A thunderous explosion, like a mountain splitting and the earth cracking, erupted from the broad plaza, striking the onlookers in awe! A powerful gust of destructive wind, carrying intense heat, surged forth from the point of the flaming lotus explosion, sweeping across the entire arena in a storm-like surge in every direction. Where the storm passed, the ground shattered, spreading cracks as wide as human arms, rapidly weaving a web of fissures that reached every corner of the field. In an astonishingly brief moment, the seemingly impenetrable battlefield was reduced to a scene of utter chaos. On the stands, one after another, spectators stared in sheer disbelief at the wreckage, their minds still struggling to comprehend—how could a previously formless, indistinct purple glow have generated such overwhelming devastation? Long after, the crowd gradually came back to themselves, all their eyes suddenly turning toward the pale, breathing young man in the black robe. Each gaze was filled with astonishment and shock—clearly, the sudden, thunderous assault that Xiao Yan had unleashed had left them utterly stunned. On the elevated platform, Liu Fei's delicate face was pale, her hands pressed to her mouth, her eyes wide with fear. Xiao Yan's unexpected and terrifying counterattack had nearly sent her from her lofty position of confidence straight into despair. She had never imagined that the very one she had long resented—Xiao Yan—was capable of such a hidden strength. Next to Liu Fei, Yao Sheng's mouth also gradually widened. After a while, a mix of astonishment and relief flashed across his eyes—thankfully, during the battle yesterday, this particular technique hadn't been used by the other. Otherwise, even at his absolute best, Yao Sheng doubted he wouldn't have sustained serious injuries from this devastating move. "Fei, don't worry," Yao Sheng reassured the one beside him, whose face had gone pale with fear. "Older brother's strength far exceeds Xiao Yan's. Even though he's now employing this powerful technique, he hasn't yet used his full strength." Her steady gaze slowly shifted from the swirling dust to the young man in the dark robe, his expression stern. For some reason, the intensity in her eyes now held less resentment and instead carried a touch of hesitation and mild apprehension. Her greatest strength within the inner courtyard had always been Li Qing, but now, Xiao Yan had demonstrated combat prowess equal to even Li Qing's. Thus, that very strength had diminished significantly in its impact on Xiao Yan. Without this key pillar, what authority remained for her to maintain her proud demeanor before Xiao Yan? Lin Xiu'ya smiled, though a faint sense of seriousness lingered in his eyes. The fire lotus attack earlier had been formidable—had he not been vigilant, even with his strength, he would have surely sustained serious injuries. He hadn't expected that Xiao Yan actually possessed such a powerful reserve. "How is Liu Qing? Has he—?" Han Yue quickly scanned the field, but beneath the thick dust, no trace of him was visible. Lin Xiu'ya narrowed his eyes, then shook his head after a moment, speaking softly, "Though I must admit, even I recognize the terrifying power of Xiao Yan's fire lotus technique, I believe it would be quite difficult for him to completely defeat Liu Qing with just that. For some reason related to his qi attribute, Liu Qing's defense is actually stronger than mine." Upon hearing this, Yan Hao and the others nodded slightly, their gaze shifting once again toward the dusty battlefield. As the crowd's gaze once again shifted back to the field, the drifting dust gradually lightened. Then, suddenly, a gentle breeze swept across the arena, carrying the dust away. When the dust had finally cleared, a tall figure stood straight and imposing, radiating a sharp, spear-like presence, slowly coming into view within everyone's sight. Staring coldly at the figure amidst the ruins in the distance, after a moment, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed, and finally realized that Li Qing had taken the dark, heavy spear he had been carrying on his back and now held it firmly in his hands. With the spear in hand, Li Qing's entire presence radiated like a long spear gleaming with cold brilliance—his aura now far more sharp and powerful than before. "Indeed, it makes sense he managed to withstand the explosion of the Buddha's Wrath Lotus—he must have drawn upon his very strongest reserve," Xiao Yan thought, subtly easing his tension. Raising his gaze, his eyes met Li Qing's directly. The two locked gazes. Xiao Yan could see the weight of seriousness and deep regard in the latter's eyes. After that decisive blow, the once-aloof man had finally fully regarded Xiao Yan as an equal. In the midst of everyone's attention, Liu Qing slowly raised his heavy spear, pointing it steadily at Xiao Yan, his deep, resonant voice echoing throughout the arena: "You have the right to warrant my use of the Split-Mountain Spear!" This statement was a clear recognition of Xiao Yan's strength. Having witnessed the devastating attack Xiao Yan had just delivered, no one in the crowd now questioned his credentials. As a result, the entire arena fell into a sudden silence, all eyes fixed on the two figures facing each other across the field. Xiao Yan gradually clenched his fists, the joints of his fingers emitting crisp, explosive sounds. Liu Qing's sharp, incisive presence was indeed highly compelling—clearly, he had fully unleashed his peak strength. The battle ahead would likely see an even more vigorous and relentless assault from him. "Liu Qing is about to deploy the Mountain-Shattering Spear..." On the elevated platform, gazing at the dark, heavy spear in Liu Qing's hands, Lin Xiu'ya sighed softly and said, "Even if Xiao Yan falls, he will surely achieve glory in defeat—having been driven to this point." Beside him, Yan Hao nodded slightly. Within the inner courtyard, aside from Lin Xiu'ya and Zi Yan, the powerhouse known for his raw strength, few others possessed the stature to compel Liu Qing to deploy the Mountain-Shattering Spear—something even Yan Hao, rooted in his own pride, had to acknowledge, as he himself had never held such a qualification. "Yet Xiao Yan holds the top ten spots very dear. I believe he won't easily give them up," Han Yue said, her brows slightly furrowed. Lin Xiu'ya smiled calmly. "Unless Xiao Yan has something even stronger than the Flame Lotus Technique in his reserves, I suspect the top ten spots will be extremely difficult to secure." There was a touch of惋惜 in his voice. Having now witnessed Xiao Yan's outstanding prowess, he felt a strong desire to face him in battle—yet if Xiao Yan were defeated by Liu Qing, then this very opportunity might be lost. His gaze settled on the young man in the cold, dark robe on the field, eyes sharp and composed. Lin Xiu崖's eyes sparkled with hope, genuinely wishing that this often-surprising individual would once again deliver a miracle. Hearing Lu Qing's words, the audience on the stands immediately leaned forward, their eyes constantly shifting between the two figures. Observing the intense confidence radiating from Lu Qing's face, Xiao Yan knew that the attack coming next would truly determine the outcome of this match. With his lips tightly pressed, Xiao Yan took a deep breath of the slightly warm air, and, under the watchful eyes of all present, slowly bowed: "Xiao Yan takes his turn!" The top ten spots were goals Xiao Yan would never surrender—no matter who stood before him, he had to give his absolute best to defeat them. "Excellent! Full of determination!" Lu Qing's eyes suddenly flashed with sharp intensity as he spoke, his voice resonant. He slightly stepped back, gripped his Li Shan Gun tightly in both hands, and leaned forward, the cold-tipped gun pointed directly at Xiao Yan across the distance. As Lu Qing settled into this stance, Xiao Yan instantly felt a chill run through his entire body. He could sense that Lu Qing had already locked him into the offensive. A strange sense of pressure enveloped Xiao Yan, yet beneath this pressure, a blazing sense of battle fervor surged within him like boiling water. His body straightened suddenly, his voice clear and resonant, dispelling the earlier tension: "Li Qing, brother, go on—today, I'm claiming those top ten spots!" His laughter echoed throughout the arena, stirring a wave of exhilaration even among the spectators. As the laughter settled, Xiao Yan took a steady step forward, extending his hand sharply toward a spot in the wreckage. A powerful suction surged forth, and the dark, heavy Xu Zhong Chi shot back, finally being firmly grasped in his palm. "Li Qing, brother," he declared, "let's see—whose performance will fall short today?" Heavily stepping forward, Chen Shi suddenly pointed at Liu Qing, whose demeanor was as sharp and incisive as a blade. As Xiao Yan spoke with a resonant voice, the celestial and terrestrial energies within the arena instantly surged into an uproar. At that very moment, even the elders on the judges' bench were visibly startled, their faces turning pale.