Shush shush shush! Gazing at the figures pouring into the realm of the phantom stage like a locust swarm, Xuan Kongzi on the dais nodded slightly, his hands resting in his sleeves, and murmured softly, "This year's Dan Assembly has proven quite interesting. I never expected even some of the established elders to show up..." "The Three Thousand Flames of Yan Yan are no ordinary hetero-flames—they hold considerable appeal even for these seasoned veterans, so naturally, they're here to make a splash." At Xuan Kongzi's side, the dark-skinned elder raised his eyes, his sharp, electric gaze sweeping over the figures entering the phantom stage, and remarked. "The younger generation is pushing the older ones aside—today's youth are no longer to be underestimated. Even if they step forward, they might end up looking rather disheveled by the end..." Beside him, the elegant woman in a qipao smiled gently and added. Xuan Kongzi smiled and nodded, stroking his beard. "The younger generation indeed has produced some remarkable figures. Yet what truly intrigues me most is just how far Xiao Yan will go..." "Xiao Yan? One of Yao Chen's disciples?" The elder with dark skin was momentarily taken aback, then his gaze shifted to the beautiful woman beside him. "Yàodīn..." The beautiful woman also paused slightly. In recent years, she had been mostly in seclusion, only stepping out for matters of great importance—such as sealing the Three Thousand Yan Fire—otherwise, she rarely appeared. Indeed, she was the most understated of the three pillars of Dan Tower, so much so that even some people who have only recently joined the tower were unaware of her existence. Many believed that Dan Tower had never had a female pillar at all, but those with sufficient experience knew that the first female pillar of Dan Tower had actually appeared before Cáo Yǐng, though she was considerably older than her. This enigmatic woman had once been a truly prominent figure on the Continent of Dòuqì, and her reputation was no less than that of Yàodūn or the other two pillars. Though she has been secluded in recent years, neglecting affairs, when she heard this distant and unforgettable name, a subtle, inexplicable glow shimmered in her eyes... "According to Xiao Yan, Yao Chen is now under the control of the Spirit Palace. After the gathering of the Dan Conclave concludes, if possible, we might be able to assist this old man—after all, he did help our Dan Tower greatly back then." Xuan Kongzi spoke slowly. Upon hearing this, the beautiful woman's face slightly changed; the calm, composed demeanor that had always been her hallmark now stirred intensely, her expression darkening as she said, "How could he have acted so recklessly? Knowing the Spirit Palace was watching him, he still kept moving around—this is exactly what he deserved." "You speak so casually, yet who doesn't know you've been deeply concerned about him? Over the years, you've quietly sent numerous agents to track his movements—both of us are well aware of that." Xuan Kongzi sighed. "Who cares if he dies!" The beautiful woman slightly raised her brows, exuding a quiet yet commanding presence—so composed that one might have thought her naturally authoritative. Yet to the ears of Xuankongzi and his companion, her tone seemed somewhat lacking in strength, falling short of conveying the firmness they knew she possessed. Having long observed her tenacity, they could only shake their heads in quiet resignation. … As Xiao Yan's body surged into that deep gray, distorted space, he clearly sensed an unusual ripple emanating from the rank insignia on his chest. Precisely as this ripple spread, a sudden suction force erupted when his body first made contact with the space, drawing him in. The abrupt suction caused Xiao Yan to momentarily stagger, and upon regaining his focus, he found himself already immersed in a strange, deep gray spatial realm. This realm was enveloped by a dense layer of deep gray gas, limiting his field of vision to less than half a meter. Moreover, certain areas within his line of sight exhibited subtle distortions, clearly indicating that this was indeed the so-called realm of the trial. The soles of his feet gently pressed against the deep gray gas, and Xiao Yan did not rush or stumble. Instead, he stood still, eyes closed, allowing his vast spiritual power to spread out like ripples... The deep gray gas clearly exerted a suppressing effect on the spirit, a point Xiao Yan had heard from Ye Zhong earlier. Thus, when he sensed it, he did not find it particularly surprising. This suppression, though, had clear limits. With his current strength in spiritual cultivation, even under the gas's resistance, he could easily discern the surrounding conditions—though the range of his perception had been somewhat shortened. As his spiritual power expanded, he also felt the deep gray gas around him stirring subtly, indicating that new participants were continuously entering the area. "This does indeed resemble the energy tides of the Tianmu Mountain range... However, those are naturally formed, while here, the realm is a man-made illusion created by distorting space with great effort. The method of trapping people here is far more challenging..." Xiao Yan's expression conveyed thoughtful contemplation. This space must have been crafted by the elite cultivators of the Dan Tower, using immense power to warp the spatial fabric—filled with countless twisted pathways. Should one wander haphazardly within, they would inevitably lose their sense of direction and even become trapped. Nevertheless, no matter how intricate this illusion may be, since it is human-made, success in navigating through it hinges on identifying and following the patterns of spatial distortions. As long as one follows the curved corridors formed by these warped spaces, they will surely emerge from the illusion unscathed. Of course, while it sounds simple, putting it into practice proves quite difficult. Under this strange gas, both vision and spiritual perception are tightly suppressed. Attempting to discern the intricate spatial traces while effectively operating as if blind—this presents a considerable challenge for many ordinary alchemists. However, fortunately, Xiao Yan is no ordinary alchemist. With his currently formidable spiritual strength, even some seventh-rank senior alchemists fall short in comparison. Though the gray gas has somewhat dampened his abilities, it is still sufficient to navigate this so-called illusionary trial... Shh-shh! Hearing the阵阵 gusts of wind rising from nearby, Xiao Yan smiled faintly. With his soul perception, he observed numerous alchemists who had rushed haphazardly into this area, eventually becoming trapped within various distorted spatial folds, unable to escape. His soul energy gently spread outward. With both hands resting behind his back and his feet lightly stepping through the void, Xiao Yan moved steadily and composedly, following the path revealed by his soul perception. ... To his surprise, this distorted space was remarkably vast, and the layered spatial folds within it made the area feel like a maze. A single misstep into one of these folds would mean losing one's qualification to continue competing. The space was vast and boundless, yet Xiao Yan remained calm and unhurried, his steps steady and measured. Along the way, he had witnessed several contestants who, due to impatience and rashness, had stumbled into the folds of the space and ended up distressed. Naturally, he understood that in such a setting, acting on impulse would inevitably lead to a disappointing start in the competition. As he progressed, he encountered many true强者, most of whom had sensed his spiritual awareness. Yet instead of approaching to converse, they had retreated with cautious distance—maintaining a wary stance. Xiao Yan did not find this behavior surprising, though he did find it impressive. Indeed, the medicinal artisans participating in the Dan Conference clearly possessed strong capabilities—many of them, at least, had not been hindered by this very illusionary stage. Amid the space enveloped by deep gray gas, Xiao Yan stepped forward slowly. Calculating the time, he had been within this space for nearly an hour. He could feel the spatial distortions within his soul perception growing increasingly intricate—sometimes requiring him to circle in place several times before successfully navigating the folds of space that blocked his path. Staring at that kind and familiar face, Xiao Yan's steps almost moved of their own accord, light and uncontrolled. As soon as his feet touched the ground, a sudden sense of crisis surged through him, causing his steps to freeze mid-motion. He took a deep breath, and gradually regained his composure. "It's a illusion—this deep within the trial arena can generate visions that shift and evolve in response to one's thoughts!" Xiao Yan frowned, gazing intently at the elderly figure. After a long pause, he sighed softly, waved his sleeve, and a gust of wind surged forth, dispersing the figure completely. As the figure vanished, the hidden folds of space behind it revealed themselves, shimmering with an eerie, strange black mist. "This trial arena is indeed perilous," he murmured, his eyes fixed on the mysterious black vapor. He understood now—this very phenomenon was likely the cause of the sudden appearance of the illusion. Shaking her head, Xiao Yan's alertness was further heightened. He could sense that they were now nearing the exit of the realm. His spiritual energy spread out, once again tracing the spatial imprints ahead, and then he resumed his steps, moving steadily toward the distant area. Along the way, Xiao Yan encountered numerous apparitions that manifested from his thoughts—images of Xun'er, Cai Lin, Xiao Zhan, Yun Yun, and others who left a particularly deep impression on him. However, having learned from his earlier experience, Xiao Yan no longer lost focus when these visions appeared. No matter how lifelike they were, he would merely pause with a touch of lingering affection before brushing his sleeve and moving on.