Chapter 295

With a splash, the Deep Sea Serpent suddenly went limp, as if all its strength had been stripped away, its body collapsing straight to the ground.

!!!!

Though the Deep Sea Serpent quickly regained its strength and surged upright, that brief moment of powerlessness sent shockwaves through its heart—its massive beast eyes filled with astonishment and dread; with its own strength, it could plainly see that Zi Yan was merely at the Demonic Realm level, or merely a Five Rank Demon Beast, yet the prior pressure had undeniably emanated from within her.

It was bloodline suppression—a latent fear buried within the flesh. For the Deep Sea Serpent, this carried a bloodline suppression effect, akin to a superior imposing dominance over an inferior.

"This little girl is a demon beast?! She makes me feel suppression and fear—what is her true form? Could it be an ancient bloodline? A True Dragon?" The Deep Sea Serpent's enormous eyes stared dumbfounded at Zi Yan before it; though it no longer groveled, its earlier ferocity had vanished.

The Deep Sea Serpent now longed to flee far away from this thing.

The Deep Sea Serpent's sudden collapse naturally shocked Yao Ye and Jia Xingtian, their gazes filled with terror as they fixed on the purple-haired little girl beside Xiao Yan.

They truly found it unbelievable—this Deep Sea Serpent was, after all, a demon beast of relatively rare and formidable bloodline, otherwise it could never have reached the Sixth Rank; yet now, merely by being stared at by Zi Yan, it reacted so violently!

Seeing the Deep Sea Serpent submit, Zi Yan lifted her dainty nose, stuck out her tongue at Xiao Yan beside her, and huffed triumphantly.

Xiao Yan smiled and ruffled Zi Yan's small head—clearly, Zi Yan now knew she had at least some connection to the Dragon Clan.

In fact, when Xiao Yan had originally asked Zi Yan to teach him Dragon Language, she realized that language was indeed the Dragon Clan's tongue, and thus understood her true form must be tied to the Dragon Clan.

Now it was confirmed—her bloodline was certainly purer and higher than that of the Deep Sea Serpent.

"I'll need to get Zi Yan a Transformation Pill sooner." Xiao Yan thought silently.

"Enough wasting time." Breaking the silence, Xiao Yan smiled at Jia Xingtian, gestured, and the Hunyuan Su Gu Dan floated to his front; he glanced at the Deep Sea Serpent and said, "Ready? It might hurt a bit at first."

"Thank you, Master Xiao Yan." After witnessing Zi Yan's display, even the Deep Sea Serpent's violent nature dared not act out.

Xiao Yan smiled, and with a flick of his mind, a strand of blood-red flame wrapped around the Hunyuan Su Gu Dan; he flicked his finger, and the flame, carrying the pill, shot upward above the Deep Sea Serpent's head.

As the pill was enveloped in flame, moments later, Xiao Yan changed his hand seals—the Ten Thousand Beasts Spirit Flame surged violently, and from within the searing heat, a thick crimson aura suddenly spilled forth, like a curtain of water, engulfing the Deep Sea Serpent's massive body below.

As the strange radiance enveloped it, the Deep Sea Serpent's body began to writhe violently, appearing in great pain, low roars echoing continuously, stirring waves across the lake.

Beside them, Jia Xingtian and Yao Ye tensed silently—after all, the Deep Sea Serpent was not only the guardian beast of their Imperial Family, but also their family and comrade.

Of course, their worry was utterly unnecessary—Xiao Yan, possessing the Ten Thousand Beasts Spirit Flame, could not possibly fail.

Soon, the medicinal fragrance faded, and Xiao Yan retracted the Ten Thousand Beasts Spirit Flame.

Roar! Roar! Roar!!! A staggering spiritual pressure erupted from within the Deep Sea Serpent, sending waves crashing across the lake.

"Good—this pressure rivals Star Seven or even Star Eight Demonic Realm; if fighting in water, even an ordinary Star Nine Demonic Realm might not be its match." Xiao Yan silently assessed the Deep Sea Serpent's strength.

"Shut up!" Zi Yan glared fiercely at the Deep Sea Serpent.

"Heh-heh, just excited—this old wound plagued me too long. Thank you, Master Xiao Yan, for the pill—I'm deeply grateful." The Deep Sea Serpent, having suffered before, dared not defy Zi Yan again, instantly shifting the focus to Xiao Yan.

After healing the Deep Sea Serpent, Xiao Yan fulfilled his promise and did not delay—he returned with Zi Yan to the Miter Manor.

In the pavilion, Xiao Yan watched Zi Yan, sitting on a rock, swinging her little feet, and asked: "Zi Yan, your true form must be some demon beast with Dragon Clan bloodline, right?"

"Probably. When you were cultivating that Dou Technique back then, I understood those special pronunciations—that's when I realized I could understand Dragon Language." Zi Yan had only first heard Dragon Language when she met Xiao Yan.

After all, the mountains around Jia Nan Academy had no pure-blooded Dragon Clan—had such beings existed, the entire Inner Court would be unsafe.

Before Zi Yan ate the Transformation Grass, she was still very young, and her appearance then could not reveal her species.

Xiao Yan patted Zi Yan's small head, soothing her: "Don't worry—you'll regain your true form soon."

Zi Yan blinked, crossed her arms, and said: "You said it—don't even think of tricking me again, or I won't help you find medicinal materials anymore."

"Don't worry—I remember someone in the Jia Ma Empire possesses a Transformation Pill. I'll find a way to swindle it from them." Xiao Yan licked his lips and grinned slyly.

Zi Yan leapt onto the large rock, wrapping her arms around Xiao Yan's neck: "Want the princess to help you?"

"No need—I've got it covered." They exchanged smiles; Zi Yan loved how cunning Xiao Yan was.

Yet Xiao Yan's nightmares weren't over— as the proposer of the Yan Alliance Covenant and Young Clan Leader of the Xiao Clan, one of the founding factions of the Yan Alliance, the next day he was buried in tasks.

For example: events after the Yan Alliance's formation, obstacles encountered, hostile factions; also, factions wishing to join the Yan Alliance, and the criteria for joining—all remained undefined.

Though preliminary rules existed, everyone had unconsciously regarded Xiao Yan as the Yan Alliance's leader, so all major decisions waited for his return.

The greatest matter of the Yan Alliance was the Sect Grand Meeting of the Northwest Region—in fact, when Jia Xingtian and Mei Du Sha agreed to Xiao Yan's founding of the Yan Alliance, their purpose was precisely this Sect Grand Meeting.

"Six months?" Xiao Yan asked.

In the hall, all high-ranking members of the Yan Alliance had gathered: Yao Ye, Queen, and Jia Xingtian represented the Jia Ma Royal Family; Xiao Ding, arriving from Yun Lan Sect, represented the Xiao Clan alongside Xiao Yan.

Additionally, Yun Lan Sect's new Grand Elder, Yun Shui, represented Yun Lan Sect; having learned of Xiao Yan's return, Mei Du Sha's elite guards, Hua She Er and Yue Mei, arrived from the Snake Empire to represent the Snake Empire.

Queen Yao Ye nodded, her expression tinged with concern: "In six months, the Sect Grand Meeting of the Northwest Region will begin—every sect and faction in the Northwest Region will attend."

"This meeting is crucial—if we perform poorly, disaster will follow."

The Sect Grand Meeting of the Northwest Region, in plain terms, is a display of strength; in this world where strength reigns supreme, weakness invites invasion—or even dismemberment—by other factions.

The Chu Yun Empire, Luo Yan Empire, and Mu Lan Empire border the Jia Ma Empire—all are nations of the Northwest Region; officially, their borders touch and they stand as equals, but in truth, the Jia Ma Empire is the weakest of the four, while the other three secretly conspire to invade.

The reason is simple: the Jia Ma Empire has no Demonic Ancestor.

Only fear of Yun Lan Sect's former reputation on the Dou Qi Continent has prevented them from acting.

This is precisely why, after Yun Shan died and most of Yun Lan Sect's Elders were slaughtered two years ago, the Jia Ma Royal Family felt not relief but dread.

Once the empire's strongest force—Yun Lan Sect—is destroyed, the other three empires will no longer pretend peace—they will unite their armies and crush the Jia Ma Empire outright.

The Sect Grand Meeting is the threshold—if we fail to display strength, if we show no high-end combat power, the outcome will be catastrophic.

Yao Ye and the others sighed inwardly—the Sect Grand Meeting loomed like a countdown, yet even now, they still had no Demonic Ancestor.

"I fear our alliance will only prompt the Chu Yun, Luo Yan, and Mu Lan Empires to form their own alliance against us."

"Since the alliance, these three empires have increased their military incursions into the Snake Empire," Yue Mei added.

The Snake Empire's location is most perilous—it lies between the four empires; though called an empire, its territory is tiny, comprising only eight tribes, all living in the Desert; only Mei Du Sha's iron-fisted rule and dominance have kept it from annihilation.

Yue Mei continued: "Last month, the Chu Yun and Luo Yan Empires each dispatched a Demonic Realm to appear suddenly at the border—they were likely testing the Queen's whereabouts."

Mei Du Sha's departure with Xiao Yan was a secret, unknown to outsiders; yet her two-year absence naturally aroused suspicion among many factions.

"Fortunately, Sect Master Yun Yun arrived in time to prevent large-scale casualties."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed, his brow furrowed: "Sect Master Yun Yun—is she currently at the border?"

Yun Shui nodded: "Yes, Master Xiao Yan—the Sect Master remains at the border, while the Young Sect Master has entered the Life and Death Gate to cultivate, further unlocking the legacy of the former Sect Master Yun Potian, striving to break through to Demonic Realm as soon as possible."

No wonder Jia Xingtian and Hai Bodong were so moved when they saw Xiao Yan return—Jia Ma Empire is already on the brink of collapse!

Hua She Er exchanged a glance with Yue Mei, then asked, "Master Xiao Yan, where is the Queen right now?"

"Don't worry—Mei Du Sha is currently in a Secret Realm refining her Three-Flame Serpent Body. I believe it will take only one to two more years to complete, allowing her to fully evolve into the Seven Rank realm. Once fully evolved, even Eight Rank will be merely a matter of time." Xiao Yan smiled in reply.

Hiss! Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Hai Bodong and Jia Xingtian both drew in a sharp breath. Even Eight Rank is just a matter of time!!!

An Eight Rank beast is a Dou Zun!

If Mei Du Sha truly reaches the Dou Zun realm, commanding the entire Northwest Region won't be an issue!

Hua She Er and Yue Mei's faces lit up with excitement, tears welling in their eyes. Their Serpent Empire had been forced to dwell in the Desert, and years of war had left their people destitute—now, at last, they saw a glimmer of hope!

"Don't get too hopeful yet," Xiao Ding poured cold water on them. "If the nation falls, even if Mei Du Sha returns with full cultivation, avenging you will mean nothing—what's lost will never return."

Xiao Yan nodded, agreeing with his elder brother. Having lived two lives, he understood the cruelty of war. If the country and family are destroyed, revenge afterward is meaningless—the lost cannot be regained, the dead cannot be brought back.

Moreover, Xiao Yan had self-awareness: the border between Jia Ma Empire and the Serpent Empire stretched vast. No matter how powerful he was, could he alone defend such an extensive frontier? Even with the power of Swallowing Flame, he could not hold it.

And Xiao Yan could not remain in Jia Ma Empire forever—relying solely on him could never protect the Yan Alliance.

Xiao Ding exchanged a glance with Xiao Yan, then looked at the anxious crowd and said directly: "The best solution now is the Sect Grand Meeting. If we achieve outstanding results there, we will surely intimidate other Sects and Factions, deterring them from encroaching on Jia Ma Empire or the Serpent Empire. Then, when Mei Du Sha returns, that will be our moment to strike back."

Yao Ye also nodded, agreeing with Xiao Ding: "Indeed, last time, we had no Dou Zong—Yun Shan led our delegation. Though Jia Ma Empire was still rated as second-rate, we stabilized our position because Gu He broke through into Sixth-Rank Alchemist."

"Our empire's Alchemist level has always been top-tier among the four empires. Perhaps we can use the same strategy again."

A nation's strength isn't measured only by its top combatants—Alchemists are also critically important.

The Alchemist Guild is neutral, but Alchemists like Xiao Yan and Gu He are not. Especially Xiao Yan—he is the Founder of the Yan Alliance. His status is vital.

All eyes turned to Xiao Yan's position. If he could craft the Hunyuan Shenggu Pill, he must be at least a Sixth-Rank Alchemist.

Xiao Yan fell into thought, his fingers lightly tapping the table. Seeing the hopeful expressions around him, he slowly nodded and said: "I am indeed a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. But I won't remain permanently in the Yan Alliance. We still need a Dou Zong to uphold our standing—it will spare us many unnecessary troubles."

"Moreover, without a Dou Zong, certain matters cannot proceed."

Xiao Yan scanned the room, his gaze settling on Jia Xingtian seated beside Yao Ye. His powerful Seven-Grade Spiritual Soul Force swept over Jia Xingtian.

Jia Xingtian sensed it, turned to Xiao Yan, puzzled—what was Xiao Yan trying to do?

"Old Jia," Xiao Yan asked, "I observe your Cultivation Realm—you've been at Dou Huang Peak for many years, haven't you?"

Hearing this, Jia Xingtian sighed. "Alas, yes. I've been at Dou Huang Peak for a long time, but I've never been able to break through that barrier."

Xiao Yan smiled. "Old Jia, have you ever used a Po-Zong Pill?"

(End of Chapter)