Stepping out of the tower gate, Xiao Yan gazed at the lush greenery beyond and felt the warm sunlight pouring down from the horizon, suddenly experiencing a sense of being worlds apart. He spread his arms out, and after a long while, chuckled softly. He hadn't expected that, after just less than a month of seclusion, he had nearly driven himself to nervous exhaustion. Since the Xuan Chong Chi had become almost his signature item, he rarely carried it on his back these days, which, though slightly reducing the physical benefits, had greatly eased his mind and spared him from unnecessary burdens. After strolling along the path for nearly half an hour, Xiao Yan arrived at the new student area of Panmen. Gazing at the straight-shouldered guards stationed at the entrance, he silently praised himself—indeed, as Xu'er had said, Panmen was constantly evolving, day and night. Simply observing the guards' aura, Xiao Yan judged that they were likely at the peak of Doushi level, clearly indicating that many members of Panmen had been diligently training in the Tianfen Qi Tower over the past month, and the results seemed remarkably effective. As he walked steadily toward the main gate, the guards recognized him instantly. After a brief moment of surprise, excitement surged across their faces. As he approached, they raised their voices in unison, shouting, "Head!" The clear voice drew several passing glances. Xiao Yan shook his head with a helpless smile at the several guards standing on duty, then walked forward, patting the shoulder of one of them before strolling off wobbly toward the new student area, leaving the guard standing there, visibly stunned and delighted. "Heh, it's nearly a month since I last saw him—his strength seems to have improved quite a bit. I'm sure we'll soon have a Douling-level cultivator at Panmen. Then we won't have to worry about bowing to anyone's authority anymore." Watching Xiao Yan's silhouette fade into the distance, the guard who had been patting his shoulder couldn't help but chuckle. "Hmph. Who is he afraid of now? You've all been training regularly at the Tianfen Qi Tower lately—haven't you heard about that incident? Heh, a single move that left a four-star Douling stunned and unable to fight—how many of you in the inner courtyard could even manage something like that?" "I've heard of that incident too, haha. Nowadays, when other factions hear we're from Panmen, they no longer treat us with the same disdain as before—this is largely due to our head's influence!" ... Naturally, Xiao Yan couldn't hear the conversations between the guards. However, since entering the new district, whenever he encountered Panmen members, they would often be momentarily stunned, then quickly step aside, gazing at him with a mixture of reverence and respect as he passed by, slightly puzzled. Upon returning directly to his small pavilion, he found not only Xun'er, Huojia, and Wu Hao present, but even Lin Yan, who had unexpectedly appeared in the main hall. The four in the hall first noticed Xiao Yan entering, but the one who reacted most dramatically was Lin Yan. He leaped up from his chair like a rabbit, his figure flashing like lightning as he rushed to Xiao Yan's side, grabbing his sleeve with both hands and urgently scolding him, "For heaven's sake! You've finally come back! Hurry up! I've used up all your Qing Ling Dan and Xǐ Mí Hán Líng Yè—both of them—by now. I've been waiting for you for three or four days. If you don't return by tomorrow, I'm going to climb up to the Tian Fu Refining Tower myself to find you!" Pulling his sleeve back with a firm tug, Xiao Yan rolled his eyes and said, "What's the rush? I won't die just because I haven't cleared the toxins for a couple of days..." Then he turned and walked straight into the hall, sitting down on a chair and smiling at Xun'er and the others, "How about it? Has the Pan Gate been quiet lately? Has the Bai Clan made any moves?" "Yes, just a couple of days before you went into seclusion, some members had mentioned encountering disruptive individuals from the Bai Clan during their training within the tower. However, thanks to your impressive presence and authority during your time at the Tianfen Qi Tower, the Bai Clan has now grown more restrained—those minor disturbances have significantly decreased, and I believe your influence has indeed made a difference." "Moreover, there are now quite a few senior trainees who are free to join us at the Panmen Sect. After undergoing certain evaluations, our current Panmen membership has actually increased by a quarter since you began your seclusion—these senior trainees are quite capable, most of them possessing the strength of Grand Battle Masters." Xun'er personally poured a cup of warm tea for Xiao Yan and smiled gently. "Oh?" "Heard that, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, then chuckled dryly, 'All I wanted was to ensure no disturbances during my period of seclusion, so I used Renai as a means to send a message—only to find there are even greater benefits than I anticipated...' 'Indeed, there are several advantages, though the drawbacks aren't negligible. You've turned Renai into a bald head—now every time he mentions you, he grumbles. Moreover, you've offended Liu Fei, that woman who's always so headstrong yet lacks any real insight. While offending her wasn't a big deal, you should remember who her cousin is—Liu Qing, the Master of the Dominant Spear. His name isn't just well-known within the Inner Courtyard—he's a true powerhouse. Should he decide to step in on her behalf, even your vibrant purple lotus flames might struggle against his 'Split-Mountain Spear.' Seeing Xiao Yan return, Lin Yan calmed his agitation, took his seat in the hall, and coldly remarked. 'How strong is Liu Qing, exactly?' Hearing the name again, Xiao Yan furrowed his brow and asked. 'Ask Wu Hao—he's been frequenting the arena lately and should have a good grasp of Lin Yan pulled back from his chair, finding explanations for these matters particularly tedious, and merely gave Wu Hao a dismissive glance. When Xiao Yan fixed him with a steady gaze, Wu Hao shook his head in resignation, paused a moment, and said, "Liu Qing, the Master of the Dominant Spear, is one of the top ten elite fighters on the Strong Ranking list. Among the students in the Inner Academy, only a few have ever defeated him. Moreover, he is one of the rare competitors in the Arena to have maintained an eight-match winning streak—many in the Inner Academy still hold him in high regard." Xiao Yan took a gentle sip of his tea and nodded silently. Given Wu Hao's strength, it was no surprise that he had won fewer matches than lost ones in the crowded Arena. Thus, he could already reasonably imagine just how difficult an eight-match winning streak must have been. Indeed, this Liu Qing seemed to be an exceptionally formidable opponent. "But for now, you can rest assured that that guy won't come to Lu Fei's aid just yet. He's currently in deep retreat, preparing for the Inner Courtyard Tournament—scheduled every five years. He's been staying in seclusion day and night, and even when he occasionally steps out of the tower, he's training his combat techniques at the arena. So, until the tournament concludes, he won't bother you. After that, though… well, that's another matter entirely." Lin Yan chuckled with a touch of satisfaction. "The Inner Courtyard Tournament?" Xue Yan raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Is there such a competition? Why didn't we hear about it?" "It's not something that concerns you directly—it's a tournament among the top-ranked fighters on the 'Strong Ranks' list. Ordinary people can only watch from the sidelines. That's why you've never been informed." "Lin Yan pursed his lips and said, "As long as you make it into the top ten in this competition, you'll be eligible to become a candidate for the senior elders, and you'll also gain the qualification to enter the Tianfen Qi Tower's ninth level for a Heart-Fire Origin Body Forging session!" "Have you heard of Heart-Fire Body Forging? Simply put, once you've undergone this Heart-Fire Origin Forging, as long as you're not someone particularly unlucky in terms of character, you'll effectively receive a pass that qualifies you for the next rank—equivalent to a Tier-Grandmaster level—now, do you understand?" "A Tier-Grandmaster level pass?" These words struck their ears, and immediately, the eyes of Hu Jia and Wu Hao flared with intense excitement. In the cultivation journey, the Grandmaster level represented nearly a heavenly threshold—countless cultivators with strong aptitude often stalled at the very edge of the Grand Master rank, unable to make the leap forward. "Heart-Fire Origin Forging?" Unlike the two of them, Xiao Yan had focused his attention on another term—origin. Was it referring to the original essence of the fallen heart flame? His teacup trembled slightly, spilling a little tea. He forcibly suppressed his astonishment, slowly setting the cup down on the table, then looked up at Lin Yan and asked softly, "What qualifications are required to enter the Ninth Level?" "Don't have any illusions about it," Lin Yan rolled his eyes, speaking calmly. "Simply put, students are simply not eligible to reach the Ninth Level or even deeper into the Tenth Level—only the Dean Elders possess that qualification. Therefore, those who were supposed to graduate and leave but remain in the academy are doing so with the ambition of becoming Elders, since once they become Elders, they can enter the Ninth and Tenth Levels to train. That way, they can quickly approach the barrier of the Du Phu level." "Divine Sovereign-level强者..." Xiao Yan exhaled softly and glanced at Wu Hao beside him, both of them reading astonishment in each other's eyes. At this level, across the entire continent, one could easily become a dominant figure or a leading force. Yet, it came as a surprise that some of the younger members within the Inner Court harbored such ambitions. "Is it only those who reach the 'Strong List' who are eligible to participate in that grand competition?" Xiao Yan gently tapped his fingers on the table, asking softly. "Indeed. Even if the entry requirements are lowered, do you really expect some fresh recruits who've only just joined the Inner Court to attain the qualifications of a deputy elder?" Lin Yan's words remained as blunt as ever—he completely failed to consider that the four individuals before him were merely newcomers who had only been with the Inner Court for less than two months. Faced with this sharp tongue, Xiao Yan could only shake his head in resignation, slightly lifting his head to gaze upward, his eyes flickering with uncertainty. Perhaps... this might just be an opportunity.