Stepping out of the grand hall, Xiao Yan did not engage in much conversation with Cao Ying and the others, but instead proceeded directly toward a passage leading to the lower levels of the Dan Tower. "Xiao Yan, please wait a moment." As soon as Xiao Yan took his first step, a graceful and charming voice echoed behind him, causing him to pause and turn, gazing at Cao Ying's alluring face with a smile. "Is there something, Miss Cao?" Cao Ying's eyes sparkled with elegance, naturally captivating and drawing one's gaze effortlessly. At that moment, she lightly smiled, her hand covering her mouth. "We didn't have a deep conversation last time. Now that we have more time, why not chat together?" Upon hearing Cao Ying's invitation, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, glancing subtly at Song Qing beside him—indeed, Song Qing had slightly furrowed his brows. "Well, I have other matters to attend to. I'll catch up with Miss Cao another time." "When he first arrived at Dan Ta, Xiao Yan didn't want to make many enemies, especially not those arising from petty rivalries and jealousy. With a slight smile, he said. Seeing that Xiao Yan had declined her invitation, Cao Ying's gaze paused momentarily—clearly, rejection was not something she often encountered. Yet, she was no ordinary person, and her inner thoughts remained entirely concealed, her expression brightening with a gentle smile: "That truly is a pity." "Ying'er, since Xiao Yan has urgent matters, there's no need to press him further. The Dan Conference is approaching, and the preparation of the medicinal elixirs we discussed last time has still not been completed. Why don't we finish it today?" said Song Qing, smiling gently beside her. "Hehe, then I'll leave you two undisturbed. I might close my quarters for a few days and join you all for a chat once the Dan Festival begins..." As soon as Song Qing spoke, Xiao Yan didn't wait for Cao Ying to respond—just bowed slightly to the three of them and swiftly turned, heading toward the corridor. With Cao Ying's enigmatic, unpredictable nature, he simply didn't want to get entangled. Song Qing certainly wasn't an ordinary person, but in Xiao Yan's view, she'd eventually end up being played for a fool by Cao Ying. Watching Xiao Yan leave so promptly and without hesitation, Cao Ying's rosy lips parted slightly, then gently curled at the corners. Indeed, most men tended to hover around her like flies, but Xiao Yan treated her as a primordial beast. "Interesting..." Observing Gao Ying's eager expression, Song Qing felt a subtle weight settle in his heart. A cold glint, barely perceptible, passed through his eyes. Over the years, he had treated Gao Ying as his own exclusive possession, never allowing any other man to come close. In his view, given Gao Ying's exceptional qualities, who else could possibly match her? Even though Xiao Yan had emerged as the champion of the five noble families' evaluation, this alone did not fully convince Song Qing. In terms of background, talent, and strength, he held a clear superiority over his peers. As he continued to grow, Song Qing believed he would inevitably become a powerful figure within Dan Tower. Should he secure the championship at this Dan Assembly, his name would surely be among the leading contenders for the Dan Tower's top echelon. Then, who could resist the women he would surely attract? "Xiao Yan, I hope you won't become my obstacle—otherwise..." Song Qing gazed at the spot where Xiao Yan's back had disappeared, a faint streak of fierceness flickering in his eyes. Sitting cross-legged on the bed in the room, Xiao Yan took a moment to regulate his breath. With a gentle grasp, a scroll of pale gray material appeared in his hands—the very one bestowed upon him by Xuan Kong Zi earlier. He slowly unfolded the scroll, and an intangible ripple emanated from it. This ripple was familiar to Xiao Yan—it was the very resonance of his soul imprint. The scroll bore no visible characters, only slightly distorted, invisible creases. After a brief pause, Xiao Yan held the scroll gently and pressed it against his forehead. As soon as the scroll touched his brow, the intangible ripple surged forth, and Xiao Yan immediately sensed a flood of information pouring into his mind like a tide. Once the influx of information had settled, he gently lowered the scroll, settled into his inner awareness, and began to organize the somewhat unusual flow of data. This process lasted for a while. Only after a time did the slightly closed eyes of Xiao Yan gradually open, his gaze flickering with subtle light. That flow of information was precisely the soul technique practiced by Cao Ying—known as the Soul Seal or Soul Imprint. In ancient times, both soul techniques and battle arts were traditionally divided into four ranks: Heaven, Earth, Primordial, and Yellow. The Soul Imprint belonged to a high-level Primordial-rank technique. Though not among the very highest, it was still quite impressive. Its power had already been personally experienced by Xiao Yan on that day. Unlike battle arts, which were more common, the Soul Imprint stood out due to the current scarcity of soul techniques, making it particularly effective when facing opponents. Most importantly, the Soul Imprint enabled one to gradually master how to fully unleash their soul power, rather than relying solely on the raw strength of their soul, as was common in earlier days. The Soul Imprint consists of three seals; Xiao Yan had only managed to secretly learn the first one from Cao Ying. The remaining two seals remained beyond his reach. Fortunately, however, the scroll currently held contained a complete record of all three. "This is indeed the technique of the soul arts... It does differ somewhat from the way combat techniques are performed." Xiao Yan pondered deeply. While only a few combat techniques required specific hand seals, the soul arts demanded hand seals as a necessity—during the shifting of these seals, the soul energy also flowed along a precise, corresponding path. Yet, in essence, both soul and combat arts shared a fundamental similarity. "Ah..." Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan gradually focused his mind, and his hand slowly extended, beginning to shift and transform according to the seals he had visualized in his mind. Xiao Yan’s hand seals progressed slowly, yet he maintained a serious expression, his spiritual energy gradually flowing from his brow and coalescing in sync with the evolving seals. Inside the room, he repeatedly performed the same hand seals with patience and persistence. Though the practice was monotonous, it was essential—whether mastering spirit techniques or combat techniques, true mastery could only be achieved through consistent, diligent practice. As Xiao Yan focused deeply, time flowed swiftly. With his steady, unhurried movements, the energy waves gathering at his palms grew increasingly refined and fluid. And this Dan Conference will become the stage where countless outstanding alchemists strive throughout their lifetimes! Every aspect of cultivation is geared toward this Dan Conference! Countless alchemists will vie for supremacy on this stage!