Amid the spacious arena, two figures stood facing each other at a distance—one black, one white—standing out strikingly against the pale gray backdrop. "Xiao Yan and Bai Cheng? It's them again...?" "Ha! This promises to be a great show. I hear that after his last defeat at Xiao Yan's hands, Bai Cheng has been claiming it was because Xiao Yan had taken the Dragon Power Pill. Now, here they are, meeting again in a competition where no pills can be taken—will he be able to reclaim that previous loss?" "I think it's going to be quite difficult. Last time Xiao Yan challenged, he even defeated Cheng Nan—after all, Cheng Nan is a top-tier Du Ling cultivator from the Sixth Star Rank, and his strength isn't far behind Bai Cheng's... Watching these two face off now, the crowd on the stands immediately buzzed with murmurs. Most of the people in the inner courtyard knew both of them well, having witnessed their intense battle at the arena earlier, which solidified Xiao Yan's standing on the strength rankings. However, Bai Cheng, as the one who lost, had seen his reputation somewhat decline. Now, meeting him again, it truly feels like fate has brought them together—rivals once again. Unbothered by the murmurs around him, Xiao Yan gently rotated his palm, and his massive Xuanzhong Chi-Scale shot out swiftly. With a simple sweep of his hand, a powerful gust of wind formed beneath him, scattering dust in all directions. Staring at Xiao Yan with a cold intensity, as he drew his weapon, Bai Cheng also produced a long spear of pale yellow hue. The spear trembled slightly, then swiftly and powerfully shook, instantly forming a blossoming pattern of spear movements that quickly faded away. Though deep within, a quiet fear lingered, it dissipated like the wind by now. At this moment, all that mattered was to defeat Xiao Yan—once he did, his own former glory would return, and the strong-rank position he had lost would be reclaimed. "I must defeat this man! At any cost!" With a firm jaw, Bai Cheng's gaze grew even colder. For this match, he had already decided to abandon all principles—rules like 'not to kill' were now mere ghosts. Victory meant everything; once he won, all the rumors would fade away automatically. Xiao Yan glanced at Bai Cheng's shifting expression, which finally settled into a somber stillness, then turned his attention to the referees' bench. Noticing Xiao Yan's gaze, Su Qian slowly rose to his feet. As he stood, the surrounding noise naturally subsided. Glancing around with a composed air, he said with little preamble, "Fourth match—begin!" The moment his words fell, the intensity of the spectators' eyes on the two contestants surged, making the atmosphere feel charged and electric. This match might well be the most compelling of the early games in this year's "Strong Ranks" tournament. Of course, the shift wasn't limited to the spectators' attention—Xiao Yan and Bai Cheng themselves also erupted with a fierce, dynamic presence. A surge of vibrant blue and golden ki erupted from their bodies, coalescing into radiant halos that enveloped both of them. The powerful pressure generated by these robust ki flows spread outward, causing several students near the platform to momentarily pause in their breath. "Indeed, these are top-tier talents on the Strong Ranks list—far surpassing the earlier matches in both caliber and intensity," the students murmured in quiet admiration. Xiao Yan slightly turned his neck, allowing a steady flow of powerful qi to rush through his meridians, continuously infusing strength into every part of his body. His hands tightly gripped the Xuanzhong Scale, with a deep jade-colored qi swirling around it, occasionally rising faint embers of pale blue flame. Each time the flame surged upward, the surrounding space would briefly warp—so subtle that it was nearly imperceptible to those with less keen eyesight. And due to the speed, many spectators outside could only see two blurred figures shooting forth, finally colliding at the center with the force of a meteor, delivering an utterly stunning and eye-piercing impact. As Bai Cheng forcefully twisted his body with a sweeping motion of his heavy staff, he launched over a dozen rapid strikes within a brief span of time—each strike precisely aimed at a specific point on the staff. The crisp sounds of impact merged into a unified, remarkably synchronized rhythm, far more cohesive than before. Compared to his previous performance, Bai Cheng now seemed stronger. "It's merely a temporary improvement. That single defeat has already cast a shadow over his heart. If he truly defeats Xiao Yan this time, not only will he eliminate that shadow, but his strength may surge significantly in the future. However, should he fail once again, he might well remain stagnant at the Spirit Warrior level for the rest of his life." Lin Xiu'ya spoke calmly. "That seems quite challenging," Han Yue said, a faint smile appearing on her cold, elegant face as she glanced at the black silhouette that had been haunting the battlefield. "In just two months, Xiao Yan has directly advanced to a Three-Star Spirit Warrior—such speed is truly unmatched among the Inner Courtyard. Moreover, his pace... likely ranks as the fastest among all Spirit Warriors below the Spirit King level." Lin Xiu'ya spread his hands. He had personally witnessed Xiao Yan's speed, so he didn't consider Han Yue's words to be mere exaggeration. On the matter of speed, even he—unless he activated his somewhat strained Spirit Qi Wings—would find it difficult to match Xiao Yan. Amidst the conversations of several people, Xiao Yan's thoughts within the arena stirred with various reflections. As one who had personally faced Bai Cheng, he naturally felt the sheer strength of the man clearly and distinctly. Yet, for him, this presence did not pose a significant threat. When he first reached the level of Douling, he had needed to rely on his Tianhuo Sanxuan Bian to even qualify for a direct confrontation with Bai Cheng. But now, having advanced to a three-star Douling with a substantial growth in strength, and further bolstered by the unique effects of the "Fen Ju" cultivation technique, he was no longer outmatched even by a typical five-star Douling in direct combat. Combined with his enhanced physical power and the "Three Thousand Thunder Roars" technique, Xiao Yan could now engage and hold his own against Bai Cheng without needing to deploy his Tianhuo Sanxuan Bian at all. "It's no wonder he has this level of confidence—he has indeed broken through the first tier. Yet, even with that, it still isn't enough." A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips. Xiao Yan suddenly focused his spirit, fully concentrating his attention on the length of the ruler. In his mind, the vivid imagery of the tree waves surging in vast numbers from the deep mountains repeatedly flashed through his thoughts. As he immersed himself deeper, the ruler in his hands suddenly surged forward with a sharp thrust, forming several distinct shadows in the air. Then, abruptly, the trajectory shifted—what had once been a heavy, clumsy ruler now moved with the grace of a regular lance, its agility even equaling that of Bai Cheng's lance. Moreover, as the ruler swayed and flowed, a continuous, interweaving offensive emerged, leaving Bai Cheng's lance with no opportunity to draw it out. "Hm?" At the very instant Xiao Yan altered his technique, several startled murmurs arose on the platform and among the judges, each of them displaying clear surprise. Of course, this reaction was entirely understandable—while Xiao Yan's earlier attacks had been broad and forceful, relying entirely on raw power, his current technique now demonstrated genuine skill, and one of a particularly refined and advanced nature. As Xiao Yan's opponent, Bai Cheng sensed this shift most acutely, and his expression immediately darkened. Previously, the only aspects in which he had outperformed Xiao Yan were his own genuine strength and the sharpness and subtlety of his sword techniques. Now, however, Xiao Yan's extraordinary cultivation method had largely compensated for these advantages. Moreover, the current technique Xiao Yan was employing was no less refined than Bai Cheng's own swordplay—indeed, the momentum of the match now clearly favored Xiao Yan with overwhelming strength. Bai Cheng's eyes were wide open, a fierce intensity hidden deep within them. His long spear, like a venomous snake trapped, darted wildly around, yet remained stubbornly stuck to the thick, heavy, clumsy measuring ruler, no matter how hard he tried to甩 it off. With the spear's movements requiring distance, this constant interference from Xiao Yan had nearly halved the sharpness of his offensive attacks. After several minutes of continued struggle with Xiao Yan, Bai Cheng's eyes gradually turned crimson, the fierce rage surging to the surface. A sharp cry burst from his chest: "I'm done!" With the cry, he slammed his palm against the spear's handle, launching the spear straight toward Xiao Yan's heart—no mercy shown. Should it strike, Xiao Yan would likely be killed instantly. Xiao Yan's face remained cold. With a simple flick of his arm, the heavy ruler spun back and instantly materialized in front of him, deflecting the spear's force. The power carried by the spear forced Xiao Yan to step back two paces. With a steady step, Xiao Yan lifted his head, only to be startled by the sudden, eerie flush of blood-red on Bai Cheng's face. Smiling fiercely at Xiao Yan, Bai Cheng's voice was cold and distant, echoing as though coming from the depths of the Nine Tombs, sending a shiver down every spine. "Don't think you're the only one who knows the secret of enhancing one's strength!" "Today, I'll completely dismantle you! Little scamp!"