Under the gaze of everyone present, Bai Cheng and his companions slowly approached Xiao Yan. Bai Cheng's eyes first swept over the group of newly arrived students with strong presence, before settling on the faces of Xiao Yan and his three companions. Gazing steadily into the eyes of the man before him—whose appearance bore a resemblance to Bai Shan—Xiao Yan remained undaunted by the powerful aura emanating from the man. His gaze was calm, unshaken. As the tension between the two parties became evident, the crowd around them grew noticeably quieter, their eyes filled with a range of emotions. "You must be Xiao Yan," said Bai Cheng, after a brief exchange of glances. "I've heard much about you from Bai Shan. Today, seeing you in person, I can confirm—you truly possess an outstanding presence." Suddenly, with a slight expression of seriousness on his face, he smiled and reached out to extend his hand to Xiao Yan. With a slight half-lidded gaze, Xiao Yan took in the growing gloom in Bai Cheng's eyes. Smiling gently, he extended his hand and interlaced it with Bai Cheng's, all under the watchful eyes of the crowd. As their hands came together, Bai Cheng's smile vanished instantly, and a powerful surge of energy erupted from within him, shaking the crowd and causing their robes to ripple. Some of the less powerful individuals even had to step back, unable to maintain their balance. At the point where Bai Cheng's hand met Xiao Yan's, the air instantly filled with thick aura. Feeling the sudden surge of strength and pain pressing against his palm, Xiao Yan's expression darkened. As his internal aura flowed, a streak of emerald flame was drawn out and swiftly surged along his meridians to reach his palm. Yet, just as the flame was about to break free, Bai Cheng seemed to sense something, a cold smile forming on his lips. He slightly bent his middle finger and then pressed it firmly against the center of Xiao Yan's palm with a subtle, yet decisive arc. The subtle inner pressure transmitted through Xiao Yan's palm caused his arm to tremble, yet his face remained remarkably calm, intently focused on Bai Cheng across from him. Seizing the moment when Xiao Yan's hand grew numb, Bai Cheng swiftly drew his own hand back. With a cold gaze fixed on Bai Cheng, who now intended to retreat after gaining the upper hand, Xiao Yan gently curled his fingers and released a slender streak of emerald flame that surged violently from his fingertips, swiftly pursuing Bai Cheng's retreating palm. Observing the rapidly approaching blaze, Bai Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly. A surge of ki erupted from his palm, forming a circular aura about half a foot in diameter, which instantly encased the flame before he swiftly withdrew his hand. "Explosion!" Xiao Yan murmured, his voice low and resonant. "Boom!" As the sound faded, the jade-colored flame enclosed within the aura shield trembled violently, then erupted in a deep, resonant boom, sending a strong wave of flame crashing against the shield. The impact sent ripples across the shield, much like stones thrown into a still lake. After a brief moment, the hastily constructed aura shield, strained beyond its limits, finally shattered with a crisp, clear sound. Though the flame explosion had ruptured the shield, the flame itself, having expended its own energy, gradually dispersed into a sweeping wave and then faded away. "White Cheng—what are you doing?!" The exchange between the two had been subtle yet swift. Only when the crowd recovered from the fading wave of flame did they realize that, in the span of a few moments, they had engaged in an unseen duel. With her fiery temperament, Hu Jia's face darkened, and she immediately snapped, her voice sharp. With Hugua's voice, Wu Hao and the forty-some members of Panmen also stepped forward with stern expressions, clearly ready to engage in a physical confrontation at the slightest provocation. "Hey, no need to rush," Bai Cheng chuckled, patting his sleeve gently. "It's just a brief sparring session with Xiao Yan, our junior. Isn't that quite ordinary within the inner courtyard?" He added, with a gentle reminder, "I'd advise you all—once you've arrived in the inner courtyard, adhere strictly to its customs. Otherwise, you'll end up disgracing yourselves." His eyes remained fixed on Xiao Yan throughout the conversation, his unspoken intent clear: although Xiao Yan had not harmed him, Bai Cheng had delivered a solid punch and a pointed finger—though it had been a subtle ambush—thus securing a clear advantage. As he spoke, a subtle, restrained sense of satisfaction lingered in his tone. Xiao Yan remained expressionless, waving gently at Wu Hao and the others to calm them down. With his other hand, he slowly drew it back from his sleeve. At the very moment it entered the sleeve, the hand trembled slightly—White Cheng’s punch had been strong, and if not for his prepared defense, this arm would likely be immobile for several days. Though they had only met a few minutes ago, from the brief yet calculated move and the subtle strategy displayed, Xiao Yan sensed that White Cheng was even more reserved and calculating than White Shan. Despite his superior strength, he had chosen to employ a covert attack—an approach that, while somewhat unimpressive, proved remarkably effective. Staring at the faint smile on Xiao Yan's face, Bai Cheng couldn't help but furrow his brows. The extent to which Xiao Yan suppressed his emotions truly surprised him. The subtle sense of satisfaction in his eyes gradually faded, and his voice, low and steady, said, "As long as you have the ability, I, Bai Cheng, will be ready to wait for you. You can set a trap for Ao, ensuring that my 'Bai Clan' won't move a finger against your 'Pan Sect' for six months—this shows some skill on your part. But after six months, I'll have you dissolve your 'Pan Sect' entirely!" "That's still the same message: the Inner Courtyard has its own rules. No matter what title you hold outside or how great your potential, until you possess real strength, you must bow. Yet you, lacking strength, dare to act so arrogantly—this is self-defeating." Bai Cheng said with a cold smile. Seeing Xiao Yan being openly and publicly scolded by Bai Cheng, Xun'er's lively eyes flickered with golden flames, occasionally flashing with an uncommon edge of determination. Xiao Yan narrowed his eyes, a hint of coldness passing through his dark gaze. Suddenly, he extended his right hand, pressing down Lü Hao, whose face had grown stern and was now surrounded by blood-colored battle energy. He gently shook his head, murmuring softly, "Don't act on impulse... we'll settle accounts later." Under Xiao Yan's pressure, Lü Hao hesitated slightly before nodding and stepping back. He knew well that, with their current strength, they still struggled against Bai Cheng, a six-star Battle Spirit. Watching the silent Xiao Yan and the others, Bai Cheng let out a satisfied, cold laugh. "Others lack ability and thus boast unnecessarily—only to suffer humiliation. Then, do you lack ability, Bai Cheng, and thus face the same fate?" As Bai Cheng prepared to calmly withdraw, a clear, composed voice suddenly emerged from among the crowd. Upon hearing this familiar voice, Bai Cheng's face tightened, and he coldly replied, "Han Yue! What more do you have to interfere with?" Amid the crowd, a narrow path suddenly opened, and gradually, seven or eight graceful figures stepped forward, carrying a refreshing breeze that instantly lifted the spirits of the onlookers. Leading the group was Han Yue, someone who had previously met Xiao Yan. Behind Han Yue were several women, all wearing identical badges shaped like crescents on their chests—clearly belonging to the same faction. While their appearances didn't quite match Han Yue's, their collective presence was strikingly captivating. In an inner courtyard where male attendees made up nearly three-quarters of the crowd, women—especially beautiful ones—were naturally the most admired. As soon as Han Yue and her companions appeared, the attention around them surged, and murmurs of conversation filled the air. "Isn't it just frustrating to see you, relying on your status, bullying a group of new arrivals? If you've got something to say, go find Lin Xiu'ya or Yan Hao and show off your strength!" Han Yue's face remained as cold and distant as ever, her head of luminous silver hair complemented by a perfectly tailored silver gown. Among the women present, only Xun'er and Huo Jia could rival her grace. "You...," her expression slightly furrowed with anger, Bai Cheng's lips twitched slightly. Lin Xiu'ya and Yan Hao were both among the top ten on the "Strong List," with peak Du Ling-level prowess, and their respective domains ranked among the top five within the inner academy. How could he possibly dare to show off before them? Though he was deeply irritated, he dared not act too boldly toward Han Yue—neither in strength nor influence did she fall short of him. Thus, he merely cast a沉沉 gaze at Xiao Yan, his voice laced with subtle mockery: "If what Bai Shan said is true, your charm must indeed be quite admirable... In six months' time, I shall see just how many excuses you can come up with." With a cold smile, Bai Cheng raised his hand and led his party toward the entrance of the Tian Fen Qi Tower. "Six months later, the Bai faction disbanded..." As Xiao Yan passed by Bai Cheng, brushing shoulders with him, the latter slowly inhaled, speaking softly. Bai Cheng paused, his eyes filled with a mixture of amusement and mockery, gazing at Xiao Yan and saying, "I've been waiting for you. Just make sure you don't hide behind women again when the time comes." With a wave of his robe, he gestured and led the group away from the scene. Watching Bai Cheng and his companions depart, the crowd of onlookers who had gathered to watch the drama couldn't help but shake their heads with a sense of disappointment. Han Yue slowly approached Xiao Yan, gazing at the calm expression on his face despite the recent criticism, and sighed softly, murmuring, "I just told you yesterday to remain humble and low-key until we grow stronger. Yet here we are, facing trouble today." "It's not my fault. Others have come to us directly—how could I just sit and do nothing?" Xiao Yan smiled, shrugged, and then bowed respectfully to Han Yue, saying, "Thank you, Han Yue senior, for stepping up for my family today. Should there be any need for my assistance in the future, I will do "About this... let's discuss it later. Right now, you simply can't help much." Han Yue shook her head, her straightforward words leaving Xiao Yan only a helpless smile. "Let's begin the tower construction!"