Fallen Immortal City.
On the massive platform, Xiao Siyu frowned, her expression filled with worry as she stared at the space passage in the center of the platform that emitted a faint white light. She watched the figures that occasionally darted out from it, her expression shifting between joy and disappointment.
Half a day has passed since Xiao Siyu left the secret realm, and only a handful of people have emerged from it. As time goes by, the once enormous exit of the secret realm, which was over ten zhang wide, has gradually narrowed, further intensifying Xiao Siyu's worries about Xiao Yan.
On the contrary, Murong Qianqian and the others on the podium seemed to have become quite accustomed to this.
When Murong Qianqian saw Xiao Ming's indifferent expression, she naturally had more confidence in Xiao Yan. Moreover, the latter always seemed to be able to bring about an unexpected emotional turnaround when everyone was about to be disappointed.
So, although she was still a little worried about Xiao Yan 'Xiao Yan delayed appearance, the girl still had more faith in him and believed that Xiao Yan would definitely appear on the field!
But for Xiao Siyu, who knew the inside story, watching the exit gradually shrink and close, yet still not seeing Xiao Yan emerge from it, was undoubtedly a torment for her.
As Xiao Yan's companion on this journey, what would she do to explain to her clan if something happened to Xiao Yan, and how could she face Xiao Xuan in return?
Meanwhile, Huoxun Mingcheng, Xu Qinghe, and others were also paying close attention to Xiao Yan's situation. At several other locations near the edge of the arena, several other gloomy gazes were also filled with various emotions.
Somewhere on the edge of the platform, a middle-aged man dressed in a black robe, with a pale and thin face, was staring intently at the exit of the secret realm, his brows furrowed.
This person was none other than the Fu Kui.
With the exit of the secret realm about to close, and Xiao Yan still not emerging, even he, who was filled with murderous intent towards Xiao Yan, couldn't help but feel a little worried.
After all, if Xiao Yan were to actually die trapped in the secret realm, setting aside the Heavenly Flames, the "key" might also fall into the hands of the Pill Tower. At that point, the whereabouts of the "key" would be difficult to determine, and who knows what other unexpected events might occur.
After a long time, the spatial passage to the exit of the secret realm was no longer turbulent. It had shrunk to the size of a fist and was about to close completely. Chen Xuanling on the platform flashed into the air above the platform. He first looked at the exit of the secret realm with some regret, and then raised his hand to summon a series of giant stone platforms stacked one on top of the other, and suspended them in the air.
Just as he was about to begin introducing the final level, a white light flashed from the exit of the secret realm below, shooting out a black line before disappearing completely.
Upon witnessing this scene, Xiao Siyu and many others present felt their hearts tighten suddenly, and their tense and anxious hearts, which had been hanging high because of their concern for Xiao Yan, plummeted to the bottom.
"How could this be... How could he not get out? He clearly promised to see me again, why...?"
Xiao Siyu bit her red lips tightly, muttering to herself in disbelief, " Xiao Yan is trapped in the secret realm. This not only means he will lose his qualification to compete for the Pill Gathering championship, but more importantly, can he even come out alive?"
However, compared to Xiao Siyu, who was lost in thought at the moment, several other people on the field, including Chen Xuanling in the sky, were startled by the subtle movement and turned their gazes toward the spot where the secret realm exit had just closed.
Just moments before the exit closed, a black light flashed out from it. With the cultivation levels of the Yuan Zun experts present, they naturally noticed the situation immediately.
Immediately afterwards, a black beam of light, about the thickness of a thumb and several feet long, suddenly appeared on the field. After a series of rapid twists and deformations, it formed a strange dark light. Then, to the astonishment of many, a familiar figure walked out from it.
" Xiao Yan!"
Upon seeing the latter, Xiao Siyu exclaimed with delight and rushed to greet him. At the same time, many people who had been worried about the latter also breathed a sigh of relief for him.
Xiao Yan first greeted Xiao Siyu, who was approaching, then, noticing the many gazes fixed on him, turned to Chen Xuanling high in the sky and said apologetically:
"Sorry for being a little late. Although I came out just as the exit closed, I don't know if this counts as clearing the gate?"
Chen Xuanling smiled and gave a satisfactory answer.
"Of course, as long as you can leave the secret realm before I announce the start of the next level, you'll be considered to have passed the level."
No one present objected to Chen Xuanling's words. Even the members of the Yao Clan, who harbored resentment towards Xiao Yan, could only curse his good luck in their hearts.
After this brief interlude, Chen Xuanling regained his serious expression and spoke softly. As he spoke, a faint aura of power permeated the arena, instantly silencing the previously noisy stands.
"You have all managed to pass these tests, proving that you are all among the best in this year's Pill Gathering. I believe I need to elaborate further on this final test. To ensure fairness, the final assessment of the Pill Gathering will be divided into two tiers: one for Tier Seven Alchemist and one for Tier Eight Alchemist. The final champion of the Pill Gathering will be chosen from the Tier Eight Alchemist. However, this does not mean that the Tier Seven Alchemist assessment is meaningless. We will select the top ten alchemists from both tiers. In addition to the Pill Gathering rewards, we will also invite them to Pill Tower the Alchemy Tower as elders, and they will have the opportunity to become core members of our Pill Tower in the future."
Chen Xuanling's words were spoken calmly, but they immediately stirred up a chorus of excited cheers among the alchemists on the platform below, and even the surrounding stands echoed with envious sounds.
"The position of Pill Tower Elder is far more attractive than the position of Supreme Elder in many sects outside!"
"Indeed, such a status, whether in terms of resource support or the various conveniences that come with it, is unmatched by any other ordinary power."
"What a pity! If I had participated, the position of elder would have been a piece of cake. I could have even entered the core of the Pill Tower and stood shoulder to shoulder with Chen Xuanling. Alas!"
Amidst the lively conversation, an old man with cultivation at the Early-Stage Yuan Zong and Spiritual Strength roughly equivalent to Tier Six Alchemist sighed repeatedly with a look of great regret. However, his words only earned him mocking glances from others, who were immediately drawn to Chen Xuanling on the field.
Next, those present listened to Chen Xuanling's sincere promises for a while, and the successive promises drew bursts of barely suppressed cheers from the crowd both on and off the stage.
After a while, Chen Xuanling looked at the situation on the field with satisfaction and nodded. He waved his hand and invited the alchemists present to step onto the floating platform. He then flashed back to the main stage and quietly observed the enthusiastic crowd below.
Thus begins the final competition of the Pill Gathering: alchemy!