By habit, Xiao Yan unleashed his hidden Three Thousand Thunder Strikes, successfully deflecting the lightning beast's attack. However, as soon as his body came to a stop, the beast sensed something, roared in fury to the heavens, and with a powerful stamp of its four hooves, cracks spread across the ground. Instantly, its form transformed into a surge of lightning, charging straight toward Xiao Yan. "Hmph!" Several times now, the beast had pressed him, and a cold glint had passed through Xiao Yan's eyes. This move must indeed be Hong Chen's decisive technique—its power was certainly formidable, likely a ground-tier combat skill. Yet it seemed to require vital essence to activate. Once deployed, Xiao Yan would inevitably fall into a state of vulnerability. Thus, at this moment, he had no strength left to continue fighting. As long as Xiao Yan could defeat the lightning beast formed from the lightning energy within his body, the battle would conclude with the Hong family's defeat. Retreating several steps on the ground, Xiao Yan quickly formed hand seals, his series of flickering shadows creating a dazzling, disorienting effect. As he continued to shape his seals, a vibrant jade-like glow surged forth from the palm of his hands. With the seals in motion, a fierce gust of wind surged again toward him, accompanied by the faint rumble of thunder. Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, retreating once more, and then rapidly began to move his lips—by the end, they swelled out like those of a frog, suddenly opening wide, and a thunderous roar of lion and tiger combined erupted across the plaza. "Lion and Tiger Shattering Gold Roar!" The tangible waves of sound burst forth from Xiao Yan's mouth at lightning speed. Under the direct impact of these waves, the thunderous beast charging fiercely came to a sudden halt. Its body trembled as lightning streaks flashed wildly across it, and its four hooves scraped the ground, retreating several dozen meters before finally withstanding the force of the sound waves. As the sound waves dissipated, electric sparks flashed across the colossal eyes of the Thunder Beast. With a low roar, it leapt forward with its forepaws, its massive body surging like a starving tiger pouncing, spanning several dozen meters to appear directly above Xiao Yan's head, its thunder-lit, fierce maw closing in with a powerful bite aimed straight at his forehead. The hand seal took shape, and shadows swiftly poured over his head. Xiao Yan's face flickered with a cold smile as he looked up at the close-range thunderous maw of the thunder beast. In a sudden movement, his arm bent oddly before straightening and pressing firmly onto the beast's forehead! "Fanhai Seal!" At the point of contact, the thunder beast roared with astonishing force, and lightning surged wildly across its body. Yet when these flashes of lightning touched the emerald crystalline glow, they vanished swiftly and strangely. "Shatter!" A cold gleam passed through Xiao Yan's eyes. With a sudden, low cry, he shook his palm fiercely, and the power of the seal instantly surged forth! A brilliant emerald glow erupted like a blazing sun, its intensity completely overwhelming the frantic flashes of lightning on the雷兽's body. Under the sheer force of this energy, the once-vaunting雷兽 finally emitted a mournful cry, and then, with a sudden burst of shock, exploded into silver light points—cracking and dispersing in a dazzling display. As the雷兽 burst apart, the light imprint swiftly faded. Xiao Yan glanced coldly at Hong Chen, whose face was filled with astonishment, then clenched his palm, causing the heavy staff to reappear. With a single step, he vanished from the ground. Upon seeing Xiao Yan disappear, Hong Chen's expression shifted to concern. He turned to the Hao Lei Hammer at his side and quickly extended his hand. Yet before his fingers even reached the handle, a fierce gust of wind slammed into him, powerful enough to send him skidding across the ground, leaving a trail of over fifty meters. "Plunged—." "Once more struck hard, Hong Chen spat out a stream of blood and had barely time to rise when the black shadow surged again, this time accompanied by a thunderous force, and slammed directly onto his head." "I give up!" Hong Chen's eyes widened as he gazed at the towering silhouette of the heavy ruler emerging from the ground. He shouted urgently. "Shriek!" The ruler halted just half a foot away from Hong Chen's head, and the power it carried surged through the air, knocking him flat to the ground—like a flattened frog—rather unceremoniously. No one could have predicted this outcome. At the very beginning, not a single person had imagined that the young prodigy so renowned in Tianbei City would suffer such a humiliating defeat—at the hands of a stranger so young and unassuming. Though the battle lasted for some time, those with keen observation quickly realized that Hong Chen had given his very best effort, while the young man dressed in simple linen robes remained utterly composed throughout—calm, serene, as still as a deep pool from which the bottom could never be seen, mysterious and inscrutable. The two sisters, Han Yue and Han Xue, were most delighted. Han Yue finally exhaled in relief, while Han Xue felt an inexplicable joy—unconsciously, a slender figure on the stage had left an indelible impression in her heart. As his body had just turned, a fierce, venomous expression flashed across Hong Chen's eyes, who had been lying on the ground. With a firm press of his palms against the ground, a streak of lightning shot forth from his sleeve, aimed straight at Xiao Yan's back. Upon seeing Xiao Yan suddenly materialize behind Hong Chen, a wave of shouts erupted from the Hong family's seating area. Immediately, the gray-robed elder shifted his form, becoming a blurred figure that surged toward the center of the arena. "This life—you've given it yourself. There's nothing to blame anyone for," he said, his voice calm. The words reached Hong Chen's ears, sending a wave of fear spreading through his heart. Before he could utter a plea for mercy, a powerful force surged from his back. "Pfft!" A gush of blood erupted from his mouth, and Hong Chen's body gradually softened, finally collapsing to the ground. As the force was expelled, Xiao Yan simultaneously kicked out with his foot, sending Hong Chen's body flying toward the gust of wind that had been rushing toward him from behind. The gray-robed elder, who had rushed in with sudden force, was about to move when he saw Hong Chen approaching him. With a swift wave of his sleeve, he weakened his momentum and caught Hong Chen firmly in his arms. Upon examining him closely, his expression instantly darkened. Though Hong Chen still retained a faint trace of vital energy, the meridians within his body had been completely severed by Xiao Yan's single palm strike—meaning that even if he were healed, he would likely be left as a paralytic invalid. Faced with Hong Li's venomous words, Xiao Yan's expression remained unchanged. He spoke calmly, "According to Hong Master's account, he secretly attacked me earlier, and now I've defended myself—so isn't that justice? You should know well enough that had I not moved swiftly, my fate wouldn't have been much better than his current one." "I don't care about any of this. You've left my son a paralytic wreck. I'll take your life to make good on that!" Hong Li growled, his face contorted. Xiao Yan smiled coldly. "You needn't elaborate further. Today, you won't be able to leave." The gray-robed elder stared at Xiao Yan with a cold gaze, speaking slowly. "But before that, you must tell me—where did you learn your 'Three Thousand Thunder Waves'? There is no disciple in the Wind-Thunder Pavilion with such a skill." Xiao Yan's brow furrowed slightly. Indeed, he had been recognized. Yet so what?