The next day, as Xiao Yan stepped out of his room, he just happened to encounter Ye Zhong standing in the courtyard. Upon seeing Xiao Yan emerge, Ye Zhong exhaled in relief, then flushed slightly—last night's incident had indeed been a failure of his protection. "Master Xiao Yan, I've already dispatched people to investigate the Xu Ming Sect's base overnight..." Hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily startled, gazing at Ye Zhong's slightly weary expression—clearly, he had been busy all night. He smiled warmly, patting Ye Zhong's shoulder and said, "The events last night had nothing to do with you. The visitors were simply too strong; even Xiao Yi, the Young Healer, and Master Yao didn't notice them at all." Ye Zhong nodded with a wry smile. "The Xu Ming Sect's base is located in a manor situated in the southern part of the outer region of the Sacred Dan City—the very group we clashed with during the Herbalist Trade Fair that day. The young man in white is the son of the Sect's abbot, Chen Xian—he himself is also a Herbalist. It seems he has come to the Sacred Dan City specifically to attend the Dan Fair. Standing beside him is the venerable Xuan, a renowned figure within the Sect, known for his formidable strength. Additionally, two senior elders with capabilities nearing the peak of the Dou Zong level have accompanied them." Xiao Yan's eyes flashed with determination, nodding slightly. Though he had originally "Master Xiao Yan, do you intend to take action against them?" Seeing Xiao Yan's demeanor, Ye Zhong hesitated and said. "Last night's incident—once is enough..." Xiao Yan spoke softly. Ye Zhong licked his lips and pondered for a moment before saying, "I believe now is not the optimal time to act against them. After all, this is the Sacred Dan City, and Chen Xian has already passed the Dan Tower's certification as a pharmacist. If we decide to act, the Dan Tower will surely take notice. Moreover, Chen Xian is accompanied by numerous strong allies. Unless we can act completely unnoticed—or eliminate all of them on this journey—any oversight will inevitably provoke outrage from the Xuanming Sect. And with the Xuanming Sect behind us, there's also the formidable Tianming Sect to consider..." "So, Master Ye's implication is that we simply treat last night's incident as if it never happened?" Xiao Yan furrowed his brows and asked. "Nature isn't..." Ye Zhong shook his head vigorously, saying, "You should know how difficult it is to defeat a Douzun-level master. Once that Xuanzun escapes, the aftermath will be endless. All the members of Xuanming Sect this time are led by Chen Xian—surely, it was his idea to hand over our intelligence to the black-robed figure last night." "The Dan Conclave is approaching, and during the event, all selected participants will be transferred to a special zone. That will be your ideal place to strike." "In that zone, every year, numerous participants remain there permanently. Even if Chen Xian suffers an unexpected incident, Xuanming Sect itself may find it hard to trace the matter." Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan's brows slightly relaxed. Ye Zhong's reasoning was far from baseless. Xuanming Sect wouldn't be any easier to handle than the Ice River Valley. Moreover, with the even stronger Tianming Sect behind it, any leak could bring further complications. Now that he had already drawn the attention of the Soul Palace, adding more powerful factions would surely make his situation even more dire. "Senior Tang has already arrived at the Ye Courtyard. He came so early, clearly concerned that you might take action against the Xuanming Sect's representatives. After all, this is the Sacred Dan City, and they need to maintain stability here..." Ye Zhong added. "Senior Tang has come, too?" Xiao Yan was momentarily surprised. "Yes, he arrived early—he only asked that we not wake you up." Xiao Yan's brow furrowed. Tang's actions clearly indicated subtle hints from the Dan Tower's higher echelons, suggesting they didn't want a confrontation with the Xuanming Sect at this moment. Yet, now that he thought about it, he found it reassuring. As the host of the Dan Assembly, the Dan Tower indeed had a responsibility to ensure stability. The strong representative from the Dan Tower's intervention last night must have been driven by that very reason. "Let's go meet Senior Tang in the front courtyard first. We'll set this matter aside for now. Once we reach the area you mentioned, I'll locate Chen Xian. This can't simply be treated as if it never happened." After a moment's pause, Xiao Yan also gradually calmed down and, with a wave of his hand, took the lead and headed toward the front courtyard. Seeing that Xiao Yan finally decided not to act immediately, Ye Zhong exhaled in relief and hurried after him. ... When Xiao Yan and his companion arrived at the front courtyard, they just happened to see Sheng Elder seated at the head of the table, with Xiao Yi, Tian Huo Master, and Xin Lan all present. "Hehe, finally, you've arrived..." As Xiao Yan stepped into the hall, Sheng the Elder smiled and stood up, saying, "I'm sure Young Ye has already informed you of my purpose. Then I won't waste any more words—please follow me to the Dan Tower. As for the people from Xuanming Sect, other elders will go and give them a good scolding. Should you still feel aggrieved, there will be opportunities later. At that time, the Dan Tower will have absolutely no involvement. But for now, it's a particularly busy period, so I hope you can bear with us a little, in recognition of the Dan Tower's position." "Don't worry, you won't be left to suffer this injustice in vain. You've always been interested in Cao Ying's spirit seal, haven't you? The senior council has already discussed this matter. Once we arrive at the Dan Tower, that scroll of spirit techniques will be made available for you to study and contemplate..." Senior Sheng said with a warm smile. ... Dantai was situated at the heart of the inner district of Shentan City—a region that had long been the holy ground for countless alchemists. However, due to the growing crowds in the current Shentan City, the inner district now maintained a highly fortified defense, always ready to respond to any unforeseen emergencies. Xiao Yan and his companions wandered through the inner city for nearly half an hour under the guidance of Senior Cheng, only gradually entering the inner district. As soon as they stepped through the inner district's city gates, the bustling noise and clamor instantly softened. The spire of the colossal tower pierced through the clouds, so lofty that it seemed almost unseeable at the peak, shrouded in mist and appearing profoundly mysterious. "That must be the Dan Tower," murmured Xiang Yin, gazing at the towering black monolith that rose like a pillar supporting the heavens. Even for him, the sight was nothing short of astonishing—compared to the Thunder Tower he had seen at Fenglei Pavilion, it appeared as if a giant dwarfing a child. "The Xuankong Master will be inside. He was once a close friend of your teacher, Yao Chen. When you see him, you should show him due respect..." Hearing the elder Sheng's reminder, Xiao Yan's expression grew serious and he nodded. Seeing this, Elder Sheng felt a bit reassured, straightened his robes, took a few steps forward, gently pushed open the hall door, and then gave Xiao Yan a respectful glance. Xiao Yan nodded slightly and walked in steadily. The white-robed elder radiated not a single trace of vitality; his presence was as ordinary as that of any common elder. Yet, when Xiao Yan employed his soul perception, he was stunned to find the space before him utterly empty—the white-robed elder as though entirely absent.