The next morning, the Panmen operated like a well-oiled machine. Early on, Xun and her two companions each led their teams out of the New Zone, bustling throughout the inner courtyards, gathering herbs according to the prescriptions given by Xiao Yan. After nearly a full day of such activity, the group finally returned to the New Zone at dusk, exhausted yet exhilarated. In a quiet, secluded chamber within a small pavilion, Xiao Yan gazed at the neatly arranged pile of herbs before him, observing the traces of fatigue still visible on Xun's faces, and smiled lightly. "You've all worked hard," he said. "These herbs consumed nearly 180 days' worth of 'fire energy.' Originally, we four weren't able to accumulate enough. However, members of the Panmen, especially Atai, generously contributed additional energy to make up the shortfall. These herbs are now almost our entire remaining stock," Xun sighed. Xiao Yan nodded silently, slightly moved to say, "Rest assured. I'll remember the 'fire energy' donated by A Tai and the others. When we produce the pills and successfully sell them, we'll return double to them." "Agreed," Xun'er nodded, gently stroking a pile of herbs, her dark brows slightly furrowed. "The cost of acquiring herbs within the inner courtyard is quite high. I think once these pills are ready, we should organize a team within Panmen or hire some staff either within the inner courtyard to specifically search for the herbs we need in the deep mountains. Then, based on the quality or quantity of herbs each person contributes, we can provide them with a monthly stipend. This way, our costs might be significantly reduced." "Heard this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, then nodded in agreement. His gaze swept over the pile of herbs before him—though the number wasn't particularly large, their value represented the entire磐门's accumulated efforts. He sighed, realizing the burden was indeed heavy... "Hehe, Xiao Yan brother, from now on, everything will have to rest entirely on you. We simply won't be able to contribute much to the alchemy process." Xun'er smiled warmly. "Yes," Xiao Yan nodded seriously, speaking softly, "Don't worry. Within one day, I'll transform these herbs into the specific pills we need. I won't let everyone's heartfelt intentions go unfulfilled." "By the way, these are two special pills I personally arranged to be purchased from the 'Herbal Association's' pharmacy. One is the pill Lü Hao mentioned—the one that restores qi—known as the 'Spring Revival Pill' at the Herbal Association. The other is a healing pill, particularly effective for external injuries..." Suddenly, Xun'er reached into her storage bracelet and gently placed two small jade bottles on Xiao Yan's desk. Hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, and couldn't help but silently praise Xun'er's intelligence in his heart. "Alright, Xiao Yan brother, now it's your turn," Xun'er smiled warmly, waving gently to Huiga and Wu Hao, and the three of them slowly stepped out of the room, finally closing the door behind them. With their departure, quiet once again settled in the chamber. Xiao Yan stared at the pile of pills before him, breathing deeply after a long pause, then settled onto his legs, extending his hand—immediately, the medicine cauldron appeared before him. After removing the medicine cauldron, Xiao Yan took the two pills purchased by Xun'er. First, he poured out the so-called "Revitalizing Pill"—a green pill with a faint medicinal aroma. Inhaling the subtle scent, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow slightly, then gently shook his head with a touch of disdain. The ingredients required for this "Revitalizing Pill" probably didn't exceed four, and all of them were among the most common herbs. In Xiao Yan's eyes, a man whose expertise in medicine preparation had already reached a refined level, such a pill likely only qualified as a standard first-class pill. "It seems no one has competed for these. The pharmacy must not be putting much effort into preparing the pills." With a quiet smile, he then took another bottle of healing medicine, which came in the form of a dark red ointment. Upon sniffing it, he detected a blend of several herbs, and consequently, he gave a slight shrug. Placed both pills back where they belonged, Xiao Yan turned his gaze back to the cauldron, his expression gradually calming. Once the prelude to alchemy began, Xiao Yan would enter a focused state, his eyes calmly fixed upon the cauldron before him, his thoughts gently swirling. This time, he intended to create three types of pills. The first was the Qi-restoring pill, known as the "Qi-Reviving Pill," which Xiao Yan had already mastered to perfection. With his current level of alchemical skill, the success rate of producing this pill could consistently remain at least eighty percent. The second was an internal-administered healing pill named the "Body-Repair Pill." This healing pill not only effectively treated internal injuries but also demonstrated solid efficacy in treating external wounds. In terms of both potency and grade, this Body-Repair Pill far surpassed the ointment-based healing products sold by the Medicine Guild. Most importantly, the quantity of herbs required to produce this pill was significantly less than that of the ointment-based healing products. This healing medicine is not only cost-effective but also highly effective—Xiao Yan has absolute confidence in it. As long as one hasn't been foolishly crushed by a door, most people would know exactly what choice to make. The third type of pill is called "Ice-Clear Pill." After consumption, it effectively mitigates the presence of fire toxicity. In terms of rank, the "Ice-Clear Pill" might qualify as a top-tier second-rank pill—indeed, from certain perspectives, it could even be considered a third-rank pill, since auxiliary pills that support cultivation are often far more valuable than healing pills. This pill will enable the Pan Sect to surpass the Pharmacy Sect and emerge as another dominant force in the Inner Courtyard's pill supply, as the Pharmacy Sect has never previously produced any pill capable of countering fire toxicity. As the three pill formulas passed through his mind, Xiao Yan exhaled deeply, his expression growing increasingly serious, and his fingers gently stroked, causing a vibrant green flame to rise instantly from his fingertips. A delicate green flame, dancing like a sprite, fluttered lively at the tip of Xiao Yan's fingers, and as it danced, the temperature within the chamber gradually rose. Fixing his dark eyes intently on the ascending green flame, Xiao Yan held his breath for a while, then gently flicked his finger. The green flame arced through the air in a wavy curve, weaving through the mouth of the pot, before suddenly surging upward, its intense heat causing the medicinal cauldron to emit a soft, hissing sound. Staring steadily at the cauldron, Xiao Yan slowly moved his long fingers across the pile of herbs on the left. Suddenly, his fingers trembled, and several herbs of different kinds were precisely caught between them. With a gentle sweep of his arm, several herbs were tossed directly into the medicinal cauldron, where the emerald flames surged upward. As the herbs entered the blazing cauldron, the emerald flames suddenly reached out and completely engulfed them. Gazing calmly at the suspended elixir, the intense heat continuously seeped out, gradually driving away the residual impurities within the liquid... At this moment, Xiao Yan's spiritual energy had already penetrated the cauldron. Under the subtle control of his spiritual presence, the temperature of the emerald flames rose or fell with a mere thought, achieving a flawless precision that progressively refined the elixir, purifying it ever more thoroughly... By the side, Huojia could only sigh in resignation. At this point, all she could do was wait. Nearly the entire Panmen was now waiting for Xiao Yan’s return. If he failed, it would be a severe blow to the morale of the Panmen staff. After all, since they first met, Xiao Yan had always appeared as a victorious commander—never having failed before. Perhaps this time would not be an exception either. Standing on the second floor, smiling at the three people in the hall, Xiao Yan quickly descended the stairs and reached the central table. With a wave of his hand, a hundred and more jade vials materialized instantly, filling the entire surface of the table. "There are three types of pills: 83 Qi-Reviving Pills, 62 Body-Repairing Pills, and 36 Ice-Clearing Pills, totaling 181 pills," Xiao Yan beamed, speaking clearly and warmly to the three. "That's so many!" The three were amazed, their faces filled with astonishment as they looked at the full table of vials, their expressions brightening with growing excitement upon hearing the exact numbers. "Thankfully, I've fulfilled my duty. From now on, the sales will entirely depend on you—all I have left is my strength, and I'm truly drained," Xiao Yan said softly, sinking into a comfortable chair, his face weary. The three nodded enthusiastically and gathered around the table, carefully counting the vials.