The establishment of the Yan Alliance immediately sparked tremendous unrest throughout the Jia Ma Empire. People were astonished by the gathering of such powerful forces—the three imperial families, plus the Herbalist Guild—whose combined strength nearly matched that of the Yun Lan Sect in its prime. No one had expected Xiao Yan to accomplish this feat, something even the Yun Lan Sect had struggled with, quietly and flawlessly. Many sensed that, in the years to come, the Jia Ma Empire would increasingly come under the influence of the "Yan Alliance." The Yun Lan Sect had truly been surpassed. Within the sealed chamber, Xiao Yan sat in meditation upon a stone bed, a crimson medicine cauldron standing before him. On one side of the stone slab, various herbs were neatly arranged, releasing a rich, fragrant aroma that gradually rose like vapor, enveloping the entire chamber. Doing as he spoke, Xiao Yan took several deep breaths to clear the distractions from his mind. With a flick of his fingers, a strand of emerald-green ruyi lotus heart flame appeared at his fingertip. He shook his finger slightly, and the flame darted out, eventually flowing entirely into the medicinal cauldron before him, where it instantly flared into a vigorous blaze. The intense heat radiated out even through the cauldron, gradually raising the temperature within the chamber. Undisturbed by the rising warmth, Xiao Yan kept his gaze fixed on the cauldron. After a moment, he extended his hand, and a jade-like fruit with spines, subtly emitting a rich fragrance, fell into his hands. Glancing at the Qingming fruit—the primary ingredient for crafting the Qingming Life Pill—he could clearly sense the vibrant vitality emanating from it. Gently clutching the Qingming fruit, Xiao Yan paused for a moment before flexing his finger and with unwavering determination launched it into the cauldron, where it was immediately engulfed by the vibrant, roaring emerald flames. His spiritual energy radiated outward from his brow, eventually seeping into the cauldron, as he focused intently on regulating the flame's intensity and monitoring the fruit's condition. Under the newly formed, dual-unique fire—Ruyi Lotus Heart Fire—any resilient herb would swiftly yield, and the Qingming fruit was no exception. Though it momentarily resisted the flames through the vitality within it, upon Xiao Yan's subtle mental focus, the flames surged forth, and gradually, a steady stream of milky-white sap began to ooze out of the fruit. As the flames gently vaporized the liquid, more and more sap flowed out, eventually coalescing into a liquid mass about the size of half a palm at the base of the fruit. His gaze remained fixed upon the cauldron. After approximately half an hour, Xiao Yan altered his hand seal, and the flames within the cauldron gradually softened. The Qingming fruit, which had previously been present, completely dissipated, replaced by a vibrant, milky-white liquid. Gazing at this milky liquid, Xiao Yan exhaled a sense of relief. With a flick of his fingers, the flames surged upward. Under the rapidly rising intense heat, the liquid—originally palm-sized—shrank visibly, and as it diminished in volume, its color deepened progressively, until it resembled a white pearl. Satisfied that the preparation of the Qingming fruit had gone smoothly without any complications, Xiao Yan made no pause. With a simple wave of his hand, another herb materialized and was swiftly added to the cauldron. As time passed, one after another, the herbs were continuously poured into the medicinal cauldron, causing an ever-increasing variety of refined medicinal energies to accumulate within. Xiang Yan's expression grew increasingly serious, his soul power fully extending to envelop every single medicinal energy, tightly enclosing and precisely regulating each one to maintain the required temperatures, slowly refining them. After approximately three hours of steady refinement, a sudden surge of intense flame erupted within the cauldron. Though Xiang Yan had made every effort to suppress it, three of the painstakingly refined medicinal liquids were ultimately vaporized due to the rising temperature. Thus, the current refining process ended in failure. Frowning intently at the remaining medicinal liquids in the cauldron, Xiang Yan shook his head in resignation, removed them all, and then fell into thoughtful contemplation. After reflecting on the reasons for his previous failures, Xiao Yan once again focused his mind, adjusting his state to its peak. With no hesitation at all, he raised his hand, and the numerous herbs on the stone slab beside him were instantly and continuously poured into the cauldron. This time, Xiao Yan was deeply absorbed, completely overlooking any external disturbances. To him, at that moment, there was only the cauldron and the vibrant flames dancing within it. As he concentrated fully, his hands moved in a series of flowing silhouettes, causing the flames in the cauldron to rise and fall in intricate rhythms—changes so refined that even seasoned alchemists would be astounded. How vast a soul energy would it take to master such precise flame control? The herbs arced through the air, then all fell into the cauldron, where they transformed into the powdered and liquid forms precisely required by Xiao Yan, under the brilliant emerald flames. During his second attempt, under the intense concentration of his mind and spirit, no further complications arose. After nearly a full day and night of meticulous refinement, a preliminary shape of the pill—its surface uneven and textured—finally began to take form within the cauldron. As this preliminary form solidified, a vibrant vitality radiated outward. Xiao Yan inhaled gently, and the fatigue that had been etched upon his brow gradually faded. "Indeed, a miracle pill that extends life—no wonder." In silent admiration, Xiao Yan was left marveling. Such a life-extending pill was exceptionally rare across the entire Qi Continent. Unless one reached the very pinnacle of Qi cultivation, everyone inevitably faced the moment when their life span would inevitably wane. If one succeeded in making a breakthrough, their lifespan would naturally extend; however, if they failed to do so, regardless of whether they were a Qi Emperor or a Qi Sovereign, they would eventually have to rest in the earth. Now, with this pill, its value became infinitely more pronounced. For perhaps with this pill, they could successfully achieve a breakthrough within the extended years, thereby not only significantly lengthening their lives but also greatly enhancing their strength and capabilities. Thus, elixirs capable of extending lifespan are highly sought after on the Continent of Qi, no less esteemed than those that directly enhance strength or power. Indeed, in certain respects, they are even more precious—since while formulas for enhancing strength are relatively common, formulas capable of extending life are exceptionally rare. It is likely that only a few individuals across the entire continent possess the recipes for such longevity elixirs. As Xiao Yan's thoughts shifted, the irregular, uneven shape of the pill gradually became smoother under the gentle熏烤 of the emerald flames, releasing a rich, fragrant aroma. "Is it finally going to succeed?" gazing at the creamy pill slowly swirling in the flames, Xiao Yan felt a subtle surge of excitement, yet dared not relax a single moment. He continuously strengthened his spiritual power, intently observing every subtle movement of the pill. Should any unexpected mishap occur at this critical juncture and cause the pill to fail, Xiao Yan truly would have no place to cry. "This medicinal cauldron is truly sturdy—had it been a common one, it would have shattered under such energy impacts long ago..." Watching the cauldron tremble only slightly amidst the energy strikes, Xiao Yan couldn't help but silently praise it. As he had expected, the crimson cauldron he had received from Han Feng was likely comparable to the so-called "Black Demon" cauldron of Yao Lao. Perhaps this cauldron, adorned throughout with intricate patterns of various beast roars, was indeed one of the entries on the famed "Heavenly Cauldron List." The sound of the chime gradually faded, and the milky-white pill inside the cauldron suddenly burst forth with a brilliant, intense light, then forcefully surged out, enveloped in a beam of white radiance. Yet, despite soaring through the air for a considerable distance within the tightly sealed chamber, it still failed to escape. "This Qingming Shou Dan truly is no ordinary one—it was born with the intention of fleeing right from the start..." Upon witnessing the丹's behavior, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, then shook his head with a smile. With a gesture behind him, he generated a suction force that immediately drew in the scattered beams of white light and gathered them into his hands. He then removed a jade vial and sealed the Dan inside. As the Dan was sealed within the vial, it gradually settled into quietness. Seeing this, Xiao Yan beamed with satisfaction, exhaled deeply—this session of alchemy had indeed required considerable energy from him.