Chapter 269: The Ongoing Inner Academy Strong Ranking Tournament
Canaan Academy, Inner Academy Tournament.
With each exciting battle, the Inner Academy was filled with excitement and anticipation. Among the fifty students competing in the Strong Ranking Tournament, Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing stood out the most, defeating their opponents in just a few moves.
While the top ten students on the Strong Ranking list performed as expected, there were also some surprising dark horses in the competition. Among them, Xiao Yan was undoubtedly the biggest surprise.
In the draw to determine his opponents, Xiao Yan, who had only been in the Inner Academy for six months and was the leader of the Pan Gate faction, defeated all his opponents. Even Yao Sheng, a key figure in the top twenty, was defeated by Xiao Yan.
Such a dazzling performance immediately caught everyone's attention, with many speculating that Xiao Yan had a real chance of breaking into the top ten of the Strong Ranking.
People also couldn't help but think of Xiao Yan's connection to Mo Yu. Many marveled at how the Xiao family from Wu Tan City had produced two such remarkable talents in succession.
Aside from Xiao Yan, the performance of the members of the Ink Gang was also surprising. In addition to Lin Yan and Qian Mo, who were already ranked in the top ten, even students like Fu Ao, who barely made it into the top fifty, achieved impressive results.
Some sharp-eyed students noticed that while the members of the Ink Gang were not exceptionally strong, the weapons they used gave them an edge in combat. The rumor that Mo Yu, the leader of the Ink Gang, was a master craftsman began to attract attention. After all, who wouldn't want a powerful weapon?
As the audience buzzed with discussions, the first and second days of the tournament came to a close. After dozens of intense battles, the spectators were both overwhelmed and exhilarated, eagerly anticipating the next day's matches.
That day would decide who would claim the top ten spots in the Strong Ranking.
Night passed quietly, and as the first rays of sunlight broke through the darkness, the Inner Academy came alive once more. Today was the day the top ten rankings would be decided, the climax of the tournament, and every student in the academy was eager to witness the birth of the new top ten fighters.
The spacious plaza was quickly packed with people, buzzing with excitement. The heated atmosphere infected everyone who entered the arena.
When the members of the Ink Gang arrived at the high platform, the place was already filled to capacity. Despite the elimination of more than half of the participants over the past two days, everyone wanted to witness these high-level battles, even if they couldn't participate themselves.
On the other side of the arena, a large group of people wearing the emblem of the Heavy Xuan Ruler arrived. Leading them was none other than Xiao Yan, the leader of the Pan Gate faction.
By now, Xiao Yan had undoubtedly become the biggest dark horse in the tournament. Despite being a new student who had only been in the Inner Academy for less than a year, he had a real shot at breaking into the top ten, a feat that shocked many.
As soon as Xiao Yan entered, he drew countless gazes. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he walked over to where the members of the Ink Gang were gathered.
"Senior Lin Yan, do you know where my cousin Mo Yu is?" Xiao Yan asked politely, cupping his hands toward Lin Yan, who was seated at the head of the group.
Seeing Xiao Yan, Lin Yan knew that he was the cousin of their leader, Mo Yu, and a talented individual. Therefore, Lin Yan didn't put on any airs and smiled wryly as he responded, "Well… we're not really sure about the boss's whereabouts either. The whole gang hasn't heard from him for over a month."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan, along with Xun Er and Xiao Yu, was momentarily stunned. They exchanged confused looks, unable to believe that even the members of the Ink Gang had no idea where Mo Yu had gone. It was as if he had vanished without a trace.
However, despite their concerns, they weren't too worried about Mo Yu. After all, with his strength, no one but the academy elders could be a match for him.
After chatting for a bit longer, everyone's attention returned to the judges' area.
Elder Su Qian's gaze swept across the arena, and with all eyes on him, he slowly drew a slip of paper and glanced at it before announcing loudly, "Yan Hao."
As Su Qian's voice echoed, everyone saw Yan Hao's face tighten as he realized he had been called.
"Now, let's draw Yan Hao's opponent for the battle for a spot in the top ten," Su Qian said as he drew another slip of paper. He opened it and glanced at it before announcing, "Qian Mo."
All eyes turned to a slightly chubby man on the high platform—Qian Mo, a member of the Ink Gang, ranked eighth in the Strong Ranking, and a powerful fighter at the peak of the Dou Ling level, just like Yan Hao.
Though past records suggested that Yan Hao had an edge over Qian Mo, the latter didn't seem worried, judging by his relaxed expression.
"Oh? It's your old rival, Qian Mo. Make sure you don't embarrass the Ink Gang. Our boss wouldn't be happy if you did," Lin Yan teased with a raised eyebrow when he saw the draw.
"Don't worry. With the Demon Crocodile Ring Saw crafted by the boss himself, it's time for me to settle the score," Qian Mo replied, his eyes narrowing like a calm and unflinching Maitreya Buddha.
Lin Yan nodded in approval. Having sparred with Qian Mo many times, he knew just how powerful the Demon Crocodile Ring Saw was. With this weapon, Qian Mo's battle against Yan Hao could go either way.
As the draw continued, the unexpected happened—Xiao Yan drew none other than Liu Qing, the former third-ranked fighter on the Strong Ranking. This match-up caused the crowd to erupt in excitement.
Lin Yan was equally surprised, glancing over at Xiao Yan's calm demeanor. A flicker of amazement crossed his eyes because, in that moment, Xiao Yan reminded him of their boss, Mo Yu. "Both of them are monsters..." he muttered with a shake of his head.
"The first match: Yan Hao vs. Qian Mo!" Su Qian's voice rang out, and the atmosphere in the arena instantly reached a fever pitch. All eyes turned to the two fighters on the high platform.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Yan Hao was the first to rise. The muscular man, almost as large as Liu Qing, walked calmly to the edge of the high platform and jumped down, landing heavily in the arena.
After Yan Hao entered the arena, Qian Mo, encouraged by the cheers of his fellow Ink Gang members, lazily walked up to the high platform.
With both fighters in place, the excitement in the audience reached its peak. Both were ranked in the top ten of the Strong Ranking, and this battle was bound to be spectacular.
As soon as Su Qian gave the signal to start, both fighters immediately drew their weapons. Yan Hao wielded his usual massive black iron hammer, while Qian Mo surprised everyone by pulling out a set of small, purple-black, circular saw-like weapons from his storage ring.
These purple-black circular saws were only about the size of a palm, but the sharp, jagged edges resembled the teeth of a crocodile and gave off a dangerous aura.
"Qian Mo, it's been a while since we last fought. Looks like you've changed weapons," Yan Hao remarked casually, swinging his massive black hammer, the sound of the wind it generated forcing the spectators to cover their ears.
"You've got a sharp eye. Today, I'll show you the power of my Demon Crocodile Ring Saw," Qian Mo said with a grin, his chubby face shaking with laughter. But soon, his expression turned serious. He gripped one of the saws in his right hand, and a surge of Dou Qi erupted from his body, forming a swirling wind that gathered around the saw.
Hah!
With a low shout, Qian Mo's arm suddenly trembled, and the purple-black ring saw shot out like a bloodthirsty crocodile, heading straight for Yan Hao.
The ring saw moved at an astonishing speed, and most of the audience could only see a faint black blur before it was already upon Yan Hao.
Boom!
Yan Hao's massive iron hammer slammed into the ground, sending cracks spreading out like thick branches. A powerful yellow energy shot out from the cracks and collided head-on with the black blur, sending the saw flying into the air.
"Come on, Qian! That was just one of your ten rings. You've still got nine left!" Yan Hao laughed loudly, Dou Qi surging through his body as his skin began to harden and take on a rock-like appearance with a greyish hue.
Seeing this, Qian Mo smiled knowingly. Yan Hao's Dou Qi was of the earth type, a rare variant known as Rock Dou Qi, which gave him the ability to harden his body like stone. Normally, this would counter the sneak attacks of Qian Mo's ring saws, which were better suited for stealthy strikes rather than direct combat.
But now…
One after another, sharp Demon Crocodile Ring Saws shot from Qian Mo's hand like bolts of lightning.
The saws flew toward Yan Hao at tricky angles, and just when Yan Hao thought they would only leave scratches on his rock-like skin, something unexpected happened.
A bright black light flashed across the saw, and a sudden sense of danger surged through Yan Hao's heart. In the next moment, the audience watched in shock as the saw cut through Yan Hao's stone-hard defenses, leaving a bloody gash.
"How's the 'Armor-Piercing' effect of my Demon Crocodile Ring Saw?" Qian Mo said with a smirk.
"You've come prepared, Qian Mo!" Yan Hao said, his expression changing as blood flowed from his wounded arm.
"Well, I can't help it. Our boss is an excellent weapon crafter. You didn't lose in vain," Qian Mo replied with a chuckle.
"Mo Yu, huh..." Yan Hao muttered to himself. Although he knew Mo Yu was a skilled weapon crafter, he hadn't expected the pressure of facing a weapon crafted by him to be so intense.
Mo Yu wasn't just talented in cultivation—his skills in crafting were equally impressive.
With the ring saw's Armor-Piercing effect now in play, the tide of the battle quickly turned. Yan Hao's rock-hard defenses were no longer effective, and he found himself on the defensive, taking hit after hit.
After half an hour of grueling combat, a battered and bloodied Yan Hao finally admitted defeat, raising his hand in surrender.
Yan Hao's surrender didn't surprise the spectators. His body had been riddled with cuts from the saw, and if the battle continued, his life would be in danger.
At the same time, Qian Mo's victory, aided by his powerful weapon, stunned many in the audience. Even though Mo Yu wasn't physically present, his influence could still be felt through the power of the weapon he had crafted.
After a brief pause, the second battle of the day began.
Zi Yan vs. Qin Zhen, a battle where the difference in strength was even more staggering.
It seemed that Zi Yan was in a bad mood. The moment she entered the arena, she rolled up her sleeves, her large, dark eyes scanning the high platform with intensity.
Seeing Zi Yan like this, many of the other students shrank back, silently feeling sorry for Qin Zhen.
However, after a while, Qin Zhen still hadn't shown up. Just as the crowd was beginning to grow impatient, a small, timid voice called out, "Qin Zhen says his stomach hurts and he won't be competing."
The arena fell into stunned silence, and then a wave of disbelief swept over the crowd. Really? Was this some kind of joke?
Even Su Qian and the other elders shook their heads in exasperation. "Ahem. Since Qin Zhen has forfeited, let's move on to the final match for a spot in the top ten," Su Qian announced.
As soon as Su Qian finished speaking, all eyes in the arena turned to the high platform, focusing on two figures—Xiao Yan and Liu Qing.
Of the three matches today, this was the one everyone had been waiting for.
One was a dark horse, a rising star, while the other was a seasoned veteran.
Although Liu Qing had lost to Mo Yu in the past, his strength was undeniable. Even after his defeat, his reputation in the academy hadn't diminished. On the other hand, Xiao Yan had been on a winning streak, and many were eager to see if he could follow in Mo Yu's footsteps.
The entire arena fell silent as all eyes locked onto the two figures on the platform.
Under the watchful gaze of the crowd, Liu Qing made the first move. He slowly stood up, striding to the edge of the platform before leaping down into the arena.
His feet hit the ground with a heavy thud, and he lifted his gaze, locking eyes with Xiao Yan. A hint of excitement flickered in his eyes. He had given up hope of defeating Mo Yu, but if he could beat Mo Yu's exceptionally talented cousin, it might make up for his previous loss.
With Liu Qing now in place, all eyes turned to Xiao Yan.
Everyone was eager to see if this new dark horse, second only to Mo Yu this year, could continue his unbeaten streak against a veteran powerhouse like Liu Qing.
Amid the expectant silence, Xiao Yan remained calm, unperturbed by the fact that his opponent was Liu Qing. He stood up slowly and walked toward the edge of the platform…
(End of Chapter)