Wanxiang Pavilion
A neutral institution set up by the imperial court.
It was primarily responsible for managing the changes and dissemination of various rankings. As a major city, Xunyang had a branch of Wanxiang Pavilion. Many people chose to challenge the experts on the rankings here, particularly when exciting events occurred.
At this moment, the square outside Wanxiang Pavilion was already packed with people. On ordinary days, the place was relatively quiet, but now that a good show was about to take place, no one wanted to miss it. Many influential figures from the prominent families of Xunyang City had also come out to watch.
"Do you think Yuan Nongbai can succeed in the challenge?" someone in the crowd asked.
"Of course, Yuan Nongbai is a disciple of the Academy, and at the ninth level of the True Aperture Realm. How could he possibly lose to Feng Qinghe?"
"I don't think so. If Yuan Nongbai were that powerful, why hasn't he made it onto the rankings yet?"
"True, but not every genius is interested in the rankings," someone replied, nodding in agreement.
"Moreover, Yuan Nongbai is from the Academy's Inner Palace, so his strength should be above Feng Qinghe's."
People generally held the view that the Academy's cultivation methods were superior, far beyond those of sects.
"You're living in the past. The power of sects is no longer what it used to be," someone countered. "Just look at the rankings—sect experts now occupy a third of the spots, or even more!"
At these words, the crowd fell silent. Indeed, from the rankings, it was clear that the power of sects had surged in recent years. The Academy no longer held the unchallenged lead it once did.
At a nearby tavern.
The usually lively three-story tavern was nearly empty, except for seven people sitting at a table. Their attire alone revealed their extraordinary status.
"Interesting, I didn't expect to have a side performance today," said a handsome young man dressed in a python robe, gently putting down his teacup with a faint smile at the corner of his lips.
"Yuan Nongbai, he must be a descendant of the Yuan family, right?" The young man turned to a middle-aged man sitting next to him.
The middle-aged man stood up respectfully. This was the head of the Yuan family, one of the most powerful martial artists in Xunyang City. He immediately bowed and smiled, saying, "Young one, you're too kind. I hope we are not disturbing His Highness, the Ninth Prince."
"Of course not, I'm quite interested in watching the talents of the Yuan family," replied the Ninth Prince with a smile.
He had been in Xunyang City for several days now. Unfortunately, the most important figure, the Blood Brave Marquis, was not present. According to some confidential information, the Marquis wouldn't be arriving for a while, so the Ninth Prince had to focus his attention on other influential families in the city.
The Seven Prefectures of Chang Le, though far from the imperial capital, had produced many strong martial artists due to their proximity to the Outer Sea and the Southern Wilderness. It was well worth the Ninth Prince's attention.
Upon hearing the Ninth Prince's words, the other family heads exchanged glances, their thoughts racing. They hadn't thought of this angle. If they wanted to align themselves with the Ninth Prince, they should have sent their young heirs to show their faces. It was clear that Yuan Nongbai's challenge today was no simple matter—it was part of a larger plan.
"The word is that Feng Qinghe's master is a senior elder from the Xuantian Sword Sect. Yuan family head, be careful not to choose the wrong opponent," one of the family heads warned.
"One month ago, my son encountered someone ranked 15th on the Potential Dragon Ranking during a trial. He easily defeated him," Yuan family head said with a proud smile, stroking his beard. "But we chose not to publicize it."
At this, the family head from the Wang family fell silent. If Yuan Nongbai could easily defeat someone ranked 15th, Feng Qinghe, ranked 17th, would be no challenge at all.
It was clear that the Yuan family head had carefully prepared for this challenge. Everything was planned with precision.
Meanwhile, at the square.
The crowd had grown even larger, and the tension in the air was palpable. Luo Mu and Cheng Qingman also arrived.
"Junior Brother Luo, Junior Sister Cheng!" Lin Rufeng waved from the crowd.
Jiang Hai was with him as well. The two had been out shopping but couldn't resist coming to watch when they heard about the challenge.
"It's quite a coincidence," Cheng Qingman remarked as they joined up.
"Yes, who would've thought it would be Yuan Nongbai," Lin Rufeng said excitedly. "Isn't he usually focused on his cultivation and uninterested in rankings? Why is he suddenly challenging someone?"
"I don't know," Cheng Qingman shook her head.
"Do you think Yuan Nongbai can win?" Lin Rufeng asked.
"Yuan Nongbai's strength is without question. In the Inner Palace, he is one of the top geniuses. Only Junior Brother Luo here could possibly stand up to him," Cheng Qingman said.
Yuan Nongbai had cultivated mid-tier Mystic martial arts, after all.
"I don't know much about Feng Qinghe, so I'm not sure," Cheng Qingman continued.
"Let's hope Yuan Nongbai wins. The opponent he chose is quite problematic. If it were any other family's genius, it wouldn't matter as much, but Feng Qinghe? Does he not know that Feng Qinghe is backed by the ever-growing Xuantian Sword Sect?" Jiang Hai remarked. "If he loses, it won't just be embarrassing for him."
Cheng Qingman and Lin Rufeng both fell silent. They hadn't considered it from that angle. This challenge was much more serious than they initially thought.
At that moment, two figures appeared on the square.
The once-boisterous crowd began to quiet down, their attention now fully on the two newcomers.
"Yuan Nongbai, you have quite the nerve to challenge me," Feng Qinghe said, his voice cold.
He stood Great with a long sword on his back. His face was thin, and his narrow, snake-like eyes gave off an air of menace.
"Enough talking. Today, I'm taking your place," Yuan Nongbai replied, holding a massive broad-bladed sword that looked like a giant door.
Yuan Nongbai had no real interest in the challenge, but his father had insisted that he face Feng Qinghe. After all, it was rumored that the Ninth Prince harbored a deep grudge against sects, and if Yuan Nongbai could defeat a sect genius, his family would gain considerable favor with the prince.
Yuan Nongbai and Feng Qinghe had long-standing personal issues, and today seemed like the perfect time to settle them.
Having defeated someone ranked 15th, defeating Feng Qinghe, ranked 17th, was no challenge at all. So there is no suspense in today's battle.
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