Bai Yunfei’s challenge was directed at none other than the top-ranked inner sect disciple, Chen Yu, who held the first place on the Power Ranking. He was also the one Lin Xuan had intended to challenge. Unexpectedly, Bai Yunfei beat him to it. Lin Xuan couldn’t help but feel a bit speechless. If he could defeat Chen Yu, the reigning champion of the Power Ranking and the strongest in the inner sect, the commotion would be immense—enough to shake the entire sect. The energy points gained would be substantial as well. At the same time, he’d earn the attention of the sect’s higher-ups and receive generous cultivation resources as a reward. But he hadn’t anticipated that, in a moment of inattention, Bai Yunfei would challenge him first. That meant he’d have to postpone his plans for now. His gaze then swept over Zhang Kuishan, who held the second spot on the Power Ranking. According to the third round’s rules, after a challenge ends, one must wait for at least two intervening challenges before targeting the same opponent again. So, he’d take on a slightly lesser opponent first. Besides, Zhang Kuishan had a few interesting treasures on him. A strange glint flickered in Lin Xuan’s eyes. Meanwhile, the surrounding Power Ranking disciples were startled by Lin Xuan’s muttered words. What did he mean by that? Beaten to it by the second-place contender? Was he implying that he, too, had intended to challenge Senior Brother Chen Yu, the top of the Power Ranking? Chen Yu had held the top spot for a long time. Many had challenged him during that period, but none had succeeded. This only highlighted his overwhelming strength. Yet now, Lin Xuan, still a new disciple, was considering challenging Chen Yu? How could they not be utterly shocked? Though rumors from the inner sect suggested Lin Xuan possessed strength at least in the top ten, or even the top three, his leap to targeting the top spot was still hard for them to swallow. Since joining the sect, Lin Xuan’s cultivation and strength had advanced rapidly, becoming unfathomably deep. But every battle had been a steady, crushing victory—never a single loss! Now, daring to declare he’d challenge the top-ranked Senior Brother Chen, did it mean Lin Xuan was confident enough to defeat him? At this thought, the Power Ranking disciples’ hearts trembled violently once more. Their gazes toward Lin Xuan were filled with boundless disbelief. If this were true, wouldn’t it be terrifying? Lin Xuan had been in the sect for less than two months, yet he’d fought his way from the outer sect to the inner sect. Now, he aimed to become the top of the inner sect’s Power Ranking—the strongest disciple. Such a pace of growth in cultivation and strength was utterly staggering. Not only had they never heard of anything like it, but they couldn’t even imagine it, could they? No wonder he was hailed as the sect’s number one genius—truly monstrously strong. The Power Ranking disciples sighed inwardly, their awe deepening. On the arena stage. After Bai Yunfei issued his challenge, Chen Yu stepped onto the stage. The two then engaged in a fierce battle. One was the top of the Power Ranking, the other the third—this clash naturally drew everyone’s attention. All eyes were fixed on the stage, unblinking, immersed in the thrilling fight. But Bai Yunfei was, after all, only third place, still a considerable distance from the top. Before long, he fell into a disadvantage. Chen Yu’s attacks drove him back step by step. After another dozen exchanges, Bai Yunfei was forced off the stage, losing on the spot. Cheers erupted from the crowd. Even Bai Yunfei, the third-ranked, was easily defeated by Chen Yu, further proving that the top spot was unshakable. The referee then announced the result. According to the rules of this third-round ranking match. If the challenger won, they would swap rankings. But if they lost, the rankings remained unchanged. After this match, both remained in first and third place, with no change. The two returned to their positions. The ranking match continued. Having just witnessed a spectacular duel, the crowd was still buzzing with anticipation. Still, this was a clash between the top and third—it would likely be a while before another such battle occurred. But then, they saw a slender figure rise from the lowest tier of the small platform. He vanished in a blur. Before their eyes could adjust, that slender figure had already appeared on the stage. “Zhang Kuishan, Senior Brother Zhang, come and fight!” A cold shout rang out, echoing across the entire square. That slender figure was Lin Xuan. As his words fell, Zhang Kuishan, seated on the second tier of the small platform, stood up with a hint of interest and walked toward the stage. The crowd fell silent for a moment, then erupted into lively chatter. “Holy crap, Senior Brother Lin Xuan is challenging Senior Brother Zhang Kuishan, the second on the Power Ranking—no way!” “Isn’t that too big a leap?” “I didn’t expect that after the duel between top-ranked Senior Brother Chen and third-ranked Senior Brother Bai, we’d get Lin Xuan challenging second-ranked Senior Brother Zhang!” “This is getting interesting!” “This match should be exciting too.” “...” Hearing this, everyone was stunned. They quickly snapped out of it, buzzing with discussion, their eyes gleaming with interest. Their hearts were also shaken. Though rumors in the inner sect had long suggested Lin Xuan had strength in the top ten, or even close to the top three, his immediate challenge to second-ranked Zhang Kuishan still caught everyone off guard. Given the overwhelming aura Lin Xuan had exuded upon his arrival, which had awed everyone until now, even though Zhang Kuishan was known for his formidable strength as second place, no one dared to predict Lin Xuan’s defeat. Moreover, since joining the sect, Lin Xuan had fought many battles. Almost every time, he’d challenged opponents above his level, yet he’d never lost. Instead, he’d effortlessly crushed his foes. His strength was profound and unfathomable. Now that Lin Xuan was the one initiating the challenge, he must have considerable confidence. This made the outcome even harder to guess. Still, this was another clash among the top three of the Power Ranking. Everyone perked up, their gazes fixed on the stage, full of anticipation. They believed this match would be no less thrilling than the previous one. On the high platform, the elders also turned their attention to Lin Xuan, their eyes filled with expectation. This match pitted Lin Xuan against second-ranked Zhang Kuishan. Surely, they’d finally get to see Lin Xuan’s true strength, right? Whether this sect’s number one genius lived up to his reputation would soon be revealed. On the stage. Zhang Kuishan quickly leaped onto the platform, standing opposite Lin Xuan. His gaze toward Lin Xuan was sharp with battle intent. Since Lin Xuan dared to challenge him, he must be no pushover. And having been in the sect for less than two months, he’d already garnered so many rumors. He was even hailed as the sect’s number one genius, his fame overshadowing even the top three of the Power Ranking. Zhang Kuishan was eager to see just how strong Lin Xuan really was. Whether he lived up to the rumors of his might. Beside them, the referee glanced at both, a look of anticipation in his eyes, before announcing loudly: “Challenge begins!”