Xiao Yan’s mind was intently focused on the eight small luminous orbs floating within the emerald light circle. Inside each orb, faint traces of liquid or powdered substances were subtly visible—these were the various highly refined medicinal elixirs crafted over nine days of continuous blending. Each elixir had condensed the essence of nearly twenty different herbs. “Hmm…” Xiao Yan exhaled deeply, locked eyes with his counterpart, Fan Daoshi, and then both closed their eyes simultaneously. A surge of immense spiritual energy erupted at that moment and poured directly into the cauldron. Observing the actions of the two, the seriousness on Tang Zhen's face grew ever more intense. The success or failure of this alchemical process now depended entirely on the subsequent performance of Xiao Yan and Master Huan. Xiao Yan's spiritual energy surged into the emerald light circle, and then, with a subtle mental effort, two droplets of slightly vibrant liquid swiftly descended and gently came into contact. As these two droplets touched, ripples spread across their surfaces—indicating the initial resistance between the two medicinal forces before they fully merged. Xiao Yan needed to find the balance point between them so that they could seamlessly integrate. This integration demanded an exceptionally precise control of spiritual energy; any minor lapse during the process would result in a complete failure of the fusion. The soul force transformed into countless fine filaments, filling every inch of space within the two drops of medicine, ensuring that any subtle change would be immediately captured by Xiao Yan. This step of fusion proved particularly challenging, yet fortunately, Xiao Yan's experience and abundant soul energy enabled the two liquids to begin truly merging after about an hour of sustained, stable pressure from his soul force. Though the process was slow, completion was inevitable. As time passed quietly during the refinement, after roughly three hours, the two vibrant drops of medicine finally fully merged into a single, richly colored, viscous liquid, gently floating within the emerald glow. Upon witnessing this successful fusion, Xiao Yan slightly exhaled in relief, his mind then activating another cluster of black, powdery matter that drifted down and slowly settled into the vibrant, viscous liquid. The process of fusing the essence of the medicinal herbs was exceptionally time-consuming—any impatience or minor error could result in the entire fusion failing, turning the precious herbs into useless waste. Fortunately, Xiao Yan's process had been smooth and uninterrupted throughout, and he had remained especially cautious, knowing that the success of this alchemical process would determine whether he could secure the Tian Huo San Xuan transformation. As time passed, the eight small luminous orbs within the emerald glow gradually began to merge under Xiao Yan's careful guidance. On the stone platform, Tang Zhen closely observed the cauldron, with every subtle movement being swiftly transmitted to his mind. "This Rock Phoenix truly stands out—not only can he maintain a steady fusion pace without any errors, but his spiritual power is also exceptionally powerful, far surpassing that of the same-rank seventh-grade alchemist, Huan Feng." With Tang Zhen's capabilities, he could clearly see that even compared to Huan Master, the spiritual strength of Xiao Yan was significantly stronger. As this thought passed through his mind, Tang Zhen turned his gaze toward Huan Master, only to notice the latter's slightly pale complexion. His heart then sank slightly—he realized the nine-heavenly dragon lightning pressure required to fuse the medicinal energies must have taken a heavy toll on Huan Master. Despite his concerns, Tang Zhen had no choice but to remain patient; he couldn't simply switch people midway. Thus, he silently prayed that Huan Feng would persevere until the end. …because of some changes on the stone platform, nearly everyone present now clearly understands that Tang Zhen has fulfilled his role, and what remains to be seen is the ability of the Rock Hawk and Master Huan to seamlessly integrate their respective medicinal energies. If they manage to achieve a perfect fusion, the alchemical process still holds a high likelihood of success; however, should either of them make a mistake, the entire endeavor may well end in failure. "I wonder whether the Rock Hawk can make it all the way through—over these nine days, his spiritual energy must have been greatly depleted," one alchemical master said, gently stroking his beard. "He has already reached this point. If anything goes wrong now, it would truly be a great disappointment," another alchemical master added, and the others present nodded in agreement. "Rock Phoenix showed no signs of weakness; rather, it was Huang Feng who was fading—his spiritual strength was clearly beginning to wane." A senior elder standing at the forefront suddenly exhaled, saying this. Upon hearing his words, the atmosphere around them instantly grew still, and the expressions on everyone's faces seemed momentarily frozen. If that were true, then did it mean Rock Phoenix was actually stronger than Master Huang? A sense of absurdity flashed through their minds, and for a moment, none of them knew what to say. After all, this elder was also a senior guest scholar of the Dan Tower, one whose discernment, rank, and overall standing surpassed theirs significantly. Thus, they dared not voice any objections, though privately, they continued to murmur doubts, clearly unconvinced by his statement. As for these people's current mindset, the elder had no desire to pay any attention—he simply glanced at the stone platform, his eyes revealing a subtle concern. In his perception, Phantom枫's spiritual energy was indeed gradually weakening. If this trend continued, the consequences would be serious indeed. "Ah, I hope he can hold on. Crafting a seventh-rank premium pill truly proves to be quite a strain for him, Phantom枫." Under the steady gaze of those intense eyes, Xiao Yan's face remained calm, his mind never wavering, though his complexion had grown slightly pale from the prolonged fusion—yet he showed no serious distress. In contrast, the situation of the Phantom Master was far worse: his face was entirely pale, yet he still clenched his teeth resolutely, refusing to give in. At the moment when the strong vitality surged, the fragrance of the herbs reached its peak as well. At this instant, everyone present beamed with delight, exclaiming, "It's successfully merged!" At the edge of the square, Tang Huo'er's heart, which had been trembling, finally found peace, her graceful face blooming with a radiant smile. Tang Zhen, standing on the stone platform, rose suddenly, his joy evident, though he, being a composed and prudent man, knew that the fusion had not yet been fully complete. He bowed to Xiao Yan and Xiao Yan, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, all the herbs have been fully merged. Now comes the most crucial phase—the formation of the pill!" Xiao Yan nodded slightly, glanced toward the direction of Master Huan, and upon seeing his expression, paused, hesitating, and asked, "Master Huan, can you continue?" Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Huan Feng quickly rallied his spirit, waved his hand, and smiled, saying, "Don't worry...". Yet his expression didn't convey much conviction. Nevertheless, since he had spoken thus, Xiao Yan had no choice but to remain silent. If it weren't for the protection of the Lvyuan Lotus Heart Fire, Xiao Yan himself would likely now be in the same condition as Huan Feng. Tang Zhen also sensed that Huan Feng's state was a bit off, but at this moment, there simply wasn't time to consider anything else. He could only grit his teeth and say, "Both of you, go ahead and begin. If the combined medicinal power is maintained for too long, it may affect the success rate of the pill's refinement." Both Xiao Yan and Master Huan nodded in agreement, then took a deep breath, changing their hand seals. Instantly, the green and crimson glow within the cauldron surged dramatically, and under the watchful eyes of all present, transformed into two streaks of rainbow light that collided powerfully at the center of the cauldron. "Boom!" Two liquids, each infused with nearly a hundred rare herbal essences, erupted in a deep, resonant sound upon impact, instantly surging forth a powerful wave of energy that crashed against the inner walls of the medicinal cauldron, producing sharp, crisp clinks. As if the liquid itself carried a vital soul, this collision caused Xiao Yan to emit a low grunt, his body subtly trembling. "Plugh!" Though Xiao Yan managed to withstand the energy surge, the now-weakened Fan Master—already at his breaking point—was suddenly overwhelmed, his face turning pale as a sheet. A gush of blood erupted from him, spilling violently. Staring at the master of illusions, who suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed, the entire arena fell instantly silent. The smiles that had just begun to form on Tang Zhen and Tang Huo'er's faces gradually froze. Everyone knew that if a pharmacist encountered difficulties at this critical moment, the consequences would be dire. "It's still a failure, isn't it?" Tang Zhen murmured, his face suddenly appearing as if aged many years. Outside, Tang Huo'er's delicate complexion turned pale as snow, a hint of sorrow flickering in her eyes—was it truly fate that had sealed his destiny? Xiang Yan stared blankly at the fallen master, then quickly regained his composure, his gaze sharply turning to the cauldron. If the elixir failed to be properly prepared, then his Heavenly Fire Triple Transformation would be out of the question. Could it truly be that, at this very final moment, all efforts would come to naught? With this thought, a surge of determination and unyielding resolve surged into Xiang Yan's eyes.