Before long.
Led by Wang Yang, Chen Changqing arrived at the Top 100 Battle Arena.
By then, several hundred Inner Sect disciples had already gathered around the arena.
Whenever someone challenged the Top 100 Ranking, it could be considered a grand event.
Chen Changqing looked calm and unconcerned.
He had merely been bored, so he had followed Wang Yang over to take a look at this so-called Top 100 battle. Discussions buzzed all around them.
"Look, that's Wu Shanhe!"
"I heard he has already refined five thousand strands of true qi within his body."
"He isn't far from Core Formation anymore."
"His aura alone gives off an incredibly powerful sense of oppression!"
"I wonder whether Wu Shanhe will succeed in his challenge this time?"
"Hard to say! Every Inner Sect disciple who can make it onto the Top 100 Ranking is a monstrous genius!"
"..."
Hearing the discussions around him, Chen Changqing shifted his gaze and landed on a figure standing atop the arena.
The man was a young fellow dressed in black, with a stern, cold face.
Vast spiritual power surged around him, and his aura was formidable!
He was clearly the Wu Shanhe whom the many Inner Sect disciples had been discussing.
Chen Changqing studied Wu Shanhe, yet did not think much of him.
After all, he had entered the Qi Refining realm through the Ultimate Realm of Body Refining, and within the Qi Refining realm, he cultivated the exceptionally difficult Nine Turns Qi Refining Art.
As a result, the amount of vital essence within Chen Changqing far surpassed that of cultivators at the same realm.
Ordinary Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivators possessed only nine thousand strands of vital essence, while he had possessed twenty-seven thousand at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer.
To break through Qi Refining and enter Foundation Establishment,
one had to condense the vital essence within one's body into liquid, then continuously compress and solidify that spiritual liquid until it finally formed into a core.
Throughout this process, the more true qi one condensed, the greater one's strength would be upon breaking through to the Core Formation realm!
"Wu Shanhe can be considered a top-tier powerhouse even among Foundation Establishment cultivators."
"If I break through to the Core Formation realm, even if it is only the early stage, I should be able to sweep aside cultivators of the same rank, right?"
Chen Changqing muttered to himself.
He knew full well that when cultivators reached Foundation Establishment Late Stage, they would convert all the true qi within their bodies into spiritual liquid, a process also known as turning qi into liquid.
They would then begin condensing and solidifying the spiritual liquid, advancing step by step toward the Core Formation stage.
Wu Shanhe had already condensed and solidified the true qi within his body to the extent of five thousand strands. He could already be considered half a step into Core Formation.
Just as Chen Changqing was lost in thought, Wang Yang beside him suddenly looked over.
"Junior Brother Chen."
"The threshold for the Top 100 Ranking is condensing and solidifying five thousand strands of true qi."
"And every disciple who can enter the Top 100 Ranking is a genius among geniuses!"
Chen Changqing nodded without replying, merely smiling faintly.
Just then, the sound of something tearing through the air approached from afar.
Looking closely, they saw a man riding a sword descend onto the Top 100 Battle Arena.
His long hair drifted in the wind, his blue robes billowed and snapped, and his picturesque features gave him an elegant, refined air.
Yet an indescribable sharpness radiated from his body.
"It's Senior Brother Zhou!"
"The main man has appeared."
"He's the Top 100 disciple Wu Shanhe is challenging!"
"Senior Brother Zhou Tianhai is ranked eighty-third on the Top 100 Ranking."
"Wu Shanhe may not be weak, but Senior Brother Zhou possesses genuine Core Formation cultivation."
"..."
The many Inner Sect disciples continued discussing fervently.
Chen Changqing looked over and let his gaze linger on Zhou Tianhai for an extra moment.
"As expected of the Inner Sect!"
"There are even Core Formation disciples here."
"If he were outside, he would be more than qualified to serve as a steward elder."
As Chen Changqing quietly muttered, Wu Shanhe atop the arena gave Zhou Tianhai a slight bow.
"Senior Brother Zhou, please enlighten me!"
Zhou Tianhai smiled faintly and replied, "Please!"
Boom!
The next moment, Wu Shanhe did not waste any time and chose to make the first move.
The longsword in his hand danced, its sword light pouring down like a waterfall.
In less than an instant, a sword radiance like a bolt of white silk shot straight toward Zhou Tianhai.
Boom!
Zhou Tianhai paid it little mind and casually pushed out a palm.
In the next instant, his palm force condensed in midair into a seemingly tangible golden palm imprint. Wherever it passed, the air exploded with sharp booms.
Bang!
In an instant, Wu Shanhe's sword force collided with Zhou Tianhai's golden palm imprint, erupting with a deafening blast.
Terrifying shockwaves swept outward!
Quite a few disciples watching around the arena were forced back by the blast.
Chen Changqing remained as still as a bell. Seeing Zhou Tianhai attack, he could not help quietly remarking,
"So this is the strength of a Core Formation cultivator? Truly powerful!"
At the same time, atop the arena, Wu Shanhe's sword force was crushed outright beneath the bombardment of that golden palm imprint.
The remaining force of the palm strike was still terrifying as it charged directly toward Wu Shanhe.
Wu Shanhe's expression changed dramatically. With no time to think further, he formed a sword seal with his fingers, sending out another sword radiance that barely managed to shatter the golden palm imprint.
Just as Chen Changqing watched the battle, a familiar voice suddenly sounded.
"Junior Brother Changqing!"
"Hmm?"
Chen Changqing followed the voice and saw a graceful figure approaching him with delight written across her face.
The woman possessed peerless beauty, a graceful figure, and a gentle, captivating charm.
Who else could she be but Liu Ruyan?
"Senior Sister Liu!"
Chen Changqing was slightly surprised to see Liu Ruyan.
Back at the registration area, he had been the first disciple assigned away, and afterward he had received no news of Liu Ruyan or Qingyang.
He had not expected to encounter her here at the Top 100 Battle Arena.
"Junior Brother, did you also come to observe the Top 100 battle?"
After approaching him, Liu Ruyan asked in a soft, bashful voice.
Chen Changqing nodded and gave a quiet hum.
"I had nothing to do, so I came to take a look at the Inner Sect's Top 100 battle."
Liu Ruyan smiled tenderly and followed up with another question.
"By the way, Junior Brother Changqing, where in the Inner Sect were you assigned to cultivate?"
Chen Changqing did not hide it and replied calmly, "Azure Firmament Valley."
Hearing this, Liu Ruyan silently committed it to memory.
Originally, she had thought Chen Changqing would also ask where she had been assigned. Who would have thought that he did not pursue the question and instead simply waited for her to speak?
Liu Ruyan lightly pursed her crimson lips.
She had wanted to tell him voluntarily, but upon second thought, would that not seem a little too forward?
After a brief pause, Liu Ruyan changed the subject. "How has Junior Brother's cultivation been lately?"
"Pretty good."
Chen Changqing answered casually.
And so, the two began chatting idly.
What slightly surprised Chen Changqing was that
Wang Yang, standing nearby, revealed an utterly shocked expression upon seeing Liu Ruyan.
Beyond that, Chen Changqing also keenly noticed
that quite a few Inner Sect disciples around them were casting covert glances in his direction.
Just then, a deafening sonic boom rang out from the arena.
Following the sound, they saw Wu Shanhe being blasted off the arena by Zhou Tianhai's palm strike.
Although Wu Shanhe possessed half-step Core Formation cultivation, he still ended in defeat against a Core Formation disciple like Zhou Tianhai.
Seeing this, the many Inner Sect disciples watching the battle all sighed in emotion.
"The gap in strength is simply too vast!"
"It feels like Senior Brother Zhou Tianhai did not even use his full strength."
"He is ranked eighty-third on the Top 100 Ranking, after all. How could he possibly be so easy to challenge?"
"..."
Before you continue