High above, beyond the chaotic battlefield, several figures floated in midair, facing each other. A massive blood-sphere network stood out prominently behind one of them. "Give me three minutes!" Xiang Yan glanced toward the three members of Zi Yan, suddenly declaring. Upon hearing this, the three members were momentarily stunned before giving a slight nod. "Hah! With just three Battle Kings? And even two of you haven't quite fully stepped into Battle King status—how do you expect to hold me off?" Fan Lao chuckled with a mocking tone. "Old man, you really talk a lot," Zi Yan muttered, then turned to her companions, Liu Qing and Lin Xiu'ya, and said, "I'm going up—be careful!" As soon as she finished speaking, before either of them could respond, her slender figure trembled slightly and surged directly toward Fan Lao, her small fists clenched tightly, radiating a powerful force. Seeing Zǐ Yán step forward, Liu Qing and Lin Xiuyan found themselves at a loss and promptly moved swiftly, quickly following suit. Their internal qi had now reached its peak, and they were well aware that this opponent was far stronger than any they had faced before—should they make a single misstep, serious injuries, or even death on the spot, were entirely possible. The three who suddenly ascended to assist Xiao Yan without hesitation immediately became the focal point of attention for all the internal academy students on the ground. Four of the most elite among the academy's students engaging a Duke-level master in such a dynamic battle stirred great enthusiasm among the crowd. Many students who had the strength to participate but could not ascend to the sky found their chests filled with intense passion, their faces flushed with excitement—among them were Lin Yan and Yan Hao. Only students of their caliber among the academy's ranks were truly qualified to take part in such a high-level engagement. "A bunch of youngsters," said the remark, "daring to act so boldly?" With a cold smile, observing the three streaks of purple energy rushing toward him, Fan Lao's pale, withered hands suddenly trembled. Instantly, three surging streams of crimson qi erupted, solidifying into three serpentine forms as thick as a human arm. With a flick of his fingers, the serpents shot forth, their gaping, blood-streaked mouths exuding a pungent, foul odor that surged directly into his face. One strike, and she crushed her opponent's attack. Purple Yan quickly glanced at Li Qing and Lin Xiu'ya, both of whom were slightly disoriented as the blood serpents pressed them. With a flick of her fingers, two gusts of powerful wind shot out, shattering the serpents into a mist of blood. After clearing the serpents' entanglements, Purple Yan lightly tapped the void with her foot, her petite form materializing before Fan Lu like a ghost. Twisting her waist, she drove a sharp crescent arc with her slender, delicate leg, delivering a powerful kick straight to her opponent's head. Purple Yan's legs were slender and delicate, appearing almost fragile—so delicate that one might easily break them with a gentle grasp. Yet, anyone who overlooked the immense power concealed within would surely suffer a bloody, painful defeat. With his years of experience navigating the chaotic, famine-stricken Black Corner Domain where people eat one another, Van Louo knew that combat mistakes were impossible. Even upon first seeing Zi Yan deliver a single punch that shattered his blood spear, he instantly recognized the extraordinary, terrifying strength hidden within this seemingly delicate young girl. Therefore, he could not afford to ignore or underestimate her close-range attacks. His dry hands moved swiftly, and suddenly a surge of vibrant crimson energy erupted from within him, coalescing into a circular energy shield on his left side—thick and viscous, resembling flowing blood. "Thud!" Zi Yan's foot struck the dense crimson shield with a deep sonic boom, sending out a resonant boom. Immediately, ripples surged and vibrated rapidly across the surface of the shield. The terrifying force emanating from her toes directly compressed the crimson energy dome into a precarious arc. However, as her toes neared Fan Lu's face by merely half an inch, the qi on her toes was finally fully absorbed and dissolved by the dome. With a sharp "crack," the compressed dome rebounded forcefully, sending Purple Yan's toes flying away from Fan Lu's body. "Hmph!" Though her offensive was halted, Purple Yan emitted a light sneer, slightly rising on the rebound force, then swiftly shifted her position, entering Fan Lu's arms. Her slender arms vibrated rapidly, generating a series of swift silhouettes, each carrying an overwhelming gust of wind, and striking hard against Fan Lu's chest. Although Fan Lao did not hold any contempt for Zi Yan, he still underestimated her keen speed and sharp combat instincts. As a result, in the very first instant, he was struck several solid punches by her small fists, the powerful force of which caused him to visibly stagger. Such formidable physical strength was something even specialized Body-Attack King-level warriors found difficult to match! "Blood-Clad Armor!" Though he had taken several solid blows, causing his internal energy to grow somewhat scattered, Fan Lao, a seasoned battle-tested King-level warrior, quickly regained his composure. In a flash, he swiftly formed hand seals, and as his energy surged, a dark red armor resembling solidified blood materialized over his body. Clang. Clang. The residual shadow's fist slammed hard against the dark, blood-like armor, producing a series of sharp sounds reminiscent of metal clashing. The armor clearly possessed exceptional defensive strength, enduring the relentless, gust-like attacks from Zi Yan without breaking. Fan Lao was continuously retreating through the sky, though the armor absorbed much of the force. The lingering power still shook his form, forcing him to step back rapidly. Under such intense scrutiny from countless onlookers, being outmaneuvered and pressed so badly by a young girl of Duke-level strength only deepened his growing displeasure and anger. A vast number of students far away, gazing at Zi Yan's magnificent display in the sky, were deeply awed. Zi Yan had rarely truly stepped onto the inner academy stage, and even during the Strong Rank Tournament, due to various circumstances, she had not fully revealed her formidable strength. As a result, many people remained skeptical about her true capabilities. Yet today, that very skepticism was effortlessly dispelled. A warrior capable of driving back a Duke-level combatant—such power—solidified her position as the first among the Strong Rank standings beyond question. As the sound of the drink settled, a sudden gust of wind roared across the sky, carrying with it a faint scent of blood. Zǐ Yán quickly lifted her head, her face instantly pale—there, not far above her head, a massive blood-colored hand, stretching two zhang in length, appeared abruptly and slammed down upon her with force. "Great Rift Mountain!" Previously, even an ordinary Dou Wang-level powerhouse would have sustained severe injuries upon taking that blow—yet here, a young man who had only half stepped into the Dou Wang rank managed to disperse it completely, leaving him utterly astonished. "Seventh Seal of Qing Yan Sword!" As Fan Lao was momentarily stunned, a pale green figure suddenly flashed past his head, the long sword in hand emitting a crisp series of chimes. Deep green energy rapidly coalesced, and within a blink, the entire blade was enveloped in it—so much so that dozens of swirling gales began to spin wildly around the sword's body. With a sharp command, the sword was suddenly launched from his hands, merging seamlessly with the dozen or so rotating gales, and then transforming into a silent, indistinct shadow—like a streak of lightning—flying straight toward the top of Fan Lao's head! Lin Xiu'ya's attack came as a lightning strike; when Fan Lao realized what was happening, the terrifying qi that had already reached his head was piercing his skin. At that moment, he had no choice but to abandon his combat technique and counterattack. His body trembled, and a surge of blood qi poured forth from his head, forming a vast sea of blood. The azure sword shadow instantly darted through this sea of blood, its immense power causing the blood to ripple violently. "Stabilize!" Suddenly, Fan Lao roared, and the sea of blood surged with a sudden wave. The sword shadow, which had been on the verge of breaking through, now struggled as if encountering a thick mud, its path growing increasingly difficult. As the adhesive strength within the blood sea intensified, the azure sword shadow finally came to a complete halt just two feet from Fan Lao's head. Despite having unleashed his full force, the attack failed to inflict any substantial damage upon Fan Lao. Lin Xiu'ya's face subtly changed—he now realized the sheer gap between himself and Fan Lao was simply too vast. "Whoosh!" As Lin Xiu Yao was startled, a rushing wind suddenly erupted from the sea of blood, and then a blood hand seal burst forth, striking squarely against the one who had failed to dodge. "Pffft!" The heavy impact sent a gush of blood spurting from Lin Xiu Yao's mouth. His body wavered, nearly collapsing, and the already faint dual wings of qi that had been hovering behind him began to fade in and out, clearly indicating that the sudden blow had inflicted a serious wound upon him. Seeing Lin Xiu Yao severely injured, Liu Qing's expression changed instantly. As he was about to take action, another blood hand seal shot forth from the sea of blood directly toward him. The blood hand seal moved with astonishing speed. After unleashing his most powerful attack, Liu Qing himself had grown noticeably sluggish, and thus could only watch helplessly as the seal closed in on him, inch by inch. At the very instant Li Qing was about to be struck, a slender figure suddenly materialized, hurling her small fist forward with great force. The air instantly compressed again, and under the pressure of the qi, a powerful invisible air cannon burst forth with a loud "pop," crashing directly into the blood hand seal, sending a shower of blood mist spiraling into the air. A sudden cold exhalation rang out from the sea of blood, and immediately, the sea surged violently. Eventually, a dark, substantial blood handprint, half a zhang wide and of an unusual shape, burst forth from within, leaving trails of blood energy wherever it passed. "With a straightforward, forceful punch, it was as though a block of ice had been plunged into a pot of boiling oil—immediately, the space before him surged and trembled, and a powerful, terrifying surge of energy erupted, crashing directly into that blood hand seal!" "Boom!" The sound reverberated through the sky like a mountain collapsing and the earth splitting, drawing the attention of countless onlookers. "Hmph!" A wave of shockwaves surged outward from the point of energy impact. The very first to be struck, Zi Yan, let out a low, strained hum, her steps momentarily unsteady as she hurriedly retreated several paces. Meanwhile, the blood sea far off only rippled violently before steadying itself, effectively blocking the force. "A Level King who relies solely on raw strength—don't make a spectacle here!" The blood sea surged with scorn, then contracted from several zhang to just a few chi, its hue darkening dramatically. "Whoosh!" Just as the cold laugh settled, another blood handprint of an extremely dark hue burst forth from the sea of blood! The internal qi, slightly dispersed by the previous shockwave, now felt a bit fragile. Upon seeing Fan Lao, who managed to launch an even more powerful attack than before at such speed, the observers' expressions subtly tightened. The blood handprint arced through the sky and, in a flash, materialized before Zi Yan, who was completely unprepared, under the stunned gazes of countless onlookers. "Die!" the fierce, guttural laughter echoed across the sea of blood, as cold and thick as frozen blood. "Ssshh!" Suddenly, a faint rumble of thunder resonated in the sky, and the spectators' eyes widened instantly as they fixed their attention on the battlefield above. At the very instant the thunder roared, a shadow materialized before Zǐ Yán like a ghost. With a mere gesture, a powerful wave of emerald flame surged forth, effortlessly deflecting and incinerating the blood hand seal, reducing it to nothing. Staring at the blood hand seal—so potent in Fan Láo's attack—that had been scattered so easily, Li Qíng, Lin Xiuyá, and the countless students on the ground all looked utterly stunned. Yet, as a familiar voice echoed immediately after, their astonishment swiftly turned into sheer awe! "To deal such a cruel blow to a little girl—your old dog truly hasn't let you down," the young man in black robes stood upright in the sky, arms folded, his formidable presence surging forth like a tidal wave—no weaker than Fan Láo's at all!