Seeing the flicker of hesitation pass over Lin Yan's face, Xiao Yan was slightly taken aback, his brows furrowing slightly as a wave of thoughts stirred within him. Since he had known Lin Yan, this usually proud and self-assured young man had never shown any sign of hesitation or fear—only admiration for the strength of figures like Lin Xiu'ya and Liu Qing. Yet now, even under the weight of the title "Number One on the Strongest List," Lin Yan stood silent, his expression reflecting genuine hesitation. This could not leave Xiao Yan's composed demeanor unchanged. "Hehe, it's just a casual question, Lin Yan, no need to take it too seriously," Xiao Yan smiled softly, gently setting down his teacup and speaking with a warm tone. Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Lin Yan's expression gradually eased, and he sighed with a wry smile, saying, "That person—I really don't want to mention him. You'll surely see him during the grand tournament one month from now. But just a heads-up: if you meet him during the competition, don't anger him. If necessary, even concede the match would be fine." With a slight press of his lips, Xiao Yan nodded silently. How strong was that top-ranked contender? His thoughts raced. It was truly remarkable that Lin Yan, someone so capable, would express such concern. Who exactly was this person—so formidable that even he couldn't help but speak with such hesitation? Was he truly born with three heads and six arms? "Hehe, though, it's also possible you might not meet him. If you want to make it into the top ten, that's going to be ten times harder than defeating Bai Cheng—perhaps even more. Right now, the contenders for the top ten all stand at the peak of Du Ling, with extensive battle experience, and each possesses a strong, signature combat technique. Their combat prowess far surpasses someone like Bai Cheng." Lin Yan chuckled, his straightforward words leaving little room for grace in Xiao Yan's favor. Hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned. Glancing at Lin Yan's eager, hungry expression, he couldn't help but feel a sudden chill run through his body. This man's passion for battle was nearly on par with Wu Hao's. He didn't want to waste his energy fighting someone who turned wild the moment they clashed. So he quickly waved his hands, saying, "Alright, alright. I haven't fully recovered yet. Let's wait until later." Upon hearing Xiao Yan's refusal, Lin Yan nodded in quiet disappointment. After training in the Tian Fen Qi Tower for fifteen days, he only felt an increasing itch in his hands, longing to finally engage in a vigorous, satisfying battle. Seeing Lin Yan's expression, Xiao Yan promptly changed the subject, chatting with him for a while before eagerly finding an excuse to send him on his way. Seeing Xiao Yan being sent off with Xiu'er shaking her head with a smile, unable to help but chuckle. But when Xiao Yan glared at her, she quickly suppressed the smile and playfully said, "I know he's not afraid of Lin Yan—only concerned that he might get hurt during their sparring." "You'll just keep acting all proud," Xiu'er said, brushing off Xiao Yan's complaints. Blushing slightly, Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and glanced at the sky outside. After a brief pause, he said, "I'd like to go see Hao Elder—he oversees the herb storage in the inner academy. I'm currently short on some essential herbs. If he has them, I'll surely find a reason to borrow." Upon hearing this, Xiu'er nodded slightly and asked, "You're lacking herbs? Our Panmen herb collection teams have been fully established and have even made several trips into the mountains—our harvests have been quite substantial. Perhaps there's something you need." Xiao Yan chuckled, for the herbs he needed had even never been personally witnessed by him—how precious they must be. Yet, he couldn’t easily decline Xun'er’s kind offer, so he simply mentioned the name of the final herb still missing: Long-Xu Bing-Huo Fruit. Upon hearing the name, Xun'er furrowed her brows and thought for a moment before shaking her head in resignation. She had reviewed the collection records from the herb-gathering team and found no mention of this particular herb. Seeing Xun'er’s expression, Xiao Yan felt no surprise at all. He smiled, offered a polite greeting, and then rushed out the door. … After stepping out, Xiao Yan glanced around, chose a quiet spot, and summoned Zi Yun Yi. He then ascended into the sky and took off toward the newly developed area. As he passed by the entrance, he glanced down and indeed spotted several figures peering curiously at the entrance. He sighed with a faint smile, flapped his wings, and his form gradually faded into a faint shadow, eventually disappearing into the distance under the deepening night. With so many strong contenders within the inner courtyard, Xiao Yan didn't wish to create unnecessary disturbances. After avoiding those who had come with the intention of challenging him, he landed at a less-traveled spot, retrieved Zi Yun Yi, and swiftly headed toward the inner courtyard's herb storage warehouse. As a repository for precious medicinal herbs within the inner courtyard, this medicinal storehouse boasts a highly rigorous defense system—not only is it guarded by Master Hao, a top-tier Duwang cultivator, but also by around ten mentors patrolling round the clock. Generally, ordinary students are barred from entering this area. However, perhaps due to Master Hao's specific instructions, when Xiao Yan was stopped by one of the patrolling mentors, he was not sent away but instead escorted to Master Hao himself. Xiao Yan bowed slightly to Hao Elder and smiled. After the mentor had departed, he softly stated his purpose: "I've come to seek out Hao Elder mainly because I'm missing a specific herb for a particular pill. I'd like to check whether we can find it here. With my current strength growing, I believe my success rate in crafting the 'Dragon Force Pill' will surely improve." He kept his gaze fixed on Hao Elder's face, and upon seeing the slight delight on the latter's expression when he finished his last sentence, Xiao Yan felt a sense of relief. "Heh, these herbs stored here will eventually be taken away by the old fellows from the Pharmacy Department—no matter what excuse they come up with." Waving his hand, the Senior Elder approached Xiao Yan with earnestness, patting his shoulder and smiling, "Xiao Yan, I don't need to say any more words. If you can produce a pill that satisfies me, simply prepare one, and I'll let you take any one herb of your choice from the medicinal storehouse—how does that sound?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned. One herb in exchange for one satisfactory pill? That... "You shouldn't think I'm being generous here. I believe the herbs I'm asking for—ones so rare that even you might struggle to find—will be quite scarce. For such high-grade herbs, exchanging one pill for one herb isn't really a loss on your part. How does that sound?" Seeing Xiao Yan still hesitating, the Elder seemed to clearly understand his thoughts and chuckled warmly. After a brief pause, Xiao Yan slightly nodded. If the final ingredient for crafting the Earth Spirit Pill—Dragon-Hair Ice-Fire Fruit—were indeed available here, then exchanging one Dragon Force Pill for it would truly be a fair trade. Yet, he would only find such a trade beneficial if it were this rare ingredient; otherwise, the transaction might not be particularly advantageous. "Very well, I agree with the Elder." Upon hearing Xiao Yan's acceptance, Elder He's face instantly brightened, and the wrinkles on his forehead smoothed out. He then casually tossed a white object toward him, saying, "This is the most precious storage room in the repository, where the finest herbs are kept. Go there and search for it. Once you find it, we can proceed with our exchange." Receiving the object promptly, Xiao Yan glanced at it and recognized it as a jade plaque crafted from white jade. The plaque was intricately carved with lifelike depictions of various medicinal herbs, and a faint, soothing aroma of herbs subtly permeated the air, bringing a sense of tranquility and well-being. "The inner courtyard truly has deep roots—this jade plaque itself is crafted from an exceptionally rare type of jade." Holding the plaque, Xiao Yan murmured to himself, then decided not to linger, turning instead toward the door leading to the herb storage room within the room. "By the way, little one, remember to only collect what you need. Don't touch anything else—those items are all marked with energy traces. Even a slight movement will allow me to sense it immediately." As Xiao Yan entered, Hao Elder reminded him, noting that the herbs inside were so precious that the inner courtyard had to implement certain protective measures. "Heh, Elder, don't worry—Xiao Yan isn't one to be greedy." Smiling, Xiao Yan understood that Hao Elder was subtly urging him not to be overly ambitious, and thus replied with clear understanding. With his meaning now exposed, Hao Elder blushed slightly, waved a hand, and then settled back into his chair, returning to reviewing the herb documentation. With a gentle smile, Xiao Yan pushed the door open. Beyond lay a broad corridor. As instructed, he walked to the end of it. A faint energy field hovered there. He scanned the surroundings and noticed the recessed slots on the wall. Taking a step forward, he carefully pressed the white jade plaque against the slot. As the plaque settled, the glow of the energy field gradually dimmed and eventually vanished entirely. Reclaiming the plaque, Xiao Yan looked at the wooden door concealed behind the field, his hands now nervously clasped together. With eager anticipation, he pushed the door open and stepped into the medicinal store, its fragrance enveloping him.