As for Xiao Yan himself?
He had made some modest gains over the past month as well.
He had either ventured deep into the mountain range to hunt third- or fourth-tier magical beasts and test his strength, or immersed himself in alchemy.
By the end of the month, his success rate in refining fifth-grade pills had increased by at least thirty percent.
Besides that, he had obtained three Third-Tier Magic Cores and two Fourth-Tier Magic Cores.
Using the resources in the Little Mountain Valley, Xiao Yan had successfully refined three Fourth-Tier Energy-Gathering Pills.
As for the Fifth-Grade Energy-Gathering Pill?
The medicinal ingredients in the Little Mountain Valley were only enough to refine one, so Xiao Yan had tried his hand at it.
Although he had succeeded, its quality was hardly worth mentioning, falling far short of Yao Lao's work.
With these four pills, Xiao Yan's strength had surged through another six stages of Dou Qi, smoothly reaching the seventy-sixth stage.
Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian stood on Little Lan's back, watching the Little Mountain Valley gradually shrink below them. A trace of reluctance lingered in her eyes.
Their month in the Little Mountain Valley had been brief, but she had loved that life.
Xiao Yan slipped an arm around Xiao Yi Xian's slender waist and comforted her with a smile. "We'll come back someday."
"Mhm!"
A faint smile appeared on Xiao Yi Xian's pretty face as she softly answered him.
Beside Little Lan, the Amethyst Winged Lion King muttered, "Humans are such a nuisance. Not like me. When I say I'm leaving, I leave, without a shred of attachment."
Despite those words, the Lion King still couldn't help asking again.
"Hey, Xiao Yan, are you sure you packed all that magical beast blood essence? Don't leave any behind in the Little Mountain Valley."
Xiao Yan gave the Amethyst Winged Lion King a speechless look. "Lion King, that's the fourth time you've asked."
The Amethyst Winged Lion King chuckled sheepishly and said no more.
The odd group of two humans and three beasts soon left the Little Mountain Valley far behind, racing toward the Tagor Desert.
Ever since Little Lan had gained Xiao Yan as a male master, life had taken a turn for the better.
There were pills to enjoy, high-tier magical beast blood essence to refine, and even a round of body tempering with Heavenly Flames.
Now, Little Lan had not only become a peak second-tier magical beast, but had also undergone an ancestral bloodline reversion, awakening the Azure Sea Green Eagle bloodline.
This was another top-tier magical beast bloodline, one particularly renowned for speed.
Just after Xiao Yan's group departed.
A slender woman in a plain dress, her bearing poised and dignified, appeared in the sky above the Amethyst Winged Lion King's cave.
Had Xiao Yan been there, he would have recognized her at a glance.
This slender, dignified woman in a plain dress was none other than the Misty Cloud Sect Master, Yun Yun.
Yun Yun's delicate brows furrowed slightly. She had come to trade with the Amethyst Winged Lion King for Purple Spirit Crystal.
She had little choice. The Three-Year Agreement drew ever closer, yet the gap between Nalan Yanran's and Xiao Yan's strength only continued to widen.
As Nalan Yanran's master, Yun Yun found this quite a headache. She could only ask Gu He to refine some pills to improve Nalan Yanran's strength.
But the principal ingredient for one of those pills was Purple Spirit Crystal.
That was why Yun Yun had traveled all the way from the Imperial Capital to the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
To her surprise, she hadn't caught so much as a glimpse of the Amethyst Winged Lion King.
With no other option, Yun Yun returned to the Misty Cloud Sect.
Several days later!
Xiao Yan reached the first stop on his journey.
Mo City!
He had come for nothing other than the fragment map of the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame, while also taking the opportunity to meet the famous angel investor from the original story, Hai Bodong.
Yet before Xiao Yan's group even entered Mo City, they had already caused an enormous stir outside its walls.
Countless eyes were drawn to the Amethyst Winged Lion King's massive body.
Although greater size did not necessarily mean greater strength in the Beast Realm, the aura emanating from the Amethyst Winged Lion King clearly belonged to no ordinary magical beast.
Some well-informed passersby recognized the Amethyst Winged Lion King, their faces filling with shock.
The Amethyst Winged Lion King?
Shouldn't the Lion King be in the Magical Beast Mountain Range? What was the Lion King doing in this remote little city?
Wasn't the Magical Beast Mountain Range thousands of miles away, for fuck's sake?
What wind had blown the Lion King all the way here?
Seeing this, Xiao Yan nodded, his expression composed.
"Let's go. We're heading into the city!"
Had this been the Imperial Capital, he might have kept a slightly lower profile, but this was merely a small border city.
Wherever Xiao Yan's group passed, every pedestrian gave them ample space, averted their eyes, and fell silent without prompting. Even those farther away only dared to discuss them in hushed voices.
Xiao Yan felt not the slightest discomfort at this.
Wasn't it perfectly natural for ordinary people to stand in awe of the strong?
Soon, Xiao Yan's group arrived outside an inconspicuous map shop.
At almost the same moment, inside the cramped shop.
An elderly man with a head full of white hair stood behind the counter drawing a map. His arm, which held the brush firmly, suddenly stiffened.
He raised his head slightly and immediately saw an enormous figure standing in the shop's doorway.
At that instant, Hai Bodong wanted to let out a fucking curse.
What inconsiderate bastard brought the Amethyst Winged Lion King to Mo City?
Fine, come if you want, but why block an old man's doorway?
Even at his peak, Hai Bodong would have found the Amethyst Winged Lion King exceedingly difficult to handle.
Let alone now, when he only possessed the strength of a Dou Ling.
Hai Bodong didn't even dare breathe heavily, afraid the Amethyst Winged Lion King might suddenly take a dislike to him, rush inside, and swipe a claw at him.
Just then, Hai Bodong saw a gallant-looking youth in fitted black clothing standing in front of the Amethyst Winged Lion King, smiling at him.
With a single glance, Hai Bodong cracked the case!
This brat was that inconsiderate bastard.
Yet Hai Bodong didn't dare give the brat so much as a harsh look.
He could only return Xiao Yan's smile with one that was stiff and awkward, yet still polite.
"Wait here a moment. I'll go in and buy a map."
Xiao Yan turned his head and spoke to Xiao Yi Xian and the Amethyst Winged Lion King.
Then he entered the shop.
As Xiao Yan drew closer, a trace of nervousness appeared on Hai Bodong's face despite his best efforts to remain calm.
Because this youth before him-
He couldn't see through him!
To be able to command the Amethyst Winged Lion King, could this youth be some old monster who had mastered the art of preserving his youthful appearance?
Hai Bodong wondered privately.
By then, Xiao Yan's gaze had already landed on a tattered map lying on a counter in the corner.
The moment he saw the tattered map, an almost imperceptible smile tugged at his lips, and he strode toward it.
"It's actually the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Fragment Map. What a pity half of it is missing!"
The instant Xiao Yan picked up the fragment map, Yao Lao's voice rang out in his mind.
His voice was filled with regret.
"Teacher, that may not be the case. Look at this old gentleman. He's clearly an expert mapmaker. Do you think...
"Could he have the other half of the map as well?"
Xiao Yan merely smiled faintly. He knew the original story, after all!
Yao Lao paused in surprise.
"That's certainly possible."
"Moreover, there's a sealed power within his body. His background is probably far from simple."
Holding the fragment map, Xiao Yan walked up to Hai Bodong with a strange smile.
"Sir, you should have the other half of this fragment map, shouldn't you?"
"How about we make a deal?"
Before you continue