While Gongyi Tianheng silently schemed as well as comforted Gu Zuo, the third round's primary matches had already begun.
Helian Xingcheng's face was listless, and he felt deeply humiliated. He wished he could immediately drop everything and leave. Unfortunately, under the gazes of the Immortal realm powerhouses, let alone him, even the Prince Beside the Emperor Cang He wouldn't dare be rash.
Thus, he could only watch the other renowned young masters go up before an Immortal realm martial artist one by one, and draw lot numbers to determine their fights.
Duanmu Qingrong was the third person in line to go up.
In the back, Xingcheng watched their departing figures, and his eyes welled with a bitter resentment which couldn't be ignored.
As for this resentful gaze, it just happened to be seen by the Prince Beside the Emperor.
At first, Cang He's mood was cheerful, but now his complexion sank.
Their Cangyun Empire this time around had made unprecedented achievements. Several times in the past, they could've had one or two people persist long enough to vie for placements to the finals. This was extremely difficult. This time, not only did they have their royal family's meticulously nurtured genius Cang Yu directly advance to the finals, the Gongyi Clan's exception was also shocking. The rest weren't viewed optimistically, but each one had lasted up to this point. This was precisely when they could feel proud of themselves… But then, what the heck was the Helian Clan to do?
Cang He wasn't unable to understand Xingcheng's mood as the only one to drop out. However, the empire's interests came first. The empire also needed those who had long-term foresight. If the Helian Clan was only unhappy in their hearts, then they'd be able to restrain their discontent. He would still value this. However, if the Helian Clan wasn't tactful… Then once he returned, he would carefully discuss things with his Emperor-Brother.
With this line of thinking, Cang He spoke reproachfully: “We are the people of the empire, and for the sake of the empire, we are promoting its cla.s.s and doing our best to contribute. Does everyone think this way?”
When he talked, his gaze fell to Xingcheng in advance.
Helian Xingcheng's complexion changed.
His heart was deeply unwilling, but he still bowed his head at this time.
His mood was completely concealed.
Xingcheng opened his mouth with difficulty: “Yes.”
The Helian Clan's protector also could do nothing except nod his head.
These theatrics were secretly observed by Gu Zuo on the side the whole time.
Gu Zuo's psychic power was comparatively unrestrained. He also clearly heard the Prince Beside the Emperor chastising the Helian Clan. His mood immediately improved, and without further delay, he transmitted his voice: Big brother, the person from the royal family also doesn't like the Helian Clan!
Originally, Tianheng wasn't paying any attention, but once he heard Gu Zuo repeat what happened, he faintly nodded his head: If the person in charge of the Clan is short-sighted, it could implicate the entire Clan for a long time and cause them to fall behind. The matters of the Helian Clan being rather domineering for the past few years and the current clan head aren't without a connection. Perhaps the royal family has already been obstructing them for a while. Just now, that rebuke should've included the impact of a very old affair. Once they return, the elders will pa.s.s on the Prince Beside the Emperor's rebuke. As for whether the clan head will comply, it's hard to predict.
Gu Zuo: …
He never thought it was so complicated.
Tianheng continued to transmit: This is a good thing. The royal family will be fixed on the Helian Clan. If they rush in indiscriminately, when the time comes, not only will we be taking part, but so will the royal family. As for Ah Zuo, you'll naturally be very safe.
Gu Zuo understood.
This was about the royal family and the aristocratic families constraining each other. He, this n.o.body, only needed to stay under the protection of his dear big brother, and properly live his life in the s.p.a.ce between these forces.
It wasn't necessary for him to think too much about other things.
He believed that once this matter was settled, the stuff before could be slowly unravelled before him.
On the other side of things, the lot number drawing was already finished.
Gongyi Tianheng was free right now, so Gu Zuo went with him to the front of the platform to watch the matches.
That's right, to the front of a platform.
He didn't know how those three Immortal realm martial artists did it. At first, eighteen large grindstones immediately rose up from the ground, which was already really weird. After one night, the grindstones were replaced with s.p.a.cious stone platforms. There were as many as six.
One could see that these were the tournament's platforms.
Of course, while they were called fighting platforms, they actually weren't that particularly high. They were only about one meter tall. The spectating martial artists could easily see what happened on the stages.
Right now, there were already twenty two martial artists who jumped directly onto one of those stages.
Because there were eighty four people who were vying for placements, the rule was that the first round would determine forty two winners and the rest would be eliminated. The second round would have twenty one winners, and the rest would be eliminated. The third round would have ten winners and one pa.s.s, and the rest would be eliminated as before. The fourth round would have five winners, plus the one who received the pa.s.s. The six in total would be the people to receive the placements.
After that, these six would be qualified to enter the finals along with the thirty two who immediately advanced.
As for what the final's rules were, they'd be explained later on.
At present, the number of placements were really too few. Moreover, once a person lost, they wouldn't have any more chances. All the martial artists waiting on the stages were getting nervous.
They really…had no certainty on the outcome.
Very quickly, after the female martial artist Zou Qingyue gave an order, the people on the six stages didn't hesitate in the least and began to battle one another! As for Liu Wuyuan, Luo Yanfang, and Zou Qingyue, each monitored two stages on their own.
During this third round's trial, the selected martial artists were all already lucky talents. As a result, they were also mindful to stay their hands from killing anyone who forfeited.
This was also considered retaining their talents.
Duanmu Qingrong was very unfortunate. The first set of elimination fights had fourteen matches, and he just so happened to be one of the six people in the first match up. Unexpectedly, his opponent was an expert from a first cla.s.s empire.
Though both were half-step Xiantian, his counterpart's qi energy was obviously more solid than his. In addition, although they had both suffered defeats, his counterpart had persisted for no less than six hours.
At this moment, the well-fitting clothes of that young martial artist flapped in the wind. Instantly, sharp blades of wind were closing in!
Qingrong's complexion hardened, and his body drew back. His footsteps repeatedly alternated and almost formed several after-images, all to avoid the tips of the tightly bundled wind blades.
Simultaneously, he raised his right arm and held a short sword. Slashing horizontally in front of him, he shattered the uninterrupted and narrow blades.
There were twelve martial artists fighting each other at this time. However, because it was a Cangyun Empire fight and Gu Zuo really had some sense of belonging to the country, his focus was primarily still on Qingrong.
He watched very intensely.
On the side, Tianheng looked calm as he explained to Gu Zuo: “Duanmu Qingrong will lose.” He a.s.sessed, “If nothing unexpected happens, it should be within twenty moves.”
Gu Zuo was alarmed: “Young master Duanmu is very fearsome. Don't tell me the gap is this big?”
Gongyi Tianheng said: “The opponent is even more fearsome. That martial artist's time on the grindstone should be too unfavorable. His heart is holding back a ball of fury, and he's venting his emotions here. Because he's urgently trying to win a placement, he doesn't want to waste his time with the first fight. So, he wants to get this done quickly. Duanmu Qingrong meeting him truly is his bad luck.”
Gu Zuo understood in a flash. As it turned out, it was like this.
While he watched Qingrong, there was some sympathy in his eyes.
Eh, he could try again next time…
As for Tianheng's words, he was absolutely certain about them. When he said within twenty moves, it would roughly be within twenty moves.
Sure enough, just as Tianheng said, each successive blade of that first cla.s.s empire's martial artist was sharper than the last. As Qingrong retreated again and again, from smoothly resisting to doing so with difficulty and to being incapable of blocking, it was all within a dozen moves.
Soon after, a blade directly chopped Qingrong's gut and a gout of blood burst forth. Qingrong was decisive and flipped off the stage.
“I forfeit!”
That martial artist naturally didn't pursue a retreating enemy. Qingong just recovered from the shock when his complexion paled.
It was a true loss. He honestly didn't have any excuses.
After slowly getting his breath back, Qingrong closed his eyes. He had to face the fact that his abilities were not enough.
He only had this one chance at the Hundred Countries Tournament. He realized that his so-called reputation, his power, and his unique genius in the Cangyun Empire were all basically no more than the opinions of a frog at the bottom of a well.
A true genius? He…couldn't be called that.
With this line of thought, Qingrong quickly calmed down.
His gaze swept across Cang Yu and Gongyi Tianheng.
Perhaps, there were only these two people who could truly emerge from the Cangyun Empire.
Duanmu Qingrong clearly understood that his strength was almost on par with Sima Yuanyou and Huangfu Zhanghao. Even if their performances had slight discrepancies, those differences would only be based on luck.
But would their luck let them smoothly reach the end?
That was impossible.
Thus, for what would happen later, he could already predict the conclusion.
______
Gongyi Tianheng was still giving Gu Zuo explanations on the fighting styles of those battling martial artists.
Gu Zuo was also listening earnestly.
Although pharmacists and martial artists had different cultivation systems, when all was said and done, they still needed to work together. The better they understood martial arts, the more advantages they'd have.
Just as how he once pointed things out to the Gongyi Clan's younger generations, Tianheng did his best to educate Gu Zuo. He taught all the things he could make out to him, striving his hardest to raise Gu Zuo's experience.
This kind of scene had occurred many times over. Not only did Gu Zuo understand even more, Tianheng himself gained some insights into the martial skills of those martial artists from other countries.
— Basically, one could still have things to a.n.a.lyze.
After a few matches, Sima Yuanyou took to the stage, and lost his fight.
Several matches later, Huangfu Zhanghao and his opponent actually had equivalent strengths. After a bitter struggle, he unexpectedly advanced.
Like this, the first day came to an end, and the first round pa.s.sed. The second round began the next day.
Zhanghao's luck still wasn't bad. Although he fought as if his life depended on it and suffered heavy injuries, he nevertheless eked out a win.
For the third round, Zhanghao actually had the good luck of receiving the pa.s.s.
Thus, Zhanghao pa.s.sed the fourth round.
Gu Zuo: “…”
Just what should he say about this?
He wondered if the Cangyun Empire was enveloped by a lucky halo in this Hundred Countries Tournament. Or to say, was Huangfu Zhanghao that much of a lucky b.a.s.t.a.r.d?
Tianheng was also somewhat surprised.
He figured the matter of Yuanyou's certain defeat, but in his predictions, Zhanghao's strength should've been insufficient to get him one of those six rare placements.
However, Zhanghao still really got it.
Though, the process of getting it was rather theatrical…
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