Later, from the parchment scroll, he learned that this was a Dou Zong powerhouse and a sixth-grade alchemist, sharing the same surname as him, who had been expelled from his family from Zhongzhou a thousand years ago for committing a mistake. He
unexpectedly perished, leaving behind his legacy, hoping that whoever received it, if they gained sufficient strength, would go to the Xiao clan and have their name reinstated in the family genealogy.
It was clear that even though he had perished due to being expelled from his family, he still deeply loved his clan.
Upon seeing this, Xiao Yan immediately kowtowed three times to the corpse, vowing that if he became powerful in the future, he would definitely go to Zhongzhou to clear his name.
In his cave, Xiao Yan refined the Myriad Beast Spirit Fire, successfully reaching the peak of the Great Dou Shi realm, only one step away from Dou Ling.
After returning to the Heavenly Serpent Mansion, he devoted himself to the sixth-grade alchemy notes, relying on his powerful soul and strange fire, and quickly advanced to a third-grade alchemist, occasionally even able to refine fourth-grade pills.
With his impressive alchemy skills and cheerful personality, Xiao Yan quickly won over Lü Man and Bai Ya, and they got along very well.
Later, when Xiao Yan's alchemy skills reached the fourth rank, thinking of the approaching three-year agreement, he asked Lü Man and Bai Ya to accompany him to the capital of the Jia Ma Empire to prevent any unforeseen circumstances during their trip to the Yunlan Sect. The two readily agreed.
Upon arriving in the capital, Xiao Yan saw that the Alchemist Guild was holding an alchemist competition and participated out of curiosity. He fought his way through the competition, winning the championship under the name "Yan Xiao," and gaining the friendship of several powerful families. He
also cured Nalan Jie of the Nalan family of a chronic illness, leaving a deep impression on Nalan Yanran. However, Nalan Yanran did not expect that "Yan Xiao" was Xiao Yan.
Later, Xiao Yan's genius even alarmed the royal family of the Jia Ma Empire. Jia Xingtian personally invited Xiao Yan, introduced him to his two granddaughters, and hinted that Xiao Yan could marry a princess.
However, for some reason, the two princesses were extremely resistant to marriage, even unwilling to have much contact with men, as if there was some hidden reason.
Xiao Yan, also with Gu Xun'er in his heart, naturally couldn't do anything to betray her, and thus politely refused. Therefore, Jia Xingtian's plan to find a husband had to be abandoned.
Jia Xingtian was also helpless about this; he felt it must be his two granddaughters' attitude that made Xiao Yan dislike them. He understood why his granddaughters acted this way, and couldn't help but curse Hun Changqing as a beast in his heart again!
Afterwards, Xiao Yan temporarily stayed in the Jia Ma Empire, waiting for the three-year agreement to arrive. One day, after accidentally entering an auction in the capital, he was surprised to find his older brother's girlfriend—Ya Fei.
Xiao Yan was somewhat excited and wanted to go up to Ya Fei to inquire about his older brother's whereabouts, but after thinking it over, considering that his older brother seemed to have broken up with Ya Fei because of something he had said wrong, he didn't want to appear before her again for fear of embarrassment, so he had to give up.
He spent the last few days quietly practicing his alchemy and cultivation until the three-year agreement arrived.
After defeating Nalan Yanran and fulfilling the three-year agreement, Xiao Yan felt a great weight lifted from his heart. His future path gradually became clearer, and with the heaven-defying Burning Technique at his disposal, he was destined to stand at the pinnacle of this continent. A surge of pride filled Xiao Yan's heart; he imagined
himself soaring like a meteor, rising ninety thousand miles into the sky. Thinking of his bright future and the woman he loved, a smile unconsciously appeared on Xiao Yan's face as he gazed at the Black Corner Region, its outline gradually becoming visible under Bai Ya's incredible speed. He
silently repeated in his heart,
"Xun'er, I'm here!"
...
Meanwhile, in a valley within the Black Corner Region
, birds sang and flowers bloomed, lush vegetation thrived, and small animals frolicked and played throughout the valley. Their melodious cries echoed, making the valley a vibrant and lively place.
No one who sees this valley would imagine that just two years ago it was a desolate place, filled with death and yin energy, devoid of any life, like a hell. At this moment, atop a mountain peak deep within the valley, all was still empty, devoid of any life. At its center stood a silent black flower bud, emanating black energy and occasionally leaking wisps of deathly aura, making the entire bud appear eerie and terrifying.
Not far from the bud, a graceful figure in vibrant red sat cross-legged, meditating with eyes closed.
This figure was Queen Medusa.
A year ago, after leaving the valley, Queen Medusa returned to the Snake-People tribe. After learning about their situation, she discovered that without her presence, humans had been relentlessly suppressing them, leaving them struggling to breathe. This enraged Medusa, who was already furious about Hun Changqing's affair, and she went
on a rampage in the Jia ma Empire. However, Medusa knew that violence alone wouldn't solve the problem. So, after venting her anger, she ordered the Jia ma Empire's royal family to allocate several wealthy cities in the Western Regions to the Snake-People for their management and residence.
Poor Jia Xingtian couldn't possibly refuse Medusa's request, who was already a five-star Dou Zong. He reluctantly agreed, inwardly cursing Medusa and Hun Changqing, both Dou Zongs, as utterly despicable! They were always trying to bully him!
However, he never imagined that Medusa not only knew Hun Changqing but was also closely related to him. Otherwise, he would have cursed Hun Changqing a hundred thousand more times. Damn it, he not only came to harm his two granddaughters, but also dragged his woman into his territory! Was he really just exploiting every sheep he could catch?
After settling the snake-people, Medusa found herself with nothing to do. Having achieved her life's goal, she felt incredibly empty.
Hun Changqing's hateful face kept appearing in her mind, involuntarily reminding her of him whether she was cultivating or sleeping. This drove Medusa crazy and made her extremely uneasy.
Thinking of Hun Changqing's heartless departure, Medusa felt wronged. She tried to force herself not to think about him, but she couldn't. She kept gazing towards the Black Corner Region, constantly feeling the urge to leap through the air and find him.
This hesitant demeanor was completely unlike the infamous Medusa Queen of the desert; instead, she resembled a little girl struggling with a quarrel with her man.
The frustration and irritability in her heart made Medusa extremely volatile, a far cry from the Medusa who previously only showed her cold and cruel side to humans.
The current Medusa was not particularly patient with the snake-people, frequently losing her temper with her subordinates, causing some of the snake-people's higher-ups to feel uneasy.
Several of the most senior elders of the snake-people also came to speak with Medusa, their words filled with dissatisfaction with her current temperament.
Medusa, already known for her fiery temper, had been corrupted by Hun Changqing's long-term training.
The elders' words ignited her fury, unleashing the aura of a five-star Dou Zong, forcing several elders to the ground, breathless.
Finally, Medusa coldly uttered,
"Remember this, I am the leader of the Snake-People!"
before turning and leaving.
The trembling elder, watching Medusa's departing figure, gritted his teeth and shouted,
"Medusa! You'll regret this!"