As the participants stepped forward and took their places, the atmosphere in the hall subtly shifted once more.
Low murmurs began to spread across the hall as people started discussing among themselves.
Eyes swept across the lineup of young alchemists.
"Without a doubt, Huo Shenyu is the favorite to win."
"Of course! He has been a Grade-4 alchemist for many years… who knows what his level is right now?"
"And don't forget, he comes from the Vermillion Pill Empire. His foundation is not something others can compare to."
Many nodded in agreement.
Huo Shenyu stood calmly among the participants, his robes flowing lightly, his expression confident.
However, he was not the only one drawing attention.
Eyes shifted toward another figure.
A young man clad in deep blue robes stood quietly, his aura restrained yet steady.
"That's Yan Ruichen from the Azure Cloud Empire."
"He reached Mid Grade-4 last year, didn't he?"
