Not long after Liu Qing entered the arena, Xiao Yan finally awaited Lin Xiu'ya's appearance. He had always harbored considerable curiosity about this stronger contender, ranked even ahead of Liu Qing on the strength roster. Back in the deep mountains, due to facing a King-tier beast and having consistently avoided direct confrontation, Lin Xiu'ya hadn't fully demonstrated the sharpness befitting his standing. However, the fact that he remained lively and unbroken after taking a devastating blow from the snow-magic tigress revealed that his strength was indeed of a truly formidable caliber. Lin Xiu'ya's entrance was undoubtedly one of the highlights of today's match, and his popularity within the Inner Courtyard surpassed even that of Liu Qing. Usually approachable and warm, he effortlessly won people's favor—so much so that even someone as resilient as Xiao Yan found it difficult to harbor any animosity toward him. As soon as he stepped onto the field, thunderous cheers erupted from the stands, with several female students blushing, their eyes filled with both shy admiration and delight, gazing at the tall, composed young man in his deep blue robe. While the Inner Courtyard members held both Lin Xiu'ya and Liu Qing in high regard, their feelings toward them differed: Lin Xiu'ya evoked more respect, whereas Liu Qing stirred a sense of apprehension. Their vastly contrasting personalities shaped their respective levels of popularity. Xiao Yan leaned against the railing, watching Lin Xiu'ya smiling warmly at the audience, his eyes filled with anticipation. Not long after Lin Xiu'ya made his appearance, his opponent finally arrived—another top-tier master ranked thirteenth on the Strongest List. However, this master now bore a bitter expression, much like the one his earlier opponent had displayed. Given his level, securing a spot among the top ten should have been relatively achievable with a bit of luck. Yet now, facing Lin Xiu'ya—this formidable obstacle—the chances of making the top ten had effectively vanished. As for those hands that had clung to him constantly, like an ever-present shadow, his opponent had no means at all. No matter how hard he struggled, his attacks were always confined within those hands. In fact, from start to finish of the battle, he had never once touched a single thread of Lin Xiu'ya's clothing. Xiao Yan shrugged, speaking with indifference. He was well aware of Lin Yan's nature—he knew that the more curious he seemed, the more reluctant Lin Yan would be to reveal anything. Indeed, seeing Xiao Yan's relaxed demeanor, Lin Yan shook his head with mild boredom, stepped forward, supported himself on the railing, and gazed down at the battlefield where the fight had already turned decisively. He smiled and said, "One weave, one罡!" "One weave, one罡?" Xiao Yan lightly murmured, raising a brow. "Lin Xiu-ya has mastered a rather unusual technique known as the 'Weaving Serpent Hand.' As you can see, he can use this technique to contain all of your attacks within a very narrow range. Those with slightly weaker strength are nearly at his mercy, their attacks often flowing according to his will." "Lin Yan pursed his lips, expressing genuine amazement: 'This Snake-Clutching Hand differs from Liu Qing's Great Splitting Coffin Claws. While the latter is powerful and resolute, this one is of a more yielding, counterattacking nature. I've fought him several times, and each time I've been left thoroughly preoccupied by the strange and elusive Snake-Clutching Hand. In terms of difficulty to counter, it surpasses even Liu Qing's Great Splitting Coffin Claws.' Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his gaze fixed on the battlefield below—indeed, he observed that Lin Xiu's arms, as they moved, flowed like a serpent's body, both strange and agile. Once caught by these arms, it would be no easy task to dislodge them. 'Like sticky candy...' Xiao Yan murmured, settling on the most fitting name for Lin Xiu's technique. 'Then what about the "One Storm" they mentioned?' Xiao Yan asked, his eyes flickering slightly. "Hehe, I'm not entirely sure about this either. Lin Xiu'ya's one gust of sword energy is as sharp and powerful as Liu Qing's spear—very few people have managed to make him unleash it. But based on my guess, it should be some exceptionally powerful sword energy technique. I've heard people speak highly of it—back then, even Liu Qing himself was defeated by it. After all these years, I'd imagine that technique must have grown even more formidable." Lin Yan gently tilted his head, blushed slightly, and smiled awkwardly. As he finished speaking, there was a clear sense of anticipation in his tone. "It's not surprising at all. Aside from a few exceptional individuals, these two are nearly among the oldest batch of students in the Inner Courtyard now—achieving such accomplishments is quite natural. But you, entering the Inner Courtyard just a year ago, have already earned a spot among the top ten. In fact, you're the real anomaly. I believe, given more time, even the Power-Brute King wouldn't stand a chance against you." Lin Yan glanced at Xiao Yan with a slightly unusual expression, and as he spoke, his eyes kept scanning around the room, as if afraid the Power-Brute King might suddenly appear. Xiao Yan smiled and said, "Well, I won't be thinking about Zi Yan's position—otherwise, if she gets angry, one punch from her could be quite painful." Lin Yan shrugged and added, "You can feel how much Li Qing and Lin Xiu'ya value you. Even if they don't say it outright, I'm certain they're surprised that someone of your age has achieved such success so early." Xiao Yan smiled lightly and said, "I'm not staying here for long. The inner courtyard is merely a temporary stop." "Ah, it must be something from your family, right? Hehe—I've heard a bit about you from a few elders." Lin Yan's gaze on Xiao Yan suddenly warmed, carrying even a touch of admiration: "To single-handedly take on a sect with a Douzong-level master and still leave safely—truly, I can't imagine how you, this odd one, managed it." A slight moment of surprise, Xiao Yan then realized: with the influence of the Gan Nan Academy, it was likely that they already had information about him even on the day he entered. Moreover, his challenge against Yunlan Sect had already become a major topic throughout the Jia Ma Empire—any casual inquiry would surely reveal the details. Xiao Yan smiled, yet chose not to elaborate further on this matter. "By time, if I make it into the top ten, I'll probably serve as a senior elder in the inner courtyard for about a year. Then, if you wish to return to the Jima Empire and don't mind the hassle, I'll go with you—after all, traveling across the continent is something I've always planned to do." Lin Yan patted Xiao Yan's shoulder and chuckled. Startled, Xiao Yan looked up at Lin Yan, who was smiling warmly. After a moment, Xiao Yan nodded with genuine delight. With Lin Yan's strength, he would surely reach the Battle King level eventually—such a Battle King would be quite valuable, not just within the Jima Empire, but across the entire continent. As conflicts with Yunlan Sect were almost inevitable in the future, having a group of true powerhouses by his side would surely make dealing with Yunlan Sect much easier. "I'll definitely invite you then." "Between the two of them, the battle on the field was also drawing to a close. This fight had been largely under Lin Xiu'ya's control from beginning to end—his opponent, caught in the soft, sinuous arms of his grasp, had been nearly overwhelmed, spinning dizzily. After nearly ten minutes of this, which had carried a touch of playfulness, the encounter concluded decisively. When Lin Xiu'ya gently pressed his palm against his opponent's chest and a surge of gentle force erupted, the audience knew the outcome was inevitable. "Let's go—the rest of the battles won't be much of a spectacle." "Gazing at the opponents knocked out of the arena by Lin Xiu'ya's power, Lin Yan waved to Xiao Yan and then turned, heading toward the stands. As he walked, he said, 'Now we just have to wait for tomorrow's top-ten battle. All we need to find out is which three unfortunate ones will be eliminated...' With a smile, Xiao Yan turned his gaze toward the center of the arena, where Lin Xiu'ya's eyes also met his. Their glances intertwined in the air, exchanging a gentle smile—though within that smile, a quiet warmth of anticipation shimmered. Clearly, both held deep regard for one another. Perhaps this could be considered the mutual respect between true champions. Though Xiao Yan's outward strength might not yet fully match that standard, Lin Xiu'ya and others with keen eyes could see that this younger man, though slightly younger than them, possessed a formidable combat power that rivaled theirs." "I hope I don't run into a particularly troublesome opponent tomorrow..." murmuring to himself, Xiao Yan turned around and walked toward the group of Xun'er, gradually fading from view among the still bustling cheers of the crowd.