Hearing that sharp, resonant thud, even the young princess Li Ling and the two others—Yan Li—had momentarily paused, then turned their gaze toward Xiao Yan’s direction, watching the black ash spill out of the cauldron. Their expressions varied slightly. "Ah…" the princess sighed softly. Xiao Yan had been the strongest contender against the gray-robed young man from Chu Yun Empire in this competition. Yet now, with this unexpected turn of events, it seemed… "If you're stepping down, then let's see what I can do. I’ll represent the Ge Ma Empire’s pharmaceutical community and secure victory against him. I want everyone to know that even without you, he won’t be able to claim the championship title!" Liu Ling tightly pressed her lips, her fists clenched. Though she felt a touch of regret, she was mostly filled with quiet delight. Since Xiao Yan had taken the stage, he and the enigmatic gray-robed youth had undoubtedly become the two most anticipated contestants of the tournament—something that stirred considerable frustration in the usually proud Liu Ling. "Hmph, that underdog who starts strong but falters at the end! Since you've been defeated, no one shall stand in my way now! This championship is mine!" With a smug, condescending smile, Xian Li raised his hand, and the black flames within the cauldron surged once more, gently blending the various ingredients into a harmonious, perfect union. Nodding slightly, Fama sighed, then forced a bright smile. "After all, he still has a chance..." Though he said it with confidence, his heart was heavy and bitter. As an exceptionally experienced master of pharmaceutical crafting, Fama knew well the immense difficulty that lay ahead for Xiao Yan if he hoped to triumph again. From the way Xiao Yan had previously switched between flames, it was clear that he still felt very unfamiliar with the transition between the two types. If this were indeed his limit, then with only two chances remaining, the outcome would likely remain disappointing. Moreover, with only three chances to begin with, Xiao Yan had already been under considerable pressure. Now, adding this latest failure, the weight on his shoulders would only grow heavier. Under such intense pressure, even seasoned senior pharmacists with rich experience often found it difficult to recover their optimal performance within a short time. Yet this was a competition—not a routine pharmaceutical task—and time was now extremely precious, leaving little room for delay or indulgence. If Xiao Yan lingered too long in the shadow of this failure, it would mean that, with time running out, he would inevitably lose his chance to vie for the championship. Thus, Fama could only silently pray that this consistently strong young man "Oh, young one, now it truly comes down to you alone. This is also a barrier on your journey as a alchemist—one that, once overcome, will bring immeasurable benefits to your future. Should you fail to break through, your progress may well stall forever at this very stage..." Gafmar murmured softly, gazing at the young man in the center of the arena, his head bowed, his eyes distant, fixed upon the dark, ash-covered stone platform. "It is up to you—whether to transcend and evolve, or to sink into the depths of despair. Heaven or hell, all rests in your single decision..." "It seems his setback has hit him hard, huh. Well, I suppose it's no surprise—after all, young people do tend to be that way..." Hearing the murmurs from around, Nalan Jie shook his head and murmured softly. Nalan Yan gently furrowed her brows, then said after a moment, "Given his usual demeanor, he doesn't seem like someone easily restless or impatient. Perhaps... he has other plans in mind?" Nalan Yan's words clearly reflected her own uncertainty, so she paused several times, hesitating to use even a single definite word. "If that's truly the case, I'd really like to see it—though... I suppose..." Nalan Jie stroked his beard, smiled faintly with a touch of sadness, yet stopped short, leaving the sentence unfinished. … Xiao Yan stood rigidly before the stone platform, his dark eyes fixed upon the cascading black ashes. Once lively and calm, his gaze now carried a touch of bewilderment. Since the passing of the Medicine Elder, this was the first time he had encountered a challenge that left him utterly at a loss. He had never realized that the delicate balance required during the transition of flame was so difficult to master—previously, he had greatly overestimated his own abilities. “This time… it truly seems troublesome, Teacher. What should I do now?” His lips trembled, and his voice, barely audible, carried a sense of uncertainty. … Although Xiao Yan had grown silent, the match time had not been paused at all due to his awareness of its significance. In the distance, the competition among Yan Li, the Princess, and Liu Ling had gradually intensified, drawing the attention of the audience from Xiao Yan toward the three of them. The fragrant aroma emanating from the medicine cauldrons. As the match progressed past half its duration, the initial forms of the medicinal pills in the three cauldrons had begun to solidify. Within a short while, a rich, potent fragrance first rose from the Princess's cauldron. Upon sensing the depth and intensity of this aroma, the still-remaining alchemists who had stayed behind on the stone platform gasped in unison: "A fourth-rank pill?" Hearing the wave of gasps rising around her, the young princess couldn't help but beam with pride. The pill brewed in the cauldron was the only four-grade pill she had full confidence in crafting, though it still carried a certain failure rate. Fortunately, today her luck had been exceptionally good—she succeeded on her first attempt. In terms of luck, she seemed to outshine Xiao Yan. However, the gasps didn't last long. Simultaneously, from the cauldron beside her, Li Ling emitted an even more rich and alluring fragrance. The two fragrances rose from their respective cauldrons and eventually blended together on the plaza, merging into one indistinguishable aroma. Yet some pharmacists with keen senses immediately distinguished the two distinct aromas, recognizing that the pills crafted by Liu Ling were of a higher grade than those made by the young princess. "Hmm," the young princess, who herself possessed good perceptiveness and had clearly discerned the superiority of one batch over the other, furrowed her brows and gave Liu Ling a sharp, withering glance as she smiled warmly at her. "Ah, Moon, I'm sorry. Today, I'll just take the lead." With a graceful bow to the princess's slightly crestfallen expression, Liu Ling smiled gently. "Two fourth-rank pills—these two young ones are quite promising indeed." On the elevated platform, the heavy-hearted Fama, sensing the subtle differences in aroma rising from the cauldrons of both the princess and Liu Ling, felt a slight lift in his spirits and nodded slightly. ... "Ha ha! Two young, inexperienced fellows—already preparing for a celebration at this stage? Isn't that a bit premature?" "A strange laughter suddenly echoed from the side, swiftly drawing the slight scowls of both the young princess and Liu Ling toward it. There, within Yan Li's cauldron, the flames burned fiercely. After a while, a delicate, faintly violet fragrance rose like a mist. 'A colored pill aroma?' As the violet scent materialized, nearly every known pharmacist on the plaza gasped in astonishment. 'It's truly remarkable—someone capable of producing pills with a colored aroma. This fool must have been well-prepared all along!' The gentle smile that had just begun to bloom on Fang Ma's face instantly darkened under the presence of the violet fragrance. 'What exactly is a colored pill aroma?' High on the dais, Hai Bo Dong, noticing the sudden pallor of Fang Ma's face, quickly asked. "The fragrance of colored essence is typically produced only by fifth-rank pills, though some pills at the peak of fourth rank can also generate it. Judging by the concentration of the fragrance, I believe the pills he has prepared are likely of the latter category." Lawma spoke with a grave expression, his voice slow and steady. "Compared to his, the fourth-rank pills crafted by Moon and Liu Ling clearly fall short." "This time, it seems we've lost the match, no matter what we do." On the plaza, Princess Xiao and Liu Ling stared in stunned silence at the colored pill fragrance rising from Yan Li's cauldron, their faces instantly draining of color and spirit, their expressions of resignation and sorrow. "Not necessarily," a clear, composed laugh suddenly broke through. A sudden, gentle laugh startled the young princess and Liu Ling, who promptly turned to see that the previously motionless Xiao Yan, standing like a statue before the stone platform, had now raised his head again. The usually cold expression on his face now carried an uncommon warmth and tenderness. The two of them stared at this smile, and for some reason, they found themselves momentarily disoriented—something seemed different about Xiao Yan now. It felt as though there had been a subtle shift in his demeanor and self-assurance. Smiling lightly, Xiao Yan turned around and glanced at Yan Li, who was coldly staring at him. Xiao Yan gave a gentle smile, raised his thumb in appreciation, and then, right in front of everyone's eyes, flipped it downward!