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**
This kind of glory was enough to drive most people insane with desire. After all, people only live once—who doesn't want to stand out from the crowd? How many would be content to remain ordinary their entire lives?
As for Lin Feng, who had "battled" with his three wives until dawn the night before, he was dragged out of bed early the next morning by the blushing trio.
Not long after, under their enthusiastic fussing, Lin Feng was dressed in a special purple alchemist's robe—one exclusively issued by the Pill Tower.
Pinned to his chest for once was a rare sight—a rank insignia personally granted by the Pill Tower itself. Under the morning sunlight, the badge gleamed with two blended hues, its eight violet-gold stars shining brilliantly.
Once Lin Feng was fully dressed, he was promptly pulled out of the room by his three wives. After meeting up with Ye Zhong and Tian Huo Zun Zhe, he found himself once again being dragged straight toward the venue of the Pill Gathering.
Seeing this, Lin Feng could only shake his head helplessly. His wives were clearly far more excited about this Pill Gathering than he was. The competition venue, as usual, was located in the northern sector of Holy Pill City's inner district.
That particular area had become the most overcrowded place in the entire city in recent days. Even before Lin Feng had returned to Holy Pill City, the streets there had already been flooded by an overwhelming sea of people.
By the time his group finally arrived, all they could see was a dense crowd stretching endlessly into the horizon. The sheer number of people gathered together produced a deafening roar that surged through the sky in waves.
The sound transformed into a powerful sonic tide that spread outward in every direction—so loud it could be heard clearly from a hundred miles away.
After squeezing through the masses for quite some time, Lin Feng and his group finally managed to find a spot atop a large building where they could stand.
Once they had secured a place to stay, Lin Feng and the three women finally had a chance to look around. They soon realized that this area was a massive stone plaza nearly a thousand meters wide.
Above the plaza floated numerous stone platforms, their exact purpose unclear. Each platform faintly shimmered with a mysterious glow, giving off an aura that felt somewhat mystical.
"Those platforms will be where the contestants stand during the final competition—after they pass through the two preliminary trials," Ye Zhong explained with a smile when he saw Lin Feng and the others gazing curiously upward.
"The final competition platforms? Two trials?"
The women raised their eyebrows, intrigued by the unfamiliar terms, and even Lin Feng couldn't hide his curiosity.
Although he had read the original story of the Pill Gathering in his previous life, he had only paid attention to the parts that interested him.
He had a vague idea of what Ye Zhong meant, recalling that there was something called the 'Pill Realm Journey' before the finals.
However, he wasn't clear on the exact details of these two trials. He had never bothered remembering such minor details back then.
"Hehe, every Pill Gathering is a grand event across the entire Central Plains, with countless participants joining each time. Naturally, not everyone who registers can stand on the main stage for the final round.
Therefore, before entering the final arena, there are two selection trials. These two trials will eliminate ninety percent of all contestants," Ye Zhong said with a gentle laugh, patiently explaining.
Ye Zhong then pointed toward the seemingly endless expanse of the sky above the plaza and said, "Do you see that dark gray area in the distance?"
Hearing this, Lin Feng and the others nodded and followed the direction of his finger.
They had already noticed that patch of dark gray space when they first arrived. However, since they were too busy squeezing through the crowd earlier, they hadn't taken a closer look.
Now that they observed it carefully, they realized that the gray area wasn't naturally formed—it had been forcibly twisted into existence. Inside that warped space was a dense, deep-gray mist that obscured all vision.
Even Lin Feng, whose soul power had reached the late stage of the Spirit Realm, couldn't sense what was happening within it.
Ye Zhong began to explain, "The minimum requirement to participate in the Pill Gathering is to be at least a fifth-tier alchemist. That dark gray space up there is where the contestants must face the first trial, known as the Soul Fantasy Realm."
"That gray mist is extracted from a type of magic beast called the Fantasy Soul Beast. It not only blocks vision but also has an extremely powerful devouring effect against soul perception. Moreover, aside from the mist, the interior of that gray space is filled with layers of overlapping dimensions—like a maze."
"So once someone enters, they immediately lose their sense of direction and become lost within. If they can't find their way out within the allotted time, they'll lose their qualification to compete."
After listening to Ye Zhong's explanation, Lin Feng nodded slowly in understanding.
Ye Zhong then continued, "Anyone who manages to pass through that Soul Fantasy Realm will earn the right to enter the Pill Realm."
When those two words left his mouth, Ye Zhong's expression grew noticeably solemn.
"A self-contained world?"
The three women's eyes widened with curiosity the moment they heard the name. They had heard that some of the Ancient Clans possessed their own independent realms—pocket worlds created through great power.
But they hadn't expected that the Pill Tower, besides its internal dimensional space, also possessed a realm of its own—the Pill Realm. As for Lin Feng, he wasn't surprised. He already knew of its existence from the start.
"That's right. As its name suggests, the Pill Realm is a separate spatial world. It's said to have been created long ago by a Dou Sheng powerhouse of the Pill Tower," Ye Zhong said with a nod, his tone filled with admiration and a trace of longing.
As soon as he finished, Ye Xin Lan blinked in surprise and asked curiously, "Grandfather, I've grown up in the Pill Tower all my life—how come I've never heard that such a place even exists?"
Ye Zhong chuckled and shook his head. "Hehe, that's because the Pill Realm has fallen into ruin over the years. Its environment has grown harsh, making it unfit for long-term human habitation. So, the Pill Tower sealed it off long ago. It's only reopened during each Pill Gathering."
Hearing that, Ye Xin Lan's curiosity was finally satisfied.
Ye Zhong went on, "Even though it's broken and unstable, the Pill Realm is still a dreamland for countless alchemists. It contains an abundance of heavenly treasures and countless rare medicinal ingredients that can't be found in the outside world."
"Those who pass through the Soul Fantasy Realm will each receive a list from the Pill Tower. The list records a number of rare ingredients, and each participant must rely on their own skill and resourcefulness to gather all of them within the Pill Realm."
"Only by doing so can they obtain a Space Stone at the Pill Realm's exit—allowing them to leave the realm and qualify for the final stage of the Pill Gathering!"
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