"Hm, so it's him..." gazing at the tall man in the room, Fama suddenly murmured a low, cold laugh. "Fama knows him?" asked Xiao Yan softly. "Heh, yes, I know him. He's the Vice President of the Pharmaceutical Guild of Chu Yun Empire—his name is Yan Li, I believe. I've met him once before. He enjoys considerable reputation within Chu Yun Empire, especially because he strongly advocates for the integration of pharmacists and 'toxic specialists,' earning him strong trust from the toxic specialists. As a result, he is one of the leading contenders to succeed as the next President of the Guild." Fama explained. "It's quite surprising that he came all the way to the Jia Ma Empire alone—what a bold move indeed." Fama smiled lightly. "What should we do now?" Hai Bo Dong asked casually. "Let's just observe first," Fama said, pausing thoughtfully, then gestured for everyone to remain calm. Nodding slightly, Xiao Yan fell silent, lowering his gaze to fix it firmly on the large man in the room. In his heart, he had quietly exhaled a sigh of relief—after all, this man wasn't just seventeen; judging by his appearance, he was likely well over thirty-seven. While this talent was certainly commendable, it fell short of what he had initially expected. The potential he saw in him had dropped significantly compared to his earlier assessment. The middle-aged man rubbed his face, as if remembering something, and suddenly hurried to the bedside. From behind the bed curtain, he found a black thread and gently pulled it. At the same moment that the middle-aged man pulled the black thread, Xiao Yan's face slightly tightened. He swiftly shifted his gaze, fixing his eyes on the bell that had been crushed into powder by Jia Old Man earlier. There, the black thread subtly trembled—but instead of the expected chime, it was abruptly pulled downward. "Trouble," Xiao Yan murmured to himself. The room fell silent for a moment, then a sharp command rang out: "Who's up there?" On hearing the command, Jia Old Man sneered, raised his hand, and in an instant, his form vanished—his speed so astonishing that even Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed. Following Jia Old Man, Hai Bo Dong and the other two also vanished in a gust of clear wind, leaving only the roof behind. … Inside the room, the middle-aged man gazed at the empty black line stretching into the distance, first startled, then roared fiercely. As he roared, he forcefully kicked the ground with his foot, and his body surged forward like a gust of wind, darting toward the window. Just a few meters from the window, his face suddenly changed, and his forward momentum halted abruptly. He slammed a powerful palm against the adjacent wall pillar, using the counterforce to propel himself several meters sideways. "Boom!" The window exploded at that moment, powerful gusts of energy bursting through the outer wall and striking the massive pillar, instantly spreading cracks across it like a spiderweb. "Who?" The man narrowed his eyes, roaring in astonishment. Ignoring his cries, the shadow darted in from outside the window, sweeping through the air with a flurry of sleeves, carrying a powerful surge of energy accompanied by sonic booms that roared like thunder, sweeping the entire room. Under this thunderous force, every piece of glass within the room shattered with a resounding crash. The eagle's claws met the Han warrior's blade instantly, then separated just as swiftly. As they parted, a sudden flush of crimson surged across the Han warrior's face, and he involuntarily spat out a stream of blood, his feet scraping the ground and leaving a deep, trailing mark. "Faxma! I know it's you! I, Yan Li, dared to come all the way to Jia Ma City, and I didn't think you'd kill me—though if you do, then your Pharmacists' Guild will be finished!" Wiping the blood from his lips, the Han warrior stared at the figure that was about to launch another fierce assault, his face contorted with fierce determination. The warrior's sharp cry momentarily eased the figure's attack, but soon a cold, deadly intensity surged forth. As the eagle's claws spun and danced, it was clear the figure intended to end the Han warrior's life. "Old man Faxma, wait!" Just as the figure was about to finish off the Han warrior, Faxma's steady voice suddenly rang out. At the sound, the figure paused, then reluctantly stepped back, shifting his form with fluid grace and appearing beside the table, his gaze cold and steady upon the fallen "So fierce..." On the roof, Xiao Yan stared in astonishment at the elder who had launched his attack without the slightest mercy. If it weren't for the man named Yan Li reacting just as strongly, this aspiring Spirit King, on the verge of reaching the Spirit King level, would have perished right then and there. "It's you, it's you all along!" Yan Li spat out, blood mingling with his saliva, his voice cold and resolute. Fahma shook his head. If what Yanli had said was true—that as Vice President of the Uchū Empire, he had dared to come all the way to the imperial capital of Jima, a hub of powerful warriors—then he must have already anticipated being exposed. Therefore, he certainly wouldn't have come unprepared. If they truly killed him here, it would likely be part of a well-laid trap. "Heh, Fahma President truly sees the big picture! As soon as you take action to kill me, the news that Jima's Pharmaceutical Guild will manipulate the championship by arbitrarily eliminating contestants will spread swiftly across the neighboring empires. Then, I'll see how long your guild can maintain its credibility!" Yanli stood up, his balance wobbling slightly, and coldly remarked, "Whether you believe me or not, this statement stands. If you're willing to stake the reputation of your Pharmaceutical Guild on this, go ahead and try." "Yanli... you've disguised your identity to participate in our Jima Pharmaceutical Congress, violating the entry qualifications. According to the rules, our guild has the right to handle your case." "Fa Ma said softly. 'Veil? Hah! You mean to say we're just pretending?' Suddenly, Yan Li leaned back and burst into laughter. With a flip of his hand, three crimson pills appeared at his fingertips. A deep yellow flame surged forth and, in an instant, consumed the pills, leaving them nothing but vapor. 'Fa Ma, with your experience, you must have heard of the "Fú Róng Dan," haven't you? Indeed—those pills are precisely what transformed me into a young man. Now, these red pills are specially crafted by our guild. They allow me to revert to my original appearance within ten minutes. After ten minutes, my face will once again return to my youthful form. As it is, I've already destroyed the last three. Do you think, when I appear so young, anyone will believe I'm the Deputy Director of the Chuyun Imperial Guild of Alchemists? They'll only say that you, Fa Ma, are afraid that I, a Chuyun native, will win the championship and bring shame upon your guild—so you've secretly orchestrated this!' Fahma's face was grim, cold glimmers flashing in his cloudy eyes. Watching Fahma's fluctuating expression, Yan Li felt a deep sense of unease. Opposed by three powerful Duohuang-level warriors, this force would almost certainly be able to eliminate him with ease. As he had previously stated, once he fell, they would generate a flood of rumors to undermine the Jima Alchemist Guild's standing. Yet no one is truly fearless when it comes to death—Yan Li wasn't particularly a passionate or heroic figure. Unless the position of Head of the Yungu Imperial Alchemist Guild was about to become vacant, and several strong contenders were vying for it, he wouldn't have willingly risked such a life-or-death endeavor just to elevate his reputation within the domestic alchemical community. "As long as we succeed this time, the position of Guild President will surely be mine—no return without effort. Moreover, although Fama is strong, he is overly concerned with the guild, so he certainly won't take such a significant risk." Before leaving, Yan Li had thoroughly analyzed Fama's nature. Yet analysis was analysis—should anything go wrong, he might truly be in trouble. "Phew..." In the tense atmosphere of the room, Fama, whose expression had been shifting between gloom and frustration, suddenly exhaled, his voice cold. "Very well. I won't kill you now. But if you hope to win the championship, it won't be that easy!" "Heh, that's not something you need to worry about," Yan Li replied with a cold smile. "This tournament—besides that young man named Iwaki—there's nothing particularly outstanding among the others. If I can't even outperform these younger competitors, how will I possibly challenge for the position of Guild President?" A quiet sense of relief settled in his heart. "Then just wait..." Mamu's lips slightly moved, his voice cold and devoid of warmth. "Also, I hope you ultimately succeed in returning to the Shuuyun Empire to contest for the position of Grand Chancellor."