Seeing the flicker of fear in Ling Quan's eyes, Xiao Yan's lips finally curled into a subtle smirk. He believed that after today's encounter, Ling Quan would carry an indelible impression and lasting shadow in his heart—no matter how high he reached in the future, as long as he stood before Xiao Yan, that sense of failure would seep from his very soul, weakening his performance and preventing him from reaching his peak state. Grasping Ling Quan's neck firmly, Xiao Yan then casually甩ed him, hurling him hard against the stone pillar of the pavilion. The powerful force caused a network of cracks to spread across the stone. "Pfft." Once again struck so severely, Ling Quan could no longer hold himself and gasped out a stream of blood, collapsing onto the ground, unconscious. "Ling Quan, Commander?" The十余名黑湮军 members promptly stepped forward, eager to offer support. Lin Quan, after all, was their superior; if he were killed here today by Xiao Yan, they would surely face severe repercussions upon returning to the ancient clan. "Don't worry, he won't die," Xiao Yan said calmly, brushing his palm lightly against his robe. Though he had long held a strong dislike for Lin Quan, and had been informed by Xun'er that she would handle any matters personally, Xiao Yan, being a deliberate and thoughtful man, knew that if Lin Quan were killed, Xun'er would bear the consequences—though inevitably, she would face some complications. Such an outcome was precisely one he did not wish to see. Hearing Xiao Yan's words, the十余 black Yān soldiers finally exhaled in relief, exchanged glances, and then quietly sighed, assigning one of them to carry the lifeless Lín Quán on his back. With a swift movement, he leapt onto the four-winged unicorns soaring above. As for the supposed elder's orders—they had never received them. Even if they had, with Xun'er present, they would have dared not act directly, for they lacked Lín Quán's powerful backing behind them. His gaze shifted to Xun, gazing at her refined and exquisite face, and a sense of reluctance stirred within Xiao Yan's heart. "Shall we leave now?" Xun gently nodded. She had only just met Xiao Yan, and already Lin Quan and the others had arrived. If they stayed any longer, it would likely be someone far more formidable than Lin Quan who came. And should those who arrived wish to bring Xiao Yan back to the ancient clan, that would truly become a matter of concern. Seeing this, Xiao Yan sighed softly, choosing not to offer further words of farewell, knowing that Xun's eagerness to depart surely had her own reasons. "The ancient clan is waiting for me. Once I've attended the Dan Conference and rescued my teacher, I'll go to the ancient clan to find you..." Seeing Xiao Yan's earnest expression, Xun'er smiled gently and lightly nodded her snow-white chin. "I've been waiting for you..." With that, she stared at Xiao Yan deeply before stepping back, not lingering any longer. With a graceful movement, she soared into the sky and gently landed atop the four-winged unicorne's head. Her flowing silken hair swayed like a celestial maiden, her aura ethereal and serene, leaving onlookers spellbound. Xun turned her head, gazing steadily at the tall young man in the courtyard below. After a moment, she lightly waved her jade sleeve, and a sudden gust of wind surged forth. The four-winged unicorns roared deeply, then vibrated their wings, lifting into the air with the wind and swiftly darted toward beyond the city of Ye. "Don't worry, we'll see each other again soon..." The young physician stood behind Xiao Yan, speaking softly. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan smiled and nodded, then turned to smile towards the courtyard outside, saying, "Master Ye, would you be so kind as to come in and chat a while?" "Ah, Master Xiao is being most generous," replied Master Ye with a warm laugh. Not long after Xiao Yan's words, Master Ye's laughter rang out, and the two figures quickly entered the courtyard—Master Ye and Xinlan. Xiao Yan turned and took his seat within the stone pavilion, and the others followed suit, settling into their positions, their eyes all focused on Master Ye. "Master Ye, how much time remains until the Dan Festival begins? And what exactly is the process for the preliminary selections before the festival starts?" Xiao Yan smiled gently, asking. He knew that, while he was aware of the details, he certainly couldn't match Master Ye's in-depth knowledge of the event. "Counting the exact timing, there should still be seven months left, but the Dan Assembly is a rare gathering—indeed, one of a kind even within the Dan Tower and the Central Plains—so there are many formalities. Many people arrive in the city of Saint Dan as early as six months, or even a full year before the Assembly begins." Ye Zhong smiled. "Saint Dan City?" "Hehe, Saint Dan City is the headquarters of the Dan Tower, also known simply as Dan City." Ye Zhong chuckled. "As for the selection process of the Dan Assembly, it serves to filter out those who merely show up to fill the ranks. After all, the Dan Assembly is the most prestigious gathering of alchemists on the continent—those without real talent simply aren't qualified to participate..." "To take part in the Dan Assembly, one must first secure a recommendation letter. That's not particularly difficult—it's just a formality. I'll prepare one for Mr. Xiao Yan. Though my family has gradually declined in stature, we still retain the standing to issue such letters." "Besides being extremely rigorous in terms of capability, the rest is quite manageable. As for age, it's rather flexible—provided you're not one of the well-known ancient immortals from across the continent, anyone can join. Of course, each individual is only allowed to participate once in their lifetime. Once they take part in this session, they lose the right to participate again in the future." "Age-agnostic? Doesn't that seem somewhat unfair to younger alchemists?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned and furrowed his brow. "Ah, how could anything in the world be absolutely fair? Moreover, those who have the confidence to join usually possess some natural talent in alchemy, believing they've already reached a solid level of competence." Ye Zhong shook his head and smiled. "The selection process for the Herbs and Medicines Assembly is divided into three tiers—Heaven, Earth, and Human—equivalent to three rounds of screening. Only those who successfully pass the Heaven-tier screening and advance to the final stage are eligible to compete in the final rounds." "Heaven, Earth, and Human tiers? Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, impressed by the sheer rigor of the Pharmaceutical Conference—the selection process alone was that complex. "Well, it does seem quite demanding," said Ye Zhong, smiling and nodding. "Most participants arrive in the Saint Dan City two to three months in advance. That means Xiao Yan has only four months to prepare..." Four months... Hearing this, Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, suddenly realizing how urgent the timeline had become. He was determined to secure the Three Thousand Yan Flame, but first, he needed to earn a spot among the top ten in the conference. Otherwise, all his ambitions would remain mere talk. As for forcibly seizing the spot—he hadn't even considered it. The Dan Tower was a leading force in the Central Plains. Beyond questioning whether he had the strength to compete, even if he succeeded, he would be facing off against every pharmaceutical master in the region, making himself the common enemy of all. The thought alone sent a shiver down Xiao Yan's spine. Moreover, what made Tantha truly formidable wasn't merely his direct strength, but that extraordinary charisma... As someone who had personally experienced the influence of a senior alchemist, Xiao Yan understood this all too well. And when this influence was amplified countless times, the sheer magnitude of it could hardly be contained within just the word "fearful." "Perhaps I should focus more intensely on refining my alchemical techniques over the next four months," Xiao Yan murmured, silently resolving it. Though he held strong confidence in himself, the Dan Assembly wasn't merely the alchemical gathering of the Jima Empire—it would draw outstanding alchemists from all across the Central Region and the entire continent. Everyone knew that standing out at the assembly would mean becoming a true standout among alchemists throughout the continent. This honor, perhaps, was the ultimate goal that countless alchemists had pursued throughout their careers. Thus, facing the outstanding alchemists coming from all directions across the continent, even Xiao Yan felt considerable pressure. Resolving his thoughts, Xiao Yan slowly exhaled, glanced at Xinlan beside him, then at the earnest, smiling face of the Ye family, and gently tapped his fingers on the stone table. After a while, he finally said, "Master Ye, I once promised Xinlan that I would help your family regain its seat among the Dan Tower elders. Xiao Yan is not one who breaks his word. Could you please tell me the specific qualifications required for that elder seat?" Upon hearing this, both Xinlan and Master Ye were momentarily stunned, then immediately beamed with joy and excitement.