Chapter 487 Who Wins and Who Loses?

Lin Feng walked away.

He didn't dare to look back.

The arena behind him no longer had anything to do with him.

The entire venue was deathly silent.

After the silence came a burst of hushed sighs.

"Did he... did he really just leave like that?"

At the edge of the stands, a Gold Rank student rubbed his eyes vigorously, his voice full of disbelief.

"That's Lin Feng! That's Lin Feng, ranked thirty-first on the Heavenly Ranking! He didn't even summon his Beast, he just knelt and conceded..."

His companion swallowed hard, his tone extremely complex.

"Lin Feng was just too smart. Haven't you realized it yet? Just now, Lin Xinmu's Void Shadow Mink was insta-killed by the Sacred Student. No matter how strong the defense of Lin Feng's Silver-Armored Earth-Splitting Rhino is, it wouldn't be a match. If he dared to summon his Beast, his fate would only be worse than Lin Xinmu's. At least Lin Xinmu dared to fight; Lin Feng didn't even have the courage to fight... but he made the right choice."

"The right choice?"

"Duh. Think about it. Lin Xinmu's Beast is probably still in emergency care, but Lin Feng's Beast is at least unscathed. It's embarrassing, sure, but his Beast is safe. Faced with such absolute overwhelming strength, conceding isn't cowardice; it's intelligence."

Once these words were spoken, everyone around fell silent.

Because if it were them up there, they would have made the same choice.

Are you kidding?

That's a monster who could insta-kill even Lin Xinmu with a single strike.

Lin Xinmu's Void Shadow Mink, with speed fast enough to traverse through space, was slashed into critical injury with one strike. For those of them who couldn't even make it into the top fifty of the Heavenly Ranking, was going up there just suicide?

No one mocked Lin Feng.

Not a single person.

Because they had no right to mock him.

"To be honest..." another student gave a bitter smile, his tone full of self-deprecation.

"I was just thinking, Lin Feng is ranked thirty-first on the Heavenly Ranking, so he should at least exchange three or five moves before conceding, right? But he just knelt immediately; I almost laughed out loud. But half a second later, I couldn't laugh anymore, because I imagined myself in his shoes. If I were standing on that arena, facing the pressure from the Sacred Student's Beast, I might have knelt even faster than him."

"Who's to say otherwise?" someone nearby chimed in, their tone filled with bitterness.

"Did you notice? When Lin Feng knelt, his Beast didn't even dare to come out of the Beast Taming Space. A Silver-Armored Earth-Splitting Rhino! An Amethyst Seventh Tier, a tough character with top-tier defense among its peers, yet it was scared into a ball by the Bloodline pressure. This isn't a gap in Realm; this is an overwhelming suppression of Bloodline. The Innate suppression of the Sacred Student's Beast Bloodline over ordinary Beasts is simply not on the same dimension."

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured onto everyone's hearts.

As they looked again at that tall and upright figure on the arena, the awe in their eyes grew heavier.

Meanwhile, Lin Feng had walked back to the stands where the Lin Family camp was located, looking completely dejected.

His footsteps were unsteady, as if walking on cotton; he staggered with every step.

The arena behind him was his greatest reliance for securing a spot for the Lin Family.

Now, that arena had changed hands.

He didn't even have the courage to fight once, and he had personally handed over the arena.

What did this mean?

It meant he was completely out of the running for this Molten Fire Grotto Secret Realm.

Judging by the stance the Sacred Student had just displayed, he intended to settle scores one by one, sparing no one.

Lin Xinmu's arena was taken, his arena was taken; next would be Feng Ziyue, then Feng Yu, and finally Sect Master Feng Tianyang.

I'm afraid none of them would be able to get a spot either.

He doesn't act unless he intends to, but when he does, he acts to wipe them all out.

The other students of the Lin Family all lowered their heads, wishing they could bury their Faces in the ground.

Embarrassing, too embarrassing.

Their Lin Family's thirty-first-ranked Heavenly Ranking student was scared into kneeling and begging for mercy by a single sentence, conceding without even summoning his Beast.

"Don't... don't look at me." A side-branch disciple of the Lin Family felt the gazes cast from around him and quickly turned his head away.

"I'm not close to Lin Feng, I'm really not close to him, I'm not even a member of the Lin Family..."

"Me too." Another Lin Family disciple buried his Face in his hands, his voice full of terror.

"Don't associate us with Lin Feng. We didn't target Longxiang Pavilion, and we didn't participate in those things on the arena... The Sacred Student is settling scores with Lin Feng and Lin Tao; it has nothing to do with us, really, nothing!"

Lin Tao was still slumped on the ground.

Within a few steps around him, there was no one.

The friends who had called him brother just a moment ago were now all hiding far away, as if avoiding a plague.

He opened his mouth, staring hollowly at the brother who had knelt on the arena.

He kept repeating two words in his mouth: "It's over... it's all over... it's all over..."

No one came to help him, and no one gave him a second glance.

His brother had publicly pushed all the responsibility onto him, saying that it was all because he was talking nonsense and distorting the truth behind the scenes.

Now his brother had conceded, the arena was gone, the spot was gone, and his Face was gone...

And he, Lin Tao, had been used as a shield by his own brother, abandoned by all his friends, and looked at by all the students in the school as if he were a plague god.

And at this moment, Jiang Yun still stood with his hands behind his back, standing on the back of Little Skylark.

His expression had not changed much from beginning to end.

Lin Feng's kneeling to beg for mercy did not make him show even a trace of triumph, and Lin Feng's pathetic exit did not make him show a hint of mockery.

He had experienced this kind of scene too many times.

When he was in the Bone Burial Area, which of those opponents who were several Realms higher than him didn't start off arrogant and haughty, only to end up kneeling on the ground begging for his life?

Lin Feng's reaction was within his expectations.

So he just watched calmly as Lin Feng's back disappeared at the edge of the crowd, then slowly turned around.

His gaze landed in the direction of the Longxiang Pavilion camp.

Zhao Tiezhu was slapping his thigh hard, his laughter almost shattering the spiritual inscriptions on the stands.

"Hahahaha! I told you! Once the Pavilion Master returns, all these bastards have to kneel! Did you see that just now? Wasn't that guy Lin Feng acting so tough before? Wasn't he quite arrogant when he and that grandson Feng Ziyue took turns targeting Senior Sister Liu Qingshuang, Lei Qing, and Xiao Chen on the arena? Why is it that when he meets our Pavilion Master, he doesn't even dare to let out a fart? He didn't even dare to summon his Beast! He tucked his tail and ran! Serves him right! It damn well serves him right!"

Lei Qing stood next to Zhao Tiezhu, his rough Face smiling so much that his eyes were almost squinted into slits.

These two had similar personalities, both being easygoing and boisterous; at this moment, they began to mock Lin Feng, one sentence after another.

"Brother Tiezhu, you're not saying that right. What do you mean he didn't dare to let out a fart? At least Lin Feng knelt down and kowtowed several times; isn't that very sincere? Hahahaha!"

"Right, right, right! Sincere! Very sincere! The way he slammed his head onto the stone slab was so solid; I think the stone slab was almost dented by his kowtowing!"

"Do you think he ever imagined this moment when he was targeting us on the stage before?"

"He definitely didn't think about it; if he had, he wouldn't have dared. You didn't see what he looked like when he knelt down just now; his Face was covered in tears and snot, crying so miserably."

"Deserved! Who told him to mess with our people from Longxiang Pavilion? Who is our Pavilion Master? He's a ruthless person who can even insta-kill Lin Xinmu! What is Lin Feng? Does he even deserve to act tough in front of our Longxiang Pavilion?"

Shang Xiaoxiao stood behind Zhao Tiezhu, listening to these two mocking Lin Feng back and forth like a crosstalk act, and really couldn't help it, bursting into laughter.

She covered her mouth with her hand, her shoulders shaking, and her round almond-shaped eyes curved into two crescent moons.

She and Jiang Yun had only been apart for half a month.

In these past half a month, Jiang Yun had become strong to this extent.

Insta-killing the previously arrogant Lin Xinmu, forcing the Heavenly Ranking Prodigy Lin Feng to kneel and concede.

All these scenes, which she could never have imagined, were happening right now.

On the side, Xiao Chen was still his calm self, but his slightly trembling shoulders exposed his excitement at this moment.

He raised his hand to wipe the dried bloodstain on the corner of his mouth, his gaze filled with respect as he looked at Jiang Yun.

Liu Qingshuang didn't speak.

She just stood quietly on the battle stage, looking at Jiang Yun's tall and upright back.

In those cold, clear eyes, something was melting silently.

And at this moment, Jiang Yun's gaze happened to look over.

Their lines of sight met for an instant in mid-air.

Jiang Yun nodded slightly at her, then shifted his gaze to Longxiang Pavilion.

He spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly piercing through the noise of the Longxiang Pavilion camp.

"Lei Qing! This arena! It belongs to you!"

As the words fell, the whole venue fell silent again.

But this time the silence was very short, because everyone had already guessed it.

From the moment Jiang Yun flew toward Lin Feng, they had already guessed this result.

The Sacred Student was not grabbing a spot for himself; he was grabbing spots for everyone in Longxiang Pavilion.

Lin Xinmu's arena was given to Liu Qingshuang, Lin Feng's arena was given to Lei Qing, then who is next?

Is it Xiao Chen? Or does the Sacred Student intend to beat everyone who has targeted Longxiang Pavilion and take all the spots in their hands?

"As expected! As expected!" Someone on the stands stood up excitedly.

"The Sacred Student is grabbing spots for his people in Longxiang Pavilion! Just now Lin Xinmu's arena was given to Liu Qingshuang, now Lin Feng's arena is given to Lei Qing! The next one must be Feng Ziyue! Then Feng Yu! Finally Sect Master Feng Tianyang? Is he going to wipe out all the spots of the entire Jingfeng Sect and the Lin Family?"

"Too overbearing, this is too overbearing! When he wasn't here just now, you Jingfeng Sect and the Lin Family teamed up to bully the people of Longxiang Pavilion. Now that he's back, is he going to suppress and beat all of them by himself? Not sparing a single one? Is this 'returning the favor in their own coin'?"

"One person suppressing one sect... No, it's one person suppressing two sects! The two major forces, the Lin Family and the Jingfeng Sect, are being rubbed against the ground by the Sacred Student alone! What kind of concept is this? There has never been such an overbearing person in the history of Sky Dome Academy!"

"Overbearing? Is this called overbearing? This is called protecting one's own! Didn't you see? The Sacred Student is infinitely good to his own people, but if you touch his people, he will beat you to death! Isn't Lin Xinmu's fate clear enough? Isn't Lin Feng's fate clear enough?"

"I just want to know now if it's too late to join Longxiang Pavilion. I was thinking about it when he insta-killed Lin Xinmu just now, and now I'm sure... As long as I can get into Longxiang Pavilion, who would I be afraid of in the academy? With the Pavilion Master covering you, who dares to touch you? If they touch you, it's Lin Xinmu's fate!"

"Wake up, with your strength, you'd just be a burden if you got in."

"I'm willing to be a burden! As long as I can get into Longxiang Pavilion, I'm willing to serve tea and pour water for the Pavilion Master! Didn't you see the treatment Liu Qingshuang got just now? The arena was delivered directly to her hands! That's a spot for the Molten Fire Grotto Secret Realm! So many people struggle to their deaths and can't even grab one, and the Pavilion Master just gives it away with one sentence! Where can I find such a Pavilion Master?"

Several Prodigies on the Heavenly Ranking nearby listened to this, their expressions looking as if they had been force-fed a whole bottle of aged vinegar.

Their teeth were almost set on edge from the sourness.

They struggled to their deaths on the arena, finally stabilizing a spot, only to have it snatched away by others the next moment.

As a result, the people of Longxiang Pavilion don't have to do anything, and the Pavilion Master comes back and gives one to each of them? Why didn't such a good thing happen to them?

If they had known, they would have joined Longxiang Pavilion back then.

But the problem is... who knew back then that Longxiang Pavilion could have this kind of treatment?

When Longxiang Pavilion was first established, which of them, the Prodigies on the Heavenly Ranking, looked up to it?

A force founded by a freshman, although the base was the A-grade Lingqi Valley, who thought it could amount to anything?

Now, it's good, not only has it amounted to something, but the Pavilion Master is directly dunking on the Faces of the Jingfeng Sect and the Lin Family, snatching the spots back one by one and giving them to his own people.

Regret!!!

If I had known, I should have gone and latched onto his leg too, damn it.

"Pavilion Master!!!"

Upon hearing Jiang Yun's words, Lei Qing's rugged Face first froze in surprise, but then, he broke into a carefree grin.

He didn't stand stunned like Liu Qingshuang, nor did he silently take note of the favor like Xiao Chen.

He let out a hearty laugh and strode towards the arena.

"Since this arena is a gift from the Pavilion Master, then I, Lei Qing, won't be coy! I accept this generous gift!"

He stepped onto the arena's stone stairs in a few strides, his footsteps steady and powerful, his back straight as an arrow.

Passing by the spot where Lin Feng had knelt just moments ago.

Lei Qing glanced down at the marks, curled his lip, and stepped right over them.

Then, he stood firm on the arena, looked up at Jiang Yun on the back of the Little Skylark, and cupped his fists forcefully.

"Pavilion Master, from this day forth, this life of mine belongs to you! In the future, whether it be a mountain of blades or a sea of fire, if you, Pavilion Master, give the word, and I, Lei Qing, so much as frown, then I am not my parents' son!"

His voice was as loud as a war drum, each word slamming into the eardrums of everyone present.

The Prodigies in the spectator stands felt another wave of teeth-aching envy upon hearing this.

For Lei Qing to say such things in front of the entire school, this was no longer just joining Longxiang Pavilion; this was pledging total loyalty.

He had handed his life over.

What would become of Longxiang Pavilion in the future?

After declaring his stance, Lei Qing stood firmly on the arena with a commanding presence, arms crossed over his chest, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings.

The posture clearly showed he was waiting.

Waiting for whom?

Waiting for those who were unconvinced to come up and challenge him.

But who would dare come up?

Jiang Yun's words just now had been crystal clear.

"If anyone is unconvinced, feel free to come onto the stage and challenge."

This had been said once at Liu Qingshuang's arena, and no one dared to go up.

Now, at Lei Qing's arena, it was the same.

Still, no one dared to go up.

Because everyone knew clearly that challenging Lei Qing was equivalent to challenging Jiang Yun.

Liu Qingshuang's arena was already reserved, and now Lei Qing's arena was also reserved.

No one could touch either of these two.

The Prodigies in the stands who had fought tooth and nail to secure a spot felt the sour bile of jealousy rising in their throats as they watched this scene.

It was too unfair.

Why did they have to fight to the death for an entire day just to secure a spot, while these two could obtain theirs steadily without doing anything?

But upon reflection.

They could only smile bitterly.

Who told them to have such a good Pavilion Master?

Those Prodigies whose strength was stuck in the middle were the most miserable.

Their strength hovered between being able to grab a spot and failing; every match was a bitter struggle. Even if they managed to win, they would be taken advantage of and knocked down by other opponents of similar strength, or even those slightly weaker.

They had been tasting this agonizing back-and-forth struggle for an entire day.

And now, to make matters worse, a few people who were weaker than them had instead secured their spots securely.

And without any effort at all.

Lin Xinmu was defeated in a second, and Lin Feng had knelt down directly; both arenas changed owners in the blink of an eye.

Then, with a single sentence, the Sacred Student gave them to his own people.

If this had happened before.

Who would have dared to believe it?

"Stop talking... My intestines have turned green with regret."

A student in the top sixty of the Heavenly Ranking wore a bitter expression, his voice filled with annoyance.

"Back when Longxiang Pavilion was first established, someone tried to recruit me, saying their Pavilion Master was a Heavenly Saint Student and would definitely make something of himself in the future. I thought, what could a freshman possibly achieve, so I refused. Now, I want to slap myself twice."

"That's still not bad; at least they tried to recruit you. What about me? I was passing by the Longxiang Pavilion base when they just moved in, and I thought, do these poor freshmen deserve to occupy the Grade A Lingqi Valley? I even sneered. Now look, their Pavilion Master rides a Primordial Divine Roc, defeats Lin Xinmu in a second, and suppresses Lin Feng until he doesn't even dare to lift his head. What am I? I don't even have the right to mock them."

"In the end, we were just short-sighted."

Another Prodigy sighed.

His tone was full of self-mockery.

"What does Heavenly Saint Student even mean? It's the academy's highest honor, appointed by the Dean, and possibly the future successor. Back then, everyone thought this title was just a hollow name; who could have imagined it was the real deal? In just over a month, he rushed from a freshman to the Amethyst Sixth Tier Peak, possesses a top-tier Beast Bloodline, and his combat power crushes people across major Realms... We actually didn't go to join such a person back then; now, our intestines are green with regret."

"Alright, alright, stop talking. The more you say, the more I want to cry."

Although these words were spoken in hushed tones, they still faintly spread throughout the Colosseum spectator stands.

Standing in front of the Lin family members, Lin Feng heard every single word.

His expression was so gloomy it was as if it were about to drip water.

His hands were tightly clenched into fists, his nails digging into his palms, drawing streaks of blood.

Watching his arena being given to Lei Qing by Jiang Yun, watching Lei Qing—whom he had been suppressing just moments ago—standing on the battle platform that should have belonged to him, grinning so smugly, Lin Feng's eyes were practically spitting fire.

That arena.

That was Lin Feng's arena.

It was the one he had defended match after match.

It was his last hope to secure a spot for the Lin family.

Now, it had been given away to someone from Longxiang Pavilion with just a word from Jiang Yun.

And what about him?

He could only stand here and stare in frustration.

He didn't even have the qualification to go up and challenge.

Because he had already admitted defeat in front of the whole school, because he had handed it over in public, and because he didn't even have the courage to fight.

If he dared to go up again.

Jiang Yun would definitely make him suffer an even worse fate than Lin Xinmu.

He didn't dare.

He could only stand here, staring intensely at Jiang Yun's back with a gaze that could kill.

If gazes could kill, Jiang Yun would likely have been killed by him hundreds of times already.

But gazes cannot kill.

So, he could only swallow his broken teeth, and chew over and over in his heart the words he dared not speak aloud.

"Damn it... Jiang Yun! You just wait! Today's humiliation, one day I will make you pay with your life!!"

Several Lin family disciples beside him felt the Killing Intent almost overflowing from him and involuntarily took a few steps back.

Lin Tao was still slumped on the ground not far away.

The two brothers, one standing with eyes full of Killing Intent, the other slumped and dejected, formed an extremely ironic scene.

And on the arena.

Jiang Yun had no idea what Lin Feng was thinking.

Nor did he care.

After his domineering declaration, he turned around and cast his gaze once again toward the direction of the Jingfeng Sect.

This time.

His gaze did not linger on Sect Master Feng Tianyang.

Instead, it fell straight onto the battle platform beside Sect Master Feng Tianyang.

A thin, sinister-looking young man stood on that battle platform.

Feng Ziyue.

The third-in-command of the Jingfeng Sect.

The person who had blocked the entrance to the Longxiang Pavilion base seven days ago, threatening to make it impossible for Jiang Yun to survive in the academy.

He was also the one who, in coordination with Lin Xinmu, had taken turns targeting Liu Qingshuang, Lei Qing, and Xiao Chen, knocking them off the stage one by one.

The instant Jiang Yun's gaze locked onto him, Feng Ziyue's heart constricted violently.

That field of Falling Star Rank Mental Energy crushed over silently like an invisible blade.

Feng Ziyue felt as if he had been targeted by a peerless Vicious Beast, and the hair all over his body stood on end instantly.

He subconsciously took a step back.

Then he heard the voice that made his scalp tingle.

Jiang Yun's voice was loud, booming like a thunderclap across the Colosseum.

"Feng Ziyue! It's your turn!!"

As the words fell.

The Little Skylark beneath his feet suddenly flapped its wings.

Cyan and purple lightning crackled and exploded between its wings.

Its massive body, blocking out the sky, tore through the air above the Colosseum, charging straight toward the battle platform where Feng Ziyue was located like a meteor.

Feng Ziyue watched helplessly as the cyan-purple streak of light sped toward him.

Watching the Divine Roc draw closer, watching the rotating thunder pattern in its pupils become clearer, watching the Aura around it—which had yet to be fully unleashed but was already making him almost suffocate—become increasingly heavy.

His legs began to tremble violently.

His back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.

His pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks due to extreme fear.

"He's coming! He's coming!! He's coming to kill me!! He's coming for revenge!!!"

Feng Ziyue's voice was so sharp it almost cracked.

He staggered backward, his steps as chaotic as a drunkard who had been scared out of his wits. After taking only a few steps, he tripped over the stone slab under his feet and collapsed directly onto the battle platform.

Where was the arrogant Aura from seven days ago when he blocked the gate of the Longxiang Pavilion base?

Where was the arrogance and haughtiness from when he stood on the arena and suppressed the three from Longxiang Pavilion one after another?

At this moment, he was like a quail that had been scared out of its wits, slumped on the ground, crawling with hands and feet toward the corner of the arena.

The massive body of the Little Skylark landed with a boom on that battle platform.

The defensive array patterns on the platform were shaken violently by that overwhelming Aura, emitting bursts of ear-piercing buzzing.

Jiang Yun stood with his hands behind his back, standing on the back of this sky-blocking Divine Roc, looking down from a height at Feng Ziyue, who was curled up in the corner.

He did not speak.

But his gaze was already clearer than any words.

It's your turn.

Feng Ziyue was completely curled up in the corner of the arena, his back pressed tightly against the spiritual light barrier of the defensive array, his whole body trembling violently.

He dared not look at Jiang Yun, nor did he dare to look at the Divine Roc.

His teeth were chattering, and his lips were trembling as if they didn't belong to him.

And inside his Beast Taming Space, the Beast he had once placed high hopes on was even more terrified than he was.

That Void-Splitting Profound Gold Eagle was curled up in the corner of the Beast Taming Space, its golden feathers trembling, and even its breathing had become rapid and chaotic.

The Bloodline suppression of the Primordial Divine Roc was particularly terrifying for a avian Beast like it.

That was a fear carved into the deepest parts of its Bloodline, an instinctive reaction of a low-tier avian Beast facing a high-tier Divine Roc.

Let alone fighting, it didn't even dare to come out of the Beast Taming Space.

This extreme fear in turn infected Feng Ziyue, causing his already collapsing mind to completely disintegrate.

At this moment, he had only one thought in his mind.

Fear.

Pure, extreme fear that made his whole body stiffen.

Inside the Colosseum, thousands of gazes were all focused on that arena.

Watching Feng Ziyue's state, many people couldn't help but shake their heads.

"Seven days... It's only been seven days."

An older student sighed, his tone full of wistfulness.

"Seven days ago, when Feng Ziyue was blocking the gate of the Longxiang Pavilion base, how spirited and haughty he was. And the result? Seven days later, he doesn't even have the courage to Face the Sacred Student, directly collapsing on the arena and curling into a ball."

"You can't blame Feng Ziyue for this."

Another student took over the conversation, his voice full of complexity.

"Calculate how much the Sacred Student has improved in these seven days. What was his Realm before going to the Bone Burial Area? Now he is at the Amethyst Sixth Tier Peak, has a top-tier Bloodline, and can even defeat Lin Xinmu in one skill. With this growth speed, let alone Feng Ziyue, who wouldn't be afraid? The Sacred Student from seven days ago and the Sacred Student from seven days later are simply not the same person."

"To be honest, if I were Feng Ziyue, I would be collapsed too. Think about the fates of Lin Xinmu and Lin Feng just now—one was slashed, crippling his Beast, and the other was scared into kneeling and admitting defeat. Feng Ziyue's own strength isn't even as good as Lin Feng's; what is he going to fight with? Going up to be defeated in a second?"

"Feng Ziyue is truly finished this time. Even if the Sacred Student doesn't cripple his Beast, he will never be able to lift his head in the academy again. The third-in-command of the Jingfeng Sect, not even daring to summon his Beast when facing someone—this is a more thorough loss of Face than Lin Feng."

On the battle platform.

Jiang Yun stood with his hands behind his back, looking down at Feng Ziyue, who was curled up in the corner.

His expression was as calm as water, with not a ripple in his eyes.

He had long expected this situation.

People like Feng Ziyue only know how to show off when bullying others.

Once faced with a true powerhouse, his bones are softer than anyone else's.

At least Lin Xinmu dared to fight, and at least Lin Feng knelt down decisively.

Feng Ziyue didn't even dare to make a choice, simply cowering in the corner and trembling.

Just as Jiang Yun was about to speak.

A figure leapt from the main battle platform of the Jingfeng Sect like a meteor, carving a golden arc through mid-air before crashing onto the arena where Jiang Yun stood.

That figure stood firmly in front of Feng Ziyue.

The impact of his landing caused the stone slabs of the arena to emit a dull, booming sound, and the spiritual light on the protective formation runes flickered violently.

Sect Master Feng Tianyang. Sect Leader of the Jingfeng Sect. Sixth on the Heavenly Ranking.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his posture as straight as an unsheathed sharp sword, the fierce Killing Intent around him sweeping outwards like an invisible storm.

His gaze, sharp as a blade, fixed directly on Jiang Yun.

The corners of his mouth still held that smile brimming with Battle Intent, but deep within that smile, the playfulness from before was gone, replaced by a sense of genuine gravity and caution.

He did not summon a beast. He simply stood there alone, confronting Jiang Yun and that Divine Roc that blotted out the sky.

That sharp Aura did not fall behind in the slightest.

It formed a stark and ironic contrast to the ugly state of Feng Ziyue, who was sprawled in the corner just moments ago.

"Sacred Student." Sect Master Feng Tianyang's voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable sharpness.

"Why do you bully the weak with your strength?" He paused. Each word sounded like the clashing of blades.

"This Sect Leader! Is here to fight you!!"

The moment his voice fell, the entire Colosseum exploded.

"Sect Master Feng Tianyang has entered the arena!! The Sect Leader of the Jingfeng Sect has personally entered the arena!!"

Someone in the spectator stands stood up directly in excitement, their voice cracking from excessive agitation.

"He knew that Feng Ziyue couldn't possibly be a match for the Sacred Student, so he simply entered the arena himself! This is the spirit a Jingfeng Sect Leader should have! The Sacred Student just suppressed Lin Xinmu and Lin Feng, and Sect Master Feng Tianyang has blocked him directly! This is going to be a head-on collision!!"

"It's finally happening! The most exciting battle of the day! Sixth on the Heavenly Ranking versus the Sacred Student! The Heaven-Splitting Golden Roc at the Purple Crystal Ninth Rank Peak against a powerful flying beast at the Amethyst Sixth Tier! Although there is a three-Realm gap, the combat power of the Sacred Student's Divine Roc clearly cannot be measured by Realm alone. When these two fight, it will definitely be a fierce battle between dragons and tigers!!"

"You just said that the battle between Lin Xinmu and the Sacred Student was the most exciting of the day, and now you're saying this one is the most exciting. Can you make up your mind?"

"Nonsense! That battle with Lin Xinmu was a crushing victory; it ended in less than ten breaths, and I didn't see enough! But this battle is different. Who is Sect Master Feng Tianyang? Sixth on the Heavenly Ranking! A direct descendant of the Feng Family! His Heaven-Splitting Golden Roc has the Bloodline of an Ancient Heavenly Roc. Even if it is inferior to the Sacred Student in Bloodline, it is a full three tiers higher in Realm. If they really fight, it's hard to say who will win or lose!!"

"That's not necessarily true. Don't forget, the Sacred Student has never feared Sect Master Feng Tianyang from the very beginning. During the two confrontations from afar earlier, the Sacred Student was the one to withdraw his gaze first. It wasn't retreating; it was controlling the rhythm. And have you noticed? Since the Sacred Student appeared, he has maintained that calm Face without the slightest bit of tension. If an Amethyst Sixth Tier were facing an opponent at the Purple Crystal Ninth Rank Peak without any backup plans, would he be so composed?"

"Now that you mention it, that seems to be the case. Every time the Sacred Student makes a move, people think he's reached his limit, but every time he has an even deeper trump card. I always feel like he has something else he hasn't revealed."

"Stop guessing; you won't figure it out. All we can do is keep our eyes peeled. No matter who wins this battle, it will definitely be the highlight of this qualification tournament."

Over at Longxiang Pavilion, Lei Qing noticed the figure on the arena tense up slightly, and the smile on his Face faded quite a bit.

He looked at Liu Qingshuang and Xiao Chen beside him, lowering his voice.

"Sect Master Feng Tianyang has entered the arena. This guy is sixth on the Heavenly Ranking; he's not comparable to Lin Xinmu or Lin Feng. I've heard of his Heaven-Splitting Golden Roc; it has the Bloodline of an Ancient Heavenly Roc. Although it's not as good as the Pavilion Master's beast, it's not far off, and it's a full three tiers higher in Realm than the Pavilion Master... Do you think the Pavilion Master has a chance?"

Liu Qingshuang did not answer immediately. Her gaze remained fixed on Jiang Yun's figure.

After a long while, she spoke slowly, her voice still cold and clear, yet filled with certainty.

"Since the Pavilion Master dared to come, he naturally has his own confidence. Look at him from his appearance until now; which step wasn't carefully calculated? Instantly defeating Lin Xinmu was to intimidate everyone; forcing Lin Feng to concede was to reduce unnecessary consumption; and now, calling out Feng Ziyue directly was to force Sect Master Feng Tianyang into the arena. Every step he takes has a deeper meaning."

"Are you saying the Pavilion Master's target from the start was Sect Master Feng Tianyang?" Xiao Chen asked via telepathy, frowning.

"Not from the start." Liu Qingshuang shook her head. "It's the order of the entire reckoning. I'm afraid the Sacred Student had planned everything long ago. Lin Xinmu was the first, Lin Feng was the second, Feng Ziyue was the third, Feng Yu was the fourth, and Sect Master Feng Tianyang is the last. He is just following his own rhythm, one by one. Now that Sect Master Feng Tianyang has been forced to jump out, it's equivalent to entering the Pavilion Master's rhythm ahead of schedule. I believe that our Pavilion Master will not fight a battle he isn't sure of."

"Exactly!!" Lei Qing waved his fist forcefully. "I believe in the Pavilion Master! The Pavilion Master was able to make it back from a place as dangerous as the Bone Burial Area; what is a mere Sect Master Feng Tianyang? Since the Pavilion Master dares to take him on, he must have the confidence to take him down!!"

"The Pavilion Master must have a backup plan." Xiao Chen nodded. "That's right, and the Pavilion Master still has a True Dragon Beast that hasn't appeared yet. In these seven days, his flying beast has broken through to the Amethyst Sixth Tier; his True Dragon Beast is likely to be even stronger, not weaker."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone fell silent for a moment. That's right. From his appearance until now, the Sacred Student has only been using that Little Skylark to fight.

Lin Xinmu was defeated by it in an instant, Lin Feng was scared into kneeling by it, and Feng Ziyue was scared into collapse by it. That flying beast, with its own strength, suppressed everyone so they couldn't even lift their heads.

But the Sacred Student has more than just this one beast. He has another beast. Neither of them has made a move yet. What does this mean? It means that the Sacred Student has not used his full strength so far.

If this flying beast is not a match, perhaps they will be able to see the majesty of that True Dragon Beast again. In other words, perhaps they will finally see the Sacred Student reveal his true strength in this battle?

Once this thought emerged, the gazes of everyone in Longxiang Pavilion looking at the figure on the arena became even more fervent and expectant.

On the other side, Su Gumu stood on the spectator stands and couldn't help but turn to look at Su Qingying behind him.

"Cousin, do you think... Jiang Yun has a high chance of winning?"

Su Qingying was silent for a long while. Her clear eyes reflected the two figures confronting each other on the arena.

Sect Master Feng Tianyang was like an unsheathed sharp sword, his Aura fierce and overbearing. Jiang Yun was like a deep-sea reef; no matter how the Sword Qi surged like a tide, he remained unmoved.

After a long while, she slowly shook her head. "I don't know." Her voice was very soft.

"But I always feel... Jiang Yun hasn't used his full strength yet. When he instantly defeated Lin Xinmu just now, his beast activated two Legendary skills simultaneously, and its breath didn't weaken after the fight. This is not the normal performance of an Amethyst Rank beast... Perhaps our Su Family matrilocal son-in-law still has other trump cards that haven't appeared. Even if Sect Master Feng Tianyang has a higher Realm, Jiang Yun might not necessarily lose."

"However..." She paused. Her tone became more cautious. "After all, Sect Master Feng Tianyang is the core descendant of the Feng Family's generation; the training and resources he has received since childhood are not something Lin Xinmu can compare with. His Heaven-Splitting Golden Roc might not be as good as Jiang Yun's in terms of Bloodline, but in terms of skill configuration, combat experience, and tactical literacy, it is likely far stronger than all the opponents Jiang Yun has encountered before. In this battle, who wins and who loses... we will only know after they fight."

Su Gumu heard this and nodded slightly. He turned his gaze back to the battle platform.

Meanwhile, on the high platform, the discussion among the Deans had reached a fever pitch.

"Are we really not going to stop this?" Vice Dean Yan Lie frowned, his tone carrying a hint of worry.

"Both of these two are top Prodigies of our academy; whoever loses is a loss for us. Sect Master Feng Tianyang is sixth on the Heavenly Ranking and a direct descendant of the Feng Family. If he loses, it will be hard to explain to the Feng Family. Not to mention the Sacred Student, the Heavenly Saint Student appointed by the Head Dean. If he loses, not only will he lose Face, but the quota for the Molten Cavern might also..."

"What are you afraid of?" Tie Kuang said in a muffled voice, his tone as straightforward as always. "I don't think the Sacred Student will necessarily lose. Judging from the battle just now, this kid, the Sacred Student, is likely still not using his full strength."

"That's hard to say." Another Dean shook his head, his tone cautious.

"After all, Sect Master Feng Tianyang is a direct descendant of the Feng Family; you all know the influence and resources the Feng Family has in the provincial capital. His Heaven-Splitting Golden Roc has had a specialized training route from the Feng Family since it was young; its skill configuration, Bloodline strengthening, and combat tempering are all top-tier. Although the growth speed of the Sacred Student's beast is Heaven-Defying, his foundation is still lacking. Moreover, there is a gap of three full tiers in Realm. This is the gap between a high-level Amethyst and a mid-level Amethyst; it's not comparable to those small Realm gaps at the Gold Rank. If Sect Master Feng Tianyang loses, he still has the Feng Family to fall back on, and the quota can still be obtained. But if the Sacred Student loses, the quota is really gone. Are we really going to open a back door for him?"

He looked at Vice Dean Ming Jing, waiting for the latter's reply.

Vice Dean Ming Jing remained seated in the main seat. His gaze was calm and deep, and the corners of his mouth held that faint, elusive arc. He was silent for a moment before speaking slowly.

"Although the Feng Family is strong in this province, the quota for the Molten Cavern belongs to the Sky Dome Academy. If he loses to the Sacred Student, it means his skills are inferior, and he cannot blame anyone else for not getting the quota. As for the Sacred Student... how do you know he will definitely lose?"

"But..." That Dean wanted to say something more, but was interrupted by Vice Dean Ming Jing raising his hand.

"In my opinion." Vice Dean Ming Jing's tone remained unhurried, yet it carried an irrefutable certainty. "Our Sacred Student has a better chance of winning."

Upon hearing this, the Deans looked at each other and finally could only sigh helplessly.

Zhan Qiong crossed his arms, glanced at Vice Dean Ming Jing, and lowered his voice to say to Vice Dean Yan Lie beside him.

"See that? He's not even bothering to pretend he's not biased anymore. But to be honest, if the Sacred Student can really eliminate Sect Master Feng Tianyang from the tournament, it would actually be a good thing for our academy. Those children from major powers take away several Secret Realm quotas every year. If the Sacred Student wins and ends up giving these quotas to the Prodigies in the academy who truly earned their way up through their own efforts, that wouldn't be a bad thing."

Vice Dean Yan Lie shook his head helplessly and muttered a few words in a low voice.

"This Little Fellow is just too capable of causing trouble... He doesn't even take the sixth on the Heavenly Ranking seriously. I don't know who he learned this temperament from. If this continues, he's going to suffer a big loss..."