"Boom!" A thunderous roar, like mountains collapsing and the earth splitting, resounded across the distant sky, instantly leaving countless people momentarily deaf. A surge of energy, resembling a dragon vortex, erupted at the point where the azure energy ribbon met the crimson energy, sweeping across the heavens in a dazzling display that caught the astonished gaze of all present. At the very junction of the two energies, space itself warped and buckled, bearing deep creases visible to the eye—so intense was the impact of Xiao Yan and Fan Lu's full-force clash that the very fabric of space seemed on the verge of shattering. Such a confrontation between two Duke-Class warriors was astonishingly powerful. The energy storm, spanning several dozen zhangs, surged like a colossal, towering giant, its furious rotation unleashing immense destructive force that even the sky's strongest warriors could not ignore. The energy storm connected to the inner courtyard, completely destroying countless pavilions and residences at this moment. Aside from the obsidian-towered Tian-Fen Qi Tower, all houses and trees within several hundred meters around it were reduced to rubble by the storm's sweeping force! The sheer destructive power left distant students who had sought refuge from the turmoil utterly stunned. The storm arrived swiftly and departed just as quickly, gradually weakening as it swept through and eventually dissipating entirely after leaving a section of the inner courtyard in ruins. As the storm faded, the slightly overcast sky cleared once more, leaving behind a scene of utter devastation. In the heavens, numerous elders gazed down at the inner courtyard, their mouths involuntarily twitching—should this kind of storm occur again and again, the inner courtyard might never need the eruption of Yun-Xin Flame to be completely destroyed, as it would be utterly obliterated by the intensity of the combat itself. Compared to the deep concern of the senior elders over the惨 sight of the inner courtyard being devastated, the powerful figures from the Black Horn Domain were utterly astonished, gazing in awe at the young cloaked figure far in the distance. They had never expected that Xiao Yan could remain unharmed despite Fan Lu's overwhelmingly powerful strike. "That young man's technique must have been at least Earth Rank level—otherwise, he couldn't have fully withstood Fan Lu's Great Blood Bodhisattva's devouring force," remarked the elders, recalling the sheer, celestial-scale intensity of the spear beam that seemed to cleave through the void. As they reflected on this, their admiration for the distant youth subtly deepened. At their level, ordinary Xu Rank techniques were no longer effective in truly injuring or defeating opponents of comparable strength. Only Earth Rank techniques could achieve such remarkable results. Therefore, Earth Rank techniques truly posed a significant threat to the likes of Battle Kings and Battle Emperors. Yet, most Earth-Rank Combat Techniques were established and preserved by wise, fortunate predecessors. To create one from scratch demands not only exceptional strength but also rare opportunities. Thus, those who have successfully forged such techniques are invariably renowned figures across the continent. Among them, those who have created Earth-Rank Combat Techniques are truly exceptional—rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Consequently, throughout the continent, Earth-Rank Combat Techniques are rare treasures. For ordinary mid-tier factions, possessing just one such technique is a true source of pride and a genuine cornerstone of their strength. Even some powerful cultivators who merely focus on silent refinement, aside from possessing robust aura, actually lack many standout combat techniques. Such individuals are nearly commonplace across the continent. When facing opponents significantly weaker than themselves, they can easily dispel the latter's techniques with mere bursts of aura. However, when encountering equally matched or slightly stronger opponents, they often fall victim to being defeated at a higher level—sometimes even eliminated outright. Surface-level strength merely serves as a deterrent; what truly determines the outcome is the cultivator's inherent combat prowess, which in turn depends on three primary factors: personal rank and strength, cultivation technique, and combat technique. If all three are well-developed, surpassing or even transcending one's level in challenge becomes quite achievable. Xiao Yan himself is precisely such a cultivator. Throughout his journey, he has encountered numerous opponents stronger than himself, yet most of these stronger adversaries have ultimately fallen to him. His key advantage lies in his mastery of the Burned Decree cultivation technique and his formidable combat techniques. Therefore, for the Earth-tier techniques, these strong contenders above Duke level hold them in greater regard than anyone else. When they see someone of Xiao Yan's age already mastering a powerful technique capable of rivaling Fan Lu's "Great Blood Bodhisattva Devouring," they inevitably feel admiration, even envy. ... In the distant sky, Fan Lu's previously fierce complexion now carries a faint pallor, clearly indicating that the exertion of his formidable technique, "Great Blood Bodhisattva Devouring," has taken a significant toll. Yet despite this strong display, he has achieved little tangible result. Gazing at the steadfast black-robed young man across from him, Fan Lu finds himself feeling as though he might vomit. "This youngster truly possesses strong capabilities. If we continue to press him, I doubt we'll achieve much." Nails sharp as knife-blades slanted through the space, drawing a cold, luminous trail—just as cold and eerie as Fan Lao's gaze, sending a shiver down one's spine: "Though I don't know exactly what has transpired, this sudden surge of strength in him surely isn't his own. It must be the result of some strange secret technique. Nevertheless, no matter how extraordinary the technique, it will inevitably have a time limit. Once that time expires and his power returns to its original level, defeating him will be a mere matter of ease!" Undoubtedly, Fan Lu is no ordinary strength among the elite of Black Corner Domain. Though he has made several guesses, only managed to piece together some clues—yet Xiao Yan is well aware of this. Fan Lu is far from naive; he certainly wouldn't afford him any time to stall. With Fan Lu now determined to strike him down, there's no need for Xiao Yan to hesitate or show mercy. If the opportunity arises, eliminating Fan Lu—this aging veteran—would be the ideal course of action. After all, once a Battle Emperor-level warrior goes into a rage and seeks retribution, the consequences can be truly daunting. As Xiao Yan's body moved, Fan Lao, who had been fully focused on him, instantly sensed the shift and decided to temporarily retreat. With a flick of his blood-wings, he shot backward swiftly. "Trying to escape?" Xiao Yan's cold laugh echoed across the sky, and then, amid a soft rumble of thunder, he materialized before Fan Lao like a ghost. The sudden speed Xiao Yan displayed even surprised Fan Lao slightly, though his response was prompt—immediately upon Xiao Yan's appearance, Fan Lao's sharp fingernails sliced toward Xiao Yan's neck like blades. Faced with Fan Lao's sharp assault, Xiao Yan did not retreat but advanced instead. With a flash of silver light beneath his feet, he unexpectedly slipped into Fan Lao's arms, then clenched his fingers tightly and drove them forward with powerful force. "Thud!" The fist struck hard against Fan Lao's chest, sending a ring of blood membrane forming and absorbing much of the force. Even so, the residual power still sent Fan Lao staggering back two steps, disoriented. Seizing the momentum, Xiao Yan did not pause, immediately advancing with lightning speed. His arm trembled, the shadow of his fist lingering, the wind of his punches roaring with the sharpness of a winter gale. Under the relentless, almost storm-like close-range assault from Xiao Yan, Fan Lao was completely outmatched, constantly stumbling to evade, occasionally being struck hard by Xiao Yan's punches and leaving his face paler than before. At a distance, countless inner courtyard students watched in rapt awe as Xiao Yan, a mere cultivator of the Realm of the Emperor, displayed such commanding prowess that he had completely subdued a powerful Emperor-tier cultivator, leaving him with no chance to counterattack. Their eyes, gleaming with excitement, brimmed with an uncontainable fervor. The view shifts to the entire battlefield in the sky, where figures dart and weave, and the explosive sounds from colliding ki waves never cease. Occasionally, individual strong warriors are seen falling from the fray, their staggered stances indicating significant injuries. Yet, this provides a measure of reassurance—these injured warriors are not limited to the elders of Cana College; several from Black Angle also fall wounded, struck down by coordinated attacks. Of course, as the central arena that ultimately determines the outcome of this fierce competition, the battle between Su Qian and the two elder masters remains the focal point. As the crowd's gaze turns toward this area, they can only hear the deep, resonant thuds of energy impacts, while the figures themselves remain barely visible—only occasionally, when the eyes are slightly narrowed, can three blurred, entangled forms be discerned. This clash with Black Corner has been, in recent years, the most extensive and involving the largest number of elite combatants—energy ripples so powerful they seemed to blot out the sky, stirring deep enthusiasm and fervor among the lower-level students. After all, what is the point of living one's life and diligently cultivating if not to stand as a top-tier strength, admired and looked up to by others? While everyone's attention was fixed on the grand battle above, no one noticed that the thin layer of black energy membrane at the very apex of the shattered Tianfen Qi Tower beneath the battlefield had, at some point, quietly grown even more translucent. Indeed, upon close inspection, one could faintly discern the pair of vast, cold triangular serpent eyes lying beneath the membrane! Cold, serpentine eyes moved slowly across the sky, finally settling on Han Feng and... Xiao Yan. Especially when the unusual flames surged from their bodies, the temperature within the eyes rose noticeably, and a distinctly human, greedy gleam naturally emerged. It seemed not only that Xiao Yan and his companions wished to absorb the fallen Heart Flame—but that the Flame itself harbored similar intentions toward them.