Chapter 570

Xiao Yan walked up to Xiao Yixian, gazing at the pitch-black Dan Beast in her arms; though its power paled beside his, it was stronger than the watered-down ancestral soul summoned by the Chi Snake Race—after all, it was alive.

The Dan Beast's power is closely tied to the Alchemist's Pill Alchemy skill; the stronger the Alchemist, the higher the quality of Elixirs and Medicinal Materials they feed it, and the more powerful the Dan Beast becomes upon evolution.

This thing, Tuan Tuan, had lived for over a thousand years; the Saint of Creation had spared no effort, feeding it the entire Medicinal Material Forest and countless Elixirs—imagine how many fine things it had consumed over those millennia.

Added to that, Xiao Yan had once fed it a Bodhi Seed; its evolution was a foregone conclusion.

From Hun Xu Zi, Xiao Yan had heard that the current ancestral elder of the Dan Tower was entirely formed from Elixir, capable of cultivating Dou Techniques and possessing extraordinarily high wisdom, even rumored to be on the verge of achieving a Nine Grade Golden Pill.

Xiao Yixian hugged Tuan Tuan, gently wiping away patches of blackened ash, soothing it: "Tuan Tuan, be good, don't cry—I'll give you some Spirit Fruits and Eight Grade Elixirs soon."

As for where the Eight Grade Elixirs came from? Obviously, they were taken from Xiao Yan!

Hearing the word "Eight Grade Elixir," the creature instantly shuddered, shaking off the soot clinging to its body, its large eyes gleaming with delight as it wore a happy expression.

Hearing Xiao Yixian's words, Xiao Yan smiled: "You're quite good at coaxing children."

A faint blush rose on Xiao Yixian's lovely face; she cast a glance at Xiao Yan, who rubbed his nose and changed the subject: "Since Tuan Tuan now possesses Dou Saint-level power, conquering the Nine Underworld Dark Snake Race shouldn't be difficult."

Tuan Tuan's eyes widened in disbelief as it stared at Xiao Yan; though it said nothing, its gaze screamed: Are you a demon?! I've only been a sentient Dan Beast for five minutes, and you already want me on the Battlefield?!

Xiao Yan rolled his eyes: "You're older than everyone here—what are you pretending to be a kid for?"

Seeing Xiao Yan was unmoved, Tuan Tuan immediately turned to Xiao Yixian, its big, watery eyes turning irresistibly cute.

Seeing Tuan Tuan's adorable form, Xiao Yixian's gaze softened instantly; this fluffy, cuddly little beast was devastating to her—she had no resistance whatsoever.

"Xiao Yan," Xiao Yixian looked up at him, her voice pleading, her eyes filled with hope.

Xiao Yan immediately rolled his eyes in exasperation—so it had come back to him again!

"Fine, fine, fine—after we deal with the Nine Underworld Dark Snake Race, I'll refine an Eight Grade Peak Elixir for you." Facing Xiao Yixian, Xiao Yan had no defense.

Hearing the word "Elixir," Tuan Tuan leapt straight onto Xiao Yan's head, signaling a deal!

Xiao Yan plucked the Dan Beast off his head and tossed it aside dismissively—cute acts didn't work on him: "Since this side is done, I'll go check on Qing Lin's condition."

"Mm, be careful," Xiao Yixian warned; after all, no one knew what a primordial mutated Fierce Beast like the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake might do.

"Don't worry—if it doesn't know how to behave, I'll help it learn," Xiao Yan smiled, waving his hand to open a Void Passage; before leaving, a sly glint flashed in his eyes as he pulled Xiao Yixian into his arms and kissed her deeply.

"Mmm!"

When Xiao Yixian's face turned absurdly red and she pounded his chest, Xiao Yan chuckled triumphantly and finally left, satisfied.

He had to get paid somehow for refining Elixirs!

When Xiao Yan returned to the Undersea Volcano Secret Realm, Qing Lin slowly awoke, smiling brightly at him: "Young Master Xiao Yan."

"Tsk tsk tsk—in just half a year, Qing Lin, you've reached Peak Dou Zun after your second transformation?" Xiao Yan gazed at the girl with envy.

Qing Lin's power couldn't be measured by ordinary Cultivation Realm; the stronger the Snake-type Magic Beasts she controlled, the faster her strength grew—most importantly, she barely cultivated at all, drawing endless Cultivation Realm from Snake Slaves through her Qi San Hua Tong.

"Thanks to Young Master Xiao Yan," Qing Lin whispered.

Xiao Yan shook his head—envy was useless—and walked to the edge of the volcano, where the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake lay; beneath the crater, the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake had changed completely! Not only had the snake transformed, but the entire Undersea Volcano Secret Realm had been altered beyond recognition.

Its nine grotesque, terrifying heads hung limply, as if asleep; from their tightly closed mouths seeped streams of pitch-black Poison, reeking horribly; the once-boiling undersea volcano had become a Poison Swamp!

The Poison seeping from the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake had utterly contaminated the entire volcano, bubbling and spewing toxic fumes—clearly, its Poison was extraordinarily potent.

The Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake was no longer a skeleton; its entire body was now jet-black, emitting cold glimmers, scales as hard as bedrock, its massive body hidden beneath the Poison Swamp. Though smaller than when Xiao Yan and Cai Lin first discovered it, it remained monstrously huge.

Xiao Yan's Soul Force swept over it—the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake was at least ten thousand meters long, and its power had not only recovered to Dou Saint level, but had reached One-Star Dou Saint Mid-Stage.

In life, the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake's Cultivation Realm was certainly far beyond this; its body had shrunk, and its Magic Core's essence-blood had been used by Xiao Yan. Yet there was no denying it remained terrifyingly powerful—its strength could not be underestimated.

Gazing down at the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake, Xiao Yan said slowly: "So, are you pretending to sleep—or pretending to be dead?"

BOOM BOOM BOOM!! The instant Xiao Yan finished speaking, the entire Secret Realm shook violently; the ground cracked open, spewing torrents of Poison.

The moment the Poison erupted, Heart of Flame exploded, igniting the seawater and burning every wisp of Poison into nothingness.

SSSSS!! BOOM! A colossal Nine-Headed Snake burst from the volcano's mouth, triggering a volcanic eruption—endless torrents of toxic lava spewed forth.

The ten-thousand-meter-long Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake loomed like a darkened sky; its eighteen crimson vertical pupils glared fiercely at Xiao Yan and Qing Lin, its terrifying Dou Saint aura making the entire sea tremble.

"What's going on?!"

The remaining Chi Snake Race members of the Dragon Palace City trembled in fear.

"Look over there—what is that monster?!" one clan member pointed at the distant giant.

Xiao Yan remained calm, looking up at the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake, sizing it up with disdain: "So, just revived and already lost your bearings?"

ZZZZ! Qing Lin frowned, her eyes flickering faintly green; slowly, a Qi San Hua Tong pattern emerged on the foreheads of the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake's nine heads, green light spreading across its entire body.

Feeling the binding force of the Qi San Hua Tong, the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake immediately retracted all its aura; then, a cloud of Poison enveloped its body, shrinking it down to the height of a nine-story building.

Though unwilling inside, the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake knew resistance now meant death—not only might Xiao Yan's power rival or surpass its own, but the Contract force of the Qi San Hua Tong made defiance impossible.

The central head of the Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake bowed before Xiao Yan and Qing Lin; Xiao Yan smiled, then leapt onto its head with Qing Lin, sitting cross-legged.

ZZZZ! The fully revived Nine-Headed Heavenly Snake bit down, tearing open a Void Passage, carrying Xiao Yan and Qing Lin away from the sea, heading toward the Yan Alliance.

No one in Zhong Zhou knew that a great battle, one that would shape the fate of the entire Zhong Zhou, was about to begin.

Three days later, while Zhong Zhou remained eerily calm, suddenly, a massive Ancient Ship flew from Space beyond the Tianming Sect—this Ancient Ship was enormous, ten li long; as it emerged from endless Space, it cast a staggering shadow upon the land.

This was the Kong Kong Zhou of the Gu Clan, personally delivered by Gu Qingyang not long ago, since Xun Er was still undergoing the Gu Clan's highest-level inheritance and had not yet emerged from seclusion.

This was no longer the tiny Kong Kong Zhou used to enter the Ancient Realm—this was the Gu Clan's warship, a colossal mobile fortress, exhaling ancient, solemn light.

The Sealing Arrays carved into its hull glowed continuously, radiating immense power; without doubt, this Kong Kong Zhou could not only traverse Space but also withstand attacks.

The Gu Clan's depth was astonishing!

Xiao Yan's soft meal!

Of course, the Gu Clan hadn't intervened—this was merely a favor granted through Xiao Yan's connections.

On the Kong Kong Zhou, powerful auras blazed like rainbows; the weakest among them were Dou Wangs, with countless Dou Huangs and Dou Zongs.

After all, Sect and Clan wars couldn't possibly consist solely of Dou Zuns.

BOOM! A colossal ice pillar struck the protective Demonic Array of the Tianming Sect's territory; though blocked, the pillar froze a vast expanse of space.

"Who dares attack the Tianming Sect?!"

When the Sky-Slicing Vessel arrived outside the Tianming Sect, a series of bell tolls rang out across the Tianming Sect, warning its disciples of an enemy attack!

In an instant, the entire Tianming Sect was thrown into uproar—not only its Elders and Guardians, but even the Supreme Elders in seclusion were jolted awake, each bursting forth from their meditation, unable to sit still.

A blue banner bearing a Fire Lotus pattern with snake motifs and cloud designs flew high on the vessel, its overwhelming spiritual pressure utterly unrestrained—this was no friendly visit, but a provocation, a declaration of war!

When the Tianming Sect's Sect Master, Tianmingzi, saw that banner, his face darkened instantly. Throughout Zhong Zhou—no, throughout the Dou Qi Continent—this banner was known to all.

Yan Alliance!

Around the Tianming Sect's territory naturally lay cities of varying sizes; upon seeing the colossal warship appear, many lone cultivators hurriedly took to the skies to gaze.

"No way! That's the Yan Alliance's banner!"

"That's… Nalan Yanran, the Sect Master of Yun Lan Sect!"

At the very front of the vessel stood the graceful figure clad in the Silver Moon Robe—Nalan Yanran herself.

Xiao Yan and Cai Lin were absent; Yao Ye commanded from the rear—so who else could be the frontline commander but Nalan Yanran!

At this moment, Nalan Yanran's gaze was sharp as a blade; standing at the prow of the warship, she resembled an unsheathed sword. She was now the Sect Master of Yun Lan Sect, and Yun Lan Sect was one of the Four Elder Factions of the Yan Alliance—her status was unimaginably high.

"Not just her—Yun Yun is here too!" Beside Nalan Yanran, Yun Yun stood with elegant nobility. Unlike the fierce aura of Nalan Yanran, Yun Yun exuded maturity and stunning beauty, a captivating grace and refined elegance born of inner kindness—qualities no one could replicate.

Yun Yun appeared to be nearing thirty, her bearing exceptional, her mature and noble charm laid bare for all to see.

When Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran stood together, they were unquestionably the most beautiful sight in all the heavens and earth. Two graceful figures on the ship left many onlookers spellbound, forgetting that a great battle was about to erupt!

One sect's Sect Master paled and said: "Nalan Yanran hasn't waged war since becoming Yun Lan Sect's Sect Master, has she? Now Yun Yun has appeared too—is the Hua Sect joining forces with the Yan Alliance?"

"And Jia Xingtian and Hai Bodong! The Jia Ma Empire's Empress Yao Ye is here too!"

"The leaders of two of the Yan Alliance's Elder Factions have come in person?!"

The arrival of the Sky-Slicing Vessel also stirred hidden world strong experts; when they saw the vessel halt before the Tianming Sect, they exchanged glances, secretly astonished.

Tensions between the Yan Alliance and the Tianming Sect were no secret—among the countless factions of Zhong Zhou, who didn't have some friction, some rivalry?

But most of the time, those were mere squabbles; the fiercest clash had been the one with the Chi Snake Demon Sovereign.

But now everyone realized—this was no mere squabble. Half the Yan Alliance's Elders had come!

"To launch a personal campaign against the Tianming Sect—is this truly a fight to the death?!" muttered one sect's Sect Master, his face grim; many powerful figures suddenly thought of countless things.

When the Founder of a faction leads an expedition in person, it means all-in—it means no compromise, only victory or annihilation!

Tianmingzi flew into the air with a group of strong experts; upon seeing the colossal warship, his face turned pale. He stared at Nalan Yanran, then turned to Yun Yun beside her, bellowing: "Yun Yun, Sect Master of the Hua Sect! What is the meaning of this?!"

For the Tianming Sect, what they truly feared was not the Yan Alliance, but the Hua Sect—the other of the Two Sects. Those who knew Xiao Yan's true power were either aboard the Sky-Slicing Vessel or dead—the Tianming Sect had no idea how terrifying the Yan Alliance's strength had become!

A cold wind blew, making Yun Yun's robes rustle loudly, her beautiful curves stirring hearts, drawing eyes that could not look away.

Before Yun Yun could speak, the Nine-Star Dou Zun Elder who had once entered the Manhuang Ancient Domain with her sneered: "Hmph! When you Tianming Sect was in the Manhuang Ancient Domain, you ambushed our Hua Sect and killed Elder Qing, leaving us severely wounded—this matter demands an explanation!"

In an instant, the Tianming Sect's strong experts were stunned. Their Deputy Sect Master was still missing—presumed dead—who knew what he'd done in the Manhuang Ancient Domain!

The Hua Sect's Elders knew well: their participation in this war was somewhat forced; had Xiao Yan not asked, Yun Yun would never have come. The other Hua Sect Elders' motives were even simpler—just cling to the big leg!

Even if Yun Yun didn't want to come, they would drag her along.

This was a golden chance to board the Yan Alliance's great ship!

(End of Chapter)