Hearing Xiao Yan's words, even Han Xue and Han Yue in the hall were momentarily stunned—ten rounds and still able to emerge unscathed? Though they all had strong confidence in Xiao Yan, it was no small feat for Xiao Yan, who, despite being on par with Han Tian in actual strength, to speak so boldly. Han Tian was a genuine Eight-Star Battle Emperor after all. "Since you've raised me to such a height in front of so many people, if I now perform merely averagely, then it will indeed be my fault..." Xiao Yan smiled, his gaze fixed on Han Tian, and said, "Mr. Han, please proceed." Xiao Yan nodded slightly, his body remaining motionless, his robes fluttering in the rushing wind. Yet his dark eyes now gleamed with remarkable brightness. "Xiao Yan, be careful! My Nine-Turn Wind-Walking Step is my signature technique. Today, I'll certainly not hold back—don't expect me to be lenient!" A strong gust gathered around Han Tian's legs. He exhaled softly, then suddenly stamped his foot. "Shhh!" With the stamp, the wind surged violently, and Han Tian's form vanished instantly into the gust. Xiao Yan's gaze flickered briefly. Then, without warning, his body suddenly shifted sideways one step to the left. As he moved, a hand, enveloped in dense qi, swept past him. "Excellent sense of perception!" "Second Transformation of Wind-Walking!" "With his palm falling short, a look of surprise flashed across Han Tian's eyes, followed swiftly by two unusual arcing steps. His body then transformed into a spiraling gust of wind, charging again toward Xiao Yan. Facing Han Tian's close pursuit, Xiao Yan smiled, settled his foot on the ground, and a thunderous explosion resonated beneath it, propelling his body forward with a powerful surge of force. 'Explosion Step'—Xiao Yan's first body technique—had been dormant for years since acquiring the 'Thousand Thunder Roar.' Now, reactivating it with his refined control, its effectiveness surpassed that of his earlier performances. 'Third transformation!' As Xiao Yan stabilized his stance, a sharp cry erupted behind him, and a fierce gust of wind surged forward. Unperturbed, Xiao Yan lightly tapped the ground with his right foot, his toe skimming the floor, and swiftly slid diagonally, narrowly evading the attack coming from behind." Within this hall, his spiritual aura permeated almost entirely. Any slightest breeze or movement would be detected by Xiao Yan. Though Han Tian's so-called Nine-Turn Wind-Walking Step could generate strong winds to conceal his form, it proved utterly ineffective under the keen perception of Xiao Yan's spiritual senses—every single movement of Han Tian was clearly projected into Xiao Yan's mind. Under such circumstances, hitting Xiao Yan would be no easy task. Moreover, in terms of footwork finesse, Han Tian still fell short when compared to Xiao Yan. A surge of suction erupted, yet Han Tian's speed surged dramatically as well. With a sharp cry, he transformed into a streak of emerald light, shooting straight toward Xiao Yan. Yet the latter, moving in an utterly unexpected and strange arc, once again deflected the attack. "Five transformations!" "Six transformations!" "...” Within the hall, the intensity of the clash grew fiercer and fiercer. Han Tian's speed became increasingly terrifying—by the end, except for a few individuals, almost no one could see his form. All that remained perceptible was the ever-present suction swirling in the wind. Yet despite this, the young man dressed in plain linen robes maintained an unflinching composure. His steps occasionally advanced, retreated, or shifted sideways—each subtle movement precisely timed to evade Han Tian's attacks. "Remarkable..." Han Xue's face lit up with delight as she gazed at Xiao Yan's calm demeanor, and she breathed softly in admiration. "Indeed quite terrifying. It seems over the years, he has grown considerably stronger..." Han Yue also nodded slightly. While the former Xiao Yan could once hold his own against Supreme Sovereign-level warriors, he had never before moved with the effortless composure he now displayed. "This young man is truly strong!" Observing the chaotic exchanges unfolding on the field, Han Chi's expression grew increasingly serious, and after a moment, he said firmly. "Should he face off against my second brother in a life-or-death battle, even my second brother might not stand a chance. Based on my assessment, this man may truly be capable of matching Hong Chen." A man resembling Han Chi in appearance spoke slowly. "Hm. Let's watch closely—see if he can truly evade all of my second brother's Nine Transformations of Wind and Step." Han Chi smiled and fixed his gaze on the scene. ... "Nine Transformations!" Han Tian's face now turned pale. A deep, intense swirl of blue wind spun violently at his feet, cracking the solid floor as it went, exposing the soil beneath. "Whoosh!" The azure light streaked across the hall, yet ultimately brushed against Xiao Yan's sleeve before shooting out. "Tenth Transformation, Ninth Step of Wind!" The attack missed again. Han Tian suddenly roared, spinning in place, his body transforming into a whirlwind that swiftly completed nine precise steps within a radius of one zhang around Xiao Yan. As each step was taken, nine deep azure whirlwinds surged forth, sealing off every possible retreat for Xiao Yan. "Combine!" Han Tian raised his hand, and the nine whirlwinds instantly emitted a rushing wind sound, then spun wildly, tearing toward the center where Xiao Yan stood. "This time, see how you'll escape!" Looking at the now completely encircled Xiao Yan, Han Tian laughed heartily. "Steady!" Just as Han Tian's laughter faded, a soft command echoed from within the nine whirlwinds. The space subtly rippled, and for a brief instant, the rotation of the nine whirlwinds momentarily halted. And at that very instant, when the swirling wind came to a sudden stillness, a streak of silver flashed out like a ghost, then resolved into a human figure, appearing slowly before all present. "Mr. Han Tian, thank you!" Xiao Yan bowed slightly to Han Tian, whose smile had frozen on his face, and smiled warmly. "Space power? You're a Douzong cultivator?" For a moment, Han Tian remained stunned, then his face suddenly flushed with shock. He exclaimed—clearly, the spatial distortion ability Xiao Yan had just demonstrated was one that only a Douzong cultivator could command. Not only Han Tian himself was astonished, but everyone in the hall, even Han Chi, who was only a step away from becoming a Douzong cultivator, stood in open amazement. As someone particularly attuned to spatial powers, he had been certain, at that very moment, that Xiao Yan had indeed manifested a spatial distortion capability befitting a Douzong cultivator. "Hehe, Mr. Han Tian has misunderstood me. I haven't quite reached that level yet. My mastery of spatial energy is merely due to a few fortunate opportunities, and even then, it's only sufficient for minor, inconsequential assistance." Xiao Yan shook his head and smiled. Hearing this, the shock on everyone's faces gradually subsided. A young cultivator of about twenty, at the level of Duke of Battle, had already been their limit. If it were a Master of Battle, everyone would surely have called them a monster. "Xiao Lin, you're quite modest. The mastery of spatial force is a hallmark of Master-level cultivators. The fact that you, at the Duke level, can manipulate it so effectively is already astonishing. This match has proven that I've fallen—ah, truly, the new wave is pushing the old. With your talent and abilities, even in the Central Plains, you'll surely make your mark." Han Tian exhaled gently, then glanced at Han Xue and Han Yue, smiling, "Their judgment is indeed excellent." These words, full of subtle meaning, instantly caused the two girls' slightly similar rosy cheeks to flush deeply. Han Chi smiled gently, his gaze slowly sweeping over Xiao Yan. Though dressed in plain cotton robes, there was an undeniable weight of presence about the once-unimpressive young man—perhaps due to his recent physical exertion—now radiating a steady, unyielding pressure that made one feel he could not be underestimated. Standing up, Han Chi bowed formally to Xiao Yan, his voice deep and solemn: "Brother Xiao Yan, if my family survives this crisis, your kindness will be eternally cherished by us." At Han Chi's back, numerous members of the Han family rose in unison, bowing respectfully to Xiao Yan. Han Xue and Han Yue exchanged a glance and stepped back, each offering a slight bow to Xiao Yan. Faced with such a gesture, Xiao Yan could only chuckle, realizing how crucial this matter truly was for the Han family. He sighed, bowed deeply, and said with conviction: "I will do my very best!"