"Hey, just because I've replied—what's the point? Do you really expect to create a pill superior to the one in my cauldron during this very last half of time? Hah! You've got to act within your means, or else you'll only end up looking ridiculous... Hah... Hah..." In a cold, mocking tone, Yan lightly scoffed at Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan, however, didn't pay much attention to the remarks. With a gentle sweep of his sleeve, a surge of energy pushed the dark, ash-covered stone platform aside. He lightly tapped his storage ring, and instantly, a fresh pile of herbs spread out across the platform. Standing straight and poised before the stone platform, Xiao Yan slowly extended his hands. After a brief moment of stillness, a streak of green flame emerged from his body, clinging to the surface of his garments. Soon after, waves of flames began to rise continuously from within him. By the end, the green flames completely enveloped him, blazing brightly and transforming him into a radiant green flame figure. "...All of these...are all the Strange Flares? To control so many Strange Flares—how immense must the soul strength be?" On the plaza, the alchemists stared in wide-eyed astonishment at Xiao Yan, who had nearly transformed into a being of flame, and couldn't help but take a deep breath of cool air. As the jade fire surged upward from Xiao Yan's body, the princess who had just been about to retrieve the pill, and Liu Ling, both found themselves momentarily stunned. Although Yan Li maintained a composed expression, his eyelid jumped sharply at that moment—struggling to comprehend how this young man could still demonstrate such astonishing capabilities despite such a profound shock. "This youngster... his spiritual power seems significantly stronger than before," the elder on the dais remarked, eyes wide as Xiao Yan was completely enveloped in flame. With a tone of both admiration and slight envy, he added, "He chose the right path and achieved a breakthrough under pressure. This robust spiritual strength is difficult even for some of the senior elders in the guild to fully describe. This time, he has truly made substantial gains!" "It is well known that a master's spiritual strength cannot be actively cultivated—it only grows more profound over time. Of course, nothing is absolute; there are always exceptions. On this vast continent of qi, there are indeed many fortunate individuals who, due to sheer luck, find themselves in various extraordinary states. In such rare and mysterious conditions, those with exceptional fortune often receive a significant enhancement of their spiritual strength. The state currently exhibited by Xiao Yan is remarkably similar to such a scenario, which is why even Master Fahu, a renowned alchemist, finds himself somewhat envious. "Does he still have a chance of victory?" Hai Bopo Dong stroked his beard and asked with a smile. "I'm not sure," Fahu replied, shaking his head slightly and sighing. "As always, everything depends on Rock Jiao's performance. Though he is currently in excellent form, the opponent is no ordinary one—this battle is likely to be fierce and intense once again." "He's about to begin the refining process..." Hai Bo Dong nodded slightly, his eyes suddenly brightening as he gazed at the scene. This time, Xiao Yan's extraction process was noticeably faster than before, and he no longer exhibited that hesitant, cautious demeanor. When manipulating the hetero-fire, he moved with complete confidence, displaying a calm and composed grace—qualities typically reserved for highly experienced alchemical masters, such as Fang Ma. One by one, the herbs were tossed into the cauldron, while the other hand skillfully transferred the refined essence extracted from the pot into jade vials. Under this dual-action, with his soul energy reaching its peak, the herbs on the stone platform were rapidly transforming into the refined materials needed for the Three-Stroke Qingling Pills. Xiao Yan's renewed vigor in alchemy undoubtedly sparked a wave of excitement across the plaza. Previously, after his initial failure, Princess Xiao and Liu Ling had become the focal points of hope for many, only to now fall slightly behind Xiao Li in strength. As the crowd watched helplessly as Xiao Yan seemed poised to claim the national championship, his resurgence was a tremendous relief to countless spectators. Consequently, the countless eyes on the seats flanking the plaza were now fully fixed upon the figure enveloped in vibrant green flames at the center, as thunderous cheers resonated throughout the arena. "Hmm…" Listening to the boisterous cheers, Yan Li's cold gaze briefly swept toward Xiao Yan's direction, where he watched the seamless flow of the refining process. A touch of astonishment and seriousness flickered in his eyes. Observing the suddenly powerful soul energy emanating from Xiao Yan and his composed demeanor, Yan Li realized clearly that this young man hadn't been shaken by this setback—he had, in fact, achieved a breakthrough under the most dire circumstances. Such composure and resilience were truly remarkable. "This one... indeed has some solid foundation. But I still wonder, which elder master could possibly cultivate a student like this?" Looking at his performance, it was clearly far superior to that of the disciple of the ancient river, hmm—then the reputation of Dan King Guo River might not be entirely deserved. At least in teaching students, he falls far short of others. With a quiet chuckle, Yan Li turned his gaze back to his roaring flame-filled cauldron. Through the transparent surface of the cauldron, he could clearly see the nascent shape of the pill spinning steadily in the flames. "Almost there... almost complete!" As he watched the form nearing completion, Yan Li was filled with renewed energy. A subtle sense of pride began to bloom on his youthful face—his confidence in the pill he had crafted was absolute! The slender hands, wrapped in the flames, continuously moved swiftly across the stone platform, causing the herbs on the platform to diminish rapidly. Meanwhile, the jade bottles containing the refined materials were steadily filling up. At this moment, the young princess and the pills crafted by Liu Ling had both taken final form. With a simple gesture of her hand, she effortlessly caught the pills shooting out of the cauldron and sealed them into jade vials. Gazing at the vibrant, colored fragrances seeping continuously from the blazing cauldron of Yan Li, both of them sighed in mild frustration. Then, they lifted their eyes and turned their attention toward Xiao Yan's position—now, he had once again become the only contender with a real chance of surpassing Yan Li. The title of champion at the Garde Empire's Pharmaceutical Grand Assembly would ultimately depend on Xiao Yan's performance. Yet though his eyes were closed, to Xiāo Yīn's perception, the movements of the outside world were nearly as clear as if he were observing them with his naked eyes. The surging spiritual energy within the cauldron allowed him to clearly witness the herbs being burned by the flames—gradually disintegrating until, under the intense heat, they left behind the specific refined materials he needed. With a slow, steady breath, Xiāo Yīn realized that this particular alchemical process had been his most peak and flawless performance to date, without relying on the slightest assistance from the Elder Pharmacist. In this state, he even felt confident enough to challenge a fifth-rank alchemical master. The herbs wrapped in the emerald flames within the cauldron nearly rotated in perfect accordance with Xiao Yan's intentions, and at this moment, the temperature of the divine fire was even controlled with precision, matching the exact heat specified in the prescription down to the slightest degree. "Extraction complete..." At a certain point, the materials on the stone platform were finally fully refined. Only then did Xiao Yan's tightly closed eyes slowly open. His body remained still for a brief moment before his sleeves suddenly swept outwards, sending a surge of power that shattered twenty or so jade vials in front of him. The invisible force drew the refined essence from within the vials and transferred it entirely into the cauldron, instantly reigniting the flames. This time, Xiao Yan's extraction time was nearly halved compared to the previous attempt. Within the cauldron, the emerald fire surged and danced, and twenty or so refined materials gradually fused together, each one carefully enveloped and stabilized by Xiao Yan's spiritual power. Time flows like water, gently slipping through the fingers. Yet now, less than an hour remains until the match concludes. On the other side, Yan Li's medicinal cauldron is releasing an increasingly rich, colored fragrance—clearly, his elixir is nearing completion. "The Three-Stripe Qingling Pill is taking shape..." murmured someone, intently observing Fang Ma, but his face bore no sign of ease. He knew that even a standard Three-Stripe Qingling Pill would not be enough to overcome Yan Li. Suddenly, the cauldron of vibrant green flames on the plaza stilled abruptly, and a delicate aroma drifted out. Within, a smooth, emerald-colored pill spun continuously. As the elixir spun, the jade-like flame wrapping around Xiao Yan's body suddenly began a rapid search. In the blink of an eye, the flame surged like a tide, retreating back into Xiao Yan's body. Just as the jade flame within the cauldron was about to vanish completely, Xiao Yan suddenly opened his mouth wide, spewing out a surge of purple flame that rushed into the cauldron.