To the mocking laughter of the gray-robed elder, Ye Zhong's face bore a subtle sneer. He was most familiar with Xiao Yan's abilities, and he was quite anticipating how comically ridiculous and absurd the elder would appear once she saw Xiao Yan successfully pass the test. At present, none of the others had left the room—clearly, they shared the same attitude as the gray-robed elder, eager to witness this boastful young man from the Ye family, who dared to speak such bold and confident words. The white-robed woman, arms cradled gently against her full chest, her slightly graceful features carrying a quiet, restrained smile of contempt. Even now, she firmly believed that the young man from the Ye family was merely pretending to remain composed. Yet, with everyone holding their breath, eager to watch the drama unfold, the room gradually grew still. A steady stream of eyes converged on the tightly shut Tian-level room, waiting for the final outcome... Thirty minutes later, the tightly sealed Tian-level chamber finally opened slowly, creaking softly with a delicate groan. Upon seeing that the room finally responded, everyone inside instantly stirred, their eyes immediately fixing on the chamber door. As the door opened further, a figure of a white-haired elder stepped out. At that moment, Han Li was slightly frowning, shaking his head and murmuring a quiet sigh. Seeing his expression, the gray-robed elder's face immediately brightened, and her gaze shifted to Han Li's back—where the slender figure of Xiao Yan was slowly emerging. As soon as Xiao Yan appeared, everyone's eyes immediately settled on his chest—but there, at that very moment, it was completely empty. "Ha ha..." Not seeing any rank insignia on Xiao Yan's chest, the gray-robed elder's face instantly brightened with scorn, her self-satisfied smile bursting forth from her throat. The young woman in white, cold and elegant beside the gray-robed elder, gave a slight lift of her mouth and slowly shook her head—indeed, a mere show-off, amusing herself by standing here waiting for so long. The elder from the Qiu family also shook his head slightly, gazing at Ye Zhong with a touch of pity—indeed, the Ye family had truly come to an end. As the various emotions in the room settled upon him, Ye Zhong furrowed his brows slightly, yet he did not pale as others had expected. He was well aware of Xiao Yan's capabilities; while securing the mid-tier seventh-rank Pharmacist badge wasn't guaranteed with absolute certainty, he was confident it stood at least an eighty percent chance. Moreover, Xiao Yan's demeanor didn't suggest the slightest sign of defeat. Yet, upon hearing the elderly gray-clad woman's sharp laugh, Han Li furrowed his brow, gazing at her intently and saying in a calm tone, "You're celebrating too early. Who told you he hadn't successfully passed the examination?" Han Li's voice instantly cut short the woman's laughter, and she responded with a cold, shifting expression, saying, "Han, there's no point in preserving face for Ye Zhong anymore. If this young man has indeed passed the examination, why haven't you seen him awarded his rank insignia?" Han Li glanced at the gray-clad woman with a touch of sympathy, then shook his head, explaining, "He has already fully passed the examination for the seventh-rank intermediate level. I haven't yet awarded him the rank insignia because I believe he deserves even a higher one. Therefore, I'm still considering whether he should go to the headquarters of Dan Ta for a further test." "Han Li's voice rang out like thunder bursting suddenly upon the ground, instantly freezing the faces of everyone present. A wave of disbelief surged toward Xiao Yan's face, especially the white-robed woman, whose expression was particularly vivid. 'As for Han Li going to the headquarters for testing—perhaps we should drop that idea,' Xiao Yan said, seemingly unimpressed by the stiff expressions on everyone's faces, addressing Han Li directly. Han Li paused, then nodded, withdrawing a badge from her meditation pouch that glowed with a bright, sharp light, and offered it to Xiao Yan with a touch of courtesy, smiling, 'Since you've made up your mind, I'll go with you. If you have time, I'd recommend you visit the Dan Tower for testing. I believe you have the capability.' Receiving the badge, Xiao Yan flipped it over casually. The badge had a deep, intense hue, with flames swirling around it. Within the flames stood a towering, majestic spire, upon whose surface seven brilliant star-like emblems in purple and gold shimmered. However, the seventh star at present was slightly dimmed. Inside the room, a series of eyes stared in stunned silence at the brilliant insignia flipping between Xiao Yan's hands. For a moment, the entire room fell utterly still—seven-tier mid-level was a rank never reached by the gray-robed elder, nor by the elder of the Qiu family, nor even by Han Li. Yet now… this emblem of honor had unexpectedly fallen into the hands of Xiao Yan, a young man who appeared remarkably youthful. Seeing Han Li’s serious expression, the gray-robed elder quickly smiled, saying, “How could we dare? It’s hard to believe that a family that has fallen so far could produce a young Seventh-Rank Alchemist of such caliber.” The white-robed woman beside her gradually regained her composure, her gaze on Xiao Yan now complex and strangely impressed. The lightness and condescension she had previously held had completely vanished. Though she herself was a Sixth-Rank Senior Alchemist, she was well aware of the vast gap between her and a Seventh-Rank Alchemist—especially considering that Xiao Yan was a Seventh-Rank Mid-Level Alchemist. Under this Seventh-Rank Mid-Level Alchemist’s badge, all her pride now seemed utterly insignificant. Someone who had always been mocked by them now outperformed them significantly—this was like a firm slap right to their faces, painfully warm and sharp. "Hey, what's there to be proud of? Just a mid-tier seventh-rank alchemist—really, I don't believe you can save the Ye family at all." The gray-robed elder glanced at the smile on Ye Zhong's face and couldn't help but scoff, though she herself didn't realize how sharply her words carried a hint of bitterness. "Let's go." Disheveled from the seventh-tier mid-rank insignia, the gray-robed elder had no desire to linger, and with a sharp command, she turned to leave. "Wait a moment," she said, just as she was about to step away. A soft voice suddenly broke through, causing her to pause and turn back, her gaze sharp and scornful as she fixed it on Xiao Yan. "Young man, do you really intend to send me off with a bow?" "You just called me a waste, didn't you?" Xiao Yan smiled gently, his eyes steady on the gray-robed elder. The elder narrowed her eyes, a chill passing through them, and replied, "Younger generation, you still haven't the nerve to speak plainly to me?" It seems the Leaf family's discipline has indeed been deteriorating these days... Xi Xiao slowly shook his head, then took a gentle step forward—accompanied by a deep, resonant thunderclap. At that very moment, his form abruptly vanished. As Xi Xiao disappeared, the gray-robed elder's expression tightened. With a sweeping motion of her sleeve, a surge of powerful qi erupted from within her, and her solemn gaze scanned the surrounding space continuously. "Boom!" As she retreated, a low rushing sound suddenly emerged behind her. Her face grew stern, and she turned instantly, delivering a powerful punch. The force of her strike rippled outward, causing ripples in the space itself. Just as her fist was released, a wave of disturbance rippled through the space ahead. Her seemingly ordinary punch pierced through the space and collided directly with the opponent. "Crash!" The two fists met in a powerful impact, sending out a strong gust of wind that rippled outward, shaking the white-clad woman and others, who had to step back hastily. "Psst—!" As soon as the two fists made contact, the gray-robed elder's face turned instantly pale, a look of shock spreading across her features, followed by a gush of blood spurting from her mouth as she was thrown backward, crashing heavily against the wall. Watching the gray-robed elder collapse and spew blood in less than a single round, everyone in the room except Ye Zhong was stunned—especially the three members of the Bai family, who were well aware of the elder's strength, a true Du-Zong level. Yet now, even a single punch from Xiao Yan was proving too much for her to withstand? The three exchanged glances, with the white-robed woman particularly pale and shaken. Xiao Yan's figure slowly appeared before the gray-robed elder, whose face was now ashen. With a calm, detached gaze, he glanced at her, a cold arc forming at the corner of his lips. "What sort of creature are you, to dare call me a waste?"