Upon hearing the black-robed elder's question, Xiao Yan's heart suddenly leapt, and his eyes darted around as his thoughts raced: "Wouldn't this old man, if he found out I actually saw it, go to extreme measures—like killing someone to protect his secret?" After all, the significance of the Fallen Heart Flame to the Inner Courtyard was truly immense, which was precisely why Xiao Yan harbored such concerns. The atmosphere in the air was tense and heavy, and Xiao Yan's hands were drenched in sweat. The pressure exerted by the black-robed elder was no less than that from Yunlan Sect's Yunshan. With his current strength, if not for the timely aid of Yao Lao, the elder could easily subdue him with a simple gesture. After much deliberation, after a while, Xiao Yan finally made up his mind—firmly refusing to admit that he had witnessed the clash within the tower. Yet, at that very moment, the black-robed elder suddenly spoke again, calmly: "You must be Xiao Yan, then?" It's said that the connection between different unique flames is quite vague and indistinct. I believe you must have sensed the unusual occurrences within the tower due to the unique flames within your own body." The black-robed elder's words immediately startled Xiao Yan, yet soon brought him peace. While many of the elders in the courtyard were aware of his unique flame, what surprised him was that this elder had been able to intuitively sense certain details—indeed, his statement clearly indicated that he already knew Xiao Yan had detected the tower's disturbances. Observing the elder's calm, composed demeanor, Xiao Yan quietly breathed a sigh of relief; he was glad he hadn't voiced any denial, for otherwise, he might have appeared nervous or embarrassed. "Yes, I have indeed sensed something, though the Heavenly Burn Refinement Tower seems to be under a special seal. Once outside the tower, those sensations have grown remarkably faint." Xiao Yan said carefully. "You needn't be worried—I have no intention of holding anything against you." "It seemed that the black-robed elder sensed the tension in Xiao Yan's heart. With a gentle smile, he waved at him and said, 'Just a small reminder—please don't mention the affairs within the tower to anyone outside.' 'The matters within the tower shall remain known to no one but me,' Xiao Yan promptly assured. 'I've actually known you for some time, though we've never had the chance to meet in person. At your age, being able to command a unique heterofire is truly admirable.' The elder's tone carried genuine admiration—no exaggeration. A single fallen Heartfire Flame had enabled the Inner Court to establish the Tianfen Qi-Tower as a premier training facility. Yet the young man before him possessed such a rare flame entirely on his own. How could one not be struck by this? Xiao Yan managed a dry smile, choosing not to elaborate further, and bowed respectfully, 'Then, may I inquire your name, Elder?' "The elders within this inner courtyard are mostly at the Battle King level, yet the elder before us far surpasses them. Based on Xiao Yan's speculation, unless it's the headmaster who has remained unseen throughout, it must be the enigmatic Grand Elder himself." "The elder's name is Su Qian, the foremost among the elders—usually they simply refer to me as the Grand Elder," the cloaked elder said calmly. "Indeed..." Xiao Yan murmured internally, though he had anticipated this, his expression still couldn't help but subtly stir. "Xiao Yan, I believe you've also sensed some of the changes within the tower. Let me be frank—there are indeed significant challenges here. While we can currently maintain control for a time, this situation is not sustainable in the long run. Therefore, I hope you can lend your support to the inner courtyard in the future." Su Qian suddenly adopted a serious expression and spoke earnestly to Xiao Yan. "With the senior elders' current capabilities still falling short of even containing you, what role could my modest Douling strength possibly play?" Hearing that Su Qian's words subtly implied a desire for him to step in, Xiao Yan was utterly astonished, stammering in response. "Heh, with your unique Yihuo, you can't be measured merely by ordinary strength." Su Qian smiled and said, "You needn't be afraid—whether or not I'll actually ask you to assist has not yet been finalized. I'm merely trying to prepare an alternative course of action in case of the worst possible scenario. Should you find yourself unable to contribute, I certainly won't insist." By this point, Xiao Yan could only nod with a wry smile and say, "Alright, then. I'll do my best when the time comes." "Heh, that reassures me quite a bit." Seeing Xiao Yan's wry smile, Su Qian smiled and added, "If you truly prove capable of stabilizing things, our inner courtyard will not overlook you. Whatever you need—whether it's techniques, combat skills, prescriptions, or anything else—we'll make sure you're fully satisfied." "Can you give me the Heart Flame of the Fallen Star?" thought Xiao Yan to himself, yet on his face he feigned genuine excitement and eagerly nodded. "Currently, the tower has settled down somewhat, though there are still many follow-up tasks to attend to, so I won't linger with you any longer." With a smile, Su Qian said, "Also, there are four days until the 'Strong Ranks' competition. You'll need to push yourself hard. If you can make it into the top ten, the benefits will be substantial." "The top ten are all at the peak of the Battle Spirit stage—how could I possibly compete with them, given my relatively recent entry into the Battle Spirit realm?" Xiao Yan stammered, slightly embarrassed. "Cunning little fellow, don't act puzzled in front of me. I'm thoroughly familiar with your strength—while defeating figures like Liu Qing and the others may be quite a challenge, if it comes down to a direct confrontation, aside from Liu Qing, Lin Xiu'ya, Yan Hao, and a few others, I'd say most of the rest on the 'Strong List' won't be able to hold their own against you." Su Qian shook his head and smiled warmly. "Moreover, you've only just entered the Battle Spirit realm for less than two months. Yet in that brief span, you've already advanced directly to the third star level. That pace—well, even I am genuinely astounded." Feeling a bit embarrassed, Xiao Yan's mind was racing with surprise. It seemed he had quite a bit of information in Su Qian's hands. With his sharp observational skills, Su Qian must have already deduced most of his true capabilities—otherwise, he wouldn't have said such things. And considering that the promotion to third-star Battle Spirit had only just occurred two days ago during his closed meditation, it was surprising that Su Qian had instantly recognized his exact rank. "Young man, it's certainly good to stay humble, but don't pretend you don't know what's going on in front of people who truly understand. For all these years I've been in the inner courtyard, I've seen my fair share of prodigies and odd talents," Su Qian smiled at Xiao Yan's awkward expression, then waved his hand. "That's enough. I still have matters to attend to—don't waste any more of your time. Remember, you must absolutely make it into the top ten of the 'Strong Rank' list. And, of course... our agreement." "I didn't expect his strength to be this formidable; from the aura he radiated, it seemed even Cloud Mountain couldn't match him. Truly, he's no ordinary Inner Court Elder." With a soft sigh, Xiao Yan murmured to himself, "The Elder is already this powerful—how impressive must the Inner Court Chancellor be, who's always seen only in glimpses? Indeed, the Gan'an Academy is full of hidden talents." As he reflected, Xiao Yan leapt down from the tree branch and dashed toward Pan Men amidst the gradually darkening night. … The "Strong Ranks" competition is the most intense and captivating event at the Inner Academy, even the highest-level contest within Gan'an College. Its exceptionally rigorous entry requirements effectively narrow down the field to the most outstanding and exceptional students—those who emerge victorious are truly prodigies, possessing extraordinary talent. Throughout history, every student who has ranked in the top ten of the "Strong Ranks" competition has established a distinguished reputation across the continent; even the least accomplished among them have at least achieved the rank of Battle King and ruled their region with prominence. Nevertheless, despite the stringent entry criteria, the competition continues to draw intense enthusiasm from other students in the Inner Academy. Imagine: students who are rarely seen as strong now gather together, engaging in dynamic, exhilarating battles on stage. The sheer spectacle is as electrifying as a man who has long been thirsty suddenly encountering a fully nude beauty placed before him—his passion is nothing short of overwhelming. Thus, as the "Strong Ranking" tournament drew nearer, the atmosphere within the Inner Academy grew increasingly vibrant, with every conversation centered on the event. As time progressed, the rankings of the last thirty positions on the "Strong Ranking" list were constantly shifting, and those who had previously remained quiet and reserved now burst forth, fiercely vying for the prestigious "Strong Ranking" held in high esteem among the academy students. Nevertheless, despite the constant activity and excitement, no one had dared to send a challenge letter to Xiao Yan since his previous match on the arena stage. Consequently, during these final days, he enjoyed an unusually peaceful and tranquil period—something that, given his usual need for constant activity, felt rather unfamiliar and somewhat uncomfortable. After four days of anticipation by countless members of the academy, the event finally arrived. On the fourth morning, a beam of dawn light fell gently, and a timeless bell tone quietly rose from deep within the inner courtyard, gradually spreading throughout the entire complex. At the very instant the bell rang, students from various corners of the courtyard—each with distinct appearances yet all radiating powerful presence—suddenly opened their closed eyes, their sharp gazes blazing with intense, fervent determination, surging rapidly in response to the ancient chime. In one room, a young man dressed in black robes slowly lifted his dark eyes, then waved his hand, and a massive shadow materialized, finally being firmly inserted across his back. The broad blade of his staff sliced through the air, creating a steady, rushing sound. The young man gently tapped the heavy staff against his back, slightly turned his head, and gazed out the window, sensing the powerful surge of energy rising from every corner of the courtyard at that very moment. A warm, burning sense of combat passion stirred gently within his chest, spreading warmly.