“Oh.” Chen An knew that the ranking battle stage he was talking about was the one that Teacher Leopard had shown to him previously.
Anyway, he would have to challenge them sooner or later. It didn’t affect him that someone had challenged another person and had a new position on the ranking.
“The important thing is that person won the battle. He went straight from the 99th place to the 10th place in the leaderboard.” Liu Ran kept talking. “It’s so amazing, and everyone outside is talking about it.”
Li Danming also came over. “I wonder when I could challenge the leaderboard…”
“You? It is still way too early. There are many complicated requirements when it comes to challenging the rankings.” Liu Ran pulled Chen An closer to him. “Brother, I think you can have a go at it. Let’s go. That person has just ended the challenge. He should be still there. Let me bring you there to take a look.”
With that, Chen An, who was still in a daze and was not wide awake, was dragged to the ranking battle stage by Liu Ran.
A blue figure was on the stage. He was in his usual chic appearance and with his ambiguous expression—Zheng Qing!
When Zheng Qing saw Chen An coming, he smiled triumphantly. “Chen An, you must have heard of my success in the challenge, and hence you came in a hurry?”
Chen An looked at Zheng Qing from under the battle stage.
“God knows it’s you. Why would I make a special trip for you? Don’t think too highly of yourself.”
Liu Ran did not know the animosity between Zheng Qing and Chen An. However, he realized that he had done something wrong. “Brother, what’s the situation? I shouldn’t have brought you here, is that so?”
Standing on a higher ground, Zheng Qing was full of complacency. “Chen An, just admit it. De Yuan’s battle ranking is the best proof of one’s strength. I am among the top ten, while you…” He made an exaggerated move, looking at the rankings behind the battle stage from the top ranking to the last in the leaderboard.
“You don’t seem to have a place on the leaderboard.”
Peals of laughter resounded around them, and the crowd began to whisper to each other. “I have seen Chen An during the entrance examination, and his opponent was Zheng Qing.”
“Is that true? I didn’t know they have such a history. Now that both of them have entered De Yuan, who was the winner?”
Everyone pricked their ears to listen, and someone in the know told them the truth. “You must have never imagined that although Zheng Qing seemed to be very powerful, he lost to Chen An in the end.”
“Are you serious?” Everyone who heard this was in disbelief.
“It must be nonsense. As a member of the Icicles River Carp clan, Zheng Qing does not need to be assessed at all. Moreover, the rules for De Yuan’s entrance examination are clear. The winner stays, and the loser leaves.”
Someone snorted coldly. “Like you have said, Zheng Qing is a member of a powerful clan. Will they be treated in the same manner as all of us? The rules are only meant to restrict us, not meant for them.”
With that said, everyone felt that Chen An was more powerful. “If so, why is Zheng Qing being so arrogant here? He is Chen An’s defeated opponent, after all.”
Zheng Qing heard the mention of the term “defeated opponent”.
The inherent smile on his face quickly cracked like a breaking shell. “Hmph! Chen An, let me make it clear to you today. Everyone else, make sure you listen to what I say. During the assessment last time, I only participated out of interest. Given the huge difference in our abilities, I did not use my full abilities so as not to hurt the opponent by accident.”
He was always able to come up with convincing reasons.
Lin Yingxue, who had just arrived, happened to hear what he said, and she could not help but snort. The biggest reason why Zheng Qing had lost to Chen An was that he was arrogant and conceited. He had looked down upon Chen An and underestimated him. This was why he had lost.
But Zheng Qing gave excuses for his defeat. “I was negligent, and therefore I lost. It was my fault that the college enrollment was unfair. They had no choice but to allow the winner to enter De Yuan.”
Zheng Qing made it sound as if he should not have failed in the assessment and should be allowed to join De Yuan. As for Chen An, he was not qualified to join De Yuan.
Everyone had diverging opinions, and they began talking at once.
Someone felt that Zheng Qing was just giving excuses. It was a fact that he had lost. There was nothing else that he could say. No matter how convincing the reason might be, it could not change the fact that he had failed.
Others had different opinions. “Well, this makes sense. How could Chen An be able to defeat Zheng Qing? It must be that Zheng Qing was negligent, or that Chen An used some opportunistic means to win.”
“In that case, who is stronger, Zheng Qing or Chen An?”
“Nonsense. It has to be Zheng Qing. His beast is the Icicles River Carp. How can Chen An be his match?”
Almost everyone was looking forward to another match between Zheng Qing and Chen An, hoping they could fight each other in the ranking battle.
“Chen An, I would advise you to surrender right away, so as not to embarrass yourself in De Yuan College like… him.” A man stood next to Zheng Qing, his head downcast, looking crestfallen and defeated.
One could see traces of a fight on his body. There were many wounds and obvious frostbites and cracks around the wounds. The Icicles River Carp had evidently injured him.
He was originally ranked 10th. After being challenged by Zheng Qing, he was defeated. The two of them exchanged rankings, and he was ranked 98th now.
The sudden drop in the ranking made him a joke that everyone talked about in De Yuan College.
Zheng Qing could not wait for Chen An to challenge him, so he pressed him further. “So? Do you dare to challenge me? Let’s do it now!”
Lin Yingxue panicked. She had always been afraid of Zheng Qing’s Joint Combo. He had not used it last time. If he and Chen An fought again this time, he would definitely have no reservations.
Chen An must not be goaded. He must not agree to it… Lin Yingxue prayed in her heart.
Chen An was naturally fearless. Even when he knew that Zheng Qing had not launched a full attack during the previous fight and his Joint Combo was very powerful, he did not think that he was incapable of fighting him.
He was about to challenge him.
However, a voice sounded.
“You seem to be very powerful? Yes, the Icicles River Carp clan is really domineering.” It was a man in red. He had a huge golden shield on his shoulders, and his neck seemed to be carrying a huge burden…
Chen An looked to the left and to the right. He had the feeling that the man’s attire seemed familiar to Lin Yingxue’s and Lin Xiaoxiao’s.
It was just that he was not as agile and elegant as them. He seemed to be burdened.
As soon as the man in red came out, someone whispered, “It’s Lin Su. Why is he here?”
“Lin Su ranked 3rd. To him, it doesn’t matter who is ranked in the 10th place.”
Lin Su had the surname of Lin as well.
Chen An could not help but look at Lin Yingxue not far away. She turned solemn as she silently lowered her head, without looking at the man in red, exuding coldness and alienation.
Lin Su walked forward slowly. No one knew what he was here for.
When he approached, he pointed to Zheng Qing on the battle stage and said, “You, do you dare to fight with me?”