The Birth of the Flame Alliance

Seeing the Nether Snake King and the Deadly Mad Bird make their positions clear,

Xiao Yan was ecstatic. This is in the bag!

Forcibly suppressing his delight, he remained perfectly composed on the surface and said without betraying his feelings:

"All right, since we've formed an alliance, let's give it a good name. How about the Flame Alliance?"

The Deadly Mad Bird and the Nether Snake King exchanged a glance, then both nodded in agreement with Xiao Yan's proposal.

Neither of them was good at naming things, and neither had any ideas. As long as Xiao Yan was satisfied, that was enough.

When no one spoke up in objection, Xiao Yan settled the matter with a single stroke. "Then it's decided."

He paused, then continued:

"Your tasks from now on are simple: keep gathering the Magical Beast Mountain Range's resources, expand your territory, and strengthen the Flame Alliance."

"As for the benefits... there are plenty!"

"I'll award pills at my discretion based on each of your performances."

"You'll have a chance to obtain everything from first-tier to seventh-tier pills, including Lightning Tribulation Pills. I won't go back on my word!"

"Besides that, you'll still be free. You can take your people and leave the Flame Alliance at any time. I won't force you to stay."

Having lived two lives, Xiao Yan had naturally become an old hand who knew how to win the hearts of beasts.

The Lightning Tribulation Pill was a pill without a fixed tier.

It was a divine pill refined by an alchemist of profound cultivation, who captured lightning and concentrated it with the aid of many precious medicinal ingredients.

After taking this pill, one could directly raise one's Dou Qi cultivation.

The higher the tier of the lightning, the higher the tier of the pill.

It was at least seventh-tier, and at most a Ninth-Tier Mysterious Pill.

Moreover, each tier could be taken once.

For cultivators,

pills that could raise Dou Qi cultivation, heal hidden ailments, and prolong life were the most tempting.

Hearing Xiao Yan's promise, their eyes lit up. Greedy looks appeared on their faces as they cried out excitedly:

"Rest assured, Alliance Leader! As long as the pills are provided, I'll attack the Misty Cloud Sect tonight and vent your anger for you!"

The Deadly Mad Bird shouted, its tone firm and full of a fearless spirit of devotion.

The Nether Snake King turned its head and gave the other a disdainful look, but said nothing.

It simply stared at Xiao Yan, a hint of anticipation showing in its deep eyes.

Xiao Yan looked not even twenty, yet he had already become a Dou Zong expert and a seventh-tier alchemist.

Given more time to develop, it might not be impossible for him to reach Dou Zun and become an eighth-tier alchemist.

When that time came, if it obtained a Seventh-Tier Lightning Tribulation Pill and an Eighth-Tier Lightning Tribulation Pill through the Flame Alliance's help,

then perhaps... breaking through to Dou Zun would no longer be a fantasy.

In that case, Xiao Yan would be even more valuable to it.

I have to hold on tight to this relationship.

With that thought, the Nether Snake King threw back its head and let out a long howl.

The sound waves traveled into the distance, cracking the surrounding mountain peaks, shaking the dense forest, and blasting columns of water from the lakes.

The next moment, twenty streaks of light shot into the sky in an instant, appearing together in midair. They respectfully saluted the Nether Snake King and said:

"Greetings, Your Majesty!"

These were the elite Magical Beasts under the Nether Snake King's command.

Every one of them had reached the Dou Wang level or an even higher realm.

The Magical Beast at their head had even reached the level of a Five-Star Dou Emperor.

"Did you all hear what the Alliance Leader just said?"

The Nether Snake King spoke calmly, radiating majesty.

Its voice echoed between heaven and earth, and its presence alone distorted the surrounding space.

Feeling that intense pressure, the twenty Magical Beasts and the Deadly Mad Bird beside them all looked shaken, suppressed until they could hardly breathe.

"We are ready to follow the Alliance Leader into battle whenever he commands!"

The Magical Beasts spoke in unison, prostrating themselves in the air at the young man's feet to show their submission and reverence.

Xiao Yan watched the scene quietly, but instead began considering his next move.

Now that the Flame Alliance had been established and its forces were steadily growing, matters in the Magical Beast Mountain Range had reached a stopping point.

According to Yao Lao's plan, the next destination was the Tagor Desert.

Hai Bodong, the second Demonic Flame Remnant Map, his eldest and second brothers, Qing Lin, Medusa, the Green Lotus Core Flame...

There were still many people and matters waiting for him to deal with!

Before that, however, he would pass through Black Rock City. He could stop there to obtain an alchemist qualification, which would make his later actions more convenient.

Once he had made up his mind, Xiao Yan acted. He was not one to drag his feet, and immediately instructed the two beasts beside him:

"I'll be leaving the Magical Beast Mountain Range for a while. I hope you can take good care of the Little Lion King. Besides that..."

Xiao Yan paused, then looked at the Nether Snake King.

"I'd like to take a few Fifth-Order Magical Beasts with me to handle some business. It may be a long time before they return, so I hope you'll understand."

The Nether Snake King did not refuse. It could only wish for an opportunity to win the Alliance Leader's favor!

It immediately nodded. "No problem. Please, help yourself, Alliance Leader!"

The Deadly Mad Bird, meanwhile, was so anxious it nearly cried. It hurried over to recommend its own Dou Wang experts and quickly said:

"Please wait, Alliance Leader! I also have quite a few Fifth-Order Magical Beasts under me, and they're not weak. Please give them some consideration."

Xiao Yan thought it over carefully.

His reason for taking these Magical Beasts with him was simple.

He only wanted them to protect Xiao Ding and Xiao Li of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, as well as the members of the Xiao Clan. That was all.

Thinking of it that way, a few Fifth-Order Magical Beasts did not seem enough. He needed at least ten before he could feel assured.

With that in mind, Xiao Yan smiled and agreed. "That's thoughtful of you. Let's do that!"

The Deadly Mad Bird looked delighted. "Thank you for granting my request, Alliance Leader. All of you, come out!"

With that command, it began circling in the air, a howling gale whipping from the edges of its wings.

At its summons, thirteen enormous wild beasts soon spread their Dou Qi Wings and rose into the sky one after another, gathering around the young man.

Demonic Spirit White Deer, Nine Heavens Mysterious Ape, Xuanji Heavenly Bird, Flying-Winged Heavenly Tiger...

Every one of these giant beasts was at least a Five-Star Dou Wang.

The strongest had even reached the Half-Step Dou Emperor realm.

"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony."

Xiao Yan rubbed his hands together and grinned.

He then stepped through the air to the subordinates of the Nether Snake King and the Deadly Mad Bird and began choosing carefully.

Before long, he had assembled ten Dou Wang exotic beasts.

The Demonic Spirit White Deer was a dark-attribute Magical Beast capable of casting bizarre illusions that trapped enemies in their own imaginations, making escape difficult.

The Bloodthirsty Black Snake was a poison-attribute Magical Beast descended from the Ancient Heavenly Snake. A wisp of the Heavenly Snake's true blood flowed within it, and once activated, its strength was not to be underestimated either.

The Extreme Cold Ice Tiger was an ice-attribute Magical Beast whose entire body was covered in ice. Its mastery of a single element had reached the pinnacle: it could transform the ice into various weapons and armor and use them to fight simultaneously, making it a troublesome opponent at the same level.

Besides them, there were seven powerful Magical Beasts with different abilities: the Blazing Flame Horse Beast, Purple Lightning Black Elephant, Shadow Phoenix, Golden Demon Illusion Deer, Spectral Night Tiger, Crimson Feather Bird, and Wind Blade Wolf.

"Good. You're the ones. Come with me!"

Xiao Yan floated onto the Crimson Feather Bird's back and lay down among its soft feathers, closing his eyes in comfort.

Then he snapped his fingers and used his soul power to send out ten streaks of light, each landing on one of the Magical Beasts' foreheads.

The information carried by that soul power was the route to be taken through Black Rock City and the Tagor Desert.

After receiving the information directly, the Magical Beasts wore solemn expressions and exchanged a few words.

Once they had confirmed the locations, they spread their Dou Qi Wings and flew off in streaks of light, heading straight for Black Rock City.

The Magical Beasts flew extremely fast. In the time it took Xiao Yan to turn over,

the scenery below had completely changed from the primordial mountains to a city where humans lived.

They skimmed past the clouds and crossed mountain ranges. The scenery around the amethyst cave grew ever more indistinct, and even the figures of the Deadly Mad Bird and the Nether Snake King gradually became black specks.

Before long, the Magical Beasts stopped in midair, and Black Rock City came into view. Xiao Yan could not help laughing to himself:

I didn't expect that when I returned, this would be how we met again. Master Frank, Master Otto, it looks like I'm going to become famous throughout the empire in this life too.