Staring intently at the white jade box before him, Xiao Yan's face flushed with excitement, his hands trembling as he reached in to grasp the small jade vial. Observing Xiao Yan's demeanor, however, the ancient, cloudy eyes of Gu Te flickered with a touch of amusement. As soon as Xiao Yan's hands made contact with the vial, a sudden jolt surged through him—cold and penetrating. Within a blink, a thin layer of ice formed over his palms, and it seemed to be spreading rapidly. The unexpected turn of events caused Xiao Yan's expression to shift slightly, his heart quickening. A steady stream of purple qi surged swiftly through several meridians, finally gathering at his arms. Instantly, a gentle purple flame rose from his elbow, holding firm against the cold, gradually melting the ice. The arm trembled slightly, sending the water stains cascading off. Xiao Yan's palm was enveloped in a faint purple flame, and this time, he grasped the small vial with a steady expression, lifting it without any change in his demeanor. By the side, observing the purple flames rising from Xiao Yan's arm, Gu Te's face flickered with surprise, exclaiming, "Unusual fire? Not quite...". After reassessing the strength of the flames, Gu Te shook his head slightly, then glanced intently at the young man before him, murmuring to himself, "Goodness, I've underestimated him. This boy isn't exactly a steady flame after all." Ignoring Gut's gaze, Xiao Yan carefully examined the small jade bottle in his hands, which continuously emitted a cold, icy aura. He gently lifted the lid, revealing a nearly half-full, milky liquid inside. On the surface of the liquid, faint ice-like formations could still be seen. Taking a deep breath of the seeping cold air, he immediately shivered violently. His internal purple flame qi swiftly circulated for a moment before successfully pushing the icy chill out from the top of his head. Xiao Yan reached up and ran his fingers through the hair on top of his head, only to be startled to find that it had been covered by a thin layer of ice crystals. He stared, his mouth slightly open, struck by awe—this Ice Spirit Cold Spring truly was a rare and exceptional treasure. It made perfect sense now why it had been essential during the process of absorbing the Strange Fire; indeed, by reflecting on this, he could now vaguely sense just how formidable the Strange Fire's power truly was. It seemed that several rare items would have to work in concert to even slightly increase the chances of success. After carefully examining the Ice Spirit Cold Spring for a while, until the old doctor confirmed it within his mind, Xiao Yan promptly placed it into the white jade box. "You've secured the item. Now, just go—quickly," Ancient Tu said, his face showing genuine concern as he watched Xiao Yan carefully place the Ice Spirit Cold Spring into his storage amulet. He then gave a slight shake of his head and waved his hand, sending Xiao Yan on his way. Having secured what he most needed, Xiao Yan felt a great relief and bowed to Gu Tu, smiling, "Thank you so much for your generosity. I'll certainly come back to trade with you again whenever I have the chance." "Hmph. Come when you have something worth showing off, otherwise I won't see you." Gu Tu said with a dismissive air. "Of course. If I don't have anything worthy to offer, I'd hardly dare to disturb you." Nodding warmly, Xiao Yan glanced around the room and casually asked, "Master Gu Tu, do you still have any three-stage magic cores here? If so..." "Three-stage magic cores?" Gu Tu rolled his eyes, expressing clear disdain. "Do you think I'd collect something of that level?" "...," Xiao Yan stared at Gu Tu's unimpressed expression, at a loss. "Master, you need magic cores? I don't have any three-stage ones. But I do have one five-stage magic core, carefully preserved. How about it? Would you like it?" Hehe! As long as you bring me one more bottle—no, actually, just half a bottle of companion crystal source—I’ll swap it with you! With a quick rub of his hands, the disdain on Gutt’s face vanished, and he smiled warmly, like a cunning old fox. "Haha… Master Gutt is truly full of wit. That bottle of crystal source? It’s actually my very last one. I simply can’t manage any more." Shaking his head with a dry smile, Xiao Yan wasn’t a fool. While five-stage magic cores were indeed precious, most people with sufficient strength could obtain them. But companion crystal sources—such rare, luck-dependent treasures—weren’t something you could simply say you’d have and expect to get. Moreover, right now, with a five-stage magic core in his hands, Xiao Yan found it utterly useless, just attracting flies to his own doorstep. "Since Master Gutt doesn’t have any three-stage magic cores, perhaps the young man should make a trip to the auction hall after all. Haha. Goodbye." Smiling at Güt, Xiao Yan slowly turned around and pulled open the door, walking straight out under Güt's displeased gaze. "Little brat, I don't believe a word you've said!" Güt sat down with a sigh, furrowing his brows in mild confusion: "Xiao Yan? I've heard that name before—where exactly?" Inside the room, the disheveled elder ran his fingers through his hair, deeply troubled, trying to recall where he'd heard it. "It's just a small effort. These treasures are merely displayed here, treated as ornaments—after all, the old man's skills aren't always called upon where they're needed most. Being able to place them in the hands of someone who truly needs them is a good deed indeed." Otto smiled and shook his head, his eyes sweeping over the young man before him. He couldn't help but be amazed. Having known the old man for so many years, he knew well that he was a man who wouldn't act until he saw a rabbit. When he first brought Xiao Yan here, he hadn't held very high expectations—after all, who could expect anything extraordinary from a newly promoted second-rank alchemist? Yet, the smiling young man had personally told him that the items were now in hand. This genuinely piqued Otto's curiosity—he wondered just what it was that had convinced the miserly old man. Yet though his curiosity was strong, Otto never asked. He wasn't a rookie—having been in the game for so many years, he knew well the unwritten rules of trade. Even though his curiosity pricked him like cat claws, he wisely chose to keep the question unspoken. Since Otto didn't ask, Xiao Yan certainly wouldn't have bothered to bring it up either. Thus, both of them silently exchanged knowing smiles as they walked out of this messy, odd-looking building. ... "Do you still need a third-tier magical core?" Hearing Xiao Yan casually mention it as they stepped out of the room, Otto turned and smiled. "Yes," Xiao Yan nodded gently. "I'm leaving Black Rock City today to head to the eastern border of the Empire. So I need to stock up on everything I'll need here." "Going to the eastern border of the Empire?" "Heard this, Otto was momentarily surprised, then smiled and nodded, pausing slightly to say, 'How about this—you come with me to the Pharmacy Guild first. As for the three-stage magical cores, I'll send someone directly to the auction hall to retrieve one from the hall's manager. That way, you won't have to spend time attending the auction.' Hearing this, Xiao Yan also found himself inclined, and without showing off, smiled and agreed, 'Then it's all yours, Master Otto.' 'Heh,' Otto shook his head, speaking casually, 'Since you've registered with our Black Rock City Pharmacy Guild, you're already one of us. This small favor—what's there to it, really?'" Otto's words clearly carried a subtle, goodwill-oriented gesture. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan only hesitated slightly before nodding. In the Gamma Empire, the Pharmaceutical Guild was undoubtedly a formidable institution no less significant than Yunlan Sect. Establishing ties with them offered no drawbacks, and in the future, he would inevitably need various rare and unusual materials for his alchemy work. At this moment, the Guild's transaction system proved especially convenient. Thus, Xiao Yan found little resistance in agreeing to this matter. Of course, what most readily convinced him to commit without hesitation was the Guild's relatively relaxed expectations—each member maintained their own independence, with minimal interference. The Guild would occasionally issue invitations to specific alchemists when needed, but such assistance was naturally not free. Compensation would be provided, especially generous when the work was completed to a high standard. … Upon returning to the Pharmacy Guild, Otto immediately assigned the task of purchasing three-stage magic cores on behalf of Xiao Yan, yet invited him into the lounge and waited patiently. In the spacious lounge, Otto placed a cup of tea before Xiao Yan, then paused thoughtfully before suddenly asking, “Xiao Yan, how long do you think you’ll be staying at the imperial border this time?” “Perhaps six months.” “Six months?” Otto tapped his fingers lightly on the table, smiling. “Will you be heading to the capital city of the Jima Empire after six months?” “Capital city?” Xiao Yan was momentarily taken aback, nodded slightly with a quiet expression, inwardly chuckling to himself. “Of course I will. The Yunlan Sect is just outside the capital—how could I possibly miss it?” “Ah, that’s wonderful,” Otto’s smile brightened noticeably, and his gaze on Xiao Yan grew increasingly warm. “Master Otto… is there something on your mind?” Xiao Yan asked, slightly puzzled by Otto’s demeanor. “Indeed, there is.” Nodding with a smile, Otto spoke softly, "Six months from now, the Herbalist Grand Assembly will be held in the capital. If you're free then, I'd recommend attending—it would be highly beneficial for you." "Herbalist Grand Assembly?" The name left Xiao Yan completely puzzled. "This assembly brings together numerous herbalists from the Gamma Empire, and even herbalists from other empires across the continent will make the journey to attend. It's a grand event in the world of herbalism within the Gamma Empire—missing it would truly be a regret." "Hmm?" "If you decide to attend, simply come to the Herbalist Grand Assembly Headquarters in the capital to find me and Frank. We'll both be there." Seeing Xiao Yan's slightly warmed expression, Otto smiled. "Ah, very well. If I have the time, I'll definitely make it." Nodding with a smile, Xiao Yan finally accepted Otto's invitation. Upon seeing Xiao Yan nod in agreement, Otto smiled and nodded in return, then shared with him several points regarding the matters to attend to at the Alchemist's Grand Assembly. While they were chatting, the person who had gone to the auction hall to purchase the three-stage magic cores returned and respectfully delivered them to Xiao Yan. A three-stage magic core, valued at over twenty thousand gold coins, was generously returned by Otto, who shook his head with a smile, as the Alchemist's Guild's financial capacity made such an expense merely a drop in the bucket. Though he had to accept the three-stage magic core as a gift, Xiao Yan could only sigh in resignation. After a few more minutes of conversation, Xiao Yan finally stood up to bid farewell, announcing that he would be departing from Blackstone City that very day.