In the brightly lit room, an undercurrent of tension hung in the air. A group of about fifteen people, seated or standing, were scattered throughout the space, each with a hint of anger on their faces. "Boss, the 'Pán Gate' simply won't behave! They dared to beat Fu Ao like this. If we don't get our dignity back, how can we even stand in the inner courtyard moving forward?" One man suddenly slammed his palm onto the table, his voice rising with frustration. "Exactly, Boss. We can't let Brother Fu Ao suffer all this without a response," he added, and as soon as he finished speaking, the others in the room quickly echoed his words in unison. At the head of the room, a man sat斜ly against the back of his chair, one hand resting on his chin. His appearance bore a striking resemblance to Bai Shan, though he seemed more mature and colder. He must be Bai Cheng, Bai Shan's cousin and the leader of the "White Faction," ranked thirty-fourth on the "Strong List." Bai Cheng paid no attention to the crowd of people who had gathered, excited and agitated, and instead fixed his gaze on a figure to his left. That figure's half of the face was wrapped in bandages, and from the partially visible side, one could make out the identity of the person—exactly the one who had been knocked senseless by Xiao Yan's powerful punch earlier today. It was Fu Ao. "There's no severe internal injury, though I'll need at least four or five days of rest to fully recover." The voice, slightly altered as it came from half of Payao's face wrapped in cloth, carried a subtle shift. "As for Xiao Yan—what's his level of strength?" White Cheng nodded slightly, his eyes narrowing with a quiet coldness. "His base strength is only around five to six-star Grand Battle Master level. However, he seems to employ a secret technique that allows him to temporarily elevate his own strength to Grand Spirit level. Moreover, the flames he uses are exceptionally powerful and aggressive. Even under the combined application of my battle technique and spirit energy condensation, his force completely neutralized my efforts." A spark of resentment flickered in Payao's eyes, and his tone carried clear frustration: "I didn't expect to lose so easily. It turned out he also mastered sonic battle technique—while I was caught off guard, he struck hard and knocked me into this condition." Bai Cheng nodded slightly, turning his head toward the other side, where Bai Shan sat with a composed, cold expression. Upon seeing Bai Cheng's gaze, Bai Shan nodded gently and said, "Uncle, the details are quite similar to what Brother Fu Ao described. Xiao Yan indeed possesses these abilities. Moreover, he has another particularly powerful technique—the strange fire lotus that defeated Luo Hou. However, today, for some reason, he hasn't used it." "I've heard of that fire lotus technique as well—it's truly strong, though it seems quite demanding. With Xiao Yan's current strength, he might only be able to perform it a couple of times at his peak." Bai Cheng agreed. "Brother, this time I lost merely because I didn't know his true capabilities. Next time, I'll certainly win!" Fu Ao said with evident dissatisfaction. "Still not satisfied with how you're being treated?" Bai Cheng's expression darkened, and with a firm clap on the table, his loud voice startled everyone in the room, making them silent. "If today you don't make the promised arrangement for the trial, I can immediately send people to crush the 'Pánmén' faction, have them dissolve right there. Yet, you—this conceited fool—know full well that Xiao Yan defeated Luo Hou, yet you still dare to insist on your own terms. Now, that agreement has already spread throughout the inner courtyard. If you now go after Pánmén, won't you only draw criticism? There are quite a few people in the inner courtyard who are already waiting to see our 'Bái Bāng' fall from grace!" "What shall we do? Can we simply let it pass so easily? It seems rather unbecoming to us, to pretend nothing happened and to let our 'Bái Bāng' reputation suffer." Due to Bai Cheng's sharp outburst, Fu Ao had no choice but to lower his voice and speak with growing frustration. Bai Cheng took the teacup from beside him, took a light sip, then tilted his head back, remaining silent for a while before finally speaking slowly, "You've already pledged to not disturb the Pan Sect for six months. Therefore, in the near term, the people of the 'Bai Clan' should strive to minimize any disputes with them." "Uncle, do you really intend to let Xiao Yan and his group operate freely for six months?" asked Bai Shan, his brows furrowing at the suggestion. Bai Cheng gripped the teacup tightly, paused thoughtfully, then nodded slightly, speaking softly, "Within six months, they won't be able to establish much momentum. When the time comes, I'll personally issue a formal challenge to the Pan Sect." "Isn't that quite risky? Who can predict what might happen within those six months? Xiao Yan certainly can't be treated as a typical case." said Bai Shan firmly. "Don't worry, it's only half a year. Even if they train every single day in the 'Heaven-Burning Qi Tower,' they'll barely reach the peak of Grand Combatant rank. To advance to the Grand Spirit level? That's no easy feat. And I'm not some fool like Fu Ao. Even if I'm confident in my chances, I won't allow a one-on-one duel. By then, the entire 'White Alliance' will be on the field—watching to see if the 'Pian Gate' can still hold its ground." Bai Cheng waved his hand and said. "Hmm..." Hearing this, Bai Shan remained hesitant. Having spent time with Xiao Yan in the forest, he had witnessed numerous astonishing feats from this man, which always left him feeling uneasy. "This is just my initial plan. I'll reassess as the situation develops. I'll have people keep a close eye on the 'Pian Gate's' every move..." Seeing Bai Shan still visibly uncertain, Bai Cheng shook his head in resignation and adjusted his words. "Alright, it's getting late now. Everyone go your separate ways. I'll be entering the Sky-Burn Qi Tower tomorrow to train, and it might take me five or six days before I emerge. In the meantime, please take charge of the affairs of the sect with you and Fu Ao." Bai Cheng stood up, speaking calmly. "Understood." ... The next day, early in the morning, as the sky began to lighten, the lights in the new residential area flickered to life. One after another, figures emerged from their rooms and gathered neatly before the small pavilion where Xiao Yan and his three companions resided. "Creak..." After a while, the door of the pavilion slowly opened, and the four of them stepped out. Standing at the entrance, they looked upon the磐door members, full of confidence and excitement. They exchanged a warm smile—though these members were still relatively weak at present, their potential was truly impressive. With enough time, Xiao Yan was certain they would eventually become true强者. "Let's go!" The students had gathered, and Xiao Yan said nothing, simply waving his hand and leading Wu Hao and the other two ahead, swiftly heading out. The forty or so new students followed closely behind. Along the way to the Sky-Burning Qi Tower, the students passing by glanced at the large group rushing past them, momentarily stunned. As some more observant ones noticed Xiao Yan at the forefront, carrying his massive, heavy Xu Zhong Chi, a wave of astonishment quickly spread. "Wait a minute—Isn't that Xiao Yan?" "Hm, he looks quite handsome." "The two girls accompanying them are also very beautiful, huh. Heh, I wonder who'll be lucky enough to get a chance to meet them." "Those people—aren't they the new rising force known as the 'Pan Gate' that's been making such a stir in the inner courtyard? They seem to have real presence." "It's said that even Fu Ao of the 'Bai Hall' lost to Xiao Yan yesterday. Clearly, this guy has some real talent. "...” Hearing the murmurs from the passersby, Xiao Yan exhaled softly. Now that the "Pan Gate" was well-known within the inner courtyard, it seemed their reputation didn't quite match their current strength. Shaking his head and ignoring the conversations about him and his gate, Xiao Yan gave a sharp call, urging the entire group to speed up. With a trail of dust swirling behind them, they swiftly vanished at the end of the road. Xun watched the towering spire with a charming, gentle smile, drawing admiring glances from several men waiting nearby. "Hmm," Xiao Yan nodded with a smile, leading the group to a spot not quite at the front. According to the inner courtyard's regulations, the Qi Tower had strict opening and closing times each day, so Xiao Yan and his companions had to patiently wait for the tower gates to open. As time passed, the crowd around them grew steadily larger, the bustling sounds and the gathering flow of people surprising the Panmen attendees—unaware that such a highly selective inner courtyard could attract such lively interest. The area where Xiao Yan and his companions were situated stood out as the most prominent. Over these days, the establishment of Xiao Yan and the Panmen, as well as his victory over Fu Ao and the repulsion of the "Bai Clan" the day before, had become the focal point of conversation throughout the courtyard, significantly amplifying their growing reputation. Xiao Yan and the others sat cross-legged, paying no attention to the surrounding noise or the various glances. Time flowed steadily, like sand between fingers, passing by as the group had been here for nearly twenty minutes. Suddenly, a group of people pushed through the crowd and slowly made their way toward Xiao Yan and the others. As they walked, the attention of the onlookers gradually shifted to them. When the group's leader was spotted, the glances immediately turned to Xiao Yan and the others, who now seemed to be filled with a quiet sense of anticipation and curiosity. The suddenly unusual atmosphere caused Xiao Yan to lift his eyes, gaze fixed on the approaching group, his brow slightly furrowed. "Head, be careful—that man is Bai Cheng, the leader of the Bai Clan!" said Atai, his voice serious and low, as he stood beside Xiao Yan. "Hmm." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, then waved his hand. With a crisp sound, nearly forty members of the "Pánmen" who had been seated on the ground stood up in perfect formation, their eyes fixed intently on Bai Cheng and the others approaching steadily. For a moment, the atmosphere outside the "Tianfen Qì Tower" grew noticeably tense.