It has now been three days since the alchemy examination, during which time Xiao Yan's remarkable alchemical skills have been widely acclaimed among most of the inner courtyard students. At present, Xiao Yan's reputation within the inner courtyard likely rivals that of the top ten strongest contenders on the "Strong List." As a pharmacist capable of producing five-rank pills, regardless of his current location, he receives treatment and recognition equivalent to that of a Battle King or even a Battle Emperor—this is evident from the unexpectedly warm and respectful attitudes displayed by the inner courtyard elders recently. Though the Grand Elder had secretly instructed to give Xiao Yan special attention, in the past, these elders had merely regarded him as a promising student. Now, however, they treated him as someone of true world-class stature, speaking to him with a subtle formality that was previously absent. The elders themselves were well aware that a pharmacist capable of crafting fifth-rank pills held a value far exceeding that of a Duke-level warrior. Once they recognized this significant gap in value, they naturally no longer felt the need to display their seniority and dignity before Xiao Yan, for they realized that their status offered them no real sense of authority when compared to his. If it served no purpose, then why maintain their titles in conversation? …Over the course of three days, not only did Xiao Yan's reputation soar within the inner courtyard, but thanks to the visibility gained from this competition, nearly every inner courtyard student had heard of him. The Pan Gate's announcement to begin selling its medicinal pills—a major development—had also generated significant interest. Having witnessed Xiao Yan's exquisite alchemical demonstrations on the northern plaza, many were now eager to purchase the Pan Gate's pills, often wandering beyond the new student zone in anticipation. Additionally, due to Xiao Yan's victory in the competition, the five trading locations promised by the Herbal Society were gradually transferred to the Pan Gate. Although the Herbal Society clearly cherished these highly popular sites and expressed considerable reluctance, even citing various excuses to delay the handover, these efforts ultimately collapsed after Xiao Yan invited Master Hao to personally intervene. Finally, under the impassive gaze of the Hao elder, the Herbal Guild could only grit their teeth and watch as the members of Panmen erased the original Herbal Guild emblems inscribed on the transaction sites, blending them instead with Panmen's emblems. Once they had secured these five locations, Xiao Yan and his companions truly felt the intensity of the crowd's enthusiasm—within just one day, nearly two hundred pills were sold out. Watching the fire energy on the fire crystal card surge dramatically, Xiao Yan and his team couldn't help but be stunned. With the pills now all sold and the Herbal Guild's blockade on medicinal materials lifted, Xiao Yan naturally had to resume his busy schedule. However, after two days of nonstop refining efforts that still failed to meet demand, he could only shake his head in resignation and finally proposed a suggestion he had been contemplating for a long time. "We should start gathering some alchemical artisans." In the hall, Xiao Yan, bearing the black circle, helplessly spread his hands toward Xun'er and the other two: "I can't possibly handle such a massive workload of alchemical preparations alone. We'll have to hire someone." "Hire someone? Then wouldn't the prescriptions inevitably leak out?" Xun'er was initially surprised by Xiao Yan's suggestion, paused thoughtfully, and then spoke softly. "It's simply unavoidable. I can't possibly stay locked in my room every single day refining pills, can I?" Xiao Yan shook his head with a wry smile. "We won't be able to keep the prescriptions strictly confidential forever. Moreover, you've greatly overestimated the value of these three formulas. Should any of them ever leak, I'll naturally present even more outstanding ones." This was indeed true—these three prescriptions were only of the first or second rank, far from particularly precious. Upon hearing this, Xun'er and the others hesitated slightly before nodding in agreement. Xiao Yan was right—after all, he couldn't be refining pills in the Panmen every day. "As for finding medicinal masters, it's up to you to handle it. Remember, this must be done privately, and every medicinal master entering Panmen must be thoroughly investigated to ensure they have no prior connections with the Medicine Guild." Xiao Yan said seriously. "Xiao Yan brother is worried that Han Xian might have people sneak into Panmen?" Xun'er smiled lightly. "That man isn't exactly open and honest. If he can secure a prescription, he wouldn't mind such a method at all." Xiao Yan replied calmly. "Understood. We'll take care of this." "...The efficiency of Xun'er and her team truly left Xiao Yan astounded. The very day he proposed his suggestion, she had already successfully identified three炼药师of approximately third-rank. According to Xun'er, these individuals had not been accepted by the Herbal Medicine Department due to certain reasons. As a result, within the inner courtyard, they had not been entangled with the Herbal Society but, rather, frequently suffered bullying from its members simply because of being in the same field. Now, hearing that Panmen intended to absorb these scattered炼药师, they had hardly hesitated to agree. Previously, these炼药师might not have paid much attention to Panmen, a relatively new force. However, now things have changed. Although Panmen lacked cultivators of Ling-level strength, it boasted a炼药师capable of producing fifth-rank pills—a reputation that was sufficient to attract many. And now, these炼药师were specifically drawn to Xiao Yan, the first-ranked炼药师within the inner courtyard." Xiao Yan had no doubts about Xun'er's ability to discern talent. After meeting the three pharmacists, he noticed their deep admiration, which left him both amused and slightly embarrassed. However, after a thorough assessment, he found that the three indeed possessed solid experience in pharmaceutical preparation. Thus, he immediately decided to incorporate them into the Pan Gate. After welcoming the three pharmacists, Xiao Yan did not immediately hand over the prescriptions to them. Instead, he quietly observed their demeanor and character over the course of two days, before summoning them to the inner chamber on the second day and presenting them with the three fully engraved prescription scrolls for the pills. He then delivered them a strict instruction not to disclose the information. Yet, having only been with him for three days, they were already entrusted with such refined prescriptions. After a moment of astonishment at the breadth and grace of Xiao Yan's work, the three alchemists solemnly bowed to him, their faces grave—merely the trust he placed in them was enough to make the three, who had long struggled under the pressure from the Herbal Guild within the Inner Courtyard, feel deeply grateful. Handing over the prescriptions, and seeing the expressions of surprise and gratitude on their faces, Xiao Yan quietly exhaled, relieved. At least now, he knew these three were trustworthy. With these three assistants at his side, Xiao Yan found himself much more at ease. He stayed at Panmen for several days, occasionally offering guidance on the preparation of pills, and finally escaped the exhausting, sleepless days of relentless pill-making that had plagued him earlier. The herbal pills from Panmen were slightly less expensive than those from the pharmaceutical guilds, yet they couldn't possibly be purchased every single day. Therefore, after the initial surge of demand subsided, the scene where pills were sold out within just one hour—once so intense—had gradually faded. Nevertheless, with current sales performance, Panmen's pills now stood on equal footing with the guild, the dominant force in pill distribution. ... Humans are inherently forgetful, so after a week of the intense enthusiasm sparked by the pill competition, the fervor began to wane slowly. To Xue Yan's relief, the now-frequent, piercing glances and murmurs of admiration he once encountered when stepping out were noticeably diminishing. To this day, Panmen has finally stabilized, and Xun'er and the others have begun to regularly enter the Tianfen Qi Tower for cultivation. The progress they've achieved has even surprised Xiao Yan himself. At this pace, Xun'er, Hu Jia, and Wu Hao are likely to reach the Douling level within six months—marking a dramatic leap in Panmen's overall strength. Perhaps due to the extended period of meditation they spent previously in the Tianfen Qi Tower, Xiao Yan now has little desire to enter the tightly sealed underground tower. Moreover, he is aware that, for someone who has only recently broken through, the cultivation benefits he would gain from entering the tower now are not particularly significant. During his free time, Xiao Yan also accompanied Wu Hao to the arena several times. The intense, electrifying atmosphere of the combat matches nearly stirred a surge of passion in every person who entered—it was natural for anyone to wish to become the star of the show, and within the arena, as long as one dared step onto the field, one could instantly become the most dazzling star. "It seems I'll have to head into the deep mountains alone once again..." With a light chuckle, Xiao Yan didn't even pause to greet Wu Hao, who was waiting to make his appearance. He simply walked straight toward the arena's outer edge. After nearly half a month of rest, it was time for him to strengthen his own capabilities with a more solid foundation. Inside the inner courtyard, the cultivation of the Three Thousand Thunder Motions had clearly proven insufficient. Thus, this time, Xiao Yan intended to venture into the vast, misty mountains alone—until he successfully mastered the Three Thousand Thunder Motions!