As Xiao Yan stepped forward, cheers erupted across the plaza. Whether or not Xiao Yan was truly up to Wang Chen's challenge, the sheer courage it took for him to step out and face the latter head-on was enough to earn quiet admiration. On the seating platform, the Yellow Springs Patriarch's face—once as dry and weathered as an old tree—broke into a crisp, composed smile. Though the young man before him seemed somewhat unusual, the Patriarch remained confident in Wang Chen. After soaking in the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pond, Wang Chen's true strength had already solidified him halfway into the Douzong tier. With sufficient time, entering the Douzong rank was certain. Even previously, Wang Chen had been capable of standing toe-to-toe with ordinary Douzong-level warriors; now, with all that had transpired, the odds were even more favorable. "Master Lei, would it be acceptable to use a bit of the conference time?" Turning slightly, the Yellow Springs Patriarch addressed Master Lei with a gentle smile. Upon hearing this, Master Lei smiled gently and did not hesitate to agree. Though Xiao Yan appeared slightly unusual, in Master Lei's eyes, his importance paled in comparison to that of Master Huangquan. This moment of courtesy was, therefore, absolutely essential. "I hope we don't have to wait too long..." Master Huangquan smiled slightly, his gaze turning toward Wang Chen in the center of the hall, and said softly, "Since this matter began with you, it is your responsibility to resolve it. Should you fail, you will know the consequences." Upon hearing Master Huangquan's words, Wang Chen's hands, which held the dark dagger, trembled slightly. He bowed slightly to the elder, a fierce smile spreading across his face. "Master, please rest assured. This man has disrespected our Huangquan Pavilion. My duty is to make him pay for it." Master Huangquan slowly leaned back against the chair, and gave a gentle nod. The Sword Sovereign and Wind Sovereign observed the scene, their brows slightly furrowed, yet they said nothing further. If the resistance continued, the old man from the Yellow Springs would undoubtedly lose his composure today. Upon hearing the Sword Sovereign’s words, the contestants automatically stepped back and turned their gaze curiously toward Xiao Yan—this man had truly accepted Wang Chen’s challenge. It was hard to tell whether he had gone mad or simply had genuine confidence. Feng Qing'er furrowed her delicate brows, gently brushing a strand of dark hair from her forehead with her jade hand, her eyes expressing a touch of bewilderment. The proceedings of the assembly came to a halt as a result, yet the atmosphere atop the mountain remained far from chaotic—on the contrary, the increasingly desperate cries and shouts only intensified the fervor. Many were eager to find out whether Xiao Yan could withstand Wang Chen's onslaught. Of course, it wasn't uncommon for them to also harbor a desire to witness something seemingly unprecedented. With a firm grit of his teeth, Lin Yan's eyes flashed with a sharp intensity. He had always been deeply loyal and emotionally committed, and his relationship with Xiao Yan had been strong from the beginning. If anything happened to Xiao Yan, he would never simply stand by and watch. On the field, Wang Chen stared at Xiao Yan, who was walking steadily toward him and now stopped a few paces away, his dagger swiftly rotating in the palm of his hand before he firmly grasped it, causing it to settle neatly in his grip. "If you surrender now and bow three times, I'll let you walk down the Thunder Mountain," Wang Chen said, glancing at Xiao Yan with a cold, composed smile. Despite Wang Chen's stern expression, Xiao Yan smiled gently. He clenched his hands, and a surge of inner qi erupted forth, quickly coalescing into a long, jade-green energy staff in his palm. Since the Xuangzhong Staff was so prominent, its appearance might immediately reveal his identity. This energy-formed staff, though somewhat blurred, appeared to resemble a great axe in shape. Seeing that Xiao Yan ignored his words outright, Wang Chen's gloomy smile deepened, and the intensity of the killing intent in his eyes surged even further. "You'll regret having crossed the Yellow Springs Pavilion!" A low, somber voice settled softly. Wang Chen's body trembled slightly, transforming into a streak of black light, and within the span of a single breath, he materialized mysteriously behind Xiao Yan. With a swift motion, his dagger flashed toward the latter's neck and back, targeting two vital points. The black energy giant serpent had just surged forth, its powerful fist winds carrying a deep sonic boom, crashing directly onto it and instantly shattering it into oblivion. As the giant serpent was shattered, Xiao Yan's energy ruler flashed with a low rumble of air pressure, then swung with force, driving Wang Chen back with a strong gust of wind. "No more than that," Xiao Yan said, a smile playing on his face as he rested the ruler on his shoulder. Yet his calm tone only intensified Wang Chen's glare. "Just warm-up! No grand speeches!" Wang Chen gently touched the tip of his tongue to the blade, and instantly, a deep, obsidian-like aura surged forth from within him, flowing like a towering column of black ink, rising skyward—this power surpassing even the peak of a typical Duke of the Realm. At this moment, merely by the sheer aura radiating from him, Wang Chen could be considered a near-Douzong-level powerhouse. Though still significantly behind true Douzong masters, he far surpassed many Douhuang peak-level强者. As Wang Chen's formidable presence unfolded, waves of exclamations echoed throughout the plaza and its surroundings—each one tinged with admiration. Now, Wang Chen had nearly crossed halfway into the Douzong realm, and the final stretch of the celestial chasm between Douhuang and Douzong was only a matter of time. "Approaching a Grand Duelist, then?" Xiāo Yīn's eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed at Wang Chen, whose powerful aura spiraled around him like a wind. He had fought this man before in the Tianmu Mountain range—then, Wang Chen had clearly only reached the peak of a Grand Duelist. Now, with this breakthrough, it must be due to the aid of the Tian Shan Blood Pool. "Now, you've lost your final chance to regret..." The lines on Wang Chen's face were twisted with fierce intensity, his expression terrifyingly grim. Xiāo Yīn's brow furrowed. Indeed, this man was quite tenacious. If the current situation continued, their battle might stretch on for a long time, and eventually, subtle weaknesses might become apparent. Thus, a swift resolution was necessary. Just as Xiāo Yīn had settled on this strategy, Wang Chen's aura reached its zenith. His smile grew even more fierce, and with a sudden movement, the intense corrosive power of his aura carved a long furrow across the ground. "Erosion of the Bone—Circular Dagger Dance!" At this moment, Wang Chen's speed had also increased significantly. In a flash, he appeared before Xiao Yan. The two daggers in his hands transformed into countless streaks of black light, carving intricate black trails across the space. The arcs of the daggers danced with an unusually strange rhythm, nearly enveloping the entire area around Xiao Yan. Within the black light, a piercing coldness radiated, seeping into Xiao Yan's very being. Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly—this was undoubtedly a high-level combat technique, and likely of a very high rank. After all, Huang Quan Pavilion's status as one of the four great pavilions was no mere title. "Six Harmonies, Flowing Body and Measure!" Simultaneously, the heavy measuring staff in his hands responded to his inner momentum, swiftly generating a dense network of staff shadows that tightly encircled and wrapped Xiao Yan body by body. Tink, tink, tink, tink, tink, tink! A deluge of black luminescence poured onto the measuring net, triggering a continuous cascade of crisp sounds. With each crisp sound, a powerful surge of energy erupted, swiftly radiating across the solid silver wooden plaza and carving out intricate, web-like fissures. Master Feng, Master Lei, Master Jian, and the others gradually displayed expressions of astonishment, then thoughtful contemplation. Indeed, this person had concealed their true strength—so it seemed, things were now turning against them, and perhaps it would be Wang Chen who faced the challenge. As this thought formed, subtle smiles appeared on the faces of Master Feng and Master Jian.