Under the countless gaze, almost motionless, the dust that had blanketed the plaza slowly dispersed. The scattered debris and broken stones now visible stirred gasps of astonishment from the stands. Once a solid, neatly stacked expanse of massive stones, the plaza had now been reduced to a complete ruin. At its heart stood a vast, deep crater, surrounded by towering, jagged stones—utterly unlike the previous competition arena. No one could have imagined that the clash between Xiao Yan and Bai Shan had caused such devastating destruction. "This guy... truly is a freak." Xiao Yu stared in utter astonishment at the battlefield that had turned into a ruin. After a long pause, she exhaled deeply, a wry smile playing on her lips. Even though she had always held her independent, unconventional nephew in high regard, she hadn't expected him to have grown so formidable—so impressive—in just two years. Beside her, Master Ruolin nodded in deep agreement, silently murmuring to herself: How exactly had this young man been training over the past two years? When they first met in Wutan City, although Xiao Yan had shown exceptional talent, he had still managed only twenty rounds before being outmatched by her. Now, Master Ruolin felt confident that, if she were to face him directly, her chances of victory would be slim. Amidst the gathering gazes on the ruined field, a graceful figure in jade-green suddenly darted onto a towering stone. She scanned the wreckage, her gaze finally settling on the massive depression—there, faint traces of three weakened energies still lingered. The dust rising from the deep trench gradually settled, revealing the full extent of the scene to everyone's attention. Within the trench, there was a relatively flat area where no rubble remained—only a thick layer of stone powder covered the ground. Clearly, at the very center of the clash of energies between the two parties, the powerful energy explosion had shattered even the stones into fine dust. This clearly demonstrated the extraordinary strength of the four fighters' techniques. On the cleared patch of ground amidst the craters, three figures steadied themselves by leaning against the stone wall, their bodies trembling and unsteady. The three from Bai Shan now looked utterly disheveled—dust covered their faces almost completely, their clothes torn in several places, and their faces were pale, nearly ashen, with faint traces of blood still visible at their lips. Their once steady breaths had now become rapid and labored, clearly indicating that they had sustained serious injuries from the explosion of Xiao Yan’s Buddha-Indignant Fire Lotus—a blast even the strongest Du-Ling cultivators would have hesitated to absorb. Wiping the blood from her lips, Bai Shan raised her head, glanced around the surroundings, and with a slightly flushed complexion and a hoarse voice, said, "It seems I was buried beneath the ruins during the energy explosion. Facing one against three—indeed, quite bold—but not exactly a promising outcome." Beside her, Huo Jia and Wu Hao paid her little attention, swallowed hard to moisten their dry throats. After a while, Huo Jia finally gritted her teeth and exclaimed, "Damn it! I should have known better than to listen to you. This Xiao Yan is simply impossible to deal with!" "He's strong—stronger than either of us!" Wu Hao raised his head. The broad blood robe on his body had torn in many places, revealing a young face unusually pale. Wu Hao wasn't particularly handsome—indeed, he could be described as ordinary—yet the occasional glint of cold, blood-streaked intensity in his eyes often sent those who looked into them shivering. Now, for the first time, that ever-present aura of lethal calm in his gaze carried a touch of seriousness and apprehension. "Even if he's strong, what can he do? Under the combined assault of our three attacks, he may survive—but at the very least, he'll have to lose his arms and legs!" Bai Shan frowned slightly, his brow creased as he noticed the tone of the two speakers clearly elevating Xiao Yan. "Boom!" As Bai Shan finished speaking, a massive boulder at the edge of the rubble pit suddenly exploded, drawing the attention of everyone in the arena—including Bai Shan himself, who had been mid-breath, mouth open in astonishment. A fine dust settled around the site of the explosion. "He... he hasn't died yet!" "I can feel his presence!" Lü Hao stared intently at the dust, took a deep breath, and spoke slowly. Beside him, Bai Shan's face twitched rapidly. What had once been pale now grew even paler—clearly, the prodigious student renowned throughout the outer academy of Gan'an, after the thrilling battle just witnessed, now harbored a subtle, unacknowledged sense of apprehension toward the young man in the black robe. Under the collective gaze of the audience, a faint sound of footsteps on broken stones suddenly emerged from within the dust. Upon hearing it, both Bai Shan and Lü Hao's expressions shifted noticeably. As the footsteps drew nearer, Bai Shan kept his eyes fixed on the dust without blinking. Then, suddenly, his pupils narrowed. Step by step, the black-robed youth, still dressed as he had been during the battle, emerged from the dust and came into view before the entire audience. Staring at the young man, dressed in a black robe as if freshly worn, his face calm and unchanged from when he first entered—the entire arena fell silent. Who could have imagined that, after the terrifying energy explosion earlier, not only had this young man sustained no injuries as White Shan had anticipated—no broken arms or legs—but his vital energy remained robust, his breathing steady, and his appearance neat and pristine? Such a contrast to the disheveled state of White Shan’s three companions was truly as different as heaven from earth. This very distinction now fully highlighted the victor of the competition. No one could now doubt that the young man, who had maintained such composure throughout the intense battle, deserved the title of champion of this selection event. Through this fierce contest, it was clearly evident that the strongest contender had begun to solidify his position. "Brother Xiao Yan has truly grown stronger. The terrifying fire lotus he displayed earlier nearly reached the peak of the Xuanyuan-level combat technique..." Looking at the black-robed young man walking steadily forward, Xun'er, standing upon the massive stone, smiled softly. A gentle sense of satisfaction and pride shimmered on her cheeks. She didn't particularly care about making a grand impression under the watchful eyes of so many; what truly brought her joy was seeing Xiao Yan reveal his astonishing strength in such a setting. We had...” As his vision blurred, Bai Shan was startled to find Xiao Yan already standing before him. Their gazes met, and Bai Shan caught the surge of fury and murderous intent in Xiao Yan's dark eyes. He immediately roared. Yet before his voice fully settled, a shadow swept past him, and a sharp pain surged through his abdomen. A tremendous force shook his body, sending him crashing backward and then slamming hard against the stone wall. Instantly, the delicate, crisp sounds of breaking bones echoed softly. "Xiao Yan! You—!" The sudden assault left Hu Jia and Wu Hao momentarily stunned, who quickly reacted, retreating with a sharp cry. "How could that footstep have been easily absorbed?" As Hu Jia stepped back, the shadow advanced like a ghost, speaking with calm, detached precision. "Xiao Yan! Dare you?" The cold words sent a shiver through Hu Guaja's heart, her voice sharp and piercing—never before, with her status and background, had she truly been treated with such contempt and violence. Xiao Yan's expression remained impassive; he did not respond to Hu Guaja's cries, nor did he hesitate. With a sudden motion of his right foot, he sent out a powerful surge of qi, creating a deep sonic boom. Under the stunned gazes of countless onlookers, the force struck Hu Guaja squarely in the abdomen. A heavy thud echoed as her body plunged into the ground, leaving a trail of over ten meters before she crashed into a stone, spewing out a gush of blood instantly. Yet, in his severely injured condition, how could Wu Hao possibly match Xiao Yan's speed? Just as Hu Jia was being thrown backward, a dark silhouette appeared instantly behind him, accompanying him like a shadow. A calm voice carried a fierce momentum, crashing against Wu Hao's back. "This is for Xun'er. If you're not satisfied, come find me anytime. Among the three of us, you're the only one who still holds my respect, Xiao Yan." "Crash!" Wu Hao's retreating body suddenly halted. The immense force coming from behind drove his body forward, causing him to lean and then collapse—rolling like a barrel for several circles before he finally managed to steady himself, wiping blood from his lips. He lifted his pale face, gazing at the dark-robed young man who had stopped pursuing him, now casting a composed gaze upon him. With a breath of blood-tinted spittle, Wu Hao said, for the first time in years, that he had been defeated by a peer in such a manner. His gaze remained fixed firmly on the young man standing behind—tall and slightly slender—until, after a long while, Wu Hao forced out a single word, his voice hoarse. "Serve!"