I and countless versions of myself simultaneously travel through time.

"I can help you evolve into a Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python."

Ye Yan's voice wasn't loud, but it was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples in Medusa's heart.

She suddenly looked up, her long, narrow purple eyes fixed on Ye Yan, her pupils trembling slightly.

She had never told anyone this secret. The core of her plan was for the Snake-People Queen to evolve into a higher-level magical beast bloodline, which was also the fundamental reason why she was willing to risk her life to seize the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame.

"How did you know?" Medusa's voice turned cold, her fingers curled slightly, and battle aura gathered in her palm.

Ye Yan smiled slightly and casually uttered two words: "Divination."

Medusa remained silent for a moment, her wariness undiminished, but she did not press further.

She was a smart woman; she knew that some secrets couldn't be asked out of her, so it was better to leave them for later investigation.

Moreover, the strength of the man before her—walking on air, a Dou Zong level existence—was enough for her to set aside her queenly airs and take him seriously.

"Someone come here." Medusa clapped her hands, and the maid outside the hall immediately bowed and entered. "Pass down the order: from this day forward, Mr. Ye Yan is the most honored guest of our Snake-People clan, and no one is to be disrespectful."

The snake-people were taken aback, but they still respectfully accepted the order.

Ye Yan knew that she was going to evolve into the Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python because he was aware of Medusa's situation.

The Serpent People have been trapped in the Tagor Desert for generations, suffering from scarce resources, a decline in their strength, and the covetous eyes of the surrounding human empires.

Although Medusa is a peak Douhuang expert, she must break through to Douzong if she wants to lead her people out of this desert.

However, humans have cultivation techniques, elixirs, and various cultivation resources. The only way for demonic beasts to break through to the Dou Zong level is through bloodline evolution, from ordinary snake-like demonic beasts to the legendary ancient beast, the Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python.

That was Medusa's last hope, and the lifeline she was willing to grasp at any cost.

"Let's go to your room to talk," Ye Yan said casually, as if he were at home.

Medusa frowned, but ultimately turned and led the way.

The two passed through the palace of the snake people and arrived at Medusa's bedchamber. The furnishings inside were simple yet luxurious, with purple gauze curtains hanging from the dome and a faint fragrance filling the air.

Ye Yan looked around and suddenly spoke up: "Do you want to break through to the Dou Zong realm? I have a better solution than bloodline evolution."

Medusa's vigilance instantly heightened. She turned around, her purple eyes flashing with a cold light: "How?"

"Dual cultivation".

He added, "As long as you cultivate with me, I can help you directly reach the first star of the Dou Zong realm. And I myself can also use this to break through to the fourth star of the Dou Zong realm."

Medusa remained silent.

She was quickly calculating in her mind.

Bloodline evolution requires devouring a strange fire, a perilous journey with a slim chance of survival; success or failure depends entirely on fate.

Dual cultivation... although it sounds absurd, if what Ye Yan said is true, then it is indeed a shortcut.

Moreover, her first impression of this man wasn't bad; he was powerful, decisive, and possessed an inexplicable confidence.

But can his character be guaranteed?

In modern times, people sell themselves to make money.

In the extraordinary world, some people are willing to sell themselves for power.

Medusa's gaze swept back and forth across Ye Yan's face, as if she were examining a less-than-satisfactory product.

Ye Yan sensed her suspicion and smiled frankly: "The secret to my continuous breakthroughs is this. Do you think I would joke about my own strength?"

This is a lie.

Medusa bit her lip, still somewhat hesitant.

Ye Yan looked her up and down, his gaze more of an assessment than an appreciation.

Medusa suddenly felt an inexplicable displeasure. Why did this guy's eyes seem to look at her with disdain?

In fact, Ye Yan's desires were indeed only for the sake of strength.

woman?

He has Yunyun.

Medusa was merely a stepping stone on his path to becoming stronger.

If a Dou Zun (a high-ranking cultivator) were willing to engage in dual cultivation, they wouldn't care about gender; strength was the only thing that mattered.

"I'll give you a day to think it over. Is this all you want to be queen? Stop dawdling." Ye Yan waved his hand and began to plunder medicinal herbs in the Snake-Man City.

Although the Serpent People are poor, they have accumulated some valuable things over thousands of years.

He laid out the medicinal herbs one by one, grade six, grade five, grade four, a dazzling array that filled the entire table.

Medusa looked at the medicinal herbs and finally made up her mind.

I promise you.

Ye Yan immediately put down the herbs in his hand, turned around, and looked at her intently.

Medusa's face flushed slightly, but she maintained her queenly demeanor and coldly said, "What are you looking at?"

"Serve me in bed," Ye Yan chuckled, his tone flippant. "Don't be nervous, relax, I'm an old hand."

Medusa's face turned even redder. She bit her lip and whispered, "I... this is my first time."

Ye Yan was slightly taken aback, then smiled: "Don't worry, I'll be gentle."

The gauze curtains hung down, and the candlelight flickered.

Her robes slipped off, revealing Medusa's skin with a soft glow in the candlelight.

Ye Yan's fingertips lightly touched her collarbone, and she trembled slightly, letting out a soft breath.

He leaned down and kissed her lips, his hand slowly sliding down her waist.

In the darkness, their figures intertwined, their fighting spirits merging with each approach, their sweat soaking the gauze curtains.

half a month later.

Ye Yan emerged from Medusa's bedchamber feeling refreshed, his Dou Qi fluctuations now stable at the fourth level of Dou Zong.

Half a month of day and night exercise allowed him to soar from the first star of Dou Zong to the fourth star. Such a speed of improvement is astonishing in the entire Dou Qi Continent.

Medusa also officially stepped from the peak of Dou Huang to the late stage of Dou Zong one star.

Unbeknownst to them, a subtle and inexplicable feeling had developed between them.

It's not love, it's more like a tacit understanding of fighting side by side.

"I need to return to my sect." Ye Yan took out a fifth-grade pill from his storage ring and handed it to Medusa. "This is for you. Cultivate well."

Medusa took the pill, sighed, and accepted it nonetheless.

She knew that Ye Yan was one of the top alchemists in the Jia Ma Empire, and that this pill was of extremely high quality, worth at least hundreds of thousands of gold coins outside.

"Don't worry, I'll take you to the Great Thousand World." Ye Yan smiled, his tone unusually serious. "But before that, I need to find a different kind of flame, the Wind Fury Dragon Flame."

Medusa nodded and watched him transform his battle aura into wings and take off into the air.

Watching the figure gradually disappear into the distance, she gripped the pill in her hand tightly and muttered to herself, "I still need to cultivate more... I can't let him leave me too far behind."

Ye Yan did not return directly to Yunlan Sect, but went to Mo City first.

Hai Bodong's residence.

Ye Yan pushed open the door and entered. Without saying a word, he nodded to Hai Bodong, indicating that he could rest assured.

Hai Bodong took a deep breath, then his nostrils twitched slightly, and his expression turned strange.

"You...you didn't actually subdue Medusa, did you?" Hai Bodong's eyes widened as he smelled the faint, unique scent of the snake-woman queen on Ye Yan's body.

Ye Yan said with a serious face, "I've never played with snakes before, but I definitely have to. It just so happens that I avenged Senior Hai Bodong, and snake gallbladders are quite interesting."

Hai Bodong was stunned for a moment, then burst out laughing in anger: "You little brat... you really dare to do anything!"

Ye Yan took out the refined Breaking Calamity Pill from his storage ring. It had been tempered with a different kind of fire, making it even better than before.

Hai Bodong took the pill and swallowed it in one gulp. A moment later, a surge of powerful battle qi erupted from his body, making him a fifth-level Dou Huang!

"Hahahaha!" Hai Bodong laughed loudly, the years of repression finally released, and the exhilarating feeling almost brought him to tears.

"Don't go back on your promise to join the Ye Alliance." Ye Yan handed him a token with a powerful "Ye" character engraved on it.

Hai Bodong accepted the token and nodded solemnly: "Rest assured, I, Hai Bodong, keep my word and will not go back on my word."

Ye Yan smiled with satisfaction, turned around and walked out of the mansion. With a light step, he shattered the void and disappeared from the spot.

Hai Bodong stood at the door, watching the disappearing figure, his pupils suddenly contracting.

Shattering the void... a fourth-level Dou Zong?!

That young man was only an eight-star Douhuang just half a month ago, but now he's already a four-star Douzong?

You dare call me "senior"?!

Hai Bodong took a deep breath, shook his head with a wry smile.

The world has truly changed.

...

Ye Yan walked on air, with the sea of ​​clouds of the Yunlan Sect surging beneath his feet.

From afar, he saw the figure in blue standing in front of the sect, his robes fluttering in the wind.

Yunyun.

She waited there, standing there for who knows how long.

When Ye Yan landed, Yun Yun frowned slightly, her eyes filled with undisguised worry.

She took a few steps forward, opened her mouth, but said nothing. Ye Yan raised his hand, gently brushed the strand of hair that was hanging by her ear, and a smile appeared on his lips.

Immediately, he flipped his palm, and a cluster of blue flames danced in his palm, warm and smooth as jade, radiating a soft yet unfathomable luster.

"The Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame?!" Yun Yun's eyes widened, the gloom on her face vanishing instantly. "Senior brother, you really got it!"

"Not only." Ye Yan's voice was very soft, and the next moment, his aura was suddenly released.

Dou Zong Four Stars.

The overwhelming aura swept out, and Yun Yun's expression changed drastically. She subconsciously took a step back.

She looked at Ye Yan, her gaze shifting from shock to envy, and then from envy to a complex mix of emotions.

How many secrets does this man still hold?

"Senior brother, how...how did you do that?" Her voice trembled slightly.

Ye Yan did not answer.

He simply looked at her, his gaze sliding from her eyebrows and eyes to her slightly pursed lips, and then to her slender waist.

The arrow is on the string, and it must be released.

His hand wrapped around her waist.

"Yun Yun".

"……Um?"

"I can't hold back anymore."

The gauze curtains hung down, and the sea of ​​clouds surged.

They tirelessly work, day and night.

They fought from the main hall to the sleeping quarters, and from the sleeping quarters to the back mountain, their fighting spirits mingling, their souls intertwining, and the world changing color.

Half a month later.

Ye Yan rose from Yun Yun's gentle embrace, feeling the surging power within him, and smiled slightly.

Five-star Dou Zong.

On the [Same Wear Panel], that row of data was particularly eye-catching.

Ye Yan sighed inwardly, realizing that the talent for dual cultivation truly had no upper limit.

Each act of intercourse is like opening a new door, with power flowing in endlessly, seemingly without end.

Yun Yun curled up in the bedding, stretched lazily, felt the fluctuations of the sixth-level Dou Zong within her body, and suddenly sighed.

"All those years of training have been for nothing... I might as well have exercised with you."

Ye Yan almost burst out laughing: "Pretty much."

Outside the hall, Yunshan had been waiting for a long time.

This former sect leader of the Yunlan Sect has now retired to the background and lives a secluded life.

But today, when he sensed Ye Yan's presence, he almost dropped the teacup in his hand.

A Dou Zong at the fifth level?!

"Little...Little Ye, what kind of monstrous cultivation speed is this?" Yun Shan's eyes widened, and his mouth twitched.

Ye Yan smiled, said nothing, and took out a token from his storage ring and handed it over.

On the token, a powerful and vigorous character "叶" (Ye) gleamed with a faint blue light.

"The Soul Palace can close the net now."

Yunshan took the token, paused for a moment, then burst into laughter: "Hahaha, good! Good! Finally, I don't have to be a lackey of the Soul Palace anymore!"

His eyes reddened as he laughed, his laughter carrying the release of years of pent-up emotions.

Over the years, in order to break through to the Dou Zong level, he secretly colluded with the Soul Palace and suffered countless humiliations.

Now, I can finally stand tall and be a person with my head held high.

Protector Wu, a level-one protector of the Soul Palace, whose real name is Wu Ying.

Several years ago, Wu Ying was ordered by the Soul Hall to secretly support the Yunlan Sect in exchange for Yun Shan's help in breaking through to the Dou Zong realm. In return, the Yunlan Sect would help the Soul Hall further control the Jia Ma Empire and even the entire Northwest.

Yunshan owed the Soul Palace a favor for this, while Wuying took the opportunity to plant spies in the Yunlan Sect to collect the souls of the powerful figures of the Jiama Empire.

This person's cultivation level is between four and six stars, and he is ruthless and vicious, leaving no room for compromise in his actions.

Now, it's time to put an end to this.

The back mountain of Yunlan Sect.

Upon receiving the secret letter from Yunshan, Protector Wu rushed over.

When he stepped into the stone chamber in the back mountain, he saw Ye Yan standing alone with his hands behind his back, his back to him.

"Where is Yunshan?" Protector Wu frowned, scanning his surroundings warily.

Ye Yan turned around and smiled faintly: "It's yours."

Protector Wu's pupils contracted. A fifth-level Dou Zong?!

How is this possible! The intelligence clearly stated that the new sect leader of the Yunlan Sect was only a Dou Huang, how could he have risen to the fifth level of Dou Zong in just a few months?!

"Don't forget who you are..."

"Noisy."

Ye Yan didn't give him a chance to finish speaking.

I hate villains who talk too much nonsense and keep explaining themselves.

He flashed forward, his five fingers forming claws, and directly grabbed at the top of Wu's head.

Protector Wu reacted extremely quickly, forming hand seals, and black soul chains emerged from the void, transforming into thousands of venomous snakes that coiled around Ye Yan.

Ye Yan snorted coldly, and the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame exploded in his palm. The azure flames burned away the Soul Chain, and the remaining force slammed into Protector Wu's chest.

With a "pfft," Protector Wu was sent flying backward, crashing into the stone wall, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

He struggled to his feet, his face deathly pale: "You're not Ye Yan, you...who are you?!"

Ye Yan did not answer.

He opened his mouth, and a terrifying devouring force surged from deep within his throat.

Protector Wu felt his soul being gripped and torn apart by an invisible hand, and he was powerless to resist.

"No, you can't kill me! The Soul Palace won't let you get away with this!"

The Protector Wu screamed, his soul forcibly separated from his body, turning into a ball of black light, which Ye Yan swallowed in one gulp.

"Gurgle."

Ye Yan swallowed, burped, and rubbed his stomach.

I feel a bit full.

Yunshan pushed open the door and entered, only to witness this scene, and stood there dumbfounded.

"Where is Protector Wu...?"

"I've eaten." Ye Yan patted his stomach and smiled slightly. "The taste was so-so, but the portion was quite generous."

Yunshan: "..."

At the entrance of the stone chamber, Yun Yun arrived at some point. She frowned as she looked at the remaining black soul energy at the corner of Ye Yan's mouth.

"These are the guardians of the Soul Palace? How come... they're so weak?"

"It's not that he's weak, it's that I'm too strong." Ye Yan's expression suddenly changed, and he closed his eyes, feeling the surging power within his body.

Another breakthrough.

"Six-star Dou Zong".

Yun Shan gasped in astonishment: "Six-star Dou Zong?! You...you broke through after consuming a protector?!"

"Just lucky."

Ye Yan touched his nose and smiled modestly, but in Yun Shan's eyes, that smile looked utterly irritating.

A moment of silence fell over the hall.

Yun Yun suddenly spoke up: "Senior brother, that girl Yanran... seems to have something to say to you."

Ye Yan raised an eyebrow: "Yanran?"

He walked out of the back mountain, through the long corridor of the Yunlan Sect, and arrived at the side hall.

Nalan Yanran stood by the window, wearing a white dress, her long black hair cascading down her back like a waterfall.

Her fingers twisted the hem of her clothes, her face flushed slightly, and she hesitated to speak.

"Sect Master." Hearing footsteps, she turned around and bowed respectfully.

Ye Yan: "Speak, what is it?"

Nalan Yanran bit her lip, hesitated for a long time, and finally mustered up her courage: "Sect Master, I...I plan to go to the Xiao family to annul the engagement."

Ye Yan: "..."

"It's Xiao Yan, the third young master of the Xiao family in Wutan City. We've been engaged since we were little." Nalan Yanran's voice trailed off. "I... I feel it's not right, and I want to break off the engagement..."

Ye Yan looked at her speechlessly.

"Sect Master...please say something..." Nalan Yanran's face turned even redder, like a child who had done something wrong, and she lowered her head, not daring to look at him.

Ye Yan sighed.

Well, it's bound to happen.

Nalan Yanran not only single-handedly facilitated Xiao Yan's three-year agreement, but also completely changed his decadent and depressed spirit. It was that trampled dignity that forced out a future Yan Emperor.

The later destruction of the Soul Emperor was also inextricably linked to her.

Her pride and remorse became an indispensable part of this epic battle.

"What's the reason?"

Nalan Yanran raised her head, her tone firm: "Anyway, I don't like him. Why should I gamble my whole life on someone I've never even met? Besides, the news from the Xiao family says that his cultivation has regressed..."

"Besides, I don't even know what he looks like now, so I think I should still go and talk to him."

Ye Yan pondered: which was better, denying his nephew's engagement or fostering the future ambition of the Flame Emperor?

Ye Yan nodded: "Go ahead, I'll go with you."

Yun Yun frowned and pressed down on Nalan Yanran's shoulder: "You should rein in your pride. Look at your martial aunt."

She winked at Ye Yan.

Ye Yan understood, and slightly released the pressure of a sixth-level Dou Zong. Nalan Yanran's face immediately turned pale, her legs went weak, and she almost knelt on the ground. Yun Yun also added a burst of pressure, making it hard for her to breathe.

Nalan Yanran: "..."

Okay, okay, is this how you play it?

"Don't be too arrogant, but don't disgrace the Yunlan Sect either." Ye Yan sighed, took out several fourth-grade and third-grade pills from his storage ring and handed them over, "Take these with you."

Nalan Yanran, still bewildered, clutched a pile of pills, her earlier stubbornness instantly extinguished.

"Let your grandfather come too," Ye Yan patted her head. "If you break off the engagement like this, the Xiao family won't be able to accept it. It's a matter of social etiquette, understand?"

Nalan Yanran nodded obediently, keeping those words firmly in mind.

Several days later, the group arrived at the Xiao family hall in Wutan City.

"Power of Battle... Level Three."

Before testing the magic stone tablet, the Xiao family steward, who was in charge of calling out the numbers, spoke in a flat voice, as if he were reciting an ordinary number.

"The former genius Xiao Yan..."

"Now I've been reduced to a worthless piece of trash that everyone looks down on..."

"Who? Who's giving the commentary?" Xiao Zhan suddenly looked up and saw a person standing in mid-air, who turned out to be a Dou Zong expert!

"Hiss... May I ask which esteemed guest has graced us with their presence?"

"The Xiao family, Xiao Yan." Ye Yan said seriously.

Xiao Yan, who was below, was completely dumbfounded when he heard this.

If you are Xiao Yan, then who am I?