A crimson flame danced at Xiao Yan's fingertips.
It scorched the Eight-Winged Black Snake Emperor's horn until it sizzled.
Green Barbarian staggered and landed upon the scorched earth.
She hurriedly called out to Xiao Yan,
"Please wait, sir!"
Azure Dou Qi, carrying the vitality of the wood element, poured into White Fang's body.
Yet crimson-gold fire threads still slithered through those charred wounds.
She suddenly looked up, and a snake-shaped jade token slipped from her sleeve.
A dim glow flowed across the token's intricate patterns.
"Sir!"
"I am from the Heavenly Snake Mansion!"
Green Barbarian pressed her fingertips against the jade token, its emerald snake eyes gleaming.
A tiny Heavenly Snake phantom condensed above it.
"This little girl possesses the Jade-eyed Three-flower Pupils I have searched for many years!"
"Her constitution is exceptionally suited to the Heavenly Snake Mansion's inheritance."
"I was only considering her future, though I acted somewhat rashly."
"I hope you can forgive me."
As she spoke, she gently laid the unconscious Qing Lin on the ground.
Xiao Yan lowered his heavy ruler and withdrew his flames.
He stepped forward and slowly lifted Qing Lin into his arms.
He naturally knew of the Heavenly Snake Mansion, though his impression of it was somewhat vague.
Beside him,
Old Yao's phantom suddenly appeared at Xiao Yan's side.
His aged fingers stroked his chin.
"Kid, I finally know what that familiar feeling was."
"The Heavenly Snake Mansion is a top power in the Northwestern Continent."
"It is said that the mansion master raises a guardian sacred beast with the bloodline of the Nine Nether Underworld Python."
"They are indeed skilled at nurturing those with special constitutions."
"Teacher, can they be trusted?"
Xiao Yan revealed a suitably doubtful expression.
The Molten Fire Armor quietly withdrew a portion of its pressure.
White Fang lay on the ground nearby. Although he no longer posed a deadly threat,
he still did not dare move!
Seeing that the youth seemed to be wavering, Green Barbarian hastily tossed out an emerald Jade Slip.
"This is a fragment of the Heavenly Snake Secret Codex."
"If this little girl enters our mansion, she will absolutely receive the finest resources!"
"That would be far better than staying in the Jia Ma Empire, a backwater like this."
A phantom unfolded from the Jade Slip in midair, countless snake-shaped runes winding around a jade serpent totem.
Xiao Yan did not respond. With a flick of his finger, he sent a Spring Return Pill into Qing Lin's mouth.
The pill pattern turned into a warm current the moment it touched her lips.
The girl's eyelashes trembled lightly, and when the cloth covering her eyes slipped away,
three azure lotuses slowly blossomed within her jade-green pupils.
Not yet fully awake, she instinctively grabbed Xiao Yan's sleeve, her knuckles turning white from the force.
"The Jade-eyed Three-flower Pupils require the Heavenly Snake Mansion's secret art to awaken."
Green Barbarian gathered an emerald phantom at her fingertips. The fluctuations of the technique in her hand
actually caused those already beautiful eyes to emit a soft jade radiance.
"If she remains in the Jia Ma Empire, this child will never break through the shackles of the Dou Emperor realm in her lifetime."
"Moreover, the Jade-eyed Three-flower Pupils are not entirely harmless."
"Without the Heavenly Snake Mansion's secret art to guide them, they will eventually bring backlash."
The girl in his arms fully awakened.
He knelt on one knee and supported her slender shoulders, lowering his voice.
"Qing Lin, you heard most of their conversation just now."
"If you wish to go, I will not stop you."
Qing Lin silently buried her head in Xiao Yan's embrace, clutching his clothes tightly with both hands.
She did not answer. She only wanted to greedily linger in this warm embrace a little longer.
"I want to grow stronger!"
Qing Lin suddenly raised her head in his arms.
The lingering Crimson Flame in the night sky reflected in her jade pupils.
"This time, Young Master Xiao Yan was placed in danger because of me."
"If something like the Mo Family happens again, Qing Lin wants to stand in front of Young Master!"
Xiao Yan was not surprised and merely nodded gently.
He had originally intended for Qing Lin to join the Heavenly Snake Mansion.
But definitely not by having her taken away.
This innocent, romantic little girl had helped him greatly.
So he wanted the Angel Mansion to understand.
This little girl was not rootless duckweed for others to bully at will!
She had him behind her.
The cultivation of a mere Dou Wang was simply not enough to make the Heavenly Snake Mansion take notice!
But an unparalleled genius who could crush Dou Emperors at the Dou Wang realm,
would absolutely make the Heavenly Snake Mansion wary!
"Pfft."
Xiao Yan suddenly formed a sword with two fingers, branding a lotus mark onto Qing Lin's wrist with Gilded Flame.
The instant the Karmic Fire Pattern seeped into her bloodline,
the Jade Pupil Power within the girl's body seemed to encounter its sovereign and meekly retreated into the depths of her pupils.
"In a few years, I will visit the Heavenly Snake Mansion."
Xiao Yan turned and stared directly at Green Barbarian. Crimson Flame condensed behind him into a Kirin Phantom that roared toward the heavens.
"If I sense even the slightest restriction placed upon her,"
"or oppression from power and influence!"
"Then the Heavenly Snake Mansion should prepare to face my revenge!"
Cold sweat seeped from Green Barbarian's forehead.
If an ordinary Dou Wang had dared before her
to use such a weak realm to threaten the Heavenly Snake Mansion,
Green Barbarian would have considered him insane and slapped him twice on the spot!
But the youth before her was different. Although she could not see his appearance,
he was a genius who could crush a Dou Emperor while only at the Dou Wang realm.
He possessed two, perhaps even more, Heavenly Flames!
She had never seen the likes of him in her life!
Did anyone expect her to believe that such a genius was a commoner with no background or faction?
She absolutely did not!
Who knew whether some terrifying clan stood behind him!
Or whether he possessed some heaven-defying master!
Before they understood Xiao Yan's true background,
there was no way Qing Lin would suffer the slightest grievance in the Heavenly Snake Mansion.
The emerald jade token automatically flew out and landed in Qing Lin's hand.
The flowing emerald radiance upon the Command Token slowly faded.
"Sir, this Command Token was passed down within the mansion to search for those with the Jade-eyed Three-flower Pupils."
"By wearing it, this little girl will directly become one of the Heavenly Snake Mansion's key trainees."
"She will have direct access to the core inheritance. You will certainly not be disappointed."
White Fang struggled to his feet, and the massive black-scaled serpent with shattered scales turned and flew away.
"Kid, I admit it."
"This time, I lost. You are ruthless."
"When we meet again someday, I will definitely settle the score with you!"
Watching White Fang fly into the distance, Green Barbarian could not help twitching the corner of her mouth.
A Magical Beast was still a Magical Beast, with such an unyielding temperament.
Even while fleeing after defeat, he still had to leave behind a few threats.
When they truly met again, the other party might be able to crush him with one finger.
The surrounding flames gradually dissipated, and faint light had already appeared at the horizon.
Qing Lin lingered in Xiao Yan's embrace for a while longer.
When dawn pierced through the clouds, Green Barbarian took Qing Lin and vanished into the sky.
Xiao Yan let out a soft breath and was about to turn around.
when a graceful purple figure pounced in from the corner of his vision.
The familiar scent of a young woman filled his nose.
Warm, soft contact pressed against his back.
Purple hair brushed across Xiao Yan's neck, bringing a faint tickling sensation.
It carried a delicate fragrance.
The girl's voice was soft and worried.
"You really think you are so capable? Why play the hero?"
"Your clothes are all burned!"
A delicate hand lifted his torn collar.
Yet beneath the blackened fabric was fair skin.
Ever since Xiao Yan had absorbed the essence of water and fire,
then undergone the tempering of two different Heavenly Flames, his physique had constantly strengthened!
At this moment, his body was comparable to that of a Sixth Tier Magical Beast.
Perhaps even stronger!
Xiao Yan turned and wrapped an arm around Xiao Yi Xian's slender waist, pulling her into his embrace.
The Seven-Colored Snake slithered out from the girl's sleeve, its cool scales brushing Xiao Yan's cheek.
Its tail suddenly curled around his earlobe and lightly tickled him.
Xiao Yan smiled and had just caught the mischievous little snake.
When he turned his head, warm, tender contact brushed against his face.
Xiao Yi Xian cupped Xiao Yan's face.
Her fingertips caressed the youth's skin, her lips nearly touching the tip of his nose.
"Don't move."
"Let me see whether you are hurt."
Her words abruptly stopped as Xiao Yan suddenly leaned forward half an inch.
Warm, moist contact coursed through their nerves.
The words left unsaid were sealed between their touching breaths.
The rising sun entwined their overlapping shadows together.
The Seven-Colored Snake coiled atop their heads, its eyes revealing a humanlike look of confusion.
What are these two doing?
"Cough, cough!"
In the distance, Hai Bodong coughed and turned his back to them!
Inside a secluded inn in Yan City,
threads of mist-like Pill Fragrance slowly wafted out...
Before you continue