A sudden, powerful surge of energy erupted in the hall, instantly drawing the attention of those nearby. As their gaze settled upon the young man with a fierce expression, they all paused, then shifted their eyes with a mixture of envy and satisfaction toward Xu Xiao, who was now standing in direct confrontation with him—clearly recognizing the young man, who was highly renowned in the capital. "Finally, it's come to this..." Princess Xiao smiled gently, her fingers lightly stirring the red wine in her clear glass. "Huh... that one? Wood Zhan?" Most of the people surrounding the princess were noble youths, and upon seeing the young man's intense demeanor, they immediately recognized him. Several of them, in fact, had previously suffered at his hands. "Indeed, I thought tonight would be interesting—now I see what you meant," Li Lin murmured, her eyes widening slightly as she gazed at Wood Zhan's flowing green robe, then smiling softly with understanding. "Many people in the Imperial Capital are aware that Mu Zhan has held a deep admiration for Yafei of the Mitel family. When he departed, he even boasted that anyone daring to touch Yafei would be slaughtered." The young princess smiled gently, her gaze drifting toward Xiao Yan, who now looked pale and displeased due to the sudden surprise of the attack. "He's rather unfortunate—he happened to witness Mu Zhan returning and being so intimately close to Yafei." "Given Mu Zhan's temperament, Rock Xiao will likely suffer greatly tonight. When Mu Zhan left the Capital, he was already a Three-Star Battle Master. After two years of training and experience in the imperial border military camps, he's probably now at the peak of Battle Master strength." "It's only natural that someone who disrupts a man's romantic life must pay a price—otherwise, he'll always remain an outsider, overlooked and unappreciated." Li Ling chuckled coldly. He was, in fact, eager to see someone challenge Xiao Yan's confidence. "However, here it is the Na Lan family, and Elder Na Lan certainly won't allow De Mu Zhan to go too far. Therefore, if Zhan wishes to discipline Yan Xiao, he must act swiftly—otherwise, once Elder Na Lan or just-returned Mitel Tengshan returns, he'll have no chance at all." Princess Xiao smiled, noting that today afternoon, Xiao Yan had declined her invitation, clearly making the distinguished young lady somewhat displeased. Thus, at this moment, she had no intention of stepping out to mediate. The previous strike, Xiao Yan was very clear about—it was certain that this man had absolutely no intention of holding back. If it were someone less agile, they would likely suffer severe injuries before they could react. Thus, for someone who simply launched a deadly attack without any warning, Xiao Yan was filled with fury. With a wide grin, revealing a row of white, jagged teeth, the young man in green robes said nothing, merely fixing his intense gaze on the elegant Lady Yafei, whose face bore a look of anger, and speaking softly in a warm, hearty tone, "Lady Yafei, it's been a while! You've grown even more beautiful—indeed, you're the one I've always intended to marry..." "You... you madman!" Lady Yafei's cheeks flushed with anger, her full chest rising and falling gently. She hadn't expected that, after two years, this man remained as stubborn and unyielding as ever, choosing to act with blunt force instead of speaking a word. "Ran Xiao, are you all right?" Quickly approached Xiang Yin, Yafeng carefully examined him and urgently asked. Shaking her head, Xiang Yin kept his gaze fixed on the young man in green robes, speaking softly, "Who is he?" "Mu Zhan, a member of the Mu family among the three noble clans—a rather troublesome madman. In fact, part of the reason I went on my training journey was to avoid him," Yafeng chuckled with a touch of weariness. "His actions are both sharp and ruthless." Xiang Yin smiled gently, yet the cold, deadly undertone in his smile caused Yafeng's delicate features to subtly change. "Don't rush things. Mu Zhan is a rising star among the young talents of the Mu family. When he left the Imperial Capital, he was already a strong Dou Shi-level warrior. After two years of training in the border military camp, his strength now rivals even the elders. You—" Knowing Xiang Yin's temperament, Yafeng sensed his genuine anger at the moment. Yet Mu Zhan was no ordinary opponent; if a clash ensued, it was far from certain who would prevail. So she quickly stepped in to calm him. "Young man, a newcomer to the Imperial Capital?" It's no wonder he's dared to get so close to Ya Fei. Ya Fei's evident concern for Xiao Yan only intensified the hostility on Mu Zhan's face. He twisted his neck, and a crisp series of bone cracks echoed clearly. Xiao Yan lifted his eyes to the young man who so openly radiated his intent to kill, pressed his lips slightly, and quickly scanned the hall. Several members of the Na Lan family had already begun to retreat, clearly intending to report what had just happened to Na Lan Jie and the others. Perhaps Ya Fei was right—the young man did indeed give Xiao Yan a sense of danger. Yet even so, he had no intention of staying hidden behind Ya Fei until Na Lan Jie and the others arrived. The near-fatal ambush Mu Zhan had launched earlier had finally unleashed the suppressed desire Xiao Yan had held for a month, now mingled with fury. So this time, he would not endure it any longer. His black eyes fixed on Mu Zhan, blocking out Ya Fei's appeals. With his right hand spread out, he then spun it, and an intense suction force instantly pulled a broken chair leg—thick as a man's thigh—near his feet into his grasp. Holding it tightly, Xiao Yan fell into stillness. Moments later, a surge of jade-colored qi erupted from his body, propelling him swiftly away from Ya Fei. With a foot press against the ground, a burst of energy exploded, and Xiao Yan's form surged forward like a streak of black lightning, rushing toward Mu Zhan. "Kid, that's some guts!" Mu Zhan snarled, watching Xiao Yan launch an active attack. Qi of a jade-green hue surged from Mu Zhan's body, and his fists subtly turned the color of dried wood. At this moment, the area where Xiao Yan and his companions stood had undoubtedly become the focal point of the hall. When those who were familiar with Mu Zhan's strength observed Xiao Yan not only refusing to retreat but actively launching an attack, they couldn't help but silently shake their heads—clearly, in their minds, Xiao Yan's bold move was merely an attempt to impress Lady Ya. "This guy truly is making things difficult for himself. Why not simply stay put, calm and composed, waiting for Lan Elder and the others to come over? Instead, he insists on charging in, only to suffer humiliation." Watching Xiao Yan's actions, Liu Ling shook his head, smiling. He had known Mu Zhan for a long time and was well aware of how difficult this battle-hungry warrior could be to deal with. "It seems that even the most accomplished individuals still find themselves stirred to passion when standing before a beautiful woman." The Princess, twirling her transparent wine glass, smiled with the charm of a little demon. As members of the imperial capital who had grown up among the elite, they had long doubted the potential of the clash between Xiao Yan and Mu Zhan. Meanwhile, as the few were conversing, Xiao Yan and Mu Zhan came into sudden, lightning-fast contact under the watchful eyes of all present. With a face as still as water, Xiao Yan coldly gazed at Mu Zhan, whose expression was fierce and wrathful. As he approached, he spun on his heel, suddenly materializing beside Mu Zhan's left hand. With his right palm clenched, the massive chair leg beneath his grip was instantly enveloped in vibrant cyan qi, generating a powerful, unyielding gust of wind that struck Mu Zhan squarely on the head. His head slightly tilted, the fist bursting forth from the wood shavings that had obscured his view skimmed past Xiao Yan's shoulder with fierce force, sending a sharp, scorching sensation across his skin. Yet this minor discomfort did not slow Xiao Yan in the slightest. As the wooden warrior's fist passed close to his body, Xiao Yan unexpectedly slid downward, then half-rotated, placing his right palm on the ground, slightly twisting his waist, and swinging his foot in a full arc through the air. The resulting sharp current of energy then sliced diagonally across the wooden warrior's neck—his motion resembling that of a pair of sharp shears. "Nice work," said the wooden warrior, his eyes blazing with excitement. His arms were tightly pressed against his neck, the once rosy skin rapidly turning pale and then yellow, as if transformed into two rigid, dry staves. "Dodo…" With his feet forcefully striking the wooden warrior's arms, two unusual sounds echoed out. The immense force carried by his feet caused the wooden warrior to step back, yet the warrior's combat experience far exceeded Xiao Yan's expectations. Even as he retreated, he skillfully stabilized his stance, his pointed feet delivering a sharp kick directly to Xiao Yan's head, who was facing downward. "Hmm..." This time, both of them emitted a low grunt. Xiao Yan lightly tapped the ground with his right hand, causing the solid floor to burst into fragments. Leveraging the rebound force, he launched upward and landed gracefully on the ground, then stepped back a few paces to dissipate the remaining strength, his expression now serious as he watched Mu Zhan, who, retreating steadily, had knocked a table to pieces. In just one minute, the two had endured a thrilling close-quarters combat. In their previous encounter, even a slight lapse in concentration from either would have resulted in a devastating, relentless assault from the other, leaving them both disheveled.