On the bed, Xiao Yan sat cross-legged. At this moment, the fluctuations of energy within the room were noticeably intense, visible ripples of energy rolling out from within his body in concentric waves. His robe swayed gently, inflated and taut as though stirred by an unseen breeze, with a faint glimmer of blue light subtly appearing on his serious face. As successive waves of ambient energy poured into his body, the blue glow on his face grew progressively stronger, until it nearly completely covered his entire face. Meanwhile, the power within him steadily intensified. When this rising power reached a certain threshold, the surrounding energy fluctuations suddenly ceased abruptly—so abruptly that even the inflating robe on his body stiffened and remained motionless. This strange stillness persisted for nearly ten seconds. Suddenly, Xiao Yan's eyes snapped open, and a surge of emerald flame erupted instantly, only to quickly subside, leaving a sharp, piercing brilliance blazing forth from his dark pupils. Maintaining his meditation posture, Xiao Yan slightly opened his mouth, expelling a breath that was slightly black and turbid. As this black mist rose, it corroded everything it touched—eventually creating a hole in the ceiling before gradually dissipating into nothingness under the sunlight. After expelling the turbid breath, the sharp brilliance in his eyes faded gently. His stiff robes once again settled softly against his skin, and the aura that had previously filled the room was drawn back into his body. "Has my cultivation reached the Seven-Star Duelist level?" Gently clenching his fists, the rich, flowing sensation within him filled Xiao Yan with a deep sense of contentment. Though he knew, based on the earlier progress, that he would eventually reach the seven-star level, he hadn't expected it to happen so swiftly—just after absorbing the scorching toxins from Nalan Jie's body three times, he had already advanced one level. "The energy within a Duelist of King-level strength truly is vast and powerful. Even after only three absorptions, it has already provided sufficient energy to elevate my own cultivation level," Xiao Yan murmured softly, his body subtly twisting as he listened to the crisp, crackling sounds emanating from within. A satisfied smile spread across his face. "This deal seems quite favorable." Frowning and pondering for a while, without any clear results, Xiao Yan could only shake his head in resignation and then open the door, stepping out. The pharmaceutical conference would begin tomorrow, and now he needed to go to the guild to inquire about the various competitions and their formats. After leaving the inn, Xiao Yan stood on the street, surveying the surroundings before walking steadily toward the pharmaceutical guild, which, even from a distance, rose prominently with its towering silhouette. Along the way, Xiao Yan was somewhat surprised to find that fully armed knight units were already patrolling the main thoroughfares of the city—clearly due to the approaching pharmaceutical conference. Given the scale of such a grand event, any disruption could significantly impact the capital, so the royal family naturally wished to be proactive and prepared. After slowly walking down several broad streets, the massive Herbalist Guild finally came into view. Observing the now noticeably more crowded entrance compared to two days prior, Xiao Yan shook his head in resignation, realizing that many herbalists clearly intended to make their mark at this conference. With both hands behind his back, Xiao Yan moved deliberately toward the guild, his steps gradually drawing him into the crowd. As he turned to follow the flow of people into the guild, a sudden commotion erupted not far behind him, drawing the attention of several sets of eyes. The stream of people halted, and Xiao Yan found himself blocked in the middle. He sighed wearily, furrowed his brows, and turned back to gaze at the source of the disturbance. The source of the commotion was a noble-looking carriage. Before it stood two majestic, snow-white horses, their coats pure and free of any imperfection, quietly poised. On the golden brocade curtains surrounding the carriage, a strange creature was depicted—a large, fierce beast whose body was enveloped in rising blue flames, its overall appearance commanding a sense of awe and intimidation. "The royal crest..." murmuring softly as he studied the nameless creature, Xiang Yan said. As a native of the Jamara Empire, he was familiar with the royal insignia of his homeland. Around the carriage, several dozen figures in black robes stood attentively. As he glanced at them, Xiang Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. In his perception, these figures seemed to radiate a sense of danger. "Indeed, the Jamara imperial family lives up to their reputation—remarkable in strength," he thought to himself, then turned his gaze toward the carriage curtains. A cloaked figure stepped forward, respectfully lifting the carriage curtain. As the cloaked figure lifted the curtain, Xiao Yan clearly sensed that the other cloaked figures had already subtly moved, quickly forming a small circle around the carriage to shield it, while sharp, eagle-like glances shot out from among them, scanning back and forth across the crowded crowd. Under the watchful eyes of the onlookers, a snowy, jade-like hand extended gracefully from within the carriage, elegantly grasping the handle at the carriage door. Then, a beautiful figure emerged slowly, coming into view for all to see. The girl who appeared wore a purple robe adorned with silver patterns. Her refined appearance, shaped by the refined atmosphere of the imperial family, carried an innate nobility. A slender sash of purple was tied around her waist, accentuating her delicate figure. She seemed not much older than when she first met him—comparable to the young Xiang Yan before his transformation. A gentle, serene smile played on her face, giving off an air of grace and calm. Yet, every time her gaze swept across the room, Xiang Yan noticed a spark of whimsical, lively amusement flicker in her eyes—clearly, she was far from being the quiet, composed lady she seemed at first glance. "Hmm, what a beautiful little girl..." As the purple-dressed maiden appeared, the crowd immediately erupted into applause, and a wave of enthusiastic glances swiftly turned toward her. Though the girl was of noble birth, her slightly more bold gaze in such a gathering seemed entirely appropriate. "Heh, this is Princess of the Gemara Royal Family—her teacher is Master Tsemir, the Vice President. I heard she's come here specifically for the Herbalist's Grand Assembly." Among the more seasoned observers, upon seeing the maiden's striking appearance, several quickly recognized her identity. "Isn't she rather young? Yet she's here competing for the assembly?" "Really? The young princess's talent in potion-making is even praised by the head of the association—some of the elders themselves. Though she's so young, I heard she was promoted to Third Rank Herbalist as early as six months ago..." "Huh...?" At this, the crowd immediately reacted with astonishment. Several mid-career herbalists, slightly older, blushed and raised their arms, awkwardly covering the rank insignia on their chests. Surrounded by the crowd, listening to their conversations, Xiao Yan's face flickered with surprise. He turned his gaze again toward the purple-dressed young woman, being escorted by the man in black robes and walking steadily toward the guild, murmuring to himself, "Indeed, one mountain rises higher than another. I never expected such a delicate-looking girl to be a Third-Rank Alchemist." Though deeply impressed, Xiao Yan didn't feel particularly surprised. Given the strong foundation of the Gamma royal family, as long as the young princess possessed the fundamental aptitude to become an alchemist, they could easily leverage their vast supply of materials to elevate her to a high-level alchemist. Moreover, it now appeared that her alchemical talent was quite exceptional—thus, her achievements were entirely within expectations. Under the protective presence of the group of black-robed figures, who exuded a cool, restrained aura, the young woman moved through the crowd without any hindrance and entered the Alchemist's Guild with confident grace. As the graceful silhouette of the girl faded from view, Xiao Yan shrugged slightly, slightly twisting his body like a eel, smoothly pushing through the crowd without drawing attention, and swiftly darted toward the guild hall. After clearing the final layer of people, the space around him finally opened up. Gazing at the expansive hall, Xiao Yan exhaled deeply, wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, and then made his way naturally toward the western section. At the entrance to the western section, the same two guards from before were still on duty. Upon seeing Xiao Yan's arrival, they did not obstruct him as they usually did—instead, they bowed politely and then simply let him pass, showing no further attention. It seemed, undoubtedly, that Otto had specifically instructed them to do so. Seeing the guards didn't obstruct his way, Xiao Yan was glad to avoid some extra hassle. He walked down the corridor and gradually made his way upward, finally stopping outside the room where Otto had previously been. He gently knocked on the door, waiting until Otto's voice came from within before pushing it open. "Otto smiled and shook his head, drawing a large square on the table with his finger, and said, 'All alchemists will participate simultaneously on a massive platform. The competition conditions will gradually become more demanding, and at that point, they will be filtered out like sand grains passing through a sieve—quickly eliminating the less qualified ones. Those who remain will be the outstanding talents. And whoever stands out among them will be the ultimate winner.' 'Oh...' Xiao Yan nodded slightly, recalling the magnificent scene of hundreds or even thousands of alchemists simultaneously igniting and refining their medicines on the same platform—surely an awe-inspiring sight. 'Heh, wouldn't you like to see that scene? Just don't be too surprised—when I first participated, I was quite startled myself,' Otto laughed, as if sensing Xiao Yan's thoughts. 'By the way, here's a list—take a look. These are some of the most promising contestants in this competition.' Otto took a rolled sheet from the table and handed it to Xiao Yan, then added, "This is an internal document—by regulation, it cannot be disclosed outside." With a slightly curious expression, Xiao Yan nodded and smiled, slowly unrolling the sheet. The long list featured at least twenty or thirty individuals of considerable strength. As his eyes scanned it, Xiao Yan's brows lifted suddenly—he noticed that Liu Ling was ranked above him, quite prominently. It seemed the reputation of the Dan King's heir was no mere exaggeration. "That young princess—she must be the one from the royal family, right?" Xiao Yan pointed to the fifth-ranked princess. "Yes, you've seen her?" "I caught a glimpse at the entrance just now—I didn't expect her to be ranked so high." Xiao Yan smiled, somewhat surprised by her standing. "Don't underestimate that girl," Otto smiled and added. "With the royal family's strong backing, her reserves are truly impressive and varied." Nodding slightly, Xiao Yan carefully went through the information on the list before handing it back to Otto: "The opponents are indeed strong—there are no fewer than thirteen third-rank alchemists." "It's a bit of a challenge, but that's all up to you. This is all I can offer at the moment," Otto said, with a helpless nod. Xiao Yan smiled and nodded in agreement, then asked, "Does the tournament start tomorrow? What else do I need to do right now?" "Heh, yes, there's still a bit more to be done. This is our final prediction before the tournament—outsiders haven't received this yet. However, since we've been recommended by the regional branch chiefs, this requirement is essential for us. It's the guild's way of testing our judgment early on. If we fail this stage, our recommendations might fall through," Otto stood up and smiled, "Come with me—here, you'll meet several of the strong opponents on the list." "Hmm." Nodding, Xiao Yan stood and followed Otto. Together, they exited through a side door and walked down a quiet corridor for a while, until they reached the end and pushed open a large door, approaching slowly. Liu Ling... Hearing the sound of the door opening, the group of people chatting quietly in the hall fell silent and turned their gaze toward the entrance. When they saw Xiao Yan entering, they all paused in surprise. Upon noticing the second-rank badge on his chest, however, their expressions turned slightly teasing. The princess, who had been surrounded by several alchemists like a star among stars, glanced at Xiao Yan briefly. But once she saw his rank insignia, she lost all interest, lazily stretched her arms, and her graceful curves drew the eyes of the surrounding men. With a relaxed, detached gaze fixed on Xiao Yan, his arrival caused a slight surprise to Liu Ling. Yet soon, a soft, subtly amused smile began to bloom on her face—seeming almost unkind. Gazing slightly downward at his eyebrows, the various glances in the hall failed to move Xiao Yan in the slightest. With his hands resting in his sleeves and his composed face resembling that of an elder monk in meditation, his expression remained calm—yet within him, a quiet, subtle smirk had quietly formed.