When Xiao Yan returned to Panmen, he happened to meet Wu Hao and Hu Jia. Upon seeing Xiao Yan's gloomy expression, the latter exchanged glances, puzzled as to who had angered the usually cheerful man. Glancing at Xiao Yan's back, Hu Jia, as though having noticed something, softly inquired, "Where is Xun'er?" Xiao Yan paused, exhaled slowly, and said, "She's gone." "Gone?" Wu Hao and Hu Jia both stared in surprise, then their faces fell with astonishment, "To where? When will she return?" "She returned to her clan. From now on, I doubt she'll come back." Xiao Yan stopped at the entrance of the gate, spoke these words calmly, then stepped inside, and the door slammed shut with a heavy thud. Wu Hao and Huo Jia stared at the tightly closed door, silent for a long while before finally sighing with a sense of quiet melancholy. After all this time of getting to know her—the gentle girl who always smiled warmly—almost every member of Panmen now held a deep sense of admiration and reverence for her. To hear her departure so suddenly felt like a genuine loss. "Ah, if this news spreads, I'm sure many Panmen members will feel down," Huo Jia sighed after a long pause. Wu Hao nodded with a wry smile, speaking softly, "I never realized how odd Xun had been lately—now I see, she's leaving." "Xiao Yan must be feeling the same way," Huo Jia said, shaking her hands in resignation, then turned toward the outside, saying, "Well, perhaps we should let him be alone for now." Wu Hao nodded, following quietly, his spirits still low. In the softly scented room, faint traces of a young girl's fragrance lingered. Xiang Yan lay on the soft bed, slowly closing his eyes. In his mind, the graceful expressions and subtle smiles of the girl were etched as deeply as if carved by a blade—enduring in his memory. He had never felt this way when she was by his side; only now, as the scent of her faded away, did these memories begin to rise from the depths of his mind, tangled like a mass of disordered threads, wrapping around his heart. Taking a deep breath, Xiang Yan realized that that figure would likely accompany him for the rest of his life. "I'll find you," he murmured, his hand gently tightening the blanket, the soft words echoing quietly throughout the room. … The inner courtyard, which had remained relatively calm for some time, once again came alive the next day, as today’s top ten contenders—those strong enough to enter the that-day-burned body-refining tower and undergo the primordial heart-fire forging—were now being received. Everyone in the inner courtyard knew that surviving this forging would nearly guarantee a smooth path toward achieving the next rank of Battle King. Such a rare and invaluable opportunity was bound to draw envy and longing from all. Under the steady gaze of all present, the young man in black robes stepped forward. His consistently warm face brought a sense of renewed vigor to every member of Panmen. As the true leader of Panmen today, every move of Xiao Yan stirred the hearts of the entire order. No matter what challenges they faced, as long as Xiao Yan did not speak of defeat, the members of Panmen would carry boundless determination and confidence. Seeing Xiao Yan's face once again restored to its familiar warmth, Wu Hao and Hu Jia quietly exhaled, relieved. If Wu Hao had still appeared as gloomy and withdrawn as he had yesterday, the mood of everyone present would surely have been deeply subdued. With his eyes sweeping across the gathering, every time Xiao Yan's gaze fell upon a member, that person would instinctively lift their head and straighten their posture, their eyes blazing with fervor and excitement. A gentle smile formed on his lips, and Xiao Yan slowly raised his hand, then lowered it, his voice clear and concise: "Let's go!" "Upon finishing his words, Xiao Yan took the lead and stepped outward toward the磐gate. Following closely behind came a large contingent of磐gate members, moving in a steady and orderly procession. The presence of such a large force traversing the inner courtyard naturally stirred considerable attention—eyes from all around turned toward them. When they saw the young man in black robes leading the way, they immediately recognized him, then turned with admiration to the vibrant and confident group of磐gate members trailing behind. Today, the磐gate has truly monopolized the inner courtyard's herbal medicine market through its successful sales of pills. As its strength continues to grow, even the traditional herbal guilds find it increasingly difficult to compete with them. Moreover, the abundant supply of fire energy has further refined the磐gate's unique fire-energy-based reward and disciplinary system. Consequently, even colleges that have already joined other factions express genuine admiration for the treatment and status enjoyed by the磐gate members. A large group of people marched steadily toward the Tianfen Qi Tower, encountering several other factions along the way. However, compared to Panmen's momentum, these groups appeared significantly weaker. Although the leaders of these factions were mostly among the top ten strongest, they dared not display the slightest sense of pride when facing Xiao Yan—a unique presence who had even seriously injured Liu Qing. They all knew that if Xiao Yan and Liu Qing hadn't been forced to suffer mutual injuries and thus failed to participate in the final ranking duel, both would have been strong contenders for the top three spots. As they approached the Tianfen Qi Tower, Xiao Yan happened to meet up with Lin Xiu'ya and his group. Upon meeting, both sides were momentarily stunned before exchanging warm greetings. As he was making small talk, Xiao Yan's gaze swept over the group behind Lin Xiu'ya—only about twenty people in total. In his heart, he silently praised them. Though not as numerous as the Pan Gate delegation, each member exuded a strong inner aura, with flashes of sharp eyesight and a unified, concentrated presence, indicating that most of them were at the level of one-star Battle Spirit. "Ah, I see—this must be the famed 'Wolf Teeth' of the Inner Academy. Though small in number, each one can hold their own against ten foes. Truly elite." While Xiao Yan was observing the 'Wolf Teeth' behind Lin Xiu'ya, the latter gently glanced toward Xiao Yan, yet failed to catch the vivid image that had been etched deeply into his mind. A touch of disappointment flickered in his eyes before he exchanged warm smiles with Xiao Yan and quickly strode toward the tower's peak now clearly visible at the horizon. When Xiao Yan and his group arrived outside the Tianfen Qi Tower, the area was already packed with people. Due to the special arrangement that the top ten ranked students had to enter the lower levels of the tower today, the inner courtyard had barred entry for other students. Although this caused some complaints, everyone understood it was a long-standing tradition and thus had to accept it. The arrival of Xiao Yan's large group immediately drew attention from all sides. As Xiao Yan, now equally renowned and respected as Lin Xiu'ya, was instantly recognized by everyone, various voices began to rise among the crowd. Ignoring the bustling chatter, Xiao Yan and his group, leveraging their numbers, cut straight through the crowd like a sharp blade, dividing it in two, and finally arrived with confidence and grace at the open space outside the main gate of the Tianfen Qi Tower. Beyond the main gate, there was an open expanse, typically reserved for stronger factions. With Panmen's current standing, they certainly qualified—so the group didn't hesitate, simply selecting a prime spot and settling cross-legged. Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan was momentarily stunned, his gaze shifting along with the others' line of sight. Indeed, the crowd had suddenly stirred, and then a group of people surged forward with great urgency, eventually heading straight toward the main gate. At the forefront of this group stood Liu Qing, bearing the mountain-splitting spear; behind him came Liu Fei, Yao Sheng, and a number of sturdy men whose presence and demeanor were no less imposing than Lin Xiu'ya's. As Xiao Yan watched Liu Qing, the latter seemed to sense his presence as well, slightly tilting his head, their eyes meeting those of the black-robed young man seated on the ground. In this moment of mutual gaze, Liu Qing's pace gradually slowed. As the focal point of the gathering, his every movement naturally drew the attention of the crowd, and thus, a fresh wave of eyes turned back to Xiao Yan. With these two seemingly destined rivals now facing each other, the murmurs among the onlookers fell into quiet. Under the watchful eyes of those around, Liu Qing hesitated slightly before stepping steadily toward Xiao Yan and the others. Behind Xiao Yan, the members of Pan Men saw the growing group of Liu Qing and his companions, and their bodies immediately tensed. Their expressions turned hostile, some even drawing their weapons. This exchange instantly silenced the surrounding voices, as all eyes turned toward what seemed poised to become a large-scale confrontation between the two factions. When Liu Qing stopped about ten meters away from the Pan Men group, he raised his hand, and the group of impassive men halted at once, their footsteps falling in perfect unison with a crisp, resonant sound. Liu Fei, Yao Sheng, and Liu Qing approached and stopped before Xiao Yan, their eyes fixed on the smiling young man. After a pause, Liu Qing spoke in a low, steady tone: "You're strong. I underestimated you." Xiao Yan smiled and bowed slightly, saying: "It's just luck." "In battle, there is no luck," Liu Qing said calmly, then his gaze warmed as it turned toward Xiao Yan, adding, "From now on, however, my opponent has grown by one—this is truly a great blessing for me. I'll come back to challenge you again whenever I have the time." Without waiting for Xiao Yan's reply, Liu Qing turned and led the group to sit cross-legged at a distance, quietly waiting for the tower gates to open. Watching Liu Qing and his companions depart, Xiao Yan shook his head in resignation—this man was indeed quite troublesome. Not long after Liu Qing's group had gathered, more individuals arrived. Finally, after nearly half an hour, a gust of wind swept through the sky, and several elderly figures materialized outside the tower gates. Leading them was Su Qian, the Senior Elder. "Ah, well," he smiled, "it seems all of you have arrived. Then I shall make no further formalities." Su Qian glanced around, said little, and with a wave of his hand, the heavy tower gate creaked open slowly. "The eleven from the Top Ten of the Strong Ranks, follow me in. The rest are not allowed in today. Otherwise, they won't be able to enter for at least six months." Su Qian spoke calmly, then turned without looking back at the crowd, who had shrunk in awe under the severity of the decree. He strode toward the inner tower.