Shifting his gaze from the white mountain across the way, Xiao Yan once again scanned the surroundings of the plaza. At the central viewing seat—offering the best vantage point—sat only four elderly men with white hair and beards. Though their overall aura was nearly indistinguishable from that of ordinary elders, Xiao Yan's eyes immediately settled on them. While others might not notice anything special, his exceptional soul perception allowed him to faintly sense occasional ripples of spatial resonance emanating from each of the four. Such spatial fluctuations only occurred when a person's internal qi reached an extreme level, creating resonance with the external space. Among the strong individuals Xiao Yan had encountered, even Hai Bodo had not yet achieved this state. Only the elders at the peak of the Battle Emperor rank, such as Jia Xingtian or stronger figures like Yun Shan, could reach this level. As Xiao Yan observed the four elderly men dressed in rather plain attire, the elders suddenly seemed to sense something, lifting their previously languid eyes and meeting Xiao Yan's gaze directly. Their cloudy eyes locked onto his, and as their eyes locked, Xiao Yan felt a sudden pain in his own. His internal qi surged, and at the very end, a sudden streak of emerald flame flashed across the blackness of his eyes—gradually easing the pain. Surprised, he quickly withdrew his gaze. "Hehe, Fire Elder, I heard that Xiao Yan once won the Pharmacist Championship of the Jima Empire, showing exceptional talent in pharmaceutical crafting. If he joins your pharmacy department, I believe his future achievements will be truly astonishing," said the gray-robed elder sitting in the middle, smiling. "Indeed, achieving such accomplishments at just eighteen is no small feat—his potential is truly outstanding. He must be a promising student. However, I think he probably has his own teacher, otherwise, relying solely on his natural talent, he wouldn't have reached such a level at this age." The elder known as the Fire Elder nodded first, then added. "Even if he has a private teacher, that won't create any conflict with you. There's little competition between a private instructor and the academy's teaching staff. Moreover, as the founder of our Pharmacy Department at Gan'an Academy, having established it for so many years, it would be a great advantage for him to join and study here. After all, no matter how extensive his private teacher's knowledge may be, it's hard to surpass the accumulated tradition and depth of our department." The gray-robed elder shook his head and smiled. "The Pharmacy Division stands independently from both the Outer and Inner Divisions, and thus has little conflict with them. If Xiao Yan is interested in joining the Pharmacy Division, I wouldn't mind having an excellent student." The fire-elder glanced at Xiao Yan in the distance and said softly. "...Among these four, the three on the left are the Deputy Director of the Outer Division and two highly respected elders. They hold significant influence within the Outer Division and themselves stand at the peak of the Du Phong level. As for the quiet elder on the far right, he is the Head of the Pharmacy Division, overseeing a large team of pharmacists. Due to the unique status of pharmacists across the continent, the Pharmacy Division operates independently—free from interference by either the Outer or Inner Divisions, even the Deputy Director cannot intervene." "The Pharmacy Division?" "Hearing this name, Xiao Yan felt a spark of recognition—this so-called Herbal Medicine Department might very well be akin to a Herbalist Guild." "The power dynamics within the outer academies are also quite disorganized. Though I know you've hidden your strength well, you'll still need to be cautious about two key factions. One is the academy's enforcement team—filled with powerful members, and certain special positions grant them near-autonomous authority to detain individuals at will. If you offend them, it becomes quite troublesome. The bloody conflict between the Galen Academy and the Black Horn Region, culminating in the hauntingly dreadful Deathwood Tree, were all orchestrated by them. The other faction is the Herbal Medicine Department itself. Regardless of where they are, herbalists always hold an exceptionally distinguished status." Instructor Liu sighed, her tone tinged with a touch of admiration—any second-tier herbalist within the department enjoyed a status far surpassing her own as a Yellow Stage instructor. "Hmm," Xiao Yan nodded slightly, committing these academy dynamics to memory. "By the way, last night I originally only asked that you make it into the top fifty for the internal courtyard selection. However, considering your true strength, I think you might be able to aim for the top five." The mentor, Ifen, smiled at Xiao Yan, not withholding the details she had accidentally overheard. "It doesn't matter much, really," Xiao Yan replied with a smile. "It does matter—those who reach the top five in the selection are eligible to enter the Academy's Library." Xun'er took up the conversation, smiling warmly. "The Library? The books there sound quite appealing." Xiao Yan was momentarily surprised. "I can only say that more than half of the participants are actually aiming to enter the Library. Xun'er and Bai Shan are among them." Xun'er sat beside Xiao Yan, her breath delicate and graceful, her gentle, serene demeanor instantly making the gaze of those watching Xiao Yan feel noticeably warmer and more intense. "The Archive Hall is a sacred sanctuary outside the main campus of Cana College, guarded with exceptional vigilance. It remains closed most of the time, accessible only to a few select individuals, and only reopens for a brief period after each annual selection competition." Xun'er said softly. "For those lucky enough, the benefits within may be truly unimaginable." "Oh?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. With Xun'er's background, she still harbored some curiosity about this enigmatic Archive Hall—surely, the treasures within would not fall short. With this thought in mind, he gave a slight nod, his interest piqued. "Then I'll do my best. But let me make it clear in advance—don't hold too much hope for me. After all, Cana College is home to many strong contenders." Given your capabilities, you should have no major issues. For this selection competition, you simply need to pay attention to five individuals. Master Liu smiled, her voice warm with amazement: "First, there's that young fox-girl. Her cultivation talent is no weaker than yours. Moreover, having spent these years closely beside the Vice Director—such a strong master—she's gained not only profound insights far beyond her peers but also mastered techniques and combat skills of a level that even ordinary people can't quite reach. Add to that her unusual personality—difficult to please, stubborn, and unyielding—she truly embodies the spirit of a young mage. Fortunately, she's not particularly interested in men, so you won't have to worry about her being persistent. Of course... given your close relationship with Xun'er, she might just find you to be the one to blame." "Second, the white mountain you saw last night—over the past two years, he has been the most prominent figure among the male students at the academy. His strength is truly formidable; calling him a formidable rival would not be an exaggeration. Third, you haven't met him yet, though he is one of the members from the 'Enforcement Squad' I mentioned earlier. He holds a high position within the squad and enjoys strong trust from the current head leader. Moreover, as an orphan, he is likely to remain at the academy for a long time, so in the future, he may well come to control this powerful force. Fourth, his name is Lu Mu—he is a top student in the Pharmacy Department. Not only is his pharmaceutical skill outstanding, but he is also strong in Qi cultivation, making him a significant opponent in his own right. You should pay special attention to him, as, according to the order, your opponent today might very well be him." Instructor Liu reminded. "Oh?" "Heard that, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned and asked, 'What level of strength does Lu Mu possess?' 'Around three-star Grand Combatant, I'd say. Though he's a real medicine sponge—his aura is somewhat weak and fluctuating, so not much to worry about,' said Xiao Yu, suddenly giving a slight sniff. 'Haha, Lu Mu is actually the top suitor for Yu. When he first enrolled, he pretended to be a freshman and kept luring Yu around the campus for hours. Eventually, Yu caught on and kicked him right into the pond. Who would've thought that after that one kick, he just stuck around and never left, constantly clinging to her. Every time he comes, he ends up battered and bruised. It's truly a credit to his background as a Medicinal Alchemist that he's able to keep up—otherwise, he'd be running out of healing supplies.' The mentor, Ru Lin, smiled softly,掩嘴 while chuckling. 'Hearing Ru Lin's playful remarks, Xiao Yu's cheeks flushed slightly, and she sighed, 'Don't mention that persistent glue-like Lu Mu in front of me—he's driving me crazy!' 'Ah?'" Hearing the two of them speak, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, then looked at Xiao Yu with a look of surprise, chuckling, "Hm, I never thought Xiao Yu's charm was that strong. But this time, it seems to have surpassed the one from two years ago." "Do you think everyone has your standards?" Xiao Yu sniffed. "I'm not exactly someone who's overlooked." Noticing Xiao Yan's astonishment, Xiao Yu added. Xiao Yan smiled and turned his gaze to the mentor, Iflin, asking, "And what about the last one?" "Right here, right now," Iflin said with a sly smile. "Huh?" Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback, turning to Xun'er beside him. Seeing her lively expression, he sighed, "Indeed, a rival one simply can't ignore." Undoubtedly, the final person Iflin emphasized—someone whose cultivation potential was extraordinary and whose background was both mysterious and vast—was none other than Xun'er. Amidst the quiet laughter of a few, the stands surrounding the plaza gradually filled once more with a sea of people, their bustling voices rising high into the sky, officially heralding the resumption of the second day's inner courtyard selection match.