The Central Plaza, the largest venue in the Inner Academy, is usually not open to the public. It is only opened when the Inner Academy holds competitions.
As the most exciting Strong Ranking Tournament in the Inner Academy, the venue is naturally none other than this.
Although the Central Plaza covers a vast area, today, thousands of Inner Academy students and a group of Elders have gathered. Looking around, it is quite lively. The bustling crowd, accompanied by noise, spreads in all directions, finally converging into a single stream that rushes straight into the sky.
In a corner, Zi Yan, Cao Hui, and a few others are gathered together, occasionally looking towards the outer area of the plaza.
"Why hasn't Chen Xiao returned yet? The tournament is about to start in another quarter of an hour, and he hasn't even obtained the qualification to participate yet. It will be too late if he's any later," Cao Hui said with a slightly anxious expression.
Not everyone is qualified to participate in the Strong Ranking Tournament. One must obtain a ranking within the top fifty of the Strong Ranking before the tournament begins to be eligible to compete on stage.
The usual ranking method for the Strong Ranking is also very simple and direct. You only need to challenge a Strong Ranking expert and defeat them to take their ranking. In contrast, the challenged person and those ranked behind them will be moved back one position.
In short, Chen Xiao needs to rush back within the remaining quarter of an hour and successfully challenge a Strong Ranking senior student in the top fifty to be eligible to participate.
Listening to Cao Hui's muttering, Fu Tong and Mu Boshan on the side also became a little anxious.
As friends, even ordinary friends, they didn't want to see Chen Xiao miss this opportunity.
However, Zi Yan, who usually has the best relationship with Chen Xiao, seemed completely unconcerned at this moment, still leisurely popping pills.
"What are you guys anxious about? When he came back half a month ago, I already told him the rules. He definitely won't miss it. As for the qualification to participate, you are only Da Dou Shi, so it's normal that you don't understand the power of a nine-star Dou Ling."
As soon as Zi Yan finished speaking, everyone suddenly heard a low rumbling sound like thunder in the air. Some people quickly looked up, but apart from the silver light that flashed and disappeared in their pupils, they didn't find anything else.
Only Cao Hui and a few others in the corner were surprised to find a figure in a black robe suddenly appearing beside them.
"See? I told you not to be anxious. He'll definitely make it."
Zi Yan showed a look of "I told you so," leaving Cao Hui and the others speechless.
Without time for much greeting, Fu Tong reminded first, "Chen Xiao, quickly find someone in the top fifty of the Strong Ranking to challenge and get the qualification to participate first."
Hearing this, Chen Xiao shook his head and looked at the outer area of the plaza, replying with a light chuckle, "No need. When I came back just now, by chance, I happened to meet Senior Ge, who is ranked fiftieth. After a simple communication, he gave me the spot."
Following his gaze, the few people saw a tall young man walking into the plaza with slightly staggering steps.
Seeing this, Cao Hui and the others immediately understood that the so-called simple communication was probably not that simple.
However, no one felt there was any problem. In the Strong Ranking Tournament held every five years, everyone is striving to move up, and everything depends on strength.
Winning is skill, losing is not unfair.
Moreover, apart from those who are capable of competing for the top ten spots, most of the others are basically just participating. Even if they win one or two matches, their ranking will only change slightly, and the gains can be said to be very ordinary.
After all, if you want to change your ranking, you can also initiate challenges on a normal day, it's just that there might not be as many spectators.
"After the tournament ends, remember to tell Old Man Su about me going to the Black-Corner Region as well."
Zi Yan reminded him, completely disregarding the highly anticipated Strong Ranking Tournament.
To her, this so-called tournament was nothing more than a formality.
"Got it, don't worry."
Getting a satisfactory answer, Zi Yan finally felt at ease and continued to take pills to pass the boring time.
In this waiting, a quarter of an hour quickly passed.
*Dong!*
As a bell chimed, a large burst of wind-breaking sounds suddenly erupted in the sky, causing the noisy plaza to fall silent.
Everyone looked up, but could only see a fleeting blurry figure. Then, their gaze shifted downwards, and they saw more than a dozen old figures appearing on the special high platform seats in the plaza at some point.
These old figures were all Elders of the academy, and the one in the center, a black-robed, white-haired old man, was none other than the most familiar Grand Elder Su Qian.
"The second one from the left wearing a blue robe is Elder Xi Ziliang, whom you mentioned before."
Zi Yan's voice quietly entered his ears.
Chen Xiao nodded slightly, keeping it in mind.
This Elder was the biological uncle of Instructor Xi Wen from the Outer Academy. When he first entered the Inner Academy, Chen Xiao originally wanted to ask him to deal with the Snow Demon Sky Ape, but he was intercepted by Zi Yan halfway, so Chen Xiao only saw this Elder for the first time today.
Seeing that he could appear with Grand Elder Su Qian, it could basically be confirmed that he was a Dou Huang expert.
And looking at his aura, it was no less than that of the Ice Emperor Hai Bo Dong, who had his seal removed.
Just as Chen Xiao was observing, he saw Grand Elder Su Qian in the center slowly step forward and press his hands down.
Immediately, all the whispering in the entire plaza completely disappeared, leaving only the sound of breathing.
Su Qian's gaze slowly swept across the entire venue. With a slight smile, without any unnecessary words, his old and low voice echoed in everyone's ears.
"This year's Strong Ranking Tournament will still use the knockout system. The top fifty, enter the arena! Draw lots to determine your opponents for today, which is also the first round of the knockout tournament!"
As Su Qian's voice fell, immediately, figures flashed across the plaza, and figures drew arcs in the air, landing in the arena.
Including Chen Xiao and Zi Yan, there were exactly fifty people, no more, no less.
Chi!
A figure swept down from the high platform, it was Elder Xi Ziliang.
"This tournament will be judged by this old man, absolutely fair and just. Now, the participants will come forward in turn to draw lots."
"In this wooden box, there are twenty-five blue-backed slips and twenty-five red-backed slips. The numbers are from one to twenty-five. Those who draw red and blue slips with the same number will be their opponents in this round of the knockout tournament."
Elder Xi Ziliang expressionlessly stated the rules, then raised his hand and a wooden box landed in the center of the arena.
The fifty people stepped forward to draw lots. Before long, everyone held a bottom slip and looked around, searching for opponents who had drawn the same number.
Chen Xiao drew the blue bottom slip number eleven. His opponent was a six-star Dou Ling.
Zi Yan drew the blue bottom slip number one. Her opponent was also not strong, just a seven-star Dou Ling.
Both of them noticed that in this first round of the elimination tournament, none of the Dou Ling above eight stars had drawn a strong opponent!
"Alright, the drawing is over. Those with red and blue bottom slip number one stay, the rest temporarily leave the arena. One last thing, although our Inner Academy has an open atmosphere, we still hope that everyone will try not to kill during the matches. You are all still students, and the Inner Academy is not a man-eat-man place like the Black-Corner Region. Perhaps in the future, when you leave the academy and meet each other, with this friendship, you might even gain a powerful helper."
Hearing this, many participants nodded, but more were noncommittal.
After all, in this kind of competition, the competition is fierce. Those with a clear difference in strength can still hold back, but if they encounter someone of similar strength, especially in the final top ten competition, under full effort, no one can guarantee that accidents won't happen.
The group of Elders took in the expressions of the participants, feeling somewhat helpless but also understanding.
Heart Flame Origin Tempering was too tempting for those below the Dou Wang level!
The only thing they could do was ensure they intervened at critical moments to avoid fatalities.
After announcing the rules, as the forty-eight participants temporarily left the arena, the first match of the first round of the elimination tournament officially began.
And the result was within everyone's expectations.
With just a casual punch, Zi Yan eliminated her opponent, the seven-star Dou Ling with a bitter expression...
Although he didn't last even a breath, among the thousands of people in the entire arena, not a single one mocked or ridiculed the loser.
Meeting this Brute Force King, there was truly nothing he could do!
During the time she first arrived at the Inner Academy, she had also made a few moves. Most of the guys currently in the top ten of the Strong Ranking had personally experienced her terror, and it was from that time on that the old students of the Inner Academy spoke of her with a change in expression.
"First match, Zi Yan wins."
"Number two slip, step onto the stage!"
"..."
The matches were in full swing. Although to uphold the principle of fairness and impartiality, under the influence of some mysterious power, it was ensured that Dou Ling above eight stars would not meet in the first round, resulting in very few tense matches, it was still an hour later when it was Chen Xiao's turn.
"Tenth match, Xiao Ming wins."
"Number eleven, step onto the stage."
Chen Xiao flew onto the stage, causing a considerable stir of discussion in the plaza.
Both being a new student who had just entered the Inner Academy this year and being a nine-star Dou Ling made it difficult for people to remain calm.
"Junior Brother Chen Xiao, please."
His opponent slightly cupped his fist in greeting.
His demeanor was quite good, but his strength was a bit lacking.
Chen Xiao returned the greeting. Immediately, an Ice Spear was like a dragon, eliminating him with just one strike. He didn't even need to use Three Thousand Lightning Movement.
Nine stars against six stars, the gap was obvious at a glance.
"Chen Xiao wins!"
Elder Xi Ziliang nodded and announced. No one noticed that this Elder, who had always been expressionless, now had a hint of a smile on his face.
"Number twelve, step onto the stage."
...
The first round of the elimination tournament had a total of twenty-five matches.
Starting from noon, it was all over before evening. The ten people above eight-star Dou Ling all successfully advanced.
The next day.
Twenty-five into thirteen, still an elimination system.
In this round, one person received a bye and advanced directly.
However, unlike the drawing method for the Inner Courtyard Selection Tournament in the Outer Academy, the bye spot in this second round was directly announced by Elder Xi Ziliang and given to Zi Yan.
No one questioned this result.
Even Chen Xiao felt it was only right.
Chen Xiao's opponent was stronger than yesterday, a seven-star Dou Ling.
However, the result was pretty much the same. Chen Xiao ended the battle with one move, Profound Ice Thorns, still without using Three Thousand Lightning Movement.
The second round of the elimination tournament was much more exciting than the first. During this time, there was even an eight-star Dou Ling who was 'cut down' by a seven-star Dou Ling level opponent, which was a small upset.
This match was also the most tense match in the past two days.
The rest were not worth mentioning.
...
The third day.
The third round of the elimination tournament, and also the last round.
Because only thirteen people remained, according to the rules, six would be randomly drawn to fight three more matches to determine the final three spots.
In this round, both Chen Xiao and Zi Yan were lucky and secured a top ten spot without having to step onto the stage again.
In contrast, the six senior students who were drawn fought tooth and nail, and every match had the audience cheering in excitement.
And the final result was that another eight-star Dou Ling was eliminated by an opponent who was a level lower!
At this point, the top ten of the Strong Ranking Tournament were all decided!
The main competition ended, and the spots were confirmed. Following closely were the exhibition matches, which were purely for entertainment.
Anyone, regardless of whether they were on the Strong Ranking or what their cultivation level was, could challenge the top ten of the tournament.
Furthermore, the top ten could not refuse!
In these highly entertaining exhibition matches, everyone except Zi Yan, including Chen Xiao, was challenged.
It is worth mentioning that without exception, all those who challenged Chen Xiao were female students!
Their strength might not have been worth mentioning, but their ability to disturb one's mind was not bad.
Unfortunately, after training in the Black-Corner Region for so long, Chen Xiao was completely immune to this now. After consecutively knocking out four senior students, no one dared to challenge him anymore
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