiao Yan Master has come out of seclusion!!"
"Holy crap! He's got a stubbly face, so manly!"
"Xiao Yan Master!!"
Xiao Yan ignored his fervent fans who were shouting that they wanted to bear him children. With a solemn look in his eyes, he headed towards Cai Lin's Bedchamber.
Xiao Yan originally wanted to cultivate for a few more days, to cultivate the Three Thousand Lightning Illusion Body to a higher level, but he suddenly sensed Cai Lin calling him, so he came out of seclusion ahead of schedule.
The Holy City of the Snake-People Empire was not very far from Yunlan Mountain; at Xiao Yan's speed, it was a distance that could be reached in one step.
"Cai Lin! Are you alright!" Xiao Yan, who appeared from the Black Flame, looked alert. Only when he saw Cai Lin leaning lazily on the bed, safe and sound, did he relax.
Seeing the disheveled Xiao Yan, Cai Lin's beautiful eyes showed a hint of disgust, and her voice was as cold as ever as she said, "Couldn't you tidy yourself up before coming?"
Xiao Yan touched his hair, which was as messy as a chicken coop, and said with a smile, "I was worried that something had happened to you, so I rushed over immediately."
Immediately, sensing Xiao Yan's cultivation, Cai Lin's beautiful eyes were also a little surprised, and she said, "You're a Five Star Dou Zong?"
That's too fast! Wasn't he only a Three Star half a year ago?!
Xiao Yan nodded and said, "I took some Pills."
"By the way, what did you call me for? It's not like something happened to the baby, right!"
Cai Lin's expression was still as cold as ever, but when Xiao Yan asked, a hint of gentleness appeared on her face, and she said, "It's nothing. I just came out of seclusion and heard Hua She'er say you were looking for me."
"It's nothing, just wanted to see you." Even Xiao Yan, with his thick skin, was a little shy.
The gentleness on Cai Lin's face could not help but increase a bit.
"Um, can I get a little closer?"
Cai Lin hesitated for a moment, then gently nodded. Xiao Yan then dashed, running from the doorway to the bedside of Cai Lin.
Xiao Yan didn't dare to use his Soul power recklessly here. Only when Xiao Yan got closer did he realize that Cai Lin was not in her human form, her legs remaining as a snake tail, just like when he first met her.
The long tail swayed slowly, coiling up, the colorful scales gleaming, as beautiful as a rainbow.
"Your your belly." Xiao Yan said with a surprised expression. At this time, Cai Lin's abdomen was already bulging. Xiao Yan's mood at this moment could not be described in words, inside was his and Cai Lin's child!
Cai Lin coldly glanced at Xiao Yan and said, "This is normal!"
Xiao Yan's somewhat flustered appearance, wanting to touch but not daring to, made Cai Lin couldn't help but reveal a rare smile.
"The Four Great Elders said, there's still about half a year." Speaking of her child, Cai Lin's beautiful eyes became very gentle, and she said softly.
"Half a year..." But Xiao Yan was a little disheartened, because he was about to go to Central State to participate in the Pill Gathering.
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