The man who stepped onto the scene was notably tall, almost resembling the humanoid gorillas like Yan Hao, dressed in a simple cotton tunic, with a resolute face, thick brows, and a heavy, imposing presence. He carried a long, dark pike at his back, matching his height—this pike was larger than any gun Xiang Yan had ever seen before, and like the man himself, it exuded a sharp, commanding aura. As soon as this man appeared, the spotlight seemed to shift entirely to him; his commanding presence was such that no one, anywhere, would dare to overlook him. The first impression Xiang Yan formed of this man was simply two words: authority! Whether in his stature, features, or the imposing black pike at his back, the same aura of authority permeated everything. In the inner courtyard, this particular aura was unique to only one person—Li Qing, ranked third on the "Strong List," known as the Master of the Pikes! The arrival of this man immediately silenced the arena. The gazes cast downward from the stands carried a subtle sense of reverence—few among those present, who were considered near the pinnacle of strength within the inner courtyard, had ever faced him directly. The man glanced at Xiao Yan, then briefly surveyed the nearby White Cheng, now unconscious, and in a deep, resonant voice, said calmly, "I didn't expect you to have defeated White Cheng." "It was merely a lucky break," replied Xiao Yan, his hands drawing the Xuan Zhong Chi from beside him and pulling it into his grasp. His composed demeanor remained unchanged, unaffected by the man's stature. "We've had our share of indirect disagreements," said Liu Qing, looking steadily at Xiao Yan, and then suddenly smiled. Frowning slightly, Xiao Yan naturally understood that the grievances he mentioned stemmed from the incident involving Liu Fei. Without offering any defense, he allowed the remaining Qi within him to flow slowly through his meridians, ready to meet any potential resurgence of battle. Stung by Xun'er's direct and uncompromising reprimand, Liu Qing was momentarily taken aback. He then gazed at her with a somewhat unusual intensity—given his talents and prowess, few had ever spoken to him with such directness, especially not in such a commanding manner. Moreover, Xun'er's striking presence naturally drew his attention, causing his gaze to linger on her for a considerable time. "Hmph! What in the world are you? Do you think you can scold my elder brother? Don't think you've earned any special status just because you defeated Bai Cheng—Xiao Yan is nothing but a mere liability, relying entirely on the power of his medicinal concoctions!" Seeing Xun'er's bold demeanor, Liu Fei immediately felt uneasy. Particularly when she noticed that her usually reserved and indifferent elder brother now seemed genuinely interested in Xun'er, a wave of disappointment surged within her. Without hesitation, she stepped forward, pointing at Xun'er and responding with a soft, firm voice. Regarding Liu Fei's outbursts, Xiao Yan merely raised his eyebrow, yet didn't even bother to turn his gaze—this unreasonable, headstrong woman had always been someone he respected but kept at arm's length. From the very beginning, his attention had remained fixed on Liu Qing, who exerted upon him a pressure no weaker than that of Lin Xiu'ya. While Xiao Yan could easily brush off Liu Fei's scolding as mere background noise, Xun'er's face grew completely cold. Though she tolerated Liu Fei's sharp exchanges, she could no longer bear Xiao Yan's condescending remarks! "Fei'er!" At the side, Liu Qing furrowed his brow, clearly thinking Liu Fei's outburst slightly excessive. He raised his voice and looked up, noticing the coldness spreading across Xun'er's face. As he was about to speak, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he swiftly stepped to the left, just in time to position himself between Liu Fei and Xun'er. At the very instant Li Qing moved, Xun'er, who had been motionless, suddenly burst forth, leaving two faint afterimages along her path—precisely at Li Qing's left and right. As those afterimages materialized, Li Qing's face tightened, his arm flashing like lightning, piercing through the two figures before him. Then—crisp, resonant claps echoed from behind. Under the lingering sting of pain on her cheeks, Liu Fei finally regained her composure. To be publicly struck across the face—harder than being cut—was far more unbearable than she had expected. A surge of shame and indignation flooded her heart, her cheeks flushing purple with anger. She shouted in frustration, her fingers clawing at Xun'er's face. Later, Xiao Yan slightly furrowed his brows and issued a low command. Upon hearing his voice, Xun'er's icy composure began to melt, and with a light tap of her foot on the ground, her body swayed like a butterfly, gently settling beside Xiao Yan. Noticing his furrowed brows, she offered a playful smile—her fleeting bloom of grace causing several men in the stands to gaze at her in awe. Shaking her head in resignation, Xiao Yan took Xun'er by the hand and drew her close behind him. Though he knew her hidden strength likely did not fall short of his own, his ingrained sense of male superiority made him reluctant to delegate such combat duties to women. As Xun'er stepped back, the atmosphere in the arena grew strangely tense. By the side of Liu Qing, Liu Fei clutched her cheeks, softly weeping, while several others hurried to comfort her. Liu Qing himself settled into a quiet frown. "Hehe, it's quite lively today. Just watched a battle between men, and now girls are stepping onto the stage..." The odd atmosphere was suddenly broken by a burst of laughter, followed by several figures darting down and finally appearing on the field. "Lin Xiu'ya? Yan Hao? Wow, what's going on here? These guys who usually stay in seclusion, closing themselves off, have all come together today!" With the arrival of the figures, murmurs began to rise across the stands. Seeing Lin Xiu'ya and the others appear, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned before smiling and greeting them warmly. Lin Xiu'ya first exchanged a few words with Xiao Yan, then turned around to face Liu Qing and the others, raised his thumb in appreciation toward Xun'er, and whispered, "Just what I needed." Xun lightly glanced at Lin Xiu崖 standing before her. Though his appearance and demeanor were nearly top-tier within the inner courtyard, her face still bore little expression—she merely nodded slightly, then shifted her focus entirely to Xiao Yan. Feeling almost overlooked, Lin Xiu崖 could only chuckle softly, awkwardly rubbing his nose. To be treated this way by a woman—he had never experienced anything like it in all these years. "Sorry," Xiao Yan sighed, patting Xun's head gently, and smiled at Lin Xiu崖. "She's quite spirited. Though last time we were in a hurry and didn't get a chance to thank you. If it weren't for your timely intervention, I doubt we'd have made it out alive." Lin Xiu崖 smiled, and his voice wasn't particularly subdued—so even those behind, like Liu Qing, clearly heard him. Lin Xiu'ya's unreserved volume of voice had indeed surprised Xiao Yan, who then glanced at Liu Qing's slightly furrowed brow and suddenly understood, nodding slightly with a touch of gratitude. "Hehe, I was just thinking, Liu Qing—don't you also want to challenge Xiao Yan today? He's been injured, after all." Beside them, Yan Hao smiled and promptly said the most important point with directness. "I wouldn't mind taking advantage of someone's weakness. Since Xiao Yan has already defeated Bai Cheng and now ranks among the 'Strong List,' he should be eligible for the Strong List Grand Tournament in a month. Then, he'll have his chance naturally." "This matter today was purely between the girls—my intention wasn't to cause her any trouble. But Fei can't just take the beating without a fight. Should we meet again at the tournament, then you'll need to give it your all. I'm actually quite interested in you," Liu Qing said, pausing slightly before looking up at Xiao Yan. Liu Qing's words carried a clear sense of challenge, so the attention of the crowd immediately shifted to Xiao Yan. Receiving Liu Qing's challenge was, in itself, an indirect affirmation of Xiao Yan's strength. Under such widespread scrutiny, Xiao Yan smiled lightly, slightly bowed, and spoke with no hint of hesitation—his composure earned quiet nods from many. "I'll certainly be there to meet you."