When Xiao Yan woke up from his deep sleep, the sky had grown dusky, and the soft, rose-gold light of the setting sun streamed through the window, casting dense patterns of light across the floor. Rising from his chair, Xiao Yan looked at the blanket draped over him, a gentle warmth spreading through his heart. He began to walk back and forth, stretching and moving his body. After a full night's rest, the earlier fatigue had vanished, replaced by a bright, refreshed energy. "Hehe, yes, the sisters have nearly taken the entire Panmen with them. But judging by the time, they should be returning soon." Atai tilted his head, smiling. "Thank you so much for your help this time," Xiao Yan said, taking a cup of cold tea from beside him, sipping it lightly before lifting his gaze and offering a gentle smile to Atai. "You're being too formal. After all, we're all Panmen now, and under your protection, how could we just stand by and do nothing?" Atai, slightly flustered by Xiao Yan's gratitude, stammered. "Since we decided to establish Panmen, these responsibilities naturally fall to me. Once the medicines are sold, I'll have Xun'er return the fire energy you've donated—doubled. It's a matter of public duty, and it's also a personal promise; we can't mix them up," Xiao Yan shook his head, speaking firmly. At that moment, Atai was about to delay, but suddenly a loud wave of footsteps echoed from outside the door. Atai's face lit up with joy, "The sisters have returned!" As soon as he finished speaking, the door was pushed open again, and a large group of cheerful people poured in, with Xun'er and her two companions leading the way—clearly delighted, as if they had achieved a promising outcome. "Xiao Yan brother, are you awake?" As Xun'er stepped into the room, she had just intended to scold the crowd to be quieter, but upon spotting Xiao Yan seated on the chair, she immediately brightened. "Hmm," he nodded with a smile, saying, "Why don't you all sit down and rest a while?" Observing Xiao Yan's calm demeanor, Xun'er smiled gently, while Huo Jia and Wu Hao settled beside her. The others from the Panmen group, due to limited seating, simply sat directly on the floor, and within moments, the once-empty hall was packed tightly. Once everyone had settled, Xiao Yan turned his gaze to Xun'er and smiled, asking, "How is it going?" "Rather good..." Xun'er smiled lightly. "We've sold thirty pills of Huagui Dan, thirty-five of Fuzhiti Dan, while the Bingqing Dan has been less successful—only fourteen units sold. Due to initial reputation concerns, we priced our Huagui Dan at one 'Fire Energy' per day, slightly below the price of the Yihuan Dan from the Medicine Guild; the Fuzhiti Dan also at one 'Fire Energy' per day. The Bingqing Dan, however, was priced at one 'Fire Energy' every three days. This brings our total to one hundred and seven days of 'Fire Energy' today—nearly matching our cost of operation. Indeed, the sale of these pills proves to be highly profitable, which is no wonder why alchemists remain the most sought-after and envied profession across the continent. "First hearing the pricing, Xiao Yan slightly furrowed his brows, then felt a bit relieved, speaking softly, 'Indeed, it's quite reasonable. As the Pan Sect sells its first batch of pills, we still lack established reputation—others find it hard to believe in the potency of our pills. Therefore, we have to offer competitive prices. As for the Bingqing Pill, however, the price is a bit high; most students would truly hesitate to purchase it.' Regarding Xun'er's final remark, Xiao Yan smiled to himself. If it weren't for his unique fire enhancing the success rate of pill-making, ordinary alchemists, even if they could make a profit, would still find it difficult to achieve such returns." "We never expected everyone to be able to afford it..." Xun'er smiled and said, "The十余 students who purchased the Bing Qing Dan are mostly strong in capability, and they don't lack the five days' worth of 'Fire Energy' either, so they bought it with some hesitation. However, I believe that within just a couple of days, those who have personally experienced the benefits of our pills will become living advertisements, promoting our Panmen to others. At that point, these pills might be snapped up instantly." "Agreed," Xiao Yan nodded. Once the reputation and effectiveness of the pills spread, he probably wouldn't need to go out actively selling—someone would surely come to him to purchase. "Xiao Yan, regarding the first batch of Fire Energy we've earned, I suggest we use it all to buy herbs right away," Xun'er proposed after a brief pause. "Right now, due to our sudden actions, the Herbal Society hasn't even reacted yet. But once they become aware of what's happening, they're likely to take action." "Are you afraid that the Medicine Guild might quietly acquire all our herbs?" Hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, then furrowed his brows. "No matter how we look at it, the Medicine Guild has a more solid foundation than us. Over the years, their sales of elixirs have made them incredibly prosperous. If they truly decide to monopolize the supply of herbs, we'll face serious challenges—after all, they genuinely possess the financial strength to do so. Therefore, we must be proactive and prepared." Xun'er said thoughtfully. "Yes, that makes perfect sense." Nodding firmly, Xiao Yan said in a serious tone, "We cannot underestimate this Medicine Guild. Starting tomorrow, we'll dispatch personnel to actively seek out and procure all the herbs we need!" "Agreed!" Exhaling slowly, Xiao Yan stood up, his gaze sweeping over the members of the Hall. Smiling, he said, "Thank you all for your efforts. All members who attended today's elixir sales will each receive five days' worth of 'Fire Energy' when our elixirs sell out. I, Xiao Yan, will keep my word—never breaking it!" "Long live the leader!" Hearing Xiao Yan's generous rewards, the Pan Gate members in the hall first paused in astonishment, then burst into joyful excitement—so enthusiastic that their shouts nearly tore the ceiling apart. With nearly forty to fifty members, each receiving five days' worth of fire energy, the total amounted to over two hundred days' worth. This level of generosity would certainly stand out even when compared to other departments within the Inner Courtyard. In the past, Xiao Yan certainly could not have afforded such a sum. However, now that he had begun selling medicinal concoctions, thanks to his skill in pharmaceutical crafting, fire energy would steadily flow into his coffers. Thus, he no longer felt constrained by modest means. "As for the fire energy donated by people like Atai to purchase medicinal herbs, we will provide double the amount—remember, no refusals!" Xiao Yan turned his gaze toward Atai and his companions, speaking clearly and authoritatively. Those Pan Gate members who had previously contributed fire energy were now silenced by Xiao Yan's firm words, only able to offer a wry, grateful nod. Beneath their smiles of relief, however, a quiet sense of warmth and appreciation stirred. Gazing at the Pan Gate members, now brimming with morale thanks to Xiong's generous rewards, the three of Xun couldn't help but exchange smiles and silently raised their thumbs in appreciation toward Xiao Yan. When Xun'er and the others returned on the second day, the first batch of pills they had prepared had nearly sold out, and the substantial supply of fire energy they had obtained left the entire Panmen abuzz with excitement. ... In the spacious, opulent room, several people sat, the atmosphere slightly subdued, with subtle ripples of tension flowing beneath the surface. At the head of the large table, a man dressed in the robes of a pill-maker leaned against his chair, sketching an ancient, rustic cauldron on his chest. Four shimmering silver waves rippled across the surface of the cauldron, their bright light so intense that the other十余 people in the room could not meet his gaze. "Who can tell me when the Panmen first developed pill-makers?" the man finally spoke after a long silence. His voice was low, carrying a quiet but noticeable undercurrent of frustration. Before him, three pills were arranged—exactly the three varieties sold by Xiao Yan and his companions. "It's said that he's the leader—actually, the one Xiao Yan crafted..." someone below murmured. "He's also a pharmacist?" the man frowned slightly. "Yes... it seems likely." "These three kinds of pills are better and cheaper than any we currently sell..." the man, eyes fixed on the pills before him, spoke with a cold tone. "If they succeed in establishing their reputation fully, our established monopoly on pill sales could be completely overturned." "Then what should we do now? Can we just watch them grow stronger?" someone asked, sounding rather agitated. The man paid no attention to the commotion below, gently tapping his fingers on the table. After a while, he spoke with a cold voice: "Investigate the herbs they're purchasing. For every herb they buy, we'll acquire it at double the price. That's all we have to offer—besides our strong 'Fire Energy' supply!" "Yes!" Upon hearing the leader's words, the crowd below immediately responded in unison. "Oh, I recall that Panmen seems to have some tension with the Bai faction, doesn't it?" The man said softly, as if suddenly remembering something. "Yes, it's said that Xiao Yan once defeated Fu Ao and even had a public dispute with Bai Cheng." "Hmph—what a bunch of arrogant newcomers! Send someone to invite Bai Cheng, the head of the Bai faction. I have something I'd like to discuss with him. Indeed, Panmen must be quite overconfident. Can one Xiao Yan really overturn the entire situation?"