Outside the grand hall lay a spacious open area with excellent views, stretching all the way to its far end, where several lush groves formed a circular enclosure around the hall. Xiao Yan stood outside the hall, his face calm, while his inner qi began to gently surge, waves of powerful energy filling every corner of his body. At the entrance of the hall, a procession of senior monks from Fenyan Valley emerged in sequence, led naturally by Tang Zhen, Tang Huo'er, and the second senior monk. Since this hall was a regularly visited spot for Fenyan Valley disciples, many of them had already spotted their arrival upon their entrance. The impressive sight immediately signaled what was about to unfold, and whispers began to ripple out like waves, spreading in all directions. Within less than ten minutes, the area around the hall was densely filled with red silhouettes. While the surroundings had quickly become lively, Xiao Yan paid them no attention, his gaze fixed solely on the white-haired, red-robed elder across from him—Wu Chen. At this moment, Wu Chen stood with his hands behind his back, a gentle smile playing on his weathered face. The gap in strength between Xiao Yan and himself was as vast as the difference between heaven and earth. Though Wu Chen had heard a few tales about Xiao Yan, it hadn't caused him much concern—before absolute strength, all the intricacies and subtleties of strategy were rendered meaningless. Tang Zhen, standing on the platform, glanced at Wu Chen with a slightly furrowed brow, then turned his gaze toward Xiao Yan with a touch of resignation, asking, "Are you truly certain?" To Tang Zhen's question, Xiao Yan nodded warmly. Wu Chen was indeed strong, but for Xiao Yan at this moment, he wasn't so formidable that he seemed like a primordial beast utterly beyond reach. In ten rounds, he had full confidence. "Such a determined young man," Tang Zhen murmured, only able to sigh in admiration. Seeing that Xiao Yan had not wavered midway, Wu Chen's smile grew a little wider. He looked at Xiao Yan and said gently, "There's no need for further words. If you can withstand ten rounds against me, you win—then you shall claim the Tianhuo Sanxuan Transformation. But if you fail to make it through, it will only mean that you have little connection with the Tianhuo Sanxuan Transformation. However, you may still choose any of the other advanced techniques or arts from Burned Flame Valley." Hearing Wu Chen's words, the students of Burned Flame Valley on the ground immediately stirred up in astonishment, casting countless expressions of disbelief toward Xiao Yan. Though many had heard of Xiao Yan's skill in preparing medicinal concoctions, it was well known that excellence in alchemy did not necessarily imply strong combat prowess. Wu Chen, as the Third Elder of Burned Flame Valley, had few peers who surpassed him in strength. Now, this young man, whose age appeared comparable to theirs, was actually intending to fight him? "Without needing Lao Chen's reminder, if I can't make it through, I'll simply leave right away—there's no hope left for the other techniques or skills." Xiao Yan spoke calmly, genuinely not impressed with the old man. Upon hearing this, Lao Chen didn't mind Xiao Yan's tone at all. He merely smiled and nodded. As long as the Tianhuo Sanxuan technique remained secure in the hands of his own people, even if his reputation suffered a bit, he was fine. After all, someone had to be the villain—otherwise, everyone would think it utterly trivial that the top techniques of Burned Flame Valley could be easily taken away by others. Taking a gentle step forward, an exceptionally powerful surge of fiery combat energy erupted suddenly from within Lao Chen's body. At that moment, his white hair streamed freely, his crimson robe fluttering wildly—his presence was nothing short of awe-inspiring. The blazing qi surged like a roiling crimson cloud, completely enveloping the half-sky. Even the previously calm gaze of Wu Chen now flashed with piercing brilliance, fixed firmly upon Xiao Yan, his voice resonating with a commanding, thunderous strength: "Are you ready?" "A blazing fist, strangely materializing, then powerfully striking against Xiao Yan's chest, instantly generating a deep resonant sound that pierced straight through his chest." "Shadow image? Hah, I suppose this is precisely what Fenglei Pavilion's 'Three Thousand Thunder Waves' is all about—there's certainly some depth to it." Though the first blow fell short, Wu Chen's expression remained unchanged. With a cold laugh, he shattered the shadow image. Flames swirled around his palms, and as the flames danced, his hands gradually expanded—growing larger and larger until, from a distance, they appeared as if twin fans. At a distance of several dozen meters to the left of Wu Chen, Xiao Yan also surged forth. Glancing down at his slightly blackened garments, a sense of seriousness passed through his eyes. Indeed, Wu Chen was no ordinary figure—his prowess as the Third Elder of Burned Flame Valley was truly remarkable. However, following the earlier blow, Xiao Yan could now sense Wu Chen's speed, which, while not quite matching Fei Tian's, was significantly stronger in terms of attack intensity. Such attacks would immediately incapacitate Xiao Yan if he were struck even once. As soon as Xiao Yan's form emerged, a sense of alertness flashed through his mind, and he swiftly took a lightning-fast step to the left. "Pff!" A large, fiery hand suddenly shot past Xiao Yan's abdomen, slicing through his clothing. The intense heat of the Qi carried by the hand caused a slight discomfort on his skin. "Pure Yang Continuous Palm!" "Just barely avoiding that massive hand, before Xiang Yan could retreat, a sharp command suddenly struck him to mind—and then he saw that the fiery great hand had strangely extended halfway, curving at the wrist to strike diagonally across Xiang Yan's waist. 'Thud!' Amidst the surrounding gasps, Xiang Yan was sent flying backward. With a foot press against the air, he spun through the air, landing on one knee, then sharply lifting his head. A faint streak of crimson blood traced his lips—Lü Chen's unusual technique had cost him dearly. "Indeed, the Third Elder of Burned Flame Valley has proven himself worthy. Such a technique—I am truly impressed," Xiang Yan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. The inner jade lotus fire within him surged rapidly, forcefully devouring the violent, scorching hidden energy that had penetrated his body. Then, fixing his gaze on Wu Chen, he laughed heartily and exclaimed, "One more!" "This young man has earned such a reputation in the North Region—indeed, he's no mere pretender. It seems I must take this more seriously..." With these thoughts passing through his mind, Wu Chen's expression grew steadily more serious, and the bright flame of his large, crimson hands grew even more intense. At the same time, a surge of fiery ki began to rise slowly from the soles of his feet. "I've long wanted to witness the Wind and Thunder Pavilion's 'Three Thousand Thunder Claps.' I'd like to find out whether my Fengyan Valley's 'Heavenly Qi Shattered Stone Step' truly surpasses theirs, or if their technique holds the upper hand!" Wu Chen chuckled, then suddenly stamped the ground with his flame-lit right foot. "Boom!" A deep resonance echoed as the solid green stone beneath him cracked and burst open, and his form shimmered, vanishing from the spot in a strange, ethereal manner. As Wu Chen vanished, the gravity on Xiao Yan's face deepened steadily. Suddenly, his body hairs stood on end, almost reflexively, and he unleashed the Three-Thousand-Thunder Technique to its fullest extent, a residual image materializing... "Shhh!" A fiery figure, accompanied by a deep rumble of explosive force, crashed into the residual image with the strength of a humanoid tank, causing it to instantly shatter. After the impact, the fiery figure immediately stabilized itself, and an explosive wave erupted before it, cracking the ground and forming a fissure. Yet before the sound of the explosion could fully resonate, the figure planted her foot firmly on the ground again, then rocketed upward, appearing directly before Xiao Yan in an instant. "Such incredible speed!" Gazing at the fleeting red glow that flashed and vanished in his eyes, Xiao Yan's face also tightened. Although Wu Chen's combat technique was less agile and varied than the Three Thousand Thunder Strikes, its impact and destructive power were exceptionally formidable. His heavy staff instantly materialized, veins on his arms pulsing with intensity. With a sharp command in his heart, he roared, "Six Harmonies Flowing Body Staff—Six Harmonies Fire!" He launched the most powerful move of his Six Harmonies Flowing Body Staff technique, offering no reserve—Xiao Yan was fully aware of how perilous the battle would be against a top-tier Eight-Star Combatant. The staff surged forward with an overwhelming gust of wind, forcefully cleaving downward. As the staff's shadow swept through the air, a red silhouette emerged—two hands glowing with red light, then crashing down with great force, striking the staff squarely. "Clang!" A crisp, metallic resonance echoed through the air, followed by a powerful surge of energy that radiated outward like lightning from the heavens. Then, under the intense gaze of all present, two figures were seen retreating, crashing against the towering walls surrounding the hall... "Boom!" A massive crater formed in the wall behind Xiao Yan, cracks spreading like a spider's web. He cleared his throat, then slowly lifted his head, wiping a streak of blood from his lip. The fierce, battle-driven passion in his eyes sent ripples of awe through the crowd. This young man had dared to face off against a master of eight-star cultivation—what a boldness! "Again!" With a single step forward, Xiao Yan's voice rang out once more, his passionate intensity sending a shiver down every listener's spine.