The day, as the faint light of dawn began to creep over the horizon, the bustling city sprang to life in an orderly fashion. tless streams of people flowed from all dires toward the tral Imperial Pza.

  Though it was still early, the area outside the Imperial Pza was already a sea of people. The densely packed crowd stretched as far as the eye could see.

  Xiao Yan, who had secured first p every round so far, had naturally bee the most sought-after figure iire Jia Ma Sacred City.

  A ray of m light broke through the clouds' embrad shone upon the pza. The tightly closed gates of the Imperial Pza slowly swung open. In an instant, the massive crowd outside surged in like a tidal wave.

  Just like the previous day, Hai Bodong stood guard beside Xiao Yan as their carriage slowly ehe Imperial Pza. Fa Ma and her-ups of the Alchemist Graing, along with Liu Ling, the Little Princess, and others, had arrived even earlier than Xiao Yan and were already waiting in the resting area.

  "Here are three sets of ingredients for the Three-Lines Green Spirit Pill. If all three attempts fail, the allotted time should be over by then." Fa Ma handed Xiao Yan a ste ring filled with medial ingredients and unicated through spiritual transmission.

  Without a doubt, Xiao Yan was now the hope of the entire empire.

  Liu Ling and the Little Princess had also caught wind of Yan Li's situation. Although they each had prepared their own hidden trump cards and po refihe highest-grade pills they could, they kheir ces were slim.

  "Even when Master participated in the Alchemist Graing in his te twenties, he could barely refine a low-grade tier 4 pill. If that Yan Li mao refine a high-grade tier 4 pill, we're done for," Liu Ling said worriedly.

  Yue Er nodded. "Perhaps we should try to dey things and find a way to expose him."

  Fa Ma, Jia Xing Tian, and the others frowned upon hearing this. They all turheir gazes toward Xiao Yan in unison. Chairman Fa Ma asked in a solemn tone, "Xiao Yan, you're the only one who stands a ce of defeating him now. What are your thoughts on this matter?"

  Jia Xing Tian nodded. "If you need more time, we create some unforeseen is to dey things for a few days."

  Xiao Yan waved his hand dismissively and said with a rexed expression, "Proceed acc to the inal pn. No matter ill Yan Li refioday, I'll make sure he dies withrets."

  Everyone smiled wryly and shook their heads. You sure are fident! That's the Deputy Chairman of the Chu Yun Empire's Alchemist Association you're talking about.

  Hai Bodong grinned and patted Xiao Yan on the shoulder. "Very well. As long as you secure the championship, I, Hai Bodong, guarahat fellow won't leave Jia Ma Sacred City alive."

  Xiao Yan said, "Remember to check if his ste ring tains the medial ingredients for the Spiritual Recovery Purple Pill."

  "Rest assured, I'll bring back everything, including his head."

  The two of them spoke as if they were plotting a murder and robbery spree. Their words had already sentenced Yan Li to death.

  Soon, the alchemists participating in the final round begaering the pza, waiting for the petition to start.

  As Yan Li made his entrahe inally lively pza quieted down noticeably. Numerous gazes filled with various emotioed upon him.

  Fa Ma and Jia Xing Tian exged a cold gnce as they watched the gray-robed youth eheir eyes were filled with icy killing i. As the peak experts of the Jia Ma Empire, Yan Li's funting behavior in front of them was undoubtedly c death.

  Yan Li g the VIP seats where Fa Ma was seated, then turned his gaze to Xiao Yan, Liu Ling, and Yue Er. Finally, he fixed his eyes on Xiao Yan and said with a grin, "Among the three of you, only you have some skill. However, yood luds today. In this final round, I won't hold back at all. Haha!"

  Xiao Yan looked at the fident Yan Li with an odd expression. He rubbed his nose and said somewhat sheepishly, "Well... grievances have their sources as their owners. I'm just here to participate in the petition. Don't e haunting me from the herworld. I'm afraid of ghosts."

  Yan Li's face darkened instantly upon hearing this. A sense of impending doom welled up within him, reminding him starkly of the fact that he would die if he lost today.

  'No matter what, the champion today will definitely be me!'

  Dong!

  A clear and melodious bell tolled, its prolonged sound eg above the pza.

  At the sound of the bell, Xiao Yan, who had beeing with his eyes closed, slowly opehem. The other testants likewise ceased their idle chatter and stood solemnly before their respective alchemy ptforms.

  "Everyohe victor of today's final test shall be hailed as the champion of this Alchemist Graing. Therefore, unleash the full extent of your abilities and hold nothing back!" Fa Ma's aged yet steady voice resonated in everyone's ears.

  Liu Ling and the Little Princess simultaneously g Yan Li, who wore a cold s the er of his mouth. g their fists tightly, they silently vowed to defeat him through their own efforts.

  The petition's format was just as Fa Ma had described the night before. Partits were required to provide their own ingredients and refine a pill within the allotted time. Whoever produced the pill of the highest grade and quality would be the victor.

  'Hmph, res to such petty tricks.' Yan Li snorted coldly. He was likely the only one among the thirty or so partits who hadn't been informed of today's test topic.

  Everyone else showed no surprise. They promptly retrieved the ingredients they'd prepared in advand began the refi process.

  Liu Ling and the Little Princess went all out and revealed their trump cards. Two somewhat a-looking medial cauldrons appeared before them.

  "Hmm? Yue Er's cauldron is the tier 5 'Green Fme Cauldron'? I recall several 4th-tier alchemists fiercely peting for it ba the day. Who would have thought it would ultimately end up in the hands of your imperial family."

  "Look at that! Liu Ling's cauldron is the 'Fire-Mountain Fme Cauldron' that Gu He used when he won the championship years ago. It's also a tier 5 medial cauldron."

  Many in the VIP seats reized the ins of Liu Ling's and Yue Er's cauldrons.

  Moreover, Liu Ling and the Little Princess both used special fmes. Their fmes were no weaker than the Amethyst Fme of the Amethyst Winged Lion King; both were Rank 6 Beast Fmes.

  "Hey, look! That person is using a bck fme, just like Xiao Yan!"

  A otion arose from the spectator stands at this moment. Xiao Yan, who hadn't yet begun refining, turo look. Yan Li had actually summoned a wisp of bck fme!

  Yan Li's lips curled into a cold smile upon sensing Xiao Yan's gaze upon him. He waved the bck fme in his hand, as if to decre that his fme was not inferior to Xiao Yan's.

  Xiao Yan shook his head speechlessly. Did this fool really think that just because his fme was bck, it could pare to the Nihility Dev Fme?

  Although Yan Li's bck-colored fme was not a Beast Fme, it was indeed a someecial kind of fme. It was slightly strohan those of Liu Ling and the others. But to pare it to a Heavenly Fme was simply ughable.

  'If you're so eager to pete, the me show you what a Heavenly Fme truly is!'

  Xiao Yan pced his tier 5 medial cauldron before him with a resounding thud. Extending his palm, a mass of blood-red fme surged forth.

  ROAR!!!

  A deafenily roar emanated from the blood-red fme. All the fmes in everyone's hands actually shrank by half the moment the roar resounded.

  It was as if they were bowing in submission!

  "Heavenly Fme!!!"

  Not only the audie all the alchemists present—including Yan Li and Fa Ma—Jia Xing Tian, and other elite experts, fixed their gazes upoen Thousa Fme dang in Xiao Yan's palm.

  "What kind of fme is that? How it emit such a powerful beastly roar?"

  "Amazing! Isn't that the fme Xiao Yan used yesterday when he dispyed his fire wings?"

  The spectators were stunned as they watched the blood-red fme. They couldn't help but excim in amazement as they noticed all the other fmes oage shrinking by half. Their excited chatter filled the air.

  "When the Heavenly Fme appears, all other fmes submit!"

  "This kid has finally unleashed his Heavenly Fme!"

  "Excellent! With the aid of the Heavenly Fme, Xiao Yan's ces of winning are eveer!"

  Fa Ma nearly leaped to his feet iement. Although everyone knew Xiao Yan possessed a Heavenly Fme, witnessing him actually use it stirred excitement in all their hearts.

  Yan Li gritted his teeth and ched his hands so tightly that his knuckles turned white. He truly regretted ing to the Jia Ma Empire at this moment. Never in his wildest dreams had he imagihat such a little brat would not only possess exceptional alchemy skills, but also a Heavenly Fme!!

  'No, I absolutely ot die here!'