The second round proved far more intense than the first day's elimination matches. Most of the players who reached this stage possessed exceptional strength, yet even with such talent, securing victory demanded their absolute best efforts—some even ended up exhausted and battered, barely managing narrow wins. As the second round unfolded with vigorous momentum, one after another of the contestants stepped onto the stage, facing fierce and relentless bouts. One emerged triumphant while another grew increasingly anxious. "Wu Haoyu has already done quite well to reach this point. If he had faced around twenty opponents, he might have given it his all, but his luck has been a bit off—he encountered a top-ten ranked contender. Still, even if he lost to that player, I'm sure Wu Haoyu wouldn't feel too disappointed." Xun'er shook her head slightly and smiled. "Agreed," Xiao Yan nodded with a smile. Wu Haoyu never set out to challenge the top ten; his main goal in joining the tournament was simply to face the true strong contenders from the inner academy. Now, his opponent has fully met that objective. Therefore, even if he loses, he won't be disheartened. "As for Xiao Yan, however, you should be careful with Yao Sheng. This man can be quite troublesome—be especially mindful during their matches." Xun'er gently reminded. "Don't worry." Xiao Yan smiled slightly. He had previously faced Yao Sheng, and had also received some advice from Lin Xiu'ya, so he knew this man well and did not hesitate to regard him as a serious opponent. "There are twenty-four contestants in total. That means after today's matches, twelve will remain. According to the special rules of the tournament, six of these twelve will be randomly selected to compete against each other to determine the top ten spots. The winners of these matches will directly enter the top ten alongside the other six fortunate contestants who are not drawn." Xun'er spoke softly. "Wait—so does that mean the six contestants not selected will automatically enter the top ten without having to compete at all?" Xiao Yan was immediately surprised, asking, "Doesn't that seem unfair to the six who are drawn?" "Well, no event is absolutely fair. Moreover, the ones who reach the final round are all truly strong contenders with the caliber to make the top ten. Once their abilities are on par, a bit of luck naturally comes into play." "Xun smiled brightly. With a sigh, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow and said, "Six competitors, three winners—plus the six who didn't participate. It seems we're missing one person, don't you think?" Xun chuckled lightly, "You must have forgotten Ziyan, who's been constantly insisting on protecting you? With her strength, the first place is surely secure—no one will be able to challenge her." Xiao Yan was momentarily surprised, then nodded with a gentle smile—he had indeed overlooked this most crucial young member. Turning his gaze toward the field, Xiao Yan couldn't help but shake his head with a quiet sigh. At this moment, Wu Hao had been completely overwhelmed, with no ability to mount a counterattack. During a single clash of aura, the powerful aura surrounding him was instantly dispersed. His opponent had not been particularly forceful, merely applying steady pressure that sent him reeling and out of the arena. Once outside, Wu Hao moved with a sense of purpose. He bowed respectfully to the victors on the stage, then rubbed the spots on his arms that had turned blue, and with a broad, cheerful smile, made his way back to the elevated platform. "That guy is truly strong—no surprise he's among the top ten on the strength list. I've exhausted every move I had, and yet I only managed thirty rounds, even with the opponent showing some mercy." As soon as he stepped onto the stage, Wu Hao exclaimed in admiration to Xiao Yan and the others. "Are you all right?" Seeing Wu Hao's cheerful expression, Xiao Yan shook his head in disbelief—how could someone be so excited after being beaten like this? "Just minor cuts and bruises; a few days of rest should be enough," Wu Hao said casually, just as he was about to speak, when suddenly a deep, resonant voice from the referees' booth announced, "Next match: No. 7!" "Huh? Shouldn't it be your turn?" Hearing the announcement from the stage, Wu Hao was momentarily stunned, then he pushed Xiao Yan gently and chuckled. Xiao Yan also heard that voice, and was momentarily stunned, not expecting to be called upon so soon. He slowly turned his head, his gaze sweeping toward the opposite platform. There, Yao Sheng stiffened slightly, then a gentle, serene face instantly transformed into one of sharp, mocking amusement. "That guy truly is arrogant," Wu Hao remarked, brushing his lips. "Just don't lose, or else, given his temperament, he'll surely face a good deal of embarrassment." "Don't worry," Xiao Yan replied, his eyes fixed on Yao Sheng, who was now returning a cold stare. "He won't get the chance." "Xiao Yan, don't lose," a light laugh echoed from nearby. Xiao Yan and the others turned to see it was Lin Xiu'ya and his companions. As the focal point of attention, Lin Xiu'ya's actions naturally drew the eyes of the audience to Xiao Yan—was it now Lin Xiu'ya's turn to step forward? Nodding respectfully to Lin Xiu'ya and the others, Xiao Yan lightly tapped the ground with his foot, and a faint silver glow formed beneath his feet. Amidst the deep rumble of thunder, a dark figure suddenly surged across the arena. "Heard Yao Sheng say this, Liu Fei finally smiled contentedly. She had never doubted Yao Sheng's strength. Her gaze shifted to the young woman in green robes across the table, and in her heart she muttered fiercely, 'Little brat, after seeing Xiao Yan defeated, what else do you have to boast about?' 'Be careful,' Li Qing said, his brows slightly furrowed as he had been meditating. Opening his eyes to gaze at Yao Sheng who was about to step forward, he added, 'Xiao Yan isn't an ordinary opponent.' 'Don't worry, boss,' Yao Sheng reassured him. 'This kind of opponent doesn't require you to personally step in—my presence is more than sufficient.' Yao Sheng smiled coldly. He had always been somewhat resentful that Liu Qing treated Xiao Yan with such great importance. Now, finally able to face him directly, he intended to make Liu Qing realize that this man was nothing more than a paper tiger—easily crushed with a single touch, utterly insignificant. As he spoke, Yao Sheng leapt from the platform, descending straight into the arena. As his feet approached the ground, two streams of slightly darker ki surged outward, slowing his descent considerably. Finally, he landed softly, his feet barely brushing the ground, leaving not a single speck of dust. "Yao Sheng? I heard he now ranks among the top fifteen in strength—this is truly a formidable opponent." "Yes, Yao Sheng is definitely stronger than Bai Cheng. This match is going to be quite exciting—there's no telling whether Xiao Yan can continue advancing..." "I'm not sure either. Even some of the top ten ranked fighters find Yao Sheng's qi quite formidable. It's still uncertain who will emerge victorious this time..." As Yao Sheng entered the court, murmurs began to rise across the stands, clearly indicating that the matchup had surprised many. Undisturbed by the surrounding conversations, Xiao Yan slowly grasped the handle of the Xuanzhong Chi at his shoulder, then suddenly swung it downward. The heavy staff sliced through the air, creating a sharp rushing sound, and the invisible qi wave struck the floor, leaving a faint trail. Lifting his head, Xiang Yan's gaze fell upon Yao Sheng across the way—calmly composed yet clearly sneering with ill will. A subtle, barely perceptible coldness gradually settled upon Xiang Yan's face. Yao Sheng's repeated provocations had long since stirred resentment within him. Though he had once delayed his confrontation, promising to settle the matter during the grand tournament, now that the moment had finally arrived, he would offer no quarter at all. "Fortunate fellow—your journey thus far has been so smooth. But I shall be the one to end your good fortune." Yao Sheng's keen eyes glowed with a cold, piercing light. With a swift motion of his hands, two black daggers materialized. Each dagger was about half a foot long, featuring several oddly shaped grooves along its blade. Within these grooves, a faint deep red hue shimmered, as though blood had congealed—carrying a distinct scent of blood. The edge of the blades radiated a chilling gleam, and upon closer inspection, one could observe a subtle, deep lavender tint at the very tip of each dagger, clearly indicating a potent poison. In Yao Sheng's hands, the daggers spun rapidly, tracing mesmerizing arcs—fluid and agile, like two serpentine blades of dark venom. Despite Yao Sheng's mocking words, Xiao Yan's face remained calm. He merely glanced at him briefly before shifting his gaze to the judges' bench, waiting for the match to begin. Seeing Xiao Yan again in that utterly tedious, unimpressive demeanor, Yao Sheng's expression grew noticeably more somber. His two blades slowly crossed, then gently swept, sending out faint sparks that shimmered with a cold, sharp gleam... Back when Xiao Yan and Yao Sheng had clashed during their time at the Tian Fen Qi Tower, many of the top-ranked students had heard about it. Thus, whenever the two now faced off, everyone present naturally became interested and turned their attention to the tense confrontation unfolding between them. On the field, Yao Sheng naturally launched the first assault. His slightly dark aura surged violently, and his form transformed into a blurred shadow, darting swiftly toward Xiao Yan. Though Yao Sheng was boastful, it was undeniable that he had solid grounds for his confidence—merely this speed had already surprised Xiao Yan. In the span of a few breaths, the blurred black figure had closed the distance of just a few dozen meters and surged into Xiao Yan's body, leaving everyone holding their breath. Observing Yao Sheng's weapon, one could see he excelled at close-range attacks. While Xiao Yan's staff was powerful, it still lacked room to maneuver; once the distance narrowed, Yao Sheng could easily seal him off completely. Of course, this point, Xiao Yan had naturally also considered. Thus, as Yao Sheng entered the three-meter radius around him, Xiao Yan finally made his move. A flash of silver light emanated from his foot, and his figure seemed to teleport backward several steps, as his heavy staff suddenly swung horizontally with tremendous force, creating a delicate arc of light along its length, accompanied by a continuous, sharp rushing sound. The fact that Xiao Yan managed to establish distance at such close range clearly surprised Yao Sheng. Feeling the pressing gust of wind rushing toward him, Yao Sheng sneered and lightly pointed his foot, lifting his body suddenly. With his two daggers, he swiftly drove them downward with force. "Clang!" The daggers struck squarely against the heavy staff that had just passed through the space beneath him. Sparks flew, and a powerful force easily pushed the staff downward. Though the dagger wasn't particularly adept at direct assaults, Yao Sheng's true strength far surpassed Xiao Yan's. With the boost of internal qi amplifying his power, the agile, compact dagger was able to press down upon the heavy staff, which carried immense force—this was precisely the advantage of superior rank and strength. With both daggers striking the staff, Yao Sheng bent his arms, then curved them, harnessing the force from the staff's body. His body spun through the air like a soaring eagle, then launched upward with a powerful kick from his feet, charging straight toward Xiao Yan's head at lightning speed, the sharp daggers slicing through the air with a chilling, numbing wind. Faced with Yao Sheng's sudden, fierce attack, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, swiftly gliding backward with a shimmering silver trail, and instinctively swung his heavy staff from below upward, delivering a powerful strike. The attack failed to land, and Yao Sheng was momentarily surprised. In mid-air, his body twisted like a fish gliding through water, and the staff skimmed past him, narrowly missing. The same attack was deflected by Yao Sheng, who stepped back, lifting his head to see Yao Sheng already on the ground, standing calmly a short distance in front of him. Though the exchange lasted only a brief moment, it was notably intense—any slight misstep from either side would have resulted in significant injuries from the heavy staff or the dagger. The danger of this encounter was not immediately apparent to most spectators, who only saw the two figures swiftly weaving past each other, one leaping into the air, then landing again, only to reestablish their standoff. However, the contestants on the platform clearly observed the full intensity of the duel, and as they parted, several cheers arose. On the field, Yao Sheng gently rubbed his two daggers between his hands, his gaze fixed steadily on Xiao Yan, now carrying a touch of seriousness. Despite the lightning-fast exchanges earlier, Xiao Yan's rich combat experience had failed to give Yao Sheng the slightest advantage. "We can't hold our own at all," Yao Sheng thought, his eyes darting rapidly. "His speed and experience are on par with mine. Right now, my only edge is my actual rank—so I'll use that rank to pressure him!" As the thought settled, Yao Sheng's body subtly trembled, and suddenly, a dark aura, tinged with a faint scent of blood, surged forth from within him. The dark aura swirled around his body, appearing unusually viscous—like a thick liquid—gently pulsing as thin streaks of dark moisture detached and fell onto the floor, leaving behind small, distinct water spots. As Yao Sheng's qi surged forth, an immediate sense of pressure emerged and swiftly enveloped half the arena. Under this pressure, those ranked below him—regardless of their speed or recovery rate of qi—experienced a noticeable weakening. This is precisely the tactic commonly employed by higher-ranked fighters against their lower-ranked opponents. Naturally, this pressure had little effect on Xiao Yan. His qi, having undergone transformation through the absorption of the heterogenous flames, completely neutralized the pressure. Elegant waves of azure qi gradually spread from within Xiao Yan's body, generating its own sense of pressure that occupied a small corner of the arena, while the rest of the space remained overwhelmingly dominated by Yao Sheng's intensely powerful aura. In the clash of auras, Xiao Yan was almost entirely outmatched—this was a direct reflection of the gap in true strength. Though Xiao Yan's combat prowess was solid, it played only a limited role in this intense exchange of auras. "No matter how skilled you are, this is the gap in rank." Gazing at Xiao Yan, who was being pressed back and could no longer resist amidst the clash of energies, Yao Sheng couldn't help but smile with pride. Xiao Yan calmly glanced at Yao Sheng's proud expression, then slowly formed an unusual hand seal. Instantly, a deep voice resonated within him: "Heavenly Fire Triple Transformation—Azure Lotus Transformation!" As the voice echoed, a surge of vibrant azure flames erupted from Xiao Yan's body, transforming him into a blazing figure. Then, the flames swiftly contracted like lightning, returning into his core. As they receded, Xiao Yan's internal qi surged dramatically, causing his black hair to ripple without a breeze. With the surge of internal energy, his aura also intensified, momentarily matching Yao Sheng's in strength, each of them now commanding half the battlefield. "A mere sideline trick!" With the pressure reversed, Yao Sheng's face slightly tightened, yet he scoffed with disdain. "Only the true path can overcome you." Xiao Yan returned with a cold smile, deploying the Heaven-Fire Triple Transformation. In terms of aura strength, he no longer fell far behind Yao Sheng. Now, he had no longer to worry that his full-force attack would be easily deflected by Yao Sheng’s dagger. "Yao Sheng, you can't lose to this—this waste! He!" On the elevated platform, upon witnessing Xiao Yan's aura surge dramatically, Liu Fei's face grew instantly anxious. She leapt up and shouted loudly, but before she could finish her final word—"waste"—she noticed a piercing, icy gaze fixed upon her. Her eyes darted quickly, and there, standing before her, was once again the young green-robed girl named Xun'er. By nature, she would have paid no attention to her. Yet, as she caught sight of the subtle golden flame flickering within the other's calm eyes, a chill surged through her, and she found herself unable to utter the word "waste." Only when she didn't utter her scornful words and the cold gaze across from her slowly withdrew, did he finally ease his expression. "Hmph. What's there to be proud of? Once that useless one falls to Yao Sheng's hands, I'll show him how I'll humiliate him! With my cousin protecting me, I don't need to fear you, a mere commoner!" Stiffened by the mere glance from her opponent, Liu Fei sat back in her chair, her face as pale as stone, her mind filled with fierce resentment. Hearing Liu Fei's voice from the stage, Yao Sheng's gaze on Xiao Yan grew even colder. With a subtle twist of his foot, a barely perceptible black glow gathered at the base of his foot. Then, with a sharp point of his foot to the ground, his body surged forward in a fluid motion, instantly closing the distance between him and Xiao Yan. "Shhh... shhh..." Without hesitation, as soon as he entered range, Yao Sheng launched his attack. His arms moved swiftly, the two daggers cutting through the air like two venomous serpents, leaving a series of swift, sharp traces, each one aimed squarely at Xiao Yan's body. "Ting, ting, ting..." Silver glimmers beneath his feet as Xiao Yan utilizes the subtle power of "Three Thousand Thunder Roars," moving with light and fluid steps. His heavy ruler, like a shield, guards his entire body, while the countless stabbing shadows of the daggers continuously strike against it, producing a crisp, resonant series of sounds—like an unusual melody. Holding the ruler tightly, Xiao Yan's arms are tense, veins bulging. Though the daggers appear light, they strike the ruler with the force of heavy stones, and with such relentless intensity, even Xiao Yan's strength begins to feel tinged with numbness at his wrists. Fortunately, the high-density attacks also drain Lü Hao's strength significantly. After five minutes of this relentless barrage, the assault gradually eases. A moment later, the dagger shadows vanish completely, and the pressure on the ruler swiftly dissipates. Xiao Yan stepped back several paces with a powerful horizontal swing of the Xuan Zhong Chi, his chest rising and falling as he stared at Yao Sheng, who was now gasping heavily across from him. He glanced down at the Xuan Zhong Chi, noting the dense clusters of fine white spots scattered across its surface—his scalp tingled with the intensity of the assault. The attack had been so relentless; without the broad, stabilizing effect of the staff itself, he would have had no choice but to retreat. Black qi continuously diffused outward, forming a vast, substantial sphere that rhythmically contracted and expanded, as though preparing to manifest something significant. Observing Yao Sheng's rather unusual actions, Xiao Yan felt a growing sense of alertness and had his own internal qi ready to surge. "Black Water Realm!" A deep voice suddenly emerged from within the black qi, and immediately, the black qi sphere surged into rapid rotation, emitting a continuous whistling sound that resonated throughout the arena. As it spun, Xiao Yan was astonished to notice that countless streams of black liquid jetted out from within, swiftly spreading across the entire arena. Since he didn't know what this black water was, he dared not let it touch him, and thus swiftly retreated, dodging the cascading streams. After a few moments of evasive movement, Xiao Yan suddenly halted, quickly lowering his head—only to discover that his feet had, without his awareness, stepped into a pool of black water. With a vigorous tug of his foot, Xiao Yan was astonished to find that the strange black water exerted a surprisingly strong suction force, and moreover, it possessed a powerful corrosive nature. Within mere eye blinks, the sole of his shoes had already begun to corrode. Thanks to his quick reflexes, he had summoned his qi to envelop the soles of his feet, otherwise the entire shoe would have been completely corroded in an instant. Hearing the gasp from the elevated platform, Yao Sheng's satisfied smile deepened, and he swiftly accelerated the pace of his dagger. Yet, as he was about to strike his target, a sudden gale surged directly at him—where the dagger landed, there was only empty space. The blow missed. Yao Sheng immediately bent low, then swiftly twisted and turned several times against the black water, retreating several meters before finally lifting his gaze—only to be startled to find that Xiao Yan was nowhere to be seen. "Where is he?" On the stands, a wave of confusion rippled as spectators cast their eyes around. Yao Sheng's face darkened, his gaze slightly lowered—until suddenly, he caught a reflection in the black water. His body stiffened instantly, and then he sharply raised his head. There, suspended in the sky, the young man in black robes stood motionless, his broad, deep-purple and black wings gently flapping, as if a celestial deity. As Yao Sheng lifted his head, the gaze of the audience followed suit, pausing in unison when they saw the figure in the sky—Xiao Yan, now with wings sprouting from his back—standing motionless at that very moment. "Battle energy transforming into wings?" Not only on the stands, but even on the elevated platform and the judges' bench, a series of gasps echoed out. Every gaze was filled with awe and disbelief.