"The next assessment is called Soul Manipulation," Senior Sheng smiled, gazing at Xiao Yan and his three companions. From his storage seal, he withdrew a black iron sphere, its surface exceptionally smooth yet lacking any luster—deep and heavy, as though it bore the weight of a thousand pounds. "This sphere is crafted from Soul Steel and is known as the Soul-Testing Sphere. While it feels light and graceful when held in the hands, it appears as though it weighs a thousand catties to the soul itself." "Once the Soul Manipulation begins, numerous Soul-Testing Spheres will be gently released from the ceiling. You will need to support them solely with your soul energy, without using any Qi. The one who successfully holds the most spheres at the end will be deemed the top performer in this assessment. Rankings will be determined accordingly." "With that, Senior Sheng glanced at Cao Ying first, then turned his gaze to Xiao Yan, smiling, 'The soul manipulation test was originally recorded by Cao Ying. Back then, she successfully handled 89 at once—a record that has never been broken since.' Upon hearing Senior Sheng's words, the attention of the entire audience immediately focused on Xiao Yan's figure. They were eager to know whether, today, this young man named Xiao Yan would break all of Cao Ying's records. 'Hmph. These people must be overestimating that fellow. Back then, it was probably just good luck that he achieved such results...' Cao Dan's lips trembled slightly as he lowered his voice and coldly murmured. Cao Ying glanced at him casually and said, "Xiao Yan truly is a capable person—he's not just relying on luck. I'd like to see just how well he performs this time in soul manipulation." The magnitude of soul power reflects the strength of a pharmacist's soul, but true mastery isn't merely about having strong soul power. To craft high-tier pills, one must possess exceptional sensitivity and refined command over that soul power. Otherwise, it's like using a massive hammer to crack an egg—enough force is applied, yet the egg breaks. Only someone with both powerful soul strength and exceptional skill in soul manipulation can be truly called a master pharmacist! "How about now? Are you all ready?" Sheng elder smiled and asked the group. Upon hearing this, each of them slowly nodded, their soul powers gently surging from their foreheads, poised to burst forth at any moment. "Give a few of them a reminder—don't even think you can fully absorb all of it at once. Splitting your spiritual essence in such an examination is truly the most foolish thing you can do!" Senior Sheng said seriously, then suddenly flashed back. As he retreated, black holes appeared densely and steadily across the ceiling above the hall. Moments later, a deluge of dark iron soul beads poured down from the sky like a sudden storm. Thanks to Senior Sheng's earlier reminder, Xiao Yan did not disperse his spiritual energy into a network, but instead concentrated it into an invisible giant hand, swiftly reaching out to grasp the dense clusters of dark soul-sensing pearls floating in the air. Indeed, describing it as a delicate pinch might be more accurate, as the invisible hand did not simply grab randomly—it first identified its targets, then launched two invisible fingers with lightning speed, precisely enclosing each pearl between them. The very first time he held the Soul-Resonance Pearl, Xiao Yan instantly felt an invisible, soul-powered hand suddenly grow heavy—so heavy that the pearl itself, and even half of his body, seemed to sink into the fingers of that hand. "Indeed, it's quite heavy," Xiao Yan murmured, his heart briefly stirred. As his eyes swiftly scanned the scene, he noticed that Bai Ye and Qiu Ji were struggling to dodge the falling pearl. The scattered soul energy above their heads offered little resistance, and the pearl passed straight through them, clearly because the soul energy was too diffuse. Besides these two, Cao Xiu and Dan Xuan were considerably closer. Though they initially appeared a bit hurried, they quickly settled into their rhythm, channeling their spiritual energies as tightly as possible, then, mindful not to overextend themselves, one by one, accepting the soul-measuring orbs that fell from the sky. With Cao Xiu's exit, only Xiao Yan and Dan Xuan remained steadfast. However, as the Soul-Testing Jade beads continued to descend, Dan Xuan's face gradually turned slightly red, and his breathing grew more rapid... "Ah..." After enduring another few minutes, Dan Xuan finally exhaled deeply, glancing at the floating Soul-Testing Jade beads before him—exactly sixty-six. Thud, thud, thud! As he expelled a long breath from his throat, Dan Xuan sensed his spiritual energy had been fully exerted. At this point, if just one more bead were added, he would be the one finally overwhelmed—like a camel crushed under the last straw. With his mind relaxing, his spiritual energy gradually dispersed, and the floating Soul-Testing Jade beads instantly lost their support, plummeting to the floor with crisp, resonant sounds. As Dan Xuan automatically yielded, Xiao Yan smiled slightly and stopped receiving the Soul-Feeling Gems, his fingers lightly brushing over the numerous gems before him. The gems swiftly spun around him at high speed, generating a roaring wind. "Nine十三 gems—thank you for the concession," Xiao Yan said, gently tapping his finger. The rotating soul circles gradually slowed and came to a halt. With a flick of his fingers, the gems fell to the ground. Then, he bowed slightly to Dan Xuan and the others, smiling. Faced with Xiao Yan's composed smile, Dan Xuan and the others could only sigh with a touch of embarrassment. Though it was clear he hadn't truly given his all, this achievement had already surpassed the record set by Cao Ying. Bai Ying's face turned stern, yet he found himself unable to utter a single word of criticism. Xiao Yan's performance in these two rounds had made it unmistakably clear that the latter's strength was far beyond anything Bai Ying could compare it to. Clap. Clap. As the measuring pearls at Xiao Yan's sides settled to the ground, a wave of enthusiastic applause erupted throughout the hall. Xiao Yan's recent performances had clearly convinced them—Leaf Family was saved. Amidst the bustling applause, Cao Ying's lips slightly curled, her beautiful eyes fixed on the slightly slender silhouette, a gentle warmth glowing in her gaze. Among her peers in the field of alchemical crafting, she had previously only regarded Dan Chen of the Dan Clan as a true rival. Now, perhaps, she had another young contender—Xiao Yan. Senior Sheng watched Xiao Yan with a warm, satisfied smile, his face radiating clear approval. Xiao Yan had achieved ninety-three pearls—four more than when Cao Ying had first joined—yet from the calm expression on his face, it was evident that he had not truly exerted himself, having merely performed with ease and grace. "Very good... very good..." Senior Sheng smiled and repeated the phrase twice. By now, he had grown more indifferent to matters of power and influence. What he truly cherished was seeing an ever-growing number of outstanding young talents emerging from Dantai—only then could the vitality and potential of Dantai be truly assured. "As for the second category, Xiao Yan remains first, Dan Xuan second, and Cao Xiu third..." Hearing Senior Sheng's announcement, Ye Zhong and Xin Lan on the Ye family's seat beamed with even greater joy. Xiao Yan's performance had consistently exceeded all expectations throughout the entire process. This Five-Family Assessment had truly revealed to them what it meant to dominate the competition! On the field, Senior Sheng stroked his beard and smiled warmly, saying, "Spiritual power is the foundation of a pharmacist, yet our assessment doesn't only test your spirit—it also requires you to demonstrate the offensive capabilities of your spirit, as this is indeed one of a pharmacist's effective offensive techniques." "The final examination is simple: you five enter this circle and engage each other using your spiritual powers. Whoever remains within the circle at the end is the victor." Senior Sheng pointed to a large red circle, measuring ten zhang in diameter, and smiled. Upon hearing this, all five nodded and were about to step inside when suddenly a delicate laugh echoed throughout the hall. "Senior Sheng, the Cao family would like to make a change midway—may that be permitted?" All eyes in the hall instantly turned toward Cao Ying, who was now leaning slightly forward on the table with her jade hands, her graceful curves revealed. Senior Sheng was momentarily startled, his brows furrowing slightly. "Gegge, Senior Sheng. According to the rules, the family of the previous champion is entitled to one replacement... Please rest assured—I won't make things up. I simply feel eager to give it a try. Moreover, you may consider Cai's family as having withdrawn; in the end, we merely need to exclude them, and the overall evaluation will remain unaffected..." "What do you think?" Cai Ying smiled lightly, her soft, quiet words clearly directed at Xiao Yan.