You see, dan fire, as the exclusive alchemical flame for alchemists, is also the most suitable flame for alchemy. Its significance is far from ordinary. Only those at the Spirit Yuan realm or above, relying on abundant spiritual energy, can forcibly ignite dan fire within their dantian. Alternatively, an alchemist can condense it after reaching the Earth rank. There is another possibility: having alchemical talent so exceptional that even achieving Earth-rank alchemist status comes naturally. In such a case, dan fire would spontaneously generate in the dantian ahead of time. As for Lin Xuan, judging by his strikingly youthful face, he clearly couldn’t be an Earth-rank alchemist. His aura was only at the Condensation Whirl realm, far from the Spirit Yuan realm. Thus, the only possibility for him to release dan fire was the last one. Thinking of this, everyone present was greatly shaken. Their gazes toward Lin Xuan shifted to expressions of disbelief, admiration, reverence, and envy. Even their words turned into constant praise. Their attitudes had completely changed from before. Because generating dan fire before reaching Earth-rank alchemy or the Spirit Yuan realm meant his alchemical talent was extraordinarily high, making it effortless to become an Earth-rank alchemist. He might even go further. Faced with such a top-tier alchemical prodigy, they naturally dared not provoke or offend him. Several who had previously sneered at Lin Xuan lowered their heads, not daring to look at him, fearing he might hold a grudge. The other alchemist guild staff present, including Sun Jingyun and Zhang Qun, were also stunned by this scene. Staring at the dan fire in Lin Xuan’s hand, tinged with a hint of gold, their pupils dilated in utter disbelief. As Spirit-rank upper-level alchemists, they naturally understood more about the alchemical path and dan fire than the half-baked examinees undergoing the test. But because of that, they were even more shocked than the others. They recalled that the guild had detailed records on dan fire. If dan fire formed proactively ahead of time, it indicated at least the potential to become an Earth-rank alchemist. The earlier it appeared, the more terrifying the potential. For someone like Lin Xuan, only sixteen years old and already with dan fire, one could imagine how immense his potential was! At this thought, both of them trembled inwardly, utterly astounded. Even within the Fengyun City Alchemist Guild branch, there was no such record, was there? Moreover, they sensed that the dan fire in Lin Xuan’s hand had a terrifyingly high purity. They had previously been fortunate enough to witness several Earth-rank alchemists in the guild refining pills. Yet they vaguely felt that the purity of those Earth-rank alchemists’ dan fire couldn’t match Lin Xuan’s. And the higher the purity of dan fire, the better the results when refining pills. Similarly, it also indicated the alchemist’s higher potential and talent. All of this further highlighted Lin Xuan’s terrifying alchemical talent. Both couldn’t help but gasp, exchanging glances that revealed endless shock in each other’s eyes. At that moment, they fully understood—they had discovered a top-tier alchemical prodigy. And one who might rank at the pinnacle of the entire branch guild. Their hearts trembled violently, filled with awe. At the same time, a surge of ecstasy welled up within them. The alchemist guild had long established regulations. Discovering alchemical prodigies came with corresponding rewards. The greater the prodigy, the more generous the reward. With Lin Xuan being such a top-tier alchemical genius, what kind of lavish reward would they receive for finding him? They dared not even imagine it. Though it might not allow them to break through to Earth-rank alchemist, it could likely advance their cultivation and alchemical path further. Raising their status within the guild was still very promising. Both were stirred with excitement, gazing at Lin Xuan with fervent eyes. They had already decided that after the test, they would keep Lin Xuan and notify the guild master or vice guild master. On the other side, Lin Xuan naturally noticed all this. But he didn’t mind. In fact, he welcomed it. If he could attract a few Earth-rank alchemist higher-ups from the guild, he could replicate another wave. That would be perfect. Then, Lin Xuan began his first alchemy session. With a thought, the dan fire in his hand turned into a small fish-like shape and darted into the furnace. Soon, it warmed the furnace to a sufficient temperature. He tossed several herbs from the table into it, splitting the flames into separate bundles to envelop and roast them, extracting the essence. “Refining so many herbs at once with such precision—amazing!” “Is this what a top-tier alchemical prodigy looks like? So powerful!” “No choice, he’s born with exceptional alchemical talent. Envious!” “...” The surrounding crowd buzzed with discussion, exclaiming in admiration and envy. Bang! A loud explosion rang out. Everyone turned to see a middle-aged alchemist whose furnace had exploded. The man wore a bitter smile. His attention had been drawn to Lin Xuan’s alchemy process, causing him to fail and blow up his furnace. Only then did the others remember they were also there for the test, needing to refine pills. They quickly suppressed their shock, refocusing on their own tasks. In the distance, Sun Jingyun and Zhang Qun couldn’t bring themselves to smile at this scene. Because they noticed Lin Xuan’s refining process was incredibly smooth, almost like flowing water. Even they had to admit they couldn’t match it. Though reluctant to acknowledge it, this was the undeniable truth. That’s why it had drawn everyone else’s attention, making them forget their own alchemy. And Lin Xuan was only sixteen, so young, not only reaching the Condensation Whirl realm in cultivation, but also surpassing them—two old alchemists steeped in the art for decades—in alchemical skill. How terrifying was that?! Both were even more shaken, nearly losing composure. Lin Xuan, unaware of this, was focused on refining the Qi-Returning Pill. Though it was his first time, he found it incredibly simple. Even with his eyes closed, casually refining, he felt he could achieve a hundred percent success. This was the benefit of exceptional alchemical talent. Lin Xuan sighed again in his mind. But his hands kept moving. Roasting herbs, extracting essence, removing impurities, condensing into form... Each step was flawlessly smooth. In just a few minutes, it was complete. With a mental command, the dan fire gently tossed. Three pearl-like, round pills flew out, landing on the jade plate on the table with crisp, clinking sounds. A faint, refreshing fragrance spread. The pills were formed. On the other side, the middle-aged martial artist who had been the fastest, already at the final pill-condensing step before Lin Xuan started, only now managed to truly form his pills.