While in Battle Through the Heavens, one can pre-appoint oneself as an emperor.

The central square is the largest area in the inner courtyard. It is not open to the public on ordinary days, but is only opened when the inner courtyard holds competitions.

As the most exciting ranking competition in the inner courtyard, this is naturally the perfect venue.

Although the central square covers a vast area, today, thousands of inner court students and a host of elders have gathered here. Looking around, it is quite lively. The bustling crowd, accompanied by noise, spreads in all directions and finally converges into a single stream that soars into the sky.

In a corner, Zi Yan and Cao Hui gathered together, glancing outwards from the plaza from time to time.

"Why hasn't Chen Xiao returned yet? The competition starts in a quarter of an hour, and he hasn't qualified yet. If he's any later, it will be too late," Cao Hui said, looking slightly anxious.

The Strongest Ranking Competition is not open to everyone. Participants must achieve a ranking in the top 50 of the Strongest Ranking before the competition begins in order to be eligible to compete on stage.

The ranking on the leaderboard is also very simple and straightforward. You only need to challenge a top player on the leaderboard and defeat them to take their place in the ranking. In return, the challenged player and those ranked after them will be moved down one place.

In short, Chen Xiao needs to return in the remaining fifteen minutes and successfully challenge a top-fifty veteran in order to qualify for the competition.

Hearing Cao Hui's mutterings, Fu Tong and Mu Boshan, who were standing to the side, also became a little anxious.

As friends, even just ordinary friends, they didn't want to see Chen Xiao miss this opportunity.

Zi Yan, who usually had the best relationship with Chen Xiao, seemed completely unfazed and continued to leisurely pound her pills.

"Why are you in such a hurry? I already told him the rules when he came back half a month ago. He definitely won't miss it. As for the qualification to participate, you are only Great Dou Masters. It's normal that you don't understand the power of Nine-Star Dou Spirits."

As soon as Zi Yan finished speaking, everyone suddenly heard what sounded like a low rumble of thunder in the air. Some people quickly looked up, but apart from the silver glint that flashed in their eyes, they found nothing else.

Only Cao Hui and his companions in the corner were surprised to find a figure in black robes suddenly appearing beside them.

"I told you, there's no rush, he'll definitely make it."

Zi Yan's expression of surprise left Cao Hui and the others speechless.

Before he could say much, Fu Tong reminded him, "Chen Xiao, you should quickly find someone in the top fifty of the rankings to challenge and qualify for the competition first."

Upon hearing this, Chen Xiao shook his head, looked towards the outer edge of the square, and chuckled as he replied, "No need. Just now, on my way back, I happened to run into Senior Ge, who was ranked fiftieth. After a brief conversation, he gave me his spot."

Following his gaze, the group saw a tall young man walking into the square with slightly unsteady steps.

Upon seeing this, Cao Hui and the others immediately realized that the so-called simple communication was probably not so simple.

However, no one seemed to think there was anything wrong with it. It's a top-ranked competition held every five years, and everyone is striving to be the best. Everything depends on strength.

Winning is a skill, but losing is not unjust.

Moreover, apart from those who are capable of competing for a top ten spot, most of the others are basically just there to make up the numbers. Even if they win one or two matches, their ranking will change, and their gains will be very mediocre.

After all, if you want to change the rankings, you can launch a challenge on any other day, it's just that there might not be as many viewers.

"After the competition, remember to tell Old Man Su that I can also go to the Black Corner Region."

Zi Yan spoke up to remind him, completely disregarding the highly anticipated ranking competition.

For her, this so-called competition was nothing more than a formality.

"I remember, don't worry."

Relieved by the satisfactory answer, Zi Yan continued taking her medication to pass the time.

A quarter of an hour passed quickly during this wait.

"Thump!"

As the bell rang, a sudden burst of wind-breaking sounds erupted in the sky, silencing the noisy square.

Everyone looked up, but could only see a blurry figure flash by. Then they looked down and saw more than a dozen elderly figures who had appeared at some point on the special high platform seats in the square.

These elderly figures were all elders of the courtyard, and the one in the center, a white-haired old man in black robes, was none other than the most familiar Elder Su Qian.

"The second one from the left, wearing a blue robe, is Elder Xiziliang, whom you mentioned before."

Zi Yan's voice quietly reached my ears.

Chen Xiao nodded slightly, keeping it in mind.

This elder is the uncle of Xiwen, the tutor of the outer academy. When Chen Xiao first entered the inner academy, he wanted to ask the elder to deal with the Snow Demon Ape, but Zi Yan intercepted the request halfway through. As a result, Chen Xiao only met this elder for the first time today.

Judging from the fact that he was able to appear alongside Elder Su Qian, it can be basically confirmed that he is a Dou Huang powerhouse.

Judging from his aura, he was in no way inferior to the Ice Emperor Hai Bodong who had broken the seal.

Just as Chen Xiao was observing, he saw Elder Su Qian, who was in the center, slowly step forward and press his hands down.

Instantly, the whispers throughout the square vanished, leaving only the sound of breathing.

Su Qian's gaze slowly swept across the entire room. He smiled slightly and, without uttering a single word, his aged and deep voice resonated in everyone's ears.

"This year's Top 50 competition will continue with the elimination format. The top 50 will advance to the venue! A draw will determine your opponents today, who will also be your opponents in the first round of elimination!"

As Su Qian's voice fell, figures flashed across the square, tracing arcs in the air before landing in the arena.

Including Chen Xiao and Zi Yan, there were exactly fifty people in total, no more and no less.

laugh!

A figure swept down from the high platform; it was Elder Xi Ziliang.

"I will serve as the judge for this competition, ensuring absolute fairness and impartiality. Now, the participants will take turns drawing lots."

"In this wooden box are twenty-five blue-based lottery tickets and twenty-five red-based lottery tickets, numbered from one to twenty-five. The person who draws a red or blue lottery ticket with the same number will be the opponent in this round of the knockout stage."

Elder Xi Ziliang stated the rules expressionlessly, then waved his hand, and a wooden box landed in the center of the arena.

Fifty people stepped forward to draw lots, and soon everyone had a bottom lot in their hand. They looked around, searching for opponents who had drawn the same number.

Chen Xiao drew number eleven with a blue background, and his opponent was a six-star Battle Spirit.

Zi Yan is number one in blue, and her opponent is not strong either, just a seven-star Dou Ling.

Both of them noticed that in this first round of elimination matches, none of the eight-star or higher fighting spirits drew a strong opponent!

"Alright, the draw is over. The first person with the red and blue background will stay. The rest of you may leave for now. One last thing: although our Inner Academy has an open-minded atmosphere, we still hope that you will try your best not to kill each other during the competition. You are all still students, and the Inner Academy is not a place like the Black Corner Region where people eat each other. Perhaps in the future, when you leave the academy and meet each other again, this friendship will be a powerful ally."

Hearing this, many contestants nodded, but most remained noncommittal.

After all, in such competitions, the competition is fierce, and those with a significant difference in strength can still back down. However, if they encounter people of similar strength, especially in the final top ten competition, no one can guarantee that there won't be any unexpected events when everyone is going all out.

The elders took in the contestants' expressions, feeling somewhat helpless but also understanding.

The allure of tempering the body with the Heartfire Origin is too great for those below the Dou Wang level!

All they can do is ensure they act in times of crisis to prevent deaths.

After the rules were announced, and with the temporary departure of the forty-eight participants, the first round of the first elimination tournament officially began.

And the result was exactly as everyone expected.

With just a casual punch, Zi Yan eliminated her opponent, a Seven-Star Battle Spirit with a bitter expression...

Although he couldn't hold on for even a moment, not a single one of the thousands of people in the arena mocked or ridiculed the loser.

There's really no way to deal with this brute force king!

When she first arrived at the Inner Court, she had made a few moves. Most of the guys in the top ten of the current rankings have personally experienced her terror. It was from then on that the senior students of the Inner Court turned pale at the mention of her.

"Zi Yan wins the first match."

"Number two, come on stage!"

"..."

The competition was in full swing. Although, in order to uphold the principles of fairness and impartiality, under the influence of some mysterious force, it was ensured that no eight-star or higher fighting spirits would meet in the first round, making the number of close matches very small, it was still an hour before it was Chen Xiao's turn.

"Match 10, Xiao Mingsheng."

"Number 11, take the stage."

Chen Xiaofei's appearance on stage sparked a lively discussion in the square.

Whether it's a freshman who just entered the inner academy this year or someone with the identity of a nine-star fighting spirit, it's hard to remain calm.

"Junior Brother Chen Xiao, please."

The opponent bowed slightly with clasped hands.

He has a good demeanor, but his strength is lacking.

Chen Xiao returned the greeting with a salute, and then, his ice spear moved like a dragon, eliminating the opponent with a single strike, without even needing to use the Three Thousand Thunderbolts technique.

The difference between nine stars and six stars is obvious.

"Chen Xiaosheng!"

Elder Xi Ziliang nodded and announced, and no one noticed that the elder, who had been expressionless the whole time, had a slight smile on his face at this moment.

"Number twelve, take the stage."

...

The first round of elimination matches consists of twenty-five games.

Starting at noon, the event concluded before evening, with all ten individuals at the level of Eight-Star Dou Ling successfully advancing.

The next day.

The competition will be reduced from 25 to 13, still using an elimination format.

In this round, one person received a bye and advanced directly.

However, unlike the inner court selection competition lottery method used in the outer court, the bye spot in the second round was directly announced by Elder Xi Ziliang and given to Zi Yan.

No one questioned this result.

Even Chen Xiao thought it was only natural.

Chen Xiao's opponent was stronger than yesterday's, a seven-star fighting spirit.

However, the result was almost the same. Chen Xiao ended the battle with a single move, Xuanbing Thorn, without using Three Thousand Thunder Strike.

The second round of the elimination tournament was much more exciting than the first round. During the tournament, an eight-star Dou Ling was even defeated by a seven-star Dou Ling opponent, which was a minor upset.

This match was also the most intense one in the past two days.

The rest are not worth mentioning.

...

Day three.

The third and final round of the knockout stage.

Since there are only thirteen people left, according to the rules, six people will be randomly selected to compete in three more rounds to determine the final three spots.

In this round, Chen Xiao and Zi Yan were both lucky, securing their spots in the top ten without having to go on stage again.

In contrast, the six selected senior students fought tooth and nail for the spotlight, making each performance a thrilling spectacle for the audience.

In the end, yet another eight-star Dou Ling was eliminated by an opponent of a higher level!

With this, the top ten of the Strongest Ranking Competition have been determined!

After the main competition ended and the spots were determined, an exhibition match for entertainment purposes only followed.

Anyone, regardless of their ranking on the leaderboard or their skill level, can challenge the top ten in the competition.

Furthermore, the top ten cannot refuse!

In this highly entertaining exhibition match, everyone except Zi Yan, including Chen Xiao, was challenged.

It's worth mentioning that, without exception, all of those who challenged Chen Xiao were female students!

Their strength may be negligible, but their ability to disturb people's minds is remarkable.

Unfortunately, after training in the Black Corner Region for so long, Chen Xiao was no longer fooled by such tactics. After knocking out four senior female students in succession, no one dared to set their sights on him anymore…