Yan Hao exchanged glances with the others, but could only shake his head helplessly upon seeing that none of them understood what Lin Xiuya was referring to.
Just as they were about to press him for an explanation, a sudden uproar erupted from the stadium, drawing their attention back to the arena. Their gazes snapped toward the battleground—only to feel a jolt of shock.
Under Liu Qing's relentless, storm-like assault, the once-sturdy, light-lavender flame armor had finally reached its limit.
At the moment Liu Qing's claw smashed down onto a deep dent, the entire armor trembled violently.
Kacha—!
Immediately, fine web-like fractures rapidly spread across its surface, visible even from the distant stands. Amidst the stadium's stunned silence, a crisp shattering sound echoed out. The armor, which had withstood nearly a hundred savage blows, finally collapsed—disintegrating into nothingness.
As the flames dissipated, the figure within was once again revealed to all.
Xiao Yan—his body slightly hunched, yet his eyes glowing with unwavering calm—re-emerged beneath countless astonished gazes.
At this moment, Xiao Yan's figure was clearly battered. His clothes had been partially torn by the residual force that penetrated through the flame armor, and his expression was visibly pale. A thin trail of blood slid down from the corner of his mouth.
Even with the protection of the flame armor, it was clear—Liu Qing's wild, bull-like assault had left him somewhat injured.
Liu Qing's expression remained calm and unfazed. The shattering of Xiao Yan's final layer of defense merely caused his brows to rise slightly. Pale-golden Dou Qi once again surged over his clawed hand, and with a flicker of fierce momentum, he thrust it straight toward Xiao Yan's chest without pause.
Xiao Yan, blood still lingering at the corner of his lips, lifted his eyes to meet Liu Qing's unrelenting advance. Yet, within his dark-black pupils, a subtle, cold smile flickered—barely noticeable to the untrained eye.
He did not dodge. Instead, his body remained rooted in place as he slowly raised his right hand, extending it directly toward Liu Qing's incoming strike.
At first glance, it appeared as though he intended to receive the attack head-on.
This sudden and seemingly reckless action stirred a wave of murmurs throughout the viewing gallery. After witnessing the earlier exchange, everyone was well aware that Xiao Yan couldn't match Liu Qing in a frontal clash. To raise his hand now—without evading—seemed to them like nothing short of courting death.
Unbothered by what the others might think, Xiao Yan remained calm and unmoving within the arena. A cold light flickered in his eyes as he locked his gaze onto Liu Qing, who had already closed the distance in an instant.
Unlike the watching crowd—who saw only recklessness—Liu Qing, possessing sharper instincts, was inwardly startled by Xiao Yan's stillness. A vague sense of unease quietly rose in his heart, his chest tightening without reason. There was something unsettling in Xiao Yan's composure, something that instinctively triggered alarm.
Liu Qing was no fool. And he knew Xiao Yan wasn't either.
There was no way Xiao Yan would willingly use an egg to strike against stone… unless the egg held something dangerous within.
As suspicion swirled in his mind, Liu Qing's sharp eyes suddenly caught a flicker—a pale green-violet glint that flashed before his pupils. In that moment, every hair on his body stood on end. A chilling, intense sense of danger surged up from the depths of his heart.
The green-violet light flickered again.
This time, Liu Qing's eyes pinpointed its source—his pupils shrank sharply in shock.
That flickering light… was coming from within the dark-black sleeve of Xiao Yan's outstretched arm.
Without hesitation, Liu Qing's wild and violent strike abruptly stopped mid-air. Ignoring the backlash and pressure that surged in his chest, he forcefully suppressed the attack and retreated.
Boom!
Under the stunned gazes of the entire viewing gallery, Liu Qing's expression changed dramatically. With a fierce stomp of both feet, his body shot backward like a shadow, retreating at full speed from Xiao Yan's seemingly defenseless stance.
"Too late."
A faint smile curled on Xiao Yan's lips as he watched Liu Qing suddenly halt and retreat. Traces of blood still clung to his white teeth, adding a grim edge to his grin. With a flick of his finger, he whispered lightly, "Go."
As his voice fell, a green-purple glow burst forth from within his sleeve. In the instant it appeared, the temperature of the arena soared sharply, as though the very air had been ignited.
At that moment, the entire audience finally understood the reason behind Liu Qing's sudden retreat.
Xiao Yan had laid a trap long ago—patiently waiting for Liu Qing to charge headlong into it.
What had been released… was Xiao Yan's Angry Buddha Flame Lotus—his self-created Dou Technique forged from a fusion of the Amethyst Flame and Green Lotus Core Flame. Though he possessed two Heavenly Flame, Xiao Yan had deliberately restrained himself.
Had he used the Green Lotus Core Flame alongside the Ten Thousand Beast Flame, the destructive force unleashed would have been enough to reduce the Inner Academy to scorched ruins.
Thus, this version was weaker—its might far less compared to a true dual-Heavenly Flame fusion.
Even so, it was more than enough to be taken seriously.
Liu Qing could already feel the terrifying destructive power gathering within that glowing lotus. A single misstep now… and the consequences would be devastating.
The green-purple glow shot forth at a terrifying speed, like a streak of light tearing through space. Yet, despite its swiftness, it did not escape the notice of the Elders seated upon the judging platform.
As they sensed the overwhelming destructive force contained within that lotus, even the usually composed First Elder, Su Qian, couldn't help but have a subtle change in expression.
The green-purple flame lotus flickered a few more times, and in the blink of an eye, it appeared directly in front of Liu Qing—whose pupils shrank sharply in response.
"Explode!"
A single word, spoken softly by Xiao Yan, detonated like the toll of judgment.
Boom!!
An earth-shattering explosion erupted, loud enough to shake mountains and split the earth. The violent detonation roared through the arena like rolling thunder beneath a sky full of stunned gazes.
A terrifying shockwave swept out from the center of the explosion, carrying searing heat and a destructive momentum. It howled across the battlefield like a burning tempest, flattening everything in its path.
Wherever the shockwave passed, the ground shattered. Thick, arm-wide fissures rapidly crawled across the stone surface of the arena, forming a sprawling web of destruction.
In mere moments, the once-pristine fighting platform had been reduced to complete ruin.
Countless gazes from the viewing gallery froze, stunned speechless as they stared at the arena—now reduced to utter devastation. The arena they had been watching with bated breath moments ago had been obliterated beyond recognition. For a time, none of them could quite comprehend the aftermath they were witnessing.
Though few had clearly seen the green-purple lotus in detail, none had expected that such a seemingly small cluster of light could unleash such terrifying destructive power.
Only after a long, eerie silence did the crowd finally begin to stir from their daze. One by one, eyes turned toward the pale-faced, black-robed young man standing amidst the dissipating dust—his chest heaving, breath labored.
Without exception, every gaze was filled with astonishment and disbelief. Xiao Yan's sudden, thunderclap-like counterattack had left a lasting shock in their hearts.
On the tall platform, Liu Fei's complexion had turned deathly pale. Her delicate hand covered her mouth as she stared down in disbelief. The air was thick with dust, but her beautiful eyes—wide and filled with terror—remained fixed on that black-robed figure below.
This one sudden retaliation from Xiao Yan had completely shattered her pride and composure. It felt as though she had been ruthlessly flung from a pedestal of arrogance straight into an abyss of helplessness.
Never had she imagined that the young man she once mocked and despised… was capable of such terrifying power.
Only now did she truly understand why this person had caught the attention of Elder Xiao Hua. She had once believed it was merely because Xiao Yan was his fellow cousin—but now she realized the truth.
She had unknowingly provoked a monster.
Beside her, Yao Sheng's mouth slowly parted in disbelief. A long moment passed before the shock in his eyes shifted into a sense of lingering relief. It was fortunate—extremely fortunate—that Xiao Yan hadn't unleashed this move during their match yesterday.
Even if he had gone all out, Yao Sheng knew he would not have emerged unscathed. Against such terrifying destructive power, he would have been gravely injured, if not outright defeated.
"Don't worry, Fei'er," Yao Sheng said softly, noticing her pale expression. "The Chief's endurance and strength surpass even those ranked among the top five. Though Xiao Yan has revealed such a powerful Dou Technique… the Chief has yet to show his full strength."
Liu Fei's face regained a trace of color at his words, but her fear and unease did not fully fade. After all, she was well aware—Xiao Yan and Liu Qing now stood at the same level of cultivation. Their strengths were evenly matched.
Her gaze slowly returned to the dust-filled arena and landed on that black-robed young man, whose face remained cold and resolute.
For reasons she couldn't explain, the hatred she once harbored for him had diminished—replaced by a faint, inexplicable anxiety… and the stirrings of fear.
After all, her greatest support within the Inner Academy… was Liu Qing.
However, the current Xiao Yan had already demonstrated a frightening strength—one sufficient to contend directly with Liu Qing. With that, the value of her so-called support was reduced to its lowest point. And without Liu Qing behind her, what right did she have to show even a trace of disdain toward Xiao Yan?
Only now did Liu Fei begin to truly regret stirring up trouble with him.
Originally, she had approached Xiao Yan out of curiosity—wanting to learn more about Xiao Hua, whom she was deeply smitten with. Since Xiao Yan is quite close with Xiao Hua, she assumed he might hold some insight or connection that could bring her closer to him.
But a misunderstanding had spiraled into conflict—and ultimately, a slap to her face. With her haughty arrogance and spoiled temper, she refused to take a step back, even though she knew deep down that she had been in the wrong for misunderstanding Xiao Yan's words.
She had misinterpreted Xiao Yan's words and thrown harsh insults at him without reason. In truth, it wasn't Xiao Yan who had escalated the matter—it was she who had refused to yield.
To make matters worse, the ones who prevented that conflict from escalating further were Han Yue and Xiao Yu—the very two women she envied the most. During Xiao Hua's time at the academy, it was they who received his attention… far more than she ever did.
This only fueled her stubbornness, deepening her unwillingness to retreat.
Yet now, with the dust settled and the truth laid bare, Liu Fei finally saw her own foolishness.
She could already imagine herself shrinking back in shame the next time she stood before Xiao Yan's gaze.
"I never imagined that Xiao Yan's fire lotus Dou Technique would possess such overwhelming power," Han Yue murmured, her eyes filled with solemnity as she gazed at the ruined arena. "Though I'd heard rumors of it… witnessing its destructive force firsthand is truly something else."
"It's not entirely unexpected," Xiao Yu replied with a faint smile. "Back then, my cousin only had the strength of a Da Dou Shi. Now, he has stepped into the Dou Ling class—and even nears its peak. Naturally, the strength of his Dou Techniques has risen with him."
Yet despite her calm tone, there was a flicker of seriousness within her gaze. She clearly understood that if she had been on the receiving end of that fire lotus and failed to defend in time, even she—with her strength—would likely have suffered severe injuries.
'No wonder Brother Xiao Hua took notice of him…' She mused silently. Even she hadn't expected Xiao Yan to be hiding such a devastating trump card.
From the other side, Yan Hao narrowed his eyes, his gaze scanning the dust-filled arena. "What about Liu Qing?" he asked, his voice low. "Don't tell me…"
He trailed off, unable to finish his sentence. The battlefield before them was still cloaked in thick clouds of dust and scorched air—not a single figure could yet be seen within the chaos.
Not even a shadow of Liu Qing remained in sight.
Lin Xiuya narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on the dust-filled arena. After a long pause, he gently shook his head and spoke in a low voice, "I admit… that fire lotus is indeed terrifying. But I doubt it's enough to completely bring Liu Qing down. That fellow's defense is far more formidable than most realize—thanks to his Dou Qi affinity."
Yan Hao exchanged glances with the others before nodding, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. All of them were either high-ranking members of the Strong Ranking or experienced students who had fought Liu Qing—or at the very least, witnessed his strength firsthand.
Moreover, they were well aware that Elder Xiao Hua had personally guided Liu Qing, Lin Xiuya, Han Yue, Xiao Yu, and Lin Yan. Under his tutelage, each of them had undergone a significant leap in both potential and physical prowess.
Because of that, they knew just how monstrous Liu Qing's physical resilience had become—tough enough to challenge even Dou Wang-level experts head-on without falling behind.
Everyone held their breath as their gazes remained fixed on the dust-filled arena.
Moments later, the lingering dust—once thick and obscuring—finally began to settle. A sudden gust of wind swept through the arena, scattering the last of the haze.
As the dust dispersed, a lone figure slowly emerged amidst the wreckage. At the edge of the devastated battlefield, a man stood tall—his body emanating a sharp, spear-like aura that pierced the silence.
Their eyes locked onto that familiar silhouette—the tyrant-like presence who stood as rigid and unyielding as a war spear in the midst of ruin. Though his once-proud robes had been completely torn away, revealing a bare upper body marred with scorched marks and soot, his posture did not waver.
The proud bearing he had before was battered—but not broken.
Even in such a miserable state, the moment his figure appeared, a faint but resolute cheer erupted from the viewing gallery.
Liu Qing… was still standing.
Xiao Yan's gaze remained cold as he stared at the figure standing amidst the ruined arena. A moment later, his eyes narrowed slightly—finally noticing that the dark-black heavy spear Liu Qing had flung away from the previous clash was now firmly gripped in his hand.
With the Mountain Splitting Spear in his grasp, Liu Qing's aura underwent a visible transformation. His entire presence was like a sharpened lance—unyielding, cold, and brimming with a dangerous edge. Compared to before, his aura had become even more intense and oppressive.
'So he didn't retreat to dodge the Angry Buddha Lotus Flame…' Xiao Yan thought, a flicker of surprise flashing across his heart. 'He withdrew only to retrieve his spear and used it to shield himself…'
Even Xiao Yan hadn't anticipated that move.
Liu Qing had shown no panic—only calm precision. The instant he sensed the danger, he chose to retrieve his most trusted weapon, the Mountain Splitting Spear, and face the storm head-on.
'Now that I think about it… Xiao Yu once told me that before Brother Xiao Hua left for the Central Plains, he helped a few chosen students strengthen themselves. Liu Qing was among them…'
Xiao Yan's thoughts flickered as he recalled the information. With that, his astonishment faded, replaced by a deeper understanding. It was no wonder Liu Qing had managed to endure the lotus's terrifying might.
Xiao Yan slowly lifted his head—and his eyes met Liu Qing's.
In that instant, four pupils locked.
Within Liu Qing's gaze, Xiao Yan caught a rare glimpse of solemnity and dignity. It was clear that the earlier attack had forced Liu Qing to treat this match with utmost seriousness. If he hadn't taken it head-on with his full strength, the consequences would have been dire.
Under the watchful gaze of the entire stadium, the heavy spear in Liu Qing's hand slowly rose, its tip pointing directly at Xiao Yan. A deep, resonant voice echoed across the shattered arena.
"One move."
He paused briefly, then suddenly thrust the dark-black Mountain Splitting Spear into the ground beneath his feet. The shattered rock fragments trembled beneath its weight. His voice once again resounded—low and heavy, shaking the very air.
"This final move… shall decide it all!"
Xiao Yan's fingers slowly clenched into a fist. A crisp popping sound rang from his joints. The current Liu Qing, sharp and oppressive like an unsheathed blade, had clearly pushed his strength to the absolute limit. The pressure rolling off him was immense.
It was evident that the next exchange would be fiercer and more violent than anything that had come before.
Xiao Yan's expression remained calm, yet deep within his heart, he felt a wave of relief. Liu Qing's decision to settle everything with one final move confirmed what Xiao Yan had sensed—his opponent had also suffered a toll from the earlier exchange.
In truth, Xiao Yan's condition wasn't much better.
Even though he had reached the peak of the Dou Ling class, that alone didn't guarantee a clear advantage. Not when his opponent was Liu Qing—someone who had also received guidance and enhancement from Brother Xiao Hua. Their strength… was truly on par.
'It seems Brother Xiao Hua didn't intend to give me an easy trial...' Xiao Yan thought wryly, a faint, helpless smile surfacing in his heart as he recalled how Xiao Hua had raised the strength of Liu Qing and the others.
"This was originally my trump card meant for Lin Xiuya. But from the looks of it, I'll have to use it on you first." Liu Qing, whose expression had remained calm like still water, finally revealed a stiff smile. The Mountain Splitting Spear in his hand swept through the air, and a golden Dou Qi surged out, leaving behind a faint golden trail in its wake.
The moment those words fell, countless people in the viewing gallery instinctively leaned forward, their eyes darting between the two figures standing in the ruined arena. Tension filled the air.
Xiao Yan silently gazed at the confident, unwavering smile on Liu Qing's face. He knew very well—just as Liu Qing had declared—this final strike would determine the victor of their battle.
His lips pressed into a tight line. After a long moment, he slowly exhaled the hot air burning in his chest and took a step forward under the eyes of the crowd. Cupping his fists, he declared solemnly, "Xiao Yan seeks your advice!"
The top ten—this goal was something Xiao Yan could never abandon. No matter who stood in his path, he would face them head-on… and strike with all his might.
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