The Xuelian Jin, an exceptionally rare premium herb, typically grows alongside Huanglian Jin, though it is exceedingly scarce. In appearance, it is almost indistinguishable from Huanglian Jin. To someone unfamiliar with it, the two are often easily confused. When first encountering this herb, if it weren't for the elder physician's sudden exclamation of surprise, Xiao Yan—still a novice—would never have noticed this unassuming little herb, which turned out to be the very rare ingredient he had been searching for in vain. Xuelian Jin is one of the primary materials used in crafting the "Xuelian Dan." As for the Xuelian Dan, one must naturally recall the peculiar cultivation technique that Xiao Yan has been practicing—the "Burned Decree" (Fen Jue)! To understand the evolution of the Burned Decree, one must consume hetero-fire. However, consuming hetero-fire is no easy feat—it is far from safe. The hetero-fire is not only extremely volatile but also possesses a devastating destructive power. Even the most durable special metals cannot withstand its intense heat, let alone human flesh. Therefore, to successfully draw in the "diverse flames" without fully refining and absorbing them, one must prepare an array of highly intricate items. Only by employing these protections can the chances of successfully consuming the diverse flames be significantly enhanced. Among these essential items, the "Blood Lotus Pill" plays a particularly crucial role. After ingestion, the Blood Lotus Pill forms a unique energetic blood seal on the surface of the body. This seal is capable of withstanding extremely intense heat, enabling the user to approach the diverse flames closely and seize the opportunity to take further action. Among the essential items mentioned by the medicine elder, Xiao Yan had previously searched for several in Wutan City without success. Unexpectedly, upon just arriving in this new locale, he had fortunately discovered this rare Blood Lotus essence. … His exceptional composure allowed Xiao Yan to perfectly suppress the surge of joy within him. Under the store clerk's increasingly impatient gaze, he casually held and manipulated the blood lotus essence in his hands, then paused thoughtfully before smiling and asking, "Do you have any other lotus essences available? I'd like to purchase them in bulk." Not long after the clerk had left, he hurried out, placing the small wooden box he was holding on the counter and smiling, "Sir, here are fifty-three Yellow Lotus Essences. Would you like to purchase all of them?" With a light smile, Xiao Yan didn't immediately respond. He glanced over the Yellow Lotus Essences inside the box, and after a moment, a subtle sense of disappointment passed through his eyes—he noticed that there was not a single Blood Lotus Essence among them. Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan maintained his cheerful expression. He randomly selected over twenty of the essences before placing the single Blood Lotus Essence he had in his hand into the box, then smiled at the clerk and said, "Please pack them and settle the bill." "Sir, the total is two thousand four hundred gold coins," the clerk said, quickly stating the price as he glanced at the number of essences. Nodding slightly, Xiao Yan raised his finger and produced a pale green card containing five thousand gold coins, which he handed to the staff member. Then he quickly transferred the yellow lotus essences into his storage ring, instantly relieving the weight on his heart. After a brief pause, Xiao Yan casually asked the staff member who was currently swiping the card, "Do you source your yellow lotus essences from the Monster Mountain?" "Wow, really beautiful—look at her waist, so slender!" "Idiot! Do you want to die? Half the mercenaries from Qingshan Town have been treated by this young healer. If anyone hears you, I’ll cut out your tongue right here!" Two men standing a little distance away from Xiao Yan were whispering among themselves. When one of them made a teasing remark, his companion quickly pulled him back, murmuring a sharp reprimand. "I was just kidding—hey, hey…" The man, noticing the disapproving glances from others around, turned pale and looked deeply embarrassed, being hurriedly pulled away by his friend. "So this young healer has such strong reputation here?" Xiao Yan, standing at a distance, listened intently to their conversation and the reactions of the other mercenaries. He slightly tilted his head, and through the gaps in the crowd, he could just make out the silhouette of a woman dressed in a white gown. As the crowd gradually dispersed, Xiao Yan finally caught a clear view of the woman being surrounded by so many people. A woman dressed in a light white gown, though not exceptionally beautiful by any standard, still stood out as a rare and admirable beauty. Her calm, serene smile exuded a fresh, ethereal grace, instantly elevating her charm. Her gaze lingered on the slender waist, bound by a green sash, and the waist—thin enough to barely hold a handful—left a spark of admiration in Xiao Yan's eyes. Among the women he had known, Xun'er most captivated him with her impeccable beauty and quiet mystique, while Ya Fei enchanted him with her exquisite, alluring grace. Xiao Yu's long, sensuous legs always drew his gaze, but the woman before him—this Bai Qun—seemed to possess the most delicate and fragile waist among all the women he had encountered. Xiao Yan gazed in amazement and blew out a soft breath. Yet, a soft chuckle from the staff reached his ears: "Little Doctor is our Wan Yao Zhai's specially hired physician. There are countless people throughout the Qing Shan Town who adore her. Whenever she accompanies the medical teams on expeditions to the Beast Mountains, the mercenary companies always lower their prices to the lowest possible, and on several occasions, they've even nearly come to blows over the limited number of spots." "A physician?" Xiao Yan was taken aback, staring in surprise. "Isn't she a pharmaceutical alchemist?" A physician could also be considered a type of alchemist, though their status paled in comparison to that of true alchemists. While they could not genuinely craft pills, they merely used ordinary flames to blend herbs together, achieving therapeutic effects. Still, these treatments fell short of the quality of those produced by alchemists. Thus, every physician dreamed of becoming an alchemist, yet many spent their entire lives without ever reaching that threshold—primarily due to their own innate talents and lack of guidance. Observing her popularity here, and recalling the healing herbs she had displayed at the counter, Xiao Yan had initially thought she might herself be an alchemist. "If becoming an alchemist were that easy, then this profession would no longer be rare," the staff member sighed. Shrugging his shoulders, Xiao Yan didn't feel like asking any further questions. He glanced at the woman already seated at her post, dressed in a white apron, tending to wounded soldiers coming and going. With a gentle touch to his chin, he had to admit that the warm, compassionate smile she displayed while treating the injured truly had a soothing effect—no wonder these usually fierce mercenaries, when faced with her, became as gentle and docile as sheep. Standing there and watching this beautiful scene unfold for a while, Xiao Yan then stepped out of the "Ten-Thousand Herbs Pavilion," walked a little on the street, and, as the sky grew darker, casually found a guest inn at the far end, checked into a room, and settled in. Though the old medicine master had insisted that Xi Xiao never remove his heavy sword even while sleeping, at this moment, Xiao clearly lacked the necessary strength to uphold such a demand. Thus, the old master had to allow him to take it off temporarily during sleep. As soon as the heavy sword was removed, Xiao immediately sensed that his inner qi surged forth, flowing through his body like a swift river, almost instantaneously. After taking a deep, steady breath, every pore on his body suddenly expanded, and the comfortable sensation caused him to sigh contentedly—this sudden surge of strength was simply exhilarating. He twisted his slightly aching shoulders, then retrieved the large quantity of Yellow Lotus Essence he had purchased earlier from his storage pouch. From among them, he carefully separated the Blood Lotus Essence, and finally placed it into a high-quality white jade box that he took from his storage. The lower-grade Yellow Lotus Essences were simply gathered and stored haphazardly within the pouch. "Hmm… the Blood Lotus essence has been secured. Now I just need one more Ice Spirit Flame Grass and a fourth-tier Ice-type magic core to craft the Blood Lotus Pill." Patting the jade box in his hands, Xiao Yan sighed, shaking his head. "It seems I'll be busy for quite some time. Simply gathering the ingredients for the Blood Lotus Pill is already enough to keep me stressed. Honestly, successfully absorbing the异fire isn't going to be that easy."