This was a desolate plain, the earth uniformly yellow, with occasional patches of green adding a touch of life and vitality. From time to time, small wild beasts burst forth, sending up a trail of yellow smoke before vanishing into the distance. The stillness of the plain persisted for some time, until the void space suddenly stirred, and then a figure flashed out of it— The figure who emerged from the space was none other than Xiao Yan, the one who had entered the spatial passage. When he first saw this desolate plain, his eyes widened slightly, his mind stirred, and his body gently floated above the ground, choosing not to rush down. "Is this the Dan Realm?" Xiao Yan looked around, just in time to catch the outlines of mountains at the horizon. He furrowed his brows and murmured softly. "The energy here is particularly abundant, yet it seems to carry a certain wild, turbulent quality—could this be the very reason the Dan Realm has fallen to ruin?" Xiao Yan extended his hand toward the empty space before him, grasping it as if to pull energy from the void. Only a Supreme Battle Saint could wield such a transcendent ability to create and maintain space. Even once space had been successfully opened, it required constant upkeep, or it would inevitably begin to fade and decay over time. After a moment of thoughtful contemplation, Xiao Yan set aside his thoughts, closed his hand, and a scroll of sheepskin appeared in his grasp—the very prescription provided by the elderly turtle-riding elder upon entering the passage. He would need to gather all the listed rare herbs and precious materials to be considered a successful candidate. "The Dan Tower's strategy is indeed quite effective—completely treating the contestants as mere laborers tasked with sourcing the necessary medicinal materials." Xiao Yan shook his head helplessly, yet his gaze shifted to the parchment. After a moment, his brows furrowed slightly. The number of celestial and terrestrial treasures listed on the parchment was surprisingly small—only three. Yet these three, despite their relative scarcity, left him feeling rather overwhelmed. "This... is it really the very place where these three things exist?" Upon seeing the three areas circled in red, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, then thoughtfully pondered. If indeed so, then things would be considerably easier. Swish! Swish! As Xiao Yan was contemplating, the space of this plain once again began to ripple and warp, and nearly a dozen figures emerged simultaneously from the space, landing on the ground. "Boom!" The moment these figures touched the ground, the ground—once resembling a dune—suddenly surged, and a massive serpent several dozen paces long shot out like a lightning bolt, its fierce, bloodied maw snapping directly onto the head of a pharmacist. The sudden development startled the pharmacist, yet he remained calm and composed. With a sharp command, a powerful surge of martial energy in the form of a flowing ribbon shot forth and struck the serpent's head with great force. The intense impact caused the serpent's head to burst open with a resounding "boom." With the great serpent felled in one strike, the alchemist's face had just begun to brighten with satisfaction. Yet before he could fully exhale, his vision suddenly blurred, and a fierce laugh erupted right beside him: "You seem to have some talent, youngster—better get out of here!" As the laughter rang out, the alchemist felt a wave of shock surge through him. Before he could recover, a slender iron pole slammed hard into his chest, sending him flying like a cannonball. He skidded across the ground for nearly a hundred meters before finally coming to a stop. While still recovering his balance, a brilliant glow surged from his palms, distorting the space around him and instantly drawing him into it—clearly, he had shattered the spatial stone. This sudden turn of events startled many present. Immediately, a wave of eyes turned toward the one who had acted. A large man in the robes of a pharmacist stepped forward. His face was broad and rugged, clearly not a refined type; on his shoulders he carried a slender iron pole nearly ten feet long, still streaked with fresh blood. "Ha! He did run quite well," the man chuckled, his eyes flashing with intensity as he turned his gaze toward the others. As the man with the broad face fixed his gaze upon them, the other contestants' expressions tightened. A sense of alertness spread through the group, and several of them immediately drew their weapons. They all knew that every competitor was a direct rival—each one they defeated would give them a crucial advantage. Seeing this, the tall man sneered, lifting his blood-stained iron staff and swinging it fiercely in front of him. With a powerful motion, he sent the massive python flying. As the serpent soared out, a deep depression appeared beneath the dune, revealing within it a thick, deep-yellow root stem the size of a child's head, now visible to all. "Radix Rehmanniae?" Gazing at the root stem, a wave of exclamations rose around them. Xiao Yan's eyes widened slightly as he looked at the deep-yellow root stem buried beneath the earth. This Radix Rehmanniae, a rare medicinal herb formed by the convergence of the earth's essence, was known to effectively stabilize energy fluctuations during cultivation—both the root itself and any pills prepared from it could provide excellent calming effects. Yet, as his eyes widened, his gaze settled on the deep hole, his expression thoughtful. The Hundred-Year Dihuang Jing is typically only the size of a clenched fist and is quite rare. Yet here, in the realm of elixirs, the Dihuang Jing has grown to such a size—truly astonishing. It must have reached a thousand years of age. Were it placed outside, it would surely draw the keen eyes of countless admirers. "This person appears impetuous, yet is remarkably attentive. He must have recognized the Dihuang Serpent to know that there is a Dihuang Jing here..." Xiao Yan glanced at the massive serpent. Whenever a Dihuang Serpent appears, a Dihuang Jing is invariably present. However, this Dihuang Serpent is no different from ordinary giant serpents, and someone inexperienced might find it difficult to distinguish. The Han official, upon seeing the size of the Dihuang Jing, was filled with excitement, seized it firmly, and pulled it out with great effort. With a broad smile, he surveyed the eager gazes of those around him, then frowned and commanded coldly, "If you don't wish to die, move away!" Hearing him deliver that sharp reprimand, the other dozen or so alchemists also stiffened slightly. Yet upon seeing the sturdy man’s fierce expression, they dared say nothing further—his earlier decisive actions had left a lasting impression. After a brief hesitation, the other alchemists finally chose to retreat. Though the Rehmannia root was rare, losing the competition qualification for it would have been a significant sacrifice. As the others obediently stepped back, the sturdy man’s disdain deepened. A peak-level combatant himself, he found that among these alchemists, at least two were only slightly weaker than him, yet lacked his boldness and determination. Thus, these timid fellows could only return empty-handed. In the world, strength always triumphs over weakness—without courage, how could one rise above the rest? "A bunch of useless ones..." The large man sneered, a hint of bloodlust flashing across his face. As he reached to place the Dihuang Jin into his storage relic, a sudden suction force appeared, instantly snatching the herb away. "Damn it! Who dares touch my things?" With the Dihuang Jin lost, a surge of fury crossed his face. He lifted his head sharply, only to find a young figure floating effortlessly in the sky. "Get out of my way," said Xiao Yan, his gaze calm and unyielding. From the earlier display of the man's actions, it was clear he wasn't someone to be trifled with. To deal with a foe of such caliber, firmness and decisiveness were required—there was no room for negotiation. Seeing Xiao Yan floating in the sky, the large man's expression shifted. He knew what that meant—floating in mid-air signified that the young man was at least a Douzong-level cultivator. A cultivator of that rank, he simply couldn't afford to provoke. With a deep breath, though deeply resentful, this sturdy man was no fool—he could take what others had, and others could take what he had as well. In this realm of Dan, if one still clung to charity, he’d likely end up with nothing but his clothes. He fixed a fierce gaze on Xiao Yan, but dared not speak further. With lingering eyes on the thousand-year-old Earth Yellow Essence in Xiao Yan’s hands, he carried a storm of anger, fading into a blurred figure and rushing toward the distant mountains in the plain.