Yunlan Sect.
"Teacher, I've absorbed all the purple spirit crystals and broken through to a Nine-Star Battle Master!"
Nalan Yanran joyfully came to Yun Yun's room to share her happiness.
"Is that so? That's good then. It wasn't in vain that I painstakingly helped you get the purple spirit crystals from the Amethyst Winged Lion King." Yun Yun forced a smile.
Whether it was a misconception or not, Nalan Yanran always felt that her teacher had changed somewhat after returning from the Magical Beast Mountain Range.
She seemed preoccupied all day long.
"Teacher, is something on your mind?" Nalan Yanran asked curiously.
She had never seen Yun Yun like this before.
"No, why do you ask?"
"I feel like you've changed since you returned from the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Did you get injured fighting the Amethyst Winged Lion King, leaving behind sequelae?" Nalan Yanran was a little anxious.
If Yun Yun had truly been injured and suffered sequelae just to help her obtain the purple spirit crystals, Nalan Yanran would feel very guilty.
"No, my injuries have long since healed, you don't need to worry." Yun Yun showed a reassuring smile.
"Alright, you should hurry up and cultivate. Although you've broken through to a Nine-Star Battle Master, you can't be complacent; you must continue to work hard."
"I'm already working very hard, okay? No one in the sect can compare to me anymore." Nalan Yanran mumbled softly.
"You are the Young Sect Master of our Yunlan Sect, the future successor. You must compare yourself to yourself, not to others, understand?" Yun Yun lectured earnestly.
"Oh~"
Nalan Yanran drew out the end of her words and left unhappily.
Watching her leave, Yun Yun sighed softly, sat on the bed, hugged her knees, her bare jade feet stretching out, her eyes lost in thought.
Nalan Yanran was actually right; Yun Yun did have something on her mind now.
Ever since returning from the Magical Beast Mountain Range, the image of a certain man had constantly appeared in her mind.
The man who had taken her body.
"I wonder where that little fellow is now, and how he's doing…"
At that time, she had been very resistant to Xiao Li, thinking that once she returned to the Yunlan Sect, she would completely cut ties with Xiao Li and pretend nothing had happened.
But the reality was not like that.
Now, she thought about what had happened in the Magical Beast Mountain Range every day.
Those events kept replaying in her mind.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
"Sect Master Yun Yun, it's Gu He. I have something to discuss with you. May I come in?"
A gentle voice sounded from outside.
Pill King Gu He, the number one Alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire, and an elder guest of the Yunlan Sect.
"I'm here, please wait a moment."
Yun Yun quickly composed herself, tidied her clothes, put on her shoes, making sure her attire and etiquette were not too informal, and then got up to open the door.
Outside, Gu He, dressed in an Alchemist robe, was waiting patiently.
"Elder Gu He, is there something you need?"
Looking at the beautiful woman before him, Gu He smiled warmly and said, "Sect Master Yun Yun, I have something I'd like to ask for your help with."
"Recently, I learned about the whereabouts of a Heavenly Flame, but its location is in the Tagor Desert, in the territory of the Snake-People Tribe. Therefore, I would like to ask Sect Master Yun Yun to accompany me to the Snake-People Tribe."
"Of course, the compensation will be generous."
"A Heavenly Flame?" Yun Yun certainly knew what a Heavenly Flame meant to an Alchemist.
Moreover, Gu He was also an elder of the Yunlan Sect. If his alchemy skills could be improved, it would also be of great benefit to the Yunlan Sect.
"I've already found several helpers, such as Yan Shi and Feng Li, but the Snake-People Tribe has Queen Medusa after all, so a Dou Emperor powerhouse needs to accompany us to ensure the success rate of the operation." Gu He added.
"Alright, when do we depart?" Yun Yun agreed.
Coincidentally, she also wanted to take this opportunity to go out and clear her head.
"Tomorrow."
"Good."
...Jia Ma Empire, Tagor Desert region.
"Pah, pah! What kind of hellish place is this? It's scorching hot."
Under the blazing sun, a man in a black robe spat several times before finally spitting out the sand in his mouth.
In the harsh environment, even the blowing wind was hot, offering no comfort at all.
"Audacious rogue, where do you think you're running?!"
Just as Xiao Li was complaining about the surroundings, a delicate shout came, followed by a graceful figure shooting towards him, striking viciously, without the slightest mercy.
"Damn it, she can chase this far?!"
Xiao Li quickly brandished the long spear in his hand, thrusting it out rapidly towards the incoming Dou Qi.
Bang!
The powerful force pushed him back several meters, making his arm throb faintly.
"Such strong power… worthy of a Dou King."
The figure quickly arrived in front of Xiao Li. It was a Snake-People woman, with a beautiful and enchanting face, a graceful figure, and a charming snake tail for her lower body, possessing a unique allure.
The leader of the Snake-People Tribe, Yue Mei!
"Human, you're quite good at running, but no matter how much you run, you can't escape my grasp." Yue Mei said with a stern expression.
"Tsk, why so much resentment? Didn't I just happen to stumble upon you bathing? Didn't I just happen to see your naked body? What's there to be so angry about? At most, I'll let you look back?" Xiao Li said.
He just got lost in the desert, accidentally trespassed into the Snake-People Tribe's territory, then accidentally caught Yue Mei bathing, and then he accidentally saw all of Yue Mei's body, that's all.
Was it necessary to be so furious and chase him all the way here?
He remembered that the customs of the Snake-People Tribe were quite open, weren't they?
Xiao Li's words made Yue Mei even angrier, and she said coldly, "If I let a mere Three-Star Dou Spirit like you escape from my hands, wouldn't I lose a lot of face?"
"If you don't say anything, and I don't say anything, then no one will know, right?" Xiao Li said with a serious face.
"Slick-tongued, die!"
Yue Mei raised her palm and attacked Xiao Li again, her offensive fierce.
"Is she really going all out?"
Yue Mei was a Five-Star Dou King, very powerful. Both her attack and speed far surpassed Xiao Li, who only had the cultivation of a Dou Spirit.
Seeing that she was serious, Xiao Li didn't dare to be negligent. Bright electric arcs suddenly flashed under his feet.
"Divine Lightning Shattering Star Steps!"
His speed suddenly soared, flashing through the air like lightning, leaving behind a trail of brilliant starlight, making Yue Mei's attacks completely unable to catch him.
"Such fast speed." Yue Mei was surprised, then formed hand seals with both hands.
"Snake Skill: Falling Bloom!"
Dozens of Dou Qi streaks shot towards Xiao Li from all directions.
Xiao Li remained calm, brandishing the long spear in his hand, drawing a lightning arc in the air.
"Thunder Tyrant Spear!"
Boom!!!
Wherever the long spear passed, all attacks were shattered by his single thrust.
Afterward, he decisively took the initiative to attack, a turquoise flame igniting on the tip of his spear.
"Heavenly Flame Divine Spear!"