Chapter 568: Grouping Up

However, there was still some hope for Murong Chong to make it to the top fifty. Even so, that would require a lot of luck. As for ranking in the top twenty, he could forget about it.

This meant that Murong Chong suffered from greater pressure. This was a moment that tested his mental state.

If Murong Chong’s state of mind was good, it would not affect his strength. In fact, he could even turn the pressure into motivation. If his mental state collapsed, his strength would decrease sharply and he might even fail in the elimination rounds.

Xiao Chen remained calm. He had only one goal in mind: to continuously challenge and defeat all sorts of opponents.

Be it an elimination round or a ranking match, all he sought was to bring out his full power and defeat his opponent.

He immediately asked, “Are the rules for the ranking matches out? Is it like the elimination rounds, carried out in groups?”

Jiang Chi shook his head. “The rules of the ranking matches differ every time. They will inform us of the rules and format at the very last moment. The main problem is the possibility of a leak and some sects knowing beforehand.

“This had happened before in the past and had a negative impact. So, from then on, they only informed everyone of the rules and format after the elimination rounds.”

After that, Jiang Chi continued to explain the other rules, such as, if the opponent surrendered, they were to immediately stop attacking.

If they continued to attack, they would be stripped of their qualifications. This was the same for every sect and Noble Clan. Sima Lingxuan was no exception.

Furthermore, one could not use an offensive Secret Treasure in the arena. A maximum of three defensive and supplementary Secret Treasures could be used but they could not be better than Medial Grade.

The great sects and small sects had different amounts of resources at their disposal. If they wanted to, the great sects’ participants could do their best to obtain a full set of peak Medial Grade Secret Treasures.

With a full set of such Secret Treasures, it would be easy for them to crush the participants from small sects. Naturally, the organizers would not allow such a thing to happen.

As for Spirit Weapons, there were no restrictions. After all, after a weapon was used for a long time, the cultivators would develop feelings for their weapons. If a swordsman or bladesman were forced to change weapons, their strength would decrease by at least thirty percent.

After Jiang Chi finished, he smiled faintly and said, “Man proposes and god disposes. You just have to do your best and don’t give yourselves too much pressure. I am already very satisfied with the results you have achieved already.”

When the sky became bright, Jiang Chi led the Heavenly Saber Pavilion’s group to the Wind Cloud Arena in the middle of the city.

The Wind Cloud Arena lay in the centermost part of the city. It was surrounded by a large ring of spectator stands. A large number of spectators had already arrived, densely packing the bleachers.

The seats were arranged on an incline from inside to outside, ensuring that everyone could see the arena clearly.

“Damn! I’m too late. Unexpectedly, there is no longer any space even though the competition has not started yet.”

“I slept too long! I really should not have slept in. Looks like I will have to miss the first day of the competition. How depressing.”

“Just give up. I heard that the people in there have been waiting since last night, waiting for at least six to eight hours.”

“How unfortunate. This Five Nation Youth Competition is probably going to be one of the most exciting since it started. To think that I can’t watch!”

Several of the late cultivators sighed at the entrance. They were full of regrets and they appeared extremely dejected.

As for Xiao Chen and the others, they did not have to worry. They had been allocated participant seats. The people from their sect could enter directly without even having to buy tickets.

After Xiao Chen and the others proved their identities, an attendant immediately brought them to their seats.

Once the group was seated, they immediately checked out the Wind Cloud Arena in the center. It was a rectangular stone platform as smooth as a mirror. It was several thousand hectares in size, covering a large area.

There was no wind or thunder. Aside from being very smooth, there did not seem to be anything special about the Wind Cloud Arena.

Liu Suifeng said disappointedly, “This is the Wind Cloud Arena? It looks too shabby. Furthermore, it is just one platform; how are four hundred participants going to compete on it?”

“Hu chi! Boom!”

Immediately after Liu Suifeng spoke, a strong gust swept the arena and thunder roared. Winds blew and clouds gathered, sounding like a vast army on the march. The atmosphere of the arena immediately changed greatly.

The huge arena slowly rose up. After it reached ten meters, it split into twenty dueling rings.

There were small dragon pillars at the corners of the dueling rings. The maws of the dragons were spitting out two beams of purple and white lights. The lights combined together to form a thick barrier of light, protecting the dueling ring.

The light flickered with electricity and moved like the wind. The barrier was made with Spiritual Energy of the wind and lightning attributes.

Yun Kexin looked at Liu Suifeng and smiled. “Let’s see if you dare to speak nonsense again in the future.”

Liu Suifeng smiled embarrassedly and replied, “I don’t dare to anymore. Right after I said that, the arena slapped me in the face.”

Jiang Chi explained, “That layer of Wind Cloud Barrier contains Dragon Qi. No one under Martial Monarch can break it, not without using Quintessence. The twenty dueling rings are for the twenty groups. After you are split into groups, you should check which dueling ring you are assigned to.”

“We are going to start allocating the groups. Please make your final preparations. After the allocation is finished, the first elimination round will officially begin,” Dragon Sealing City’s City Lord, Feng Shou, said in a loud voice from the grandstand, where the organizers of the competition were. His voice was infused with Quintessence and everyone present could hear him clearly.

Xiao Chen closed his eyes and rested, not thinking of anything else. However, he suddenly felt an unfriendly gaze and a faint killing intent.

He opened his eyes and looked in the direction of that gaze. He found Xie Ziwen looking at him with a malevolent expression from the Evil Moon Pavilion’s seats.

Xiao Chen immediately lost interest and could not be bothered to care about Xie Ziwen. However, he kept an eye on Bai Zhan, who was seated beside Xie Ziwen.

Seeing that Xiao Chen paid no attention to him, Xie Ziwen shook with anger. He clenched his teeth as he said, “How hateful! I will let you remain arrogant for a while longer.”

The City Lord’s people arrived before Xiao Chen’s group and asked for him before handing him a wooden tablet.

On the wooden tablet’s front was written “Group Six” and the back had his name and his entry number.

Yun Kexin looked carefully at her own wooden tablet before asking, “Xiao Chen, what group are you in? I am in group three.”

“Group six.”

“Group seven.” Murong Chong reported his group as well.

Where the Evil Moon Pavilion sat, Xie Ziwen looked at his own wooden tablet. The words “Group Six” were on the font. Then, he turned to Bai Zhan and said, “Senior Brother, what group are you in?”

Bai Zhan appeared to be extremely calm. He said indifferently, “I am in group thirteen. You are in the same group as Xiao Chen.”

Xie Ziwen’s expression changed. He had not expected to go up against Xiao Chen so quickly. He asked, “Is that true?”

Bai Zhan mocked, “What’s wrong? Are you afraid?”

“I’m not, just nervous. However…”

Bai Zhan ignored Xie Ziwen’s words and continued speaking, “You will definitely match up with him in the twenty matches sooner or later. You are not a match for him. Just probe him to figure out all his strength. Forget about revenge; it will make you lose even more badly.”

Xie Ziwen was not convinced but this was his senior brother, so he did not dare to talk back. He could only agree. “I will listen to Senior Brother’s advice.”

However, Xie Ziwen thought to himself, I don’t believe that after a year of cultivating, I am still not a match for him. It was only a fluke that he defeated me back then.

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