"Third place, Qiao Feiyu."
"Fourth place, Deng Wen."
...
With each genius's name called, the noble families behind them breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
Fortunately, their cake remained untouched.
"Ninth place, Ma Yun."
After the ninth name was announced, the Ma family also let out a collective sigh of relief.
Quick-witted individuals soon exclaimed, "In the top ten, only Ji Hong remains..."
As expected, Xiong Kuang continued, "Tenth place, Ji Hong!"
The entire venue erupted in an uproar, with varied reactions from everyone.
Ji Hong being ranked tenth meant he would lose his precious spot to enter Star Sand Lake.
He had missed out on a great opportunity.
Those who sympathized with Ji Hong, mostly rogue cultivators, felt it was unfair and protested the City Lord's Mansion's actions.
Who ranked first, who ranked tenth, was entirely decided by the City Lord's Mansion's word.
Anyone could see that with Ji Hong's physical strength, comparable to Xuan Gang realm experts, he could easily contend for first place, let alone be in the top nine!
Yet, the City Lord's Mansion had placed Ji Hong at the very end of the top ten, disqualifying him from obtaining a spot.
This was undeniably unjust.
The noble families, however, sneered silently.
A mere rogue cultivator, with no backing and no influence, why wouldn't the City Lord's Mansion target him?
Instead of offending other martial families, wouldn't they pick on the soft persimmon?
Many others remained indifferent, content to watch the spectacle.
After all, they had no stake in the Star Sand Lake ruins.
The Liu family, for the most part, was merely surprised, but no one truly cared.
Although they knew this was unfair to Ji Hong, Ji Hong had no connection to the Liu family, and they had no reason to confront the City Lord's Mansion for him.
Liang Hugu frowned, "Master, your City Lord's Mansion is too overbearing. Is this something a human would do! Even I, Liang Da Shuai... Little Liang, can't stand it."
Liang Hugu's old habit of adding his titles resurfaced, and he immediately referred to himself as Liang Da Shuai.
Upon speaking, he regretted it and quickly corrected himself.
Liang Hugu, a burly one-eyed man in his fifties, calling himself "Little Liang" in front of Ling Fan, a youth not yet twenty, felt a sense of absurdity.
"Master, why don't I go and stand up for Ji Hong? What do you think? Although this wild boy Ji Hong has no background, he does have some connection with you."
Liang Hugu hesitated before speaking.
Ling Fan's gaze was calm. "Let's wait a bit longer. I want to see Ji Hong's reaction."
"Yes."
Liang Hugu nodded quickly.
On the high platform, the Xuan Gang realm expert from the City Lord's Mansion who had tried to recruit Ji Hong wore a triumphant smile.
You dared to refuse the City Lord's Mansion's recruitment, now you won't even have a chance to enter Star Sand Lake.
"Does anyone have any objections to my arrangements?"
Xiong Kuang's gaze swept across the crowd on the high platform.
The strong individuals of Star Sand City quickly lowered their heads, and regardless of their inner thoughts, they all praised, "The City Lord is wise and mighty, just and impartial. We have no objections!"
"Heh, that's good."
Xiong Kuang smiled, his sharp eyes then fixed on Ji Hong below. "Ji Hong, I've ranked you tenth, causing you to lose your spot. Are you convinced?"
"I... am not... convinced! I... challenge the... first!"
Ji Hong spoke each word with difficulty and a rough edge.
His eyes shot out a defiant and untamable gaze, fixed on Xiong Kuang.
Everyone was shocked by Ji Hong's words.
They hadn't expected Ji Hong to be so unyielding, daring to openly defy the City Lord's Mansion's authority.
On the City Lord's Mansion's side, Xiong Daying's expression turned somewhat displeased.
He had been smug about being the undisputed number one genius of Star Sand City.
Now Ji Hong was going to challenge him.
The crucial point was that Ji Hong's strength made him extremely wary. Even with his confidence, he wasn't sure he could suppress Ji Hong, this monstrous talent whose physical body rivaled Xuan Gang realm experts.
He would only have that qualification if he truly entered the Xuan Gang realm.
If he accepted Ji Hong's challenge now, his win rate would be less than thirty percent, and he would likely lose.
Xiong Kuang, standing beside him, noticed Xiong Daying's change in expression.
With his insight, he could naturally see that Xiong Daying was far from being Ji Hong's match.
However, if Xiong Daying couldn't defeat Ji Hong, then he shouldn't fight.
His expression turned stern, and he looked down at Ji Hong, saying, "Audacious! You dare to question this City Lord's ranking! My words are golden, and what I decide cannot be changed, nor can it be challenged by you! Withdraw!"
Rumble.
Xiong Kuang's voice carried an irresistible majesty, like a great bell resounding in everyone's ears.
That terrifying power made everyone's faces turn pale with fear.
This was a peak late-stage Xuan Gang realm expert, only half a step away from the Xuan Gang realm pinnacle.
However, Ji Hong was the first to bear the brunt of this power. He felt as if he were carrying immense pressure, yet he remained rooted like a javelin, stubbornly refusing to retreat even half a step.
"I... am not convinced! I want to fight!"
He roared again, his eyes bloodshot, his fighting spirit soaring.
The tens of thousands of spectators in the martial arena were all shocked by his unyielding fighting spirit.
On the high platform, Xiong Kuang's expression inevitably turned grim.
Boom!
He extended his palm and pressed down.
A martial qi palm print, as large as a millstone, instantly formed and descended towards Ji Hong.
"Kneel!"
He let out a low roar, and the qi palm print rumbled down.
Ji Hong's lean body instantly tensed. He felt a great threat from the palm print.
The bloody light on his body surged, and the potential of his physical body erupted. He forcefully raised his hands, as if lifting a great cauldron, and held up the qi palm print.
Boom!
The moment the two collided.
The ground where Ji Hong stood instantly caved in, the terrifying power pressing down.
Everyone heard a chilling crackling sound, the sound of Ji Hong's bones groaning under the immense pressure of the palm print.
After all, Ji Hong's physical body only rivaled that of a Xuan Gang realm expert.
It was still inferior to a true early-stage Xuan Gang realm expert.
How could he be a match for a late-stage Xuan Gang realm expert like Xiong Kuang?
Xiong Kuang wore a disdainful cold smile.
His hand continued to press down.
The martial qi handprint glowed brightly and rumbled down.
A crisp cracking sound suddenly came from Ji Hong's arms.
His hands were broken.
However, Ji Hong refused to surrender. Instead, he chose to use his shoulders to bear the martial qi handprint.
"Let's see how long you can hold on!"
Xiong Kuang snorted coldly.
The martial qi handprint continued to press down, Ji Hong's back involuntarily bowed, and half of his body was pressed into the ground.
Yet, he gritted his teeth and persisted. The unyielding light in his eyes shook the souls of all who saw it.
Boom!
The martial qi palm print finally exploded, releasing its terrifying power and sending Ji Hong crashing into the battle stage, lying motionless in a pool of blood.
"Heh, a fool who courts death."
The City Lord's Mansion experts all sneered.
Many of Star Sand City's strong individuals fell silent.
Just as everyone thought Ji Hong was dead, someone suddenly exclaimed.
In the pool of blood, Ji Hong's body trembled. He struggled, propping up his broken body and shakily standing up. He looked as if a gust of wind could knock him over, but he swayed and yet remained standing, not falling.
He suddenly raised his head and let out a silent roar!
His eyes shot out an incomparably furious and incomparably resilient light.
At that moment.
The entire venue fell silent.
They were all moved by this unyielding youth.
On the Liu family's side, Ling Fan's eyes suddenly lit up.
On the high platform, Xiong Kuang's face had completely darkened.
He hadn't expected Ji Hong, whom he had suppressed to the brink of death, to still dare to provoke him!
"You won't turn back until you hit the south wall, will you? Very well, I shall oblige you."
Just as Xiong Kuang was preparing to end Ji Hong's life completely.
A faint voice suddenly sounded.
"I will protect this person. If you dare to kill him, I will destroy your City Lord's Mansion!"