Hearing the words of the robed elder, everyone in the hall was instantly taken aback, turning with expressions of astonishment toward the slender young man standing on the stage. No one had expected that this young man, renowned for his exceptional skill in alchemy, possessed such remarkable abilities. Though the Fenglei Pavilion, while not quite on par with the Burned Flame Valley, was undoubtedly one of the most powerful and influential forces in the Central Plains, the fact that Xiao Yan had been able to leave peacefully despite having some grievances with them clearly indicated that he was no ordinary person. Tang Huo'er kept her gaze fixed on Xiao Yan, and that sense of eager anticipation grew even stronger—among her peers, she had yet to encounter many opponents of comparable caliber. Despite the numerous astonished glances from the hall, Xiao Yan remained composed, glanced briefly at the robed elder, and said calmly, "Indeed, my name is Xiao Yan. But what difference does that make? It's merely a change of name." "The elder in red robes, the second senior of Burned Flame Valley, smiled and said, 'You've grown at odds with the Wind and Thunder Pavilion because you possess their Three Thousand Thunder Motions—this is what has prompted their pursuit. Yet you are not a disciple of the Wind and Thunder Pavilion. Where did you acquire these Three Thousand Thunder Motions? Moreover, now you wish to learn our Burned Flame Valley's Heavenly Fire Triple Mastery—do you truly find other cultivators' techniques so appealing?' Xiao Yan spoke calmly, 'The Three Thousand Thunder Motions were obtained by chance; there's no need to explain this to the second senior. As for the Heavenly Fire Triple Mastery, I possess the unique fire essence that allows me to fully unleash its peak power—thus, I've come to Burned Flame Valley. Whether or not I'm interested in others' techniques is precisely something you, the second senior, may decide.' Xiao Yan's tone was neither courteous nor deferential, causing the second senior's expression to slightly darken. 'Xiao Yan, here we are not in the Wind and Thunder Pavilion—your behavior must be more restrained!' said Wu Chen, the third senior of Burned Flame Valley, frowning and speaking coldly. Xiao Yan had no intention of paying attention to these two quiet old men, and instead turned his gaze directly to Tang Zhen, bowing slightly and saying, "Master Tang, I have come to Burned Flame Valley for the purpose of the Three Supreme Transformations of Heavenly Fire. As to how this matter shall be resolved, I would ask you to speak plainly. If you also believe the Three Supreme Transformations of Heavenly Fire to be the Valley's most closely guarded secret, simply say so, and I will leave immediately—without hesitation. Should I indeed say this, then the reputation of being untrustworthy will rest upon my shoulders. Rest assured, once I have agreed, I shall never fail to keep my word." With a wave of his hand, Tang Zhen's expression grew steadily colder. He glanced at the two senior monks beside him and said calmly, "This matter has already been decided. The two senior monks need not trouble themselves with Xiao Yan. As for the Valley's established customs, I am well aware of them, and thus have not directly stated that the Three Supreme Transformations of Heavenly Fire shall be entrusted to Xiao Yan." "According to the Valley's regulations, core disciples who pass the trial are entitled to the Tianhuo Sanxuan Bian. Therefore, if Xiao Yan also succeeds, then no one else shall have any further objections—otherwise, the Valley's rules shall apply!" By the end of his words, Tang Zhen's tone carried a clear sense of firmness. Upon hearing this, the Second and Third Elders exchanged glances, their expressions subtly shifting, hesitating for a moment. Eventually, the Second Elder firmly resolved, "The trial for core disciples has always been established by the Council of Elders. Shouldn't the current examination questions also be decided by the Council?" This rather rigid elder clearly wished to prevent the Tianhuo Sanxuan Bian from falling into Xiao Yan's hands—a foreigner—and had thus made every effort to obstruct the process. Tang Zhen's expression darkened slightly, and he then said, "If the Second Elder holds this view, then let him first propose the examination questions." "Seeing that Tang Zhen had somewhat softened, the second elder felt a surge of satisfaction and spoke, 'This matter is of great significance and cannot be treated lightly. Therefore, I have personally stepped in to test him. If Xiao Yan can withstand ten rounds against me, then the matter of Tianhuo San Xuan Bian shall be left entirely to the Valley Master.' As soon as these words were spoken, a quietness settled over the hall. The numerous elders below exchanged glances, each of them unable to help but offer a quiet, wry smile. How strong the second elder truly was—they were all well aware. At the peak of the Battle Sect level, only one step away from achieving Battle Sovereign status. To have him personally test Xiao Yan indeed seemed rather demanding. Tang Huo'er's brows furrowed slightly, and a touch of anger flickered in her eyes. Clearly, this elder was being deliberately challenging—though even she, at the Battle Sect peak level, found it difficult to last ten rounds against him." "This must be quite an achievement for the second elder to say..." Tang Zhen smiled faintly, his tone carrying a hint of mockery, which slightly unsettled the second elder. He too had wanted to keep the secret of the Tianhuo Sanxuan transformation from outsiders, so he had proposed this test. "If the Valley Master feels the second elder's performance is unsuitable, then I would be honored to step in. It's said that even the elders of Fenglei North Pavilion have fallen to Xiao Yan. I'm certain he possesses formidable reserves. I believe a ten-round match against me should be quite achievable." Seeing that the second elder was struggling to find the right words, the third elder, Wu Chen, spoke gently. Xiao Yan frowned slightly and glanced at Wu Chen. While Wu Chen's strength was slightly weaker than that of the second elder, he was still a force comparable to Fei Tian, the northern master of Fenglei Pavilion—quite a challenge. Upon hearing this, Tang Zhen hesitated briefly before saying, "Your two candidates differ significantly in status from Xiao Yan. Their performances have been underwhelming. I believe it would be best to send Huo Er. If Xiao Yan can defeat Huo Er, then he will pass. How does that sound?" At the mention of Tang Zhen's suggestion, Huo Er's brows lifted slightly with a touch of pride. "Huo Er is indeed an excellent choice, but Xiao Yan has just successfully refined the Huo Pu Pill for her, and since she is a woman, she may naturally hold back during the match. Therefore, I believe she may not be the most suitable." The second elder shook his head slowly and said, "I think the third elder's proposal is the most fair—let him step in. If Xiao Yan can withstand ten rounds against him, then he will be considered successful." The eagerness that had just begun to rise on Tang Huo'er's cheeks instantly froze, and he glared at the second senior with growing resentment, as if he wanted to storm up and punch him right then and there. Seeing that the second senior wasn't inclined to support his proposal, Tang Zhen's expression darkened as well, and his patience began to wane—these two stiff old men truly didn't listen to any reasonable arguments. "Master Tang, since the second senior insists on having Elder Wu Chen undertake the assessment, then let it be so..." Just as Tang Zhen was about to voice his objection, Xiao Yan, standing in the hall, finally spoke. Upon hearing Xiao Yan's words, Tang Zhen and the others all paused. "Xiao Yan, Elder Wu Chen is a genuine Eight-Star Battle Sect master—indeed, even stronger than Fei Tian, the northern headmaster of Fenglei Pavilion. Are you certain you want him to conduct the assessment?" Tang Zhen furrowed his brows, fixing his gaze on Xiao Yan, his tone firm and carrying clear emphasis. Xiao Yan nodded slowly, his gaze sweeping toward the third elder, who was likewise momentarily stunned by the same words. He knew that if today he didn't align with these two elders' wishes, he would find it difficult to successfully carry off the Tianhuo Sanxuan Bian from Fenyan Valley. Therefore, he would follow their preferences and test the third elder's capabilities. Although Wu Chen's strength was not inferior to Fei Tian's, Xiao Yan had now reached the Douzong level—his power had grown significantly since the days when he had been pursued by Fei Tian. To withstand Wu Chen for ten rounds should not be an extraordinary feat as one might expect. Moreover, if things came to a head, he would certainly make this old man stumble badly today. Seeing Xiao Yan nod, Tang Zhen's brows furrowed even tighter. Glancing at the two elders beside him, who were visibly delighted, he could only sigh and nod in resignation, saying, "Since you've made this choice, I have no further options. This opportunity comes only once—should you fail the trial, it's unlikely you'll ever have the chance to learn the Heavenly Fire Triple Perfection Technique. Therefore, I hope you have a clear plan of your own." Xiao Yan smiled and nodded in agreement. He was no impulsive person; having accepted such a trial, he naturally held some confidence. While the Eight-Star Combat Sect was undoubtedly strong, Xiao Yan wasn't someone to be underestimated. He couldn't claim to defeat them outright, but if it came to sustaining ten rounds, perhaps even these elders had slightly underestimated him. "Master Director, please rest assured. I know Xiao Yan has some favors owed to the Burned Flame Valley. I won't intervene to harm him. This time, had it not been for the fact that the Heavenly Fire Triple Perfection Technique is the Valley's most refined secret method, I wouldn't have come in to interfere at all. Therefore, I hope you will forgive me." The Third Elder slowly rose and turned to face Tang Zhen. Tang Zhen glanced at him and then murmured four words: "Outdated and inflexible." As for Tang Zhen's assessment, the Third Elder remained unconcerned—so long as this secret method remained within the valley, being outdated was merely outdated. "The hall is too small. Let's begin the examination outside the pavilion. Moreover, I believe the valley's students would also find this of interest; let them observe as well—it will benefit them in more ways than one." Circling the hall with a smile, the Third Elder stepped forward, heading toward the outer courtyard. As he passed by Xiao Yan, he added, "Considering your assistance in helping the Valley Master refine the Huo Pu Dan, even if you fail the examination, you will be allowed to choose any of the Valley's flame-based techniques or combat skills that are not among the top-tier ones." "There's no need. And as for this matter, please let the Third Elder speak of it after the examination is over—otherwise, should anything unforeseen happen, we may not be able to salvage our dignity." Xiao Yan smiled calmly, paying no attention to the brief surprise on Wu Chen's face, and then turned to step out of the hall. Watching Xiao Yan's silhouette, Wu Chen regained his composure and chuckled, saying, "Young people these days truly are so self-assured. Well then, I'm looking forward to seeing just how you're going to make me lose my face today."