The resonant roar echoed throughout the attic, instantly silencing the bustling atmosphere. Both of these individuals were exceptionally strong—one was the Third Commander of the Black Yen Army of the ancient clan, and the other had once claimed the title of champion at the Dan Assembly. They were truly outstanding among the younger generation. Could it be that today they would finally get the chance to compete against each other? As this thought arose, many people in the attic exchanged glances filled with interest, scanning the surroundings as if searching for the two. "With their sharp instincts, it was obvious they were afraid that Xu would hesitate and retreat—thus, they had chosen to act decisively right here, in front of everyone. If Xu lost his match, it would immediately become a convenient excuse for many of the ancient clans to criticize him, and even Xun'er would inevitably suffer some repercussions." "Hmm..." Xu's face darkened as he slowly exhaled, gently setting down his teacup. "That's fine. I don't particularly enjoy being constantly bothered. It would have been ideal if I could have settled a few issues before entering the Ancient Realm—establishing a precedent by having someone like this serve as a warning. Since he's willingly stepping up to be that 'chicken,' I'll accept it." As he finished speaking, Xu suddenly turned sharply, his cold gaze fixed directly upon the young man in the green robe atop the gallery. "Heh, I must say, you're quite perceptive," the man in blue robes smiled as he saw Xiao Yan's gaze, his expression showing no trace of fear. After all, he stood at the peak of Five-Star Domain Sovereign status—though Xiao Yan was also a Five-Star Domain Sovereign, he had never lost a battle against a peer of equal rank. "Yang Hao, don't go too wild—should the elders find out..." the Fifth Commander furrowed his brow. "It's just a friendly sparring match," Yang Hao replied calmly. "Our ancient clan has always valued martial prowess; we meet to strengthen bonds through combat. Isn't that perfect? Rest assured, I won't make him feel too uncomfortable—though, of course, it depends on how he behaves." As he finished his last words, before the Fifth Commander could respond, Yang Hao flashed into motion and instantly appeared on the stone platform, smiling warmly toward Xiao Yan's direction. "Xiao Yan, I've long heard of your reputation," he said. "Would you be so kind as to demonstrate your skills today?" Swiftly! All eyes in the loft suddenly shifted, converging upon the slender figure by the window. "He is the one who won the Herb Conclave championship, isn't he?" "He looks so young—how could someone of his age have already reached the rank of Eighth-Prestige Herbalist? Truly astonishing." "It's said his master was the renowned Ye Chen, the Herb Sovereign of old. Yet now Ye Chen has ascended to the rank of Half-Saint, with such formidable strength..." "Then it makes sense—Ye Chen's discernment is indeed sharp. This disciple surpasses even Han Feng of his time by a wide margin." Hearing the murmurs around him, Xiao Yan remained calm, turned his gaze toward the serene, composed young man in the green robe on stage, and slowly rose to his feet, saying, "Since the Third Commander has insisted, I shall have no choice but to comply." "Seeing that Xiao Yan hadn't made any excuses to avoid the encounter, Yang Hao's brow slightly lifted, yet the warmth in his smile grew even more pronounced. He gestured politely, though no one noticed the sharp chill that flashed in his eyes when he slightly lowered his head. "Be careful," the small healers didn't hesitate to let him go. They were confident in Xiao Yan's strength—though Yang Hao was at the peak of Five-Star Domain Sovereign status, that level of power posed no decisive threat to Xiao Yan at this stage. "Understood," Xiao Yan nodded, stepping forward. The space before him subtly shifted, and in the next moment, he stood a short distance across from Yang Hao. "Indeed, you're no ordinary contender—your courage is truly admirable," Yang Hao said, smiling warmly at Xiao Yan. Observing Yang Hao's smile that was more performative than genuine, Xiao Yan remained calm, his voice steady and emotionless. "Then, please proceed." "Excellent!" Yang Hao burst into laughter, taking a decisive step forward, and his vast internal qi surged forth in an overwhelming wave, exerting a powerful pressure that caused several people in the hall to subtly shift their expressions. "Today, I'll personally put this Dan Conference champion to the test!" "Seeing Xiao Yan completely evade my attacks, Yang Hao's eyes widened in surprise, then he sneered, stepping forward with a steady, fluid gait—his movements as ghostly as a phantom. Subtly, dragon and serpent shadows seemed to ripple and shimmer behind him. Among the ancient clan, numerous elite combat techniques were well known, and as a Third Commander, Yang Hao naturally mastered techniques far beyond the ordinary. Indeed, this Dragon-Serpent Step was no less impressive than Xiao Yan's Three Thousand Thunder Strikes. Feeling Yang Hao's speed and attacks suddenly sharpen, Xiao Yan's eyes slightly narrowed. With so many high-tier techniques at his disposal, it was no wonder he didn't fear falling short against another Five-Star Domain Sovereign. Yet, he had overlooked one thing—before the incredibly potent soul energy flowing within Xiao Yan, no matter how elusive his movements, they could never escape detection. "Tap, tap!" As Xiao Yan waved his sleeves, each punch struck with remarkable precision, hitting just as Yang Hao's claw winds were about to reach their peak—when those winds were transitioning from weak to strong. Such a vulnerability could only be achieved with an exceptionally sharp sense of observation. Fortunately, Xiao Yan's soul energy far surpassed that of Yang Hao, enabling him to master this feat. "Thud, thud!" "With every clash, Yang Hao's expression grew increasingly serious. After several sharp exchanges, his face was completely dominated by that seriousness. Though he had already deployed two mid-tier Earth Realm techniques, he had yet to inflict even a single wound upon Xiao Yan. The latter's composed demeanor left Yang Hao slightly embarrassed. 'I won't believe it!' Yang Hao's voice cold and sharp, his feet suddenly retreating swiftly. As he stepped back, his hands swiftly formed a series of gestures so familiar to Xiao Yan. 'The Imperial Seal Technique?' Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly. In a sudden movement, he appeared before Yang Hao, then flicked his finger, sending a gust of wind that struck precisely at Yang Hao's wrist. Though the gust wasn't particularly powerful, it perfectly disrupted Yang Hao's complete seal, causing his internal qi to surge and churn. 'How does this young man know so precisely the weaknesses of the Imperial Seal Technique?' "The seal that Yang Hao had just formed was casually broken by Xiao Yan, causing a change in his expression. However, before he could think further, a surge of scorching wind rushed toward him, forcing him to brace against it. "Boom!" The hot wind spread across the stone platform, and suddenly, everyone was stunned to see that under Xiao Yan's single punch, Yang Hao had been forced to take several backward steps—completely outmatched, as if he were being dominated throughout the encounter. Defeated by Xiao Yan's single palm thrust, Yang Hao's face turned slightly flushed, clearly puzzled as to why, despite his peak Five-Star Battle Sovereign strength, he could not even match Xiao Yan—especially since he had deployed several powerful battle techniques. Yet, in contrast, Xiao Yan had not yet summoned a single one of his own. "Ground-Sealing Seal!" A growing sense of fury flickered across Yang Hao's face. He pushed his Dragon-Serpent Step technique to its utmost, causing shimmering dragon and serpent forms to materialize on the stone platform. His hand seals rapidly shifted, and a surge of powerful battle energy swiftly coalesced. Xiao Yan stood calmly at the center of the arena, his gaze steady upon the blurred figure swiftly weaving through the space. After a moment, he slowly closed his eyes. "Seal formed!" Seeing Xiao Yan's composed demeanor, Yang Hao's expression grew even more intense. His hand seal paused, a cold determination now evident in his eyes. Yet, as he prepared to deliver the seal directly toward Xiao Yan, a sudden chill settled deep within his heart. "Boom!" At the very instant the coldness settled, the stone platform beneath Yang Hao suddenly exploded, erupting into a towering column of molten lava that surged forth like a dragon, its jaws agape and limbs outstretched, crashing directly onto Yang Hao's legs. "Pffft!" The attack, emanating from the earth itself, came as a complete surprise to everyone, and as the protagonist, Yang Hao was thrown violently into the air by the force of the lava column, landing with a heavy thud against a massive stone pillar of the pavilion. The pillar itself exploded instantly. "Pfft!"