Hong Chen was completely enveloped in a web of lightning, with silver serpents streaking through the air. Thanks to the secret technique, his form had grown stronger and more imposing, appearing like a towering silver fortress from a distance, radiating an unmistakable aura of authority. After a moment of this surge, the momentum gradually subsided. Hong Chen fixed his gaze on Xiao Yan, a cold laugh escaping him. With a firm grasp of his palm, a solid black iron hammer materialized—surrounded by flickering lightning. This hammer, a treasured artifact of the Feng Lei Northern Pavilion, was known as the Hao Lei Hammer, forged entirely from lightning stone. Practitioners of lightning-based cultivation techniques would experience enhanced qi flow when wielding it, and due to the stone's inherent weight, the hammer carried a powerful sense of strength and impact. Most ordinary martial cultivators would hesitate to meet it in direct combat. Holding the Haolei Mace, the intensity in Hong Chen's eyes grew even sharper. With a casual swing or two, he actually generated a sharp sonic boom, the force of the sound waves transmitting to the ground and cratering the hard plaza into several deep holes. "One more!" Feeling the surging power within himself, Hong Chen fixed a cold, piercing gaze on Xiao Yan and roared. He is an outstanding choice in terms of cultivation techniques, combat skills, or weapon mastery—his combat prowess is truly astonishing. With his strength, even a cross-level challenge is no great feat; not only can he match peers, but even the peak-tier cultivators of the Du Phuang rank might find him a worthy opponent. It's no wonder he boasts such bold confidence. All eyes were now focused on the battle, steadily progressing into its main act. Hong Chen's sudden surge in strength had everyone quietly impressed—this Wind and Thunder Pavilion truly was one of the top-tier powers on the Central Continent. A single secret technique could elevate someone to such formidable strength. As they marveled, several of the observers turned their attention to Xiao Yan. After the earlier display, no one could now underestimate this young, previously unfamiliar figure. To have driven Hong Chen to unleash his secret technique—clearly, this one wasn't a mere average. It now seemed truly uncertain who would emerge victorious in today's contest between the Hong and Han families. The gray-robed elder beside him also slightly shook his head, finding the name Xiao Yan entirely unfamiliar. "The Central Plains continent is vast and teeming with talent—how could one be surprised to know so many of its hidden stars? There's no need to worry. Since Hong Chen has summoned the Thunder God's Descent, the outcome is likely already clear. With his current state, combined with his techniques, cultivation methods, and the Hao Lei Hammer, even a peak-level Emperor-tier warrior would find it quite difficult to overcome him..." After a brief pause, the elder set aside his thoughts and spoke calmly. Hearing this, Hong Li also nodded. It was indeed impressive that Hong Chen had been forced to employ his secret technique—though, that was all. "Grinning at Xiao Yan, revealing a set of sharp, gleaming teeth, Hong Chen suddenly stomped his foot on the ground, sending a thunderous roar. At that very moment, his body subtly trembled. As Hong Chen's form shook, Xiao Yan's eyes slightly narrowed—this scene was all too familiar to him. A gentle smile curled at the corner of his mouth. With his hands tightly gripping the heavy measuring rod, Xiao Yan turned without looking back and fiercely swung it behind him. The rod surged forward with powerful gusts, producing a series of sonic booms that echoed continuously around it. Just as the rod reached the back of Xiao Yan's body, a massive black hammer suddenly appeared and was abruptly intercepted by the rod. "Clang!" The impact sent a resonant, metallic sound rippling through the entire arena, and both Xiao Yan and Hong Chen swiftly stepped back, swiftly establishing a safe distance. "Good boy, you've managed to pierce through my three-thousand-thunder residual images..." Stabilizing his stance, Hong Chen glanced at the fading traces of his image in the distance, his mind momentarily stunned. Prior to this, Xiao Yan's powerful, precise strikes had revealed an almost perfect understanding of his position—each strike delivered with no hesitation, forcing him to step into the open. "I'll have to deal with this guy swiftly. The arrival of the Thunder God comes with a time limit; once that window passes, he'll begin to weaken..." A thought flashed through his mind. With that, a glint of determination passed through his eyes. He moved swiftly, and the sound of thunder roared once more. His form surged into a streak of lightning, crossing dozens of meters in a flash, and in a single leap, he materialized directly above Xiao Yan. "Thousand-Shattered Thunder Hammer!" Crack! Crack! At that moment, the brilliant flashes of lightning erupted from the Hao Lei Hammer with an almost frenzied intensity. From afar, Hong Chen appeared as though he were holding a towering column of thunder, his presence commanding and awe-inspiring. A colossal lightning surge paused for a moment, then descended like a heavenly bolt straight toward Xiao Yan's head, striking with such force that the brilliant light surpassed even the sun above the sky. "Six-Heaven Flowing Body Measure!" Feeling the overwhelming torrent of lightning rushing toward him, Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. With a swift motion, he danced his heavy measure in the air, and a series of elegant shadows swiftly formed a dense, impenetrable circle, upon which patches of emerald flame gently rose. Thunder—crash! The Scale Shadow Defense had only just taken shape when the massive thunder hammer suddenly descended, crashing down with great force upon the Scale Shadows. Instantly, countless Scale Shadows began to dissipate. Yet as soon as they vanished, dense, continuously emerging Scale Shadows swiftly replenished their ranks. With this relentless surge of Scale Shadows, the immense thunder hammer began to appear increasingly ethereal, its stored thunder power rapidly being neutralized. "Thousand-Shattered Thunder Hammer—shatter!" Feeling the sheer strength of Xiao Yan's Scale Shadow Defense, Hong Chen's expression grew slightly grim. Suddenly, he roared, hurling the thunder hammer from his hands and swiftly retreating backward. "Boom!" As soon as the hammer was released, it erupted in full force, unleashing a deluge of thunder energy that struck the Scale Shadow Defense in overwhelming numbers. Under this relentless barrage, the defense quickly grew thin and frayed, unable to recover in time. "Haha! See how you manage to withstand my Fenglei Pavilion's unique wind and thunder power!" The body spun and landed on the ground as Hong Chen looked at Xiao Yan, enveloped in the silver wind and thunder power, and laughed heartily. "Hmph, mere wind and thunder force—what need have you for such arrogance?" As Hong Chen's laughter settled, a cold sneer echoed through the thunder net, followed instantly by a sudden burst of emerald flame. Under this flame, the wind and thunder power, as if encountering its match, swiftly evaporated into nothingness under the intense heat. Within mere moments, the thunder net, brimming with fierce energy, vanished in a cascade of stunned gazes. The flames roared continuously upon Xiao Yan's body, a faint voice gradually emerging. Upon hearing this, Hong Chen's expression darkened, tightly gripping the Hao Lei hammer in his hands, finally realizing how formidable his opponent was. He had expected to defeat him after Xiang Yan had summoned the Divine Thunder God, yet he had failed to do so. "If your abilities are limited to this, then I shall take over now." A subtle smirk curled at Xiao Yan's lips as he swiftly altered his hand seal, and a deep roar echoed within his mind. "Heavenly Fire Triple Transformation: Lirui Transformation!"