Challenge the Heaven Ranking #888 Zhao Wuji!

Looking at the golden prompt that had popped up on his Spirit Value Card—"Challenge accepted. Please proceed to Heaven Ranking Challenge Platform No. 1"—Bing Tianxiao smugly snapped his fingers.

"Done!"

He turned his head and looked at Luo Li, who stood nearby with her usual cool expression. "Once I finish this match, we can go to the Spirit Value Hall."

Luo Li looked at his confident expression and helplessly shook her head.

This guy could never behave himself, no matter where he went.

"Don't underestimate your opponent."

Although Luo Li knew his strength, she still reminded him calmly, "Anyone who makes it onto the Heaven Ranking has at least one trump card."

"Don't worry, don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

Bing Tianxiao waved his hand indifferently, then clasped his hands behind his head and swaggered out of the Freshman District with leisurely steps.

Luo Li followed lightly at his side.

At that moment, Northern Cang Spirit Academy had completely erupted into an uproar because of this sudden Heaven Ranking challenge.

Not long after the two left the Freshman District, they saw streaks of light filling the sky like locusts sweeping across the land, all frantically converging toward the challenge platform in the center of the academy.

Along the way, they could hear countless Senior Students and freshmen heatedly discussing the matter.

"Faster, faster! We won't get a good spot if we go late! A freshman challenging a Senior Student on the Heaven Ranking—that's huge news!"

"Who exactly is that Bing Tianxiao? Are this year's freshmen really that arrogant? He just got here and already dares to provoke the Heaven Ranking?"

"Although Zhao Wuji is ranked below eight hundred, he's genuinely at the late Heaven Integration Realm. And the Great Vajra Art he cultivates has astonishing attack and defense.

"This freshman must be desperate for fame. He's definitely going to get beaten black and blue later!"

"Consider it a tuition fee. It'll be good to let a Senior Student teach him the rules of Northern Cang Spirit Academy."

Hearing the overwhelming discussions around him, Bing Tianxiao was not nervous in the slightest.

Instead, he grew more excited as he walked, even wanting to wave at the senior brothers and sisters flying overhead.

"Looks like I'm pretty popular. I haven't even appeared yet, and I'm already attracting this much attention."

He turned and said to Luo Li with a cheeky grin.

Luo Li cast him a cool glance, then swept her eyes over the Senior Students waiting to watch the spectacle. Her voice was as cold and clear as a spring.

"They're going to watch you get beaten."

"Tch. It hasn't been decided who'll beat whom yet. He's only ranked eight hundred eighty-eight. Beating him will be as easy as playing around."

Bing Tianxiao curled his lips.

Before long, an enormous, magnificent arena made entirely of dark basalt appeared in their view.

This was the challenge platform Northern Cang Spirit Academy had specially established for contests over the Heaven Ranking. The area around the arena was covered in powerful Defensive Spirit Arrays, enough to withstand attacks from Heaven Reaching Realm experts.

At that moment, the stands surrounding the challenge platform were already packed with people. Spectators filled the sky and the ground, and the uproar surged straight into the clouds.

In the center of the broad black arena stood a burly young man with a gloomy expression, his arms crossed.

Furious Brown Spiritual Energy surged around him like an enraged brown bear about to lose its temper. He glared at the entrance leading from the Freshman District, clearly having waited for quite some time.

He was Zhao Wuji, ranked eight hundred eighty-eighth on the Heaven Ranking.

Being publicly challenged by a freshman who had just enrolled was a terrible humiliation to him.

At that moment, his mind was filled with thoughts of how to trample this ignorant freshman beneath his feet on the arena.

Bing Tianxiao stopped walking. Feeling the hostility radiating from the arena, the roguish smile on his face slowly faded.

He turned and blinked at Luo Li, speaking in a relaxed tone.

"Wait here for a moment. I'll be right back."

With that, he tapped the ground with his toes and landed on the black challenge platform under the gazes of tens of thousands of people.

At that moment, the originally noisy and heated stands around them suddenly quieted considerably.

Countless gazes intertwined between the two men, and the air was thick with the smell of gunpowder, as if a clash could erupt at any moment.

Just then, the space in midair twisted slightly, and an old yet exceptionally powerful aura descended.

A stern-faced academy instructor in a gray robe appeared out of thin air in the exact center of the arena as if he had teleported there.

His gaze was sharp and imposing as he swept it over Bing Tianxiao and Zhao Wuji.

Then he spoke in a deep voice amplified by Spiritual Energy, clearly carrying across every corner of the entire challenge platform.

"For a Heaven Ranking challenge, you should both know the rules.

"Blades and swords have no eyes, but you are both students of Northern Cang Spirit Academy. This is a spar, so you must not deliberately take your opponent's life or destroy their foundation.

"If either side voluntarily admits defeat or loses the ability to fight, the other side must stop immediately.

"Anyone who violates this order will be severely punished under the academy rules!"

The gray-robed instructor paused, then waved his hand. The Defensive Spirit Arrays around the arena immediately burst into dazzling light, completely sealing off the entire platform.

"Now, state your names and prepare to begin!"

As soon as the instructor finished speaking, Zhao Wuji, who had long been unable to contain his anger, suddenly stepped forward.

"Boom!"

His heavy footstep shook the sturdy Basalt Arena, producing a deep thud.

His violent Brown Spiritual Energy erupted from his body like a volcano that had been suppressed for a long time, transforming into a tangible pressure that swept toward Bing Tianxiao.

Zhao Wuji stared at the handsome youth before him, his eyes filled with undisguised ferocity.

"Senior Student, Zhao Wuji! Ranked eight hundred eighty-eighth on the Heaven Ranking!

"Freshman, you've got guts. Today, I'll show you just how deep the waters of Northern Cang Spirit Academy really are!"

Facing Zhao Wuji's almost murderous appearance, Bing Tianxiao remained as calm as if nothing had happened.

"Freshman, Bing Tianxiao."

At this point, he paused, then flashed Zhao Wuji an exceptionally brilliant smile.

"As for whether the academy's waters are deep... I was born with excellent swimming skills, so there's no need to trouble Senior Zhao with it."

"Arrogant brat, get down!"

Zhao Wuji roared and held nothing back.

The Spiritual Energy of the late Heaven Integration Realm erupted like a breached floodgate.

He took a single step forward, his body shooting toward Bing Tianxiao like a wild bull.

Great Vajra Palm!

With a furious shout, Zhao Wuji suddenly struck out with his right hand.

Brilliant Brown Spiritual Energy frantically gathered in his palm, transforming into a massive, tangible hand several zhang in size.

Carrying enough terrifying power to shatter mountains, the giant palm smashed down viciously toward Bing Tianxiao's head!

Many of the freshmen in the stands could not help crying out in alarm.

The might of this palm was such that an ordinary mid-Heaven Integration Realm cultivator would likely suffer severe injuries on the spot if struck by it.

However, Bing Tianxiao still wore that careless smile. He merely raised his right hand slowly.

Buzz!

A stream of icy Azure Spiritual Energy burst from his palm.

Bing Tianxiao simply met the incoming palm with an ordinary strike.

One large and one small, one brown and one blue, the two palms crashed together in midair!

"Bang!"

An ear-splitting boom exploded across the arena. The violent Spiritual Energy shockwave transformed into visible ripples that swept in every direction, sending wave after wave across the Defensive Spirit Array.