Gently patting Xun'er's head, Xiao Yan slowly turned his head, the gloom on his face fading swiftly as he calmly gazed at Fu Ao across the table, speaking softly, "Shall we begin?" "Huh, it takes courage..." Hearing Xiao Yan truly step forward to face him, Fu Ao couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, then chuckled, "Well then, today I'll see just how strong this newly-mentioned leader of the inner academy truly is—whether he lives up to the reputation he's built." As the grand battle unfolding in the center drew near, the surrounding students hurriedly stepped back, eager to witness firsthand the stories they'd heard about Xiao Yan. "I wonder if Xiao Yan will actually be able to hold his own against Fu Ao. If not, then he might truly lose face." "Heh, Fu Ao is said to have already reached the level of Three-Star Duelist just a month ago. While Xiao Yan has defeated Luo Hou, facing off against Fu Ao will still be quite challenging." "If one happens to lose to Fu Ao, not only does one face embarrassment, but also risks losing one's wife—then the situation becomes truly disastrous." Xiao Yan paid no attention to the murmurs around him, slowly advancing forward and swiftly forming a series of unusual hand seals. As he did so, a surge of vibrant jade-colored flames erupted violently within his body's spiraling qi, then rapidly flowing along an oddly shaped path. When the jade flames completed one full circuit of this peculiar route, they began to boil with intense energy, radiating powerful, turbulent forces that penetrated every corner of Xiao Yan's body. "Sky Fire Triple Supreme Transformation: Jade Lotus Transformation!" Suddenly, Xiao Yan's hand seals froze. A powerful surge of jade-colored flames erupted from within him, enveloping him completely and forming a solid jade-bodied figure. The flame surged for a brief moment before swiftly retreating back into Xiao Yan's body. As the flame returned, everyone noticed that Xiao Yan's aura was steadily rising—rising even to the point of nearing the level of a Battle Spirit cultivator! "So he's been deliberately enhancing his strength. That explains how he defeated Luo Hou. But this method is ultimately inferior—it lacks endurance and ultimately inflicts significant bodily strain. Xiao Yan, this is your trump card?" Payao was first stunned by the sudden surge in Xiao Yan's aura, then offered a cold, enlightened chuckle. Unmoved by Payao's scorn, Xiao Yan remained silent. He grasped the handle of the Xuanzhong Chi staff beside him and turned slightly to speak calmly to Wu Hao, "Keep an eye on Bai Shan and the others." "Rest assured," Wu Hao replied, nodding with a slight hesitation. "I'll take care of that clumsy one." "Just be careful," he added softly, "Payao is stronger than Luo Hou." "Understood." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, turned his gaze toward Fu Ao across the way, who wore a cold smirk, and then slowly lifted his foot before bringing it down with a thunderous crash. A surge of energy erupted beneath his feet, and Xiao Yan's body transformed into a streak of shadow, charging straight toward Fu Ao. "Hmph! Today, I'll show you what a true Douling master truly is! All this side-show nonsense—far from the proper path!" As his eyes narrowed, the shadow rapidly expanded. With a sharp exhale, Fu Ao clenched his palm, and blue light flickered, revealing a blue trident nearly half a zhang long, materializing instantly. Grasping the handle firmly, he launched a direct thrust toward the shadow. The tip of the trident glowed with a deep, serene blue light, and wherever it passed, subtle blue radiance shimmered through the very space. "Clang!" The shadow halted abruptly, as Xiao Yan swung his massive black ruler in a sweeping motion, meeting the trident with a powerful impact. The clash of metal produced a sharp, resonant sound, accompanied by sparks that burst across the arena. "Good strength." The body slightly trembled, and Payao stepped back half a step, smiling in surprise at Xiao Yan, who had also retreated by more than a step. Then Payao closed the distance once again, his three-pronged pike, under the glow of the azure ki, moving like a fierce shark in the sea—rolling and surging with cold, sharp force and an aura of menace. With a tightly tensed face, Xiao Yan's arm trembled slightly but he did not retreat at all; instead, he raised his staff and met Payao's attack head-on. "Can Xiao Yan really defeat that man?" Gubi tightly gripped her hands, her eyes fixed on the figure cutting through the faint white mist, and she softly asked Yuan'er and Wu Hao beside her. "I don't know... we haven't seen anything yet." Wu Hao shook his head, speaking in a steady tone. Xiao Yan drove the jade staff deep into the gap of the floor, his breathing still somewhat rapid. After employing the Heavenly Fire Triple Supreme Transformation to bolster his strength, he could now hold his own against Fu Ao in direct combat, even gaining an edge in power. Yet—these advantages were only temporary. Once the effects of the Qinglian Transformation began to wane, he would find himself unable to match Fu Ao. Xiao Yan's weaknesses, Fu Ao had clearly observed. With a quiet, amused chuckle, Fu Ao's trident suddenly vibrated, and then a surge of vibrant blue qi erupted across its surface. As the qi intensified, Fu Ao's face transformed into an eerie shade of cerulean. The trident in his hands spun violently, then sharply pointed at Xiao Yan. Fu Ao cracked a smile, kicked off the ground with his foot, and shot forth like a blue shadow. As his body surged forward, the blue qi on the trident surged rapidly, eventually coalescing into a massive energy shark entirely formed of condensed qi. The giant energy shark opened its massive mouth, its sharp teeth reflecting a cold, sharp gleam under the blue qi, making it evident that a bite from it would surely be fatal. Qi-based formations—hallmarks of Douling and higher-tier warriors—were akin to Doushi's qi robes or the qi armor of great Doushis, exclusive to Douling and above. When combined with combat techniques, such qi-based formations delivered a devastating, overwhelming effect. A shark forged of qi, stretching several zhang in length, surged directly toward Xiao Yan. Through the slightly translucent body of the creature, one could clearly see the sharp, three-pronged spear embedded within its belly. Fixing his gaze tightly on the rapidly enlarging image of the shark in his pupils, the rushing scent of salt and ocean wind deepened Xiao Yan's composure. His arms trembled slightly, and a vibrant green flame surged along his meridians, eventually enveloping the entire black ruler completely. With this accomplished, Xiao Yan clenched his palms firmly around the ruler's handle and slowly raised it to his head, his internal qi now flowing at an almost peak intensity. Under the watchful eyes of the onlookers, the heavy ruler, enveloped in emerald flame, collided heavily with the qi-shark. "Boom!" A deep, resonant explosion erupted instantly, and a surge of mist burst forth from the point of contact, hissing violently. A wave of water, interlaced with scattered emerald sparks, rippled outward in all directions, sweeping away any debris it encountered along its path. Xiao Yan's face turned crimson, a clear sign of his strength reaching its peak. His eyes locked onto Fu Ao, just two feet away, and a cold, sharp arc formed at the corner of his lips. His throat subtly rolled, as an unusual sound continuously built up within his mouth. As the sound gathered, his mouth began to swell slightly. After a moment, he arched his head back and suddenly opened his tightly closed mouth wide. "Roar!" With the opening of his mouth, a thunderous lion's roar surged forth in a powerful wave, sending the onlookers scrambling to press their hands tightly against their ears, which were now aching from the force of the impact. Even as the onlookers still felt the pain in their eardrums, Fu Ao—only two feet away from Xiao Yan—suffered severe damage. Though Fu Ao had sensed something was wrong at first, he had not immediately retreated, and thus fully received Xiao Yan's "Lion and Tiger Shattering Gold Roar." Both arms trembled violently. Under the thunderous roar that resonated like a clear sky storm, a thin streak of blood seeped from both ears of Fu Ao, and his mind rang with chaotic sounds, as though drums and gongs were beating in unison. At the very instant Fu Ao was stunned by the "Lion-Tiger Golden Chant," Xiao Yan suddenly released his grip on the heavy staff, spun around, and materialized like a ghost to Fu Ao's left. With a stern expression, his clenched fists tore through the air with a sharp, piercing sound, and he slammed them hard onto Fu Ao's face amidst a wave of stunned gazes. "Thud!" The deep impact sent a jolt through the onlookers. Moments later, Fu Ao, like a kite with a snapped string, spun several times in midair before crashing down heavily onto the ground some fifty meters away—unconscious, seemingly lifeless. And as Fu Ao's body hit the ground, the entire scene fell utterly silent.