On the spacious open ground, the atmosphere grew still and quiet, a series of eyes fixed on Fu Ao, lying motionless dozens of meters away, filled with unmistakable shock. After all, Fu Ao was a Three-Star Battle Spirit cultivator—among the strongest in the entire Inner Courtyard, ranking within the top seventy. Yet now, he had been defeated by a fresh recruit who had only joined the Inner Courtyard five days prior. And the defeat—so devastating. Just minutes ago, Fu Ao had been confident and triumphant; now, he lay lifeless, like a dead dog, at the edge of the field. The sheer drama of it all left the onlookers around utterly bewildered. Xiao Yan pressed the heavy ruler against the ground, his single knee already unable to bear the weight and pressing against the surface. A faint pallor now covered his delicate face, with fine beads of cold sweat constantly seeping from his forehead. From the rapid rhythm of his breathing, it was clear that this victory had come at considerable effort. Xiao Yan struggled to lift himself, shaking his head with gritted teeth. Though the Tianhuo Sanxuan Transformation could significantly enhance his strength in the short term, the violent energy it generated inflicted considerable internal injuries. Had Xiao Yan not been a skilled alchemist himself, and had he not had the experienced master of alchemy, Yao Lao, providing expert support, he likely wouldn't have dared to use it at all. Nevertheless, each time he activated it, he felt a deep, piercing pain throughout his body. With his arm resting gently on Xun'er's delicate shoulders, Xiao Yan cast a cold gaze toward Fu Ao in the distance. The latter had originally not expected to fare so poorly—only to have underestimated the extent to which the strange flames suppressed water-based qi. The powerful attack Xiao Yan had previously delivered, which incorporated qi solidification, would have been far more formidable if it had been based on a qi type less vulnerable to the flames. In that case, Xiao Yan likely wouldn't have been able to withstand such a direct confrontation. Nevertheless, regardless of any fortunate circumstances, Xiao Yan has now secured victory in this match—this is more than sufficient. From his nacre storage, he retrieved a pill to heal internal injuries, took it into his mouth, and then turned his gaze toward the group led by Bai Shan. Upon receiving Xiao Yan's piercing, blade-like stare, every member of the "Bai Clan" group—including Bai Shan—stepped back instinctively, their faces filled with alertness and caution. "Fu Ao has lost. Take him away. Remember our agreement—there are numerous witnesses present. Should he wish to retract his commitment, the Bai Clan will suffer a serious reputational setback." Xiao Yan remained calm and composed, merely speaking with a measured tone. "This conceited fool believed that merely being a Three-Star Battle Spirit would make him invincible. Now not only has he lost, but he has also granted Xiao Yan's faction six months of breathing room. Six months from now, if the Bai Clan wishes to reclaim their position, they'll likely need to send their elder brother personally with reinforcements!" Bai Shan glared at Fu Ao, lying motionless on the ground like a dead dog, his jaw clenched in fury. In his heart, he raged in anger. "Move!" Under Xiao Yan's cold gaze, Bai Shan felt uneasy throughout his body. After a moment, he finally raised his hand, his voice deep and full of reluctant determination. With that, he turned and began walking briskly toward the newly established residential area. The other members of the "Bai Clan" quickly followed, sending two of them to lift Fu Ao as they passed. As the group faded into view, the "Pan Gate" members, who had been tense all along, finally exhaled in relief. Yet, they did not cheer. Instead, they exchanged glances, each seeing a clear sense of urgency in the other's eyes—urgency for growth in strength. Though they had only just entered the inner courtyard a few days ago, they had truly felt the importance of strength within it. Previously, they had been considered outstanding among the outer courtyard students, but now, in the inner courtyard, they were merely ordinary. To avoid further humiliations like today, they had to quickly enhance their own capabilities. They were well aware that in this inner courtyard, no one could rely solely on Xiao Yan and his companions—as members of the Pan Gate, they too needed to contribute. "Hehe, Xiao Yan brother, I'm sure it won't be long before the news of your victory over Fu Ao spreads throughout the entire inner courtyard." Xin'er smiled warmly, supporting Xiao Yan. "That would be good—at least it will intimidate the other factions that have ill intentions toward our 'Pan Gate'." Xiao Yan sighed, looking up at the eager faces of the 'Pan Gate' members, and slowly said, "Everyone, I'm sure now you all understand just how crucial strength is within the inner courtyard." "Yes!" The group of new students nodded in unison. "Without strength, you're just stuck at the door, being treated poorly! Do you really want to go through that again today?" Xiao Yan spoke firmly. "No!" All the new students' faces flushed with sudden warmth, their hearts filled with passion, and they roared in response. "Starting tomorrow, the 'Pánmén' members will begin training within the 'Tianfen Qi Tower.' Today, taking advantage of Fu Ao's defeat, we should not face any further disturbances from other factions in the short term. Therefore, during this period, we must swiftly enhance our strength!" Xiao Yan said, his voice low and resolute. "Moreover, defeating Fu Ao today has dealt a severe blow to the 'Bai Hall.' They will certainly not rest easy. Due to our agreement with Cheng Nie, they may refrain from attacking us for the next six months. However, once that period passes, the 'Bai Hall' will surely launch a full-scale assault!" "To withstand the 'Bai Hall' after six months, strengthening our capabilities has become an urgent necessity!" Hearing Xiao Yan's words, all the 'Pánmén' members flushed with determination and nodded firmly. "Alright, everyone, disperse for now. We'll gather here tomorrow to collectively enter the 'Tianfen Qi Tower.'" Xiao Yan waved his hand and then turned to walk toward the small pavilion. As he was about to enter the main gate, his steps halted suddenly. He turned to Xiao Xun and softly said, "By the way, could you call over A Tai? I have a few things I'd like to ask him." "Okay," Xiao Xun nodded slightly and then stepped back. "Frowning slightly, Xiao Yan gently tapped his fingers on the table. Facing Fu Ao, a Three-Star Spiritual Peak, he had already deployed the Heaven-Fire Triple Transformation and leveraged the advantage of the Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire to barely secure a victory. Should he encounter a Six-Star Spiritual Peak, however—that would represent an entire tier of difference. The odds would be slim indeed. Unless he employed the Flame-Splitting, Wave-Consuming Ruler or the Large Buddha-Enraged Fire Lotus, otherwise, victory was nearly impossible." "Thirty-four," Atai replied honestly. His knowledge of the Inner Courtyard had surpassed Xiao Yan's expectations. "Six-Star Spiritual Peaks ranked at thirty-four—this Inner Courtyard's 'Strength List' truly holds substantial weight," Xun'er said, sipping her warm cup of tea with a smile at the corner of her lips. "Indeed, quite challenging," Wu Hao nodded, smiling warmly, his face glowing with passionate combat zeal. Crossing his fingers and leaning back against the chair, Xiao Yan exhaled softly, saying, "What about the other members of the Bai Clan? How strong are they?" "Besides the leader, Bai Cheng, the White Clan has three more Douling-level强者. One of them is Fu Ao, who fought the head today. The other two may have slightly stronger combat prowess than Fu Ao, but their ranks are still around three-star Douling." Atai mused, "The rest of the members total thirty-four—thirteen are Doushi-level强者, the rest mostly at the peak of Doushi. With a bit of luck, they might directly advance to Doushi level." "Four Douling, thirteen Doushi, and the rest at the peak of Doushi..." Xiang Yan sighed softly, "The White Clan isn't bad at all—quite a hassle." "Indeed, not bad. While the White Clan may not rank among the very top in the Inner Courtyard, it's not likely to draw many rivals." Atai chuckled, "In the past, organizations of this caliber usually wouldn't bother new up-and-coming factions. This time, they've come to us—probably due to some circumstances involving Bai Shan." Xiao Yan nodded slightly. Bai Shan had long been at odds with him. Now, having entered the inner courtyard and gained access to a strong support, he would naturally come to cause trouble. Indeed, Pan Men had been affected by him as well. "Everything will proceed as I've previously outlined," Xiao Yan said. "Starting tomorrow, Pan Men members will begin training within the 'Heaven-Burning Qi Tower.' We need to boost our strength quickly." After a moment of thoughtful silence, he looked up and asked, "Do all of you have sufficient 'fire energy'?"