Chapter 198: The Soul Sect Within the Yun Lan Sect

"Alright, have you all said your goodbyes?" As Xiao Yan gazed toward the Soul Sect's direction, a faint, tingling voice pulled him back from his stare.

Turning around, Xiao Yan met the gaze of Mei Du Sha Queen, whose eerie, beautiful eyes fixed on him; he twitched his lips, offering a slightly awkward yet polite smile. "Your Majesty has something to say?"

Mei Du Sha smiled faintly, her crimson hair fluttering in the wind with an exotic allure; her serpent eyes regarded Xiao Yan like prey, and suddenly, her snow-white jade hand extended before him.

After her evolution, Mei Du Sha's skin was as soft and delicate as an infant's; the tender, pale little hand stirred an urge to bite it.

"What's this?" Xiao Yan looked utterly confused, not understanding what Mei Du Sha meant.

"The pill formula for the Fusion Spirit Pill," Mei Du Sha Queen said slowly, dispelling his bewilderment.

With a flick of his finger, the Fusion Spirit Pill formula floated effortlessly into her jade-white palm.

Clutching the Fusion Spirit Pill formula, Mei Du Sha Queen's sultry face revealed, for the first time, an impatient expression; she swiftly unrolled the scroll, her beautiful eyes scanning the recorded effects of the pill, and only after a long while did she slowly close it.

"When can you begin alchemy?"

┓(`)┏

Xiao Yan shrugged. "Do you think six-grade pill medicinal materials are just roadside cabbage? Even if I ransacked your entire treasury, I still couldn't find a few specimens of six-grade pill herbs."

Upon hearing this, Mei Du Sha's eyes flashed with a hint of killing intent. She had almost forgotten—this bandit had not only stolen her Spiritual Flame but also looted countless precious medicinal materials from her empire's treasury.

"You really think I won't kill you!"

Xiao Yan shrugged. "But these herbs will ultimately be used on you. If I die, who will reconstruct your Seven-Colored Devouring Sky Serpent body?"

"Besides, before I die, I can make the Spiritual Flames collide and explode—you'll either die or be crippled. I'm sure most people in the Jia Ma Empire would rather see your corpse than a living Mei Du Sha."

"If you fight me to the death and get badly injured, even if you survive, your Serpent Empire will be destroyed the next day by a coalition of major empires. Now that news of your evolution has spread, your Serpent Empire will enjoy at least a long period of peace."

Seeing Mei Du Sha's suppressed fury and her inability to act against him, Xiao Yan rubbed his nose, feeling a quiet sense of pride.

Xiao Yan slowly extended his hand, imitating Mei Du Sha's gesture. "Give me back the Spiritual Flame."

Gagaga—the joints of Mei Du Sha's fingers cracked; her lovely face flushed crimson with rage.

In the end, Mei Du Sha made no move against Xiao Yan; after all, she bore the entire Serpent Empire on her shoulders—she was a Queen.

After reclaiming the Spiritual Flame, Xiao Yan said casually, "Cough, don't be so angry. Once the herbs are gathered, your body reconstruction will already be complete. Then you can return to being your Queen, and I'll go back to being my poor Alchemist. Let's keep our waters separate—doesn't that sound fine?"

Xiao Yan slowly descended back onto the Guang Chang. Watching his figure, Mei Du Sha slowly closed her eyes, took a deep breath, pondered for a moment, then followed him.

At this point, Mei Du Sha needed Xiao Yan's power more than ever.

After landing gently on the Guang Chang, the once-bustling square was now a ruin, empty except for Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran. The other Yun Lan Sect disciples, unharmed, had carried the wounded to the Pill Hall for treatment.

As for Yun Shan—no need to mention him; Gu He would have plenty to deal with.

In the end, this battle concluded with Yun Leng and the other three serving as scapegoats, expelled from the Yun Lan Sect, and the matter was quietly dropped.

As for deeper reasons, both Xiao Yan and Yun Shan chose silence—after all, the Soul Sect's affairs were a secret.

Yun Yun, watching Mei Du Sha Queen trail behind Xiao Yan, furrowed her delicate brows. "Are you also staying at the Yun Lan Sect?"

Mei Du Sha glanced at Yun Yun, utterly ignoring her question. As a Serpent, Mei Du Sha still deeply despised humans; aside from Xiao Yan, bound to her by the Soul Contract and thus possessing some peculiar emotion, all other humans were merely ants in her eyes.

Along the way, Xiao Yan and Mei Du Sha followed Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran deeper into the Yun Lan Sect.

The Yun Lan Mountain stretched before them in lush green, its peaks rising and falling; above the clouds, waterfalls cascaded straight down, and ancient trees twisted like coiling dragons from sheer cliffs.

Whoever saw this magnificent mountain range would marvel at the beauty of this land.

"Truly worthy of being the strongest sect in the Jia Ma Empire—this scenery is truly unparalleled," Xiao Yan said without hesitation. As the top sect of the Jia Ma Empire, Yun Lan Sect's landscape surpassed even the Imperial Palace, the Serpent Empire's palace, the Mo Shou Shan Mai, and even the Jia Nan Xue Yuan Nei Yuan.

Mei Du Sha gazed at this magnificent landscape, her eyes holding a trace of envy. After all, her Serpent Empire lay in desert sands, where oases were rare—let alone such mountains and rivers.

Pavilions and grand halls were built along the mountainside, wreathed in mist and clouds, some even emitting faint glows.

From this alone, one could see that the Yun Lan Sect had once been glorious.

After a long while, Xiao Yan followed Yun Yun to a quiet pavilion.

"Rest here for now. Tomorrow, you'll proceed to the Life and Death Gate."

Yun Yun looked at Xiao Yan, paused, then said: "I heard from Yanran that you wish to enter the Life and Death Gate because of the Spiritual Flame?"

Xiao Yan did not hide it. He nodded. "Yes. I'm a Fire Attribute Battle Qi cultivator and an Alchemist—is it strange that I want a Spiritual Flame?"

All three women stared at him strangely. Wanting one Spiritual Flame was understandable—but you already have the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame, the Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire, the Yin-Yang Twin Flames, and that black flame—you've got enough for a full mahjong table!

(Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame: Is there anyone with the Pure Lotus Demonic Flame?)

(Mao Wu: Burnt! Spiritual Flame Mahjong Four of a Kind!)

Though they all found it odd, none pressed further.

"If you need anything, find Yanran—she lives in the pavilion on the other mountain peak," Yun Yun said.

"So you've really become his servant?" Xiao Yan chuckled.

"You—you, I…" Nalan Yanran wanted to speak, but found no words—after all, it was her own wager.

"Alright, I was joking. With your clumsy hands, I'd find it a nuisance," Xiao Yan pushed open the door, stepped inside, and slowly closed it behind him.

Watching Xiao Yan shut the door, Yun Yun exchanged a glance with Nalan Yanran, then left. As Sect Master, she still had much to handle.

Once Xiao Yan sensed their departure with his Soul Force Perception, his playful expression vanished.

"You didn't cause such a ruckus across the entire Yun Lan Sect just for a Spiritual Flame, did you?"

"If you wanted to enter the Yun Lan Sect's Secret Realm, surely you had other ways," Mei Du Sha asked softly, seated on a chair.

"When did the Queen start caring so much about me?" Xiao Yan sat opposite, smiled, and poured two cups of tea.

"I only care about the pills."

Xiao Yan flicked his finger, retrieving the Azure Lotus Platform. "I'll use the Ten Thousand Beasts Spiritual Flame tonight to refine some pills that accelerate your physical growth. With the Azure Lotus's aid, I believe you'll regain your Seven Rank state within two years."

"You stay on the Azure Lotus and cultivate tonight—don't follow me."

Mei Du Sha frowned. "You're going out?"

"Just going to investigate something."

At nightfall, after Nalan Yanran brought food, Xiao Yan followed the guidance of the Soul Token, passing through dense forest to a wooded area on the Yun Lan Shan Mai. Strangely, the Soul Light seemed severed, halting midair.

"An illusion technique…?"

Xiao Yan's lips curled up as he took out the long-unworn Soul Robe from his storage ring, put it on, and pulled the Hood down to conceal his appearance.

When Xiao Yan reached out again, he discovered that his hand had passed straight through a layer of Barrier and vanished.

"It's actually an Array capable of distorting space!"

(End of chapter)