The first steps could no longer meet Tang San's cultivation needs. He had climbed to the third level of both the Sunborne Sacred Mountain and the Earthshade Sacred Mountain. As the yin-yang energy vortex strengthened, he could absorb more and more yin-yang energy. His cultivation advancement was still swift. In just two more days, the foundation provided by the Corpse-Devouring Nymph imprint would be nearly fully assimilated.
When he got up for breakfast the following day, his master, companions, and Little Cat were already waiting for him. He had informed everyone the day before that he had secured the tickets. Today, they could all watch the matches at the Ancestral Court Plaza.
Everyone had been diligently cultivating recently, and having a chance to relax was rare. They were all full of energy and anticipation.
"Don't get too excited just yet. When you watch the matches, stay calm and don't compare your abilities to those of the contestants," Tang San said, handing the tickets to his companions, throwing a bit of cold water on their enthusiasm.
"Is it that intense? Looks like they're in for a shock!" Du Bai, who couldn't attend the match, said with a hint of schadenfreude.
"Getting shocked is better than not even having the qualification to get shocked," Gu Li retorted.
"Hmph!" Du Bai snorted. He was genuinely frustrated. He wanted to watch the matches, too, but his Celestial Fox Vision was too sensitive an issue, and he understood the reason.
Tang San patted Du Bai's shoulder and said, "Don't worry. When we get back, I'll get you a gift."
"A gift? What is it?" Du Bai knew that Tang San didn’t make promises lightly, and anything he gave as a gift had to be top-notch.
Tang San smiled and said, "You'll find out then. I'm sure you'll be delighted. But you need to work on your physical fitness. Otherwise, I'm afraid you won't be able to use it."Du Bai said, "Don't worry about that. Since my spiritual power reached the ninth order, I've found that it actually helps me improve my body as well. And here in the Ancestral Court, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is so rich that it’s nourishing me and helping me improve my condition. I'll keep practicing."
"That's good. You continue your cultivation at the Celestial Fox Sacred Mountain. Everyone, let’s head out."
Zhang Haoxuan put on a mask and a cloak; he had to disguise his figure so that the Aetherhorn Merchant Association wouldn't recognize that the "array master" himself was attending the match.
They rented a carriage from the White Tiger Hotel and headed straight for the Ancestral Court Plaza.
The number of guests at the White Tiger Hotel hadn't decreased despite many contestants being eliminated. Many of the eliminated contestants stayed to watch the remaining matches. They were curious to see who would advance and who would be the eventual champion.
After two rounds of individual competition in the Ancestral Court Elite Competition, the number of contestants had decreased from over three hundred to fewer than ninety.
There would be three more rounds of matches, and the first place in each group would be decided. Some lucky contestants might only need two more matches to advance from their group.
Tang San's group had an odd number of participants, meaning that after this match, there would be a draw for the next round. The contestant who drew the bye would get a rest and then compete against the third round winner later.
The same applied to the other groups.
Based on his luck in previous individual matches, Tang San didn't think he would advance with just two rounds. Moreover, the opponents he was going to face would probably not be weak either.
He just hoped not to encounter another freakish opponent like the one from the Scorching Sunflower clan again. If it hadn't been for the yin-yang energy that day, he would have had to unleash his full power to have a chance at winning.
His companions and master went to the spectator seats, while Tang San went to the waiting area to meet Big Cat and Mei Gongzi.
Big Cat appeared hunched over and pale, as if suffering from overexertion. To the other contestants, it seemed like he hadn't recovered from the severe injuries he had sustained in his previous match.
Tang San gave him an inquisitive look and whispered, "Little Cat is watching today."
Big Cat winked at him. Tang San immediately understood.
Mei Gongzi said, "Big Brother Asura, I asked around for you. In your third group, among the opponents you might face later, there are two strong ones with first-tier bloodlines, and the other two are relatively weaker. Including you, there are five contestants in total."
Tang San's mouth twitched, and he said, "My luck doesn’t seem to be great these days. I hope I don't run into those strong ones in the next two matches. Well, if I have three matches, I’ll definitely encounter them."
Mei Gongzi couldn't help but laugh at his grumpy expression. Her smile, usually so rare on her icy face, was like spring thawing the snow and bringing everything back to life. Tang San couldn't help but be a bit mesmerized.
"You have to do your best. We all need to aim for the top sixteen," Mei Gongzi said softly.
Looking at her encouraging eyes, Tang San felt his fighting spirit surge. "I will make it to the top sixteen. I'll clear the way for you."
Now it was Big Cat's turn to feel resentful. "Hey, am I included in these obstacles you're clearing?"
Tang San turned to look at him and couldn't help but laugh. "Of course, it doesn't include you. If we all make it to the top sixteen in the individual competition, I'll forfeit no matter who I face between the two of you. If you two meet, then it'll be up to your abilities. Let's see who is stronger."
Big Cat blinked. "You're being so nice to me?"
Tang San smiled. "Since I didn't team up with you for the doubles, consider it compensation. But it would be best not to meet you two too early in the competition. This way, I can help clear some obstacles for you. If we can meet in the semifinals, that would be perfect."
Big Cat chuckled bitterly. "Given your luck, that doesn't seem very likely!"
Tang San looked at him meaningfully and said, "That's not necessarily true."
His luck in the competition, especially in the individual matches, had been poor because he hadn't used the Celestial Fox imprint to enhance it.
In a competition of this level, it would draw unwanted attention if he just breezed through. By having bad luck in the earlier matches and facing strong opponents, no one would suspect he was favored by fortune. So, Tang San found it beneficial to face tough opponents constantly. He could use the Celestial Fox bloodline to enhance his luck when he reached the finals. This way, he could avoid facing Mei Gongzi and Big Cat before the semifinals and also bestow luck upon them. Meeting in the semifinals was entirely possible.
Tang San did feel guilty for not partnering with Big Cat in the doubles. If he met Big Cat in the competition, he would forfeit. Of course, if Big Cat faced Mei Gongzi later, Tang San would watch closely and wouldn't allow him to harm Mei Gongzi.
The third round of the elimination matches had already begun, and by this round, the competition had become even more intense, even brutal.
After the first two rounds of elimination matches, Big Cat wasn't the only one injured. It was not easy to defeat opponents and come out unscathed. Therefore, in today's matches, many contestants were already fighting with injuries, unable to use their full strength against their opponents.
But this was also one of the Ancestral Court Elite Competition tests. One needed to have great power and endurance. In such a densely packed schedule, continuing to advance required not just incredible strength but also strong overall abilities.
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