The venue of the Dan Meeting is located in the northern sector of the Inner Region. Indeed, several days prior, this area had already been overwhelmed by a vast, terrifying crowd. When Xiao Yan and his companions arrived, they could only see an endless ocean of heads, their thunderous clamor rising into a powerful wave of sound that could be clearly heard throughout a radius of hundreds of miles. Standing atop a building, Xiao Yan and his party looked out in all directions and realized that the area was a vast plaza stretching nearly a thousand zhang in size. Suspended in the mid-air above the plaza were numerous stone platforms, each radiating a subtle glow, appearing remarkably extraordinary. "Those stone platforms are the final seating areas for the contestants," said Ye Zhong, pointing to the platforms that were being watched by the crowd. "Final seating areas?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow upon hearing this. "Hehe, the gathering will be incredibly grand—merely attending the grand assembly doesn't guarantee one a spot on stage. In fact, strictly speaking, there are two rigorous selection rounds before one even enters the venue." Ye Zong smiled, then pointed toward the vast plaza, which seemed to stretch on endlessly. "See that stretch of deep gray space in the distance?" Xiao Yan followed Ye Zong's gesture and indeed spotted a deep gray expanse. Upon closer inspection, however, he realized that this space had been deliberately warped by human presence, and within it, a deep gray gas permeated, obstructing vision. "Dan Wei's most fundamental qualification for participation requires reaching the level of a Fifth-Rank Alchemy Master. The deep gray space represents the first stage—the so-called 'Illusion Realm.' This gray gas originates from a mythical beast known as the Phantasmal Soul Beast. It not only blurs one's vision but also hinders soul perception. Moreover, within this space, there are hidden intricacies—layers upon layers of space, resembling a maze. Once inside, one quickly loses orientation and becomes disoriented. If one fails to emerge within a specified time frame, they lose their eligibility for the competition." Ye Zhong smiled. Xiao Yan nodded slowly, his eyes flashing with a sense of wonder—indeed, the selection process for this Dan Festival was far from ordinary. "Should one successfully pass this environmental stage, they then qualify to enter the Dan Realm..." As Ye Zhong spoke of the Dan Realm, his expression grew noticeably more serious. "The Dan Realm?" "I had mentioned to you earlier that after the Dan Festival begins, all the contestants will enter a peculiar realm—the Dan Realm..." Ye nodded emphatically and spoke slowly, "The Dan Realm is a spatial realm said to have been created centuries ago by a top-tier Battle Saint from the Dan Tower. However, due to certain circumstances, it has gradually declined over time. Still, the Dan Realm is undoubtedly one of the most coveted destinations for countless alchemists. Within it lie countless rare materials and medicinal herbs that are difficult to find outside. Alchemists who qualify to enter are each assigned a list of precious herbs. You, then, must rely on your own abilities to gather all these herbs within the Dan Realm, and only after successfully collecting them can you exchange them at the exit for a spatial stone, allowing you to leave the realm and proceed to the final competition!" "The stone platforms in the sky were specifically designed for those who successfully passed the final trial—not everyone was qualified to ascend them..." "Indeed, the Dan Assembly lives up to its reputation." Xiao Yan nodded lightly, offering a word of admiration. After these two rounds of rigorous selection, the mediocre and unqualified candidates had been systematically eliminated, leaving behind only the true elite of this Dan Assembly. The Dan Tower typically remained hands-off when it came to events within the Dan Realm. As long as the process remained discreet, no one would ever know. Though the selection was demanding, reality was far more unforgiving than a mere competition. If one couldn't pass such evaluations, how could they possibly establish themselves on the continent and rise to true master status? "Ye Zhong smiled slightly and spoke softly: 'So, if you encounter Chen Xian from Xuanming Sect in the Dan Realm, go ahead and act.' Xiao Yan smiled, yet a cold gleam flashed in his dark eyes—Chen Xian had passed his information to the Hún Palace. This grudge had to be settled. 'Dong!' As Xiao Yan and the other spoke, a clear and resonant chime suddenly echoed across the realm, spreading out in a vast and majestic wave—so powerful that even the roaring clamor of the crowd was silenced. With the chime resonating, the entire realm grew quiet. Countless sets of eyes instantly turned toward the towering stone platform on the eastern side of the square, where the senior officials of the Dan Tower would now appear. Not long after the chime, a series of gusts of wind suddenly swept through, causing the space on the platform to subtly warp. Then, a group of figures slowly emerged. Xiao Yan's gaze swept over the group of figures, pausing finally on the three at the center. Among them, one figure he had already seen—Xuan Kongzi, one of the leading figures of the Dan Tower. On either side of him stood two individuals whose presence was utterly imperceptible. To the left stood an elder with deeply tanned skin, his face taut and expression stern—silent yet imposing, his eyes sharp and piercing, sharp enough to ache the soul. The figure on the right, however, surprised Xiao Yan greatly. She was a graceful woman dressed in a qipao, though Xiao Yan was certain she was no younger than the two elders, Pyongkong and his companions—yet her appearance was that of a woman in her thirties, her demeanor calm and serene, subtly carrying the quiet elegance of time. Xiao Yan had never seen either of these two before, but given their equal standing beside Pyongkong, it was clear they were the other two towering figures of Dan Tower! As these three appeared, the entire realm grew remarkably still. Amidst the endless sea of people, countless eyes, brimming with various emotions, converged upon them. The Three Pillars of the Dan Tower—this name, not only in the Central Plains but even across the entire Continent of Qi, was truly renowned. These three had long existed in legend; now, their sudden appearance left countless onlookers feeling utterly astonished. The entire hall was silent. No matter how fierce or unruly the individuals might be, at this moment, they all had to suppress their boldness and refrain from any dissent—after all, the three figures on the stone platform were not far removed from the very apex of this continent's power. "As long as one passes through these three trials and still stands at the end, they shall be crowned the champion of this Dan Conference..." Xuangongzi, gazing at the sea of people stirred by the word 'champion,' smiled faintly. "Not only will the champion secure a spot among the leading candidates of the Dan Tower giants, but they will also receive a scroll of ancient soul cultivation techniques—enabling them to reach the eighth or even ninth rank in the near future!" For this allure, even Xiao Yan could not resist. Thus, after Xuan Kongzi finished speaking, his breathing gradually grew heavier. How rare and precious the ancient soul cultivation techniques were—he was well aware of it. Such treasures could truly be described as priceless! "This championship title… no matter what, I must strive for it!" Xiao Yan clenched his fists, a blazing intensity flashing in his dark eyes. While he could afford to overlook his status as a leading contender, the soul cultivation technique was something he could not afford to ignore. He knew clearly that to attain the rank of Ninth-Level Alchemist, the soul cultivation technique was an absolute necessity. Therefore, no matter what, simply to secure this scroll of soul cultivation technique, he would have to give it his all! On the elevated platform, Xuankong Zi gazed at the suddenly blood-red glances, smiled slightly, raised his eyes to the sky, then gently waved his sleeve. An invisible ripple spread out and struck the void, instantly echoing once more with a long, resonant chime of a bell. "It's time. All participants ranked five-star and above—please enter the first stage, the Soul Mirage!" His fingers suddenly swept toward the vast square, where deep gray space rapidly twisted, forming distinct, wondrous realms, each revealing profound mysteries. "Boom!" As soon as Xuankong Zi finished speaking, countless figures surged forth from the endless sea of spectators, flashing like locusts across the sky, then vanishing into the twisting space. Watching the figures pouring into the distorted realms like a relentless rain, Xiao Yan took a deep breath and stepped forward steadily. "Go on!" Hearing the encouragement from Xiao Yixian and the others, Xiao Yan smiled and then forcefully stamped the ground, his figure transforming into a streak of shadow. Under the countless sets of eyes, he swiftly and without hesitation plunged into the deep gray, distorted space! The fierce competition at the Dan Conference had finally officially begun!