"You're quite at ease, aren't you?"
A cool, crisp voice rang out. The disciples who had been clutching their stomachs with laughter hurriedly stopped. The male disciples straightened their backs one after another, arranging their expressions to make themselves seem steadier.
The female disciples stepped aside in succession, with flashes of jealousy occasionally flickering in their eyes.
The newcomer was Xu Qingqing. Her steps were light, her black hair flowed loose like a waterfall, and an ivory hairpin was fastened above her left ear, adding a few more touches of charm to her breathtaking features.
"After cultivating so hard for so long, it's fine to relax once in a while." Yang Chen shrugged and smiled. "Senior Sister, you go first."
He stepped aside, intending to let Xu Qingqing test her punching force first. But the moment he moved away, Xue Cang strode beneath the Testing Stele as though no one else existed and threw a punch.
The Testing Stele trembled slightly, and a striking number appeared—14458 kilograms!
Seeing that number, Xue Cang revealed a trace of satisfaction. He then looked toward the Cultivation Rankings, but when he saw that he was still ranked tenth, his expression darkened.
"Senior Brother Xue is really impressive. He's always held steady in the top ten!"
"That's true. Since the Cultivation Rankings opened, he's never dropped out."
"It's just a pity that the people in the top ten are all too fierce. Even someone as strong as Senior Brother Xue finds it difficult to advance any further."
The surrounding disciples discussed in low voices. After Xue Cang shot Yang Chen a cold glance, he stepped aside and lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.
Yang Chen noticed his gaze. He knew that he had been attracting quite a bit of attention lately, and had already stirred up the hostility of many people behind the scenes.
But this was a road one had to walk to become famous. If no one hated you, what kind of genius would you be?
So he did not care about Xue Cang's attitude at all. The two of them would not have much interaction to begin with.
"Senior Sister Xu, why don't you test yourself too?"
Yang Chen suggested it again. It was not that he harbored any improper thoughts toward Xu Qingqing; he was simply worried that once he made his move, Xu Qingqing might find it hard to save face.
"Unsolicited attentiveness is either treachery or theft!"
Wei Xiao had appeared nearby at some point. He swept Yang Chen a hostile glance. "Stay away from her. Understand?"
Wei Xiao's attitude was rather aggressive. Many disciples inwardly felt indignant on Yang Chen's behalf. Thanks to Yang Chen's easygoing nature, he had accumulated quite a bit of goodwill among onlookers.
Just as someone thought Yang Chen would retort, he instead smiled in sudden understanding. "Yes, yes, yes. Senior Brother Wei, rest assured. I'll definitely stay farther away from Senior Sister Xu."
That response left the surrounding disciples dumbfounded. Senior Brother Yang was not even angry after being publicly humiliated like that?
What kind of broad-mindedness was this?
Quite a few people looked at him with awe, while Xue Cang beside them sneered. "Timid as a mouse!"
Wei Xiao frowned slightly. Xu Qingqing and Yang Chen had grown somewhat close lately, and he had long wanted to give Yang Chen a proper warning. He had found the opportunity today, but Yang Chen's yielding attitude made it difficult for him to press the matter further.
He snorted and said to Xu Qingqing, "Senior Brother Huang will be here soon. Let's go eat together later."
Xu Qingqing nodded slightly and cast Yang Chen an apologetic look, but Yang Chen had already shifted his gaze away and did not notice it at all.
Her gaze shifted slightly. She did not say anything else, merely walking up to the cultivation Testing Stele and throwing a punch.
With a bang, a number soon appeared on the Testing Stele—13586 kilograms.
"Senior Sister Xu has also broken through to the Qi Martial Ninth Level!"
Seeing that number, many people cried out in alarm.
Among the disciples currently on the Rankings Board, only the top fourteen had truly broken through to the Qi Martial Ninth Level. This meant that Xu Qingqing had entered the top fifteen. Including Huang Tianyu, Xue Cang, and Wei Xiao, Area 8 now had four people in the top fifteen.
Many people began wondering whether Area 8 might be able to squeeze into the top two this month. It was said that if they could enter the top two, the steward would distribute rewards.
Perhaps even those of them who could not make the rankings could follow along and drink a little soup?
Sure enough, Xu Qingqing's ranking updated, rising from eighteenth place to fourteenth.
Seeing that ranking, Xu Qingqing seemed to have expected it. She felt neither joy nor disappointment. She subconsciously looked toward Yang Chen, wondering whether he had broken through as well.
Wei Xiao noticed that scene, and a trace of coldness flashed through his eyes. He immediately took a step forward, blocking Xu Qingqing's line of sight, then smashed out a punch.
The cultivation Testing Stele displayed the result—13856 kilograms!
His ranking was updated as well, rising from fourteenth place to thirteenth.
Wei Xiao felt neither joy nor sorrow at this result. His improvement had also slowed recently, not only because of resources, but also because of his swordsmanship.
After Wei Xiao finished testing, no one else stepped forward. Everyone could not help turning their gazes toward Yang Chen, who stood nearby.
Yang Chen looked around. Seeing that no one intended to step up, he smiled and walked before the Testing Stele. Then he assumed a stance, gathered his strength, and smashed out a punch!
The number on the Testing Stele rapidly froze in place. Upon seeing it, the disciples' expressions stiffened, and the entire square inexplicably fell into deathly silence.
"How is that possible?!"
Wei Xiao stared fixedly at the number on the Testing Stele, his face burning hot.
Xu Qingqing's lively eyes widened slightly, complex light flickering within her pupils.
—13857 kilograms!
Yang Chen rubbed his nose, feeling rather helpless as well. This was not his fault. Who knew Wei Xiao would be so close to him, with only one kilogram between them!
Pretending nothing had happened, he looked toward the Rankings Board. His name had replaced Wei Xiao at thirteenth place, while the latter smoothly slid down to fourteenth, meaning his ranking this month had not changed.
Xue Cang was also slightly stunned, then looked at Wei Xiao with a trace of mockery in his eyes.
The awkward atmosphere lasted for a moment, until Huang Tianyu's arrival melted the ice and snow. Huang Tianyu noticed that something was off about Wei Xiao's expression. He thoughtfully looked toward the Rankings Board, and when he saw Yang Chen at thirteenth place, a sharp gleam flashed through his eyes.
He pretended not to notice anything and stepped forward, striking the Testing Stele with a punch.
This time, the stele trembled slightly, followed by an exaggerated number—20130 kilograms!
Seeing this, many people's eyes filled with shock.
The disciples who had earlier witnessed Huang Tianyu test his strength on the Testing Stele after breaking through also drew sharp breaths.
More than ten days had passed since Huang Tianyu's breakthrough, yet his punching force had increased by over a thousand kilograms in those ten days!
Such a rate of improvement was truly beyond comprehension.
Someone immediately looked toward the Rankings Board, but what puzzled them was that despite progressing so rapidly, Huang Tianyu was still only ranked third.
Huang Tianyu was not surprised in the slightest. He gave Wei Xiao a look, then took the lead in walking outside, with Xu Qingqing following after him.
"Does it feel bad to be surpassed?"
After leading the two of them to an unoccupied corner, Huang Tianyu casually asked.
Wei Xiao nodded, then quickly shook his head. "It really is hard to accept this result. If someone else surpassed me, I would have nothing to say. But being pressed beneath that kid's head, I..."
"Don't underestimate anyone. This Yang Chen is not simple. He may become the fourth person to break through to the Blood Martial Realm."
Huang Tianyu offered a reminder, while discreetly sweeping a glance toward Yang Chen by the Cultivation Rankings.
"No way!"
Wei Xiao's eyes widened, his face filled with disbelief.
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