"It is considered the largest arena district in the academy, where many come to duel.

It is divided into two sections. One is the freshman area, jokingly called the Rookie Zone.

The other is the senior area, mostly occupied by those who have fallen from the Earth Ranking but lack the qualifications to enter the Heaven Ranking."

Tang Yan grew somewhat interested and asked, "Is there a strength ranking inside?"

"Yes, there is a list called the Black Ranking.

This ranking was not established by the Azure Dragon Academy itself, but rather an unofficial list created by students over the academy's many years of development.

It is currently controlled by the academy's largest faction, the Pinnacle Association. Although making the list offers no direct Reward, it represents a kind of honor.

Moreover, those who make the ranking attract recruitment offers from many factions, granting them access to better cultivation resources," Fang Xuan explained in detail.

"Entering the Black Ranking comes with other hidden benefits. For example, in the Spirit Gathering Hall, only those in the top three hundred of the Black Ranking are qualified to cultivate in the central area," Wan Fei added.

"Spirit Gathering Hall?"

"The Spirit Gathering Hall contains a grand spirit-gathering formation set up by the Azure Dragon Academy. It opens once every three days, and the closer you get to the center, the denser the Spiritual Qi." Wan Fei asked curiously, "Tang Yan, where exactly have you been hiding these past few days? How do you not know anything?"

"These past few days... I've been staying in the Nine Nether Fire Sea and my dormitory to cultivate. I didn't have time to attend to other matters," Tang Yan smiled.

"Could it be that you had a beauty keeping you company and forgot all about us?" Wan Fei said with a sour tone.

A beauty keeping him company? Tang Yan could not help but shiver. It was a miracle he hadn't been beaten to death. He hurriedly denied it, "What beauty? I was just cultivating."

"I think Sister Wan Fei is right. You didn't come to check on us once in three whole days," Lin Dongxue said, her face clearly showing her displeasure.

"Not at all, I was genuinely busy. Eldest Miss, please don't slander me," Tang Yan raised his hands in surrender.

Seeing Tang Yan's earnest attitude, the group did not press the matter further. About a quarter of an hour later, they arrived at the arena battle zone.

The moment they stepped into the zone, a deafening uproar washed over them.

Tang Yan carefully observed the layout.

The arena battle zone was massive, holding a total of twenty-six arenas of varying sizes.

Large crowds of spectators clustered around each one.

"That list is the Black Ranking," Fang Xuan said, pointing toward a wall to the far north.

Following Fang Xuan's finger, they saw a massive black stone slab-roughly ten meters high and thirty meters long-standing imposingly at the northern edge.

"It holds two thousand names. The Azure Dragon Academy is full of talents, so anyone who can fight their way onto the Black Ranking is a formidable expert capable of overpowering those on the Earth Ranking," Fang Xuan explained.

"I will study it later. First, let's find those bastards from the South District." Tang Yan withdrew his gaze from the Black Ranking, his tone turning cold.

"Let's go!" The group's expressions turned solemn as they marched toward the Rookie Zone.

"That is Sun Xiaolong!" Fang Xuan gritted his teeth, pointing toward an arena in the Rookie Zone.

Tang Yan looked over. Sun Xiaolong was currently dueling a Black Rank Seventh Grade cultivator. The gap in strength was too vast, and his opponent was clearly outmatched.

"His moves are ruthless. He is a vicious character." Watching Sun Xiaolong's fighting style, Tang Yan offered his assessment.

"Should I go up and test him?" Yu Juechen asked with a cold, sinister smile.

"No need. If you go, they will only say you are bullying the weak. But if I go, it is perfectly justified." Tang Yan wore a smile, though to Wan Fei and the others, it looked entirely insidious.

Having his suggestion rejected by Tang Yan, Yu Juechen rolled his eyes hard. You going is perfectly justified? You going is what true bullying looks like, alright?

"Bang!" On the stage, Sun Xiaolong knocked his opponent back with a single blow. He tilted his head back and laughed, "Who else? Anyone within the Black Rank Eighth Grade is free to challenge me."

Despite having entered the academy just three days ago, Sun Xiaolong had already carved out quite a reputation in the Rookie Zone. Many looked at him with apprehension, and few at the Black Rank Eighth Grade dared to clash with him.

Seeing no one step forward, Sun Xiaolong burst into loud laughter, "Is there really no one who dares to fight me?"

"You are already at the peak of the Black Rank Eighth Grade, yet you are still seeking opponents at the Eighth Grade. What is the point of that? If you are truly capable, why not try someone at the Black Rank Ninth Grade?" A calm, unhurried voice drifted from the crowd, instantly drawing murmurs of agreement.

Exactly! You are already at the peak of the Eighth Grade, what the hell are you showing off for? Go fight a Ninth Grade if you have the guts.

But who exactly was stirring up trouble with Sun Xiaolong? Could it be a high-level cultivator?

The crowd's gaze shifted in unison to fall upon Tang Yan.

When they realized Tang Yan was only a Black Rank Seventh Grade, many felt a wave of disappointment, while others broke out in a cold sweat for him.

Sun Xiaolong found Tang Yan somewhat familiar, but could not immediately place him. He sneered, "Kid, who are you?"

"Tang Yan!"

"Tang Yan?" After a brief moment of surprise, Sun Xiaolong remembered. He laughed loudly, "So it is the number one of the East District! Forgive my disrespect! I wonder, has Young Master Tang come here to exchange pointers with me?"

"You injured my brother. Someone has to settle this debt," Tang Yan replied indifferently, walking up the steps to the arena one pace at a time.

"Tang Yan, the number one of the East District, is here!"

"Tang Yan is challenging Sun Xiaolong!"

Someone shouted, instantly drawing a wave of attention. The crowd quickly converged around the arena, and even quite a few senior students wandered over to watch.

"Oh? What is this? You actually want to fight me?" The mockery in Sun Xiaolong's eyes thickened. He was invincible within the Eighth Grade; what could a mere Seventh Grade do?

Tang Yan raised his head, a smile surfacing on his handsome face. "You overthink things. I am not here to fight you, but to beat you!"

To beat you!

The surrounding crowd was utterly dumbfounded. A Black Rank Seventh Grade cultivator was actually acting this arrogant.

The only ones holding out hope for Tang Yan were the students from the East District. They clearly remembered how Tang Yan had forcefully defeated a Black Rank Ninth Grade while only at the Seventh Grade himself.

Someone like Sun Xiaolong truly wasn't enough to make him blink!

"Hahaha..." As if hearing the greatest joke in the world, Sun Xiaolong threw his head back and laughed wildly.

"Smack!" A crisp slap rang out, cutting Sun Xiaolong's laughter off abruptly.

His head whipped to the side, leaving a bright red handprint starkly visible on his left cheek.

"So fast!" No one in the crowd had even seen how Tang Yan moved. They only caught the blur of a dark shadow, and then Sun Xiaolong had been slapped!

"That slap is to let you know that regardless of whether I am qualified to be the number one of the East District, you are certainly not qualified to question it!" Tang Yan's calm voice echoed out. Paired with his black robes, it gave him an air of unfathomable mystery.

"You are courting death!" Sun Xiaolong had not expected Tang Yan to be so audacious. Feeling the burning sting on his cheek, his face flushed crimson as he roared and charged at Tang Yan.

"Stone-Shattering Fist!"

A black light enveloped Sun Xiaolong's fist, its flowing radiance emitting a terrifying power.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!

Tang Yan rapidly took six steps. With every step he planted, the Force emanating from his body surged wildly.

When the sixth step fell, he was right in front of Sun Xiaolong.

The sixth form of the Thousand Mountains Fist was unleashed without holding back!

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