After the events of last time, peace returned to the valley.
However, after Xiao Yan persuaded her, Xiao Yi Xian took poison to cultivate far less frequently.
Xiao Yan promised her that he would resolve the hidden danger within her body in five years.
Even Yao Lao shook his head at that, saying he had overreached.
How could the hidden danger of the Woeful Poison Body be so easy to resolve?
Naturally, Yao Lao had no idea that Xiao Yan already knew the answer and was simply filling in the steps. Once his strength rose, everything else would be manageable.
Another half month of uneventful days passed just like that.
After refining and absorbing every last Energy-Gathering Pill, Xiao Yan broke through to the sixty-second stage of Dou Qi.
The commotion inside his body during the breakthrough even startled Xiao Yi Xian.
She said that the instant he broke through, she seemed to hear the roar of surging rivers within his body, vast and mighty.
Besides that, she even saw a faint red glow rising above his head.
Even Yao Lao could not explain this phenomenon, though he was certain it had something to do with Xiao Yan's formidable physique.
He seemed to have embarked on a path no one had ever explored.
Xiao Yan sensed something himself as well. His body seemed to have become purer, and his bones had grown even harder.
After this little episode, the Amethyst Winged Lion King finally arrived one day with the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King, finding Little Mountain Valley through his connection to the Purple Spirit Crystal.
Clearly, the Amethyst Winged Lion King had gathered the remaining magic cores.
Xiao Yi Xian was initially startled by the Lion King's enormous body, but after Xiao Yan explained things, she quickly adjusted.
She even got along quite well with the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King.
Still, however Xiao Yan looked at it, he felt that Xiao Yi Xian was treating the Little Amethyst Winged Lion King the same way she would a pet dog.
The Amethyst Winged Lion King surveyed the valley and said in surprise, "The natural energy here is so dense. But why does this place remind me a little of the legendary Land of Omen?"
"The Land of Omen?"
Curiosity filled Xiao Yan's face.
This had never appeared in the original story.
"The Land of Omen is what we magical beasts call it. I only learned a little about it from my ancestors."
Xiao Yan's curiosity was immediately piqued. "Tell me about it."
Since Xiao Yan was his employer, the Amethyst Winged Lion King had no intention of holding anything back and promptly told him a story.
"Long ago, the Magical Beast Mountain Range covered far more territory than it does now.
"And back then, there were countless powerful magical beast kings in the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Even eighth-rank magical beasts at the Dou Zun level dared not claim they could dominate the entire range.
"But one day, an earth dragon rolled, exposing an underground grotto for all to see.
"It was a treasure land overflowing with natural energy. Legend has it that countless heavenly treasures grew inside, tempting even those eighth-rank magical beast kings at the Dou Zun level.
"Because of this, the entire Magical Beast Mountain Range descended into chaos. Countless mighty magical beasts gathered, fighting until the sky and earth went dark and blood flowed in rivers. They say even legendary Dou Sheng appeared.
"No one knows who ultimately won. But after that battle, nearly half the Magical Beast Mountain Range was destroyed, and that blessed land became the legendary Land of Omen, burying who knows how many magical beast corpses.
"As times changed, the Land of Omen gradually vanished into the river of history. Only a few of the once-powerful races of the Magical Beast Mountain Range retained any records of it.
"As it happens, our Amethyst Winged Lion race is one of them. Our race once produced an eighth-rank magical beast."
The Amethyst Winged Lion King spoke with a proud expression, taking pride in his ancestors.
Xiao Yan sank into thought. Little Mountain Valley had played only a small part in the original story, yet its abundant natural energy and wealth of rare medicinal herbs had always been a mystery.
Now that he had heard the Amethyst Winged Lion King's account, this place really did bear some resemblance to the Land of Omen he described.
The only problem was that, although Little Mountain Valley had abundant energy, it was nowhere near enough to make magical beasts at the Dou Zun and Dou Sheng levels fight over it.
Still, it piqued Xiao Yan's interest and reminded him of a theory that had gained popularity online in his previous life.
The Myriad Beast Spirit Flame existed within the Magical Beast Mountain Range!
What was the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame?
It ranked twenty-second on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. Rumor had it that its birth was closely linked to magical beasts: it condensed from myriad beast souls and the myriad beast bloodline, or else was born amid the remains of thousands upon thousands of magical beasts.
Thus, Xiao Yan had reason to suspect that, if the Land of Omen described by the Amethyst Winged Lion King truly existed, a Myriad Beast Spirit Flame might have been born where so many powerful magical beasts had fallen.
The Myriad Beast Spirit Flame's effects were unknown, and it ranked very low on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, but it was still a heavenly flame. Naturally, Xiao Yan could not let it slip away so easily.
When he shared his deductions with Yao Lao, Yao Lao grew serious as well.
"You're saying that, if this little valley and the basin outside it are the legendary Land of Omen of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, then a Myriad Beast Spirit Flame might have been born here?
"Impossible. If a Myriad Beast Spirit Flame existed in this area, my soul perception would have detected it long ago."
After pondering for a while, Yao Lao shook his head.
Xiao Yan's brows furrowed slightly at this. "Teacher, since there are no traces of the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame in this area, could it be hidden underground?
"Somewhere like an underground mine or the heart of the mountain range?
"Otherwise, there has to be a reason why this little valley's natural energy is so different from the outside world, right?"
After hearing Xiao Yan's analysis, Yao Lao thought it over. "You do have a point. We can investigate. If you really find the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame, you'll have struck it rich."
"All right, then let's search. We'll turn this whole valley upside down!" Brimming with drive, Xiao Yan exchanged a few brief words with the Amethyst Winged Lion King, then immediately began searching one place after another.
The Amethyst Winged Lion King looked curious, having no idea what Xiao Yan was doing.
"Nothing!"
"Nothing!"
"Nothing here either!"
Two full days passed. Just as Xiao Yan was about to give up, Yao Lao's slightly excited voice suddenly rang out.
"Little Yanzi, something seems off beneath this area. I suspect it might be hollow down there. Try digging downward while I probe further."
Xiao Yan's eyes lit up at Yao Lao's words.
Could there really be a chance?
After barely a dozen minutes of digging, Yao Lao's excited voice rang out again.
"Little Yanzi, there really are fluctuations from a heavenly flame down there. You might have struck it rich!"
"There really is one!"
"Hahahaha!"
Xiao Yan let out a long laugh and called over both the Amethyst Winged Lion King and his son, along with Xiao Yi Xian. The two humans and two beasts got to work together.
Xiao Yi Xian did not know what a heavenly flame meant, but the Amethyst Winged Lion King did.
He asked curiously, "There's really a heavenly flame down there?"
"Almost certainly!" Xiao Yan nodded.
"The soul entity inside your body must have told you that. Otherwise, your own soul strength shouldn't be enough to sense such things."
Xiao Yan was not at all surprised that the Amethyst Winged Lion King had guessed Yao Lao's existence.
After all, being a magical beast did not mean he was stupid.
Still, Xiao Yan was not worried in the slightest that the Amethyst Winged Lion King might harbor other intentions.
First, the Amethyst Winged Lion King had no confidence that he could stop Xiao Yan from leaving.
Second, Xiao Yan possessed something he needed.
Third, Xiao Yan had limitless potential. Befriending him meant seizing hold of the future.
Those three points were enough to make the Amethyst Winged Lion King carry out Xiao Yan's instructions wholeheartedly, provided his own life was not threatened.
Bang!
Just then, a massive rock in front of Xiao Yan suddenly shattered, revealing a tunnel that sloped downward like a natural mine shaft.
At a glance, the tunnel was narrow at the front and broad farther in. Blood-red crystals studded the surrounding stone walls, their shimmering glow lending the cavern a hazy air.
Besides that, a wave of heat rushed out of the mine tunnel, instantly raising the surrounding temperature considerably.
"Looks like the heavenly flame is inside. Come on, let's go down and find out!"
Before you continue