Unexpected Changes
Night slowly passed as time went by.
As the last sliver of the moon disappeared on the horizon, a faint light began to dispel the darkness from the earth.
As the first rays of dawn shone into the Inner Academy, the tranquil atmosphere vanished once again.
The spacious square was quickly packed with people, and the boisterous noise lingered in everyone's ears. The intense atmosphere was infectious to everyone who entered.
Today is the day to determine the top ten in the Strong Ranking Tournament. With the competition at this stage, it can basically be said that it has entered the true finals, and all the Inner Academy Students are looking forward to the birth of the new top ten masters on the Strong Ranking.
As time passed, after the elders on the Referee Seat took their seats one by one, a bell finally rang out amidst everyone's anticipation.
The moment the bell tolled, the clamor that had filled the square gradually subsided. All eyes were fixed on the Referee Seat.
Under the watchful eyes of the entire audience, Great Elder Su Qian slowly stood up and then announced in a loud voice, "After two days of Elimination Match, thirteen people remain in the Strong Ranking Tournament. To enter the top ten, three people will be eliminated today. According to the competition rules, we will randomly select six people to compete. The winners will enter the top ten, while the losers will be eliminated and ranked lower."
As Great Elder Su Qian finished speaking, whispers immediately broke out among the participants. At the same time, the contestants who had advanced to this round also became tense.
Great Elder Su Qian paid no attention to the reactions of these people. Instead, after they finished speaking, he placed the bamboo slips of the thirteen people who had advanced to this round in front of him.
"The names of the final thirteen contestants are on the thirteen slips of paper. I will randomly select the six who will compete." As the bamboo tubes were laid out, the atmosphere in the room immediately became much more tense.
Many people were staring intently at Great Elder Su Qian, as the decision on the top ten spots rested on this moment.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Great Elder Su Qian slowly pulled out a slip of paper, glanced at it, and then loudly read out, "Yan Hao."
"The next person to be drawn is Yan Hao's opponent for a spot in the top ten." Great Elder Su Qian drew another slip of paper, said calmly, then unfolded it, glanced at it, and said, "Qian Mo."
All eyes turned to a rather plump man on the high platform following the voice. Qian Mo, ranked eighth on the Strong Ranking, was extremely strong, at the same Dou Ling Peak as Yan Hao, but he was slightly inferior to Yan Hao in a contest. Therefore, upon hearing Great Elder Su Qian's announcement, some people immediately began to mourn for him.
Ignoring the stares of the crowd, Great Elder Su Qian continued to draw slips of paper. He unfolded them and immediately announced, "Qin Zhen."
Upon hearing his name called, Qin Zhen's heart skipped a beat.
Although he was ranked fifth on the Strong Ranking, there were still four people ahead of him. Of course, Qin Zhen was confident he could put up a fight against the third and fourth Strong Ranking individuals. But he feared encountering either Lin Xiuyai or Liu Qing.
With Qin Zhen's heart pounding with anxiety, Great Elder Su Qian drew another bamboo slip, and the announcement was made instantly. "Xiao Yan!"
"So things have really changed?" Lin Ming thought to himself after Great Elder Su Qian announced the results.
In the original story, Qin Zhen's opponent was Zi Yan. However, due to his own actions, Zi Yan is no longer on the Strong Ranking. This means that Qin Zhen's opponent has now changed to Xiao Yan.
Upon hearing that his opponent was Xiao Yan, Qin Zhen couldn't help but smile.
Although none of those who have made it to this point are pushovers, even among the toughest of the tough, there are always some who are relatively less tough.
Among those who advanced, Lin Xiuyai and Liu Qing were undoubtedly the toughest opponents. The others were relatively easier to handle, and as for Xiao Yan, he was naturally the easiest in their eyes.
As everyone pondered, Great Elder Su Qian drew another bamboo slip and announced, "Liu Qing."
The room fell silent again, with some people muttering to themselves, "Looks like another unlucky guy is going to be out there."
Liu Qing showed no sign of worry whatsoever; in fact, he even seemed somewhat hopeful that it could be that person.
As if to whet everyone's appetite, Great Elder Su Qian slowly took out the last slip of paper. He then waved it at everyone before letting out a light laugh. But immediately afterward, the smile on Great Elder Su Qian's face vanished, replaced by a look of astonishment.
"Ahem..." After a moment, Great Elder Su Qian coughed as if clearing his throat before finally speaking slowly, "Lin Xiuyai!"
An uproar erupted the moment the words left his mouth. After all, the two strongest individuals in the Inner Academy had actually met at this moment, and the much-anticipated scene was unfolding right then and there.
Upon hearing Great Elder Su Qian's announcement, Lin Ming was immediately taken aback. He hadn't expected that his arrival would lead to Liu Qing and Lin Xiuyai meeting directly in this Strong Ranking Tournament.
But this is fine too, it just satisfies the desire for a battle between the top two on the Strong Ranking.
Although Lin Xiuyai and Liu Qing had Dou Zhe back in the Outer Academy, their cultivation levels were only at the Dou Zhe stage, so the excitement of their battles couldn't compare to what they're going to have now. Therefore, Lin Ming was happy to see these two meet again.
While everyone else watched from the sidelines, Lin Xiuyai and Liu Qing, the main characters, locked eyes, their intense fighting spirit surging within them.
Masters are often lonely. They crave a worthy opponent. Lin Xiuyai and Liu Qing, ranked first and second on the Strong Ranking, are such people. Therefore, at this moment, both of them are looking forward to and eagerly anticipating this battle.
After a while, the heated discussion in the arena gradually shifted back to the Referee Seat.
Great Elder Su Qian also turned his gaze away from the contestants at this moment. Then, as Su Qian's soft shout rang out, the atmosphere in the arena finally shifted completely from Lin Xiuyai and Liu Qing, and all eyes turned to the two on the high platform.
"The first match: Yan Hao vs. Qian Mo!"
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Yan Hao was the first to stand up. This man, whose build was no less slender than Liu Qing's, walked calmly to the edge of the platform and then jumped down, landing heavily in the arena.
Yan Hao entered, the rather obese Qian Mo reluctantly stood up. His entire body, jiggling with fat, reached the edge of the platform. His fat shrank slightly, and a faint vortex of wind gathered around him. Then, to everyone's astonishment, his enormous body, like a balloon, slowly floated off the stage.
With the entry of these two, the final battle was instantly ignited.