The entire outer sect arena remained noisy long after Fang Lin's battle ended.
Even after Lin Tao was carried away by sect healers, the discussions surrounding Fang Lin continued spreading like wildfire throughout the crowd.
"He shattered the Earth Iron Shield…"
"That shield survived attacks from late-stage cultivators before…"
"How terrifying is his physical strength now?"
"And he is still only at the middle stage of Qi Conjunction…"
Everywhere disciples looked, Fang Lin's name could be heard.
Meanwhile, Fang Lin himself calmly stepped down from the battle stage while the cheers from many alliance-side disciples continued rising around him.
"Fang Lin!"
"Senior Brother Fang!"
"Too powerful!"
Even many unranked outer disciples looked at Fang Lin with admiration now.
In the Green Bamboo Sect, strength earned respect.
And Fang Lin had displayed strength in the most direct way possible.
As Fang Lin returned toward Li Shan and the others, Murong Yue immediately rushed toward him excitedly.
Murong Yue loudly said, "That was amazing!"
Luo Chen burst into laughter and heavily slapped Fang Lin's shoulder.
Luo Chen said, "You actually destroyed the shield!"
Even Zhao Feng shook his head slightly while smiling faintly.
Zhao Feng calmly said, "Lin Tao probably never imagined someone would break through his defense like that."
Bai Qing quietly looked at Fang Lin before softly asking with an impish look, "What exactly was that body technique?"
Fang Lin paused slightly.
Then Fang Lin calmly replied, "Something I found by luck."
Murong Yue immediately narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
Murong Yue said, "That answer sounds very fake."
The group laughed lightly after hearing her.
Only Han Zhi remained quieter than usual.
Han Zhi carefully looked toward Fang Lin before slowly saying, "Your body technique…"
"…is dangerous."
Fang Lin's eyes flickered faintly.
Han Zhi continued calmly, "Not because it is evil."
"But because it grows too quickly."
Li Shan quietly nodded. They determined this because they had already fought with Fang Lin several times and noticed how fast his body technique is improving.
Even he could already feel the pressure coming from Fang Lin's growth speed.
At this rate—
The rankings themselves might truly change.
Before their conversation could continue further, a loud voice suddenly echoed across the arena once more.
"The next ranking battle…"
"…will begin shortly."
The noisy crowd gradually calmed again.
More battles were still waiting.
The Top Sixteen ranking tournament had only just begun.
Meanwhile, high above the arena, several elders continued discussing Fang Lin quietly.
One alliance elder smiled faintly and said, "That boy's body is already comparable to late-stage Qi Condensing realm body cultivators."
A faction elder coldly replied, "Body cultivation techniques consume enormous resources."
"He cannot maintain such growth forever."
An Inner sect Elder calmly looked toward Fang Lin below before speaking softly.
"Perhaps."
"But talent itself is also a resource."
The faction elder's expression darkened slightly after hearing those words.
Nearby, the white-robed Inner Sect elder quietly observed Fang Lin as well.
Even he had not expected the battle to end in such a violent manner.
Meanwhile, hidden high above the arena where nobody could notice them, the Sect Master quietly stood with his hands behind his back.
His gaze remained fixed on Fang Lin.
Then the Sect Master softly smiled.
"He grows even faster under pressure…"
Beside him, Elder Feng slowly nodded.
Elder Feng calmly said, "The factions will not remain calm anymore."
The Sect Master's eyes gradually deepened.
"That is exactly what concerns me."
-----
Far below them, Chen Hao silently sat within the faction-side seating area.
His expression remained calm.
But inwardly—
His emotions had already become much darker than before.
Lin Tao losing was not the problem.
The problem was how Fang Lin won.
Too overwhelming.
Too explosive.
Too shocking.
Xu Ren quietly frowned before saying, "That body technique is abnormal."
Yue Fang softly added, "And his speed keeps improving."
Even Shen Ku's cold eyes remained fixed toward Fang Lin now.
For the first time—
The faction-side disciples no longer viewed Fang Lin as merely a troublesome newcomer.
Now—
They viewed him as a threat.
A real threat.
Chen Hao slowly narrowed his eyes.
Then Chen Hao calmly said, "Watch him carefully from now on."
Xu Ren looked toward him slightly surprised.
Chen Hao quietly continued, "Do not underestimate him anymore."
The atmosphere around the faction-side disciples gradually became heavier.
Because all of them could already sense it clearly.
If Fang Lin continued growing like this—
The balance of the outer sect would eventually break completely.
Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the arena, Xuo Mu still looked excited beyond belief.
Xuo Mu loudly said, "Brother Fang is incredible!"
Several nearby outer disciples immediately nodded in agreement.
One disciple excitedly said, "Did you see that final punch?"
Another disciple quickly added, "Lin Tao's shield exploded apart!"
Even Xue Ji's usually calm face carried visible admiration now.
Xue Ji softly said, "His growth speed is frightening."
Around them, more and more younger disciples quietly began looking toward Fang Lin with shining eyes.
For outer sect disciples without powerful backgrounds or clans, Fang Lin's rise felt inspiring.
Because unlike most top-ranked disciples—
Fang Lin did not come from one of the great sect clans.
Yet he still fought his way upward step by step.
That naturally caused many disciples to begin admiring him.
Some even began viewing him as their role model.
And Fang Lin himself did not even realize it yet that he had already started gathering followers inside the sect.
Meanwhile, at the center stage, the next battle had already begun.
Powerful Qi fluctuations exploded continuously as Rank 13 Xu Ren battled another ranked disciple fiercely.
The competition atmosphere only became more intense with every passing battle.
Hours gradually passed.
One ranked battle after another shook the arena.
Several rankings changed.
Several disciples fell.
Others rose upward.
The outer sect competition had finally entered its true climax.
Then finally—
A new announcement echoed across the arena.
"Following the results of the previous battles…"
"…the rankings are updated."
The massive floating stone board above the arena suddenly glowed brightly.
Then the names slowly shifted.
Rank 14…
No longer displayed Lin Tao.
Instead—
A new name appeared clearly.
Fang Lin.
The crowd immediately erupted into loud cheers once again.
"Fang Lin reached Rank 14 officially!"
"And this is only his first competition…"
Murong Yue immediately grinned proudly.
Murong Yue loudly said, "Looks much better now."
Luo Chen laughed loudly after hearing her.
Even Li Shan smiled faintly while looking toward the floating rankings.
_____
But at that same moment—
Several colder gazes silently landed on Fang Lin from the faction side.
The more Fang Lin rose—
The more dangerous he became in their eyes.
And deep inside certain people's hearts—
Killing intent had already quietly begun taking root.