"That guy... actually summoned purple flames? Is that a rare fire? How is that possible?!" In the hall, every alchemist was stunned, gazing at the purple flames rising within the cauldron. Though protected by a transparent screen, they couldn't fully verify the phenomenon—this hue was definitely not the ordinary flame formed by condensed qi! "A rare fire?" Frank and Otto exchanged a look of astonishment, then both shook their heads slightly. "It doesn't quite fit. Given this young man's capabilities, he simply shouldn't be able to control such a rich and intense rare fire with such mastery!" Otto fixed his eyes on the purple flames rising and falling in response to Xiao Yan's perception, speaking in a steady tone. "Indeed, it doesn't quite match. Rare fires aren't typically this easy to control..." Frank wiped the water droplets from his beard, his expression equally serious. "But why exactly is his flame purple?" Frank and Otto furrowed their brows, somewhat bewildered, as they had never heard of any flame—other than one that had been refined into a unique form—being of a deep purple hue. "This youngster... simply remarkable. That's why he dares to take the first-tier alchemist examination at such a young age; clearly, he possesses exceptional potential. The richness of that purple flame suggests his strength is well above the five-star combatant level—truly astonishing talent!" Calming himself, Frank remarked. "I told myself that's why I felt a bit odd the first time I met him. I never expected him to actually hide such capabilities right under my very eyes. This young man is quite mysterious indeed." Otto stroked his long beard, smiling at Frank. "I'd like to meet his teacher now. I wonder—what kind of person could possibly train a student so outstanding? Compared to him, Snow Mirage and Lin Fei truly fall short, don't they?" "Agreed," Frank nodded slightly, smiling. "It's no small feat that these two have been competing for so long. Now, this young man, Xiao Yan, has completely knocked them off their feet. From now on, they'll truly understand what it means to have 'heaven beyond heaven, and people beyond people.'" "Send out a notice to the other city's pharmacy guilds, asking them to investigate whether there's an advanced pharmacist named Yao Lao—someone who could train a student of this caliber. Surely, he can't be a mere unknown." Frank waved over a pharmacist and whispered instructions. The pharmacist nodded respectfully and then quietly stepped out of the hall. Meanwhile, Otto observed silently, offering a slight smile before once again focusing his gaze on the holographic display, murmuring softly, "Though he can control this unique purple flame different from others, pharmaceutical preparation isn't merely about flame—soul perception, mastery of timing, the precise quantities of various herbs and ingredients—all these elements are crucial. For now, let's continue watching..." Frank nodded in agreement. As a fourth-rank pharmacist, he naturally understood these aspects, so he remained silent, his eyes fixed on the young man fully absorbed in the process of preparing the medicine, saying nothing. As the two grew quiet, the hall once again fell into stillness—though this time, most eyes remained fixed on Xiao Yan. Many were eager to see whether this young man, capable of controlling a flame believed to be of extraordinary origin, could still demonstrate exceptional performance in other aspects. Although within the luminous screen, each stone platform was separated by smaller square screens of light, Xiao Yan's purple flame was truly distinct and unusual. Shortly after he released it, the Snow Charmer and Linfei on either side of him noticed and subtly turned their heads. When their gaze caught the rising purple flame, their eyes widened in surprise, and with a soft, muffled sound, the herbs currently being refined in their cauldrons were instantly scorched to ash due to their distraction. Neither woman paid much attention to the now-ashy herbs, simply gazing in wonder at the purple flame, controlled by Xiao Yan—its intensity and rhythm alternating between urgent and calm, hot and warm. After a moment, both of them quietly breathed out a sense of coolness in their minds. Though they didn't know exactly what kind of flame Xiao Yan's purple flame was, they could clearly sense that it was far more difficult to control than their own deep yellow Qi flame. Yet, from the composed manner of the young man before him, it was evident that he handled the purple flame with ease and mastery—so seamless and confident that even Snow Mei and Lin Fei, both of whom held high expectations, felt somewhat envious. Their eyes shifted from the cauldron, and finally, as if by mutual understanding, they both turned their gaze toward the young man fully absorbed in the cauldron. At that moment, though his face bore a gentle, subtle purple hue from the dancing flame, there was not a trace of tension. His calm, serene demeanor—so composed and unhurried—almost led Snow Mei and Lin Fei to believe that he was not merely a young, inexperienced boy under twenty, but rather a seasoned senior alchemist with considerable experience in potion-making. This quiet, steady grace had only been observed in their own teachers during their training, and now, here, the young man once again brought it vividly to life. The two women's gazes briefly crossed in the air, each catching a hint of苦笑 and defeat. "Ah..." Snow Mirage glanced once more at Xiao Yan, sighed softly, brushed a strand of silver hair from her forehead with her jade hand, then refocused her attention back onto the cauldron. "This guy really hides his strength well... I've been blind all along." She glanced at Xiao Yan again, murmured softly. The man who had previously been just a background figure in her mind had now risen to the level of someone with extraordinary talent—someone she could no longer overlook. Shaking her head slightly, recalling the speed of this transformation, Lin Fei smiled faintly and sighed once more, then added the second batch of herbs to the cauldron, beginning the final stage of preparation. Xiao Yan, fully absorbed in the cauldron, naturally remained unaware of the two women's attentive glances, his eyes fixed intently upon the contents within. As Xiao Yan focused his attention, time flew by. Without knowing exactly how many times the medicinal concoction had stirred and rolled within the cauldron, it finally took on a smooth, rounded form. Observing the hue of the surface, Xiao Yan smiled slightly, then slowly withdrew his hand from the cauldron. As his hand moved away, the deep purple flame within the cauldron gradually faded. Glancing over, Xiao Yan noticed that both Xue Mei and Lin Fei were also looking at him, and he blushed slightly. Seeing Xiao Yan's somewhat awkward expression, Xue Mei was momentarily taken aback before smiling gently and nodding, her previously cool voice now softer: "It's only been a few minutes, but since I saw you still hadn't finished, I waited a bit. Don't worry—this won't affect your qualification." Grateful toward Xue Mei, Xiao Yan raised a smile and looked up at Frank and Otto approaching warmly. Approaching the stone platform, Frank gave Xiao Yan a thoughtful glance before smiling warmly: "Little one, you've been hiding your talents quite well." Xiao Yan spread his hands, remaining silent. Frank and Otto first took over the pills prepared by Xue Mei and Lin Fi, then carefully examined their appearance, luster, and overall quality, nodding slightly to each other and smiling, "Not bad—though the pills still lack some heat, they've clearly passed the review." Hearing this, both Xue Mei and Lin Fi breathed a sigh of relief. After inspecting the two women's preparations, Frank and Otto did not immediately move on to Xiao Yan's pills. Instead, they bypassed him and reviewed the pills of the six new candidates behind, of whom only two met the required standards, while the other four hung their heads in quiet disappointment. "Don't worry," Frank chuckled, offering encouragement, "this year may not be your year, but next year will surely be better. Young people—nothing else really, just time." Observing the four, he smiled and then glanced at Otto, who nodded in agreement, and the two approached Xiao Yan together. Seeing Frank and Otto's actions, the gazes in the hall gradually settled upon Xiao Yan. Beside them, Xue Mei and Lin Fei were also curiously watching Xiao Yan, equally eager to find out what level of pills this master of the mysterious flame could produce. Frank picked up the sheepskin parchment from Xiao Yan's stone table and glanced at it; his face slightly changed, growing surprised. "A Pill of Accumulated Strength?" "Hmm," Otto replied, momentarily stunned, then smiled with sudden clarity, "I see now—no wonder the young one took so long. He must have obtained this recipe after all." Upon hearing the name "Pill of Accumulated Strength," Xue Mei and Lin Fei shook their heads in resignation. Even without considering other factors, the recipe's complexity and difficulty alone placed them at a disadvantage. "Well now," Frank remarked, "the young one certainly has talent—managing to successfully create a Pill of Accumulated Strength, which even true first-rank alchemists find difficult to produce." Frank was astounded, gently tapping his lips as he poured the elixir from the jade vial. Instantly, a round, slightly playful pill rolled out. About the size of a thumb, the pill had a pale yellow hue, with a subtle ring of emerald waves woven throughout, resembling spreading ripples—remarkably unusual. "The Dan Pattern..." Frank and Otto gasped, tapping their lips again. Typically, such a Dan Pattern only appeared when the elixir reached its peak in color and luster during the crafting process. Upon hearing the term "Dan Pattern," both Xue Mei and Lin Fei immediately knew that in this assessment, they were far from matching the young man beside them. "Congratulations, Xiao Yan! You have passed the first-rank alchemist's evaluation." After carefully returning the elixir to the vial, Frank exhaled slowly and smiled warmly at the young man. At the sound of this, everyone in the hall turned their eyes of admiration and wonder toward the fortunate youth on the stone platform. "Hmm... well..." Hearing this, Xiao Yan blinked, tilted his head slightly, and spoke softly, "Um... may I continue with the second-rank alchemist assessment?"