Listening to Xiao Yan finally agreeing to Professor Ruolin's terms, the others cast upon him a few admiring glances. Though Xiao Yan possessed extraordinary talent, the gap between him and Professor Ruolin remained as vast as an unbridgeable chasm—between a Duelist and a Grand Duelist—the difference could not be merely closed by talent alone. Xiao Yu was equally stunned by Xiao Yan's response, pausing before finally sighing in resignation; it seemed this man would not turn around until he hit a wall. "The space here is cramped; let's go outside." With a gentle smile, Professor Ruolin stepped forward and began walking toward the tent's entrance, her full, graceful figure swaying with a mature, alluring grace. Xiao Yan nodded thoughtfully, then followed suit. The group inside the tent hesitated briefly before quickly gathering and streaming out in eager succession. At this moment, the sun had already set, casting a thin layer of soft red light across the plaza like a delicate red carpet. The stone floor, baked all day, began to cool gradually. Standing at the center of the plaza, one could still see the sparse crowds outside. A refreshing breeze swept through the plaza, bringing a sense of ease and refreshment to those who had just stepped out of their tents. Under the watchful eyes of all present, Xiao Yu walked to the center and stood facing the smiling Instructor Ruolin, clearing his throat with a gentle smile and saying, "I hope you'll be kind to me a little when it comes time." Upon hearing this, Instructor Ruolin's lips curled into a warm smile. With a graceful lift of her hand, the green naga ring on her slender finger flashed gently, and suddenly, a blue, shimmering long whip appeared before them, radiating an unusual glow. The long whip is a deep, vibrant blue, pulsing with strong energy. At its handle, it features a meticulously carved snake's mouth, within which a blue magical core—about the size of an infant's fist—is deeply embedded. Along the length of the whip, unusual qi inscriptions glow faintly with a delicate luminescence. Simply observing its form, one can clearly see that the item in Master Ruo Lin's hands is a finely crafted magical weapon. Moreover, the gentle energy flowing within it matches Master Ruo Lin's own nature, suggesting that using this weapon in battle would enhance her strength by one or two levels. "With a graceful gesture, Master Rulun withdrew a finely forged steel sword from her sash. With a light tap of her slender finger on the hilt, the sword transformed into a shadow and surged toward Xiao Yan. As the iron blade streaked toward him, Xiao Yan remained motionless, allowing the blade to carry its force and momentum. When the sword came within half a meter of his body, it suddenly halted abruptly, then fell sideways, piercing into the crevice of a piece of green stone. Shrugging slightly, Xiao Yan extracted the sword and made some haphazard movements—though he had never studied sword techniques, he found himself rather awkward with its use. Master Rulun's delicate brows lifted slightly, her eyes gleaming with admiration. At such a young age, he already possessed such composure. Combined with his innate talent, she sensed that this young man might well forge a long and distinguished path as a true master—indeed, a path that would stretch far into the future." Shall we begin? With her long whip casually flicked against the stone plate several meters in front of Xiao Yan, the energy vapor released left a shallow damp patch on the surface. Smiling gently, she asked, "How is it?" "Heard that, Xiao Yu, who had been worried and tense all along, immediately straightened her brows, turned sharply, and scowled back, shouting, 'I'm just being honest!' The anger Xiao Yu displayed only deepened Luo Bu's sense of sorrow, and seemed to have no other effect. 'What right do you have to criticize him? He dares to fight against a Grand Combatant—do you? All day long, you pretend to smile politely, but when real trouble arises, you're the first to retreat. I find men like you most unbearable—someone who's inconsistent and insincere. I'd never like you, not even if I died!' Xiao Yu's face remained cold and composed, her sharp, cutting remarks leaving the onlookers momentarily stunned. They had known each other for so long—when had they ever seen Xiao Yu speak to someone like this before? Her face flushed from pale to blushed, then back to pale again. After a moment, Luo Bu's eyes watered slightly as he shifted his gaze, now fixed on the young man in the center of the scene, a subtle resentment flickering in his eyes. The cool, mocking remarks from the sidelines did not disrupt the tense atmosphere within the battlefield. Xiao Yan’s eyes were locked firmly on Professor Ruolin, his body subtly trembling. He knew that a Grand Combatant’s attack—whether in speed, strength, or combat experience—was far beyond what he had encountered before. Thus, at this moment, he had to remain fully focused, meticulously observing every subtle movement of the opponent’s body to discern the next move. The long whip sliced through the air with a rushing force, striking the stone plinth with a heavy thud, leaving a swiftly forming pool of water. Avoiding Iflin's initial strike, Xiao Yan's face grew serious. He planted his feet firmly on the ground, slightly arching his body, then surged forward like an arrow released from its bow, charging directly at Iflin. Covering just a few dozen meters, the distance seemed to vanish in an instant. Yet, as Xiao Yan approached the range of attack, a sudden surge of power erupted from behind him. His face tightened, and his body instantly plunged downward, the blue shadow of his form streaking across his back and sweeping past his head. As he lunged forward, Xiao Yan slammed a powerful, intangible force into the ground with a palm strike. The impact generated a strong counterforce, propelling him upward into the air. Midway in the air, Xiao Yan spun rapidly, and with the momentum of his rotation, his iron sword suddenly launched from his hands, hurling it toward Iflin. The iron sword sliced through the sky, its shadow trailing a sharp surge of energy, like a lightning bolt. Gazing calmly at the sword rushing toward her, Master Ruolin gently shook her hand, and the blue whip in her grasp instantly spun around, finally weaving into a shimmering blue wall in midair, as if imbued with spirit. "Clang!" The sword struck the blue wall, emitting a clear, resonant sound. Immediately, the powerful rebound force shattered the sword into fragments. Staring at the now-scored iron pieces, each no longer than a few inches, Ruolin's rosy lips curled slightly. As she prepared to launch another attack, a subtle shift passed over her delicate features. Suddenly, an invisible force pulled the scattered fragments back, reversing their trajectory—precisely toward where Xiao Yan stood. The tiny iron shards flew through the air, their sharp rushing sound surpassing even the force of the original sword's strike. A dozen slender iron slivers, halfway through their flight, suddenly experienced a powerful surge of force erupting from Xiao Yan's palm—so intense it spread across the sky, stirring dust that rose into the air. "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!" The force effortlessly dissipated the qi on the iron slivers, then the slivers sharply turned, accelerating with greater speed and strength, striking Iflin, the mentor, in a lightning-fast assault. "Indeed, this young one has some talent," Iflin remarked in astonishment, impressed that with the strength of a mere combatant, Xiao Yan managed to perform feats—such as drawing or projecting objects—typically only achievable by a senior combatant. She then swiftly formed a hand seal with her slender hands, guiding her internal qi through specific pathways and accelerating its flow. "Unfolding Water Mirror!" As Iflin uttered the command, a broad expanse of pale blue qi burst forth from her palm, coalescing into an elliptical blue mirror before her. The Water Shield Technique, a defensive combat skill that must be mastered by those who cultivate Water-based Qi, is of only mid-level—advanced Yellow Rank—yet exceptionally practical. Many powerful practitioners of Water Qi across the Qi Continent are capable of generating unique Water Shields with force-dissipating properties through their strong Qi. These shields are half a meter thick and, under the golden-hued rays of the setting sun, reflect a blend of red and blue light. Watching this lightning-fast exchange in the center of the arena, the spectators surrounding the field turned to Xiang Yan with expressions of astonishment. They hadn't expected someone of his caliber to dare launch an offensive against a powerhouse of grand combatant rank. Though the attack didn't yield significant results, Xiang Yan remained undaunted. He knew that without the seamless synergy between his "Absorbing Palm" and "Blowing Fire Palm," he would have already been overwhelmed by the ghostly, whip-like assaults. As his body, lacking a solid point of leverage, began to descend rapidly, the blue whip suddenly pressed against the ground, rising like a coiled cobra, wrapping tightly around Xiang Yan. With his right palm curled and pressing down, he forcefully drew in the ground, and his descending form instantly settled to the ground. Once again, leveraging his "Absorbing Palm" technique to narrowly escape danger, Xiao Yan's foot just touched the ground, then suddenly planted his toe, slightly arching his body and leaping forward—finally entering his most effective range of attack. Xiao Yan wasn't particularly skilled with weapons; he preferred to fight with his body. In the moment of close combat, his fists, head, elbows, and legs—every part of his body—seemed capable of delivering a lethal blow. As long as his speed was sufficient, he could unleash a storm of relentless, furious attacks in a very short time. To Xiao Yan's perception, the instructor, Ruo Lin, seemed to be enveloped in a smooth, slippery water film. Every time his attacks landed upon her body, they would mysteriously slide off, as though rendered useless. After launching a second attack, and as his gaze briefly swept across Ruo Lin's eyes, Xiao Yan's body subtly trembled—clearly sensing a hint of amusement in those eyes. His alertness surged. As he prepared to move, he was startled to find a sticky force emanating from his feet, firmly anchoring them to the ground and rendering him immobile. The sudden shift caused Xiao Yan's eyes to narrow slightly. He lifted his gaze to Ruo Lin's faintly smiling face, pulled at his lips, and remained still, his fists clenched tightly. Drawing upon every last drop of qi within him, he delivered a powerful strike straight at Ruo Lin. "Ba Ji Beng!" As Xiao Yan roared in his heart, veins on his fist bulged, and a slightly golden aura covered his palm, then surged forward with a sharp, cutting wind force, striking directly at Master Ruolin. Xiao Yan's sudden surge in strength caught Master Ruolin off guard, a spark of astonishment flashing in her eyes. With a delicate twist of her hand, a small, shimmering energy vortex formed in her palm and collided with Xiao Yan's fist. "Boom!" The sound echoed like thunder across the vast plaza, drawing everyone's attention. The impact between their fists lasted only a moment. Master Ruolin stepped back lightly, smiling warmly at Xiao Yan. "It seems your vacation plans won't be coming through, then." The body shook violently for a moment, and only then did Xiao Yan manage to gradually dissipate the pressure, his face turning pale. He looked down at his feet and realized with surprise that, unconsciously, he had stepped into the cluster of water formed by the blue whip. "It makes sense now why she wouldn't return my attacks despite my relentless efforts—she'd been luring me into her carefully laid trap all along," Xiao Yan thought, suddenly comprehending his mentor's strategy. She had been deliberately trying to limit his renowned evasive speed. "This woman isn't exactly a quiet one, is she?" Despite his efforts, Xiao Yan could hardly escape the trap meticulously set by a senior Battle Master. "Ah, Xiao Yan, everything has come to a conclusion now—this is the final act!" With a warm, smiling gaze at the rapidly shifting colors of Xiao Yan's face, his mentor gently extended her hand. The blue whip instantly coiled around the graceful, slender arm. Holding the handle of the blue long whip tightly at the great serpent's mouth, Master Ruo Lin gently lifted her red lips, channeling a powerful surge of deep blue martial energy into the whip, which then erupted forth. The vast blue energy surged upward like a fountain, swirling and dancing in the air. After a moment, it coalesced into a massive water serpent, stretching three to four meters long. The serpent roared silently, its enormous droplets of water crashing down onto the ground, soaking it completely. Following the roar, under Master Ruo Lin's precise control, the water serpent surged forward with tremendous force, crashing down upon the motionless figure of Xiao Yan. Watching the colossal water serpent spiraling through the sky, the onlookers gasped in astonishment. "A mid-tier, pyro-technique: Water Mandala?" "By the heavens! The master has actually performed this technique—Xiao Yan is going to suffer greatly this time." Xue Ni shook her head in amazement, then cast a look of sympathy toward Xiao Yan, who was now frozen in place, unable to move. "The mentor is clearly making an impression on him," she remarked. "With his proud and independent nature, if she doesn't firmly establish her authority now, she might find it difficult to manage him in the future." Xiao Yu sighed, clearly seeing through the mentor's intention. Though Lin Yu had deployed a mid-tier, high-level technique, Xiao Yu wasn't overly concerned. She knew Lin Yu wouldn't actually injure Xiao Yan—otherwise, with her strength, how could she have summoned water serpents only a few meters long when she had once fully unleashed the "Water Mandala" at the academy? Back then, the water serpents formed by the condensed ki had stretched nearly eight to seven meters in length, far surpassing the current, more compact version. With a cold, malicious smile, Luo Bo watched Xiao Yan struggling in his predicament, silently cursing under his breath that he would surely perish beneath Ruolin's attack. On the field, the massive water serpent descended upon Xiao Yan, its powerful wind pressure pressing his garments tightly against his body. The strong gusts coming from above forced Xiao Yan to sigh in resignation—he could only marvel at the sheer strength of the Great Battle-Style fighter, who had yet to fully unleash even half of her potential, while himself was now utterly at a loss. Gently lifting his head, Xiao Yan gazed at the formidable water serpent, illuminated by the lingering golden glow of the sunset, his eyes slowly closing. With a faint, bitter smile, he murmured, "Ah, Master Yao, it's time for you to act. Indeed, a Great Battle-Style fighter is far beyond what I can currently withstand." "Heh, little one," Luo Bo chuckled, "now you finally realize just how insignificant you are in the eyes of true strength." "The path of the strong—you're only just beginning to take your first steps!" A calm, elderly voice slowly echoed within Xiao Yan's mind. "Indeed, she is very strong," Xiao Yan nodded, tightly clenching his fists, his narrowed gaze piercing through the transparent water serpent, fixed on the smiling, gentle beauty in the distance. "But I believe that in the future, I will grow stronger than her!" "Boom!" The massive water serpent finally reached Xiao Yan's head and struck him with full force, sending the earth trembling and a fountain of water shooting skyward. Watching the figure nearly obscured by the water mist, Master Ruo Lin smiled slightly. With the strength she controlled, this attack should have rendered Xiao Yan unconscious. "Yu, lift him out and have him soak in the water for a long time—it's beneficial for his body..." Master Ruo said softly, turning her head toward Yu. Yet before she finished speaking, her delicate features suddenly changed, and she slowly turned back, her beautiful eyes tightly fixed on the misty scene before her. A light mist drifted across the small plaza, and suddenly, the sound of gentle footsteps emerged in the water vapor. Young Xin Chang stepped forward slowly, pausing finally at the center of the plaza, and glanced at the astonished expression on Professor Ruolin's face. He gave a slight nod, smiled warmly, and said, "Professor Ruolin, I'm sorry—seems like this year's holiday is going to be quite a stretch." Seeing the joyful smile of the young man standing amidst the mist, everyone else was left utterly stunned.