All eyes turned with keen interest toward the two young contenders standing on the dais, eager to see whether the boy who had once again achieved a miracle after three years of separation had made equally astonishing progress in the refinement of his combat techniques. On the guest seating, Xiao Zhan frowned at Xiao Ning as he stepped onto the stage, his expression slightly displeased. While Xiao Yan's combat energy had exceeded his expectations, he had never seen Xiao Yan visit the combat hall to learn from the family's specialized combat instructors. After all, combat techniques differed from the foundational cultivation of combat energy; while lower-tier yellow-level techniques could be mastered through personal exploration, more advanced yellow-level mid and upper-tier techniques required dedicated instruction from family combat specialists. Over the past few years, Xiao Zhan had never heard from any of the family's combat instructors that Xiao Yan had ever sought their guidance—on the contrary, Xiao Ning had been a frequent visitor. According to Xiao Zhan's understanding, Xiao Ning, currently at the eighth level of Battle Qi, has already mastered at least three Mid-Level Yellow-Rank Battle Techniques and one Advanced Yellow-Rank Battle Technique. These techniques are sufficient to make him a hard competitor among peers of his level. In this match, Xiao Yan appears to be falling behind. "Hehe, Xiao Clan Head, do you think Xiao Yan, the young lord, can win?" asked Yafi, sitting beside Xiao Zhan and gazing intently at the match with a light smile. Xiao Zhan gradually suppressed his frustration stirred by Xiao Ning, and replied calmly, "Xiao Yan isn't particularly skilled in Battle Techniques, and he has only recently entered the eighth level of Battle Qi. Facing Xiao Ning, who has been at this level for a full year, his chances of victory may not be very strong." "Oh, really?" Her eyes subtly shimmered, and Lady Ya blinked her long, elegant lashes, gazing lazily at the composed black-robed youth in the center of the arena. A gentle smile spread across her rosy lips, adding a mature grace to her beautiful face: "For some reason, I have immense confidence in Xiao Xian, the young lord. I believe he will surely win." Xiao Zhan was momentarily stunned, surprised by her bold confidence, and shook his head with a smile, saying, "Then I'll accept Lady Ya's good wishes." When he was only half a meter away from Xiao Yan, Xiao Ning suddenly halted, his right claw drawing a sharp, diagonal arc directly toward Xiao Yan's throat: "Yellow Rank Intermediate Technique: Split Claw Strike!" Staring calmly at the swift assault, Xiao Yan raised his palm slowly and slightly curled it, then forcefully expanded it, sending out a powerful surge of thrust... Under this unexpected, overwhelming force, Xiao Ning's expression changed, his body appearing as though struck by a heavy blow. Retreating in a dozen quick steps, he finally managed to stop, somewhat unsteadily. On the elevated platform, Xiao Zhan looked slightly astonished, while beside him, Ya Fei smiled gracefully, elegantly lifting her jade tea cup to her lips and taking a delicate sip. "This youngster truly hides his talents well," Ya Fei murmured softly, a charming smile playing at her lips. "What technique is this?" Palming his slightly congested chest, Xiao Ning's face turned pale, and with a stern, forceful voice, he demanded. Xiao Yan simply glanced at him once before lowering his gaze to his palms. Though the name "Blowing Fire Palm" was unimpressive, the powerful thrust it generated truly pleased Xiao Yan. Seeing Xiao Yan paying no attention to him, Xiao Ning's face flushed slightly, bit down on his teeth, and, driven by anger, charged again toward Xiao Yan. His extended palms remained open. With a slightly narrowed gaze, Xiao Yan watched Xiao Ning approach, a cold, composed expression slowly forming at the corners of his mouth. As his right hand spread out, he suddenly clenched it tightly, and a fierce suction force burst forth from the center of his palm—"Pyramid Rank Technique: Suction Palm!" Upon seeing Xiao Yan grasp his hands again, Xiao Ning instinctively tightened his feet against the ground. Yet before the pushing force could reach him, a sudden suction force pulled him forward, hurling him sharply into the air. His body arced through the air, striking straight at Xiao Yan, whose lips curled in a mysterious smile. Though pulled by the suction force, as Xiao Ning watched Xiao Yan closing in, a warm smile broke across his face. With a sharp, composed expression, he rapidly gathered his combat energy into his fist. "Iron Mountain Fist!" With a thunderous shout, Xiao Ning clenched his fist tightly, and a sharp, rushing gust of wind resonated in the air, then aimed directly at Xiao Yan's shoulder. The momentum suggested that if struck, Xiao Yan's arm would surely suffer serious injury—clearly, this man had no intention of holding back from the start. Iron Mountain Fist, an advanced technique at the Yellow Rank, is powerful and requires at least seven segments of combat energy to master. Focusing on the sharp force pressing toward him, Xiao Yan exhaled slowly, and his internal flow of combat energy instantly shifted: "Pyron Fist, a technique of the Supreme Rank!" As the sound in his heart settled, a powerful surge of force erupted once more from the palm of Xiao Yan. "Boom!" The air rippled slightly, and an invisible counterforce slammed into Xiao Ning's rushing body. The combined pressure of the two opposing forces left him pale as a sheet. "Pfft." Though the opposing forces eventually favored the thrust, during the moment of stalemate, Xiao Ning was forcefully driven to the ground, sliding over more than ten meters before finally coming to a stop. At the same time, a gush of blood spilled from his mouth in a tragic spray.