In the air, thick with a sense of frozen tension, Liu Qing and his companions slowly came to a halt before Xiao Yan and the others. The former cast a glance at Xiao Yan, Lin Xiu Ya, and a few others, and said mildly, “We finally meet. I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.”
Xiao Yan naturally wouldn’t naively respond to Liu Qing’s words. Everyone in the Inner Academy knew that Liu Qing’s rival was Lin Xiu Ya. Apart from Zi Yan, that little monster who stood above them, there were hardly any others who could make Liu Qing take them seriously. Even Yan Hao, ranked fourth, though he showed no fear towards Liu Qing, still harbored some wariness deep in his heart.
“I hope you have better luck this time,” Lin Xiu Ya replied with a light smile. Although his build was smaller than Liu Qing’s, his unique presence didn’t allow him to be overshadowed by Liu Qing’s towering figure.
Their conversation, though brief, was rife with unspoken rivalry. As longtime rivals, the two were always in competition. Years ago, in a battle, Liu Qing lost narrowly to Lin Xiu Ya, which left a bitter taste in his mouth. However, despite his rapidly growing strength, he hadn’t challenged Lin Xiu Ya again. The reason being, this proud individual was waiting for this very opportunity. Having lost to Lin Xiu Ya in the Strong Ranking Competition, he needed to claim victory here!
For this battle, Liu Qing had honed his skills for ten years, not knowing how much sweat and loneliness he had endured, savoring the dullness of cultivation…
As the two conversed, the atmosphere on the high platform was extremely quiet. Despite the fact that those who made it to the platform were all elite fighters of the Inner Academy, there was a certain respect in their hearts for these two, whether they admitted it or not. Strength was revered; this was an unwritten rule anywhere on the Dou Qi Continent.
Their gazes met mid-air, as if real sparks were flying. The tension between them, like swords drawn and bows taut, hinted that a single word out of place could lead to a full-scale brawl.
Of course, Xiao Yan wasn’t overly worried about this. Neither of them was impulsive. Though Liu Qing appeared rugged, the fact that he had endured until today after losing to Lin Xiu Ya revealed his mental fortitude. Therefore, a fight breaking out immediately was unlikely for these two, who were quite composed.
As he casually glanced around, Xiao Yan suddenly noticed Liu Fei behind Liu Qing, her face a mask of iron. Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow and saw that her gaze was fixed on Xun Er beside him. It was clear that Xun Er’s public slap had left a lasting impression.
However, Xun Er seemed oblivious to Liu Fei’s malevolent gaze, her beautiful eyes only focused on Xiao Yan. At that moment, a gentle, golden sunlight bathed her delicate, refined face, leaving a golden glow.
Her long lashes fluttered under the golden light, dreamy and ethereal. Even Liu Fei, not a bad-looking woman herself, couldn’t help but feel a twinge of envy at this beautiful sight.
This beauty also caught the eye of Yao Wei behind Liu Qing, who felt a slight tremor in his heart. Then, he felt a sharp pain in his arm and heard a cold, weak voice from beside him, “Hmph, it was that woman who slapped me. If you want me to give you a chance, you must avenge me!”
Yao Wei’s face twitched slightly. After a while, his gaze turned icy as it fell on Xiao Yan. He stepped forward, smiling coldly, and said, “Xiao Yan, you should keep your woman in check. Otherwise, you might suffer even more later.”
Yao Wei’s words were clearly aimed at Xiao Yan. Upon hearing this, the expressions of Wu Hao and Hu Jia behind Xiao Yan darkened, and they glared at him.
Yao Wei’s sudden provocation also caused Liu Qing to frown slightly, but he didn’t say anything. He knew that Yao Wei wanted to stand up for Liu Fei.
As Liu Fei’s cousin, it was difficult for him to speak up.
Glancing sideways at Xun Er, who remained calm behind Xiao Yan, Liu Qing sensed something and shifted his foot to shield Liu Fei. He had seen Xun Er’s ghostly quick movements in the arena, so he dared not be too careless. One slap under his nose might be explained by being caught off guard, but a second would surely raise questions about his abilities.
Lifting his eyelids, Xiao Yan looked at the cold-faced Yao Sheng and reached out to grasp Xun Er’s slender hand. He then fixed his gaze on Yao Sheng and said coolly, “Fighting is not allowed here. If we meet in the competition, I’ll settle the score for you.”
Beneath his smile, there was an unhidden chill.
Caught by Xiao Yan, the faint golden light in Xun Er’s palm faded quickly. She frowned slightly, retreated a step, and her bright eyes swept over Yao Sheng. Beneath her smile, there was a hint of coldness.
Seeing Xun Er retreat, Liu Qing, who had begun to gather his energy, relaxed a little. However, his gaze remained fixed on the calm Xun Er. Given their previous experience, he didn’t know if she would suddenly lash out again.
“Exactly, if we meet in the competition, I will reclaim everything. Otherwise, some newbies might really get out of hand,” Yao Sheng nodded grimly, his eyes filled with malice, under Xiao Yan’s icy smile.
“Enough, stop the nonsense,” Liu Qing, sensing the rising tension, interrupted with a frown. He waved to Lin Xiu Ya and the others, then turned and walked towards the seats on the high platform.
“After the competition, I’ll see if you have the face to strut around the Inner Academy. Only when ignorant newbies are slapped a few times will they learn what respect is,” Yao Sheng said in a low, cold laugh as he passed Xiao Yan, his face dark.
Xiao Yan watched as Yao Sheng turned away, his expression calm and untroubled. A cold smile slowly curved his lips. Yao Sheng’s repeated provocations had thoroughly aroused his ruthlessness.
“I hope we don’t meet in the competition. Otherwise, I might really have to kill you,” Xiao Yan murmured nonchalantly, turning his head slightly.
“Kill him, that bastard is too arrogant,” Wu Hao growled, waving his hand fiercely.
Hu Jia, standing beside him, nodded in agreement, evidently displeased with the effeminate guy.
“Haha, I didn’t expect you to have such a grudge with this fellow,” Lin Xiu Ya said, turning to Xiao Yan with a playful smile. “But it’s not surprising. Xun Er slapped Liu Fei in public, and Yao Sheng, wanting to please her, naturally sought trouble. He couldn’t target a girl due to his status, so he directed his anger at you. From his earlier expression, if you do meet in the competition, he won’t hold back.”
“Be careful, that guy’s Dou Qi is a bit strange. He cultivates water-attribute Dou Qi. It’s said that he was once bitten by a poisonous creature called ‘Erosive Bone Yin Scorpion’ and, instead of dying, he inadvertently fused the poison into his Dou Qi. When fighting, his water-attribute Dou Qi can silently invade the opponent’s body. If not expelled promptly, it could be fatal within a day,” Lin Xiu Ya chuckled, unintentionally revealing a lot about Yao Sheng.
Xiao Yan nodded silently, bowing to Lin Xiu Ya and saying, “Thanks.”
Though he had the protection of the Green Lotus Core Flame and wasn’t afraid of Yao Sheng’s poisonous Dou Qi, he appreciated Lin Xiu Ya’s good intentions.
“I never liked that guy, but he’s always proper in front of me, so I can’t find a reason to deal with him. If you do meet him in the competition, land an extra punch for me,” Lin Xiu Ya joked.
Xiao Yan smiled and nodded, thinking, “If it’s just a flesh wound, it’s too easy on him.” For such a despicable person, one must tear open a bloody scar to truly make an impression.
After Liu Qing and his group left, the atmosphere on the high platform livened up again. As time passed, more and more people gathered, and Xiao Yan was amazed to see the seats below were completely filled, a sea of black heads making his eyes dizzy.
Boom!!
In the noisy square, the ancient bell tolled again, its sound echoing and gradually quieting the crowd until it fell silent.
Swish!!
The bell tolled, and the sky was filled with the sound of wind breaking. Everyone looked up, seeing only fleeting shadows, then looked down to see several elderly figures already seated on the special high platform.
Xiao Yan scanned the old faces, recognizing most as familiar elders of the academy. The one in the center, in black robes with white hair and beard, was Su Qian, the Grand Elder.
“I didn’t expect even he would attend. Looks like the Inner Academy takes this ‘Strong Ranking’ Competition very seriously!” Xiao Yan muttered.
Su Qian walked forward slowly, his hands pressed down, and the entire square fell silent except for the sound of breathing. His gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on the black-robed youth leaning against the railing on the high platform. A faint smile crossed his eyes, and his aged, deep voice resonated in everyone’s ears.
“Those ranked on the Strong Ranking, enter the arena!”
As Su Qian’s voice fell, figures on the high platform began to move, soaring through the air and landing scattered in the square. They looked up at the countless heads around them, a fiery battle spirit swelling quietly!
The true competition was about to begin!
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