Fang Xuan suddenly understood why Cheng Gong had failed-it had been a spiritual attack. He himself had only seen a flash of fire, unable to discern what it truly was.

"Tang Yan actually didn't lose!" Seeing Tang Yan still standing upright, the crowd below the stage burst into a chorus of gasps.

"What was that mass of fire just now?" the Qing City Lord asked curiously.

"It seemed like a Spiritual Flame, but how did that boy unleash it?" Mo Bin was utterly astonished.

"A Spiritual Flame!" Lin Xiao's heart shook. This boy Tang Yan hid his depths incredibly well. For so long, he had no idea the youth possessed such a trump card!

"You have some skill!" Fang Xuan looked at Tang Yan with a wary gaze. "That white flame just now can actually interfere with a person's mind. But a thing like that must drain your True Qi rapidly, right? Let's see how long you can hold out!"

With that, Fang Xuan moved, rushing toward Tang Yan at lightning speed.

Tang Yan sighed inwardly. His cultivation was too low, and his Fire Control Art was not at a high enough rank to unleash the true power of the Soul-Refining Fire. Fang Xuan could completely rely on his Fifth Grade strength to suppress its effects.

In the face of absolute strength, relying solely on his Combat Heart and the Soul-Refining Fire was still not enough.

Try this... Tang Yan steeled his resolve. A thread-like, almost tangible aura suddenly enveloped Fang Xuan.

Under the weight of Tang Yan's Fearless Force, the battle intent radiating from Fang Xuan actually diminished by a fraction in an instant.

"What is this?" Feeling as if his body were bound by invisible threads, Fang Xuan was greatly alarmed.

"You'll find out later," Tang Yan chuckled lightly. With the full release of his Fearless Force, the trajectory of Fang Xuan's attacks became strikingly clear in his perception.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Although Fang Xuan unleashed his full Fifth Grade strength, Tang Yan still held his ground, trading blows evenly.

The other five city lords looked on in bewilderment. Had Tang Yan's combat prowess somehow risen yet again?

While the city lords were merely puzzled, Mo Bin, with his vastly superior experience, was enduring a tempest of shock in his heart.

Tang Yan was so young, and his cultivation was only at the Black Rank Third Grade, yet he had already comprehended "Force"-a concept that countless martial artists dreamed of achieving!

If a cultivator could find their own Force before reaching the Heaven Rank, they could shatter their shackles, gaining a far greater chance of breaking through to the Heaven Rank and pursuing a higher martial path. Did this not mean Tang Yan's future potential was limitless?

Forcing down the excitement in his chest, Mo Bin sat motionless, though a sharp gleam continually flashed across his eyes.

He had originally thought this trip to the Eastern Region would be a mere formality, but he never expected to encounter such extraordinary seedlings. Once he returned, those old fellows would surely go green with envy, hahaha!

Tang Yan's sudden revelation of yet another hidden card frustrated Fang Xuan to no end. The youth was like a piece of sticky candy; every time Fang Xuan thought he had the upper hand, this fellow would always pull out an equally formidable countermeasure.

But a Third Grade clashed head-on with a Fifth Grade-surely his Spiritual Qi would run dry over time? I'll just wear you down to the bone!

The two exchanged blows on the stage, treating the audience to a spectacular display of martial prowess.

Tang Yan's techniques were an eye-opener for everyone. To bridge a gap of two whole grades and fight Fang Xuan to a standstill was nothing short of miraculous.

Regardless of whether Tang Yan won or lost, his strength had thoroughly earned the respect of everyone present.

As time slipped away, Fang Xuan realized his strategy had failed once more. Half an hour had passed, yet Tang Yan remained full of energy, showing not the slightest sign of exhaustion.

"Tang Yan, let's settle this with a single move!" Fang Xuan called out coldly, leaping back a few paces.

With those words, the surrounding Spiritual Qi rapidly converged upon him. A faint red glow enveloped his body.

Accompanied by a low rumbling sound, a terrifying aura manifested around him.

"It's over!" Fang Xuan barked softly. "Great Sun Crimson Wave Palm!"

Feeling the immense pressure radiating from Fang Xuan's martial skill, Tang Yan's heart leaped.

It was actually a high-grade Black Rank martial technique!

Below the stage, Lin Dongxue clenched her delicate fists, silently cheering for Tang Yan. Suddenly, the wager she had made with him flashed through her mind, and her small face froze. If Tang Yan really took the championship, was she truly going to let him have his way with her?

"You said those exact words just moments ago," Tang Yan mocked with a sarcastic sneer, his hands quickly weaving into hand seals.

Complex patterns shifted rapidly through his fingers as the surrounding air was compressed again and again. A crimson light flared to life before him.

As Tang Yan's hands continued to blur, the mass of crimson light gradually condensed into a solid, vibrant sphere.

"Flame Burst Palm!"

Tang Yan charged forward to meet the attack head-on!

"He actually intends to clash with it directly!" Witnessing Tang Yan's wild resolve, nearly everyone in the stands stood up, their eyes fixed on the stage in breathless tension. This clash would undoubtedly signal the end of the battle.

Both martial techniques were incredibly fierce and violent, their momentum imposing.

Though surprised that Tang Yan's attack could muster such power, Fang Xuan still maintained absolute confidence in his own victory.

Suddenly, a clump of bone-white flame bloomed in Tang Yan's palm.

Having already anticipated that Tang Yan would deploy this flame, Fang Xuan merely felt a slight tremor in his mind. He was not heavily affected. He declared proudly, "I knew you would try that. A mere parlor trick!"

Yet, not a single trace of panic showed on Tang Yan's face.

Just as their techniques were about to collide, Fang Xuan caught sight of the corner of Tang Yan's mouth curling upward into a smirk.

Bluffing! Fang Xuan sneered internally.

But the moment the two attacks slammed together, Fang Xuan's heart violently lurched. A truly horrifying aura erupted from within that bone-white flame.

A tiny spark of faint blue light suddenly bored out from the bone-white fire. The heart-stopping aura intensified exponentially, triggering a fierce sense of impending doom within him.

The surrounding air visibly warped from the heat.

Boom!

A deafening explosion rang out, causing the entire arena to shudder violently.

The reinforced surface of the stage let out a sharp crack, fracturing into a massive web of fissures like a spiderweb.

Shattered stone sprayed in all directions as a thick cloud of dust billowed upward, completely obscuring the view of the ring.

"Is Tang Yan even alive?" Awestruck by the sheer destructive force of the impact, the crowd clicked their tongues in disbelief.

"You lost."

A calm, steady voice echoed through the arena, leaving everyone stunned.

The crowd strained their eyes through the dissipating dust until they could clearly see a slender figure standing proudly upright.

"Tang Yan!" Lin Dongxue cried out in joyful surprise.

The spectators were equally dumbfounded.

Fang Xuan, who had been heavily favored to win, was struggling to prop himself up with his arms. At this moment, his internal organs were in complete turmoil, his Qi and blood were violently disordered, and he simply lacked the strength to stand.

Managing to drag himself into a slouched sitting position, he looked up at the standing youth and forced a bitter smile. "Impressive... But could you at least let me lose knowing the truth? What exactly was that faint blue light?"

"A Spiritual Flame," Tang Yan replied, offering a respectful cupped-fist salute.

"So it really was a Spiritual Flame..." A look of wonder flashed across Fang Xuan's eyes. What kind of divine ability did Tang Yan possess to actually subdue and utilize a Spiritual Flame for himself?

The red-robed Elder had also been caught completely off guard by this outcome. He remained dazed for a long moment before finally recovering his senses, loudly proclaiming to the entire venue:

"Tang Yan of Yun City wins!"