Yan Cheng was stunned when he heard Xiao Yan’s words. Such a big event had occurred within the empire, but the overlord of the empire was actually completely unaware of it?

“I was in a retreat for a period of time.” Xiao Yan explained, appearing to have understood what Yan Cheng thought when he saw the latter’s appearance.

Yan Cheng only came to a sudden understanding when he heard this. He bitterly laughed, “It is unexpected that chief Xiao had undertaken a retreat for a year. This year was not calm. It is not exaggerating to say that this was the period of the greatest upheaval in the history of the Jia Ma Empire.”

“I have undertaken a retreat for a year huh...” Xiao Yan softly sighed. He immediately changed the topic again, “What has happened in the empire? Those fellows from a moment ago should be poison masters, right? Such an occupation should be extremely rare in the Jia Ma Empire. Why did so many of them appear at once?”

“It is because they are not people from the Jia Ma Empire.” Ling Er by the side quietly interrupted. Her eyes had remained on Xiao Yan’s face ever since the latter had appeared. The unusual glint in her eyes looked just like a lovely embarrassed young girl who had a crush.

“They are the poison masters from the Chu Yun Empire.” Yan Cheng sighed, “Not long after chief Xiao rescued our Bloody Battle Mercenary Company back then, there was news that the Chu Yun Empire was about to attack our Jia Ma Empire. After which, an increasing number of border conflicts occurred. It was still alright initially and it was merely a fight between the armies of both countries. Each party had their own victories and losses with little progress. However, after this stalemate continued for a month, a large number of poison masters suddenly appeared in the military of the Chu Yun Empire. Under their threat, the Jia Ma Empire immediately lost quite a number of border fortresses.”

“Just as the upper echelons of the imperial family became furious because of this, news that the ‘Poison Sect’ of the Chu Yun Empire wanting to participate in the battle was spread.” Fear flashed across Yan Cheng’s face when he mentioned the name that caused one’s hair to stand. His voice had also became much softer.

“The Poison Sect?” Xiao Yan uttered this foreign name in his mouth and his brows were tightly knit together.

“This ‘Poison Sect’ has only recently been established within the Chu Yun Empire. However, its strength is unusually terrifying. Within a short five years, it had completely destroyed all the sects and factions within the Chu Yun Empire. Their ‘Poison Sect’ has leaped to become the only overlord over the Chu Yun Empire. Moreover, it is rumored that even the imperial family of the Chu Yun Empire is quietly controlled by them. In the Chu Yun Empire, it is more effective to speak to the Sect Leader of the Poison Sect than to the emperor from the imperial family.” Yan Cheng explained again when he saw the uncertainty on Xiao Yan’s face.

“What is the strength of the Sect Leader of the Poison Sect like?” Xiao Yan slowly asked.

“It is rumored that it is at the very least at the Dou Zong class. Due to the Poison Sect participating in the battle, the Yan Alliance, being the strongest faction within the Jia Ma Empire is naturally unable to stand by the side and do nothing. Hence, a fight where the two large factions exchanged blows occurred. During a big battle half a year ago, that mysterious Sect Leader of the Poison Sect appeared once. In that battle, Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, the old senior called Jia Lao in the imperial family as well as an enormous Magical Beast, whose strength was at the Dou Huang class, were defeated in the hands of the Sect Leader of the Poison Sect despite joining hands.” Yan Cheng laughed bitterly. A deep fear flashed across his eyes when he mentioned the class that was far and unattainable.

Xiao Yan’e eyes flickered. His heart also sank slightly. It was unexpected that Old Hai and the other two were no match for that Sect Leader of the Poison Sect. It seemed that the other party was really strong. He waved his hand and said, “Continue speaking.”

“Just as the Ice Emperor and the other two were in danger, Queen Medusa from the Snake-People Race suddenly appeared. She engaged in a big battle with that Sect Leader of the Poison Sect,but both parties had difficulty determining a victor. The Sect Leader from the Poison Sect withdrew. Only then did the Yan Alliance avoid a life and death disaster.” Yan Cheng smacked his mouth. His eyes revealed a yearning for that soul-stirring big battle that day. A moment later, he finally sighed and laughed bitterly toward Xiao Yan, “With Queen Medusa’s help, the Yan Alliance has finally stood on their feet. After forming an alliance with the Snake-People Race, they began to retaliate against the Poison Sect.”

“The Snake-People Race have also intervened?” Xiao Yan was immediately startled when he heard this as he spoke with some surprise. Although Medusa was the Queen of the Snake-People Race, the Snake-People Race did not have many good feelings toward the Jia Ma Empire. It seemed somewhat impossible for them to lend a hand to the Jia Ma Empire.

“Yes, this is because the Chu Yun Empire had initially placed their aim on them. That big battle caused their Snake-People Race to suffer great losses. If Queen Medusa had not hurried back in time, it was likely that the entire Snake-People Race would be eliminated.” Yan Cheng nodded and replied.

“So Cai Lin had suddenly left back then because of this...” Xiao Yan’s eyes flickered slightly. Only now did he know just why Medusa needed to leave in a hurry back then.

“Since everyone’s enemy is the ‘Poison Sect’ from the Chu Yun Empire, they are naturally able to join hands. Although there was still some conflict during this period of time, this completely disappeared after that Jia Lao from the imperial family opened his mouth and promised that he would definitely give the Snake-People Race a plot of land to breed and survive on if they were victorious in the big battle.”

“With the help of Medusa and the Snake-People Race, it is likely that the Chu Yun Empire would also suffer right?” Xiao Yan smiled and asked. He still possessed some confidence in the strength of the Yan Alliance. Moreover, the Snake-People Race also had many experts. With this union between the strong, the ‘Poison Sect’ would have to withdraw to avoid the blade of this union regardless of how strong they were.

“If things developed in a normal manner, this would indeed have been the case.” Yan Cheng bitterly smiled and sighed. He said, “However, not long after the Snake-People Race announced its alliance with the Jia Ma Empire, the Chu Yun Empire pulled over the other two large empires that beside the Jia Ma Empire. The alliance of the three empires resulted in their strength soaring. It caused the pressure on the Yan Alliance and the Snake-People Race to rise greatly.”

“Two other large empires?” Xiao Yan frowned slightly. Two names immediately flashed across his mind, “The Lou Yan Empire and the Mulan Empire?”

“Yes.... these two empires are not weaker than the Jia Ma Empire. They could even be said to be a little stronger than the Jia Ma Empire. These two large empires also possess two large beings that are not much weaker than the Poison Sect within them.” Yan Cheng’s expression became somewhat ugly when he spoke until this point. A moment later, he spat out the two sects from his mouth, “The Gold Geese Sect and the Mulan Valley.”

“Gold Geese Sect... Mulan Valley...” Xiao Yan softly muttered these two somewhat unfamiliar names in his mouth. His eyes also slowly narrowed.

“The Gold Geese Sect is a powerful faction within the Lou Yan Empire. The Sect Leader, Yan Luo Tian, is also a genuine elite Dou Zong, although he is only at the initial stage of the Dou Zong class... Mulan Valley belongs to the Mulan Empire. Although it does not have an elite Dou Zong, it possess an extremely unique combined Qi Method. The people from Mulan calls it the ‘Three Beast Savage Skill’. There are three Elders who practice this Qi Method in the Mulan Valley. Although their individual strengths are merely at the peak of the Dou Huang class, once the three of them activate the Three Beast Savage Skill at the same time, they will be able to put up a fight even if they meet a Dou Zong. If one were to discuss their strength, they are not any weaker than Sect Leader Luo Yun Tian.” Yan Cheng’s face was flushed red. Due to the over-excitement in his heart, he ended up sending saliva flying all over the place when he spoke.

Xiao Yan’s face gradually became gloomy when he heard Yan Cheng’s words. If this matter was true, the Jia Ma Empire and the Yan Alliance was really in some danger this time around. Three elite Dou Zongs. This line-up... even if it was Medusa, it was impossible for her to block them. It was unexpected that during that short one year where he was undertaking a retreat, the Jia Ma Empire would be turned upside down.

“Originally, the Jia Ma Empire would definitely be unable to endure such a situation even with the support of the Yan Alliance. However, it is fortunate that the interior of the three large empire alliance is also divided. Although the three large sects possessed experts who can contend with a Dou Zong, none of them were willing to be the vanguard and exchange blows with Medusa. After all, with the exception of the Sect Leader from the Poison Sect, Yan Luo Tian from the Gold Geese Sect, and the three Elders from Mulan Valley are no match for her in a one-on-one fight. Moreover, they are all worried that their allies will secretly backstab them should they be seriously injured. Hence, they continue to delay this matter. All they did was send the experts from their sect as harassment. They aim to use this kind of method to slowly tire out the Yan Alliance and the Snake-People Race...” Yan Cheng sighed in a dejected manner.

“Those Poison Masters that we have seen earlier should be members from the Poison Sect that have snuck in. However, what is strange is that so many of them would sneak in at once. Logically speaking, the surroundings of the defensive line have many experts from the Yan Alliance patrolling it.” Yan Cheng felt somewhat uncertain when he spoke up to this point. Based on common sense, even if someone managed to occasionally sneak in, he was usually alone. This time around, however...

Yan Cheng who did not have an answer no matter how he thought about it could only shake his head and say, “With the current situation, we can only hope that the Yan Alliance and the Snake-People Race will be able to stop them completely. Otherwise, we will really be faced with a broken country and destroyed homes. We are born in Jia Ma and have grown up in Jia Ma. We don’t wish to be hopeless people who had to leave their homeland.”

Xiao Yan softly sighed as he looked at the low spirited Mercenaries around him. He patted Yan Cheng’s back and whispered with a bright smile, “Relax, the Yan Alliance will not fall. Anyone who wants to let it collapse will have to step over my corpse. Ke ke, I think that I am really an irresponsible alliance chief to actually fail to participate in such a big event.”

The face of the black-robed, young man was covered by a bright smile. Under the influence of the warm smile, Yan Cheng’s dispirited feelings involuntarily scattered. A countless number of people within the Jia Ma Empire placed their hope in this young man, who was in control of a large being like the ‘Yan Alliance’ at merely the age of twenty. This was because they knew that this young person had the ability to create a miracle.

“Ke ke, The people of the Yan Alliance and us, the people of the Jia Ma Empire, have been waiting for your return. You are now the savior of everyone in the Jia Ma Empire!” Yan Cheng rubbed his somewhat reddened eyes and laughed, “That’s right, if chief wishes to head to the front line, you can hurry to the eastern Black Mountain Fortress. The battles there are the most intense. Most of the experts from the Yan Alliance and the Snake-People Race are there.”

“Since that is the case, Xiao Yan shall not stay any longer!”

Xiao Yan smiled. His gaze swept toward the distant eastern sky. He slowly nodded and did not say any other words as he cupped his hands toward Yan Cheng. Jade-green fire wings slowly extended out from his back. Immediately, his body rose into the sky in front of the many respectful gazes.

“Everyone, hold on, Xiao Yan has returned!”

Xiao Yan’s gaze looked into the distant eastern sky. He muttered to himself within his heart before flapping his fire wings, transforming into a ray of light as he rushed over.