Hearing Yao Yuan’s words, the onlookers all exchanged suggestive glances.

Lin Dongxue had not expected that Liu Zhi would be so weak. Just as she was about to reject Yao Yuan, a deep male voice suddenly rang out: “What are you all doing?”

A wave of invisible pressure spread through the air, and everyone immediately made way as Lin Xiao, tall and imposing, approached.

Lin Dongxue’s face lit up with joy, and she quickly rushed into Lin Xiao’s arms, pointing at Yao Yuan and his group. “Father, that person bullied me and even hurt Liu Gongzi!”

Lin Xiao frowned, scanned Liu Zhi’s injuries briefly, and then looked coldly at Yao Yuan and the others. “What are you trying to do?”

Yao Yuan’s expression flickered with unease as he subconsciously felt the power behind Lin Xiao’s presence.

At that moment, a tall young man in a green robe who had remained silent stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, “My brother here struck up a conversation with the three fine gentlemen of your city and we simply exchanged a few words. In the heat of the moment, we decided to spar before the competition.”

It seemed this person was the leader of the group.

“Lies! Father, that Yao Yuan tried to force me to drink with him. When I refused, he started this conflict!” Lin Dongxue immediately spoke up again.

Lin Xiao’s cold eyes fixed on Yao Yuan, who appeared uneasy, as though he had been seen through.

“This young lady speaks the truth…” Yao Yuan began to explain, but before he could finish, a crisp slap echoed through the air.

The sudden sound cut him off mid-sentence.

“Slap! Slap! Slap!”

Four more sharp slaps followed, and each of Yao Yuan’s companions, without the ability to retaliate, had their faces slapped.

“Miss Dongxue is the daughter of our city’s Lord. Offending her is equivalent to offending Cloud City itself. Since this is your first offense, I will punish you lightly. But should you dare repeat this, there will be no leniency,” Lin Xiao’s cold voice rang out, his power not even needing to be unleashed, yet it still stilled everyone in the area.

The imposing aura of a city’s ruler spread through the crowd.

“Petty squabbles among the younger generation, and the elders have to intervene? My apologies for my lack of insight. I never knew Cloud City had such rules,” sneered the young man in green, despite his lesser strength.

Tang Yan knew better than to let Lin Xiao continue talking, which would lower his dignity. Instead, he stepped forward and showed off his usual reckless demeanor. “This person’s character is not just flawed; he’s mentally deficient.

You’re aware that Miss Lin is the daughter of the city lord, and yet you dared offend her? You have no manners and no education! The Lord kindly taught you a lesson in civility, but instead of being grateful, you mocked him. What difference is there between you and an animal?”

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Hearing Tang Yan’s words, Lin Xiao briefly glanced at the still silent Liu Zhi. He couldn’t help but marvel at how well Tang Yan had played his part. If he had brought someone from the Qin or Wu families, they would probably have reacted just like Liu Zhi, passively doing nothing.

Sure enough, after Tang Yan’s outburst, the five young men were left speechless.

However, the young man in green, named Su Wei, was quick to retort. “I always wondered why Cloud City keeps finishing last in every competition. I guess it’s because they’ve spent all their time practicing their mouths!”

“Oh? Since you’re so confident, would you like to spar here?” Su Wei raised an eyebrow, deliberately provoking Tang Yan.

“Let’s do it!” Cheers erupted from the crowd. “A spar, a spar!” With the crowd’s encouragement, more voices joined in.

Tang Yan gauged Su Wei’s strength and could sense the aura of someone at the peak of the Third Stage of the Xuan Realm. Though Tang Yan preferred to keep a low profile, he wasn’t one to shy away from a challenge. He smiled calmly. “Since you’re here, why not test your abilities in the Killing Arena? Let’s see who can emerge from a higher level.”

The crowd was intrigued. The competition in the Killing Arena would give Su Wei the perfect opportunity to show off his skills, and Tang Yan might even be able to deal a blow to Su Wei’s arrogance.

Su Wei’s eyes gleamed with excitement. “Very well! Let’s make this interesting. If you lose, you’ll have to shout three times that Cloud City is inferior to Yu City. If I lose, I’ll shout three times that Yu City is inferior to Cloud City. Deal?”

The crowd buzzed with anticipation. The East Domain Grand Competition hadn’t even started yet, but already, the cities were clashing with intense rivalry. This was sure to be a thrilling year for the tournament.

“Ladies and gentlemen, my city and Cloud City have a small dispute, and I’ve come to borrow the Killing Arena for a bit. Please excuse us.” Su Wei gave a bow, acknowledging the crowd.

“Of course, of course. Go ahead with your challenge,” the onlookers responded graciously, eager to see the spectacle unfold.

Su Wei glanced at Tang Yan, clearly eager to see how this battle would unfold. “Shall we take turns, or would you prefer I go first?”

“You go ahead,” Tang Yan shrugged nonchalantly.

It was generally considered advantageous to go second in such challenges. If the first person performed well, they would put psychological pressure on the opponent, which would affect their later performance.

Su Wei was happy with Tang Yan’s suggestion. Without wasting any time, he pulled out a token, passed the inspection, and stepped into the first floor of the Killing Arena.

“Tang Yan, are you confident about this battle?” Lin Xiao quietly asked.

“I’ll give it my all,” Tang Yan replied firmly.

“I’ve just scanned that guy’s strength. He’s impressive, at the peak of the Third Stage of the Xuan Realm. Reaching the fourth floor won’t be too difficult for him, and there’s even a chance he could make it to the fifth. But don’t worry about the results, win or lose, Cloud City isn’t concerned with mere reputations,” Lin Xiao reassured him.

“Understood. By the way, what exactly is the Killing Arena like?” Tang Yan asked, eager to gather as much information as he could before his own challenge.

“The Killing Arena has six floors,” Lin Xiao began. “The first three test basic abilities. The first level has five times the gravity, and you need to reach the endpoint within the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn.”

“The second level has ten times the gravity, the layout is the same as the first, but there are obstacles in the way, and you must reach the end within one incense stick’s time.”

“The third level is much harder. It has fifteen times the gravity, and the pressure alone can hinder even low or mid-level Xuan Realm cultivators. Attacks become fiercer, and you have three incense sticks to make it through, or you lose. Most Xuan Realm practitioners fail at this level.”

“The fourth level tests combat ability, with mechanical beasts inside.”

“The fifth level challenges stamina, mental strength, willpower, and endurance.”

“As for the sixth level…”