Yang Chengzhi, Whom No One Dared to Challenge

For years, the opening speeches have been the same, and the over 200,000 people in the stands have grown accustomed to them, sitting quietly and listening.

Ma Feifei, meanwhile, was scribbling on a piece of paper with a pen he carried.

About half an hour later, Zhou Wuji's speech was drawing to a close.

I now declare the Dragon Ranking Grand Competition officially open! Please welcome the 300 Dragon Ranking students from last year to defend their fighting platforms.

As Zhou Wuji's voice faded, streaks of light shot towards the arena stage scattered across the arena. The dazzling, leaping figures also captivated the over 200,000 spectators in the stands, who perked up, ready to watch the grand competition.

"That blue-robed youth in the center must be Xiaoyaozi, last year's number one on the Dragon Ranking! Truly a favored son of heaven. At such a young age, I can no longer see through his cultivation," a white-haired man marveled, gazing at Xiaoyaozi on the arena.

"Brother, you're only at Spirit Master Stage Five. Xiaoyaozi has long since entered the Spirit Sect realm, so it's natural you can't see through him," a cultivator beside him couldn't help but retort.

"What's wrong with being at Spirit Master Stage Five? Back in my day, I almost got into Zhenguan Academy. If fate hadn't intervened, I'd be at least Spirit Sect in cultivation by now," the old man argued stubbornly.

"Oh?" The cultivator beside him showed newfound respect, cupping his hands and asking, "May I ask your age, brother?"

"Two hundred and three."

"..."

The cultivator beside him's eyelids twitched, and he dared not speak further. Generally, cultivators who hadn't reached the Spirit Sect realm had lifespans between two and three hundred years. This old man, at 230 years old and only Spirit Master Stage Five, was likely nearing the end of his life. It was best not to anger such a person; if he died of a sudden gasp for breath in such a setting, the cultivator would likely be held responsible.

After all, in formal settings, even cultivators had to abide by the law of the land.

In the stands, most people's attention was focused on Xiaoyaozi. After all, he was the one who had held the number one spot on the Dragon Ranking for two consecutive years. Among the rising stars of Chu State, he was certainly a leading figure.

However, a small portion of people were discussing Yang Chengzhi in a corner.

"This student is wearing a cloak, which is rather interesting."

"Indeed, and there are words on it. 'To increase cultivation, come to Dubian Town's Mysterious Bookstore.' What does that mean?"

"I know Dubian Town; it's on the border, next to Nine Heavens Mountain. This Mysterious Bookstore must be the name of a bookstore, right?"

"What is he trying to do? What's the connection between a bookstore and cultivation?"

The small group, intrigued by the words on Yang Chengzhi's cloak, began discussing amongst themselves. Gradually, Yang Chengzhi, who had initially been ignored, started to draw some attention.

Yang Chengzhi stood on the arena, holding his sword with a helpless expression, his eyelids drooping as if he couldn't hear anything.

Beside Yang Chengzhi stood a middle-aged man, an academy tutor and the referee for this arena.

As an academy tutor, he knew far more than the spectators in the stands.

Just yesterday, Yang Chengzhi had returned to the academy alone and was immediately taken away by the dean of the academy's Disciplinary Division. This incident had quickly alarmed all the teachers and students in the academy. Everyone wondered if Yang Chengzhi would be expelled, but to their surprise, he returned less than half an hour later, safe and sound. No news came from the Disciplinary Division, as if the incident had never happened.

According to some students who had seen Yang Chengzhi, his stagnant cultivation seemed to have broken through.

This was truly miraculous. Yang Chengzhi, who hadn't broken through in two years, had actually advanced his cultivation before the Dragon Ranking Grand Competition! This astonished the students immensely.

So, in reality, Yang Chengzhi was receiving just as much attention from the students as Xiaoyaozi, with most students focusing their gaze on Yang Chengzhi.

"It seems he really broke through. I can't see through his cultivation!" a student below the stands exclaimed in surprise, looking at Yang Chengzhi.

He had originally planned to start by challenging those at the lower end of the Dragon Ranking to ensure he passed the first stage, and then make a push for a higher ranking in the second stage. After all, Yang Chengzhi's cultivation had always been at Spirit Master Sixth Stage. It was no exaggeration to say that more than half of the students in the academy had reached Spirit Master Sixth Stage. No one thought Yang Chengzhi could defend his arena in this Dragon Ranking Grand Competition.

Most students shared his initial thought. But now! Looking at Yang Chengzhi, everyone felt a complex mix of emotions.

This was tough! Ma Feifei!

Those with higher cultivation weren't planning to challenge Yang Chengzhi's arena. Those with lower cultivation couldn't see through Yang Chengzhi's cultivation. How was this supposed to work?

Challenge him? Don't be ridiculous. Not being able to see through his cultivation proved that Yang Chengzhi had at least broken through to the Spirit Sect realm. Generally, one couldn't hide their cultivation before reaching the Spirit Sect realm. Below Spirit Sect, if the difference in stages wasn't more than five, one could discern the other's cultivation.

Those who were confident about challenging Yang Chengzhi's fighting stage had a cultivation of at least Sixth Stage. Logically, as long as Yang Chengzhi hadn't reached Spirit Sect, they should have been able to see his cultivation.

But now they couldn't! This left only one explanation: Yang Chengzhi had broken through to the Spirit Sect realm.

The students who had wanted to challenge Yang Chengzhi's fighting ring looked at each other in silence.

'Swish~'

'Swish~'

At this moment, challengers began to ascend the fighting stages scattered around the arena. Soon, all the fighting stages were filled with challengers, leaving only a few without any challengers.

The Dragon Ranking Grand Competition rules stipulated that a challenger had only one chance to challenge a defender. If they lost, they were not allowed to challenge any other defender. To be safe, challengers usually chose to target defenders with lower rankings on the Dragon Ranking. Therefore, the higher the defender's ranking on the Dragon Ranking, the less likely they were to be challenged.

Currently, the arenas for the top ten on the Dragon Ranking were empty. There were no challengers.

"It seems this year's top ten on the Dragon Ranking remain unshakeable!" an old man in the stands, who had watched many Dragon Ranking Grand Competitions, sighed.

Every year, the most exciting part of the Dragon Ranking Grand Competition was the struggle for the top ten, but the most boring competition was also the top ten.

The first stage of the top ten on the Dragon Ranking was the most boring; the second stage of the top ten on the Dragon Ranking was the most exciting.

"Indeed! Look at these favored sons of heaven in the top ten of the Dragon Ranking. They are all full of vitality, their cultivation is unfathomable, and they have all entered the Spirit Sect realm. It's too difficult for the students below to defeat them."

However, it's rumored that this year's freshmen are the most talented generation in a thousand years. Perhaps some freshmen will ascend and shake the top ten arenas.

"This year's top ten on the Dragon Ranking are also the strongest generation in a thousand years. It's too difficult for freshmen to shake them."

Everyone deeply agreed.

"It seems we can only wait until the second stage to admire their prowess."

"Huh? Why is there still one arena without any challengers?"

As everyone marveled at the strength of the top ten prodigies on the Dragon Ranking, the spotlight unexpectedly shifted to Yang Chengzhi's ring in the corner. No one had stepped up to challenge him, drawing countless gazes.

"Brother Yang, give us a spin, play along!" Ma Feifei's spectator stand was close to Yang Chengzhi. Seeing how much attention he was getting, Ma Feifei couldn't help but stand up and shout.

Yang Chengzhi on the stage couldn't help but roll his eyes and slowly turned in a circle on the spot.

"Too stiff, not natural. Also, Brother Yang, can you run a lap around the stage and let your cape fly for a bit?" Ma Feifei yelled. The effect was too poor. With the stands all around, how could people get a good look if he just spun once?

Yang Chengzhi was speechless. He glanced at the more than 200,000 people around him, shook his head, and absolutely refused to do as Ma Feifei suggested.

"Brother Ma," Ma Feifei was about to persuade him further, it was such a good opportunity! What a waste not to promote himself; but Zhou Zhuling tugged at his sleeve. Ma Feifei turned his head, and Zhou Zhuling lowered her head, pointing behind him with her pinky finger.

Ma Feifei looked up. Good heavens, everyone around was looking at him. Even though Ma Feifei considered himself thick-skinned, under the gaze of so many people, he couldn't help but feel embarrassed and quickly sat down.

At this moment, Yang Chengzhi had truly become the center of attention, drawing even more eyes from the spectators than the rings where fights were currently taking place.

One had to understand that the spectator stands in the corner were usually occupied by students defending their spots at the lower end of the Dragon Ranking. Such rings typically had a very large number of challengers, even accounting for half of all challengers.

But now, this ring in the corner had no students challenging it, naturally making everyone curious.

It wasn't just the spectators in the stands; even the top ten students on the Dragon Ranking were paying attention to Yang Chengzhi, intentionally or unintentionally.

"It seems Senior Brother Yang has obtained quite an opportunity. His cultivation has actually broken through to the Spirit Sect realm," Feng Xinglie, ranked fifth on the Dragon Ranking, said calmly. He then deliberately glanced at Xiaoyaozi.

He had enrolled a year later than Yang Chengzhi, but due to his extraordinary talent, he had entered the top five of the Dragon Ranking in the following year's competition with his Spirit Master ninth-stage cultivation.

He had no interaction with Yang Chengzhi, so there was no enmity between them. However, everyone knew that Xiaoyaozi and Yang Chengzhi were enemies.

Xiaoyaozi naturally saw Feng Xinglie's glance. A playful smile appeared on his handsome face as he said, "Junior Brother Feng, why are you looking at me? Could it be that you can't wait to spar with me?"

Last year's Dragon Ranking competition, Feng Xinglie had lost to Xiaoyaozi, which was why he was ranked fifth. Otherwise, he might have placed one or two spots higher.

As fellow prodigies, naturally, neither of them was convinced by the other.

Feng Xinglie shrugged after hearing this and said, "I think someone is more eager than I am to spar with Senior Brother Xiaoyao."

The feud between Yang Chengzhi and Xiaoyaozi had a long history. Anyone from Zhenguan Academy knew about it. In the past, Yang Chengzhi was considered trash, so no one was particularly interested in this highly lopsided feud. But now... there were many more interested people.

"That depends on whether Senior Brother Yang can hold onto this ring," Xiaoyaozi said nonchalantly.

Yang Chengzhi's breakthrough to the Spirit Sect realm surprised no one more than him, but he hid it very well and didn't reveal it.

"Look, someone's going up," someone exclaimed.

Everyone shifted their gaze.

They saw a student appear on Yang Chengzhi's stage.

"Senior Brother Yang, I am Junior Brother Wang Dong. I request your guidance."