"What do you mean by that, little fellow?"
Immortal Envoy Yaozhu recovered her imposing demeanor a moment later, then asked with a frown.
"Senior, are you still going to hide it at this stage?"
"The sequelae of a Holy Flame backlash are no small matter. The longer it drags on, the greater the harm to the controller."
"Besides, judging by my guess, Fairy Yaochi's condition is obvious at a glance-that is not some Holy Flame backlash problem at all... Based on my estimation, it should be some hidden issues left over after forcefully and recklessly devouring a Holy Flame, right?"
"I wonder if what this junior has said is correct?"
Xiao Yan turned to look at the silent Yaoling, his gaze constantly lingering between the two of them.
Leaving aside the entire Yaochi Fairyland, even within the entire Great Thousand World, there were probably few people clearer on the numerous hazards of the Holy Flame than Xiao Yan... Having devoured and subdued the Five Holy Flames was the most powerful proof of this.
"As expected of a Holy Flame controller indeed, what a sharp sense of smell."
"Yaoling, since Domain Master Xiao has already figured it out, lay the whole matter out."
"I hope Domain Master Xiao will do his utmost to try."
Immortal Envoy Yaozhu looked at Xiao Yan with considerable appreciation. Ever since Yaoling encountered this problem from devouring the Holy Flame, even after searching for countless powerhouses to come and investigate, not a single one of them had been able to hit the nail on the head like Xiao Yan.
Furthermore, the powerhouses in the Upper Three Heavens capable of curing such stubborn and difficult ailments were elusive and rarely seen day to day, which was why it had dragged on all this time.
"B-But."
"But he also possesses a Holy Flame within his body. The moment he gets close to me, the Holy Flame inside me will erupt with an aura of extreme dread, I'm worried..."
Yaoling's delicate brows furrowed, feeling some fear toward the mutual suppression between Holy Flames. Because the devouring of the Holy Flame within her body was not quite complete, once the Holy Flames stirred, she would inevitably suffer terrifying torment that pierced straight to her heart.
"Rest assured, this is the Yaochi Fairyland."
Although Immortal Envoy Yaozhu was worried, weighed against the alternatives, she had no choice but to speak. The hidden affliction plaguing Yaoling had lasted far too long, and both her strength and foundation had suffered too many restrictions as a result. If it could not be eradicated soon, it would likely affect this girl's future.
"..."
Xiao Yan watched the two of them calmly chatting away in the scene as if no one else was around, unable to help feeling his head covered in black lines, yet he could also glean some hidden agenda from their conversation.
The overall strength of the Yaochi Fairyland was indeed formidable. Even if Xiao Yan had the heart to snatch this flame, he would probably be unable to retreat unscathed.
Even with the manifold powers of the ruler and the God-Killing Ruler helping him!
Naturally, a mere Holy Flame ranked outside the top twenty was not enough to make Xiao Yan go to such great lengths.
"Ahem... Precious though the Holy Flame of the Yaochi Fairyland may be, I at least possess a Holy Flame myself. If Fairy Yaochi hadn't rashly brought me here, I probably..."
Xiao Yan still decided to offer an explanation. After all, the Yaochi Fairyland could be considered a rare righteous force; even if they could not forge a friendship, there was no need to make enemies.
"Mm."
Hearing these words from Xiao Yan, the two finally exchanged a glance, and abruptly, a series of rich, colorful qi auras drifted out through the entire hall.
As this serene aura emerged, the numerous forces within Xiao Yan's body grew close to calm.
"Whoosh, whoosh."
A trace of stubbornness suddenly flashed in Yaoling's eyes, and then her slender hand tugged at her long dress. Gritting her white teeth, she actually peeled back the hem of her garment slightly, exposing a corner of her back to the air.
"Sizzling!"
Xiao Yan fixed his gaze, and his pupils abruptly constricted, as though he were witnessing some extremely shocking scene.
In the hall, aided by the glow of fluorescence, Yaoling's long dress was pulled back slightly at the back, revealing an extremely ghastly hole.
Inside the Black Aperture, it was as though a pool of extremely viscous venom resided there. Although it was only the size of a fist, it clung stubbornly to a spot one inch below her fragrant shoulder like a parasitic beast.
Yaoling's skin was naturally formed, charming as flawless, unblemished jade, yet that fist-sized Black Aperture evoked a profound sense of unease, as though some fatal power existed within it.
"This was burned by the Pure Spirit Immortal Flame, and aggravated by her mind being consumed with anger when she devoured the Holy Flame."
"Inside the hole exists an evil, baleful demon shadow. Although that fellow's strength is merely at the peak of the Second Reincarnation Stage, its nature is cunning, leaving even the likes of us helpless."
"Because the moment we make a forced move, it will likely provoke this fellow into dragging us down together... But after all these years, Yaoling's foundation and the rest have been nibbled away bit by bit by it. If it isn't resolved, I'm afraid..."
Immortal Envoy Yaozhu spoke earnestly, her gaze filled with an expression of extreme worry.
"It's actually this tricky."
Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, raising his palm bathed in a faint trace of Glazed Flame, and gently touched toward the Black Aperture beneath the fragrant shoulder.
"Hmph~"
Yaoling clearly had never experienced such an intimate moment. The instant Xiao Yan drew close without even touching her body yet, her figure instinctively shrank back in apparent fear.
"Don't be afraid, I'm merely confirming this fellow's exact strength and current basic condition."
Xiao Yan reached out to support the retreating Yaoling, his expression solemn. Clearly, at this moment, a doctor held the heart of a parent, and there was no time to consider other factors.
"Buzz, hum, hum!"
Hearing Xiao Yan speak, Yaoling finally forced herself to suppress the turbulence within her body. Yet with the physical contact with Xiao Yan, her heart-which always wore an expression of cold indifference-actually emitted bursts of powerful beats.
"Gulp." With a sound, Xiao Yan's palm swept past the Black Aperture with the speed of thunder. The instant it happened, all the forces within his body surged simultaneously, and a breath later, he withdrew his hand, nodded slightly at Yaoling, and pulled her skin back up, covering it with her long dress.
"How is the situation?"
Seeing that Xiao Yan had acted with such decorum, Immortal Envoy Yaozhu could not spare praise and anxiously asked.
"The situation is not optimistic... However, if Senior can take me to the Holy Flame grounds, I have better than a fifty percent chance."
Xiao Yan's gaze was filled with a firm resolve as he spoke eloquently.
"I hope so."
"If the sequelae can be banished, Domain Master Xiao will forever be the everlasting ally of our Yaochi Fairyland."
Yaozhu likewise nodded and spoke.
"Saying this now... is still too early."
"Right, Senior, the medicinal herbs needed to cure this hidden affliction..."
The next moment, Xiao Yan seemed to remember something, assuming a sheepish expression.
"Heh heh, Domain Master Xiao can rest assured about this. The Yaochi Fairyland is vast and rich in resources; whatever precious medicinal herbs Your Excellency requires, just name them."
Immortal Envoy Yaozhu smiled, a faint trace of pride unexpectedly evident in her speech.
"These, these... and this kind of herb as well."
"That should be about it."
Xiao Yan circulated the energy within his body, waving his hand casually, and actually gathered them in the void of the hall into a glazed-colored flame scroll, upon which were inscribed some obscure and difficult-to-comprehend medicinal herbs.
Given the preciousness of those items, had they been placed in the outside world, they would likely have been unfindable heavenly treasures. But placed within a power like the Yaochi Fairyland, they were merely some accumulated heritage of many years.
"..."
Yaoling tidied her appearance, casting a somewhat complicated look at Xiao Yan, yet she did not speak out.
She merely muttered in her heart, using a tone only she herself could hear: Hmph... To think you actually dared to extort Sister Yaozhu, if you fail, you're going to pay for it!
Before you continue