While Qu Bai was exchanging pleasantries with the others, Shen Qian also shifted his gaze away from Lin Sanmo.

Shen Qian also saw Bai Fei. Compared to last time, Bai Fei was no longer in that disheveled state, but his temperament seemed to have become more profound.

It felt like "I really came back to life".

As for the other people on the platform, they were not very familiar with each other before the sinking.

Apart from the young man in military uniform who was somewhat familiar with Qu Bai, whom Shen Qian had only heard Qu Bai mention once, everyone else was just a thin piece of paper to Shen Qian.

Besides these young geniuses, there was only an old man sweeping the floor on the high platform.

Shen Qian glanced at it and felt that something was off, but before he could think about it carefully, a playful voice rang out.

"So this platform is open to just anyone?"

The voice chuckled and sighed, "Then what's the point of us standing here?"

A moment of silence fell over the platform, and many people's eyes returned to Shen Qian, because the target of his words was all too obvious.

"Song Jinyao, what are you trying to say?"

Qu Bai narrowed his eyes and locked his gaze on the person who had spoken.

"It's nothing, I just feel it's a bit low-class. So, all you have to do is make a splash at the High School Cup to get in? Does that mean we don't have enough people here?"

The young man named Song Jinyao chuckled and stepped forward without hesitation, saying, "By this standard, shouldn't there be a thousand or eight hundred people standing here?"

A chuckle rippled through the crowd, and many eyes darted back and forth between Shen Qian and Song Jinyao.

Shen Qian had just frowned when he heard Qu Bai's voice transmission in his ear: "He's deliberately provoking you to make a move, trying to test your strength. Don't fall for it."

Qu Bai spoke very quickly, clearly afraid that Shen Qian might act impulsively and actually make a move.

Shen Qian was taken aback for a moment, then shook his head and smiled, "Does he deserve it?"

He didn't use telepathy before speaking, so everyone heard him.

Everyone stared at Chen Qian in astonishment, including Song Jinyao, clearly confused.

"You say he wanted to test my capabilities, but with his limited abilities... does he even deserve it?"

With a calm expression, Shen pointed at Song Jinyao and repeated to Qu Bai, "What can he possibly find out?"

Wow!

Now everyone finally understood what Shen Qian had said. Amid the commotion on the platform, many people marveled at his words.

They could certainly see through Song Jinyao's intentions, but no one expected that Chen Qian's response would be even more insulting.

It was a direct and explicit statement that Song Jinyao wasn't even qualified to fight him!

How outrageous!

Shen Qian's thoughts were actually not complicated.

Originally, I planned to keep a low profile today, have a nice meal, watch the excitement, and then head home.

But just as Ning Zhaoyi blocked him at the manor gate, Shen Qian suddenly realized something.

In fact, the concept of being low-key or not is no longer relevant.

When he made his move on the arena that day, annihilating Wang Shuo, a cultivator at the Mountain and Sea Realm, with a single strike under the gaze of thousands, he could no longer act as he had before.

"The number one among the younger generation."

Countless netizens have already shouted this slogan.

They won't delve into the standards of the younger generation, nor will they care how many so-called geniuses are hiding behind the scenes.

This unprecedented Nine Heavens Cup, a showdown unimaginable to ordinary people, created a unique glory for Shen Qian that neither Lin Sanmo, Qu Bai, nor Song Jinyao before him had ever experienced.

They might not be weaker than those who sank before.

But by the time they had the strength to fight, they were already past the age limit and had long since left the public eye.

If it weren't for this "Stepping into the Nine Heavens" event, many people might never have known their names in their entire lives.

No one has ever shone as brightly as Shen Qian in the eyes of hundreds of millions of people.

The more honors a city carries today, the more hostility it will inevitably attract.

Whether out of jealousy or something else, Shen Qian could already foresee that this battle for the Nine Heavens would not be peaceful.

During this time, Shen Qian had been pondering a question.

If we ignore the system and want to follow our own path, what kind of path is the most suitable?

He didn't know.

But he is looking for the answer.

But at this moment, he was truly fed up.

Since you're going to test me, I'll give you an answer you simply can't afford!

After his initial surprise, Qu Bai seemed to have discerned something from Shen Qian's eyes. He nodded silently and stepped aside.

After a brief moment of stunned silence, Song Jinyao's face flushed crimson. Even the most mild-mannered martial artist would find such an insult unbearable, let alone...

He is Song Jinyao.

He is a prodigy among geniuses.

Who here isn't proud?

At most, it's just a matter of personality differences whether or not one reveals their true feelings.

"You think you can be so arrogant just because you have the title of national martial arts champion? Ha, do you know that you are nothing but a fart in my eyes, Song Jinyao!"

Song Jinyao sneered.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" Shen Qian frowned. "Or are you scared?"

Another commotion erupted on the high platform, as everyone was astonished by Shen Qian's repeated provocations.

"You think I'm afraid?"

Song Jinyao's eyes twitched, and he finally couldn't suppress his emotions any longer. "Since you are so ignorant of your own limitations, then I will teach you a lesson!"

After Song Jinyao gave a low shout, he was about to stride forward when a figure blocked his way.

It was the old man sweeping the floor who happened to hand the broom to Song Jinyao's feet.

At that moment, Shen Qiantong shrank back, finally realizing what had just happened wrong.

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