Breakthrough to Dou Wang! High-Altitude Ambush!

The instant the Accompanying Amethyst Source appeared, Little Purple abruptly turned around, its beastly eyes filled with greed.

"This is mine. You can't touch it. I'll let you have your fill of Heavenly Flames later."

The moment Xiao Yan said that, the greed in Little Purple's beastly eyes swiftly turned into grievance.

This Accompanying Amethyst Source was clearly my baby food!

Too mean!

Under Xiao Yan's control, the lotus core of the Blazing Flame Lotus shattered, and a scorching purple fire instantly erupted.

"Hm?"

Yao Lao found it rather strange. "It's actually a top-grade beast fire? What a pity..."

"What is it?" Xiao Yan asked in surprise.

"If you didn't have Heavenly Flames, this Purple Fire would also be an exceedingly rare treasure to you. Not every beast fire is suited to remain within a qi vortex."

"Like the many beast fires you previously consumed—aside from Bai Yi's Skeleton Demon Fish Beast Fire, none of the others could be refined by a cultivator."

"The value of this Purple Fire is second only to some weaker Heavenly Flames."

Upon hearing Yao Lao's words, Xiao Yan was only slightly moved before urging the Myriad Beast Spirit Fire to devour and refine the Purple Fire.

Having five Heavenly Flames, he had no interest whatsoever in this kind of beast fire.

When the immense Dou Qi surged into his qi vortex, Xiao Yan instantly broke through to the Nine Star Dou Ling realm.

"Hold your breath and focus your mind. The chasm between Dou Ling and Dou Wang is one that many Dou Lings can never cross in their entire lives! Do not be greedy and think of preserving your Dou Qi to charge into the Two Star Dou Wang realm or even higher!"

Accompanied by Yao Lao's shout, Xiao Yan's expression turned solemn as he cautiously urged the Fallen Heart Flame.

Time.

Passed second by second.

When they flew back above the Magical Beast Mountain Range, a gigantic Thick-Winged Bird suddenly hovered beside Little Purple at a relatively stationary speed.

"It's a Heavenly Flame!"

Looking at the dark crimson flames surrounding Xiao Yan, the four of them revealed intense greed.

The leader among them wore a Third Grade Alchemist badge on his chest.

The other three were all Second Grade Alchemists.

"Should we take it?"

The strongest among them was a Nine Star Great Dou Shi. Under normal circumstances, they would never have dared to set their sights on Xiao Yan.

After all, the fourth-tier magical beast beneath Xiao Yan declared that his strength was anything but ordinary.

But.

Xiao Yan, in the critical stage of a breakthrough, was as fragile as paper. With just a light roar—

He might die on the lion's back!

"Your Excellency!"

The Nine Star Great Dou Shi suddenly shouted, the thunderous sound making Xiao Yan frown.

"My roar contained Dou Qi, yet it didn't even make him suffer qi deviation?"

"He really is breaking through!"

"Kill him!"

Amid sinister grins, the alchemists unleashed their Dou Qi and viciously attacked Xiao Yan.

Just as those Dou Techniques were about to pierce through Xiao Yan—

Buzz!

An energy several times more powerful than before surged out from Xiao Yan's body.

"Not good!"

The leading middle-aged man's expression changed drastically. Such a fluctuation could only mean...

Boom!

Dou Qi wings spread from Xiao Yan's back, and the violently radiating Dou Qi left the group dumbfounded.

"Dou... Dou Wang?!"

"This is the mark of a Dou Wang—Dou Qi Transformation Wings, isn't it?"

Xiao Yan smiled as he opened his eyes, and enormous, imposing bone wings spread open with a crisp sound.

Whoosh!

With the Dou Qi wings and enormous bone wings stacked together, his speed abruptly rose by another level.

"At your current speed, even some peak Dou Emperors would be left in the dust."

As Yao Lao spoke with a chuckle, the people on the Thick-Winged Bird's back had already turned pale with terror.

"Whoosh!"

Xiao Yan calmly extended his palm, and Fire Cloud Water Flame suddenly erupted.

"Two Heavenly Flames?"

"Your Excellency!"

The few men who cried out in terror and begged for mercy were instantly vaporized by the howling Fire Cloud Water Flame.

"The strength of Heavenly Flames really does increase along with one's Dou Qi level."

Xiao Yan landed back on Little Purple's back.

No wonder they said the gap between a Dou Ling and a Dou Wang was like that between a firefly and the bright moon.

Only after reaching the Dou Wang level did he clearly feel the boost Dou Qi levels provided to Heavenly Flames.

"Xiao Yanzi, you're about to have trouble." Yao Lao suddenly chuckled.

Several powerful streams of Dou Qi rapidly approached.

There were actually three Dou Lings!

Within the Jia Ma Empire, aside from the Misty Cloud Sect, the Three Great Families, and the Royal Family, only one force could field such a lineup.

The Alchemist Guild!

Accompanied by sharp whistling winds, several Thick-Winged Birds formed an encirclement around Little Purple.

A stern middle-aged man stood on the back of each Thick-Winged Bird.

"Did you kill several Pill Masters?" the leading man shouted.

Xiao Yan spoke calmly, "I'll go with you to the Alchemist Guild."

The men exchanged glances and silently nodded.

Several magical beasts flew alongside one another.

Along the way.

Xiao Yan spoke first, breaking the stifling silence.

"How did you arrive so quickly?"

"The Magical Beast Mountain Range is fraught with danger. Our mission was to wait here and receive them."

"I see."

Xiao Yan nodded in understanding and closed his eyes again to rest.

The several Dou Lings could not help but be stunned.

He was so relaxed and at ease, without the slightest trace of fear.

Moreover, Xiao Yan possessed such a powerful magical beast.

"Could he be the descendant of some reclusive old monster?" one Dou Ling asked quietly.

"Hehe, even if he is, this kid is far too bold! Not even a descendant of the Royal Family would dare control magical beasts to slaughter Third Grade Alchemists!"

Lang En shook his head speechlessly.

He had seen plenty of profligates like Xiao Yan.

However, not a single one of them had ended well.

"Please follow me."

When Xiao Yan opened his eyes, he saw a peculiar building shaped like a medicinal cauldron.

"Black Rock City's Alchemist Guild branch!"

Xiao Yan leisurely jumped down and followed the several Dou Lings into the building.

"Lang En, is this young man an alchemist prospect you just selected?"

The two burly men at the entrance curiously sized Xiao Yan up and asked with a smile.

"It would be great if he were an alchemist!"

Lang En said in a muffled voice, "He slaughtered all four alchemists we were supposed to receive! I have no idea which old monster's profligate descendant he is. Sigh!"

Lang En shook his head gloomily. Such a major mistake would earn him punishment as well.

He might even be expelled from the Alchemist Guild!

"Those four were alchemists from the Chu Yun Empire. The Vice President went to great lengths to persuade them to settle in the Jia Ma Empire."

"This..."

The two burly men stared at Xiao Yan in astonishment, then could not help laughing bitterly.

Lang En was in for some bad luck!

"Little brother, when you go in later, say that they attacked first. I'll do everything I can to help clear you of blame."

Lang En suddenly lowered his head and warned him solemnly.

As a member of the Jia Ma Empire, he had never had much goodwill toward those from the Chu Yun Empire.

He was merely annoyed.

He had worked diligently at the guild for decades without ever making a mistake, yet today he had stumbled over such a trivial matter.

Damn fate!

"Thanks." Xiao Yan smiled and continued following Lang En inside.

Inside the hall.

An elderly voice rang out with delight.

"Lang En, you're back? Quickly, invite Liu Weng and the others in!"

Lang En gave a bitter, dejected smile.

"Liu Weng and the others... are gone."