Queen Medusa Appears!

"Disciples of the Yunlan Sect, heed my command!"

Yun Leng's voice carried a chilling authority as he shouted, "Activate the Cloud Sun Formation!"

"He actually resorted to using the sect's guardian formation?"

Hearing Yun Leng's command, Gu He was visibly startled. His brows furrowed slightly before he shook his head and murmured, "Things have escalated to this point, huh?"

The deafening order echoed throughout the sect's square. The disciples of Yunlan Sect hesitated for a brief moment before responding in unison.

Closing their eyes, they began channeling their Dou Qi. Wisps of white energy seeped from their bodies, merging into a vast mist that soared into the sky, blanketing the heavens like a boundless sea of clouds.

At the very center of this sea of clouds stood Yun Leng, the Great Elder of Yunlan Sect.

"Elders, lend me your strength!"

With another sharp command, more than a dozen elders in white robes swiftly leaped into action. They separated and positioned themselves atop the large trees encircling the square. As their hands formed complex seals, the boundless cloud energy trembled.

In the heart of the sea of clouds, the swirling mist rapidly condensed, forming a colossal white energy sphere—ten feet in diameter—hovering before Yun Leng.

Even as the powerful formation took shape, Xiao Yan remained motionless in the sky, watching with an indifferent expression.

"Why isn't Xiao Yan retreating? Does he really plan to fight the entire Yunlan Sect head-on?"

Hai Bodong's worry deepened as he observed the situation unfold. The Cloud Sun Formation was a formidable defensive technique, one that had safeguarded Yunlan Sect countless times over the years.

By using this formation, every disciple of Yunlan Sect would be linked together, combining their strengths. Facing this, Xiao Yan was essentially battling nearly a thousand disciples and elders simultaneously. Even a powerful Dou Huang would struggle against such an overwhelming force.

While an elite Dou Huang could certainly defeat thousands of ordinary opponents, this was different. The Cloud Sun Formation seamlessly fused the disciples' energy, amplifying its power through years—if not decades—of rigorous training. At this moment, nearly a thousand disciples had their strength channeling into Yun Leng, the formation's focal point.

If Yun Yun, the Sect Leader, were present, she could personally oversee the formation. In that case, even a Dou Zong would be forced to think twice before engaging.

"Yun Leng… Is it really worth provoking a future powerhouse of immense potential over Mo Cheng?"

Jia Xingtian frowned at the unfolding battle.

"It's not just about Mo Cheng," Fa Ma shook his head with a bitter smile. "He's merely an external deacon—not someone important enough to warrant this. The real issue here is Yunlan Sect's reputation. Things have gone too far, and Xiao Yan has humiliated Yun Leng repeatedly. At this point, personal grudges are also at play…"

"Strike!"

Yun Leng cared nothing for outside opinions. He only knew one thing: Xiao Yan must be taken down today.

Raising his right palm, he commanded the massive white spiral sphere, infused with the collective energy of Yunlan Sect's disciples. With a swift motion, the energy sphere shot toward Xiao Yan with terrifying speed.

As it tore through the air, a vacuum trail formed behind it—so powerful that even the surrounding atmosphere seemed to be compressed into nothingness.

"Today, I'll show you Yunlan Sect what it means to have stronger forces lurking beyond the horizon..."

Xiao Yan's expression remained calm. He neither dodged nor flinched. Instead, with a casual swing of his Heavy Xuan Ruler, a burst of crimson light erupted.

Boom!

The red light struck the colossal energy sphere, shattering it instantly into countless fragments before dissipating completely.

"Arrogant brat! Even if you've temporarily borrowed the power of a Dou Huang, you won't escape today!"

Yun Leng's face remained unfazed. Without hesitation, he summoned another energy sphere from the sea of clouds—this one several times larger than the last!

Watching the enormous mass of energy, Hai Bodong's expression darkened. He could feel its immense power. Even he, a Dou Huang, might struggle to withstand it!

And yet, Yun Leng could continuously launch such devastating attacks as long as Yunlan Sect's disciples and elders maintained the formation.

At that moment, a hissing sound echoed through the air.

A small, multicolored snake emerged from Xiao Yan's sleeve, coiling itself around his arm. Under the sunlight, its beautiful scales shimmered with vibrant hues, creating a dazzling display of colors.

"A Colorful Heaven Swallowing Python!?"

Xiao Yan's pupils shrank slightly, but a gentle light flickered in his eyes. This expression was vastly different from his usual indifference—it was tender and warm.

"A fifth-rank magical beast? Hah, even if you have such a creature by your side, at this point, it's nothing more than a futile struggle!"

Yun Leng sneered, his control over the massive energy sphere unwavering.

Below, Nalan Yanran's eyes widened as she observed Xiao Yan's gaze toward the little snake.

"That look… it's strange."

For some reason, she felt that Xiao Yan's eyes carried an emotion beyond mere companionship. It was not the look of a master toward a pet, nor the loyalty of a beast toward its owner. Instead, there was something deeper—almost like… affection?

How could someone look at a snake like that?

In truth, Xiao Yan knew that the one who appeared now wasn't Cai Lin but rather the Colorful Heaven Swallowing Python itself.

At the moment, Queen Medusa had yet to fully integrate with the python's soul, so she couldn't appear in her human form at will.

Originally, the python had been in deep slumber. But sensing that Xiao Yan was in danger, it had instinctively awakened to protect him.

"Hiss…"

The small python flicked its tongue, its bright, jewel-like eyes filled with intelligence and concern.

As a fifth-rank beast, its intelligence was already on par with humans. The first thing it had seen upon hatching was Xiao Yan—a bond had formed from that moment onward. Though it was a magical beast, its attachment to him resembled family.

Xiao Yan's gaze softened as he gently ran his fingers across the python's smooth, jade-like body.

The little python squirmed happily under his touch, nudging his palm affectionately. Then, with a flick of its tongue, it licked at the storage ring on his finger—its bright eyes gleaming with greed.

"Haha…"

Seeing its behavior, Xiao Yan chuckled. Reaching into his ring, he withdrew a small bottle of Amethyst Essence, extracted two drops, and let them fall.

Immediately, the python licked them up with delight.