After stepping out of Liu's chamber, Xiao Yan exchanged a glance with Hao, both of them breaking into smiles. "Thank you very much, Hao Elder," Xiao Yan said, stepping closer and speaking softly. "I will surely repay you in the future." "Haha, nothing special at all. Now that fellow has lost his thing to boast about in front of us, we can finally enjoy some peace of mind." Hao Elder smiled and waved, though his facial expression suggested that Xiao Yan's words had still brought him genuine pleasure. After all, having witnessed Xiao Yan's skill in preparing elixirs, Hao had long harbored the intention to cultivate a close relationship. For a fifth-rank alchemist to owe him even a modest favor was already quite satisfactory. The two continued their conversation as they walked out of this tranquil area where the elders resided. Since Hao needed to return to oversee the herb store and Xiao Yan had to head back to Panmen, they parted ways at a nearby intersection. Standing at the fork in the path, gazing at the retreating figure of Elder Hao, Xiao Yan exhaled deeply, his joy visibly blooming upon his face. Now everything was fully in place—only the refining process remained. However, the Di Ling Dan was a sixth-rank pill, and with his current capabilities, he could only produce somewhat ordinary fifth-rank pills. Sixth-rank pills, on the other hand, were still beyond his reach. Thus, the refining of the Di Ling Dan would likely have to be entrusted to Elder Yao. "With time growing increasingly pressing—there's no telling when the fallen heart flame might erupt—the refining of the Di Ling Dan should be done as soon as possible," Elder Yao's voice quietly echoed in Xiao Yan's mind as he pondered. Gently lifting his gaze to the sparse figures scattered around, Xiao Yan subtly nodded and began walking toward the area where the Pan Gate stood, softly asking himself, "When would the master like to begin?" "Ideally, within the next few days." "The elder pharmacist pondered, 'You first rest for a couple of days. Then we'll need to go deep into the mountains once more. During the refinement of the Sixth-Rank pills, certain celestial phenomena will occur—indeed, this Earth-Spirit Pill is among the top-tier among Sixth-Rank pills. Thus, the disturbances will likely be even more pronounced. If we attempt to produce it within the Inner Courtyard, we'll certainly be exposed.' Nodding in understanding, Xiao Yan silently weighed the matter in his mind and gradually accelerated his pace. Soon, he arrived outside the Pan Gate. Perhaps due to the time being late, all the challengers who had been waiting had dispersed. This spared Xiao Yan the need to sneak back in. He straightened his robe and entered the courtyard with confidence, through the main gate." ... For the next one or two days, Xiao Yan remained quietly within the Pan Gate, focusing on his cultivation, even failing to enter the Burned Qi Tower on that day. During these two days, no further incidents arose within the Pan Gate. Sales of medicinal pills now accounted for seventy percent of the Inner Courtyard's total, with an increasing number of students joining in admiration. Originally staffed with only three members, the Medicinal Preparation Team, after rigorous selection, expanded to six, thereby significantly improving the efficiency of pill production. Under the robust support of the "Fire Power," the Pan Gate's strength now rivals that of several top-tier factions within the Inner Courtyard. Moreover, thanks to the incentive and disciplinary system established by Xun'er and others, two cultivators of approximately Three-Star Spiritual Realm strength were even attracted—something that left Xiao Yan quite surprised. Thus, with the addition of those two Douling cultivators, Panmen now boasts three Douling-level masters. This roster qualifies Panmen as a true first-tier force, and with its solid economic backing, being a member of Panmen has become a source of pride worth boasting about. The Panmen of today stands in stark contrast to the one that was entirely composed of newcomers just six months ago. In just half a year, the once-ordinary force has evolved into a formidable power, and Xiao Yan's name has grown increasingly renowned within the inner courtyard. Though ranked only 34th on the "Strength Ranking," his reputation has surpassed that of many of the top ten elite cultivators. On the third day, Xiao Yan finally stopped his closed-door cultivation. Over these three days, he had fully stabilized his strength at the level of a one-star Dust Spirit, and due to several batches of pill-making, his internal Dust Energy had also refined significantly. At this pace, he might soon reach the peak of the one-star Dust Spirit rank. Stepping out of his room, Xiao Yan descended the stairs and spotted Huo Jia's figure in the hall. Sensing the noticeably stronger aura emanating from her, Xiao Yan realized that, following this injury, she had unexpectedly advanced to the level of a nine-star Dust Master. With her natural talent for cultivation, he believed she wouldn't take long to truly break through into the Dust Spirit rank. Then, the Pan Gate would have another Dust Spirit—no, actually two. He couldn't forget Wu Hao, that battle-mad fighter. Given his relentless presence on the arena every day, Xiao Yan speculated that Wu Hao might even reach Dust Spirit status before Huo Jia did. As he stepped into the hall, Xiao Yan casually had a light breakfast and briefly explained to Xun'er that he needed to return to the deep mountains. Upon hearing that Xiao Yan, who had only just returned, was once again heading back into the mountains, she was somewhat surprised. Yet, seeing the serious look on his face, she couldn't find it in herself to object, merely nodding politely. "Go ahead, be careful. I'll keep an eye on things at the Pan Gate," Xun'er softly smiled as Xiao Yan stood up and prepared to leave after finishing his meal. "Yes, thank you. I'll be back in a few days," Xiao Yan nodded warmly to the two of them, then opened the door. The bright sunlight caused his eyes to slightly close, but soon he smiled and stepped out with a composed air. After leaving the Pan Gate, Xiao Yan headed straight toward the outer courtyard. Once outside, he chose a quiet spot and summoned Zi Yun Yi, quickly ascending into the sky. His figure transformed into a streak of black, swiftly darting toward the deep mountains. … Flapping his indigo wings, Xiao Yan flew for nearly an hour, estimating that he had reached the central region of the mountain range, before gradually reducing his speed and spending another half hour searching for a steep cliff only a few zhang wide, finally landing gently upon it. The cliff rose almost vertically; without the support of powerful qi, climbing it would have been impossible, and surrounding it, several taller peaks stood tall, perfectly concealing this smaller one among the lush, towering trees. As soon as his body touched the cliff, the figure of Yao Lao floated into view, surveying the surroundings with a satisfied nod. "While I am refining the Earth Spirit Pill, you must not stray away. Pay close attention to my refining techniques. Though your current skill in pharmaceutical preparation is already highly regarded—such that you would be well received even in any location—there remains a significant gap when compared to a true master of pharmaceutical refinement." The elderly pharmacist said seriously to Xiao Yan. "Understood," Xiao Yan nodded promptly, knowing that the opportunity to observe a master pharmacist at work was rare and highly beneficial for his development. "Of course," the pharmacist added, sitting cross-legged on the grass, "if any unusual phenomenon occurs when the pill is completed, you should step back slightly, or else you might be inadvertently harmed." Xiao Yan nodded again. "Now, bring out the herbs," the pharmacist said, taking a deep breath and his expression growing increasingly serious. Hearing the old pharmacist's instructions, Xiao Yan swiftly retrieved several exceptionally rare herbs from his storage amulet and arranged them neatly before him. Instantly, a rich, fragrant aroma filled the small mountain peak, invigorating and refreshing with each deep breath. As his gaze slowly swept over the herbs, the old pharmacist nodded slightly and raised his hand—immediately, the ancient, dark ring on Xiao Yan's finger detached itself and floated gently before the old man. The dark ring shimmered with light, and then, a towering,漆black cauldron, nearly half a zhang in height, descended with a resounding crash. The cauldron was adorned with intricate, unusual flame patterns that seemed to pulsate with life, as though the flames themselves were alive and breathing. As soon as the cauldron appeared, Xiao Yan found his mouth watering. He had seen the old pharmacist summon such a cauldron before, but at that time, he was still a novice and had no idea of just how precious this cauldron was within the realm of pharmaceutical crafting. "The Black Demon... Hmph. The medicinal cauldron ranked among the Heavenly Ding List—when will I be able to have one of those myself?" Xiang Yan gazed dreamily at this imposing black cauldron, his voice filled with yearning. Compared to this "Black Demon," the medicinal cauldrons he had used in the past were nothing but trash. Observing Xiang Yan's glowing eyes, the Elder of Medicine shook his head, smiling slightly, and said, "Cauldrons ranked on the Heavenly Ding List possess a certain spirit. Moreover, I've inscribed a soul seal upon this Black Demon. Right now, you can't use it. Once I have a body capable of housing a soul, I'll erase the seal, and then you'll be free to use it at will." Xiang Yan chuckled warmly. "Alright, the preparation is about to begin. Little one, don't let your attention drift." With a smile, the Elder's face grew serious. The very fact that he could summon the Black Demon to prepare the pills demonstrated just how seriously he took this particular process. The ethereal hands, dry and resembling an eagle's claws, gently lifted, and at once, a cluster of crisp, pale flames materialized in mid-air. As the pale flames appeared, the temperature around them dropped noticeably—yet despite this cooling, the flames surged upward with increasing intensity, creating a strikingly paradoxical sensation. With a swift gesture, the pale flames surged into the medicinal cauldron, and instantly, a roaring, vibrant flame erupted from within! The refinement of the Sixth-Rank Earth Spirit Pill had finally begun at this very moment.