Everyone turned to look. Huang Tianyu, handsome and imposing, strode over surrounded by Xu Qingqing and another elegant young man.
"Senior Sister Xu and Senior Brother Wei are here too!"
"All three of them are famous figures on the Rankings Board. They must have come to test their punching force and charge for higher rankings, right?"
Among the newcomers of Area 8, Huang Tianyu's group of three were absolute celebrities.
From the day the Rankings Board opened, the three had remained on it. Now, three months later, Huang Tianyu needed no mention; Xu Qingqing and Wei Xiao's rankings had risen one after another.
Xu Qingqing was already closing in on the top fifty, while Wei Xiao was about to break into the top twenty.
"These three really are remarkable."
Within the crowd, Yang Chen thought to himself.
Among Area 8's newcomers, Huang Tianyu was the undisputed first. However, second place was not Wei Xiao, but a disciple named Xue Cang. Wei Xiao was third, while Xu Qingqing currently ranked fifth.
Across all of Area 8, thirteen people had made the board. Among the ten major areas of Nineteen Peaks, they ranked third.
Under everyone's gaze, Huang Tianyu strode toward the Testing Stele. The onlookers voluntarily moved aside, making him seem even more extraordinary.
Beneath the Testing Stele, Huang Tianyu gathered his strength and threw a punch.
The Testing Stele did not budge, but an exceptionally conspicuous number appeared on its surface—13123.
"Punching force: 13123 kilograms!!"
"We're all human. How can the gap be this enormous?"
"My punching force is only 1500 kilograms right now, but he's already broken ten thousand?"
Every disciple seeing that number for the first time sucked in a cold breath, thoroughly stunned by such an exaggerated punching force.
"Senior Brother Huang is terrifying. Only seven days have passed, yet his punching force has increased by more than four hundred kilograms! How exactly does he cultivate?"
"He's about to break through to the Qi Martial Ninth Level, isn't he? Qi Martial Ninth Level at sixteen... ah..."
Quite a few disciples who had been closely following Huang Tianyu wore complicated expressions. Though they were all Labor Disciples, everyone knew that Huang Tianyu would certainly advance to the Outer Sect. At that point, his status would soar, while they would most likely still be going in circles on Labor Peak.
"He truly is a formidable rival, but I'd like to see how far your resources can support you!"
"Enjoy your moment in the Qi Martial Realm. Once we step into the Blood Martial Realm, it remains to be seen who is stronger and who is weaker!"
Within the crowd, a thin and frail disciple watched everything coldly. He was Xue Cang, ranked ninth. He was only one step away from the Qi Martial Eighth Level and was also an exceptional figure.
After testing his punching force, Huang Tianyu glanced at the Rankings Board. Seeing that his name remained in third place, no pride or disappointment showed on his face.
He stepped aside, and Wei Xiao swaggered forward. Looking casual though he had secretly gathered strength, he smashed out a punch.
The stone stele remained motionless, displaying five numbers—10482 kilograms!
At the sight of that number, many people cried out in surprise once more.
Hearing everyone's astonishment, Wei Xiao made no attempt to hide the pride on his face. Raising his head toward the Rankings Board, he saw his rank leap from twenty-first to seventeenth.
"Not bad."
He spoke as if dissatisfied, though the slight upward curl of his lips revealed how pleased he was inside.
He moved aside, and Xu Qingqing came before the Testing Stele. Her soft red lips pressed together slightly as she threw a punch as well.
The result soon appeared—8710 kilograms!
Amid the crowd's discussion, she too looked toward the Rankings Board and saw that her name had reached forty-eighth place.
The disciples' praise for Xu Qingqing's improvement was unending. She had always been popular, and in terms of popularity alone, she was no less than Huang Tianyu.
Cool and aloof, she walked away with Huang Tianyu and the others, heading into the dining hall.
After those three departed, the other Area 8 disciples on the Rankings Board came forward one after another. When Xue Cang appeared, waves of exclamations naturally arose again. His ranking had not changed much; he remained ninth.
Xue Cang left coldly, and a thick-browed youth stepped forward.
"Senior Brother Meng is here."
Meng Shijun walked up to the Testing Stele and similarly gathered his strength before smashing out a punch.
The Testing Stele gave its response—7489 kilograms.
Then he looked at the Rankings Board:
[Rank 83: Meng Shijun, cultivation: Qi Martial Fifth Level, assigned area: Area 8]
Seeing his rank rise by one place, Meng Shijun was fairly satisfied.
Unlike his original arrogant and overbearing manner, after the Rankings Board opened, he had recognized the gap between himself and others. From then on, he became much more low-key.
Fortunately, he was still someone on the Rankings Board, so he was not disgracing the Meng Clan of Leizhou's name.
After learning the result, Meng Shijun stepped aside and prepared to head to the dining hall for a meal. But just as he moved away, a familiar figure walked over.
"Yang Chen!"
At the sight of the newcomer, an indescribable gleam flashed through Meng Shijun's eyes. The two had once exchanged harsh words, but there had been no further conflict between them afterward.
Meng Shijun had originally looked down on Yang Chen. Over the past few months, he had nearly forgotten about him, but when he came to test his punching force last time, he discovered that Yang Chen had also made the board. His heart was suddenly filled with mixed emotions.
"Even if he made the board, he definitely can't compare to me."
With that thought in mind, Meng Shijun stopped walking to see what would happen.
"It's Senior Brother Yang. Last time he entered the board at ninety-ninth place."
Very few disciples knew Yang Chen, but one or two who knew the situation discussed it softly.
The gap between Yang Chen and Huang Tianyu was certainly enormous, but no matter what, Yang Chen was someone on the Rankings Board and had become a topic of some interest.
"It's been ten days since I tested my punching force. I'm probably about to fall off the board."
Yang Chen was relaxed. Huang Tianyu and the others' performances could not affect him in the slightest. Compared with Huang Tianyu's group, he even held a slight advantage.
If he improved a little, his ranking would rise a little. Yet for Huang Tianyu to rise even one rank, the difficulty did not seem ordinary at all.
He threw a punch in earnest.
The stone stele quickly gave its response—7408 kilograms!
Seeing that number, Yang Chen himself showed little reaction, but several disciples who had met Cao Fan last time were shocked.
"Quick, look at the Rankings Board! Senior Brother Yang has risen to eighty-fourth place!"
"This is unbelievable! Last time he was ninety-ninth, yet he jumped fifteen places at once?"
"How exactly do these people cultivate? After ten days, my punching force has only increased by a little over one hundred kilograms!"
Yang Chen's performance shocked quite a few people, but the most stunned person in the crowd was Meng Shijun.
"That's impossible!"
Meng Shijun's eyes were practically popping out of their sockets. This was the final day of the third month. For more than two months before this, Yang Chen had vanished without a trace. How had he suddenly popped up now?
"Only one rank behind me? Am I going to be pushed below him?"
Meng Shijun's expression became exceedingly colorful. He had no conflict with the others, so if they surpassed him, he could accept it. But there was bad blood between him and Yang Chen. If Yang Chen overtook him, would that not be a resounding slap across his face?
"No, I have to keep my rank. I can't let this guy make a laughingstock of me!"
Meng Shijun secretly hardened his resolve. He could lose to anyone, but absolutely not to Yang Chen.
"Not bad, eighty-fourth place!"
Yang Chen nodded in satisfaction. This proved that his progress during this period had been tremendous. Or rather, while he had maintained his previous rate of improvement, everyone else had slowed their steps.
He saw Meng Shijun's name, but felt nothing. There was no deep-seated hatred between them, so naturally he had no petty pleasure in trampling the other beneath his feet.
If you can't find the book by its title, try searching for the author instead. It may simply have been renamed!
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