"Sister, Xiao Yan's condition seems rather poor," Xiao Ning said, her voice tinged with nervousness as she watched Xiao Yan, now without his weapon. Xiao Yu frowned, her expression serious and composed. "I don't care if he dies—I only wanted him to show off as a hero. Now, not only has he failed to become a hero, but he's been humiliated beyond measure." After a brief pause, she sighed. "Let's prepare to rescue him. I think that damn Galiero has intentions of delivering a serious blow." Xiao Ning nodded politely, though she dared not approach her again. Compared to the anxious Xiao Yu, Xun seemed remarkably calm, her eyes scanning the field where Xiao Yan was clearly at a disadvantage. With a slight smile playing at her lips, she observed the scene. As Xiao Yan managed to deflect Galiero's attack and stepped back, the wind-based technique that had enhanced Galiero's speed immediately prompted him to close the distance, his hands clenched tightly and his face grim, delivering a powerful strike directly toward Xiao Yan's head. Behind him, without realizing it, there had already formed a wall—though now he could no longer avoid it, Xiao Yan's face remained calm and composed. He slowly exhaled, and a faint yellow qi surged from his clenched fists, carrying with it a fierce, unyielding momentum, finally meeting Galiero in the first direct clash of their battle. A mysterious surge of energy struck his chest, and Galio's swift forward momentum was instantly reflected, sending him flying. His face pale, fierce eyes darting with panic, he stammered, "What kind of technique is this? How utterly unexpected!" Many present were stunned by Galio's sudden, eerie reversal mid-air. His fist arced through the air, creating a sharp, piercing wind sound. The immense wind pressure lifted all the scattered objects on the ground beside Xiao Yan, sending them flying. With his eyes slightly narrowed, feeling the powerful wind rushing toward him, Xiao Yan's expression grew increasingly serious. After a moment of stillness, he suddenly spun around, driving his right foot hard against the wall, leaving a deep half-inch impression. Leveraging the wall's counterforce, Xiao Yan spun in midair, his right foot arching into an unusual, powerful stance—his soft trousers seemed to harden as if forged from steel. At the very instant their fists and feet made contact, a surge of yellow qi erupted rapidly from Xiao Yan's right leg, emitting a soft, gentle sound that caused Galio's expression to instantly pale. "Boom!" The impact resonated like a thunderclap, spreading outward from the point of contact. "Crack!" As the contact was made, the sharp sound of breaking bones followed immediately, and both Xiao Yan and Galio were thrown backward almost simultaneously. Their bodies crashed heavily against the wall behind them. Xiao Yan's throat tightened, and a gush of blood erupted, splattering across the ground in scattered spots. Watching Xiao Yan coughing up blood, the surrounding mercenaries exchanged sympathetic sighs. Yet, just as they believed Xiao Yan had been defeated, Galio—having been thrown hard to the ground at the same time—suddenly clutched his right hand, rolling across the ground in a piercing, desperate cry. Among the onlookers were several with keen eyesight. When they saw Galion's arm nearly twisted and deformed, they couldn't help but draw in a sharp breath, their faces instantly filled with astonishment. The once slightly noisy street fell abruptly silent. A wave of stunned gazes followed the boy gasping and struggling against the wall, and only after a moment did thunderous applause erupt. Hearing Xiao Ning's confident words, Xiao Yu remained silent for a long while, sharply glancing at Xiao Yan, who was gasping for breath: "So this young fool has already advanced to the Battle Rank all along—does he now feel completely secure?" Gazing at the young man who stood in the center, his face expression cold and distant, even seasoned mercenaries, accustomed to bleeding at the blade, could not help but feel a chill. Now, Xiao Yan was so different from the cheerful youth he once was—so hard to reconcile with the boy who used to smile constantly. Pausing, Xiao Yan looked down upon Galiero with an air of superiority, suddenly breaking into a smile. Yet the neat, white teeth that gleamed revealed a sudden wave of cold dread in Galiero's heart. Only now did he realize that the boy, who had always concealed his strength beneath a gentle, sheep-like demeanor, possessed a heart far more ruthless than his own. "Die, trash…" With a gentle smile, the dark pools of Xiao Yan's eyes surged with fierce intent. His black iron staff crackled with wind as it slammed down with tremendous force, striking hard against Galiero's head.