Seeing the passionate gaze Xiang Yan cast toward Xiang Xiao, the cold elegance on Cai Lin's face softened slightly. She held Xiang Xiao in the highest regard, even more so than her own life, and it was of utmost importance to her that Xiang Yan truly cared for and nurtured Xiang Xiao. "Xiang Xiao's current condition is already quite excellent," Cai Lin smiled. "The 'Heavenly Soul Blood Bone Pill' you sent back when she was still unborn helped shape her into a strong and resilient constitution from the very beginning." As she spoke, she glanced at Xiang Yan with a touch of appreciation. Back then, she had made a firm promise: if Xiang Yan failed to deliver on the pill as agreed upon by the time promised, she would never again have any connection with him. By nature, she was resolute and unwavering—once committed, she would never waver. Should Xiang Yan break her trust, she would not hesitate, and would simply lead the Serpent Clan to relocate once again. Fortunately, Xiao Yan had always kept the matter of the pills in mind, and when he left the Black Angular Region, he specifically arranged for Xiao Li to send the pills back. "The Tianhun Bloodbone Pill is indeed good, but still not quite sufficient," Xiao Yan shook his head. With his current perspective, he naturally didn't hold the Tianhun Bloodbone Pill in high regard—the pill's foundational capabilities were acceptable, yet still far from meeting his expectations. "Your serpent people have likely never encountered a true master of alchemical art, so you only distinguish among three levels of secret techniques. The Tianhun Bloodbone Pill is merely a seventh-rank, lower-tier pill with foundational effects, effective but still falling short of perfection," Xiao Yan said, smiling as he gazed at the bustling city walls. "Indeed, the Tianhun Bloodbone Pill is quite good, but there are several even stronger ones—such as the Xuanpu Foundation Pill. This seven-rank peak pill is particularly well-suited for Xiao Xiao. However, even if I were to prepare it myself, my success rate would only be around forty percent. If we're to proceed, it would likely have to be the Grand Master who takes on the task." Suddenly, a calm voice spoke from the side. Xiao Xin turned his gaze toward the speaker, a smile forming on his face as he bowed slightly and said, "Master Guo, I hope you're well." "Master, you've been away for several years now—truly, you've been magnificent all along..." Guo He bowed slightly to Xiao Yan, smiled gently. In his heart, he felt a deep sense of complexity toward the latter. The wedding dispute at Yunlan Sect had indeed brought him great embarrassment, but fortunately, he had come to terms with it and never harbored intense resentment. This allowed him to join the Yan Alliance after losing the herb medicine competition to Xiao Yan. Though he had joined, the loss had always lingered in his mind. Over the years, he had diligently refined his pharmaceutical arts, and now he had reached the rank of seventh-level senior alchemist. Across the entire western-northern continent, few could surpass him. With his capabilities having grown, it was only natural that he would have some intentions to regain his standing. However, Xiao Yan had vanished for many years—no matter how much he wanted to find him, he simply couldn't. Now, after finally meeting him again, his thoughts could no longer be held back. Of course, this wasn't anything negative; rather, it was simply that, ever proud of his own alchemical talents, he found it difficult to admit that he would be outmatched by a young man who was significantly younger than himself. Xiao Yan's eyes slightly narrowed as he was about to speak, when suddenly a delicate voice, thin as a flowing thread, came from Cai Lin: "The Dan Hall holds an exceptionally vital position within the Yan Alliance. Over the years, Yan's rapid development has been entirely dependent on the Dan Hall. This has led to a growing sense of arrogance among some of its senior members—some even harbor the belief that without the Dan Hall, the Yan Alliance would not exist at all. The Dan Hall has grown somewhat independent. I myself am not a炼药师, so over the years, my prestige within the Dan Hall has likely never reached the level of Gu He." The ten fingers within his sleeve gently crossed, and Xiao Yan offered a quiet smile. It was indeed not unusual—given the Dan Hall's immense power and critical importance—that no one above could effectively oversee it. After all,炼药师 naturally held an inherent sense of superiority in the eyes of ordinary people, and with the Dan Hall's growing significance to the Alliance over the years, its members naturally felt themselves superior to other departments. Even among the highest-ranking leaders, a sense of respectful deference was not always maintained. At the highest level of the Inheritance Alliance, neither Cailei, Xiao Ding, nor Xiao Li are pharmacists themselves, so naturally they cannot win over the trust of these seasoned pharmacists. Though Guxue is upright, he clearly lacks the ability to manage his subordinates, and as a result, the pride and arrogance of the Pharmacy Hall have grown. "It seems the Inheritance Alliance is not as unified as we had imagined. This growing pride must not be allowed to flourish, or it will eventually become a toxic growth within the Alliance." Xiao Xin glanced at Guxue and the several senior pharmacy elders behind him, then smiled and said, "While the Xuanpu Foundation-Base Pill is acceptable, it is far from the best choice. Have you ever heard of a pill known as the 'Yi Shi Pill,' Master Guxue?" Upon hearing the words 'Yi Shi Pill,' both Guxue and the senior pharmacy elders exchanged a subtle expression of surprise, then exclaimed, "The Yi Shi Pill, a pill of the Eighth Rank?" "Has the Grand Master already achieved the ability to produce Eighth-Rank pills?" "Ancient He, gazing at Xiao Yan with hesitation, spoke. The senior pharmacists behind him also stared at the latter, expressions of astonishment and doubt. Ancient He, capable of crafting seventh-rank premium pills, was already regarded as one of the foremost alchemical masters on the western-northern continent. They had always looked up to him as the benchmark of the Pharmacists' Hall. Though they had heard of Xiao Yan's accomplishments, they still firmly believed that Ancient He was undoubtedly the foremost alchemical master within the Yan Alliance at present. "Eighth-rank pills are categorized according to the color of the Dan Lightning—initial pills should trigger five-colored Dan Lightning. Ancient Master, gather all pharmacists from the Pharmacists' Hall tomorrow. I will personally demonstrate the process of crafting a pill in front of everyone. Anyone who fails to attend will be immediately expelled from the Yan Alliance!" "When I departed, I granted the Pharmacists' Hall privileges and conveniences that no other hall could match. Yet, even now, there are still fewer than five seventh-rank pharmacists. This level of efficiency is far from satisfactory," Xiao Yan said, gazing steadily into Ancient He's eyes. Hearing Xiao Yan's suddenly stern voice, Gu He's heart also gave a slight jolt. How clever he was! Upon reflection, he immediately grasped that Xiao Yan must be preparing to reorganize the Herbs and Medicine Hall. He was well aware of the hall's established habits over the years—though he had never taken a strong hand in managing them. Previously, Cai Lin, though strong in power, lacked expertise in pharmaceutical arts and thus failed to gain significant influence within the hall. But Xiao Yan was different. His mastery of pharmaceutical techniques had already surpassed Cai Lin's long ago. Now that Xiao Yan himself had reached the rank of Seventh-Prestige Alchemist, it was entirely plausible that, at his current pace, he might soon attain the level of an Eighth-Prestige Master. The several senior elders of the hall exchanged glances, sensing an unwelcome shift. In recent years, even Cai Lin had not spoken to Gu He in such a manner. Yet here, with the Grand Marshal's return, he was now directly addressing the most crucial department—the Herbs and Medicine Hall. "Yes, Grand Marshal!" Then I'll go back and gather the elders from the Dan Hall, and wait for the Grand Master's arrival tomorrow..." Ancient River sighed with a sense of resignation, yet still nodded and bowed slightly. After receiving a nod from Xiao Yan, he led the several elders from the Dan Hall away. He knew that once the news spread, there would surely be a good deal of commotion within the Dan Hall. As he watched the group fade into the distance, Xiao Yan's eyes slowly narrowed. "Will this be appropriate? If we're too direct, it might make some of the more arrogant alchemists feel dissatisfied," Cailei expressed her concern. She was well acquainted with the current staff of the Dan Hall—on several occasions, even those sent merely to fetch medicines had encountered difficulties, which clearly revealed the hall's established customs. "Dissatisfied?" After all, these are merely mediocre alchemists—you've given them too much importance. In the Central Region, alchemists of this level barely make a living. Should they depart, simply recruit new ones. Xiao Yan spoke calmly. With the spatial wormhole now established between the Starfall Pavilion and the Flame Alliance, he could swiftly travel between the two locations. As for alchemists, he could directly invite them from the Central Region. Given his and the Elder's standing in the alchemical circles there, not only would these mediocre ones come, but even seventh-rank alchemical masters would flock to him—far surpassing the quality of these individuals in every way. "I've been planning to prepare pills for Xiao Xiao. I'll begin the alchemical process tomorrow in the Hall of Pills—this will serve as a demonstration. The Hall of Pills truly needs a thorough overhaul!" Xiao Yan gently patted Xiao Xiao in his arms, speaking in a calm yet firm tone. Indeed, he was now somewhat incensed—having expected the unique privileges granted to the Dan Hall to be a source of strength, he now found them instead becoming a toxic burden for the Yan Alliance. Observing Xiao Yan's slightly somber expression, Cai Lin nodded slightly. Over the years, she had endured many grievances from the Dan Hall, always choosing to endure for the sake of the greater good. Now that Xiao Yan had returned, with his decisive nature, such matters could no longer be tolerated. "Several senior elders of the Dan Hall have yet to arrive. Those individuals are truly the persistent troublemakers. Among them are two newly appointed seventh-rank alchemists—those two have been particularly arrogant. According to my latest intelligence, they allegedly secretly sold off the Dan Hall's medicinal concoctions, though without concrete evidence, I find it difficult to take action," Cai Lin said softly. "Hmm." A quiet sound emerged from Xiao Yan's nostrils, and a glint of frostiness flashed in his dark eyes.