Feeling the sudden turn of events, Xiao Yan was also startled, yet at this moment he dared not be overly bold—instead, he had to steady his mind and focus intently on the changes within his body. The earth-core soul essence, once harmonized, flowed into Xiao Yan's body and immediately transformed into a hot stream, dispersing rapidly. Soon, it evaporated, giving rise to a steady surge of peculiar, deep-green vapor that rose swiftly through his body, reaching and ultimately converging at his forehead and between his brows, where it intertwined with his existing soul energy. As this vapor wove itself into his soul, Xiao Yan quickly sensed a powerful, astonishing energy seeping into his soul at an accelerating pace. At the same time, his soul's strength seemed to surge dramatically—like having consumed a potent tonic—increasing at a rate that left him utterly amazed. With the rapid enhancement of his spiritual strength, the pressure and discomfort in his brow grew increasingly intense. He hadn't expected the earth's core spiritual essence to have such a pronounced amplifying effect on his spiritual power! Faced with the steadily intensifying pain in his brow, Xiao Yan could only watch helplessly as his spiritual strength continued to surge. More and more green mist poured forth, and his own spiritual power kept strengthening. Only then did Xiao Yan truly feel what it meant to have a splitting headache—the temples on either side of his head swelled up, rising like small drums, pulsing steadily. "It's about to explode!" The spiritual power had now grown so powerful that it gradually surpassed the maximum capacity Xiao Yan could sustain. At a certain moment, he could no longer bear it, and a deep, resonant explosion erupted deep within his mind, causing sharp pain in his eardrums. "Boom!" "Under the force of that explosion, Xiao Yan's consciousness was instantly shattered, his vision filled with golden light, and his mind became utterly chaotic. This unusual state persisted for a considerable duration before gradually improving. When Xiao Yan's mind finally regained clarity, the intense headache had already begun to ease, and he sensed that his soul had grown significantly stronger—several times over compared to before. Yet, he still perceived that his soul had not yet fully reached the so-called Spiritual Realm." "Has the Earth's Core Soul Essence failed?" Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned. Simply possessing a powerful soul force was not enough to fully attain the Spiritual Realm. As long as the soul remained below the Spiritual Realm, true Eight-Premium Dan Pills could never be crafted. As Xiao Yan stood in astonishment, he suddenly realized that the surrounding celestial energies had been stirred by something peculiar—vibrating and agitated. Amidst this turbulence, delicate streams of energy, though faint, yet deeply memorable to him, were quietly seeping out from the space and surging in vast waves directly toward his brow. It was only at this moment that he realized the so-called peculiar gravitational pull was actually emanating from his brow. "Indeed useful!" With this revelation, Xiao Yan finally exhaled a deep breath of relief. He had placed all his hopes on this soul transformation—mere enhancement of his soul strength would no longer be sufficient. This vital energy flowed continuously into Xiao Yan's brow, eventually merging with the soul residing there. As the fusion took place, Xiao Yan's soul felt enveloped by a warm, soothing essence, the gentle energy seeping into every part of him, bringing a profound sense of comfort that made him nearly unable to hold back a sigh. However, the current level of energy infusion was still insufficient to elevate Xiao Yan's soul into the so-called spiritual realm. Thus, after this process continued for nearly an hour, the unusual force at the center of his brow suddenly intensified dramatically, and then a subtle, invisible wave of energy gradually expanded outward—first breaking through the stone chamber, then the stone pavilion, and finally spreading across the sky of the mountain peak... Boom! As this ripple expanded, at that very moment, the heavens and earth of this mountain range suddenly surged, as if a pot of boiling oil had erupted. The sudden upheaval of the heavens and earth drew the attention of all the beasts on the mountain, yet the peculiar flow of spiritual energy seemed rather intangible to them. Only a few exceptionally powerful high-tier beasts could faintly sense it; the rest merely watched in bewilderment, utterly unaware of any unusual sensation. At the stone pavilion on the mountain's summit, even Bear War was momentarily startled by this sudden development. He glanced around and then settled his gaze upon the stone chamber where Xiao Yan was meditating deep within the pavilion, his eyes flashing with a touch of astonishment. "These... are indeed the so-called spiritual qi, aren't they? It's said that only those who have reached the eighth rank of pharmaceutical masters can absorb it." Xiong Zhan's gaze flickered slightly. Though he appeared rugged, his experience was no less impressive—after all, back in his day, this region had been the stronghold of the Dan Tower. Only now, as it gradually declined, had they begun to withdraw. "I hadn't expected that Xiao Yan was telling the truth. He truly is on the verge of reaching the eighth rank." Xiong Zhan murmured softly, then slowly nodded. If Xiao Yan indeed attained the eighth rank, then in the future, he would surely find himself in need of the man's support. Eighth-rank pharmaceutical masters were certainly rare even across the entire Qi Continent. "All of you—listen closely! Within a hundred li, no footprints shall be allowed. Everyone must be driven out!" With these thoughts running through his mind, Xiong Zhan suddenly rose to his feet, his roar echoing throughout the entire forest. At the sound of his command, the countless beasts of the Ten-Thousand-Medication Mountain instantly surged to life, emitting deep, resonant roars that began driving back the contestants who had randomly intruded into the mountain's territory. However, after the previous transformations, the spiritual energy at the center of Xiao Yan's brow was no longer the previous state of emptiness, but instead coiled together, occasionally pulsing subtly—much like a heartbeat. Moreover, thanks to the influence of the spiritual qi, the spiritual essence at his brow appeared more vibrant and full of life than ever before. As the increasingly abundant spiritual qi flowed in, the spiritual energy within continuously stirred, as though something were taking shape and developing inside. Yet for some reason, Xiao Yan always felt a peculiar sense that this development seemed to be missing something essential. After pondering for a long time without any clear insight, he eventually had to give up. With the fluctuations of this realm, ever more spiritual qi surged from the heavens and poured into this small stone chamber, transforming the once sparse and quiet room into one brimming with vibrant life. Inside the stone hall, Xiao Yan's complexion grew increasingly strained as more and more qi flowed into his brow, for he noticed that no matter how much qi entered, his soul at the center of his brow remained in a constant state of subtle pulsation—seemingly unable to make the final breakthrough. His brows were tightly furrowed, knowing that if that final step couldn't be taken, he would never reach the eighth rank. "With that realization, Xiao Yan felt a great relief in his heart, yet then furrowed his brows again. This soul cultivation technique... it seemed he only possessed the most fundamental section of the incantation... 'I wonder if this initial section will suffice...' His heart now felt somewhat uneasy. Yet at this moment, there was no alternative—he quickly focused his mind and gently emitted the incantation, flowing like a sacred chant, from his lips. "Extremity of the soul... seal the celestial dawning... absorb the spirit to forge the soul..." As this brief incantation gradually echoed within Xiao Yan's mind, the soul within his brow, previously pulsing steadily, began to accelerate, as though something was slowly taking shape and forming into a clear line... Just as Zi Yan was murmuring, a thunderous roar suddenly erupted from within the stone chamber. Immediately, the solid stone ceiling burst open, and an intangible glow surged forth, hovering in midair. A vast soul energy then surged out like a tidal wave, sweeping through the surrounding area in a lightning-fast surge...