On the vast square, two figures—one silver, one purple—seem to have literally torn through the chaos, carving out two clear pathways as they moved. Where they passed, long stretches of empty space remained behind. "Looking at our first encounter, we ended up with a small setback. Xiao Li couldn't help but smile, rapidly gathering qi in his palm, then forcefully striking it against the gun's handle. A surge of electric energy flowed swiftly along the spear shaft and into the heavy scale. As this electric energy penetrated the heavy scale, Xiao Yan's hand, tightly gripping the Xu Zhong Shi, trembled slightly. The purple flame qi within him continued to surge, swiftly expelling the tingling sensation. "Little Yan, when Brother Xiao fights, he never warm-ups. Once the battle begins, he gives it his all—be careful!" At the very moment Xiao Yan's hand trembled, Xiao Li chuckled, then unexpectedly turned his long spear, causing the tip to spark across the surface of the heavy scale as it swept horizontally, before suddenly plunging forward with a sharp thrust. "Thunder Arc, Three-Section Dance!" "As soon as the long spear moved, Xiao Li issued a low command, and instantly, three serpentine arcs of electricity surged forth along the spear shaft. The arcs intersected and flashed in rapid succession, emitting a sharp hissing sound, radiating a powerful energy that made one hesitate to underestimate it." "Thunder Arc Triple Dance?" "Hmm... has the Second Battalion Commander already deployed the Thunder Arc Triple Dance so swiftly?" The crowd below immediately reacted with waves of astonishment. This Thunder Arc Triple Dance had long been considered one of Xiao Li's signature finishing moves. To see it employed so early in the engagement—just after the battle had begun—was indeed surprising. Was he aiming for a swift conclusion? "Heh. It seems Xiao Yan will have to make some concessions. The Thunder Arc Triple Dance is a low-tier,玄阶 (pyramid-level) technique, and with the paralyzing effect of Thunder Qi, even a four-star Combatant would find it difficult to withstand. Honestly, the Second Battalion Commander has already summoned this technique so early—just in the initial exchanges—it's clear that Xiao Yan truly possesses exceptional prowess." "On the elevated platform, a senior official from Mo Ti couldn't help but chuckle. "This guy is truly unbearable—his rank is already lower than Xiao Yan's junior, yet he's still resorting to a Pyro-Grade Technique!" Xue Lan frowned slightly, expressing her sympathy for Xiao Yan. "Heh, second brother's lightning-based qi naturally thrives on immediate momentum. If the battle drags on, it actually works against him. That's why, no matter who he faces, he must secure a decisive victory as swiftly as possible. Once his momentum wanes, his position becomes quite precarious." Xiao Ding smiled and shook his head gently. Upon hearing this, everyone sighed in resignation, silently praying that Xiao Yan would withstand this assault. Within the arena, when Xiao Li activated his technique, Xiao Yan was also momentarily startled. However, thanks to the rigorous training over the past year, his composure had vastly improved compared to before, and within an instant, he calmed down. A stream of purple flame energy flowed from within his body's spiraling qi, wrapping around the jade staff to prevent Xiao Li's lightning-based qi from seeping into his body and causing numbness. The dark, heavy jade staff, now enveloped in the purple flame, was then propelled forward with the full force of Xiao Yan's effort, crashing directly against the long spear that had been swiftly advancing. Under the intense gaze of the onlookers, the staff and spear made sudden contact, and with a burst of energy, cracks immediately appeared in the stone plates beneath both their feet. "Ding!" The tip of the spear darted swiftly against the heavy staff, sending a surge of electricity that writhed and crashed into it with fierce force. The powerful, surging qi contained within the staff caused it to suddenly lift and tilt upward. Moreover, due to the erosion from the electric arc, the purple flame cultivation energy on the surface of the Xuan Zhong Staff rapidly diminished by half. After dispersing the purple flames, Xiao Li's lance continued to surge forward with lightning speed, and at the same time, the final arc of electrical energy erupted from the shaft, striking powerfully against Xuan Zhong Chi. With a loud crack, the power of these three combined forces shook Xiao Yan's Xuan Zhong Chi so violently that it was knocked from his hands. After flipping over ten times, it finally plunged into the ground. "Young fellow, the battle is over," Xiao Li said, smiling warmly as he gripped his lance. "Hush..." As Xiao Yan's weapon fell from his hands, a wave of murmurs of admiration rose from the spectators outside the arena—losing one's weapon in such a contest generally meant stepping firmly into the realm of defeat. Under normal circumstances, this should indeed be the case. Yet for Xiao Yan, it was entirely the opposite. While the Xuanzhong Chi indeed enhanced his offensive power, it primarily served as a constraint—when the Xuanzhong Chi was pressed against his body, Xiao Yan's speed was significantly hampered, and most importantly, his internal Qi had to be pushed with all his might to meet the demands of combat at this level. Now, with the Xuanzhong Chi released from his body, the final constraint limiting his strength was completely lifted. Without the Xuanzhong Chi's restraint, Xiao Yan was at his absolute peak! Thus, upon hearing Xiao Li's words, Xiao Yan merely shrugged indifferently, "That's not necessarily true." Seeing Xiao Yan's calm, serene smile, Xiao Li was momentarily taken aback, then gently lowered his long spear onto Xiao Yan's shoulder. "Explosive Step!" Lifting his face, Xiao Yan beamed with a radiant smile. With a soft cry, he forcefully planted his feet onto the ground, and a surge of energy erupted—his body nearly shot across the space in an instant, arriving beside Xiao Li. As he was being pushed backward, Xiao Yan suddenly extended his palm flat, then clenched it tightly. Instantly, a powerful suction surged from his palm. The unprepared Xiao Li, who had been standing nearby, lost his balance, and his long spear—swirling like a windmill—was torn apart, leaving his attack completely disorganized. Due to the suction emanating from his palm, Xiao Yan’s own backward motion became strangely halted. He raised his head, gazing at the one being drawn toward him, a faint smile playing on his lips. Then, with a sudden burst of force, he planted his feet firmly on the ground, and in a flash, materialized before Xiao Li. "Brother, the ruler's staff isn't my weapon. What I truly excel at is—close-quarters combat!" As their eyes locked, Xiao Yan chuckled softly. Then, with a sharp gaze, he clenched his palm into a fist, swiftly using the momentum to rotate half a circle in the air, and surprisingly, slipped right into Xiao Li’s arms. With his back turned to Xiao Li, Xiao Yan's elbow, after a moment of stillness, struck the center of Xiao Li's chest with a sharp, almost shattering sound that sliced through the air. Upon sensing the overwhelming power contained within Xiao Yan's elbow, Xiao Li's face instantly tightened, his eyes flashing a look of serious concentration. He pressed his right fist against his chest and then struck it firmly. Xiao Ding's gaze swept over the massive, heavy jade ruler on the field, and he smiled, saying, "Have any of you noticed that since the ruler left his side, Xiao Yan's speed and strength have nearly quadrupled—almost four or five times over?" At this, Xue Lan and the others on the side also displayed a look of astonishment and amazement. Within the arena, Xiao Yin had sensed the energy fluctuations behind him, yet his elbow still maintained its powerful force, striking with full strength against the small silver shield. "Boom!" The sound reverberated, and with the eyes of the audience, a visible ripple of invisible force surged outward from where the two bodies were in close contact, gradually fading as it spread out to over fifteen meters away. At that moment, both Xiao Yin and Xiao Li suddenly came to a complete halt. All that could be seen was the point of contact between the elbow and the silver shield, where the shield itself rippled violently. Ripples spread rapidly, then gradually subsided, while the two figures recoiled as if struck by electricity. "Little one, I didn't expect you to possess such refined close-combat skills. Heh, though—given the considerable gap in our strength, your power still falls short of breaching my electric silver shield..." As he retreated swiftly, Xiao Li suddenly chuckled. "Heh... that may not be certain at all." With a gentle smile, Xiao Yan clenched his hands tightly and murmured, "Explosion!" "Boom!" As soon as Xiao Yan's voice fell, a soft, sudden thud resonated from within Xiao Li's retreating body. Instantly struck by the impact, Xiao Li seemed electrified—his body trembled violently several times, and his face suddenly grew pale. Retreating continuously, each footfall of Xiao Li left deep imprints on the ground. After nearly twenty steps of retreat, Xiao Li finally steadied his stance, yet suddenly, the figure before him flickered, a sharp spear tip now poised precisely at his chest. "Brother, you underestimated me, didn't you?" The spear pointed at Xiao Li, and Xiao Yan spoke softly with a gentle smile.