Stepping into the sixth floor of the Tianfen Qi Tower, gazing at the spacious and open interior—significantly wider and more expansive than the floors below—Xiao Yan silently sighed in admiration, thinking to himself, "Such an environment and treatment—indeed, no wonder it's reserved for the very top-tier强者 of the Inner Courtyard." The space on the sixth floor was vast, with the stone walls glowing a soft, delicate red, radiating a unique warmth that enveloped the body in a comforting, cozy sensation. Though the area was spacious, the number of people present was surprisingly sparse. As Xiao Yan scanned the scene, he found only a few scattered figures standing still throughout the expansive space—a stark contrast to the bustling throngs seen on the upper floors. The entry requirements for the sixth floor were quite rigorous, even surpassing those of some "Strong Rank" masters, which explained the relative scarcity of visitors. With only a brief glance, Xiao Yan promptly decided to proceed straight toward the deeper reaches of the sixth floor. This time, upon arriving at the Sixth Floor of Tianfen's Qi Tower, Xiao Yan naturally intended to go into seclusion. With the approaching "Strong Rank" Grand Tournament, he felt a growing sense of urgency. Though perhaps driven by grief and fury stemming from family upheavals, his Qi had reached the peak of the first star, and after three days of relentless, intense battles, he had managed to make a fortunate breakthrough into the second star Domain Spirit level. Still, this level of strength posed significant pressure if he hoped to secure a spot among the top ten of the "Strong Rank" Tournament. After all, the current top ten contenders all stand at the peak of Domain Spirit, and even Lin Xiu'ya, Yan Hao, and Liu Qing have begun to touch the barriers of Domain King level—strength that rivals even the leaders of certain powerful factions in Black Angle Region. How could ordinary "Strong Rank" elites possibly pose any real threat to them? There are nearly twenty days until the grand tournament begins, and Xiao Yan's plan is to maximize his strength development within this period, thereby increasing his chances of securing a spot among the top ten. Within the Inner Courtyard, the most efficient path for rapid strength enhancement is undoubtedly the Tianfen Qi Tower. With Xiao Yan's current qualifications, the sixth level is undoubtedly the ideal choice! Gradually entering the central area of the sixth level, this is a moderately sized resting plaza where a group of about fifteen figures stand scattered among the space. These figures exude an exceptional aura, their powerful energies radiating from within and enveloping the entire resting area. The strength of these individuals is such that merely one of them placed within the inner courtyard would command respectful attention—clearly, their prowess ranks at least among the top thirty on the "Strong Rank" list. It's no surprise that some people would raise such questions. Though Xiao Yan had gained a solid reputation within the Inner Court, the individuals standing here were all well-known figures with prominent standing. Perhaps they had heard of Xiao Yan's name, but few had actually seen him in person. After all, given their nature as passionate cultivators, they generally paid little attention to ordinary matters unrelated to themselves. Thus, when they saw Xiao Yan entering the sixth level with only a two-star Douling strength, they were all taken aback. "Xiao Yan?" Of course, not everyone was unfamiliar with him. Soon after his appearance, a voice of both surprised recognition rang out, and then Lin Yan stepped into Xiao Yan's line of sight. Smiling at Lin Yan, Xiao Yan casually greeted, "I didn't expect to see you here too." "It seems your privileges within the inner courtyard are quite substantial—having managed to reach the sixth level with only a two-star Spirit Soul rank is no small feat, surely impressive enough to make many envy." Lin Yan said with a smile. Xiao Yan smiled slightly but said nothing in response. "Heard you actually accepted fifteen challenges and didn't lose a single one? Truly lucky. You should be grateful that the truly capable competitors have been busy with their intensive training lately—otherwise, with your grand display of arena matches, quite a few formidable opponents would surely come to disrupt your progress." Unperturbed by Xiao Yan's quiet demeanor, Lin Yan patted his shoulder, noting that though he had been primarily focused on refining his cultivation at the Tianfen Qi Tower, he had still heard the relevant rumors. "Indeed, it's been somewhat fortunate, but really, I only wanted to prevent the constant stream of challenges. After all, I also need to focus on my own cultivation, don't I?" Xiao Yan replied lightly. "You really are a pain. I've been in this position for a full year, and I've never received a single challenge." Lin Yan chuckled slightly, with a touch of satisfaction. Xiao Yan shook his head in resignation, then raised his gaze to sweep the rest area. Perhaps because Lin Yan had called him earlier, the looks people now directed at him no longer carried much surprise—though they might not be familiar with his appearance, they certainly weren't unfamiliar with his name. Still, while the surprise had lessened, Xiao Yan noticed that several people seemed particularly interested in him. "The folks here are precisely the ones I described as difficult to handle. You'll need to be a bit more careful. If anyone bothers you, just let me know. I've been training here recently, and haven't had any real combat in a while—my bones have been itching all this time. If I can get a good workout before the finals, that would be quite nice." Lin Yan scanned the surroundings with his eyes, slightly raising his voice so that nearly everyone in the arena could hear. While some in the crowd gave him a brief frown, their interest in Xiao Yan subtly diminished—after all, Lin Yan was one of the top ten strongest contenders on the "Strong List," and few dared to challenge him even within this sixth layer. "Thank you," Xiao Yan gently patted Lin Yan on the shoulder, clearly understanding his gesture and offering a warm, grateful smile. "Heh, feeling restless? Then I'll go play a game with Liu Qing, who's also here training." Lin Yan waved indifferently, just about to speak, when suddenly a slightly softer, male voice rang out in the hall, causing his expression to grow slightly more serious. He turned his gaze toward a certain area of the resting pavilion, and coldly remarked, "I thought it was someone else—turns out to be Yao 'the Beauty.' Don't always bring up Liu Qing. Whenever we meet at the tournament, I, Lin Yan, will give you a solid beating. If you're up to it, come and fight on your own—I'll be right there to watch." Xiao Yan followed Lin Yan's gaze and saw a few figures slowly stepping forward. Leading them was a man dressed in light red robes, with a face that bore a distinctly feminine grace—his eyebrows and features hinting at a certain softness. At that moment, however, his face had grown noticeably stern due to Lin Yan's words. "This guy is Yao Sheng, part of Liu Qing's circle. He's always had a soft spot for Liu Fei—last time, after hearing about the conflict between Liu Fei and you, he actually came to find you troublesome, though Liu Qing temporarily held him back. Don't underestimate him; though he may seem a bit effeminate, his strength is quite solid. Ranked 17th on the 'Strongest List,' he's even stronger than Bai Cheng. Right now, he's likely at the level of seven-star Dueling Spirit or above." Lin Yan slightly tilted his head, smiling at Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan nodded gently. Ranking seventeenth on the "Strong List" was already enough to command respect for this man, whose voice carried a slightly soft, delicate tone. From his earlier remarks, it was clear that he wasn't particularly friendly—indeed, there seemed to be more hostility than goodwill. Yet Xiao Yan didn't feel overly concerned. Though the man was strong, he didn't feel a single ounce of fear. If the man wished to spar or fight, he would simply do so. With his current abilities and reserves, even a seven-star Battle Spirit wouldn't cause him any real stress. "So go on, be proud and show off now. During the tournament, Li Qing, my elder brother, will have you shut up that quiet, reserved demeanor of yours." "Throughout my life, I've resented people mocking me as 'a beautiful man,'" said Yao Sheng, his face slightly pale and stern. He then turned his cold gaze toward Xiao Yan, who stood beside him, and coldly remarked, "Don't think that defeating some mediocre, ordinary students is enough to establish your dominance within the Inner Courtyard. If it weren't for Brother Liu's insistence that we not make any unnecessary disruptions during this period, you'd have surely lost face before the entire student body—how could you possibly maintain such grace and dignity?" Xiao Yan shrugged and smiled, saying, "If you believe you're truly capable, go ahead and issue a challenge at any time. Right now, your quiet demeanor says more about the value of your 'Strong List' rank than anything else." "Excellent! What's the point of fearing him?" laughed Lin Yan beside him. As his expression grew steadily colder, being publicly challenged by a newcomer who had only recently joined the 'Strong List' made Yao Sheng's face increasingly grim. His eyes, sharp as venom, fixed unrelentingly on Xiao Yan. Then, slowly, he stepped forward, and a powerful surge of energy erupted suddenly, sweeping across the entire courtyard. "Very well. I've long promised Phoebe I'd give you a proper scolding—now that I've encountered you, it's all your fault." The measured, cool tone of Yao Sheng echoed through the sixth tower, and the subtle undertone of menace even dampened the surrounding warmth. Xiao Yan's lips curled into a sharp, cold smile. He took a heavy step forward, and fine cracks began to spread from the hard stone floor beneath his feet. "Then let's see how you hold up!"