Zi Yan: Come at Me Together!

Jia Nan Academy's reconstruction and repairs proceeded at an astonishing pace. In just three days, through the joint efforts of the many elders and students, the Inner Academy had been restored to a brand-new state.

After three days of busy work, the impact that the Formless Fire Python and Black Robe had left on the students' minds gradually began to fade as well.

By the fifth day.

A huge plaza in the Inner Academy was packed with a sea of people. As far as the eye could see, the bustling crowd's clamor spread in every direction before converging into a single roar that soared into the sky.

The reason so many people had gathered in this plaza today was that the Inner Academy's most exciting Strong Ranking tournament was about to be held here.

The central area of the plaza had been divided into five exceptionally neat platforms to serve as competition grounds.

At this moment, many contestants were already standing atop one of the higher viewing platforms in the plaza.

As quite a few of them looked down at the dense crowd below, their eyes burned with excitement.

This tournament practically represented a clash between the most outstanding students in the Inner Academy. As geniuses gathered from all across the continent, which of the contestants was not proud and ambitious? To stand out in a tournament with such fierce competition, anyone without real ability would likely become nothing more than a stepping stone for others.

Among them, a handsome young man in green robes was particularly eye-catching.

He looked to be around twenty-five years old and always wore a gentle smile that naturally inspired goodwill. Dressed in green, he carried himself with an air of calm grace that was truly remarkable.

He was Lin Xiuyai, ranked second on the Strong Ranking.

Around him stood Liu Qing, ranked third on the Strong Ranking, as well as Han Yue, Yan Hao, and the others.

"Lin Xiuyai, I heard that the rewards for the top ten in this Strong Ranking tournament are different this time. In the past, the top ten all received the same reward, but now, the higher the ranking, the better the reward," Yan Hao suddenly said.

"Is that so?"

Upon hearing Yan Hao's words, Lin Xiuyai began to look forward to this tournament.

The cold and beautiful Han Yue beside them had also heard their conversation, and a strange glint flashed through her eyes.

It would be great if this time's rewards included something that could let me break through another star within a month, Han Yue murmured inwardly.

As time gradually passed, more and more people gathered on the viewing platforms, while the seats below were nearly full as well.

Boom!

An ancient bell suddenly rang out across the deafeningly noisy venue. Its chime lingered throughout the plaza, and beneath it, the clamor slowly subsided until it finally vanished completely.

The next moment, Grand Elder Su Qian and the other elders appeared on the special elevated seats in the plaza.

Ever since the Formless Fire Python incident, Su Qian, the Grand Elder, was no longer unfamiliar to the students.

"Those ranked on the Strong Ranking, enter the arena!"

As Su Qian's voice fell, figures immediately darted across the viewing platform. One after another, they traced arcs through the air before landing at scattered positions within the plaza.

Bang!

Liu Qing leaped down from the viewing platform like a black iron tower, accompanied by a sharp whistle of wind. His feet slammed heavily into the ground, and fine cracks silently spread across the dark floor made of special material beneath his landing spot.

A faint smile remained on Lin Xiuyai's face. With a light tap of his toe against the ground, his body drifted straight off the platform like a fallen leaf. A pale green vortex of wind formed beneath his feet, and each time his foot descended, it seemed to step upon an invisible yet solid stair. The sight made it appear as though he were walking through the air.

This display immediately drew cries of amazement from the entire crowd. They all knew that even a Dou Wang expert needed Dou Qi wings to remain in the air. To move as though walking on solid ground without any apparent support was something only a Dou Emperor could barely accomplish.

After that, Han Yue, Yan Hao, and several others entered the arena in various dazzling ways.

"Han Yue, it seems your strength has improved quite a bit again!"

Seeing Han Yue step lightly and nimbly into the arena, Lin Xiuyai smiled and offered her praise.

"Everyone is improving. How could Han Yue remain stagnant?" Han Yue replied in a measured tone.

"Why hasn't she come? Did Elder Gu forbid her from participating?"

After replying to Lin Xiuyai, Han Yue's gaze continued moving through the crowd, as though searching for someone.

Just then, a little girl dressed in white slowly climbed up the stairs from somewhere below the platform. Amid countless stunned gazes, she walked to the very front of the crowd, her mouth seemingly chewing on something as she looked around.

Not many people in the Inner Academy knew Zi Yan's identity. Perhaps only those on the Strong Ranking and some older students did. The newer students who had entered later had never even heard her name. After all, Zi Yan rarely showed herself in the Inner Academy, and no one dared challenge her.

Thus, the people of the Inner Academy knew Lin Xiuyai, Liu Qing, and the others, but they did not know that the person ranked first on the Strong Ranking above them all was such an adorable little girl.

Whispers rose from the surrounding viewing platforms, but the expressions of some contestants in the arena turned rather unnatural. Aside from those who had only recently squeezed onto the Strong Ranking, most of the others showed traces of fear on their faces. Their reactions left the watching students thoroughly puzzled.

Zi Yan could not be bothered with the surrounding stares. She kept chewing the Spirit Medicine Pills Gu He had refined for her.

She looked entirely relaxed, without the slightest sense of urgency before the tournament. Two years ago, there had still been a few opponents in the Inner Academy who could fight her. But now, those strong students had all graduated and left. As time passed, she had become the student who had remained in the Inner Academy the longest, all while retaining the appearance of a little girl.

"Alright, everyone is more or less here, so the tournament can begin. But before that, I must remind you all that this is merely a competition. Do not treat it as a life-or-death battle..."

After Su Qian gave the students his instructions.

The Strong Ranking tournament reached its most crucial stage: drawing lots.

Just as the Strong Ranking experts reached into the stone platform one by one to draw bamboo slips.

Zi Yan suddenly said toward the elevated platform in an impatient tone, "Grand Elder, drawing lots and competing like this is too much of a waste of time for me. How about they all come at me together? Then I can finish up and call it a day."