A massive, deep-red ripple surged forward like a lightning bolt, its trailing energy streams instantly shattering towering stones into powder wherever it passed. The rapidly spreading fissure on the ground, nearly half a meter wide, completely obliterated the entire plaza. Above the arena, a brilliant golden light filled half the sky, while the deep-red ripple arced like a crescent moon, both radiating an intensely sharp and piercing edge. Waves of spatial disturbance rippled outward, cracks spreading like a wave of destruction. The sheer force left the spectators on the stands in awe and fear—so overwhelming was it that they could scarcely imagine surviving even the faintest outpouring of energy; such a confrontation truly was terrifying. Amidst the interplay of golden and deep-red glimmers reflected in countless eyes, two titanic attacks were poised to collide in a thunderous, meteor-like impact. At that very moment, when the two were drawing closer, everyone's hearts involuntarily lifted with anticipation—whose victory would this dramatic clash bring? Amidst the collective hopes and apprehensions, a sudden, fierce collision of deep crimson and golden light erupted in the sky—right then, in the next instant. Yet, as the audience clutched their ears, expecting a thunderous explosion to shake the heavens, the collision in the sky remained strangely silent. A series of astonished glances slowly rose, and then settled upon the two contrasting hues—crimson and golden-yellow—flowing and eroding each other like liquid streams. Though the encounter was quiet, those with keen eyes noticed that at the point where the two powerful energies met, space itself had become profoundly distorted, creating a sense of ethereal and eerie wonder. Amid the quiet of the crowd, a faint hissing sound emerged from the energy flowing back and forth in the air above. Deep red and golden, two vast clouds of energy obscured the sky above the plaza, seemingly in peaceful confrontation, yet both harbored the intent to consume and absorb the other. Countless sets of eyes were fixed in the air, as the entire arena held its breath, waiting for the outcome of the clash between the two energy masses, each radiating an extraordinarily devastating force. Under this intense scrutiny, the dark red and golden energies swirling and devouring each other in the sky suddenly surged like boiling water, violently rippling. Then, amidst the spectators' expressions of bewilderment, the two energy masses suddenly expanded dramatically! A wave of astonishment swept across the crowd, gazing at the now strangely swollen and immense energy forms, each person feeling an undercurrent of unease. When expansion reached a certain critical point, both massive energy masses suddenly ceased all motion, and an unusual, profound luminescence abruptly emerged—like a tiny light spot. As this luminous quality appeared, the space itself began to ripple. The strongest blows delivered by Xiao Yan and Liu Qing seemed to mutually absorb and subtly transform upon contact, a phenomenon that even they found deeply bewildered and astonishing. The light spot rapidly expanded within the two energy masses, eventually becoming increasingly brilliant, and at that very moment, the ripples in the space intensified dramatically. On the judges' bench, the senior elders furrowed their brows, observing the energy interaction that had taken an unexpected turn. While techniques of Earth Rank could indeed harness celestial and terrestrial energies to amplify their power, they were prone to various unpredictable fluctuations when colliding with equally potent techniques—fluctuations even the practitioners themselves could not foresee. From the earlier display, it was evident that the attacks of Xiao Yan and Liu Qing had undergone some unusual anomalies during their intense exchange. A blinding intensity of light poured down from the horizon. As the celestial energies surged wildly, the dark red and golden energy clusters finally could no longer withstand the turbulent shifts—suddenly, a thunderous explosion erupted, carrying with it an overwhelmingly terrifying storm that surged forth from the sky. Where the storm passed, space itself trembled and rippled. Although Su Qian managed to contain the energy storm, two streams of energy still surged out. These energy impacts, following the faint, residual connection left by the two techniques released, struck Xu Xiao and Liu Qing unexpectedly, delivering lightning-fast blows that sent them reeling. "Whoa!" The violent impact drove a gush of blood from both men's mouths. Their bodies slammed into the ground, then shot backward with force, ultimately appearing as two dark streaks, crashing directly through the battlefield and into the stands on either side, causing a ripple of excitement and surprise. Xiao Yan and Liu Qing were scattered by the radiating energy, and Su Qian's expression also subtly changed. The energy generated by the two combat techniques, after mutually consuming and eroding each other, proved far more powerful than the previously pure energy streams. Now, Xiao Yan and Liu Qing were both in their final stages—exhausted and battered—by this fierce impact. The consequences... Su Qian's face darkened, and with a sharp movement of his hand seals, he coldly commanded, "Break!" As soon as the command was issued, the solidified energy storm began to slowly dissipate under the astonished gaze of all present. With a sweeping gesture, Su Qian summoned two senior elders who swiftly materialized from the judges' bench and moved toward the direction where Xiao Yan and Liu Qing had been thrown. A moment later, they each emerged, cradling the two figures now clad in tattered garments, streaked with blood, amidst the scene that had been utterly devastated. Around the plaza, everyone quickly sat up, gazing at Xiao Yan and Liu Qing, now completely unconscious at the center, their eyes wide with quiet awe. They all silently swallowed hard, then chuckled—what two wildly passionate individuals could possibly have fought so fiercely over just a top ten finish? Yan Hao glanced quietly at Liu Qing, who was covered in blood, and a strange expression flickered in his eyes. He murmured, "I never thought it possible—given Liu Qing's strength, he had been made so clumsy by Xiao Yan." Beside him, Lin Xiu'ya remained calm and nodded slightly, though his hand concealed within his sleeve was subtly trembling. The two energy bursts generated by the two had been astonishingly powerful; he knew that any one of them striking him directly would likely have inflicted serious injury—or even death—within an instant. Suddenly, a graceful figure appeared mysteriously beside Xiao Yan, her delicate hands gripping his arm. After a moment, she exhaled softly, turned, and smiled warmly at Wu Hao, Huo Jia, and the others, saying, "Don't worry, everything's fine." Gazing at Xun'er's swift descent, Su Qian was momentarily taken aback, then smiled kindly, "Rest assured, he's unharmed." "Upon hearing Su Qian's gentle laughter, everyone was momentarily taken aback. Su Qian held an exceptionally high status within the inner courtyard, and his formidable prowess was well-known—yet few had ever earned such kind treatment from him. Xun'er offered Su Qian a warm, sweet smile, but said nothing, instead gently wiping the blood from Xiao Yan's face with a touch of concern. Her delicate, slightly furrowed brow stirred a sense of unease in several of the onlookers, particularly the men. "Master Elder, now both of them are unconscious—so who wins this match?" one elder asked, hesitating as he gazed at the two resting figures. At this, the crowd gathered around instantly tuned in, realizing that this was the crucial question. Su Qian slightly furrowed his brows, finding it hard to decide: "According to the rules, both of them have officially entered the contest. And now, both are unconscious—so it's hard to tell who...". As soon as Su Qian finished speaking, a limb stained with blood slowly raised itself amidst the surrounding waves of stunned gazes. "Hmph... I... I still have breath."