"I have a different idea for today's competition. Drawing lots is entirely up to chance, and if two strong contenders face off, it might be a shame. How about those of us with lower rankings challenge the higher-ranked ones instead?"
Yan Qingshan stepped into the arena alone. After bowing to the elders and Great Elder Su Qian, he shouted, "Mu Yun, do you dare to accept the challenge?!"
Yan Qingshan's roaring challenge echoed throughout the entire venue, leaving everyone stunned. No one expected him to be so direct, issuing a challenge even before the elders' consent, and to none other than Mu Yun, the second-ranked expert on the Strong Ranking.
"This..."
The elders exchanged glances. Great Elder Su Qian gazed at Yan Qingshan, remaining silent for a long time. He wasn't a petty person and didn't feel offended by Yan Qingshan speaking up. However, as an elder of the academy, he didn't want the conflicts between students to deepen, potentially leading to an irresolvable tragedy.
While the Jia Nan Inner Academy advocated resolving conflicts through martial arts, it absolutely did not support aggressive duels or vendettas. Yan Qingshan's current actions were clearly to stand up for Lin Yan from yesterday. He actually didn't want to support this kind of behavior, as it would only escalate the conflict between the two parties.
"Heh heh... you've got quite the guts. It seems you didn't listen to a single word I said yesterday. Since you dare to challenge, why wouldn't I dare to accept?"
As the leader of a faction within the Inner Academy, Mu Yun naturally understood that he couldn't back down at this moment. He stepped out of the crowd and stood opposite Yan Qingshan, cupping his hands to the elders. "Elders, I am willing to accept Yan Qingshan's challenge.
And for fairness, if he can withstand a hundred moves from me, then he wins this battle. I hope the elders will grant this. Please rest assured, elders, Mu Yun knows his limits and will not injure Junior Yan."
Mu Yun knew that directly accepting the challenge would make the elders suspicious, so he used a tactic of retreat to advance, actively setting an unfavorable condition for himself. In reality, with his Dou King cultivation, the hundred-move limit was almost useless—of course, this was in reference to ordinary Dou Spirit practitioners.
Yan Qingshan spoke out again, "Great Elder, fellow elders, both of us intend to resolve this conflict through battle. We hope for your approval."
"This... alright! You two are both elite students of the academy. I hope you will stop at the appropriate moment."
Great Elder Su Qian deliberated for a long time before finally nodding. This was currently the best solution. In truth, he was also a bit unsure how to arrange Yan Qingshan's subsequent matches.
He was aware of some of Yan Qingshan's trump cards. Some of the cultivation methods in the Book Collection Hall had records here in the Inner Academy, and he naturally knew that Yan Qingshan's cultivation method was extremely extraordinary, one of the most top-tier methods in the entire Jia Nan Academy.
Furthermore, Yan Qingshan also possessed a Di-rank Dou Skill as a trump card, which probably allowed him to contend with even ordinary Dou Kings. Those few peak Dou Spirits might not actually be his opponents.
However, he was reluctant to let those few Dou Spirits who needed the Fallen Heart Flame more be eliminated, so he was quite conflicted.
Now that Yan Qingshan and Mu Yun had decided to resolve their conflict, it actually eased some of his dilemma. He wasn't particularly optimistic about Yan Qingshan winning, but he figured that with him present, he could intervene in time.
"Today's first match: Yan Qingshan versus Mu Yun!"
Great Elder Su Qian, seeing that both individuals were in agreement, decisively announced the start of the first match. This match was also the most anticipated one so far.
In all the years of the Strong Ranking competition, Yan Qingshan was the first to request a specific opponent, challenging the second-ranked expert. With one side being a seasoned Dou King and the other a rising dark horse, this was undoubtedly a highly anticipated match.
"This kid actually challenged Mu Yun! He's really got guts!"
Many of the top experts on the Strong Ranking in the stands also showed interest in this match. They naturally knew Yan Qingshan; even if they hadn't known much about him before, they would have learned a bit after Zi Yan's brutal beating yesterday. Some even had prior interactions with Yan Qingshan.
When Yan Qingshan was still in the Outer Academy, he obtained a jar of diluted Core Quenching Body Milk from the Snow Demon Sky Ape. He then auctioned it off in batches at a high price, with the main buyers coming from the Inner Academy. These people were severely overcharged back then, so how could they have no impression of him at all?
Meanwhile, the few Dou Kings among the top six on the Strong Ranking were in another circle. Wu Kai, looking at the two about to engage in battle, couldn't help but chuckle.
"Today's juniors are truly getting bolder. What do you think, how many moves can this kid withstand?"
Wu Fan, ranked fourth on the Strong Ranking, spoke, "Is there anything to question about this? Mu Yun's Soft Water Cotton Palm has multiple layers of hidden force. Even among us, besides Wang Mang, no one can take more than a few moves, let alone this kid."
Wang Mang, however, disagreed, shaking his head. "Not necessarily. I always feel there's something sinister about this kid. I can't quite see through him."
"Kid, I know you have many trump cards, but you really shouldn't have provoked me. Your smartest move would have been to last two or three moves under me and then roll off the stage like that guy yesterday."
As Mu Yun spoke to Yan Qingshan, his narrow eyes flashed with a cold, sinister light. He twisted his right hand, and his folding fan spun open. After a series of clanging sounds, each fan bone's tip revealed a sharp, vertical tooth, transforming the entire fan into an extremely bizarre saw.
The saw-like teeth on its fan bones faintly emanated a dark red hue, like congealed blood, exuding a bloody smell. The blade edges also gave off an eerie cold glint. If one looked closely, they could even faintly discern a strange blue light, clearly indicating it was laced with potent poison.
The drastically transformed folding fan spun rapidly in Mu Yun's hand, forming various dazzling patterns. His eyes, like a venomous snake, fixated on Yan Qingshan, constantly provoking and attempting to threaten and suppress his fighting spirit.
Yan Qingshan's face showed little fluctuation. He merely pulled out a jade-green bamboo branch from his storage ring. This simple weapon made some people frown, but those with discerning eyes immediately lit up.
"Jade Green Lightning Bamboo, your luck is quite good."
A hint of apprehension flickered in Mu Yun's eyes. This Jade Green Lightning Bamboo was a rare natural treasure. It could be used in alchemy or for other purposes, containing the energy of lightning wood, possessing unparalleled toughness comparable to diamond, and naturally carrying lightning arcs that would self-activate lightning power when striking an enemy.
"My luck has always been quite good. Yours, not so much."
A faint smile appeared on Yan Qingshan's lips. Mu Yun's Dou Qi was too feminine, and the masculine forces of lightning and fire had a strong suppressing effect on him.
Of course, to suppress him, one needed high-quality masculine energy. Ordinary lightning and fire would instead be eroded and consumed by his power. However, the Jade Green Lightning Bamboo in Yan Qingshan's hand was precisely something Mu Yun couldn't deal with right now, which was why he was apprehensive.
"No matter how much you prepare, it's useless against absolute strength."
Mu Yun sneered, his Dou Qi erupting instantly. This time, he attacked with full force, his Dou Qi a blend of lake-blue with hints of darkness. His figure transformed into a blurred shadow, streaking towards Yan Qingshan like lightning.
The mere dozens of meters vanished in an instant, and the hearts of the onlookers were suspended. Seeing the blurred dark figure closing in on Yan Qingshan, many people held their breath, wondering if Yan Qingshan would lose just by being closed in on by a Dou King.
Clap ~~~
Yan Qingshan's figure blurred the moment Mu Yun approached. Mu Yun's attack struck empty air, hitting only an afterimage. All the onlookers saw was a blue arc sweep across, and Mu Yun retreated with lightning speed. It was only then that the sonic boom sounded.
"Lightning Step! Yang Sheng!"
Mu Yun clutched his stomach, his pale face covered in cold sweat. But at that moment, his gaze locked onto Yang Sheng, who was among the crowd. He wasn't feeling well from Yan Qingshan's strike, and what surprised him even more was why Yan Qingshan knew Yang Sheng's Dou Skill.
Yan Qingshan smiled slightly, his figure shifting erratically, sometimes left, sometimes right, making him incredibly blurry. "After my last encounter with Senior Yang, we shook hands and made peace. We even exchanged some Dou Skills with each other. I spent a few months practicing and achieved some results, which Senior Mu Yun has now experienced."
"It seems I was still careless, I underestimated you!"
Mu Yun's Dou Qi circulated, and a faint white mist rose from his head. His injuries slightly alleviated. The self-healing effect of water-attribute Dou Qi was second only to wood-attribute, but the injury he sustained carried the masculine power of lightning, which greatly inhibited his Dou Qi, significantly reducing his healing effectiveness.
"Since Senior Mu Yun isn't attacking, I'll make the first move."
Yan Qingshan let out a long cry, pointing his bamboo branch forward. His figure blurred as he swiftly darted towards Mu Yun. Then, using the bamboo as a sword, he unleashed nine sword-flowers, appearing both real and illusory like a nine-palace grid, enveloping various vital points around Mu Yun, each step a calculated move leading to continuous killing intent.
Clang ~
Mu Yun dared not be careless and hurriedly parried. After blocking one move, his folding fan spun and danced, drawing a peculiar arc towards Yan Qingshan's neck. At the same time, his hands rapidly entwined, conjuring strands of water to coil around Yan Qingshan's hands.
Yan Qingshan's figure moved, blurring into indistinctness. The sharp edge of the folding fan swept through an arc, only hitting his afterimage. Meanwhile, the bamboo sword in his hand burst with dazzling electric light, as streaks of lightning serpents danced and erupted.
He unleashed Explosive Thunder Flash at this moment, its power even greater when performed with the Jade Green Lightning Bamboo. This move forced Mu Yun to temporarily avoid its sharpness. As his figure rapidly retreated, strands of water entwined with his folding fan, which then spun in an arc and quickly returned to Mu Yun's hand.
"Your strength is somewhat beyond my expectation, but I hope you can maintain this dominance moving forward."
More aura surged from Mu Yun's body, and a pair of wings appeared behind him. Dou Qi Transformation Wings – he actually unleashed the ultimate move only a Dou King could use. As Mu Yun's Dou Qi transformed into wings, his aura rose another level, reaching a terrifying degree.
"You've even used Dou Qi Transformation Wings. It seems you truly have no more trump cards, but I still do. What a pity, Senior Mu Yun, you still don't understand me enough!"
As Yan Qingshan spoke, a pair of materialized purple wings appeared behind him. He calmly ascended into the sky, flying above Mu Yun. His relaxed and unhurried demeanor clearly indicated that his flying experience surpassed Mu Yun's.