In the central square, the most expansive area within the Inner Academy, this square is usually not open to the public. It is only opened during competitions held by the Inner Academy, and as the most thrilling “Strong Ranking” competition, it naturally takes place here. Although the central square occupies a vast area, on this day, it was packed with countless people, a sea of black heads spreading out, their clamor blending into a single roar that soared into the sky.
When Xiao Yan and his group arrived, they were somewhat surprised at the tightly packed crowd. Fortunately, contestants had a special passage, and thanks to Xiao Yan’s influence, Xuner and the others were spared the trouble of squeezing through, entering directly via the special passage guarded by mentors onto a high platform with a good view.
Standing on the high platform, they looked down to see the spacious venue neatly divided into five platforms. Clearly, these would be the sites for the competition. Xiao Yan leaned against the railing, looking down at the entire square. As he listened to the noise from the general viewing stands below, a slight fire ignited in his eyes. This match almost symbolized the clash between the most outstanding students in the Inner Academy. As geniuses gathered from all corners of the continent, these participants, none of them were humble. To stand out in such a competitive contest, without a solid foundation, one would only become a stepping stone for others.
“Xiao Yan, this competition is much higher level than the Inner Academy selection we had before,” Xuner, who was beside him, said with a smile, her delicate figure in a green dress accentuating her curves as she turned her head to look at him.
Xiao Yan nodded, stretching lazily. “The Inner Academy is a gathering place for geniuses. Being among the top fifty in such a talented crowd means there are no weaklings. Even I must give my all in this competition; otherwise, entering the top ten would be quite impossible.”
“You can do it, Xiao Yan.” She smiled faintly, her delicate, beautiful face radiating more confidence than Xiao Yan himself.
“I’m not sure if I can, but even a lion goes all out to catch a rabbit. Facing opponents of similar strength, I will give it my all,” Xiao Yan replied, glancing at Xuner. “But if you want to, entering the Strong Ranking shouldn’t be too difficult. If you use your full abilities, I think you could match up with Liu Qing and others.”
Xuner smiled without a word. In front of him, she rarely displayed her true strength, but underestimating her would come at a high cost. Her hidden strength and cards were even more mysterious than Xiao Yan’s.
“Such a waste of an opportunity,” Wu Hao, standing behind, grumbled, disheartened. For him, giving up such a chance to fight strong opponents was practically a grave sin.
“I heard you made it into the ‘Strong Ranking’ two days ago?” Xiao Yan gave Wu Hao a sideways glance. Though Wu Hao’s strength was stuck at the peak Great Fighter level, Xiao Yan knew that if he unleashed his full potential, even ordinary One or Two-Star Dou Spirits wouldn’t defeat him easily.
“Hehe, forty-first. Ten ranks below you. Hope we don’t meet at the start of the tournament,” Wu Hao chuckled, a hint of pride on his face. Entering the ‘Strong Ranking’ in just half a year, though not a high rank, was still a remarkable achievement. Of course, compared to Xiao Yan, there was a gap, but Wu Hao was quite satisfied, having put in a lot of hard work to get there.
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, impressed by this guy’s talent. Without the Heavenly Flame Three Mystical Changes and various elixirs, his own achievements might not have been much higher.
After a bit more conversation with Wu Hao, Xiao Yan shifted his gaze around and noticed that many had already appeared on the high platform. Most of them were participants, while others, like Xuner, were brought along by the contestants.
His gaze eventually landed on a cold, silver-haired woman. Xiao Yan paused, and then noticed Lin Xiuya and Yan Hao next to Han Yue. Since the day they went deep into the mountains to find the Earth Core Body Refining Essence, they had been inseparable.
As Xiao Yan spotted Lin Xiuya and the others, they also looked over, their eyes meeting with mutual smiles.
“Xiao Yan, hope we don’t run into each other right at the start. That would be quite awkward,” Lin Xiuya said with a smile. His charisma made him the center of attention wherever he went, so when he spoke, many eyes turned to Xiao Yan.
“Lin Senior is ranked second, and besides Zi Yan, very few can match you. If we meet at the start, it would be Xiao Yan’s misfortune,” Xiao Yan responded with a light laugh.
“That’s not certain. Your speed is something I’m truly wary of,” Lin Xiuya said, neither laughing nor frowning. Having seen Xiao Yan’s terrifying speed when rescuing Han Yue, he didn’t underestimate this seemingly unassuming junior.
Lin Xiuya’s words, though not particularly loud, made some nearby contestants pause. If even Lin Xiuya felt this way, how terrifying was Xiao Yan’s speed?
Ignoring the suspicious glances, Xiao Yan laughed at Lin Xiuya and changed the subject. “By the way, we went back to the mountains a few days ago.”
Xiao Yan’s heart skipped a beat, but he smiled nonchalantly. “Oh? How did it go?”
“How do you think? That beast is getting more monstrous. Last time was okay, but this time, it went berserk right away. If we hadn’t run fast, we might not even be here for the competition,” Yan Hao grumbled, clearly annoyed.
Relieved, Xiao Yan said, “It doesn’t matter. As long as you make it to the top ten in the Strong Ranking, you can receive the Origin Heart Flame Body Refinement in the Sky Burner Tower. I’m sure you’ll be able to step into the Dou King realm.”
“Let’s hope. The Origin Heart Flame Body Refinement is considered a safe pass to the Dou King realm, but there’s still a failure rate. Success is great, but if it fails… even though the Dou King realm is just a step away, without the right opportunity, it might take five or ten years,” Lin Xiuya sighed.
The Dou King realm, the true elite of the continent, was a far cry from the ubiquitous Dou Spirits. Only by becoming a Dou King could one truly join the ranks of the strongest.
Xiao Yan understood this well. Seeing Lin Xiuya and the others’ worry, he couldn’t find any comforting words. Many had been stuck in the same place for years.
“Ah, I’m being pessimistic,” Lin Xiuya laughed, his brows relaxing as he patted Xiao Yan’s shoulder. “I heard you had another conflict with Liu Qing’s group? Be careful, they have a lot of spots in the Strong Ranking. If you run into them, be cautious. Though the rules forbid fatal injuries, weapons are blind…”
Xiao Yan smiled, about to nod, but suddenly noticed a hush on the high platform. He turned and saw a large group entering, his eyes narrowing.
The group strode into the high platform, others quickly making way. Leading them was a man with a simple outfit, his robust build and thick eyebrows exuding a stern, dominant aura. No one in the Inner Academy would fail to recognize this presence—none other than the Tyrant Gun Liu Qing.
Behind Liu Qing were Liu Fei and Yao Sheng, who had a history with Xiao Yan. They immediately fixed their hostile, cold gazes on him.
Xiao Yan merely raised an eyebrow, exchanging a smile with Lin Xiuya and the others.
As Liu Qing and his group approached Xiao Yan, the high platform grew quieter, all eyes on the two groups. These two factions represented the strongest forces in the Inner Academy, usually avoiding each other. But today, with the upcoming competition, they faced off directly. Truly, it seemed fate had a cruel sense of humor.
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