A cold, sharp voice like that of a night hawk echoed across the sky. Lightning flashed, casting a brilliant, blinding light that illuminated the face of the Master Mu, making it seem especially eerie. A towering column of light surged upward under the collective gaze of the crowd, its immense power leaving everyone in awe—by the energy fluctuations alone, it appeared that none of the earlier performers had reached such a level. Who exactly was this enigmatic figure in black robes? At this moment, countless minds were filled with wonder and doubt. How could someone achieve such mastery and still remain unknown? While ordinary observers might not discern the difference, the figures on the dais—especially Xuan Kongzi—had their expressions gradually darken. The surge of light revealed the long-concealed aura of the Master Mu completely. "Master Mu," Xuan Kongzi said, slowly drawing his smile into a steady, slightly cold gaze, his words deliberate and precise. "It's surprising he managed to evade us three...and his appearance has clearly changed as well," the beautiful woman remarked, a coldness now passing over her face as she spoke in a steady tone. "What shall we do now, the three Chairpersons?" Xuan Kongzi's expression was unusually stern. He slowly clenched his palms, then after a moment, gradually released them, speaking in a measured tone: "Let's just watch for now. What we do at this point is already too late. Our defenses have still not been fully established. Though Master Mu Gu is a member of the Spirit Pavilion, he is also a master alchemist with all the qualifications and credentials to participate in the Herbal Gathering. If, under these watchful eyes, we remove his right to compete, not only will the Spirit Pavilion not accept this gracefully, but we may also damage the reputation of the Herbal Tower." "Shall we simply let him claim the championship title?" the robed elder exclaimed, growing increasingly urgent upon hearing this. Xuan Kongzi remained silent, his face still stern. Seeing this, the robed elder paused, knowing that at this moment, Xuan Kongzi was likely filled with both envy and fury. The beautiful woman and the dark-skinned elder exchanged glances, each reading a chill in the other's eyes. … On one stone platform, Xiao Yan stared at the elderly elder who was sneering with an increasingly grim expression, his fists slowly clenching, fierce glimmers of rage flashing in his eyes. The mocking words he had heard earlier had already stirred a deep sense of murderous intent within him. Despite the countless gazes upon him, the elder barely noticed, lifting his head to gaze toward the far end of the luminous beam in the sky. There, amid the terrifying energy fluctuations, thick mist began to emerge—swiftly coalescing into a dense, swirling mass, forming the shape of thunderclouds within a short time. As the thunderclouds took shape in the sky, every single person present felt their hearts suddenly tighten. This appearance of the Dan Thunder would now determine the ultimate victor of the Dan Assembly. Under the intense gazes of all present, the thunderclouds surged and rolled, instantly displaying two distinct hues—silver and deep green—transforming the Dan Thunder into a dual-toned spectacle. "Two hues!" As two hues of Dan Lei appeared in the sky, a wave of exclamations rose continuously across the vast plaza. "It's not over yet! More colors are emerging!" Just as these voices fell, the thunderclouds surged again, and a subtle red began to emerge, swiftly expanding under the intense gazes of onlookers. Within less than a minute, this red matched the intensity of the other two hues. "Three colors now! We've achieved three!" With the third hue fully manifest, the previously quiet plaza erupted into excitement. Faces across the crowd flushed with anticipation—within just one day, they had witnessed three distinct tri-color Dan Lei phenomena. Such a spectacle was truly rare, a once-in-a-century event. Gazing at the Dan Lei now displaying three distinct hues, some of the senior Dan Tower elders on the dais grew profoundly tense. If Master Mu Gu's Dan Lei were merely of three colors, there would still be hope—Xiao Yan and Elder Qing Hua both possessed the strength to compete with him. High above, the thunderclouds surged and swayed, stirring the hearts of countless onlookers. "And again! Another hue has emerged!" Suddenly, a sharp, urgent cry rang out across the plaza, instantly drawing a wave of astonishment and murmurs throughout the sky. Indeed, following the stabilization of the third hue, a brilliant golden glow emerged from within the turbulent clouds—like the sun hidden beneath the cloud cover—gently radiating a slender beam of golden light. Roar! Gazing at the sudden surge of golden light, the square erupted into activity. Everyone sat upright in their chairs, their eyes wide with awe, fixed upon the magnificent thunderclouds above. Within those clouds, hues of green, silver, red, and gold shimmered, transforming the cloudscape into a breathtaking tapestry of splendor—like a living rainbow. Four colors! Four-color Dan Thunder! After all this time, the Dan Assembly had finally reached its most triumphant moment. On the dais, several senior elders of the Dan Tower gazed upward at the four-color Dan Thunder, their faces pale with astonishment. They exchanged glances, at a loss for words. For a moment, the entire scene was hushed and heavy with silence. News of today’s event would undoubtedly severely damage the reputation of the Dan Tower. "Crack… crack…" Pyongongzi's face was now dark and stormy, a hint of ferocity subtly radiating from his brows. His dry fists clenched with a loud, resonant sound, and the space around him rippled violently, responding to the turbulence of his emotions. "Calm down!" The dark-bearded elder, observing this, frowned slightly, then firmly placed his palm on Pyongongzi's shoulder, murmuring in a low, urgent tone. Under his gentle command, the ferocity on Pyongongzi's face gradually softened, though his complexion remained profoundly gloomy. After a moment, he spoke in a hoarse voice, "After this incident, I will personally intervene and reduce this old fool to a thousand fragments!" "If you do that, it will trigger a full-scale conflict between Dan Tower and Huan Palace, drawing in too many forces. The person from Huan Palace is exceptionally strong—back then, even when we three combined our efforts, we still couldn't match him. A direct confrontation would be detrimental to Dan Tower," the beautiful woman, her face serious, added. Xuan Kongzi's body trembled slightly, his eyes blazing with a terrifying rage that seemed ready to consume him—this was the first time in many years that he had struggled so hard to control his emotions. "Let's just see what happens—perhaps something miraculous will unfold..." The beautiful woman sighed softly, yet she knew deep down that the outcome was already sealed: Master Mu Gu's four-color Dan Thunder would firmly suppress Qing Hua's old master and Xiao Yan's three-color Dan Thunder. "The greatest honor of Dantai had been snatched away by the Hündian—two entities once at odds—what a pity... This time, Dantai has truly been trampled beneath the Hündian's feet. After this, some alchemists may begin to question Dantai's standing... Furious, Cao Ying's beautiful eyes suddenly shifted unconsciously toward another stone platform—where Xiao Yan stood. At that moment, however, Xiao Yan's face bore a look of hesitation, as though he were uncertain about what to do. Seeing this, Cao Ying's heart leapt; a faint, unexpected hope surged deep within her, so sudden and unaccountable that she impulsively shouted aloud, "Xiao Yan! As a man, step fully into action!" "Heard this, the Mu-Gu elder was also taken aback, and could not help but let out a sharp, mocking laugh. As soon as the laughter had subsided, the Mu-Gu elder's heart suddenly leapt—his gaze turned toward Xiao Yan, only to find the latter's expression now utterly grim. "You still don't have the qualification to warrant your teacher intervening against you!" With the cold tone settling, Xiao Yan suddenly took a decisive step forward, his hand plunging directly into the beam of light before him. For the first time, he had made up his mind—to fight to the end!"