Gazing at the bustling square, Xuan Kongzi could not help but smile—such an atmosphere, perhaps, could only be matched during the time of the Dan Festival across the entire continent. "All contestants, step forward! For the final trial, there will be no rules or restrictions. Give it your all and craft the very best dan medicines you have mastered!" Hearing Xuan Kongzi's resonant, weathered voice echoing across the sky, the blood in the veins of the numerous contestants began to surge. They exchanged glances, then with a sudden, thunderous burst, figures leapt upward in a wave—so many bodies surged forth that even the sunlight streaming down from the sky seemed to pause in its descent. There were countless stone platforms in the sky, ample enough to accommodate the remaining contestants. Yet even after nearly nine-tenths of the participants had been eliminated through the first two rounds, the number of survivors remained substantial—thousands of people ascending simultaneously to the platforms created a truly magnificent sight. Amidst this vast sea of human figures, Xiao Yan moved among them, not hurrying to choose his own platform. He allowed the crowds to gradually climb onto the platforms, some of which saw individuals clash over space, even engaging in physical altercations. Standing in the air, Xiao Yan waited until most had settled on their chosen platforms before gently descending onto one situated near the periphery. For alchemical preparation, full concentration was essential—platforms in the central area were nearly all occupied. Should any disturbance occur during the process, there would be little time to recover, let alone cry out in frustration. The stone platform where Xiao Yan settled was not particularly large, measuring only a few zhang, yet it was ample enough to accommodate him alone. After finding a suitable spot, he settled into a cross-legged posture and scanned the surroundings, taking in Gao Ying, Dan Chen, and Song Qing, who were spaced somewhat apart from one another. Like Xiao Yan, they too had not rushed to claim the more imposing, centrally located platforms, but instead had chosen quieter ones near the edges. As his gaze passed over the three of them, it suddenly stopped on a floating stone platform a little distance away—there, a figure in black sat cross-legged, eyes closed, meditating. "This guy...is once again concealing his true essence..." Xiao Yin stared at the shadow, his brows slightly furrowed. The current state of Mu Gu, no longer exhibiting the eerie aura he had displayed in the Dan Realm, now radiated a remarkably normal presence—indistinguishable from that of an ordinary competitor. Yet, after witnessing that moment, Xiao Yin and the others realized that this elder was undoubtedly a formidable and difficult opponent. "Mu Gu is also an Eighth-Rank Alchemist. At this level, few among the contestants are likely to surpass him. While merely entering the top ten grants the opportunity to command the Three Thousand Flames of Yan Yan, this elder is notably cautious and would certainly not allow others to act first. Moreover, as a representative of the Spirit Palace, if he secures the championship title at the Dan Tower, the Dan Tower's prestige might suffer when he speaks of it. Therefore, whenever the opportunity arises, he will surely aim to claim the championship himself." Xiao Yan frowned slightly. Though in the realm of alchemy he had already reached the eighth rank, he was still relatively new to it, and thus inevitably fell short compared to the elder master Mu Gu, who was a true legend of his generation—someone of the same era as Yao Lao, certainly no ordinary figure. Nevertheless, at this point, there was no alternative. Xiao Yan’s only course of action was to give it his all. He was determined to secure the Three Thousand Flames of Yan, and if this elder master stood in his way, then so be it—he would simply give him a solid kick. As Xiao Yan’s thoughts raced through his mind, the chaotic sky gradually settled. Each contestant found their stone platform and began arranging their materials, preparing to begin their alchemical work. "Dong!" With a slow gaze sweeping across the platforms floating in the sky, Xuan Kongzi paused, then looked up at the sky. With a gentle wave of his sleeve, a clear, resonant chime rang out, echoing steadily throughout the heavens. "It's time, everyone—let us raise the cauldrons and begin the alchemy!" Boom! Boom! Boom! As Pyongongzi spoke, the atmosphere of this realm instantly froze. Then, cauldrons surged forth from all directions, landing with a resounding thud upon the stone platform, their deep, metallic clangs echoing steadily across the sky. Gazing at the dense array of cauldrons, murmurs of astonishment rose from the plaza—this was likely the first time they had witnessed so many high-quality cauldrons appearing simultaneously. After most of the alchemists had summoned their cauldrons, a series of soft puffs echoed through the heavens, and instantly, vibrant flames of various colors burst upward, rising like fireworks and transforming the sky into a breathtaking spectacle. Xiao Yan remained quietly seated on the stone platform, neither eager nor hurried to begin his alchemy. Instead, he closed his eyes, calmly organizing the thoughts swirling within his mind. At this gathering, the elixir he intended to prepare was naturally the Shengguo Rongxue Elixir, whose ingredients had been gathered in advance. Ranked at the pinnacle of the seventh rank, and should the process go smoothly, it might even ascend to the eighth rank—making it a truly high-tier elixir with the potential to compete with the leading contenders. While Xiao Yan closed his eyes and pondered, Cao Ying and the others did not immediately begin their preparations. Instead, after a while of meditating in silence, they gradually summoned their cauldrons. Under everyone's watchful gaze, Cao Ying summoned her cauldron and, with a flick of her finger, a flame so vivid and bright it stung the eyes, rose gently in the palm of her hand. The flame was an exceptionally vivid, rich crimson, even more intense than fresh blood. As it rose, a delicate figure seemed to shimmer within it, gliding and darting like a flame sprite. The moment this unusually vibrant crimson flame appeared, subtle ripples surged through the flames in the cauldrons of the alchemists around, causing them to quickly focus their attention and cast astonished glances toward Cao Ying. "This... the Blood Demon Flame?" The sudden disturbance also caught Xiao Yan's notice. He turned his gaze and paused on the crimson flame in Cao Ying's palm—resembling blood itself—his expression momentarily still, then a look of surprise flickered across his eyes. As for the strange flame summoned by Cao Ying, Xiao Yan had some familiarity with it—he had seen references to it in the ancient texts left behind by the Medicine Elder. This so-called Blood Demon Flame, while often described as a natural fire, could more accurately be considered a man-made flame, much like Xiao Yan’s Hua Sheng Fire. However, the formation of the Blood Demon Flame was even more extraordinary: it wasn’t formed by condensing flame itself, but rather required the blood of nearly a thousand fire-type beast creatures. These diverse bloods, each carrying unique essences, were then blended together, and finally, the inherent fire energy within the blood coalesced into the form of flame. Once formed, this flame became the Blood Demon Flame. Indeed, the flame varied in strength, and the degree of strength was determined by the completeness of the delicate human silhouette within it. Observing the figure within Cao Ying’s flame, it was clearly the most potent form of Blood Demon Flame—likely stronger than even Xiao Yan’s Hua Sheng Fire. The Blood Demon Flame was powerful, yet its creation method was excessively demanding—without substantial financial backing, it would have been impossible to gather the nearly thousand fire-element魔兽 bloods required. "Indeed, the Cao family is truly well-off. They've managed to secure the Blood Demon Flame specifically for Cao Ying..." Xiao Yan murmured under his breath. With this Blood Demon Flame, Cao Ying would undoubtedly be greatly strengthened, and her success rate in producing pills would surely improve. Following Cao Ying, Song Qing and Dan Chen from the distance also summoned their flames. Their flames belonged to the beast-fire category, though not as refined as Cao Ying's Blood Demon Flame, they still ranked among the top tier of beast-fire flames and could certainly serve as valuable assets in alchemy. "Pfft!" As Xiao Yan’s gaze just returned, an unusually intense and somewhat familiar fluctuation suddenly erupted—prompting him to raise an eyebrow and turn his head. There, standing clearly before him, was the Mu Gu elder, whose hands clenched, sending a deep blue Sea Heart Flame soaring upward and coiling into a serpentine form that spiraled and danced around him. "Boom!" As the Sea Heart Flame appeared, several alchemists closest to the elder suddenly paled—observing that the flames within their cauldrons surged violently, then erupted with a thunderous "boom" inside, sending a powerful wave of heat that knocked several of them off their stone platforms. "A rare flame?" The sight drew countless eyes from across the plaza, with a cascade of exclamations rising one after another—this was the first time they had ever witnessed such a phenomenon during the current session of the Dan Festival. For the unfortunate ones who had been left stranded like fish in a pond, Master Muge raised a cold smile. The Sea-Heart Flame spiraled and danced around him, amidst the vast expanse of fire, appearing like an emperor reigning amidst flames, receiving homage from countless flames. The fire serpents formed by the Sea-Heart Flame coiled around Master Muge, exuding a regal and confident demeanor.