Deep within Serene Water Snake Valley, the lights of a waterside pavilion flickered to life.
The pavilion stood beside a frigid pool. Snake-People Tribe guards patrolled outside, while vast patches of medicinal herbs grew within. The poison formation Xiao Yi Xian had personally arranged lay hidden among the flowers. Anyone unfamiliar with the path who took a single wrong step would be silently trapped within poisonous mist.
Yet tonight, the valley was unusually lively.
Qing Lin had people prepare medicinal dishes and spirit fruits. She also secretly brought out several high-grade medicinal fruits she had treasured for a long time and placed them before Zi Yan.
Zi Yan glanced at her.
"For me?"
Qing Lin nodded.
"My sisters always said I was bad at hiding things. But I hid these for a very long time."
Zi Yan picked up one of the medicinal fruits and took a bite, her eyes lighting up slightly.
"Not bad."
Qing Lin immediately beamed with delight.
Xiao Fan sat beneath the veranda while Xiao Yi Xian took his pulse.
Medusa sat opposite him, holding a cup of pale green spirit wine. Her gaze rested on the faintly visible Gold Lightning markings around Xiao Fan's wrist.
"A Nine-Star Dou Zun."
Her tone was calm, but it carried a trace of scrutiny.
"It has only been a few days, and you've already put yourself through this again."
Xiao Yi Xian's fingers rested on Xiao Fan's pulse as her brows furrowed slightly.
"Your meridians are much stronger than before, but there are quite a few tears."
"Your energy sea is stable, but there is lingering Gold Lightning within it."
She raised her eyes to Xiao Fan. Her voice remained gentle, yet for some reason, it made him unable to argue.
"This was no ordinary breakthrough."
Before Xiao Fan